Brown's Daily Word 5-24-13

    Praise the Lord.  It is Friday and Sunday is coming.  We heard from Sunita yesterday.  Sunita and Andy are in Cyprus for two weeks.  Sunita wrote that the Lord is blessing their time in Cyprus.  Sunita is meeting and interacting with some of the most beautiful and brave people who love the Lord and serve Him with great abandon and joy. 

    I love to read the letter of Paul to the Philippians from time to time.  One of Paul's favorite words is the Greek word hilarotes, from which we get the word hilarity.  It literally means "laughter from the heart."

When Paul talks about joy, he doesn't mean the trivial, shallow, obscene or mean-spirited stuff we call humor today.  He means bone-deep, blood-rich, exuberant laughter which comes up out of the depths of a person's soul, joy which flows from the center of our being, deep joy,coming from the depth of our hearts.  In Philippians4:6 it is written "Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."

    Holy hilarity is born out of deep, inner peace; peace which passes all understanding; peace which comes from knowing that we are really loved and accepted by God.  My experience tells me that uptight people can never really experience joy.  Only those who let go and discover the deep peace which comes in knowing we are loved and the Risen Lord isin control can know the freedom of laughter.

    There's a line from G. K. Chesterton which I've claimed as part of the operating creed for the second half of my life: "Angels can fly because they take themselves so lightly."

    In Philippians 4:11-13 it is written, "I have learned to be content with whatever I have.  I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty.  In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need.  I can do all things through him who strengthens me."  The J. B. Phillips translation has great feeling for the emotion of Paul's letters: "I have learned to be content, whatever the circumstances may be.  I know now how to live when things are difficult and I know how to live when things are prosperous...I have learned the secret of facing plenty or poverty.  I am ready for anything through the strength of the one who lives within me."  Rejoice!  The Lord is King.

    In Him,

    Brown

http://youtu.be/S6OgZCCoXWc

Brown's Daily Word 5-23-13

        The Lord gave us summer like days this week when the temperature reached 90's.  Today the Lord is giving us the taste of  monsoon.  I am reflecting on one of the old hymns of  Faith"

Day is dying in the west; 
    heaven is touching earth with rest; 
    wait and worship while the night 
    sets the evening lamps alight 
    through all the sky.
Refrain:
    Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts! 
    Heaven and earth are full of thee! 
    Heaven and earth are praising thee, 
    O Lord most high! 

    After the Sunday worship I love to pronounce ' Benediction:Benedictions are greeted in our churches, with great delight, for it means that the service will soon end and the people will be free to go! But benedictions are also meant to impart a gift from God of unusual grace and mercy on all our lives. Benedictions must never be taken for granted or treated in a casual way; they are enormously important. Perhaps we should hold our hands out as if we were already receiving the blessings that  the Lord has been pleased to bestow on us as the prayer is offered up on our behalf as a congregation.   One of the benedictions I use  is recorded in Hebrews 13:20-21. It reads: "Now may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect, in every good work, to do His will, by working in you, that which is well-pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom be glory, forever and ever, Amen."

As Shepherd, He feeds His sheep, ruling over them and instructing them. But this Shepherd also lays down His life for His sheep, thus He is a priest who offers Himself as a sacrifice. What a Shepherd we have. Look how gentle and affirming He is for every one who goes astray!

But He is a "great" Shepherd. He is, as the whole book of Hebrews affirms, great in His person. Therefore, He is greater than even the angels or any mortals. He is also "great" in office. No one can compare to Him: not the High Priest Aaron, the Priest-King Melchisedek, the leader Joshua or even Moses. He is also "great" in His power, in His presence and his Promise. Indeed He is our Desire. He is our Life.  He is our peace. All that we ever needed is in Him. He is more than wonderful.  Let us continue to serve Him and worship Him.   May He become our passion.
 C.S. Lewis gave us the following insight: "Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition, when infinite joy is offered to us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in the slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased."

Lewis is saying that we are often satisfied by the things of the world. Instead of searching for the deep things of God we are content with making mud spies when we could be building the kingdom of God!

