Good morning,
Praise the Lord for this new day. It is Friday and Sunday is coming. Those who live in the area join us this evening at 7 PM on Time Warner Channel 4 for our weekly TV outreach. We will gather in the morning tomorrow at The First UMC to prepare the meal to serve to the needy at 12 noon. We will gather for Saturday Evening worship tomorrow at 6 PM at the First UMC for fellowship and worship. Our friend Dave Hettinger will be speaking and our daughter Laureen will be leading in worship music and praise. We will gather for worship Sunday at 8:30 and 11:00 at Union Center and at 9:30 at Wesley. Our friend Mike Wingard will be preaching at Wesley tomorrow morning. Praise the Lord that we can gather to worship the Lord week after week and declare His faithfulness and His victory. We read in Revelation 12:11 "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death."
In light of the amazing rescue story in Chile, I was reminded of another story of great rescue. In the country of Armenia, in 1988, Samuel and Danielle sent their young son, Armand, off to school. Samuel squatted before his son and looked him in the eye, and said, “Have a good day at school, and remember, no matter what, I’ll always be there for you.” They hugged and the boy ran off to school.
Hours later, a powerful earthquake rocked the area. In the midst of the pandemonium, Samuel and Danielle tried to discover what happened to their son but they couldn’t get any information. The radio announced that there were thousands of casualties. Samuel then grabbed his coat and headed for the schoolyard. When he reached the area, what he saw brought tears to his eyes. Armand’s school was a pile of debris. Other parents were standing around crying.
Samuel found the place where Armand’s classroom used to be and began pulling a broken beam off the pile of rubble. He then grabbed a rock and put it to the side, and then grabbed another one.
One of the parents looking on asked, “What are you doing?” “Digging for my son,” Samuel answered. The man then said, “You’re just going to make things worse! The building is unstable,” and tried to pull Samuel away from his work.
Samuel set his jaw and kept working. As time wore on, one by one, the other parents left. Then a firefighter tried to pull Samuel away from the rubble. Samuel looked at him and said, “Won’t you help me?” The firefighter left and Samuel kept digging.
All through the night and into the next day, Samuel continued digging. Parents placed flowers and pictures of their children on the ruins. But, Samuel just kept working. He picked up a beam and pushed it out of the way when he heard a faint cry. “Help! Help!” Samuel listened but didn’t hear anything again. Then he heard a muffled voice, “Papa?”
Samuel began to dig furiously. Finally he could see his son. “Come on out, son!” he said with relief. “No,” Armand said. “Let the other kids come out first because I know you’ll get me.” Child after child emerged until, finally, little Armand appeared. Samuel took him in his arms and Armand said, “I told the other kids not to worry because you told me that you’d always be there for me!” Fourteen children were saved that day because one father was faithful.
How much more faithful is our heavenly Father! Whether we are trapped by fallen debris or ensnared by life’s hardships and struggles, we are never cut off from God’s faithfulness. He is true to His character. He is reliable and trustworthy.
Here’s a simple definition: “God’s faithfulness means that everything He says and does is certain.” He is 100% reliable, 100% of the time. He does not fail, forget, falter, change, or disappoint. He says what He means and means what He says and therefore does everything He says He will do.
It is written in Lamentation 3:21 ff, "This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is because of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD."
In His Faithfulness,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60o3UP4Kjwg
Friday, October 15, 2010
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Brown's Daily Word 10-14-10
Praise the Lord for this new day. The dramatic rescue of the 33 trapped Chilean miners serves as a global platform to put the Glory of God on display. Another story notes that the miners were sustained by eating 2 spoonfuls of tuna and a sip of milk every 48 hours for the first 17 days in temperatures exceeding 90 degrees. In a surprising twist of selflessness, the miners actually began to argue, not over who would exit first, but who would exit last.
