Good morning,
Praise the Lord for this Fabulous Friday. Sunday is coming very soon. Praise the Lord for the way He places before us an open door to come before Him in corporate worship, witness and fellowship. We get a thrill by worshipping the Lord of lords and the King of kings.
Those of you live in the area join us for weekly TV outreach this evening at 7 PM on Time Warner Cable 4. One of our ministry teams will be preparing a meal and serving the needy tomorrow at noon at the First UMC. We will gather for our Saturday Evening worship, starting with fellowship tomorrow at 6 PM at the First UMC, Endicott. We will gather for worship on Sunday morning at 8:30 and 11:00 at the Union center UMC and at 9.30 AM at Wesley UMC, Endicott.
Today I will be conducting a service of death and resurrection for Myrtle Shamp. Myrtle was born in 1919. She and her husband Walter had celebrated their 71st wedding anniversary this past Christmas day.
During this Lenten season we focus on our sin and the forgiveness that our Lord demonstrated at the cross. We become more like Christ when demonstrate a life of grace and forgiveness. Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” Matthew 5:43-45
Being a person of grace, mercy, and forgiveness is to take on the loving nature of Christ our Lord and Savior. Jesus made it very clear that God does not just bless those who are good; he does good even to those who are not. All people have the blessing of life and the good things available in this life. Amazing are the many people who do not seem to be affected by God’s goodness and do not understand it or recognize it. Nevertheless, God is good to them. If they treat him well, he blesses them. If they do not treat him well, he blesses them. And we are to model the character of Jesus if He indeed lives in us.
Jesus said, “If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 5:46-48
Do not wait until you feel like you have love for someone. Love is not a feeling, it is an action. In his book Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis wrote, “Do not waste your time bothering whether you ‘love’ your neighbor; act as if you did. As soon as we do this, we find one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will presently come to love him.”
There was an amazing story recently that took place among the rioting in Egypt. (As a backdrop remember that on New Year’s Day of this year there was a suicide bombing of a Christian church in the Egyptian city of Alexandria, which killed 23 Christians, and wounded 97 others. And another incident took place days later when three men in a car sprayed automatic gunfire into a crowd of churchgoers, in the southern Egyptian town of Nag Hammadi, killing at least seven people as they left a midnight service.) In spite of these events something unexpected and dramatic took place during the Egyptian riots against the government. Government soldiers and police where everywhere, and many had been killed or beaten. The Muslim time for prayer came, and as these Muslims knelt for prayer, with their faces to the ground, they were vulnerable and susceptible to attack by government soldiers. Dramatically, Christians began to surround the praying Muslims. They held hands and faced outward in a large circle to protect these men, even though they may have been their enemies and may have inflicted a great deal of harm on themselves or their fellow Christians. The reporter covering the story posted a picture of the Christians holding hands in a circle on Twitter and stated, “Bear in mind that this picture was taken a month after the Alexandria bombing where many Christians died in vain.”
Perhaps there were those among the men praying who cheered the bombing of the church. Perhaps there were even collaborators, but the Christians there did not take justice into their own hands; they left justice to God. They were following the Scripture which says, “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written, ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord. On the contrary, ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:19-21
In 1999, Australian missionary Dr Graham Stains and his two young sons were burned death by Hindu radicals in Orissa, India. After the the murder of her husband and sons Mrs Stains forgave those who had committed the crime and stayed in Orissa to serve the Lord. The Australian Government bestowed on Mrs Stains the highest honor that is offered by the State on one of their citizens.
During the persecution of Christians in Orissa in 2008, over 100 people were murdered, hacked or burned to death. The families of the martyrs have forgiven the Hindu radicals. They have not taken revenge, but left room for God to work, and by so doing may have done more to stop the cycle of violence than all the legislation and intervention of global powers. They did what Jesus had shown them by example. They were followers of the Lamb.
In Christ,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CP4JSVMBdZg
Saturday evening worship service.
Location: First United Methodist Church. Endicott
53 McKinley Avenue, Endicott.
Sponsored by the Union Center United Methodist Church, 128, Maple Drive, Endicott
Saturday March 19, 2011
6PM Coffee Fellowship
6:30 PM Worship Service
Worship Music: Laureen Naik
Speaker: Rev. Brown Naik
Friday, March 18, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Brown's Daily Word 3/17/11
Good morning,
Praise the Lord for this new day. It is going to be one of the ten best days of March. The snow has almost melted away. While driving yesterday I noticed colorful patches of Crocuses blanketing the lawns. We can see grass waking up after a long winter slumber all around us. All the birds, the harbingers of spring, are back and they are praising the Lord of all creation. May we join the manifold witness all around us praising and worshipping the Lord, and best of all serving Him with our talents, time, and treasures so that others might Know the Savior and make a journey of the heart and mind to Him.
