Good Morning,
Praise the Lord for the season of Pentecost in the Church Year. The Lord had given prophecy regarding the coming of the Holy Spirit in the Book of Joel. It was prophecy combined with judgement and Grace. It talked about the devouring locusts, and it talked about the rain.
Laura Ingalls Wilder, (one of Sunita's beloved authors), in her book "On the Banks of Plum Creek", in the chapter entitled, “The Glittering Cloud” shows us what it was like to have the swarms of grasshoppers or locusts devour their homestead. This was the greatest plague to attack the United States and it devastated the Great Plains States all the way to the Texas Panhandle. “They left the prairies utterly barren, with only holes in the ground where wheat or range grasses had been. . . .One swarm, about 100 miles wide and 300 miles long, was so high and dense that it obscured the sun and darkened the land”.
In Old Testament times God employed the locusts as instruments of judgment upon His people, Israel. Before they entered Cana, He warned them in Deuteronomy 28, “You will sow much seed in the field but you will harvest little, because locusts will devour it. You will plant vineyards and cultivate them but you will not drink the wine or gather the grapes, because worms will eat them. You will have olive trees throughout your country but you will not use the oil, because the olives will drop off. You will have sons and daughters but you will not keep them, because they will go into captivity. Swarms of locusts will take over all your trees and the crops of your land (--Deuteronomy 28:38-42).” The Lord clearly explained His reasons for sending locust as instruments of judgment in Deuteronomy 28:15, “However, if you do not obey the LORD your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come upon you and overtake you.” Egypt suffered the devastation of the locusts because of the hardness of Pharaoh’s heart; Israel and Judah experienced the same years later because they "did not obey the Lord their God and did not carefully follow all His commands and decrees.” In the midst of the consequences of the law, all crops destroyed by the locusts, we have the promise of grace: “I will repay you for the years the Locust have eaten— the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm— my great army that I sent among you.” The Good News of Grace is found in the words, “I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten.” I cannot think of a better promise to claim either as an individual disciple of Jesus Christ or collectively as His Body than this one. The image of the words, “have eaten” paints a literal picture of something that has been completely, totally destroyed. God speaks again through the prophet Amos in Amos 4:9 and says, “‘Many times I struck your gardens and vineyards, I struck them with blight and mildew. Locusts devoured your fig and olive trees, yet you have not returned to me,’ declares the LORD.” The fruit of those fig and olive trees was totally destroyed in the same way as in the 1870s, when the Great Plains were “utterly barren, with only holes in the ground where wheat or range grasses had been.” The Lord promises, “I will repay you,” meaning nothing less than full restoration, with the Lord bringing the gardens and the vineyards back to their original productive state." Oftentimes our lives, both as individuals and as the Church, seem to be devastated from years of destruction the locusts have consumed. What have locusts consumed, eaten, destroyed in your life over the years? What hurts and pains have you continued to carry over a long period of time? We all have experienced disappointments. We all have regrets. We all have made mistakes and have neglected opportunities. Each of us has made wrong decisions that can not be reversed. Perhaps there is even sin that has remained unconfessed in our lives. Whatever the locusts have destroyed, God is able to restore. The past cannot be reversed, but in Christ we all can have a new beginning. None of us can “turn back the clock” and reverse the errors of our past, but God is able to give us a clean slate.
I so appreciate Nicky Gumbel’s observation in one of his awesome Alpha talks. He reminds us that we all wish we could have a dress rehearsal for life. In a dress rehearsal you can make all the possible mistakes, but you then have the opportunity to “get it all right” in the actual performance. Nicky says, “Unfortunately that is not possible; from the moment we are born, we are all on stage.” We cannot reverse the mistakes of our past, but Jesus promises us a new beginning. Oswald Chambers said so well in the devotional from "MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST", “Our yesterdays hold broken and irreversible things for us. It is true that we have lost opportunities that will never return, but God can transform this destructive anxiety into a constructive thoughtfulness for the future. Let the past rest, but let it rest in the sweet embrace of Christ. Leave the broken, irreversible past in His hands, and step out into the invincible future with Him.”That is our invitation to each one of you. We invite you to “leave your broken, irreversible past in His hands, and step out into the invincible future with Him.” He is here to “restore your years the locusts have eaten.”
We are planning for our annual Mother/Daughter banquet tomorrow at 6 p.m. Our friend, Joe Walker, a professional chef, will prepare the meal with much love.
Rev. Jan Devine, co-pastor of the Endicott First Presbyterian Church, will be the speaker.
Sunita and Andy are driving home from DC today, and are scheduled to arrive sometime early this evening.