How then can God get glory from an epic disaster that drew the attention of the world? As Mario Sepulveda Espinace, the second miner rescued, stated “I met God. I met the Devil. God won.” As always, God did win. Along with additional food, water, medicine, survival clothing, and handwritten notes, a Chilean evangelist sent 33 copies of the Bible down to them so that the miners could “find inspiration and hold up for the 4 months they have ahead.” The 4-months was an early estimate for the expected rescue. Chilean engineer Igor Bravo, member of First Baptist Church of Santiago, was responsible for sending down the Bibles, Bible studies, recordings of sermons and Christian music down a series of small shafts through which the other supplies were sent. “I had to help in some Christian way,” Bravo said. “If there is an opportunity to share the Gospel — even if we’re extremely occupied — and to contribute to the Christian cause and evangelism, it’s something that’s in [my] blood.” Through this disaster that could’ve taken the lives of 33 miners, God has sent His Gospel message forth through the faithful ministry of one man below surface along with two of his brothers in Christ and then used them in conjunction with Christian rescuers and pastors at the surface. In doing so, God’s Word went forth and penetrated the hearts of two of the miners. Praise the Lord for the successful rescue mission in Chile. The Chilean miners’ rescue mission was completed as all 33 miners, who had been trapped underground for 69 days, were rescued. This was perhaps the most dramatic and most watched rescue operation ever. The entire world hooked to the miraculous survival story of the miners. On the ground awaited a warm welcome for the men who have survived underground for the longest time ever by family and friends and even the Chilean President. It's been one the world's most challenging, dramatic, long-drawn and most watched rescue operations with the miners being pulled up one by one in a rescue capsule. The miners were trapped almost 2000 feet underground after the mine they were working in collapsed on August 5. Earlier in the ordeal Pope Benedict the 16th sent out a message of hope for the miners, "I continue to entrust to your divine goodness, with hope, the miners of the Atacama region in Chile..." Many thanks and may God bless you."
The rescued miners praised the Lord for the way He gave them grace and strength. Several commented that they were not 33 in number in the mines, they were 34. They felt that the Lord was with them, even as He was with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego .
It was commented that over 600 million people watched the man's landing on the moon in July 1969. They further commented that over 1.2 billion people watched the rescue mission in Chile. Another newscaster said how wonderful it is to see so many from so many nations involved in this mission to rescue human lives, while so many people around the world who are full of hatred and evil are involved killing innocent people in mindless and barbaric, terrorist attacks and killings. It was also commented that whenever there is an humanitarian rescue mission is involved anywhere in the world, Americans are involved in it selflessly with our fail. Americans offer their resources and personnel with great sacrifice and devotion. Almost all the miners and their families spent much time in prayer and even in fasting during this frightening ordeal.
In the Book of Esther we read about another rescue mission of His people which the Lord God performed. It is true that prayer and fasting INCREASES INSIGHT. Prayer and fasting had provided a safe audience for Esther with the king. Esther was living in a very stress-filled environment, and so are we today.
"With today’s constant media barrage of bad news, people feel bad enough already and don’t want anything that makes them feel worse", says anthropologist-turned-brand-strategist Cheryl Swanson. With all the info coming at us 24/7, "We are processing information at 400 times the rate of our Renaissance ancestors." This is a new human task that we haven’t had time to adapt to yet - physically or mentally. That’s why we’re getting tech-related health problems like carpal tunnel, and maybe even mental and neurological problems like attention-deficit disorder. Naturally our attention is fraying.
"Mark Earley recently observed, "From Starbucks, to Red Bull, to No-Doz, Americans are showing signs of addiction to caffeine. Sixty percent of us drink a cup of coffee a day. On average we drink 52 gallons of soda a year. And Starbucks - they get a whopping $5.3 billion of our collective dough."
"Whether we are chemically stimulated because we do not get enough sleep, or whether the caffeine itself is depriving us of precious rest, we also are sleeping less than ever before. Americans get an average of six and a half hours of sleep a night, a 25% drop since the early 1990’s No wonder we are stressed.’" (Breakpoint, 1/17/08)
Prayer and fasting made Esther calm and even able to wait on the Lord's timing one more day. It turned out that one last day was when God was going to set the stage completely for His answer to the prayers of His people. The Bible intentionally showcases Haman’s pride and anger beside Esther’s cool, calm and collected demeanor. Esther was walking closely with God so she was able to conquer stress, while Haman was unstable, unwise and on the brink of a foolish disaster.