The Lord blessed us with very wonderful Wednesday evening gathering. The fellowship was sweet. The sharing and discussion were very lively and provocative. The Word of the Lord thrills our hearts and challenge our minds. In John 15 Jesus declares, “I am the Vine, you are the branches, apart from me you can do nothing.”
Paul discovered Jesus the Risen Lord as the true living Vine. He learned the secret of abiding in Him. He discovered the secret of living a victorious life in and through Jesus Christ our Lord. He proclaimed, “I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me.” Nothing is impossible with Jesus.
When Goliath came against the Israelites, the soldiers all thought, "He’s so big we can never kill him." David looked at the same giant and though, "He’s so big I can’t miss." (Source Unknown)
"God honors radical, risk-taking faith.
When arks are built, lives are saved. When soldiers march, Jerichos tumble.
When staffs are raised, seas still open.
When meager resources are placed in the Holy Hands of Jesus with much love and sacrifice, thousands are fed.
And when a garment is touched -- whether by the hand of an anemic woman in Galilee or by the prayers of a beggar in Bangladesh -- Jesus stops.
He stops and responds." (Lucado, )
What can I do to be saved? I can take hold of the hand of Jesus.
A young orphaned boy had been taken to his grandmother’s house. The house caught fire one night. The grandmother tried to rescue the little boy, but was overcome by smoke and died in the disaster. As the fire blazed, a crowd gathered. They could hear the boy crying for help, but nobody could seem to find a way to reach him. Then, a stranger rushed out of the crowd and climbed a metal pipe that stretched past an upstairs window. the pipe was extremely hot, but the man ignored the pain. He went in, reach the boy and climbed with him back down the hot pipe to safety below.
A few weeks later, a public hearing was held to determine who should have custody of the boy. One by one each person spoke about how they could care for the boy. A farmer, then a teacher, then the town’s richest citizen suggested because of his great wealth he should have the boy. The judge then asked if anyone else had anything to say. Slowly, a man walked to the front of the room. As the man reached the front of the room, he slowly took his hands from his pockets and showed everyone present badly scarred hands.
Suddenly, the little boy cried out with surprise. He recognized his rescuer. The scars on his hands he had received from climbing the hot pipe. The boy fell into the open arms of the man who had saved him. One by one the crowd left, because those scarred hands said more than anything else anyone had to say.
We all can make fresh commitment today and sing: "Take my hands and let them move at the impulse of your love".
In Christ,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uq1ycRiYRUY
Saturday evening worship service.
Location: First United Methodist Church. Endicott
53 McKinley Avenue, Endicott.
Sponsored by the Union Center United Methodist Church, 128, Maple Drive, Endicott
Saturday March 19, 2011
6PM Coffee Fellowship
6:30 PM Worship Service
Worship Music: Laureen Naik
Speaker: Rev. Brown Naik
Praise the Lord for this new day. It is going to be one of the ten best days of March. The snow has almost melted away. While driving yesterday I noticed colorful patches of Crocuses blanketing the lawns. We can see grass waking up after a long winter slumber all around us. All the birds, the harbingers of spring, are back and they are praising the Lord of all creation. May we join the manifold witness all around us praising and worshipping the Lord, and best of all serving Him with our talents, time, and treasures so that others might Know the Savior and make a journey of the heart and mind to Him.
The Lord blessed us with very wonderful Wednesday evening gathering. The fellowship was sweet. The sharing and discussion were very lively and provocative. The Word of the Lord thrills our hearts and challenge our minds. In John 15 Jesus declares, “I am the Vine, you are the branches, apart from me you can do nothing.”
Paul discovered Jesus the Risen Lord as the true living Vine. He learned the secret of abiding in Him. He discovered the secret of living a victorious life in and through Jesus Christ our Lord. He proclaimed, “I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me.” Nothing is impossible with Jesus.
When Goliath came against the Israelites, the soldiers all thought, "He’s so big we can never kill him." David looked at the same giant and though, "He’s so big I can’t miss." (Source Unknown)
"God honors radical, risk-taking faith.
When arks are built, lives are saved. When soldiers march, Jerichos tumble.
When staffs are raised, seas still open.
When meager resources are placed in the Holy Hands of Jesus with much love and sacrifice, thousands are fed.
And when a garment is touched -- whether by the hand of an anemic woman in Galilee or by the prayers of a beggar in Bangladesh -- Jesus stops.
He stops and responds." (Lucado, )
What can I do to be saved? I can take hold of the hand of Jesus.