We thank the Lord for the ministry of Dr. George Miller, who is stepping down as President of Davis College. He will continue to serve the Lord elsewhere. Dr. Miller is a man of integrity and vision, with a heart for Jesus and for His Kingdom. Under the able leadership of Dr. Miller, Davis College has come a long way. Dr George Miller will be missed .
All Hail the Power of Jesus's Name.
In Him,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jEXDPzqo2g
Friday, May 16, 2008
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Brown's Daily Word 5-15-08
Good Morning,
Praise the Lord for this new day. Praise the Lord for the Church of Jesus Christ our Lord. Praise the Lord for the Holy Spirit. Somebody once said that Christmas is about "God With us", Easter is about "God for us", and Pentecost is about "the Lord in us".
The Holy Spirit came like a mighty wind, and drove away the fear and apathy from the disciples. The Holy Spirit came as fire, that burned away the dross of sin from them, and galvanized them.
In our Wednesday Bible study, we have been looking at Hebrews 12:1. The Lord desires us to be single-mindedly focused, and determined. He wants us to denounce the destructive attractions of the world.
Chuck Colson has reported that columnist Jonathan Rauch believes that America has made “a major civilizational advance” in recent years. Colson stated, “Rauch, a longtime atheist, is thrilled about a phenomenon he calls ‘apatheism’ [apathetic theism]. It’s not that people don’t believe in God anymore". In fact, Rauch wrote in the Atlantic Monthly, "the majority will still say they believe" . . . On the whole, the people Rauch describes haven’t been putting much thought or effort into their faith. They’re looking for comfort and reassurance, not for a God who asks anything of them. This has given rise to ‘apatheism,’ which Rauch defines as "a disinclination to care all that much about one’s own religion, and an even stronger disinclination to care about other people’s.”
Colson further spoke about writer David Brooks, who noticed a trend a few years ago and coined the term flexidoxy [flexible beliefs]. Flexidoxy describes the form of religion practiced by many educated young Americans as opposed to orthodoxy. Basically, it means that people have become so flexible in their belief system that they look at religion as a giant smorgasbord from which they can pick and choose the beliefs that most suit them. They become the center of their own faith and adapt it to what they see as important. Many of you heard or read about 27-year-old Aaron Ralston who had his right arm pinned by an 800-pound boulder in a climbing accident. He had gone hiking in Bluejohn Canyon, adjacent to Utah’s Canyonlands National Park. He was an experienced climber, having already climbed 49 other peaks in Colorado which were over 14,000 feet in elevation. When he became pinned by the boulder, he thought about what it would be like to die on the mountain and have his family find his body, or, worse yet, never know his fate. Ralston, a former engineer for Intel and an avid outdoorsman, thought about his options. After five days of being pinned, and having run out of food and water, he decided to apply a tourniquet and amputate his arm below the elbow with his pocket knife. He then rigged anchors and rappelled to the canyon floor with his one good arm. He walked downstream until he was spotted by a Utah Public Safety Helicopter. What the news did not say much about was that this Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Carnegie Mellon University credits his faith in God for ability to do what he had to do. He is a deeply committed Christian who often played the piano in the United Methodist Church in Greenwood Village near Denver, Colorado. Because Aaron wanted to live, he was willing to cut away everything that was holding him back.
It is that kind of commitment and zeal that will enable us to experience Pentecostal power. When you are willing to cut away everything that is holding you back and walk out of the canyon of bondage, then the Holy Spirit will come to you in new ways and you know a life that you did not know was possible. The Bible says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us” (Hebrews 12:1, New Living). The apostle Paul did this, for he wrote, “Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).
In Jesus our Saviour,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNdjML2kquc&feature=related
Praise the Lord for this new day. Praise the Lord for the Church of Jesus Christ our Lord. Praise the Lord for the Holy Spirit. Somebody once said that Christmas is about "God With us", Easter is about "God for us", and Pentecost is about "the Lord in us".
The Holy Spirit came like a mighty wind, and drove away the fear and apathy from the disciples. The Holy Spirit came as fire, that burned away the dross of sin from them, and galvanized them.
In our Wednesday Bible study, we have been looking at Hebrews 12:1. The Lord desires us to be single-mindedly focused, and determined. He wants us to denounce the destructive attractions of the world.