Even Jesus indicated that we will have stress. It’s a given. Every life is going to have stress. Prayer and fasting is a great way to respond to and be prepared for it.
Prayer and fasting helps us walk more closely with God and we begin to see that stressful times may actually produce positive results.
We remain calm in conflict through prayer and fasting because as we walk with the Lord we see how He is at work even in the midst of tough times! The Hamans of this world and all the conflict they stir up cannot dissuade us. Instead of anxiety, fear and worry we maintain an attitude of confidence, faith and of hope! We know that God is going to do something good even when times are hard!
In Christ,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xi0yLRX4d2M
Saturday Evening worship services
at : First United Methodist Church,
53 McKinley Ave., Endicott.
Sponsored by Union Center United Methodist Church.
Schedule for the remainder of October:
October 9, 2010
Music by Rev. William Pucky and his team
Preacher: Brown Naik
October 16, 2010
Music: Laureen Naik and team
Preacher: Dave Hettinger
October 23, 2010
Music by Aric Phinney and team
Preacher: Rev Earle Cowden
October 30, 2010
Music by Laureen Naik and team
Preacher: Jeff Vansyckle
November 6, 2010 - ( Saturday) There will be a Thanksgiving banquet. At 5 PM a traditional Thanksgiving menu will be served, including home made rolls and pies. Chef: Lou Pasquel and team. (Reservations: Call the Church office (607)-748-6329 or email at umcgospel@aol.com
The banquet will be followed by 6:30 PM Worship
Music: Aric Phinney and the team
Speaker: Kelly Johnson from Nashville, TN.
How then can God get glory from an epic disaster that drew the attention of the world? As Mario Sepulveda Espinace, the second miner rescued, stated “I met God. I met the Devil. God won.” As always, God did win. Along with additional food, water, medicine, survival clothing, and handwritten notes, a Chilean evangelist sent 33 copies of the Bible down to them so that the miners could “find inspiration and hold up for the 4 months they have ahead.” The 4-months was an early estimate for the expected rescue. Chilean engineer Igor Bravo, member of First Baptist Church of Santiago, was responsible for sending down the Bibles, Bible studies, recordings of sermons and Christian music down a series of small shafts through which the other supplies were sent. “I had to help in some Christian way,” Bravo said. “If there is an opportunity to share the Gospel — even if we’re extremely occupied — and to contribute to the Christian cause and evangelism, it’s something that’s in [my] blood.” Through this disaster that could’ve taken the lives of 33 miners, God has sent His Gospel message forth through the faithful ministry of one man below surface along with two of his brothers in Christ and then used them in conjunction with Christian rescuers and pastors at the surface. In doing so, God’s Word went forth and penetrated the hearts of two of the miners. Praise the Lord for the successful rescue mission in Chile. The Chilean miners’ rescue mission was completed as all 33 miners, who had been trapped underground for 69 days, were rescued. This was perhaps the most dramatic and most watched rescue operation ever. The entire world hooked to the miraculous survival story of the miners. On the ground awaited a warm welcome for the men who have survived underground for the longest time ever by family and friends and even the Chilean President. It's been one the world's most challenging, dramatic, long-drawn and most watched rescue operations with the miners being pulled up one by one in a rescue capsule. The miners were trapped almost 2000 feet underground after the mine they were working in collapsed on August 5. Earlier in the ordeal Pope Benedict the 16th sent out a message of hope for the miners, "I continue to entrust to your divine goodness, with hope, the miners of the Atacama region in Chile..." Many thanks and may God bless you."
The rescued miners praised the Lord for the way He gave them grace and strength. Several commented that they were not 33 in number in the mines, they were 34. They felt that the Lord was with them, even as He was with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego .
