Praise the Lord for this beautiful snowy morning. It is wintry, to say the least. Gathering for the mid-week service is at 6 PM, with a warm, nourishing meal by Rodney Haines. We will spend time singing Christmas carols, and reading from the familiar prophetic passages regarding the birth of our Savior. We may also be sharing some personal memories. Come and join us.
The Adult Choir will be practicing their Christmas cantata, beginning at 7:30 PM.
Praise the Lord for the season of Advent. This season is always full of hope and expectation. Even amid defeats and disasters we see the hand of Jesus. We serve a mighty King who always goes before us in battle. He is the King of kings, who has never lost a battle.
In 1755, a series of natural and political disasters swept across the continent of Europe. In June of that year the Seven Years War broke out. There was also a poor harvest and a severe earthquake in Lisbon, Portugal. A cattle plague devastated western Europe. Even the very thoughtful felt that, perhaps, the end of the world was at hand. England called for a national day of fasting, to be held on February 6, 1756. Charles Wesley, the prolific hymn-writer of the Christian Church was commissioned to write a hymn for that occasion. In fact, he wrote 17 hymns, vigorous in their descriptions of the disasters that had befallen Europe. The disasters were portrayed as acts of a Righteous God, who was baring His arm in judgment. Throughout all of this Wesley could write,
"Whatever ills the world befall
A pledge of endless good we call,
A sign of Jesus near."
Though there may be disaster all around us, we can, as Wesley did, hold to God's "pledge of endless good". We, as Christians, see God through the eyes of Jesus, as a loving and benevolent Father whose will is for the good of His children. "Whom He loveth He chasteneth." Yet, He must work withing the boundaries of discipline, and sometimes that means that His children are reproved and chastened. However, since His purposes for us and for His world are always good we can say, as Wesley did,
"The famine all thy fullness brings,
The plague presents thy healing wings."
Even when Jesus looked at the signs of the times he promised that summer was on the way. He said, "Look up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." All of these signs, according to Jesus, are like leaves bursting forth on a fig tree. That is, when you see them you know that "summer is already near".
In Christ,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcjP4LgW0Rw
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Brown's Daily Word 12-7-10
Isaiah 12:6
"Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee."
Last night, I watched a portion of the Monday night Football game between the Jets and the Patriots. My granddaughter Micah likes the Patriots. It is frequently said that the side with the loudest shouting is the winning side. In a football match or other contestsl, one recognizes the side that has an upper hand through the ambit and atmosphere. The side that is doing well will be vibrant and the supporters that are watching will be hailing them and probably dance and sing. The other side, the one that is treading the path of defeat, will struggle to put in their best; undoubtedly they will be sweating profusely. Their faces will not be bright but their supporters will be encouraging them to strive on. They are not likely to be dancing. They could sing but the songs would probably be asking for God’s intervention.
At the front during a time of war, the winning side is vibrant and will shout the songs of victory. The side that is being defeated will not be able to shout because there are corpses of their comrades lying on the ground here and there. This means the army has reduced in number and even if they shout, their voice will not be as loud as that of the winning side. Their song will not be one of victory; it would either be of supplication to God or of surrender. In Isaiah 12: 6 Israel had felt God’s hand of salvation and could not but shout for joy. A shout is not a silent sound, it is a loud sound that is heard by other people and from the intonation, the hearers will know what it is announcing.
The Psalmist said: “In the day that l cry, then shall my enemies turn back this l know, for God is with me”
What is the power behind the cry of the Psalmist? It is found in Isaiah 12-“Great is the Holy one of Israel”
Jacob was the first person to utter a holy cry in the Bible. After he had cheated his brother and left for the foreign land where he took refuge (so that his brother would not kill him), he decided to come back home after many years. He repented before the Lord and prayed. He sent forth his family and was left alone. That night, he wrestled with an angel and as the day was breaking, the angel wanted to leave, but Jacob cried out that he would not let go of him, except if He blessed him. That marked the beginning of a new thing in the life of Jacob. The angel first changed his name and then blessed him.
This account is found in Genesis 32:24-26. The children of Israel were in bondage and when they cried unto the Lord, He heard them and delivered them out of the land of Egypt.