Chuck Colson has reported that columnist Jonathan Rauch believes that America has made “a major civilizational advance” in recent years. Colson stated, “Rauch, a longtime atheist, is thrilled about a phenomenon he calls ‘apatheism’ [apathetic theism]. It’s not that people don’t believe in God anymore". In fact, Rauch wrote in the Atlantic Monthly, "the majority will still say they believe" . . . On the whole, the people Rauch describes haven’t been putting much thought or effort into their faith. They’re looking for comfort and reassurance, not for a God who asks anything of them. This has given rise to ‘apatheism,’ which Rauch defines as "a disinclination to care all that much about one’s own religion, and an even stronger disinclination to care about other people’s.”
Colson further spoke about writer David Brooks, who noticed a trend a few years ago and coined the term flexidoxy [flexible beliefs]. Flexidoxy describes the form of religion practiced by many educated young Americans as opposed to orthodoxy. Basically, it means that people have become so flexible in their belief system that they look at religion as a giant smorgasbord from which they can pick and choose the beliefs that most suit them. They become the center of their own faith and adapt it to what they see as important. Many of you heard or read about 27-year-old Aaron Ralston who had his right arm pinned by an 800-pound boulder in a climbing accident. He had gone hiking in Bluejohn Canyon, adjacent to Utah’s Canyonlands National Park. He was an experienced climber, having already climbed 49 other peaks in Colorado which were over 14,000 feet in elevation. When he became pinned by the boulder, he thought about what it would be like to die on the mountain and have his family find his body, or, worse yet, never know his fate. Ralston, a former engineer for Intel and an avid outdoorsman, thought about his options. After five days of being pinned, and having run out of food and water, he decided to apply a tourniquet and amputate his arm below the elbow with his pocket knife. He then rigged anchors and rappelled to the canyon floor with his one good arm. He walked downstream until he was spotted by a Utah Public Safety Helicopter. What the news did not say much about was that this Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Carnegie Mellon University credits his faith in God for ability to do what he had to do. He is a deeply committed Christian who often played the piano in the United Methodist Church in Greenwood Village near Denver, Colorado. Because Aaron wanted to live, he was willing to cut away everything that was holding him back.
It is that kind of commitment and zeal that will enable us to experience Pentecostal power. When you are willing to cut away everything that is holding you back and walk out of the canyon of bondage, then the Holy Spirit will come to you in new ways and you know a life that you did not know was possible. The Bible says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us” (Hebrews 12:1, New Living). The apostle Paul did this, for he wrote, “Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).
In Jesus our Saviour,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNdjML2kquc&feature=related
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Brown's Daily Word 5-14-08
Good Morning ,
We just returned from Boston. I had gone back for my yearly checkup. I got a clean bill of health. Thank you Jesus. We left here Sunday afternoon, after worship, getting to Jamaica Plain in time to tuck Micah into bed. We were able to spend some time with Janice, Jeremy, Micah, and Simeon. The Lord blessed our time together. Micah is a big girl, and she talks like a young lady. She told me that her favorite song is "You are Amazing God" (except that she calls it the "Jesus Song". I asked who sings that song. She replied, "Mr. Tomlin". I will include the song in this devotion today.
Last Sunday was Pentecost Sunday, along with Mother's day. The Lord blessed us in worship of Him. We read the account of the Pentecost event in Acts 2. The disciples were all together in one accord in the upper room in Jerusalem. Suddenly, there was a mighty and awesome move of the Lord. I call it a divine disturbance. "Suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and filled the house where they were sitting , and there appeared unto them,cloven tongues like as of fire and sat upon each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in other tongues. as the Spirit gave them utterance."
There was an audible sign and there was also visible sign. The Holy Sprit broke upon the disciples; they were filled and propelled. They were made bold and courageous. They came into the temple court and began to declare the mighty deeds of the Lord. Their tongues were let loose. We see the Holy Spirit manifested in the disciples, causing them to praise the Lord and proclaim the message about Jesus and His mighty deeds with boldness and courage. We read that there were people from all over the world gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate Passover. Each heard the mighty deeds proclaimed in his own language. People from different ethnic groups, speaking diverse and different languages understood the good news in their own languages.
We see in this text the confusion of the Tower of Babel, found in Genesis 11 reversed. The Lord kept His promise. He sent the Holy Spirit in His appointed time. All those gathered there in the Temple precinct, that heard the Good News, were amazed and perplexed. They began to ask question, "What is this?" Peter, standing with the eleven, preached his first sermon. Peter was both filled and anointed. His message was anointed. The hearing of the people was anointed also.
