Good morning,
Praise the Lord for this last Friday of June. It is gorgeous morning here in New York. Last evening Alice and I walked for almost 4 miles around the church grounds. There was still light around 9.40 PM (mostly from the stars, the moon, and the streetlights). The moon appeared to be almost full last evening. We had some torrential rains, however, in the afternoon. The breeze after the rain was very refreshing and invigorating. After a muggy and hot day the Lord turned on the air conditioning in the area. Thanks be to Jesus.
Those who live in the area, join us this evening for our weekly television out-reach this at 7 PM on Time Warner Cable Channel 4.
Our oldest daughter Janice and her husband Jeremy are celebrating their 10th wedding Anniversary today. We will have Micah and Simeon with us for about a week next week. Janice and Jeremy are going to New Hampshire for hiking and mountain climbing for a week. It is part of their 10th anniversary celebration.
The pages of the Old Testament contain some of the most amazing stories you'll ever read anywhere. Many of those revolve around a young shepherd boy who grew up to become King. David was also a warrior who was surrounded by talented soldiers. They were known as David’s Mighty Men. They, themselves, had accomplished some amazing feats. We read about them in 2 Samuel 23. The three Mighty Men that formed David’s inner circle were Jashobeam, Eleazar, and Shammah. Obviously, it took a very special person to be one of David’s Mighty Men and yet today God wants each one of us to be mighty in His kingdom.
David's inner circle were his own Secret Service. They stood close enough to hear David’s whispered words. In 2 Samuel 23:15 we read that David had a craving and said, "Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem which is by the gate!" They were committed enough to take David’s wish as their command, and "So the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, and drew water from the well of Bethlehem which was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David".
Today, God’s kingdom desperately needs Christians with that sort of commitment and zeal. Paul was an enthusiastic servant of Christ, who lived and died for the love of his Savior. As Christians the world thinks it strange that our priorities, goals, and lifestyle are different -- sometimes very different -- from theirs.
I love the spirit of the builders of the cathedral in Seville, Spain, in 1401 who said, "Let us build here a church so great that those who come after us will think us mad ever to have dreamed of it!" If we are going to build great churches (not buildings, but churches) for Jesus in our communities, we need a bit of that "mad dreaming." Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "Every great and commanding movement in the annals of the world is the triumph of enthusiasm. Nothing great was ever accomplished without it!" H.W. Arnold said, "The worst bankruptcy in the world is the man who has lost his enthusiasm" (Webster, In Pursuit of Enthusiasm).
Zeal is both commanded and expected of Christ’s followers. Like Phinehas of old, God’s saint is "zealous for his God" (Numbers 25:13). The Bible says, "it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing" (Galatians 4:18). The world might call such a person a "fanatic"; we would call him/her a committed Christian.
Closeness and commitment, however, are not the only ingredients that make mighty men and women for God. These three servants of David were Mighty Men because they were courageous also. They were courageous enough to obey at any cost. "Courage is almost a contradiction in terms: it means a strong desire to live taking the form of readiness to die." - Gilbert K. Chesterton
In verse 14 we read that "the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem." Yet, "the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines." The Philistines had established a "permanent military installation" within the walled city of Bethlehem. The very fact that they had conquered the City of David in the first place, demonstrated the military power of their army. But in spite of the danger or consequences, they traveled twelve miles, broke through enemy lines, and came back with the water. David’s men were prepared to risk life and limb to please their king. They were ready to put their lives on the line in obedience to their lord.
The Bible says, "Be strong and courageous...do not fear nor be dismayed, for the Lord, my God, is with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you..." (1 Chronicles 28:20). J. Oswald Sanders is credited for saying, "Courage is that quality of mind which enables men to encounter danger or difficulty with firmness... The highest degree of courage is seen in the person who is most fearful but refuses to give in to it". When we have the Lord with us, we too can be strong and courageous, just like David’s mighty men.
What is truly special about this story, though, is how it ends. No matter what the Lord put in David’s hand, he used it to honor God and help people, including a sling, a sword, a harp, a scepter, even a cup a of water. This was incident offered no exception. When David looked into the cup, he didn't see water; he saw the blood of the three men who had risked their lives to satisfy his desire. To drink that water would demean all his men and cheapen the brave deed of the three heroes. Instead, David turned the cave into a temple and poured the water out as a drink offering to the Lord. It was an act of dedication that symbolized a person’s life poured out in the service of the Lord.
In Christ we are more than conquerors.