A young orphaned boy had been taken to his grandmother’s house. The house caught fire one night. The grandmother tried to rescue the little boy, but was overcome by smoke and died in the disaster. As the fire blazed, a crowd gathered. They could hear the boy crying for help, but nobody could seem to find a way to reach him. Then, a stranger rushed out of the crowd and climbed a metal pipe that stretched past an upstairs window. the pipe was extremely hot, but the man ignored the pain. He went in, reach the boy and climbed with him back down the hot pipe to safety below.
A few weeks later, a public hearing was held to determine who should have custody of the boy. One by one each person spoke about how they could care for the boy. A farmer, then a teacher, then the town’s richest citizen suggested because of his great wealth he should have the boy. The judge then asked if anyone else had anything to say. Slowly, a man walked to the front of the room. As the man reached the front of the room, he slowly took his hands from his pockets and showed everyone present badly scarred hands.
Suddenly, the little boy cried out with surprise. He recognized his rescuer. The scars on his hands he had received from climbing the hot pipe. The boy fell into the open arms of the man who had saved him. One by one the crowd left, because those scarred hands said more than anything else anyone had to say.
We all can make fresh commitment today and sing: "Take my hands and let them move at the impulse of your love".
In Christ,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uq1ycRiYRUY
Saturday evening worship service.
Location: First United Methodist Church. Endicott
53 McKinley Avenue, Endicott.
Sponsored by the Union Center United Methodist Church, 128, Maple Drive, Endicott
Saturday March 19, 2011
6PM Coffee Fellowship
6:30 PM Worship Service
Worship Music: Laureen Naik
Speaker: Rev. Brown Naik
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Brown's Daily Word 3-16-11
Good morning,
Praise the Lord for this Wednesday. Sweet Spring is around the corner. We will gather for mid-week fellowship and Bible study this evening at 6 PM. During this Lenten season I have read about the days and the lives of those who have followed Christ with greater abandonment and devotion. I get thrilled and inspired by their zeal and devotion. It is written in Hebrews 12:1 "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." (Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV)
"Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:19-23 NIV)
The author says, “Since God has done all of this for us – let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess.” If we read on we run into a long list of men and women throughout the Old Testament who encountered every kind of obstacle, every kind of trial, every kind of heartache, but they held unswervingly to the hope they professed. It is written in Hebrews 11:32-39, "And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated — the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect." (Hebrews 11:32-39 NIV)
The above all comes before the "therefore" of Hebrews 12:1. When this word occurs in the Bible we better be sure that we fully understand what caused the author to use this word of direct and causal relationship. So, we can see that “therefore” has a lot packed into it when we come to Hebrews 12.
Looking at Hebrews 12:1 once again, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." The “cloud of witnesses” referred to in this passage are those men and women, those faithful souls who have gone before us. We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses! Not just those who are listed in Hebrews 11, but libraries could be filled with the stories of faithful men, women, boys, and girls who have gone before us choosing to cling to the Lord. The list would include men like Nicholas Ridley, the Archbishop of London, and Hugh Latimer, the Bishop of Worcester.
In 1553, when the Roman Catholic Queen Mary, later known as “Bloody Mary” for her execution of so many reformers, came to the throne, Thomas Cranmer (Archbishop of Canterbury), Nicholas Ridley (Archbishop of London), and Hugh Latimer (Bishop of Worcester) were summoned to appear before a commission in the Church of St. Mary the Virgin in Oxford to be examined for their alleged Protestant heresies. They would not admit to a belief in transubstantiation, the Catholic belief that the bread and wine of the Lord’s Supper literally become the body and blood of Jesus, and they were all found guilty. Ridley and Latimer were separated after their condemnation in St. Mary’s Church. They had to stay in separate houses as they awaited their execution in two weeks.
The morning of the October 15, 1555, was just as damp as the day of the trial when the two friends met at the stake. Onlookers remarked how stooped and bent the Bishops looked as they journeyed through the streets, but how strong and radiant they became when at the stake they removed their outer garments and stood in new white singlets which reached to their feet. Mr. Shipside, a relative of Ridley’s, stood in the crowd and he had asked permission from Lord William of Thame to be allowed to put gunpowder packages around the necks and beneath the arms of the victims. This was granted as a mercy so that they might have a quick ending once the fire took hold. Soon the brushwood was piled up around them and they stood knee deep in wood. As the soldier in charge reached out his taper and lit the brushwood it began to flare . It was at this point in time that Latimer spoke up and uttered those now famous words: "Be of good cheer Master Ridley and play the man. For we shall this day, by God’s grace, light such a candle in England as shall never be put out". Within minutes Latimer was dead as much from the thickness of the fumes as from the heat of the flames. Ridley, however, would need all the strength he could get from Latimer’s final words to him. He was actually standing on green wood which itself was damp and so refused to catch fire and just smoldered under his feet. After what seemed an age he called out to Mr. Shipside to do something to help him as he could stand the agony no longer. All in a fluster Mr. Shipside piled more wood on which caused the fire to die down even more, thus prolonging poor Ridley’s pain and cooking his feet and legs right through. Soon however a soldier pushed through the crowd and used his bill hook to make an air hole in the wood pile. This being done the wind blew, the fire flared, and touched the gunpowder sag around his neck. Thus in one final blast Nicholas Ridley went to glory and the marriage supper he had so looked forward to. (Taken from the Oxford History website.)
