Brown's Daily Word 9-22-11

Good morning,
This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice in the Lord and be glad in Him. When I get up early in the morning for my devotions and readings I glance at the Internet on some of the headlines coming from around the globe. One of the headlines this morning is the sharp decline of the stock markets around the globe. It has been close to two weeks since the historic floods in our region. When I drive around I see the massive piles of debris from houses, placed on the curbs and by the roadside. Once precious possessions of families have become rotten and moth eaten, of no use at all but ready for the garbage dump.
Our Lord Jesus spoke about earthly possessions in Mathew 6, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth...” Jesus tells us that the treasures of earth are destructible. Moths and rust consume them. Earthly treasure is consumable. Earthly treasure is steal-able. Jesus instructs us not to engage in the pursuit of these kinds of savings, but rather... “store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.”
Treasure in heaven is eternal. Jesus said, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
Someday we will all leave this earth. We have all heard of long term investment, but investment in heaven is eternal investment. Even after we have gone and our earthly investments are passed on to another our heavenly investments continue to compound interest. Treasure in heaven is eternal. It can never be taken away. Everything we can lay our hands on is perishable. We can work to get ahead. We can strive to raise our families under the most ideal conditions. We can attempt to be very frugal and careful with our possessions. But everything we have can be laid waste in a second.
On the other hand, that which we invest in God’s kingdom with an earnest and faithful heart can never be taken away. What is given to God is eternal. These are the words of committed discipleship Jesus speaks to his disciples: "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Jesus did not say, "For where your heart is, there your treasure will be also.”
Let us Check our “bank account” - both our earthly one and our heavenly one. If Jesus were to examine those accounts, what would he say about our treasure? Where would he say our treasure lays? What have we stored up?
Jesus said, "The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light; but if your eye is unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness.”
Emmet Fox put it this way: “The eye symbolized our spiritual perception. Whatever we give our attention to, is the thing that governs our life. If we do not direct our attention consistently to anything in particular - and many people do not - then nothing in particular will come into our life except uncertainty and suspense. If we direct our attention to the worldly pursuits which is in its nature continually shifting and changing, we are bound to have unhappiness, poverty, and ill-health; whereas, if we direct our attention to God; if the Glory of God comes first with us, and to express God’s Will becomes the rule of our life, then our eye is single and our whole body, our embodiment, will be full of light.”
Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters: for either we will hate the one and love the other, or else we will hold to one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money...But seek first the Kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.”
Laying up treasures in heaven, rather than storing them on earth, means intensified activity in spiritual matters distinct from material ones. Seek first the Kingdom of Heaven, and all needful things will be found to follow upon that. If you are very worried, confused, or very much discouraged, that is the time to read the Bible and pray gently but persistently, until something happens; either something within yourself or something in the outer picture.”
Every choice we make, every dollar we spend, save, or give means favoring one supreme goal over another. The choice is not whether we shall serve, but what or whom we shall serve. Our station in life, the amount of or lack of wealth that we have does not alter the fact that we do, indeed, choose. Poor people can idolize what they don not have, as easily as wealthier people can worship with the dollars they spend.
I heard the story of Sharon Brown. When Sharon was a little girl, she got a dollar each week for her allowance. She heard a message one Sunday that inspired her to send 10 cents to Bolivia to support mission work there. Years and years later, she had the opportunity to go to Bolivia and visit that mission field. One woman shared with her one evening as the group was sharing what a difference the mission support meant for their lives, that the woman whose 10 cents had been. “Choose today who you will serve. As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
In Christ,
Brown

http://youtu.be/cgwGiF0-mlE

Please pray for our upcoming ministry events:


We will be back to our Wednesday schedule, including Bible study, fellowship, and prayer, starting September 14, 2011. We meet with a meal at 6 PM, with the Bible study beginning at 6:30 PM. We began a 4 week study on the theme, "Why? Making Sense of God's Will", by Adam Hamilton. Topics include, "Why Do the Innocent Suffer?", Why Do My Prayers Go Unanswered?", "Why Can't I See God's Will for My Life?", and "Why God's Love Prevails". Following the completion of this study we will be using Rick Warren's study, "Forty Days of Love". This will lead us to the beginning of the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons. More information will follow in the church newsletter.
September 24.2011
Praise and worship service:
First United Methodist Church , Endicott
Sponsored by Union Center UMC
6PM Gathering- Coffeee- Fellowship
6.30PM Worship
Music: Jane Hettinger
Speaker: Dave Hettinger



Please mark your calendar for our prayer conference, which will begin on Friday, October 14 and continue through Sunday morning, October 16.
The Keynote Speaker: Kelly Johnson from Memphis, TN.
The Prayer Team will include: Sunita and Andy, Rob and Jenn, and Meredith from Washington, DC.

The tentative schedule follows:
Friday, October 14 at 6 PM - opening session at Union Center UMC
Saturday, October 15, 9 AM - noon - concert of prayer at UCUMC
The Prayer teams will be available to pray for people for salvation, restoration, healing, deliverance...
Saturday, 5:30 PM - banquet at First UMC, 53 McKinley Ave., Endicott
6:30 PM worship service, including an open invitation to pray at the altar following the worship service. I invite you to be a part of the prayer team during that time.
Sunday morning worship at 8:30 and 11 AM. at UCUMC Kelly Johnson will be preaching. There will be a time for prayer / a concert of prayer

Saturday, September 24 at 6:30 PM (Coffee Fellowship at 6 PM) at First United Methodist Church, 53 McKinley Avenue in Endicott.
Our youth will be attending the Word of Life Superbowl at the arena and other sites on November 4 & 5.
Our annual Thanksgiving Banquet will be held on Saturday, November 19.
The Russian Men's Ensemble will be in concert on December 3.
We are planning for a trip to the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Extravaganza on December 6, leaving here at 6 AM, spending the day in NYC, and attending the show at 5 PM. There are optional sites to visit, including the Ground Zero 9/11 Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine. The trip costs $90 per person, including the bus ticket and a ticket to the show. Anyone who wants to reserve a spot on the bus should make their check payable to Union Center United Methodist Church, memo "Radio City Christmas Extravaganza".
September 18, we will go back onto the regular schedule with services at both 8:30 and 11 AM and Sunday School at 9:50 AM. Wesley will resume meeting at 9:30 AM.
Here at Union Center- Wesley- Endicott, we focus on " World as our Parish"., We remind ourselves that we serve under a captain who has never lost a battle. Jesus Christ the Head of the Church is Faithful. We are invited to embrace 7 holy habits of Christian faithfulness. We are called to FOCUS on our prayer life, our relationship with Christ, reading the Bible, faithful worship attendance, financial gifts to Christ and His Church,, serving Jesus with our hands, and sharing the good news of His Great Redemption,with others. May Christ be praised.