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFpLzvCvR5c
Friday, June 25, 2010
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Brown's Daily Word 6-24-10
Good morning,
This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. I got up for awhile early this morning. I heard the birds singing and praising the Lord around 4:30 AM. "Early in the morning our songs shall rise to thee." The Lord blessed us with a joyful gathering Wednesday Evening. It is a great blessing to see each others faces reflecting the grace and mercy of the Savior. In 2 Samuel 22, we find that David sang a song to God. Many Bible Scholars believe that 1 and 2 Samuel are not arranged in a strictly chronological fashion. The books tend to be arranged more in terms of theological themes. So it’s not surprising that this song of David, which occurs near the end of the accounts of his life as recorded in these two books, is more or less a summary of David’s life and what he’s learned about God during that journey.
This song is also found, with only a few minor changes in the wording, in Psalm 18. Both the inscription of Psalm 18 and the introduction in 2 Samuel 22 seem to indicate that this song was first sung or written by David when God delivered him from the hand of Saul. A lot of commentators have looked at this passage and view it primarily as a prophecy of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.
David’s song begins, and it also ends, with God. The gospel message always begins with an awareness of whom God is – His nature, His attributes, His purposes and His ways. David used a lot of different pictures here to describe God and each one tells us something about the nature of God.
• Rock
• Fortress
• Deliverer
• Shield
• Horn of my salvation
• Stronghold
• Refuge
• Savior
As I read this list, it becomes quite apparent that David was so wrapped up in God that he saw God in everything around him. He looked at a fortress and he saw the protection God provided from his enemies. He thought about a horn, which was a symbol of strength and conquest, and David recognized that it was God who provided every victory in his life. David looked at the strongholds around Jerusalem and they reminded him of God’s supply and that God is where we find rest and refreshment. And then there was perhaps David’s favorite picture of God – a rock. In a sense a rock is the farthest thing from God – in our eyes at least it is probably one of the lowest things in the created order. But David could even look at a rock and think about the fact that God was the solid foundation for his life.
The gospel always begins with God. Until we see God as the perfect, holy, powerful God that He is, we can't even begin to understand why we need a Savior. Jesus Christ our Lord is the perfect standard by which everything else is judged.
Once David saw God as He really is, he looked at his own life and he recognized just how far he fell short of the standard God set. David, although he was a man after God’s own heart was far from perfect – and so are we.
When David saw God as he really was and he realized his own spiritual death, he didn't try to rescue himself; He cried out to God. David realized what the Bible clearly teaches. That is, we are incapable of rescuing ourselves. We all like to think that we're pretty self-sufficient and that we can take care of ourselves. We tend to apply that same attitude to our relationship with God. In this section of His song, David described in quite vivid terms the process of God coming down from heaven to rescue him. "…he rescued me because he delighted in me". "He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me".
2 Samuel 22:17, 18 (NIV)
God didn't do that for David only. In Jesus Christ, that’s exactly what He has done for everyone of us.
In Christ,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axqXMuW8x1U
This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. I got up for awhile early this morning. I heard the birds singing and praising the Lord around 4:30 AM. "Early in the morning our songs shall rise to thee." The Lord blessed us with a joyful gathering Wednesday Evening. It is a great blessing to see each others faces reflecting the grace and mercy of the Savior. In 2 Samuel 22, we find that David sang a song to God. Many Bible Scholars believe that 1 and 2 Samuel are not arranged in a strictly chronological fashion. The books tend to be arranged more in terms of theological themes. So it’s not surprising that this song of David, which occurs near the end of the accounts of his life as recorded in these two books, is more or less a summary of David’s life and what he’s learned about God during that journey.
This song is also found, with only a few minor changes in the wording, in Psalm 18. Both the inscription of Psalm 18 and the introduction in 2 Samuel 22 seem to indicate that this song was first sung or written by David when God delivered him from the hand of Saul. A lot of commentators have looked at this passage and view it primarily as a prophecy of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.
David’s song begins, and it also ends, with God. The gospel message always begins with an awareness of whom God is – His nature, His attributes, His purposes and His ways. David used a lot of different pictures here to describe God and each one tells us something about the nature of God.
• Rock
• Fortress
• Deliverer
• Shield
• Horn of my salvation
• Stronghold
• Refuge
• Savior
As I read this list, it becomes quite apparent that David was so wrapped up in God that he saw God in everything around him. He looked at a fortress and he saw the protection God provided from his enemies. He thought about a horn, which was a symbol of strength and conquest, and David recognized that it was God who provided every victory in his life. David looked at the strongholds around Jerusalem and they reminded him of God’s supply and that God is where we find rest and refreshment. And then there was perhaps David’s favorite picture of God – a rock. In a sense a rock is the farthest thing from God – in our eyes at least it is probably one of the lowest things in the created order. But David could even look at a rock and think about the fact that God was the solid foundation for his life.