    As we say good night here people in the  East are saying Good Morning.

 Brown    

http://youtu.be/-XKxqqhOgVM

Brown's Daily Word 5-22-13

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of Creation. This evening we will gather for a meal together at 6 PM, followed by Bible study at 6:30 PM. I wrote yesterday about summertime in Orissa. The Lord blessed us with a summer-like day yesterday, as the outside temperature reached 92 F in my car as I was driving. Alice and I walked for about three miles last evening. Alice noticed a "rainbow" encircling the moon. We also saw lightening in the far away Northern sky. Praise the Lord for the way He decorates the evening sky for His glory and honor.

I heard from several yesterday,regarding how the these devotions are a blessing to you. I am blessed as I ponder anew what the Lord has done in my life, what He is doing in your lives, and what He is doing all over the world. Blessed be His Name.

We are all stunned and saddened about the magnitude of the tragedy that has occurred in Oklahoma. We know personally several families and friends who ,live in Oklahoma. They are all safe. We will keep on praying and trusting the Lord in the midst of suffering and sorrow. It appears that we must attend at one time or another the School of suffering. I have been to the Graduate and post Graduate School of suffering. The school of suffering contains hard courses. One of the courses in the school suffering is when tragedy occurs. The scenes of tragedy and devastation overwhelm us. In the midst of all of this, we struggle with the challenges of our own individual lives, such as when lab reports return with news we were not expecting. Tragedy blurs. We become desensitized. We become fatigued by shock.
    In the school of suffering, we have but OneText, and Jesus Christ is the Master Teacher. There are several places the believer can go for help. One is Psalm 61: "Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to You, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe. I long to dwell in Your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of Your wings. For You, God, have heard my vows; You have given me the heritage of those who fear Your name. Increase the days of the king's life, his years for many generations. May he be enthroned in God's presence forever; appoint your love and faithfulness to protect him. Then I will ever sing in praise of Your name and fulfill my vows day after day."
Psalm 61 begins with a lamentation, but it ends with a celebration. Verse 8 says, “So will I ever sing praise to your name, as I perform my vows day after day.” Grateful praise is the appropriate response to answered prayer. Augustine wrote: “They that are godly are oppressed and vexed in the church or congregation for this purpose: that when they are pressed, they should cry; and when they cry, that they should be heard; and when they are heard, that they should laud and praise God.”

With a sense of determination, David concluded, “So will I ever sing praise to your name.” The answer to David’s prayer had not yet come. Still, he predetermined his response. In fact, he determined his response before the prayer ended. David was a skilled musician and a sweet singer, but he did not choose to sing to God on the basis of his musical gifts and talents. Answered prayer should result in songs of praise, whether you can sing or not. Psalm 92:1 says, “It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night.”

David said, “So I will ever sing praises to your name, as I perform my vows day after day”. Hebrews 13:15 says, “Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.”
I CAN HEAR THE SAVIOR SAY,
“THY STRENGTH INDEED IS SMALL!”
CHILD OF WEAKNESS, WATCH AND PRAY,
FIND IN ME THINE ALL IN ALL.”

JESUS PAID IT ALL,
ALL TO HIM I OWE;
SIN HAD LEFT A CRIMSON STAIN
HE WASHED IT WHITE AS SNOW.
In Christ,
Brown
http://youtu.be/rwGW8qRqz4I

Brown's Daily Word 5-21-13

The Lord blessed us with a summer-like day yesterday. Our grandchildren spent part of the day in Boston's Arnold Arboretum, which is studded with variant and vibrant trees, hundreds of flowering trees, bushes, and plants. I talked to Simeon, and talked about coming to New York in summer and going to Sky Lake, walking and hiking. and looking for big turtles and deer. It is fully summertime in Orissa , India. It has been 114-116 degrees in Phulbani, the county seat of the area where I was born. In the summer schools closed for summer vacation. During my growing up days in that area, we spent summer time in the mango groves, climbing the trees, impressing the girls, (Days of innocence) and gathering mangoes. I also went hunting for deer in the summer. My dad was a hunter. We used to drive deer for him. In one of the hunting expeditions he shot a tiger, in another expedition he shot a wild buffalo, and so on and so forth. We used to climb the mountains and walk in the valleys for hunting. The village where I was born is situated 7000 feet above sea level. The air is always clean and the water always sparkling. I was raised in the area surrounded by Four mountains, one in each direction.