In Christ,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qEjRLlL9iE
We will begin our new Bible study on Wednesday, March 9, and continue throughout Lent. The study is called, "Gospel in Life - Grace Changes Everything".
It is an intensive eight-session course on the Gospel and how it is lived out in all of life, first in your heart, then in your community, and then out into the world.
In each session, Timothy Keller presents a ten-minute teaching segment on the Gospel. Session 1 opens the course with the theme of the city: your home now, the world that is. Session 8 closed with the theme of the eternal city: your heavenly home, the world that is to come. In between you will look at how the Gospel changes your heart, changes your community, and changes how you live in the world.
Week #1: City - The World That Is
#2: Heart - Three Ways To Live
#3: Idolatry - The Sin Beneath The Sin
#4: Community - The Context For Change
#5: Witness - An Alternate City
#6: Work - Cultivating The Garden
#7: Justice - A People For Others
#8: Eternity - The World That Is To Come
Saturday evening worship service.
Location: First United Methodist Church. Endicott
53 McKinley Avenue, Endicott.
Sponsored by the Union Center United Methodist Church, 128, Maple Drive, Endicott
Saturday March 19, 2011
6PM Coffee Fellowship
6:30 PM Worship Service
Worship Music: Laureen Naik
Speaker: Rev. Brown Naik
Praise the Lord for this Wednesday. Sweet Spring is around the corner. We will gather for mid-week fellowship and Bible study this evening at 6 PM. During this Lenten season I have read about the days and the lives of those who have followed Christ with greater abandonment and devotion. I get thrilled and inspired by their zeal and devotion. It is written in Hebrews 12:1 "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." (Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV)
"Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:19-23 NIV)
The author says, “Since God has done all of this for us – let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess.” If we read on we run into a long list of men and women throughout the Old Testament who encountered every kind of obstacle, every kind of trial, every kind of heartache, but they held unswervingly to the hope they professed. It is written in Hebrews 11:32-39, "And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated — the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect." (Hebrews 11:32-39 NIV)
The above all comes before the "therefore" of Hebrews 12:1. When this word occurs in the Bible we better be sure that we fully understand what caused the author to use this word of direct and causal relationship. So, we can see that “therefore” has a lot packed into it when we come to Hebrews 12.
Looking at Hebrews 12:1 once again, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." The “cloud of witnesses” referred to in this passage are those men and women, those faithful souls who have gone before us. We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses! Not just those who are listed in Hebrews 11, but libraries could be filled with the stories of faithful men, women, boys, and girls who have gone before us choosing to cling to the Lord. The list would include men like Nicholas Ridley, the Archbishop of London, and Hugh Latimer, the Bishop of Worcester.
In 1553, when the Roman Catholic Queen Mary, later known as “Bloody Mary” for her execution of so many reformers, came to the throne, Thomas Cranmer (Archbishop of Canterbury), Nicholas Ridley (Archbishop of London), and Hugh Latimer (Bishop of Worcester) were summoned to appear before a commission in the Church of St. Mary the Virgin in Oxford to be examined for their alleged Protestant heresies. They would not admit to a belief in transubstantiation, the Catholic belief that the bread and wine of the Lord’s Supper literally become the body and blood of Jesus, and they were all found guilty. Ridley and Latimer were separated after their condemnation in St. Mary’s Church. They had to stay in separate houses as they awaited their execution in two weeks.