The gospel always begins with God. Until we see God as the perfect, holy, powerful God that He is, we can't even begin to understand why we need a Savior. Jesus Christ our Lord is the perfect standard by which everything else is judged.
Once David saw God as He really is, he looked at his own life and he recognized just how far he fell short of the standard God set. David, although he was a man after God’s own heart was far from perfect – and so are we.
When David saw God as he really was and he realized his own spiritual death, he didn't try to rescue himself; He cried out to God. David realized what the Bible clearly teaches. That is, we are incapable of rescuing ourselves. We all like to think that we're pretty self-sufficient and that we can take care of ourselves. We tend to apply that same attitude to our relationship with God. In this section of His song, David described in quite vivid terms the process of God coming down from heaven to rescue him. "…he rescued me because he delighted in me". "He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me".
2 Samuel 22:17, 18 (NIV)
God didn't do that for David only. In Jesus Christ, that’s exactly what He has done for everyone of us.
In Christ,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axqXMuW8x1U
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Brown's Daily Word 6-23-10
Good morning,
Praise the Lord for this wonderful Wednesday. It is going to be beautiful and brilliant. Thank you Lord. We will gather this evening at 6 PM for our Mid-week gathering for fellowship, Bible study, and the children's ministry. Every time we gather in the Lord, He is there with us as the Host, welcoming us as His guests. He feeds and nourishes us. He refreshes our hearts with His bread and wine. He ferments our lives. He makes our lives colorful. Blessed be His Name.
This morning I will be looking at the life of King David as it unfolded in 2 Samuel 16:1-16:4. In our lives we frequently get caught up in the abundance of our possessions. Yet, sometimes what seems to be ours is not ours at all. Lives that are promising and beautiful are suddenly snuffed out, and there is little trace left of them. Businesses that were doing well yesterday are closing their doors today or tomorrow, with their trade suddenly evaporated. Investments that were intended to support us in the future plunge in value by astonishing amounts. What we thought we had we do not have. What we supposed was ours is diminished or wiped out.
Three thousand years ago, what King David thought he had things that were really out of his control. Things David supposed were his were rapidly being torn from him. King David was in trouble, on the run fearing for his very life. He was in danger of losing his kingdom and his own son was leading the rebellion. His handsome, much-beloved, son was lying and conniving to get the people to follow him instead of his father. Shakespeare said it well, “How sharper than a serpent’s tooth is an ungrateful child.”
In David's time of trouble all the King of Israel could do was to run, weep, and pray. It could not have been a pretty sight. David, a king, who ought to have been clothed in fine garments and wearing a crown, was out on the road because his son, Absalom, was stirring up trouble and wanted to be king in his father’s place.
David could not have been sure in those circumstances whom he could trust. If you cannot trust your own son, then just who can you trust? If Absalom was rebellious, who else was rebellious? In fact, the Bible says, “Absalom stole the hearts of the people of Israel”. So David, ousted from Jerusalem, had to wonder who else was among the terrorists, taking sides against him? David went up to the Mount of Olives, there to pray, to weep, and to watch, and to wait.
A little beyond the summit of the Mount of Olives, David met Ziba, the servant of a young man named Mephibosheth. Mephibosheth was another potential threat to David, because Mephibosheth was the grandson of the first king of Israel, Saul. David had waited long while the Kingdom was wrestled away from Saul and Mephibosheth was a pretender to the throne. Mephibosheth could have had designs on the Kingdom himself. David was suspicious, not knowing whether he could trust this man Ziba.
Ziba brought with him bread and raisins, fruits, and wine. David asked Ziba what this food was for and Ziba’s answer was to the point: “The bread … is for the young men to eat, and the wine is for those to drink who faint in the wilderness.” Now that’s a welcome answer. David and his men needed nourishment and refreshment; bread and wine were good to have. And so when David found out that it was true that Mephibosheth was plotting against him, but this Ziba, once the servant of treachery, was now turning to serve David. David announced to Ziba, “All that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours”. “All is now yours.” (I am giving you everything that belongs to your master. It’s not mine, but I am giving it to you anyway.) Ziba’s response is exactly what you might expect, “I do obeisance. I am yours. I belong you now; you are my king.” David, though losing what he had thought he possessed, gave away what he did not own and it bought Ziba’s loyalty. It won Ziba’s heart.