It was commented that over 600 million people watched the man's landing on the moon in July 1969. They further commented that over 1.2 billion people watched the rescue mission in Chile. Another newscaster said how wonderful it is to see so many from so many nations involved in this mission to rescue human lives, while so many people around the world who are full of hatred and evil are involved killing innocent people in mindless and barbaric, terrorist attacks and killings. It was also commented that whenever there is an humanitarian rescue mission is involved anywhere in the world, Americans are involved in it selflessly with our fail. Americans offer their resources and personnel with great sacrifice and devotion. Almost all the miners and their families spent much time in prayer and even in fasting during this frightening ordeal.
In the Book of Esther we read about another rescue mission of His people which the Lord God performed. It is true that prayer and fasting INCREASES INSIGHT. Prayer and fasting had provided a safe audience for Esther with the king. Esther was living in a very stress-filled environment, and so are we today.
"With today’s constant media barrage of bad news, people feel bad enough already and don’t want anything that makes them feel worse", says anthropologist-turned-brand-strategist Cheryl Swanson. With all the info coming at us 24/7, "We are processing information at 400 times the rate of our Renaissance ancestors." This is a new human task that we haven’t had time to adapt to yet - physically or mentally. That’s why we’re getting tech-related health problems like carpal tunnel, and maybe even mental and neurological problems like attention-deficit disorder. Naturally our attention is fraying.
"Mark Earley recently observed, "From Starbucks, to Red Bull, to No-Doz, Americans are showing signs of addiction to caffeine. Sixty percent of us drink a cup of coffee a day. On average we drink 52 gallons of soda a year. And Starbucks - they get a whopping $5.3 billion of our collective dough."
"Whether we are chemically stimulated because we do not get enough sleep, or whether the caffeine itself is depriving us of precious rest, we also are sleeping less than ever before. Americans get an average of six and a half hours of sleep a night, a 25% drop since the early 1990’s No wonder we are stressed.’" (Breakpoint, 1/17/08)
Prayer and fasting made Esther calm and even able to wait on the Lord's timing one more day. It turned out that one last day was when God was going to set the stage completely for His answer to the prayers of His people. The Bible intentionally showcases Haman’s pride and anger beside Esther’s cool, calm and collected demeanor. Esther was walking closely with God so she was able to conquer stress, while Haman was unstable, unwise and on the brink of a foolish disaster.
Even Jesus indicated that we will have stress. It’s a given. Every life is going to have stress. Prayer and fasting is a great way to respond to and be prepared for it.
Prayer and fasting helps us walk more closely with God and we begin to see that stressful times may actually produce positive results.
We remain calm in conflict through prayer and fasting because as we walk with the Lord we see how He is at work even in the midst of tough times! The Hamans of this world and all the conflict they stir up cannot dissuade us. Instead of anxiety, fear and worry we maintain an attitude of confidence, faith and of hope! We know that God is going to do something good even when times are hard!
In Christ,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xi0yLRX4d2M
Saturday Evening worship services
at : First United Methodist Church,
53 McKinley Ave., Endicott.
Sponsored by Union Center United Methodist Church.
Schedule for the remainder of October:
October 9, 2010
Music by Rev. William Pucky and his team
Preacher: Brown Naik
October 16, 2010
Music: Laureen Naik and team
Preacher: Dave Hettinger
October 23, 2010
Music by Aric Phinney and team
Preacher: Rev Earle Cowden
October 30, 2010
Music by Laureen Naik and team
Preacher: Jeff Vansyckle
November 6, 2010 - ( Saturday) There will be a Thanksgiving banquet. At 5 PM a traditional Thanksgiving menu will be served, including home made rolls and pies. Chef: Lou Pasquel and team. (Reservations: Call the Church office (607)-748-6329 or email at umcgospel@aol.com
The banquet will be followed by 6:30 PM Worship
Music: Aric Phinney and the team
Speaker: Kelly Johnson from Nashville, TN.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Brown's Daily Word 10-13-10
Good morning,
Praise the Lord for this beautiful day. It is going to be one of the ten best days. We will gather for our mid-week gathering for food and fellowship this eve at 6 PM and for Bible study and the children's ministry at 6:30 and Choir practice at 7:30 PM.
