Brown's Daily Word 3-15-13

Praise the Lord for this New Day in the Lord in His Kingdom. He is alive and well. He is in in control. Praise the Lord for this Friday and Sunday is coming. We are getting ready for Easter. My doctor at Johns Hopkins is a committed Christian who belongs to the Greek Orthodox Church. In their church calendar Easter falls in May. His wife belongs to the Roman Catholic Church. They both love Jesus. Praise the Lord for the new pope, Pope Francis I. May Jesus, the Suffering servant and the Risen Lord, bless His Church around the globe and around the corner with His fresh anointing to proclaim the Good News from the Grave Yard that He is not here for He is risen as He said. Come and see; go and tell. Wow!

Those who live in the area join us for our weekly Television ministry this evening at 7 PM on Time Warner Cable Channel 4. We will gather tomorrow for our church- wide Easter banquet at 5 PM at the Union Center Fellowship Hall. Chef Lou and his team are preparing with much love a very special meal.

The New Addition at our Union Center Church is almost complete. We are so excited and are so blessed. Blessed be the name of our Lord. It is a two story addition. One of the miracles of this addition is that there is no mortgage on it. The Lord has provided for it wonderfully and generously. We are planning for a great celebration and dedication on June 15 and 16, 2013.

We will gather for Sunday Morning worship at 8:30 and 11:00 AM at Union Center UMC and at 9:30 AM at the Wesley UMC

Last Wednesday we were looking into Isaiah 42 and 43 where there is a powerful imperative. Isaiah 43:1, "Fear Not." Dallas Willard says, "Fear is the anticipation of harm." Near the end of Isaiah 42 there is a question; "Which of you will listen to this or pay close attention in time to come?"

Perhaps the most important thing our Lord can do for us in the middle of a crisis is to teach us to listen, to hear His words, "But now." With God there is always a "But now .... " The worst has happened, but now God wants to do a new thing in your life. The thing you feared most has overtaken you, but now God gives you a new perspective and a new promise. Your worst case scenario has become a reality, but now God reveals His providential hand. When the worst happens, the Lord who is the Christ in every Crisis declares, "But now .... "

For every sickness, for every storm, for every defeat, loss, and failure, God has an answer. When the worst happens, we always wait for God to say, "But now."

The next two words we listens for when the worst happens are in the middle part of Isaiah 43: 1; "Fear not." We’ve romanticized angels so much that they are now featured on our jewelry, in our movies, and on our television sets, but angels apparently didn’t look like Roma Downey or Nicholas Cage or even John Travolta.
Judging from the response of people in the Bible who actually saw them, they were fearsome to behold. When they appeared, people usually fainted, fell face down on the ground, or ran. The first words angels usually had to speak were, "Fear not. "

Jesus Himself, in popular art has become emasculated. In popular theology, He exists in our imagination as a cross between Ben Kingsley and Alan AIda, and Bill Cosby. That is, people picture Him as being slight, unassuming, totally in touch with his emotions, and good with children. Yet, when the disciples saw him walking on the water, they thought he was a ghost, the disembodied spirit of some lost sailor stalking them across the waves. Jesus had to tell them, "Fear not."

The Lord declares to us in every crisis: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine." God can say, "Fear not," because He knows that He’s going to be with us no matter what. That’s what vs. 2 is about. "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned."

The Lord does not tell us that there won’t be high waters, raging rivers, or blazing fires in our lives. He simply tells us that when we are in the middle of those worst case scenarios, we are not to fear because He, the Lord, is with us. "Fear not." We belong to him. No matter what happens, no matter what we do, God is going to be with us. He will not fail us; He is with us in the flood, with us in the fire, and with us when the worst happens.

"For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior." If we look at the way the phrase "I am" is used throughout the Bible, we find that it is almost always connected not merely to God’s existence, but to God’s action. In other words, when God says, "I am," he means, "I am here, I am active, I am what’s happening."

Our worst anxieties do not diminish our Lord's power. The words He will speak are: But now. Fear not. I am. When God speaks words, worlds are formed. New life is given. Everything changes.