In such times as these, when it seems that we cannot expect to keep what we think we have, God says to us, “All is now yours.” We are the recipients of grace, abundant and free. "His divine power has given us everything for life and for righteousness".
In Christ,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRl7LD-3qtQ
Praise the Lord for this wonderful Wednesday. It is going to be beautiful and brilliant. Thank you Lord. We will gather this evening at 6 PM for our Mid-week gathering for fellowship, Bible study, and the children's ministry. Every time we gather in the Lord, He is there with us as the Host, welcoming us as His guests. He feeds and nourishes us. He refreshes our hearts with His bread and wine. He ferments our lives. He makes our lives colorful. Blessed be His Name.
This morning I will be looking at the life of King David as it unfolded in 2 Samuel 16:1-16:4. In our lives we frequently get caught up in the abundance of our possessions. Yet, sometimes what seems to be ours is not ours at all. Lives that are promising and beautiful are suddenly snuffed out, and there is little trace left of them. Businesses that were doing well yesterday are closing their doors today or tomorrow, with their trade suddenly evaporated. Investments that were intended to support us in the future plunge in value by astonishing amounts. What we thought we had we do not have. What we supposed was ours is diminished or wiped out.
Three thousand years ago, what King David thought he had things that were really out of his control. Things David supposed were his were rapidly being torn from him. King David was in trouble, on the run fearing for his very life. He was in danger of losing his kingdom and his own son was leading the rebellion. His handsome, much-beloved, son was lying and conniving to get the people to follow him instead of his father. Shakespeare said it well, “How sharper than a serpent’s tooth is an ungrateful child.”
In David's time of trouble all the King of Israel could do was to run, weep, and pray. It could not have been a pretty sight. David, a king, who ought to have been clothed in fine garments and wearing a crown, was out on the road because his son, Absalom, was stirring up trouble and wanted to be king in his father’s place.
David could not have been sure in those circumstances whom he could trust. If you cannot trust your own son, then just who can you trust? If Absalom was rebellious, who else was rebellious? In fact, the Bible says, “Absalom stole the hearts of the people of Israel”. So David, ousted from Jerusalem, had to wonder who else was among the terrorists, taking sides against him? David went up to the Mount of Olives, there to pray, to weep, and to watch, and to wait.
A little beyond the summit of the Mount of Olives, David met Ziba, the servant of a young man named Mephibosheth. Mephibosheth was another potential threat to David, because Mephibosheth was the grandson of the first king of Israel, Saul. David had waited long while the Kingdom was wrestled away from Saul and Mephibosheth was a pretender to the throne. Mephibosheth could have had designs on the Kingdom himself. David was suspicious, not knowing whether he could trust this man Ziba.
Ziba brought with him bread and raisins, fruits, and wine. David asked Ziba what this food was for and Ziba’s answer was to the point: “The bread … is for the young men to eat, and the wine is for those to drink who faint in the wilderness.” Now that’s a welcome answer. David and his men needed nourishment and refreshment; bread and wine were good to have. And so when David found out that it was true that Mephibosheth was plotting against him, but this Ziba, once the servant of treachery, was now turning to serve David. David announced to Ziba, “All that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours”. “All is now yours.” (I am giving you everything that belongs to your master. It’s not mine, but I am giving it to you anyway.) Ziba’s response is exactly what you might expect, “I do obeisance. I am yours. I belong you now; you are my king.” David, though losing what he had thought he possessed, gave away what he did not own and it bought Ziba’s loyalty. It won Ziba’s heart.
In such times as these, when it seems that we cannot expect to keep what we think we have, God says to us, “All is now yours.” We are the recipients of grace, abundant and free. "His divine power has given us everything for life and for righteousness".
In Christ,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRl7LD-3qtQ
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Brown's Daily Word 6-22-10
Good morning,
Praise the Lord for summer. Yesterday was the longest day of the year, being the first day of summer. Some pagans and new pagans welcomed the onset of summer at Stonehenge/ England, yesterday. Tomorrow is the last day of school here in New York. Schools and colleges just reopened in Orissa, India after their summer vacation. It is the beginning of monsoon season in India now. It is also the season for mangos.
Some of our visiting teams go out on Mondays. It is a great blessing to go out two by two in the name of our Lord Jesus and visit people. Alice and I walked for four miles yesterday in a nearby park, including some trails, yesterday. During my high school days I used to walk to school for four miles each way. Praise the Lord of heaven and earth who is the Lord in every season and He the Lord of all seasons.