The morning of the October 15, 1555, was just as damp as the day of the trial when the two friends met at the stake. Onlookers remarked how stooped and bent the Bishops looked as they journeyed through the streets, but how strong and radiant they became when at the stake they removed their outer garments and stood in new white singlets which reached to their feet. Mr. Shipside, a relative of Ridley’s, stood in the crowd and he had asked permission from Lord William of Thame to be allowed to put gunpowder packages around the necks and beneath the arms of the victims. This was granted as a mercy so that they might have a quick ending once the fire took hold. Soon the brushwood was piled up around them and they stood knee deep in wood. As the soldier in charge reached out his taper and lit the brushwood it began to flare . It was at this point in time that Latimer spoke up and uttered those now famous words: "Be of good cheer Master Ridley and play the man. For we shall this day, by God’s grace, light such a candle in England as shall never be put out". Within minutes Latimer was dead as much from the thickness of the fumes as from the heat of the flames. Ridley, however, would need all the strength he could get from Latimer’s final words to him. He was actually standing on green wood which itself was damp and so refused to catch fire and just smoldered under his feet. After what seemed an age he called out to Mr. Shipside to do something to help him as he could stand the agony no longer. All in a fluster Mr. Shipside piled more wood on which caused the fire to die down even more, thus prolonging poor Ridley’s pain and cooking his feet and legs right through. Soon however a soldier pushed through the crowd and used his bill hook to make an air hole in the wood pile. This being done the wind blew, the fire flared, and touched the gunpowder sag around his neck. Thus in one final blast Nicholas Ridley went to glory and the marriage supper he had so looked forward to. (Taken from the Oxford History website.)
In Christ,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qEjRLlL9iE
We will begin our new Bible study on Wednesday, March 9, and continue throughout Lent. The study is called, "Gospel in Life - Grace Changes Everything".
It is an intensive eight-session course on the Gospel and how it is lived out in all of life, first in your heart, then in your community, and then out into the world.
In each session, Timothy Keller presents a ten-minute teaching segment on the Gospel. Session 1 opens the course with the theme of the city: your home now, the world that is. Session 8 closed with the theme of the eternal city: your heavenly home, the world that is to come. In between you will look at how the Gospel changes your heart, changes your community, and changes how you live in the world.
Week #1: City - The World That Is
#2: Heart - Three Ways To Live
#3: Idolatry - The Sin Beneath The Sin
#4: Community - The Context For Change
#5: Witness - An Alternate City
#6: Work - Cultivating The Garden
#7: Justice - A People For Others
#8: Eternity - The World That Is To Come
Saturday evening worship service.
Location: First United Methodist Church. Endicott
53 McKinley Avenue, Endicott.
Sponsored by the Union Center United Methodist Church, 128, Maple Drive, Endicott
Saturday March 19, 2011
6PM Coffee Fellowship
6:30 PM Worship Service
Worship Music: Laureen Naik
Speaker: Rev. Brown Naik
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Brown's Daily Word 3/15/11
Good morning,
Praise the Lord for this new day. It is going to bright and mild. I can see many spring flowers are about to bloom by the parsonage. I am planning to take a walk for 4 miles. Praise the Lord for all of the great men and women of the faith who have loved the Lord with great devotion and served Him with great joy. Praise the Lord for those who have gone before us that followed Christ in the way of the cross. One of the men whom the Lord used to bring about a great change and revival in the life of the church was Martin Luther.
Many years ago the monks in the monastery where Martin Luther lived would go to the confessional day-after-day to confess their sins to the Father confessor. While the other monks would confess their sins by rote, Martin Luther was plagued with his own sin. When Luther's turn would come around he would go into the confessional, not for a half an hour or for an hour, but for two, three, or even four hours at a time. He would sit and confess every sin he had entertained during the last twenty-four hours. Finally, one of the Father confessors said, "Brother Martin, stop this preoccupation with peccadilloes. If you are going to confess something make it a real sin." He went on, "What is this, do you not like your work in the monastery?" Finally, the Father confessor got the impression that whatever Martin Luther was, he was sincere. Martin would tell that he would leave the confessional at the end of his confession and feel clean before God because of his confession. That would last until he had taken a few steps toward his daily activities and remember some sin he had left unconfessed, once again he would feel filthy before a holy and righteous God.
We may think that Martin Luther was obsessing, but what you need to know is that before Martin ever began studying theology, he was a student of Law. He took his sharp mind that was well read in human law and he applied it to the Law of God. Martin would study the Law of God, the demands of perfection, and examine himself in light of the character of God, the holiness of God, and God's righteousness. With all of that in clear view, Martin hated what he saw in himself. He began to even hate the righteousness of God because his guilt was made manifest before his eyes in all its ugliness.
One night he was preparing for a lecture, reading the book of Romans and he read, "For the righteousness of God is revealed by faith, and the just will live by faith." Suddenly, his eyes were opened. God revealed to him that He alone provides righteousness graciously and freely all who will put their trust in Jesus. Martin said he finally discovered,
"Anyone who puts their trust in Christ receives the covering and the cloak of the righteousness of Christ. It broke into my mind, and I realized for the first time that my justification, my station before God is established not on the basis of my own naked righteousness which will always fall short of the demand of God, but it rests solely and completely on the righteousness of Jesus Christ which I must hold onto by trusting faith. When I understood that for the first time in my life I understood the Gospel. I looked and beheld the doors of Paradise swung open and I walked through. "
Martin Luther had been introduced to the magnificent grace of God that accomplished for him what he could never accomplish for himself. Isn't God's grace amazing?