In Christ,

Brown

http://youtu.be/YKYNDLYWds0

Brown's Daily Word 3-14-13

The Lord blessed us with a wonderful Wednesday evening gathering of fellowship and Bible study. We looked at Isaiah 42, one of the four Suffering Servant songs. This was written 700 years before Christ. Jesus Christ our Lord is the suffering servant. It is written of Jesus our Lord: He will not quarrel or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. This is a Warrior who brings Peace. Jesus never backed down from a battle.

Jesus is the GENTLE CONQUEROR in Isaiah 42:3-4. "A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the nations will put their hope."

Here is a picture of a Gentle Conqueror who will not mistreat even a bruised reed. People in Isaiah’s day knew exactly what Isaiah was talking about, but this requires a bit of explanation for us. Reeds were used for various purposes … including making flutes … but they weren’t useful if they were damaged in any way. Typically, a bruised reed would be broken in pieces and cast aside, but the prophecy says the Messiah would be so gentle that he would not break even the seemingly useless reed.

The prophecy also says, a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. When a lamp ran low on oil, the wick would start smoldering. The easiest way to deal with that was to simply snuff it out. Then you could add some oil and relight it. But the prophecy lets us know that the coming Messiah would be so gentle that he would not snuff out the flickering wick. Instead, he would take the extra care to slowly add the oil while continuing to protect the weak flame until it burned brightly again.

Both of these word pictures of the bruised reed and the smoldering wick show an amazingly Gentle Conqueror who gives care to those who are weak and wounded. A true Hero is a Gentle Conqueror who shows both power and compassion. The ONE who perfectly meets this standard is Jesus Christ: He is the Peaceful Warrior, the Gentle Conqueror, and the Prince of Peace.

Isaiah’s prophecy concludes by saying that He will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. What we see here is an Unwavering commander, a Mighty warrior, an Invincible conqueror. As the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ has all the power of the Universe – and more. Yet, this Gentle Conqueror takes time to care for the wounded and the broken --- for those whose flame is barely flickering. Jesus is the Gentle Savior, humble and caring, but He is also the Invincible Conqueror. He will never compromise with evil, but He will conquer evil with good.

This was the hope of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow when he wrote the following words of faith and hope:

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep;
“God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Men.”

In John 16:33 Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that you in my you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace, and He will prevail. Indeed, we serve under a Captain who has never lost a battle.

In His Victory,

Brown

http://youtu.be/Ew8ig612NQc

Brown's Daily Word 3-13-13

Praise the Lord for this new day. We will gather for our mid-week fellowship, Bible study, and prayer beginning at 6 PM this evening . We will share a special meal at 6 PM followed y the Bible study at 6:30 PM. We will meet for concert of prayer at 7:30 PM. We will be looking at Isaiah chapters 42 and 43. We will be gathering for great time of celebration on Saturday, with an Easter banquet 5 PM. This special banquet is being prepared by chef Louis Pasqualle. 

Alice and I drove down to Baltimore and back yesterday. We met up with Sunita and Andy while we were in Baltimore. It was a treat to see them and spend some time together. The Lord blessed us a great trip. Blessed be His Name.

A we journey with Jesus to Jerusalem, we ponder anew His death on the cross. He also calls us deny ourselves and take up the cross and follow Him daily. It was Dietrich Bonhoeffer who said, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “If a man hasn’t discovered something that he will die for, he isn’t fit to live.”

I love to read the story of daring Daniel, who had a brave heart. Daniel had discovered something worth dying for, which is why he kept on praying when others would have quit. Since he wasn’t afraid to die, he had the courage to live for God in a hostile world. Daniel’s story demonstrates that if we make up our minds to serve God, we can do it even in the very center of pagan government. Our Lord God is able to deliver His people from any danger they face.