I am looking at 2 Samuel 15 this morning, and reflecting on the life of King David, a man after God's own heart. King David is also known as the sweet singer of Israel.
In 2 Samuel 15 we see David in the midst of a scene of intrigue, deception, and treachery. Picture it. A messenger entered the throne room, bringing urgent news of dire proportions. As the messenger spoke, the words stabbed at David’s heart. David, listening intently, heard the news that the nation of Israel turned against him. The worst part is that his beloved son, Absalom, was the traitor who was leading a rebellion to overthrow David and seize the throne. It became clear that Absalom's goal was to kill David to take over the kingdom.
What a heartbreaking moment for David! The situation was steeped in personal turmoil and quite literally tore at the fabric of David’s own family. This national crisis flowed with personal heartbreak. We may even know and identify, to a degree, the pain that David was feeling.
A crisis may come upon us through our workplace, our home or even when we are minding our own business. Crisis is not a respecter of persons nor is it fair when it comes.
David took immediate, though not decisive, action. At this point David's only two options were fight or flight. If he stood to fight Absalom's forces it would be likely that David would be defeated and all of Jerusalem would pay the price for standing with their king. To flee and regroup would give time to gain strength and face the situation on his own terms.
As David left Jerusalem, he spoke with one of his military leaders, a foreign mercenary by the name of Ittai who was traveling out of the city. Ittai and his men had befriended David during his wilderness experience in Ziklag. (1 Sam 30) and returned to Israel with him. These men served as a type of honor guard for David and did not have to leave with him. David understood that the agreement that he had made with Ittai and his men could no longer be fulfilled. Essentially, he was now a foreigner in a foreign land who was being exiled to places unknown. This was no situation for innocent people. Yet, Ittai pledged his loyalty to David in life or in death.
Even in the midst of this dangerous situation David took time to worship God. Zadok brought the Ark of the Covenant out to where David was encamped and Abiathar offered sacrifices to God until everyone had left the city. David was literally running for his life but that did not mean that he would not seek the presence of God. When we take the time to worship we literally seek the presence of God. David placed such a value on being in God’s presence that he stopped to offer sacrifices to God. David understood something that we often forget. That is, when a crisis comes we must keep worship a priority in our lives. Far too often, we allow circumstances and difficulties to come between us and out ability to worship. Worship must be a priority in our lives because when we go through hard times we must know the presence of God.
The sad reality is that worship has become a side item in most people's priorities. Many use any excuse to skip service, and in doing so they lose out on building a deeper relationship with Jesus . If we cannot take time to worship God when things are going well how will we ever be able to seek His presence when times are tough?
David gave Zadok instructions to return to Jerusalem and to return the Ark to the temple. This was a bold move for David because the Ark was the empowered symbol of God’s presence. The understanding was that if you had the Ark with you, God was on your side. When David sent the Ark back to Jerusalem it was an act of absolute trust and total faith. David says "Take the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the LORD’s eyes, he will bring me back and let me see it and his dwelling place again. But if he says, `I am not pleased with you,’ then I am ready; let him do to me whatever seems good to him."
David understood that his entire situation was in the God's hands, and that the only way to live through the crisis was to place His complete trust in God. David also demonstrated that he belonged to God when he expressed his commitment to God’s will, whatever it may be. As David left Jerusalem, literally running for his life, the emotion of the situation came pouring out. The power of his pain became so great that he could no longer contain it.
As David left Jerusalem, he became a man in exile, marked for death, whose followers were comprised more of foreigners than his own people. David covered his head, walked barefoot ,and openly wept as he climbed the Mount of Olives, no doubt looking back down to see Jerusalem one more time before he headed to exile in the desert.
Too often we try to contain our emotions when we experience difficulties or crisis. We rely on our own strength to get us through and we put on a brave face. When David climbed the Mount of Olives he took time to turn to God once again and he asked for God’s help. David's way of handling this situation teaches us a valuable lesson that we seldom learn during a crisis. That is, God can accomplish what we cannot. When situations move beyond our ability to deal with them, we must give everything over to Him.
Crises happen to everybody, and we all have to deal with them. When we face trials or hardships, it is time to seek His presence and provision even more earnestly.