In Christ,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7QuZ4wo1X4
Saturday evening worship service.
Location: First United Methodist Church
53 McKinley Avenue
Endicott
Sponsored by the Union Center United Methodist Church, 128, Maple Drive, Endicott
Saturday, March 19, 2011
6 PM Coffee Fellowship
6:30 PM Worship Service
Worship Music: Laureen Naik
Speaker: Rev. Brown Naik
Praise the Lord for this new day. It is going to bright and mild. I can see many spring flowers are about to bloom by the parsonage. I am planning to take a walk for 4 miles. Praise the Lord for all of the great men and women of the faith who have loved the Lord with great devotion and served Him with great joy. Praise the Lord for those who have gone before us that followed Christ in the way of the cross. One of the men whom the Lord used to bring about a great change and revival in the life of the church was Martin Luther.
Many years ago the monks in the monastery where Martin Luther lived would go to the confessional day-after-day to confess their sins to the Father confessor. While the other monks would confess their sins by rote, Martin Luther was plagued with his own sin. When Luther's turn would come around he would go into the confessional, not for a half an hour or for an hour, but for two, three, or even four hours at a time. He would sit and confess every sin he had entertained during the last twenty-four hours. Finally, one of the Father confessors said, "Brother Martin, stop this preoccupation with peccadilloes. If you are going to confess something make it a real sin." He went on, "What is this, do you not like your work in the monastery?" Finally, the Father confessor got the impression that whatever Martin Luther was, he was sincere. Martin would tell that he would leave the confessional at the end of his confession and feel clean before God because of his confession. That would last until he had taken a few steps toward his daily activities and remember some sin he had left unconfessed, once again he would feel filthy before a holy and righteous God.
We may think that Martin Luther was obsessing, but what you need to know is that before Martin ever began studying theology, he was a student of Law. He took his sharp mind that was well read in human law and he applied it to the Law of God. Martin would study the Law of God, the demands of perfection, and examine himself in light of the character of God, the holiness of God, and God's righteousness. With all of that in clear view, Martin hated what he saw in himself. He began to even hate the righteousness of God because his guilt was made manifest before his eyes in all its ugliness.
One night he was preparing for a lecture, reading the book of Romans and he read, "For the righteousness of God is revealed by faith, and the just will live by faith." Suddenly, his eyes were opened. God revealed to him that He alone provides righteousness graciously and freely all who will put their trust in Jesus. Martin said he finally discovered,
"Anyone who puts their trust in Christ receives the covering and the cloak of the righteousness of Christ. It broke into my mind, and I realized for the first time that my justification, my station before God is established not on the basis of my own naked righteousness which will always fall short of the demand of God, but it rests solely and completely on the righteousness of Jesus Christ which I must hold onto by trusting faith. When I understood that for the first time in my life I understood the Gospel. I looked and beheld the doors of Paradise swung open and I walked through. "
Martin Luther had been introduced to the magnificent grace of God that accomplished for him what he could never accomplish for himself. Isn't God's grace amazing?
In Christ,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7QuZ4wo1X4
Saturday evening worship service.
Location: First United Methodist Church
53 McKinley Avenue
Endicott
Sponsored by the Union Center United Methodist Church, 128, Maple Drive, Endicott
Saturday, March 19, 2011
6 PM Coffee Fellowship
6:30 PM Worship Service
Worship Music: Laureen Naik
Speaker: Rev. Brown Naik
Monday, March 14, 2011
Brown's Daily Word 3/14/11
The Lord blessed us with beautiful and full weekend of worship, witness, and fellowship beginning with Saturday evening worship, continuing through yesterday. It was great blessing to be in the House of the Lord worshipping, and praising. He always blesses us as we draw into His presence through His grace. Alice and I, along with Laureen and some of her friends, attended a Christian Concert, by Selah, Shaun Groves,and Aaron Shust, that held in Binghamton last night. It was a wonderful 3 hours of worship and praise. What a treat!