It is written in 2 Timothy 1:7, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." Somebody has said it in this way, "Reject the diagnosis of fear and get a second opinion from God!" This is a recurring biblical theme. There are many places in the Bible where we are told that we, as Christ's followers, do not need to live in fear. Fear should never dominate us or control us. Fear is one of Satan’s biggest tools to rob us of the healing God has for heartaches.
There is a fascinating story about Mordecai written in the Book of Esther. Mordecai publicly showed his displeasure with Haman's wicked plot to destroy the Jewish people by entering a period of fasting and crying out to God for help. He stood firm in the face of the threats to himself and his people and fully relied on the providence of the Lord to provide a way of escape from the danger.
Whatever it is that threatens our spiritual, emotional, relational, mental, or physical well-being, we are called to reject the diagnosis of fear. Sometimes our heartaches are magnified because we inflate our fears instead of deflating them.
During his reign of terror between 1875 and 1883, Black Bart was credited with stealing the valuables from twenty-nine different Wells Fargo stagecoach crews. In journals from San Francisco to New York, his name became synonymous with danger on the frontier. The most remarkable thing about this is that this professional thief accomplished his escapades without ever firing a shot!
His weapon was his reputation. His ammunition was intimidation. A hood hid his face. No victim ever saw him. No artist ever sketched his features. No sheriff could ever track his trail. He never took a hostage. He didn’t have to. His presence was enough to paralyze. He was Black Bart, a hooded bandit armed with a deadly weapon - FEAR!
As it turned out, he really wasn’t anyone to be afraid of. When the authorities finally tracked him down, they didn’t find a bloodthirsty bandit from Death Valley. They found a mild-mannered druggist from Decatur, Illinois. The man the papers pictured storming through the mountains on horseback was, in reality, so afraid of horses he rode to and from his robberies in a buggy. He was Charles E. Boles - the bandit, who never once fired a shot, because he never even loaded his gun!
In Esther, Haman’s wicked plot to murder all the Jews was cause for deep concern, but there was no chance that God was going to let that edict of death take place. God had made promises to the Jewish people. He had made a covenant to bless all the nations of the earth through them. (Genesis 12) "And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; but rather be afraid of Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two little sparrows sold for a penny? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father’s leave (consent) and notice." Matthew 10:28 (NCV)
"I told you these things so that you can have peace in me. In this world you will have trouble, but be brave! I have defeated the world." John 16:33 (NCV)
The Lord has put us where we are "for such a time as this."
In Christ,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHdcyue0bSw
Praise the Lord for this beautiful day. It is going to be one of the ten best days. We will gather for our mid-week gathering for food and fellowship this eve at 6 PM and for Bible study and the children's ministry at 6:30 and Choir practice at 7:30 PM.
It is written in 2 Timothy 1:7, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." Somebody has said it in this way, "Reject the diagnosis of fear and get a second opinion from God!" This is a recurring biblical theme. There are many places in the Bible where we are told that we, as Christ's followers, do not need to live in fear. Fear should never dominate us or control us. Fear is one of Satan’s biggest tools to rob us of the healing God has for heartaches.
There is a fascinating story about Mordecai written in the Book of Esther. Mordecai publicly showed his displeasure with Haman's wicked plot to destroy the Jewish people by entering a period of fasting and crying out to God for help. He stood firm in the face of the threats to himself and his people and fully relied on the providence of the Lord to provide a way of escape from the danger.
Whatever it is that threatens our spiritual, emotional, relational, mental, or physical well-being, we are called to reject the diagnosis of fear. Sometimes our heartaches are magnified because we inflate our fears instead of deflating them.
During his reign of terror between 1875 and 1883, Black Bart was credited with stealing the valuables from twenty-nine different Wells Fargo stagecoach crews. In journals from San Francisco to New York, his name became synonymous with danger on the frontier. The most remarkable thing about this is that this professional thief accomplished his escapades without ever firing a shot!
His weapon was his reputation. His ammunition was intimidation. A hood hid his face. No victim ever saw him. No artist ever sketched his features. No sheriff could ever track his trail. He never took a hostage. He didn’t have to. His presence was enough to paralyze. He was Black Bart, a hooded bandit armed with a deadly weapon - FEAR!