In Jesus,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsgY5mYbMoo
Praise the Lord for summer. Yesterday was the longest day of the year, being the first day of summer. Some pagans and new pagans welcomed the onset of summer at Stonehenge/ England, yesterday. Tomorrow is the last day of school here in New York. Schools and colleges just reopened in Orissa, India after their summer vacation. It is the beginning of monsoon season in India now. It is also the season for mangos.
Some of our visiting teams go out on Mondays. It is a great blessing to go out two by two in the name of our Lord Jesus and visit people. Alice and I walked for four miles yesterday in a nearby park, including some trails, yesterday. During my high school days I used to walk to school for four miles each way. Praise the Lord of heaven and earth who is the Lord in every season and He the Lord of all seasons.
I am looking at 2 Samuel 15 this morning, and reflecting on the life of King David, a man after God's own heart. King David is also known as the sweet singer of Israel.
In 2 Samuel 15 we see David in the midst of a scene of intrigue, deception, and treachery. Picture it. A messenger entered the throne room, bringing urgent news of dire proportions. As the messenger spoke, the words stabbed at David’s heart. David, listening intently, heard the news that the nation of Israel turned against him. The worst part is that his beloved son, Absalom, was the traitor who was leading a rebellion to overthrow David and seize the throne. It became clear that Absalom's goal was to kill David to take over the kingdom.
What a heartbreaking moment for David! The situation was steeped in personal turmoil and quite literally tore at the fabric of David’s own family. This national crisis flowed with personal heartbreak. We may even know and identify, to a degree, the pain that David was feeling.
A crisis may come upon us through our workplace, our home or even when we are minding our own business. Crisis is not a respecter of persons nor is it fair when it comes.
David took immediate, though not decisive, action. At this point David's only two options were fight or flight. If he stood to fight Absalom's forces it would be likely that David would be defeated and all of Jerusalem would pay the price for standing with their king. To flee and regroup would give time to gain strength and face the situation on his own terms.
As David left Jerusalem, he spoke with one of his military leaders, a foreign mercenary by the name of Ittai who was traveling out of the city. Ittai and his men had befriended David during his wilderness experience in Ziklag. (1 Sam 30) and returned to Israel with him. These men served as a type of honor guard for David and did not have to leave with him. David understood that the agreement that he had made with Ittai and his men could no longer be fulfilled. Essentially, he was now a foreigner in a foreign land who was being exiled to places unknown. This was no situation for innocent people. Yet, Ittai pledged his loyalty to David in life or in death.
Even in the midst of this dangerous situation David took time to worship God. Zadok brought the Ark of the Covenant out to where David was encamped and Abiathar offered sacrifices to God until everyone had left the city. David was literally running for his life but that did not mean that he would not seek the presence of God. When we take the time to worship we literally seek the presence of God. David placed such a value on being in God’s presence that he stopped to offer sacrifices to God. David understood something that we often forget. That is, when a crisis comes we must keep worship a priority in our lives. Far too often, we allow circumstances and difficulties to come between us and out ability to worship. Worship must be a priority in our lives because when we go through hard times we must know the presence of God.
The sad reality is that worship has become a side item in most people's priorities. Many use any excuse to skip service, and in doing so they lose out on building a deeper relationship with Jesus . If we cannot take time to worship God when things are going well how will we ever be able to seek His presence when times are tough?
David gave Zadok instructions to return to Jerusalem and to return the Ark to the temple. This was a bold move for David because the Ark was the empowered symbol of God’s presence. The understanding was that if you had the Ark with you, God was on your side. When David sent the Ark back to Jerusalem it was an act of absolute trust and total faith. David says "Take the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the LORD’s eyes, he will bring me back and let me see it and his dwelling place again. But if he says, `I am not pleased with you,’ then I am ready; let him do to me whatever seems good to him."
David understood that his entire situation was in the God's hands, and that the only way to live through the crisis was to place His complete trust in God. David also demonstrated that he belonged to God when he expressed his commitment to God’s will, whatever it may be. As David left Jerusalem, literally running for his life, the emotion of the situation came pouring out. The power of his pain became so great that he could no longer contain it.
As David left Jerusalem, he became a man in exile, marked for death, whose followers were comprised more of foreigners than his own people. David covered his head, walked barefoot ,and openly wept as he climbed the Mount of Olives, no doubt looking back down to see Jerusalem one more time before he headed to exile in the desert.
Too often we try to contain our emotions when we experience difficulties or crisis. We rely on our own strength to get us through and we put on a brave face. When David climbed the Mount of Olives he took time to turn to God once again and he asked for God’s help. David's way of handling this situation teaches us a valuable lesson that we seldom learn during a crisis. That is, God can accomplish what we cannot. When situations move beyond our ability to deal with them, we must give everything over to Him.