If God can deliver Daniel from the lion’s den, he can surely deliver each one of us. Generations of Christians have taken strength from this story because, in the end, the hero isn’t Daniel; it’s Daniel’s God. That same God is sovereign over those who plot against us. He is sovereign over the lions which surround us. Take heart and trust in God. He can deliver us from whatever is troubling us at this very moment.
Daniel is a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ who, though He was innocent, was envied, hated, and condemned to die. He too was let down into a pit of death, a stone was rolled across the entrance, and an official seal placed across the stone. Just as God sent an angel to Daniel, he also sent angels to the Lord Jesus Christ to testify, “He is not here. He is risen just as he said.” From that pit of death came forth the Prince of life who has conquered death forever. He is Daniel’s God. His name is Jesus. He is our Savior and our Lord.

Be of good cheer!

In Christ,

Brown

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rm5kx3xqmg0

Brown's Daily Word 3-11-13

The Lord blessed us in His house with His people yesterday. It was a great day to gather in the House of the Lord, with His people, for His purposes and praise. The reading for yesterday was taken from Luke 15, in which we are reminded that some of the most important, but most difficult, words we can utter are“I Have Sinned”

In Luke 15:11-32 our Lord Jesus, the wonderful story teller, told a story about a young man who felt an overwhelming urge to leave his father’s house. It’s a familiar story, one that could have happened in almost any family. This young man asked for his portion of the family estate and left for a distant land. There he squandered his money on wild living. Days passed, then weeks, then months. At last the day came when the young man had spent all his money. Broke and destitute, he found himself in a desperate place, far from family and friends. Although he was ashamed to do so, he hired on with a farmer who put him to work slopping the hogs. He was so hungry that he found himself ready to eat with the pigs.
As he was engaged in that base job, the light finally turned on in his brain. He suddenly saw himself and he saw what he had become. Most of all, he saw that it was his own stupidity that had gotten him in such a mess. No longer would he blame his father or criticize his older brother. No longer would he pretend to be something he wasn’t. In that moment of self-revelation, he saw what he had become and he knew that there was only one way back.

The strange irony of his situation must have hit him like a ton of bricks. His father’s servants were eating their fill back at home, while he, the master’s son, was living with the pigs. Then he decided, “I’m going to get up and go back home. When I get there, I’m going to say, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired hands.’”
With that realization the young man got up, brushed himself off, gathered his things and began making the long and arduous journey back home. He was still a long way off when his father spotted him trudging up the dusty road. Before the young man knew what was happening, his father ran to him, threw his arms around him, kissed him and said, “Welcome home, son.” The son said the words he had planned and memorized while he was among the pigs, “Father, I have sinned against you and against heaven. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.”

His father cut him off, and he would hear no more of it. The cry went out, “Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Find the fattened calf and kill it. Call the neighbors and spread the good news. Tell everyone you see. This son of mine was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found.”

It is vital for us to understand that the young man repented. He came to himself. He recognized his sin and confessed it to his father. He began to repent while he was still living with the pigs, still far away from home, broke and hungry. His confession of his sins turned his life around. He came to himself. it is in the providence of God that we learn more in the darkness than we do in the light. We gain more from sickness than we do from health. We pray more when we are scared than when we are confident. Everything that happens to us - the tragedies, unexplained circumstances, and even our stupid choices are grist for the mill of God’s loving purpose. He will not give up even when we give up on ourselves.

The parable of the prodigal is a parable of your life and of mine. When we have sinned, we are so ashamed to find ourselves in the pig pen that we dare not tell anyone where we are, so we try to clean ourselves up and become presentable. Though we comb our hair, we still have pig slop under our fingernails. Everyone knows we’ve been with the pigs.

It is a story is for everyone who is tired of eating with the pigs. If we are ready to go home, we get the good news that our Father is standing in the road waiting for us. His arms are open wide. He knows where we have been, and he is still waiting for us. The only thing that matters is for us to come home. That’s what the grace of God is all about. We can start over. We can be forgiven. The slate can be wiped clean. We don’t have to live the rest of our lives in hiding. We don’t have to live in fear that someone will find us out. We don’t have to eat with the pigs forever. Thank you, Jesus!
In Christ,
Brown
http://youtu.be/kNAV98bAqng