We received a very sad news around 7 PM last night. One of the beautful saints of Jesus died sudeddenly last night. He her name is Donna Netherton. Donna had started coming to the Saturday Evening worship services recently. She has gone forward to the altar one Saturday during the altar call. She was prayed over. She committed her life over to Jesus. She wept and stood up forgiven, clean, and freed. She gave her testimony two weeks later, saying that the Lord has changed her life completely. She was a new person desiring to serve Christ. One Saturday she came to worship with her 5 month old granddaughter. We dedicated the little girl during the worship services. Both the grandma and the granddaughter looked brilliant in the presence of Jesus.
Donna had started attending the Wednesday Evening Bible Study and Thursday Prayer Meeting. She was always radiant. She gladly cooked two 20 pound turkeys for our Thanksgiving Banquet, and she also had baked several homemade pies for the event. She had worked joyfully, serving so many during the banquet.
On Thanksgiving Eve Donna had stopped at the parsonage unannounced. She spoke with my wife and they prayed together, and then sang at the piano with Laureen. She was preparing to sing during the Christmas Eve service one of my favorite songs, "All Is Well". That night she said that she was hosting her entire family for Thanksgiving dinner, close to twenty.
My wife told me this morning that last night, out of no where a white feather fell from of her black leather jacket. It was a few minutes prior to the call that we received around 7 PM. Donna went to be with Jesus. This is our sure and certain hope.
Please pray for Donna's parents, children, and grandchildren. Donna shared that it was her deep desire for her children and grandchildren to come to Jesus. Also, pray for the Saturday evening fellowship, that they will be comforted and encouraged.
In Jesus the Risen One,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAyplzXmjVE
"Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee."
Last night, I watched a portion of the Monday night Football game between the Jets and the Patriots. My granddaughter Micah likes the Patriots. It is frequently said that the side with the loudest shouting is the winning side. In a football match or other contestsl, one recognizes the side that has an upper hand through the ambit and atmosphere. The side that is doing well will be vibrant and the supporters that are watching will be hailing them and probably dance and sing. The other side, the one that is treading the path of defeat, will struggle to put in their best; undoubtedly they will be sweating profusely. Their faces will not be bright but their supporters will be encouraging them to strive on. They are not likely to be dancing. They could sing but the songs would probably be asking for God’s intervention.
At the front during a time of war, the winning side is vibrant and will shout the songs of victory. The side that is being defeated will not be able to shout because there are corpses of their comrades lying on the ground here and there. This means the army has reduced in number and even if they shout, their voice will not be as loud as that of the winning side. Their song will not be one of victory; it would either be of supplication to God or of surrender. In Isaiah 12: 6 Israel had felt God’s hand of salvation and could not but shout for joy. A shout is not a silent sound, it is a loud sound that is heard by other people and from the intonation, the hearers will know what it is announcing.
The Psalmist said: “In the day that l cry, then shall my enemies turn back this l know, for God is with me”
What is the power behind the cry of the Psalmist? It is found in Isaiah 12-“Great is the Holy one of Israel”
Jacob was the first person to utter a holy cry in the Bible. After he had cheated his brother and left for the foreign land where he took refuge (so that his brother would not kill him), he decided to come back home after many years. He repented before the Lord and prayed. He sent forth his family and was left alone. That night, he wrestled with an angel and as the day was breaking, the angel wanted to leave, but Jacob cried out that he would not let go of him, except if He blessed him. That marked the beginning of a new thing in the life of Jacob. The angel first changed his name and then blessed him.
This account is found in Genesis 32:24-26. The children of Israel were in bondage and when they cried unto the Lord, He heard them and delivered them out of the land of Egypt.
We received a very sad news around 7 PM last night. One of the beautful saints of Jesus died sudeddenly last night. He her name is Donna Netherton. Donna had started coming to the Saturday Evening worship services recently. She has gone forward to the altar one Saturday during the altar call. She was prayed over. She committed her life over to Jesus. She wept and stood up forgiven, clean, and freed. She gave her testimony two weeks later, saying that the Lord has changed her life completely. She was a new person desiring to serve Christ. One Saturday she came to worship with her 5 month old granddaughter. We dedicated the little girl during the worship services. Both the grandma and the granddaughter looked brilliant in the presence of Jesus.
Donna had started attending the Wednesday Evening Bible Study and Thursday Prayer Meeting. She was always radiant. She gladly cooked two 20 pound turkeys for our Thanksgiving Banquet, and she also had baked several homemade pies for the event. She had worked joyfully, serving so many during the banquet.