Crises happen to everybody, and we all have to deal with them. When we face trials or hardships, it is time to seek His presence and provision even more earnestly.
In Jesus,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsgY5mYbMoo
Monday, June 21, 2010
Brown's Daily Word 6-21-10
Good morning,
Praise the Lord for the summer season. Praise the Lord for the warmer and brighter days. I get excited about summer. It is written in Proverbs 10:5 (New King James Version), "He who gathers in summer is a wise son; He who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame." Summer is not for slumbering. Summer is not for being slothful. It is time for sowing the seeds of the Gospel and gathering the harvest. There is a great thrill and joy in harvesting for the Lord of the Harvest who infuses us with His joy.
The Lord blessed us with a joyful and soulful weekend. Some men gathered for a spring clean up day at the church. The Lord has blessed us with gorgeous and beautiful grounds with lot of trees and flowering bushes. We have started a small orchard with a variety of fruit trees. They are growing luxuriantly.
On Saturday some of our people gathered to prepare and serve a meal to the needy at the First United Methodist Church at noon. It was a great blessing to serve and be a blessing to our neighbors in need. We served homemade lasagna, with homemade desserts and organic salads. In the evening we gathered to celebrated Fathers' Day with the whole family. Our friends, Lou Pasquale and his team (Rodney, Terri, Mary, and Rebecca) prepared a very special meal. We also served an assortment homemade pies and homemade rolls. It was a great time of celebration. Our youth waited on the tables and cleaned up afterward. There was a special musical celebration during and following the banquet. The music was provided by Aric Phinney, Laureen Naik and Mary Addo. Dave Hettinger gave a brief testimony on being father, grand father, and son. The Lord blessed us.
Yesterday we gathered for a great time of worship. One of our young fathers, Craig Sabin, preached. He preached on Loving obedience. Praise the Lord for the church and for the family.
I am reading this morning from 2 Samuel 13:4, where Amnon, the son of David, was depicted as a young man who had a lot going for him. At his disposal were all the riches of the kingdom. His father was the most famous and powerful man in the land. In addition, the possibility existed that Amnon would someday succeed his father. What a happy young man this should have been. The biblical portrait depicts him, however, not as a man of joy but in the depth of despair, overshadowed by sadness.
A question was asked “Why is a son of the king haggard?” This question carries with it the implication that Amnon certainly should have been happy. He had every reason to be. He had been ex-posed to all the privileges, prestige, and power that went along with his position as the king’s son. As a son of the king. He should have been happy.
As Christians we, too, are sons of the King. Our Father is not just any king, but God. As Christians, we are part of a Kingdom that can never be shaken. Through faith we are making investments that will pay their dividends through all eternity. We have been established in a new relationship with God. If anyone ought to be happy we should be, for we are sons of the King. We should experience real joy in Jesus.
Despite all that was at his disposal Amnon was in despair. To discover what interfered with the joy he should have experienced will help us understand why joy so often eludes us today. Sinfulness interfered with Amnon’s happiness. Amnon had raped his sister, defying the laws of both God and man. This incident in Amnon’s life is probably indicative of his general life-style. If so, we can conclude that his life was characterized by an indifference toward God that led at many points to specific acts of sin. The weight of that sin squeezed the happiness out of his life.
The most unhappy person in the world is not a person outside the family of God. The saddest person is one who is in God’s family but who is carrying in his life the burden of guilt over sins he knows he should not have committed.
Another interference was selfishness. Amnon put himself at the center of his life. His primary concern was the fulfillment of his own selfish desires. He must have looked haggard because he centered his world in himself, and that’s a mighty small package.
Dr. Brian Harbour, in his book "From Cover to Cover," wrote about two roommates in medical school who finished their course of study and went in opposite directions. One young man settled into a lucrative practice in a large city in the Midwest. He enjoyed all the benefits of affluence. The other doctor, drawn by a great need about which he had learned, went to Africa and established a practice in a densely populated area. Years passed. One day the doctor practicing in America took a tour of Africa and included on his itinerary a visit with his former colleague. The American doctor was appalled at the conditions under which his friend worked.
After the missionary doctor completed a surgery, his visitor asked, “How much would you have received for performing that surgery in America?” “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe $2,000, maybe more.” “And what did you get here?” The missionary doctor replied, “A few pennies and the smile of God!”
