Brown's Daily Word 6-29-12

Praise the Lord for this last Friday of June. It is going to be a very hot day here in New York. Sunita called this morning and reported that it will be 103 degrees today in Washington, DC. Praise the Lord for all the seasons that the Lord blesses us with. He is the Lord of all seasons.

We have a full weekend worship and witness planned. We will meet for our Saturday Evening celebration - a festival of music - this Saturday at 6:30 PM at the First United Methodist Church, Endicott. Aric Phinney will be presenting a mini piano concert. Yancey Moore will be presenting a mini Organ concert. We will have soloists such as Dave Berry, Linda Glann, and Emma Brunson presenting special music. We will have some congregational singing. Those who live in the area, please join us. It will be a triumphant celebration. We will rock the city. Satan will tremble. We will meet for Sunday worship at 10:00 AM at Union Center UMC and at 8:30 AM at the Wesley United Methodist Church. Plan to be in the Lord's house this Lord's day to honor Him and worship His majesty.

I have been reflecting on II Chronicles 16:9, “For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His…” We all have searched for something of value to us. The Lord is on a search as well!!!
Our Lord is daily searching the hearts of people throughout the earth. “ For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth.” We find the truth in this passage that the Lord is actively searching, seeking and watching over all men and women. He is not searching out world events because He knows all the happenings in the world even before they come to pass. He is not searching after who the world leaders are. He knew who they would be even as they were in the womb.
Nothing happens apart from the foreknowledge of God. Nothing escapes those roaming eyes that see everything. Hebrews 4:13, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account”. There is nothing hidden from His eyes. Even the darkest of dark is as light to Him. Everything is laid out in the open for Him to see.
We read in Proverbs 15:3, “The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good”.
He is searching the hearts of men and women everywhere, all the time. The Lord is constantly searching the hearts of people to see motives, thoughts, attitudes, and desires inside. He is searching to see whether a man’s heart is pure and good or full of evil. Remember what the Lord said to Samuel the prophet as Samuel considered anointing David’s brother as the next king? I Samuel 16:7, “Do not consider his appearance or his height for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the HEART”.
The Lord is actively searching the hearts of people. He is searching every nation, every country, every state, city, village, and town. He is actively searching in every home, and every church, at every corner of the earth!!! The Lord is searching the hearts of people, both those that call Him Lord and those that reject Him.
Man searches the value of the outward, but God see the value of a man or woman in the heart. It is in the heart that a person believes and it is in the heart that a person denies Him. The Lord is searching for a people that He may powerfully strengthen through every circumstance, trial, and difficulty.
It is written, “that He may strongly support those…” The Revised Standard Version reads “to show His might in behalf of those..” The Lord is daily searching those who need His strength, grace, and power demonstrated on their behalf.
He sees every hurt, trial, hardship, and circumstance that we face and He desires to strengthen weary hearts and weakened faith.
Through our situations the Lord wants to show His mighty power and faithfulness. He searches for hearts that cry out to Him and acknowledge their need of Him. Throughout the Scriptures we find those that God powerfully strengthened and helped.

In Christ,

Brown

http://youtu.be/ZIUCRXMM4pE

Super Summer Music Festival

Saturday, June 30, 2012 at 6:30 PM

Location: First United Methodist Church

53 McKinley Avenue, Endicott

Sponsored by: Union Center United Methodist Church

Musicians include: Aric Phinney, Yancey Moore,

David Berry, Emma Brunson, Dianne Glann

Weekly Television outreach:

Friday 7:00 PM

Time Warner Cable Channel 4.

Brown's Daily Word 6-27-12

Praise the Lord for this new day. We will gather for our mid-week service today at 6 PM with a special meal. Rabbi Ron Goldberg will speaking at 6:30 PM. It will be a treat to be together in the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord to share, and to rejoice.

Alice and I drove to Tully Lake on the border of Massachusetts and New Hampshire last Sunday after morning worship. We joined Janice, Jeremy, Micah, Simeon, and Ada in their camp. Tully Lake camp ground is a rustic campground, intended for people to sleep in tents, not in campers. We slept under tents under a great blue sky. We canoed several times, and we also watched and listened to the birds. Doves serenaded both in the early morning, as a wake up call, and in the late evenings as a lullaby. We watched Micah and Simeon swim in the day time and in the evening time in the waters of the big lake. We saw flocks of geese and goslings taking an unhurried evening swim between the islands of the lake. We also met several people at the campground. It was a treat. We drove back home yesterday afternoon and participated in the wedding vow renewal service of a young couple. They had invited their family and friends and lots of children. It was a great time of celebration and joy.

It is a high honor and privilege to serve the Lord in season and out of season. It is written in 1 Peter 2:9-10 (Message Bible)—“But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do His work and speak out for Him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference He made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted.”

Most of us wrestle with the purpose of this life on earth here and now. When we consider this we usually place the emphasis on ourselves, as if the focus belongs on us. What if we view this question from another angle or perspective? Rick Warren, in his book, “The Purpose Driven Life,” states, “The purpose of your life is far greater than your own personal fulfillment, your peace of mind, or even your happiness. It’s far greater than your family, your career, or even your widest dreams and ambitions. If you want to know why you were placed on this planet, you must begin with God. You were born by His purpose and for His purpose.”
In later pages the author writes, “You must begin with God, your Creator. You exist only because God wills that you exist. You were made by God and for God—and until you understand that, life will never make sense. You were made for God, not vice versa, and life is about letting God use you for His purposes, not your using Him for your own purpose.”
We have been called to a holy calling, to be priests to God and to be His holy people. In other words, we have been called out from this world or culture. We are to no longer to live by the dictates of our old nature but to live by the dictates of our new nature (Romans 6:6; 2 Corinthians 5:17-18). Even through we are called out of this world we live in this world to reach those who know not the truth with the message of hope (1 Peter 3:15). In other words, believers are called out from the impurities of human cultures and sent back into the world as agents of change and transformation.
1 Peter 3:15-16, “Through thick and thin, keep your hearts at attention, in adoration before Christ, your Master. Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you’re living the way you are, and always with the utmost courtesy. Keep a clear conscience before God so that when people throw mud at you, none of it will stick. They’ll end up realizing that they’re the ones who need a bath.”
Durin our camping in northen Massachusets we met several people. One of them was a woman who shared with us about her pssion for music. She invited us to her camp site to see and hear her play her drums. She was so passionate about her music and her drums. The Lord we love and serve is a passionate God. He passionately loves us. As we grow deeper in our walk with Him, He will give us a passion for the things of His. He wants us to be passionate in our walk with Him. When we are passionate about something we cannot keep quiet about it and that is what the Lord wants from us.

Teach me. O God, to use all the circumstances of my life to-day that they may bring forth in me the fruits of holiness rather than the fruits of sin.
Let me use disappointment as material for patience:
Let me use success as material for thankfulness:
Let me use su

spense as material for perseverance:
Let me use danger as material for courage:
Let me use reproach as material for long-suffering:
Let me use praise as material for humility:
Let me use pleasures as material for temperance:
Let me use pains as material for endurance.
~John Baillie's A Diary of Private Prayer

In Christ,

Brown

http://youtu.be/By0iyTukDkQ

Super Summer Music Festival

Saturday, June 30, 2012 at 6:30 PM

Location: First United Methodist Church

53 McKinley Avenue, Endicott

Sponsored by: Union Center United Methodist Church

Musicians include: Aric Phinney, Yancey Moore,

David Berry, Emma Brunson, Dianne Glann

Weekly Television outreach:

Friday 7:00 PM

Time Warner Cable Channel 4.