I love to read and preach fro Romans 5: 1Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
2By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
3And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
4And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
5And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
6For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
In the words of Jurgen Moltmann, “Expectation makes life good, for in expectation we can accept our whole present and find joy not only in its joy but also in its sorrow, happiness not only in its happiness but also in its pain. Thus hope goes on its way through the midst of happiness and pain, because in the promises of God it can see a future also for the transient, the dying and the dead. That is why it can be said that living without hope is like no longer living. Hell is hopelessness, and it is not for nothing that at the entrance to Dante’s hell there stand the words: ‘Abandon hope, all ye who enter here.’”
Christians are people of hope. For us, sorrow is always a temporary emotion, and joy is the norm. The reason is that we know that life overcomes death, love is stronger than hate, light overcomes darkness, good will ultimately triumph and Jesus reigns. Jesus came to have his joy live in us (John 15:11).
Brennan Manning says, “I believe that the real difference in the American church is not between conservatives and liberals, fundamentalists and charismatics, nor between Republicans and Democrats. The real difference is between the aware and the unaware. When somebody is aware of that love — the same love that the Father has for Jesus — that person is just spontaneously grateful. Cries of thankfulness become the dominant characteristic of the interior life, and the byproduct of gratitude is joy. We’re not joyful and then become grateful — we’re grateful, and that makes us joyful.” When you are a grateful person you possess joy, even when you may possess little else.
What if we lived every moment as though our Lord was all around us? What if we lived as though nothing could happen to us that our Lord, could not take care of? What if you lived as though the power of the Holy Spirit lived in us, and we were walking around in a world created by our Lord, loved by him and blessed by his presence? What if we lived as though we were not meant to be alone, but an important part of the family of God?
In 1741, and an old man was wandering the streets of London, by the name of George Frederick Handel. At this point, he was angry at life. His mind kept returning to the time when he was famous and had the applause of royalty and the elite of London. But now his mind was full of despair and hopelessness about the future; the applause was gone. Others were now in the spotlight and envy began to possess him. Added to that, a cerebral hemorrhage paralyzed his right side. He could no longer write, and doctors gave little hope for recovery. The old composer traveled to France and began to soak in the baths which were said to have healing effects. The hot mineral baths seemed to help, and his health began to improve. Eventually, he was able to write once more, and his success returned.
But then he faced another reversal. Queen Caroline, who had been his staunch supporter, died. England fell on hard economic times, and the heating of large auditoriums for concerts was not permitted. His performances were canceled, and he began to wonder where God was.
Then one night, as he returned from his walk, Charles Jennens was waiting at his home. Jennens explained that he had just finished writing a text for a musical that covered both the Old and New Testaments, and believed that Handel was the man to set it to music. Handel was indifferent as he began to read the words which Jennens had put together. But then his eyes fell on such words as, ‘He was despised, rejected of men. . . he looked for someone to have pity on him, but there was no man; neither found he any to comfort him.’ His eyes raced ahead to the words: ‘He trusted in God. . . God did not leave his soul in hell. . . He will give you rest.’ And finally his eyes stopped on the words: ‘I know that my Redeemer liveth.’ He became aware of the presence of God. He was aware in a new and profound way that as he picked up his pen the Spirit of God was moving, and music seemed to flow through him. He finished the first part in only seven days. The second section was completed in six days.
Many will remember that when the classical work was first performed in London, and the ‘Hallelujah Chorus’ was sung by the choir, King George II was so moved that he stood to his feet. To this day, people still rise to their feet as the great chorus is sung in praise to God.
In reflecting on Handel’s Messiah, Joseph E. McCabe wrote: “Never again are we to look at the stars, as we did when we were children, and wonder how far it is to God. A being outside our world would be a spectator, looking on but taking no part in this life, where we try to be brave despite all the bafflement. A God who created, and withdrew, could be mighty, but he could not be love. Who could love a God remote, when suffering is our lot? Our God is closer than our problems, for they are out there to be faced; He is here, beside us, Emmanuel.”
In Christ,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-qBsHhFEgA
Fundraiser at Phil's Chicken House, Monday, March 14th from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM in the downstairs dining room. This will benefit the Union Center United Methodist Church Youth Group to allow them to attend Youth Retreats. The buffet is $9:99 and includes choices of dessert. Menu items can also be ordered. 10% of all income will be donated to the Youth. Tipping is allowed, and all tips will also be given to benefit the Youth. Please come out to support this good cause.
Saturday evening worship service.
Location: First United Methodist Church
53 McKinley Avenue
Endicott
Sponsored by the Union Center United Methodist Church, 128, Maple Drive, Endicott
Saturday, March 19, 2011
6 PM Coffee Fellowship
6:30 PM Worship Service
Worship Music: Laureen Naik
Speaker: Rev. Brown Naik
I love to read and preach fro Romans 5: 1Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
2By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
3And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
4And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
5And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
6For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
In the words of Jurgen Moltmann, “Expectation makes life good, for in expectation we can accept our whole present and find joy not only in its joy but also in its sorrow, happiness not only in its happiness but also in its pain. Thus hope goes on its way through the midst of happiness and pain, because in the promises of God it can see a future also for the transient, the dying and the dead. That is why it can be said that living without hope is like no longer living. Hell is hopelessness, and it is not for nothing that at the entrance to Dante’s hell there stand the words: ‘Abandon hope, all ye who enter here.’”