As it turned out, he really wasn’t anyone to be afraid of. When the authorities finally tracked him down, they didn’t find a bloodthirsty bandit from Death Valley. They found a mild-mannered druggist from Decatur, Illinois. The man the papers pictured storming through the mountains on horseback was, in reality, so afraid of horses he rode to and from his robberies in a buggy. He was Charles E. Boles - the bandit, who never once fired a shot, because he never even loaded his gun!
In Esther, Haman’s wicked plot to murder all the Jews was cause for deep concern, but there was no chance that God was going to let that edict of death take place. God had made promises to the Jewish people. He had made a covenant to bless all the nations of the earth through them. (Genesis 12) "And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; but rather be afraid of Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two little sparrows sold for a penny? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father’s leave (consent) and notice." Matthew 10:28 (NCV)
"I told you these things so that you can have peace in me. In this world you will have trouble, but be brave! I have defeated the world." John 16:33 (NCV)
The Lord has put us where we are "for such a time as this."
In Christ,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHdcyue0bSw
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Brown's Daily Word 11-12-10
Good morning,
Praise the Lord for this new day. Praise the Lord for Christopher Columbus, who among many who brought the Good New of Jesus Christ to the shores of America the Beautiful. Christopher means "The bearer of Christ"; what a beautiful name! Christopher Columbus wrote in one of his dairies that the Holy Spirit laid on his heart the desire the explore the new world and it is the Holy Spirit that led him west to the New World.
Alice spent the long weekend in Washington, DC with Sunita and Andy. Sunita and Andy recently had hired a man to work on the reinforcing the retaining wall that held the lawn in front of their house. That contractor hired two others. There was accident on Friday afternoon before Sunita and Andy returned from work. One of the retaining walls collapsed and fell on one of the workers, who suffered severe internal injuries. He died later that night in the hospital Sunita and Andy are devastated by this tragedy. They are crying out to the Lord for His grace and mercy in the whole situation and for every one who is involved in this tragedy.
One of the most powerful and assuring verses in the Word of God is found in Romans 8:28 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
The ending of the story in the Book of Ruth, comes in a short few verses but they tell us much about God and how His grace of provision is present. Boaz took Ruth to be his wife and they bore a son to perpetuate the name of Naomi. The greatest joy seems to be how well things turned out for Naomi. In 4:14 and 15, the women of the town praise God for what He has done for Naomi. The birth of a grandson was such an important event for Naomi that the women said she herself has a son. Naomi had returned to Israel empty - no children and no purpose. She wondered if God really cared about such an ordinary person as herself. After the birth of the baby, she was full - with a grandson and a purpose. In fact, Naomi's grandson became the grandfather of David, the greatest king of Israel and through their family line Jesus was born. Naomi's life was important - she played a role in bringing Christ into world.
God is a God of grace, a sovereign God who watches over each of us and cares for us. He watches over you and knows your struggles, your doubts, and fears, your need for a sense of purpose. The book of Ruth reveals God's faithfulness to us and His grace of provision.
God's grace goes beyond the law. God calls us to be faithful to Him in order that He might bless us. We read in 2 Timothy that even when we are faithless, He will remain faithful, for He cannot disown Himself. Boaz went beyond his legal obligations to help Ruth and Naomi. God could have said that Naomi had "made her own bed and now had to lay in it", and that she "had to reap what she sowed". It is true that we often reap what we sow, but God is a gracious and loving God. Sometimes the seeds we sow in our lives are not very good but God turns them into good seeds. Even the mistakes we make can be turned into good by our Loving Lord.. When you feel that things are bad and you blame yourself, do not feel that God is punishing you. He does refine us and discipline us but He does not take us out of His grace because of our disobedience if we are His people. We all have disobeyed Him through our foolishness at one time or another.
The other thing we learn is that God often uses the very people who pray for others to help the people that they are praying for. In 2:12, Boaz prayed, "May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel." She was repaid and rewarded by God through Boaz.