On Thanksgiving Eve Donna had stopped at the parsonage unannounced. She spoke with my wife and they prayed together, and then sang at the piano with Laureen. She was preparing to sing during the Christmas Eve service one of my favorite songs, "All Is Well". That night she said that she was hosting her entire family for Thanksgiving dinner, close to twenty.
My wife told me this morning that last night, out of no where a white feather fell from of her black leather jacket. It was a few minutes prior to the call that we received around 7 PM. Donna went to be with Jesus. This is our sure and certain hope.
Please pray for Donna's parents, children, and grandchildren. Donna shared that it was her deep desire for her children and grandchildren to come to Jesus. Also, pray for the Saturday evening fellowship, that they will be comforted and encouraged.
In Jesus the Risen One,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAyplzXmjVE
Monday, December 6, 2010
Brown's Daily Word 12-06-10
Good morning,
I trust that you all had a wonderful weekend, and that you are enjoying getting ready for Christmas. Alice has almost finished decorating the house - with only the main tree to go. Each room and each area is festive with lights and ornaments.
The concert by the Russians touched many over the weekend. The church in Endicott was nearly full, each one there for a rich musical and cultural experience. Many say that it was a treat for them. Though I could not attend personally, our friends Dave and Jane Hettinger, and Shawn and Lynn Rosenbarker, were able to care well for the event.
Yesterday our children of the church presented the program, "Inside the Outside Inn" in both of the morning services. The angels were radiant, the heavenly "host" told the story, the wise men and shepherds attended the glorious event, and the "animals" (2's and 3's) were unbelievably cute and winsome. A great score tied it all together. Shannan and Laureen did many hours of preparation for this program, and it was a complete success.
The Lord has blessed us with a new Nativity set for the church, which is so beautiful upon the blanket of snow.
On Saturday, once again we will gather for the Saturday evening service, with music and with Earle Cowden preaching.
"The Christ of Bethlehem stands at the door of (our hearts). His coming is much as it was two thousand years ago. He comes, but he does not force. He waits, just as he waited then. Now as then, it must be the Innkeeper who opens the door. After all, the Innkeeper is master of his inn - he as the freedom to say 'Yes' or 'No' to any visitor. He said 'No' or a partial 'No' that first Christmas. The holy family was not given the best room. The stable was their lodging place. There was no room - then; what of now?"
"Come, thou long expected Jesus,
Born to set thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us;
Let us find our rest in thee.
Israel's strength and consolation,
Hope of all the earth thou art;
Dear desire of every nation,
Joy of every longing heart."
In Christ,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-XAjkKQup8
I trust that you all had a wonderful weekend, and that you are enjoying getting ready for Christmas. Alice has almost finished decorating the house - with only the main tree to go. Each room and each area is festive with lights and ornaments.
The concert by the Russians touched many over the weekend. The church in Endicott was nearly full, each one there for a rich musical and cultural experience. Many say that it was a treat for them. Though I could not attend personally, our friends Dave and Jane Hettinger, and Shawn and Lynn Rosenbarker, were able to care well for the event.
Yesterday our children of the church presented the program, "Inside the Outside Inn" in both of the morning services. The angels were radiant, the heavenly "host" told the story, the wise men and shepherds attended the glorious event, and the "animals" (2's and 3's) were unbelievably cute and winsome. A great score tied it all together. Shannan and Laureen did many hours of preparation for this program, and it was a complete success.
The Lord has blessed us with a new Nativity set for the church, which is so beautiful upon the blanket of snow.
On Saturday, once again we will gather for the Saturday evening service, with music and with Earle Cowden preaching.
"The Christ of Bethlehem stands at the door of (our hearts). His coming is much as it was two thousand years ago. He comes, but he does not force. He waits, just as he waited then. Now as then, it must be the Innkeeper who opens the door. After all, the Innkeeper is master of his inn - he as the freedom to say 'Yes' or 'No' to any visitor. He said 'No' or a partial 'No' that first Christmas. The holy family was not given the best room. The stable was their lodging place. There was no room - then; what of now?"
"Come, thou long expected Jesus,
Born to set thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us;
Let us find our rest in thee.
Israel's strength and consolation,
Hope of all the earth thou art;
Dear desire of every nation,
Joy of every longing heart."
In Christ,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-XAjkKQup8
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