Prior to His ascension up into Heaven, Jesus had told the disciples to go to Jerusalem and wait for the Holy Spirit to come. For those ten days they spent their time in prayer. Can you imagine spending ten straight days doing nothing but praying? Some of those who gathered together had been with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, who could not remain awake a few hours to watch, wait, and pray with Jesus. Jesus has to continually awaken them. Yet, this group was uniquely assembled in prayer. They wanted so much to be at one with Jesus, that they were willing to spend the time in continuous prayer. We find that this group was unique in that Scripture says they were all assembled in one place. Can you imagine what it would be like to come to church one Sunday and discover that every church member was present? This says something powerful about this group. These words go beyond just faithful church attendance. They demonstrate that these people needed each other; they needed the love and support that the other believers could give. The text goes on to say that not only were they gathered in one place, they were gathered in unity. Just think of the lack of unity outside of that room. Most of the people in town were there for religious reasons, yet they hardly agreed about anything. The Sadducees were fighting with the Pharisees over resurrection. The religious lawyers were fighting over the intent of the law and on and on we could go. Outside that room people were in disagreement about everything. There was a lack of harmony. Yet, the Bible emphasizes the fact that this small group was gathered in unity. What was the basis of their harmony? What enabled them to lay aside their differences, (they were different in many ways) and become one? We can identify at least five characteristics that contributed to their harmony. 1. They loved Jesus 2. They loved each other 3. They had a desire to share the story of Jesus 4. They were willing to give every thing they had for the gospel, including their lives 5. They longed to see Jesus again. Outside that small upper room, life went on as usual. Inside, however, something beautiful took place. Unknown to the rest of the world an event was about to occur that would change the course of history. As these believers were gathered in one place, in one accord, praying, the Bible says that there was suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind from heaven filled the whole house where they were sitting. When the Holy Spirit came upon them, they received a power that could come only from God. Peter is a perfect example of what can happen to a person yields his life to the Holy Spirit. Previously, it was Peter who was always loosing his temper. It was Peter who once cut off the ear of a man. It was Peter who swore up and down that he would never deny Jesus, yet in a moment of fear he denied Jesus three times. But when the Holy Spirit came upon Peter, this person who was once afraid and followed Jesus at a distance, took the lead and went out of the small room with courage and boldly preached Jesus, dead, buried, resurrected and coming again. His life was changed forever because of the power of the Holy Spirit.
Rick Kirchoff says, “When God sends forth the Spirit amazing things happen: barriers are broken, communities are formed, opposites are reconciled, unity is established, disease is cured, addiction is broken, cities are renewed, races are reconciled, hope is established, people are blessed, and church happens. Today the Spirit of God is present and we’re gonna’ have church. So be ready, get ready. . . God is up to something. . . discouraged folks cheer up, dishonest folks ‘fess up, sour folks sweeten up, closed folk, open up, gossipers shut up, conflicted folks make up, sleeping folks wake up, lukewarm folk, fire up, dry bones shake up, and pew potatoes stand up! But most of all, Christ the Savior of all the world is lifted up.” We sometimes forget that Peter was not alone on the day of Pentecost. The Holy Spirit is not just for the leader. He is for all believers. On the day of Pentecost, 119 other disciples lives were changed. They gained strength and began to witness, many of them in other languages. Notice that the effects of the Holy Spirit went beyond the 120. In Acts 2:37 we read that those who heard Peter preach "were cut to the heart." The old KJV reads that they were "pricked in their heart." Has your heart ever been pricked? Has it been cut to the quick? The Holy Spirit laid it on the heart of many that day that they needed a Savior; they needed Jesus in their heart. Have we ever been cut to the core of our being with the recognition that we need a savior, that we can’t make it alone?
In Jesus,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VE0yUobk6TM&feature=related
We just returned from Boston. I had gone back for my yearly checkup. I got a clean bill of health. Thank you Jesus. We left here Sunday afternoon, after worship, getting to Jamaica Plain in time to tuck Micah into bed. We were able to spend some time with Janice, Jeremy, Micah, and Simeon. The Lord blessed our time together. Micah is a big girl, and she talks like a young lady. She told me that her favorite song is "You are Amazing God" (except that she calls it the "Jesus Song". I asked who sings that song. She replied, "Mr. Tomlin". I will include the song in this devotion today.
Last Sunday was Pentecost Sunday, along with Mother's day. The Lord blessed us in worship of Him. We read the account of the Pentecost event in Acts 2. The disciples were all together in one accord in the upper room in Jerusalem. Suddenly, there was a mighty and awesome move of the Lord. I call it a divine disturbance. "Suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and filled the house where they were sitting , and there appeared unto them,cloven tongues like as of fire and sat upon each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in other tongues. as the Spirit gave them utterance."
