Brown's Daily Word

Praise the Lord for this sizzling summer. It has been reported that it has been warmest year so far in the North East of the USA. Alice and I took our nieces and nephews, 6 of them together, to Washington, DC this past weekend. We had some car troubles on the way but the Lord provided for our need wonderfully and marvelously. Blessed be His Name. We arrived in Washington late afternoon Friday. It was a very hot day. On Saturday afternoon the nieces and nephews stayed with Andy at home while Alice, Sunita, and I adventured to see one of the largest churches in the city, the basilica up by Catholic University. We walked through Mary's prayer garden and spent some time in prayer. We went into the massive church with multiple sanctuaries. We came across a large contingent of Chinese Christians in the main church worshipping. We went down to the lower level of the church, the crypt church, and worshipped with large contingent of Indian Christians. The Choir sang in one of the Indian languages and the priest that celebrated communion was from Bangladesh. After dinner that evening we (together with Shelley and Bernard) went to the Washington Monument and the Mall, walking around by moonlight and starlight. As we walked we came across a live Christian concert led by a worship team on one of the stages across from the Washington Monument. It was a treat. People from all walks of life were praising the Lord and praying for one another. The concert was sponsored by a ministry called "David's Tent". They were praising Jesus and worshipping the Lord. We stayed there until it was over at 9:30 PM. (Rather, I stayed there while the others took an extended walk around the Washington Monument, the World War II Memorial, and the Martin Luther King Memorial). The same ministry is planning or a concert praise and prayer 24/ 7 for 40 days from September 25 through November 6, the election day. The venue for this event is at the White House Ellipse. Various praise and worship bands will be participating in this event praising and worshipping the Lord who is upon the Throne. We visited various museums on Sunday and then walked at night around the Capitol Building and reflecting pool. It was great day visiting our Nation's Capitol. Sunday Morning I attended the worship at the Historic Mount Vernon United Methodist Church and participated at the Communion service. In the afternoon we all attended the worship service at the St. Brandon's in the City Anglican Church that meets at a Shelter for homeless men. It was all blessing. Monday we went to the Tour of the US Capitol Building. Ben, a committed Christian and a friend of Sunita and Andy took us around the whole Capitol Building, including some time in the gallery of the House of Representatives. Ben is one of the staff members of one of the Congressmen. He personally led us on the tour and provided us with the insider information. It was a blast and a blessing. We drove home yesterday. On the way home we stopped for a late lunch. While I went to Chick-fil-A for lunch, Alice took my nieces and nephews to a McDonald's for lunch. There they ordered their food and said the blessings. A gentleman came and stopped by their table. He was blessed to see them pray before the meal. He wanted to bless the children, He gave my wife $20 to buy ice cream for all. He said He loves the Lord and just wanted bless the children. We were all loved and deeply blessed. The children were deeply blessed and stunned. I love Psalm 48. We read Psalms 48:14 - "For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death." We all need direction to get us where we need to go and the divine compass and guide of our lives will show us every step of the way, if we will only let Him lead. Elizabeth Elliot tells of two adventurers who stopped by to see her, all loaded with equipment for the rain forest east of the Andes. They sought no advice, just a few phrases to converse with the Indians. She writes: ’Sometimes we come to God as the two adventurers came to me, confident and, we think, well-informed and well equipped. But has it occurred to us that with all our accumulation of stuff, something is missing?" She suggests that we often ask God for too little. ’We know what we need, a yes or no answer, please, to a simple question. Or perhaps a road sign. Something quick and easy to point the way. ’What we really ought to have is the Guide himself. Maps, road signs, a few useful phrases are things, but infinitely better is someone who has been there before and knows the way." Elizabeth Elliot, A Slow and Certain Light When we take trips, we generally plan ahead; how much it will cost, where we will go, what to take, what we will do when we get there. Going on a trip for a vacation is an exciting adventure in planning. Of course, in order to go anywhere, there ultimately has to be a destination. One day when George Macdonald, the great Scottish preacher and writer, was talking with his son, the conversation turned to heaven and the prophets’ version of the end of all things. “It seems too good to be true,” the son said at one point. A smile crossed Macdonald’s whiskered face. “Nay,” he replied, “It is just so good it must be true!” Disappointment With God, PhilipYancey, Zondervan, p. 97 This is our final destination. As Christians, we will end up in the presence of God in His abode. God’s wisdom is truly amazing and perfect, even when we don’t think so at the time. Elizabeth Elliot, in her book Let Me Be a Woman, recorded the story of Gladys Aylward unable to accept the looks God had given her. Ms. Aylward told how when she was a child she had two great sorrows. One, that while all her friends had beautiful golden hair, hers was black. The other, that while her friends were still growing, she had stopped. She was about four feet ten inches tall. But when at last she reached the country to which God had called her to be a missionary, she stood on the wharf in Shanghai and looked around at the people to whom He had called her. “Every single one of them” she said, “had black hair. And every one of them had stopped growing when I did.” She was able to look to God and exclaim, “Lord God, You know what You’re doing!” Elizabeth Elliot, Let Me Be a Woman. We can trust our guide with every word, every step, every counsel. He will never steer us wrong. Though earthly wisdom is not adequate and is often governed by the flesh, "The LORD will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought and strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail." Isaiah 58:11 We do not have to worry that our guide will take off on His own adventure and leave us stranded. He will never abandon us, even when we sin (Hebrews 13:5). We are excited about summer events that are yet to come. Our Annual VBS, "SKY", will be held August 13-17 from 6 PM to 8:30 PM, at the First UMC, 54 McKinley Avenue, Endicott. We plan for a city-wide outreach for the city of Endicott. Pray for us as we plan to reach children with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The week culminates with our annual Carnival and Chicken Barbeque which will be held at Union Center UMC, 128 Maple Drive, Endicott. It will be a time of great fellowship, festivities, food, and fun for all. Pony rides and many games have been planned for all ages. In Christ, Brown
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