Christians are people of hope. For us, sorrow is always a temporary emotion, and joy is the norm. The reason is that we know that life overcomes death, love is stronger than hate, light overcomes darkness, good will ultimately triumph and Jesus reigns. Jesus came to have his joy live in us (John 15:11).
Brennan Manning says, “I believe that the real difference in the American church is not between conservatives and liberals, fundamentalists and charismatics, nor between Republicans and Democrats. The real difference is between the aware and the unaware. When somebody is aware of that love — the same love that the Father has for Jesus — that person is just spontaneously grateful. Cries of thankfulness become the dominant characteristic of the interior life, and the byproduct of gratitude is joy. We’re not joyful and then become grateful — we’re grateful, and that makes us joyful.” When you are a grateful person you possess joy, even when you may possess little else.
What if we lived every moment as though our Lord was all around us? What if we lived as though nothing could happen to us that our Lord, could not take care of? What if you lived as though the power of the Holy Spirit lived in us, and we were walking around in a world created by our Lord, loved by him and blessed by his presence? What if we lived as though we were not meant to be alone, but an important part of the family of God?
In 1741, and an old man was wandering the streets of London, by the name of George Frederick Handel. At this point, he was angry at life. His mind kept returning to the time when he was famous and had the applause of royalty and the elite of London. But now his mind was full of despair and hopelessness about the future; the applause was gone. Others were now in the spotlight and envy began to possess him. Added to that, a cerebral hemorrhage paralyzed his right side. He could no longer write, and doctors gave little hope for recovery. The old composer traveled to France and began to soak in the baths which were said to have healing effects. The hot mineral baths seemed to help, and his health began to improve. Eventually, he was able to write once more, and his success returned.
But then he faced another reversal. Queen Caroline, who had been his staunch supporter, died. England fell on hard economic times, and the heating of large auditoriums for concerts was not permitted. His performances were canceled, and he began to wonder where God was.
Then one night, as he returned from his walk, Charles Jennens was waiting at his home. Jennens explained that he had just finished writing a text for a musical that covered both the Old and New Testaments, and believed that Handel was the man to set it to music. Handel was indifferent as he began to read the words which Jennens had put together. But then his eyes fell on such words as, ‘He was despised, rejected of men. . . he looked for someone to have pity on him, but there was no man; neither found he any to comfort him.’ His eyes raced ahead to the words: ‘He trusted in God. . . God did not leave his soul in hell. . . He will give you rest.’ And finally his eyes stopped on the words: ‘I know that my Redeemer liveth.’ He became aware of the presence of God. He was aware in a new and profound way that as he picked up his pen the Spirit of God was moving, and music seemed to flow through him. He finished the first part in only seven days. The second section was completed in six days.
Many will remember that when the classical work was first performed in London, and the ‘Hallelujah Chorus’ was sung by the choir, King George II was so moved that he stood to his feet. To this day, people still rise to their feet as the great chorus is sung in praise to God.
In reflecting on Handel’s Messiah, Joseph E. McCabe wrote: “Never again are we to look at the stars, as we did when we were children, and wonder how far it is to God. A being outside our world would be a spectator, looking on but taking no part in this life, where we try to be brave despite all the bafflement. A God who created, and withdrew, could be mighty, but he could not be love. Who could love a God remote, when suffering is our lot? Our God is closer than our problems, for they are out there to be faced; He is here, beside us, Emmanuel.”
In Christ,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-qBsHhFEgA
Fundraiser at Phil's Chicken House, Monday, March 14th from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM in the downstairs dining room. This will benefit the Union Center United Methodist Church Youth Group to allow them to attend Youth Retreats. The buffet is $9:99 and includes choices of dessert. Menu items can also be ordered. 10% of all income will be donated to the Youth. Tipping is allowed, and all tips will also be given to benefit the Youth. Please come out to support this good cause.
Saturday evening worship service.
Location: First United Methodist Church
53 McKinley Avenue
Endicott
Sponsored by the Union Center United Methodist Church, 128, Maple Drive, Endicott
Saturday, March 19, 2011
6 PM Coffee Fellowship
6:30 PM Worship Service
Worship Music: Laureen Naik
Speaker: Rev. Brown Naik
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