Thanks be to Jesus
for this new day. He blessed us with a brilliant day yesterday. The temperature
climbed up into the 80s. It was like mid-summer day. Thank you Jesus. Alice,
Laureen, and I walked for over 4 miles in the late afternoon in one of the
beautiful parks. It was a park which had suffered a huge damage during the
floods of 2011. Now the park is buzzing with life everywhere. The flowering
trees are full bloom. Countless birds were joining in a symphony of praise to
Jesus our Lord. We saw a Canadian goose leading a parade of her newly hatched
goslings. They all looked unhurried and jubilant. It rained much of last night
with loud thunders. Praise the Lord for mighty powers that are displayed in all
things both great small.
Our United Methodist
Church's General Conference has been meeting in Tampa Florida since May 24,
2012. 1000 delegates from around the world meet once every four years to set the
agenda for the church. The General Conference meets in the same year that our
Nation holds the Presidential election. The General conference voted yesterday
to uphold our Church's position on "Human Sexuality". The official position of the
Church follows in accordance with the Bible, the Word of
God."
161 F) Human Sexuality—We affirm that
sexuality is God’s good gift to all persons. We call everyone to responsible
stewardship of this sacred gift.
Although all persons are sexual
beings whether or not they are married, sexual relations are affirmed only with
the covenant of monogamous, heterosexual marriage.
We deplore all forms
of the commercialization, abuse, and exploitation of sex. We call for strict
global enforcement of laws prohibiting the sexual exploitation of children and
for adequate protection, guidance, and counseling for abused
children.
All persons, regardless of age,
gender, marital status, or sexual orientation, are entitled to have their human
and civil rights ensured and to be protected against violence. The Church should
support the family in providing age-appropriate education regarding sexuality to
children, youth, and adults.
We affirm that all persons are
individuals of sacred worth, created in the image of God. All persons need the
ministry of the Church in their struggles for human fulfillment, as well as the
spiritual and emotional care of a fellowship that enables reconciling
relationships with God, with others, and with self.
The United Methodist Church
does not condone the practice of homosexuality and consider this practice
incompatible with Christian teaching. We affirm that God’s grace is available to
all. We will seek to live together in Christian community, welcoming, forgiving,
and loving one another, as Christ has loved and accepted us. We implore families
and churches not to reject or condemn lesbian and gay members and friends. We
commit ourselves to be in ministry for and with all persons.
We deplore all forms of the commercialization, abuse, and exploitation of sex. We call for strict global enforcement of laws prohibiting the sexual exploitation of children and for adequate protection, guidance, and counseling for abused children.
I have been looking at one of the powerful
verses in the Bible:
2 Chronicles 16:9: “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro
throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose
heart is perfect toward him...”
Every day, our loving Father watches out for an opportunity to do
a great thing for us when our heart is loyal towards him. We are all in need of
miracles and, thank God, we have the God of miracles.
Sometimes the
Bible refers to His miracles as mighty works or marvelous things.
Whatever our Lord God does, He does it to His own glory. Wherever
there are human beings, miracles are needed.
Paul the apostle had been inside a ship for a long time and the people with him in the ship refused to listen to the voice of God. Rather, they listened to the devil and started to reap the result. Sailing became dangerous and they spent a long time on the sea in anguish. Most of them stopped eating. They threw their luggage into the sea and it was dark for many days. They had given up hope of living. To worsen the situation, the ship in which they were traveling hit a rock and was shattered. But one way or the other, they all got to the shore on splinters of wood. When they got to the shore, the Apostle Paul, the man of God sat down to warm himself by the fire. As he did so a viper came out of the woods and fastened to his hand, wanting to disgrace him. All other prisoners and the sailors were there. It did not go for them. As the people there were waiting for him to fall down and die, thinking he was evil, he shook the snake into the fire and did not fall down, neither did he die. When they found that he did not die, they changed their mind and gathered around him as he continued to demonstrate the power of God in their midst. So it was that the disgrace that the enemy planned for him was converted into a revival. God is still in that business of having His children throw serpents into the fire. Paul threw the snake away and its poison had no effect on him. That was a miracle.
In Christ,
Brown
http://youtu.be/7PTvr755V8s
Friday
May 4, 2012
Television Outreach
Time
Warner Cable Channel 4
Time 7:00 PM
Saturday
, May 5.2012
Noon
Women's
Luncheon
Union Center
UMC
128 Maple
Drive
Speaker: Julia Kellaway from the
Family Life Network
Saturday
Evening Worship Service:
Location:
First United Methodist Church
53 McKinley Avenue,
Endicott, NY
Time: 6:00 PM
gathering for Coffee Fellowship
6:30 PM Worship
Service
Date:
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Speaker: Rev
Brown Naik
Special Music:
Laureen Naik