May the Lord smile on us as we serve Him this summer and invest our time, treasure, and talent in His Kingdom, which is eternal. When the smile of God is on our lives, then we will experience the true joy of our salvation.
In Christ,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tz6DxdJw6Q4
Praise the Lord for the summer season. Praise the Lord for the warmer and brighter days. I get excited about summer. It is written in Proverbs 10:5 (New King James Version), "He who gathers in summer is a wise son; He who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame." Summer is not for slumbering. Summer is not for being slothful. It is time for sowing the seeds of the Gospel and gathering the harvest. There is a great thrill and joy in harvesting for the Lord of the Harvest who infuses us with His joy.
The Lord blessed us with a joyful and soulful weekend. Some men gathered for a spring clean up day at the church. The Lord has blessed us with gorgeous and beautiful grounds with lot of trees and flowering bushes. We have started a small orchard with a variety of fruit trees. They are growing luxuriantly.
On Saturday some of our people gathered to prepare and serve a meal to the needy at the First United Methodist Church at noon. It was a great blessing to serve and be a blessing to our neighbors in need. We served homemade lasagna, with homemade desserts and organic salads. In the evening we gathered to celebrated Fathers' Day with the whole family. Our friends, Lou Pasquale and his team (Rodney, Terri, Mary, and Rebecca) prepared a very special meal. We also served an assortment homemade pies and homemade rolls. It was a great time of celebration. Our youth waited on the tables and cleaned up afterward. There was a special musical celebration during and following the banquet. The music was provided by Aric Phinney, Laureen Naik and Mary Addo. Dave Hettinger gave a brief testimony on being father, grand father, and son. The Lord blessed us.
Yesterday we gathered for a great time of worship. One of our young fathers, Craig Sabin, preached. He preached on Loving obedience. Praise the Lord for the church and for the family.
I am reading this morning from 2 Samuel 13:4, where Amnon, the son of David, was depicted as a young man who had a lot going for him. At his disposal were all the riches of the kingdom. His father was the most famous and powerful man in the land. In addition, the possibility existed that Amnon would someday succeed his father. What a happy young man this should have been. The biblical portrait depicts him, however, not as a man of joy but in the depth of despair, overshadowed by sadness.
A question was asked “Why is a son of the king haggard?” This question carries with it the implication that Amnon certainly should have been happy. He had every reason to be. He had been ex-posed to all the privileges, prestige, and power that went along with his position as the king’s son. As a son of the king. He should have been happy.
As Christians we, too, are sons of the King. Our Father is not just any king, but God. As Christians, we are part of a Kingdom that can never be shaken. Through faith we are making investments that will pay their dividends through all eternity. We have been established in a new relationship with God. If anyone ought to be happy we should be, for we are sons of the King. We should experience real joy in Jesus.
Despite all that was at his disposal Amnon was in despair. To discover what interfered with the joy he should have experienced will help us understand why joy so often eludes us today. Sinfulness interfered with Amnon’s happiness. Amnon had raped his sister, defying the laws of both God and man. This incident in Amnon’s life is probably indicative of his general life-style. If so, we can conclude that his life was characterized by an indifference toward God that led at many points to specific acts of sin. The weight of that sin squeezed the happiness out of his life.
The most unhappy person in the world is not a person outside the family of God. The saddest person is one who is in God’s family but who is carrying in his life the burden of guilt over sins he knows he should not have committed.
Another interference was selfishness. Amnon put himself at the center of his life. His primary concern was the fulfillment of his own selfish desires. He must have looked haggard because he centered his world in himself, and that’s a mighty small package.
Dr. Brian Harbour, in his book "From Cover to Cover," wrote about two roommates in medical school who finished their course of study and went in opposite directions. One young man settled into a lucrative practice in a large city in the Midwest. He enjoyed all the benefits of affluence. The other doctor, drawn by a great need about which he had learned, went to Africa and established a practice in a densely populated area. Years passed. One day the doctor practicing in America took a tour of Africa and included on his itinerary a visit with his former colleague. The American doctor was appalled at the conditions under which his friend worked.
After the missionary doctor completed a surgery, his visitor asked, “How much would you have received for performing that surgery in America?” “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe $2,000, maybe more.” “And what did you get here?” The missionary doctor replied, “A few pennies and the smile of God!”
May the Lord smile on us as we serve Him this summer and invest our time, treasure, and talent in His Kingdom, which is eternal. When the smile of God is on our lives, then we will experience the true joy of our salvation.
In Christ,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tz6DxdJw6Q4
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