There was an audible sign and there was also visible sign. The Holy Sprit broke upon the disciples; they were filled and propelled. They were made bold and courageous. They came into the temple court and began to declare the mighty deeds of the Lord. Their tongues were let loose. We see the Holy Spirit manifested in the disciples, causing them to praise the Lord and proclaim the message about Jesus and His mighty deeds with boldness and courage. We read that there were people from all over the world gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate Passover. Each heard the mighty deeds proclaimed in his own language. People from different ethnic groups, speaking diverse and different languages understood the good news in their own languages.
We see in this text the confusion of the Tower of Babel, found in Genesis 11 reversed. The Lord kept His promise. He sent the Holy Spirit in His appointed time. All those gathered there in the Temple precinct, that heard the Good News, were amazed and perplexed. They began to ask question, "What is this?" Peter, standing with the eleven, preached his first sermon. Peter was both filled and anointed. His message was anointed. The hearing of the people was anointed also.
Prior to His ascension up into Heaven, Jesus had told the disciples to go to Jerusalem and wait for the Holy Spirit to come. For those ten days they spent their time in prayer. Can you imagine spending ten straight days doing nothing but praying? Some of those who gathered together had been with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, who could not remain awake a few hours to watch, wait, and pray with Jesus. Jesus has to continually awaken them. Yet, this group was uniquely assembled in prayer. They wanted so much to be at one with Jesus, that they were willing to spend the time in continuous prayer. We find that this group was unique in that Scripture says they were all assembled in one place. Can you imagine what it would be like to come to church one Sunday and discover that every church member was present? This says something powerful about this group. These words go beyond just faithful church attendance. They demonstrate that these people needed each other; they needed the love and support that the other believers could give. The text goes on to say that not only were they gathered in one place, they were gathered in unity. Just think of the lack of unity outside of that room. Most of the people in town were there for religious reasons, yet they hardly agreed about anything. The Sadducees were fighting with the Pharisees over resurrection. The religious lawyers were fighting over the intent of the law and on and on we could go. Outside that room people were in disagreement about everything. There was a lack of harmony. Yet, the Bible emphasizes the fact that this small group was gathered in unity. What was the basis of their harmony? What enabled them to lay aside their differences, (they were different in many ways) and become one? We can identify at least five characteristics that contributed to their harmony. 1. They loved Jesus 2. They loved each other 3. They had a desire to share the story of Jesus 4. They were willing to give every thing they had for the gospel, including their lives 5. They longed to see Jesus again. Outside that small upper room, life went on as usual. Inside, however, something beautiful took place. Unknown to the rest of the world an event was about to occur that would change the course of history. As these believers were gathered in one place, in one accord, praying, the Bible says that there was suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind from heaven filled the whole house where they were sitting. When the Holy Spirit came upon them, they received a power that could come only from God. Peter is a perfect example of what can happen to a person yields his life to the Holy Spirit. Previously, it was Peter who was always loosing his temper. It was Peter who once cut off the ear of a man. It was Peter who swore up and down that he would never deny Jesus, yet in a moment of fear he denied Jesus three times. But when the Holy Spirit came upon Peter, this person who was once afraid and followed Jesus at a distance, took the lead and went out of the small room with courage and boldly preached Jesus, dead, buried, resurrected and coming again. His life was changed forever because of the power of the Holy Spirit.
Rick Kirchoff says, “When God sends forth the Spirit amazing things happen: barriers are broken, communities are formed, opposites are reconciled, unity is established, disease is cured, addiction is broken, cities are renewed, races are reconciled, hope is established, people are blessed, and church happens. Today the Spirit of God is present and we’re gonna’ have church. So be ready, get ready. . . God is up to something. . . discouraged folks cheer up, dishonest folks ‘fess up, sour folks sweeten up, closed folk, open up, gossipers shut up, conflicted folks make up, sleeping folks wake up, lukewarm folk, fire up, dry bones shake up, and pew potatoes stand up! But most of all, Christ the Savior of all the world is lifted up.” We sometimes forget that Peter was not alone on the day of Pentecost. The Holy Spirit is not just for the leader. He is for all believers. On the day of Pentecost, 119 other disciples lives were changed. They gained strength and began to witness, many of them in other languages. Notice that the effects of the Holy Spirit went beyond the 120. In Acts 2:37 we read that those who heard Peter preach "were cut to the heart." The old KJV reads that they were "pricked in their heart." Has your heart ever been pricked? Has it been cut to the quick? The Holy Spirit laid it on the heart of many that day that they needed a Savior; they needed Jesus in their heart. Have we ever been cut to the core of our being with the recognition that we need a savior, that we can’t make it alone?
In Jesus,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VE0yUobk6TM&feature=related
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