Have you ever prayed to God that He would help someone and then found yourself being God's instrument of assistance? As we pray, God urges us and shows us how to help.
We see that God's hand is in our lives even when the focus seems to be on others. In Ruth's story, the focus is on Boaz and Ruth and yet God did not forget Naomi. So it is in our lives. Perhaps others seem to be in God's favor or "in the limelight". Boaz is seen as a figure to represent how Christ would redeem us. God is faithful and just. He cares for ordinary people like you and me.
May we remember that when we go through valleys we may not see Him, but He has not left us. May our hope always be in Him.
In Christ,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcjDoMJBbu4
Praise the Lord for this new day. Praise the Lord for Christopher Columbus, who among many who brought the Good New of Jesus Christ to the shores of America the Beautiful. Christopher means "The bearer of Christ"; what a beautiful name! Christopher Columbus wrote in one of his dairies that the Holy Spirit laid on his heart the desire the explore the new world and it is the Holy Spirit that led him west to the New World.
Alice spent the long weekend in Washington, DC with Sunita and Andy. Sunita and Andy recently had hired a man to work on the reinforcing the retaining wall that held the lawn in front of their house. That contractor hired two others. There was accident on Friday afternoon before Sunita and Andy returned from work. One of the retaining walls collapsed and fell on one of the workers, who suffered severe internal injuries. He died later that night in the hospital Sunita and Andy are devastated by this tragedy. They are crying out to the Lord for His grace and mercy in the whole situation and for every one who is involved in this tragedy.
One of the most powerful and assuring verses in the Word of God is found in Romans 8:28 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
The ending of the story in the Book of Ruth, comes in a short few verses but they tell us much about God and how His grace of provision is present. Boaz took Ruth to be his wife and they bore a son to perpetuate the name of Naomi. The greatest joy seems to be how well things turned out for Naomi. In 4:14 and 15, the women of the town praise God for what He has done for Naomi. The birth of a grandson was such an important event for Naomi that the women said she herself has a son. Naomi had returned to Israel empty - no children and no purpose. She wondered if God really cared about such an ordinary person as herself. After the birth of the baby, she was full - with a grandson and a purpose. In fact, Naomi's grandson became the grandfather of David, the greatest king of Israel and through their family line Jesus was born. Naomi's life was important - she played a role in bringing Christ into world.
God is a God of grace, a sovereign God who watches over each of us and cares for us. He watches over you and knows your struggles, your doubts, and fears, your need for a sense of purpose. The book of Ruth reveals God's faithfulness to us and His grace of provision.
God's grace goes beyond the law. God calls us to be faithful to Him in order that He might bless us. We read in 2 Timothy that even when we are faithless, He will remain faithful, for He cannot disown Himself. Boaz went beyond his legal obligations to help Ruth and Naomi. God could have said that Naomi had "made her own bed and now had to lay in it", and that she "had to reap what she sowed". It is true that we often reap what we sow, but God is a gracious and loving God. Sometimes the seeds we sow in our lives are not very good but God turns them into good seeds. Even the mistakes we make can be turned into good by our Loving Lord.. When you feel that things are bad and you blame yourself, do not feel that God is punishing you. He does refine us and discipline us but He does not take us out of His grace because of our disobedience if we are His people. We all have disobeyed Him through our foolishness at one time or another.
The other thing we learn is that God often uses the very people who pray for others to help the people that they are praying for. In 2:12, Boaz prayed, "May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel." She was repaid and rewarded by God through Boaz.
Have you ever prayed to God that He would help someone and then found yourself being God's instrument of assistance? As we pray, God urges us and shows us how to help.
We see that God's hand is in our lives even when the focus seems to be on others. In Ruth's story, the focus is on Boaz and Ruth and yet God did not forget Naomi. So it is in our lives. Perhaps others seem to be in God's favor or "in the limelight". Boaz is seen as a figure to represent how Christ would redeem us. God is faithful and just. He cares for ordinary people like you and me.
May we remember that when we go through valleys we may not see Him, but He has not left us. May our hope always be in Him.
In Christ,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcjDoMJBbu4
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