The highest of all mountain peaks in the world is, of course, Mt. Everest. The locals call it Holy Mountain or Saint Mother. The world's most daring climbers call it Utopia. Most of us simply call it Mt. Everest, earth's grandest peak at 29,028 feet. It remains the most challenging and dangerous ascent in the world. In fact, Everest is littered with the frozen bodies of fallen climbers who've never been removed due to the hazardous terrain. For them, climbing it was the ultimate challenge for which to die. On May 29, 1953, this elusive real estate finally was scaled by Sir Edmund Hillary and his Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay. For their efforts, Hillary was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II of England, while Norgay was politely thanked.

Often, those who deserve more get less. This is also true in ministry, where some of God's choicest servants are easily overlooked. They climb the mountain unnoticed. They top the peak and plant the flag, far from the stage lights and out of sight without fanfare or reward. Their efforts are off Broadway, so to speak —way off. That's because God's work is rarely carried out in the spotlight of a crowded theatre.
    In one of the Bible's most notable scenes, David brought down the famed over-sized Philistine, Goliath. As a result, the slim and ruddy shepherd became a national hero. Songs were written about him. The king showered him with gifts. Yet nothing is known of the fearsome foursome that took on Goliath's revenge-seeking brothers. The names Abishai, Sibbecai, Elhanan, and Jonathan (not the Jonathan you're thinking of) are all but forgotten. Yet, each downed a giant.
    The process of choosing the 12 disciples was not easy. Each selection would play a critical role in the Lord's ministry and the formation of the church. Therefore, Jesus prayed all night prior to their announcement. Yet, despite all that effort, I still find myself wondering why some of the 12 were chosen.
    Thaddaeus had a name meaning "Breast Child," which was probably a reference to being the runt in his family. With such a stigma he possibly labored under an identity crisis or poor self image. I would pass, but Jesus found him worthy.
    Then there James the less, as Mark called him. Apart from having an eternally humbling nickname, we know nothing more about him because nothing more has been said. An executive search committees quickly would disqualify him for the lack of a resume, and I might pass him by, but Jesus found him worthy.
    Simon the Zealot—whose close association with his political party has been forever branded to his name had a radical agenda which could not possibly gel with the Savior's. I would pass on him, too, but Jesus found him worthy.
    For whatever reason, Peter, James and John were granted notoriety, while the others slipped into the second or third tier. Yet, Jesus saw enough in each to extend His personal invitation to "follow Me." They were His choices, distinguished or not.
    Many of Israel's judges were similar. Samson was legendary then and now. Ehud was not. Scripture gives no clues about Ehud's background, family, intellect, personality or qualifications. We are only told he was left-handed. Still, with a little faith and plenty of guts, this unknown southpaw delivered a nation. Even less is well-known of Shamgar, Ehud's successor.
    These insignificant persons may be the world's definition of nobodies, but such was not the case for God. Each scaled his mountain under the watchful eye of the Sovereign One who had called them to climb and planned their routes.
    William Carey, the father of modern missions, spent the bulk of his ministry in India, far from the notoriety of those who'd be impressed by his work, translating the Bible into 44 languages; but that wasn't why Carey had done it. He only sought the approval of One. On his deathbed, he said, "When I am gone, speak nothing of Dr. Carey. Speak only of Dr. Carey's Savior.
What way to live, what way to serve, what way to die, and what a way to live again.
In Christ,
Brown
http://youtu.be/c9zHn4QSH-8

Brown's Daily Word 5-20-13

The Lord blessed us with a bountiful and beautiful weekend. Alice and I spent the weekend with Jessica and Tom who live in Abington, one of the suburbs of greater Philadelphia. We spent Saturday driving around the City of Philadelphia, seeing some of the historic sites including Tindley Temple (United Methodist Church), Comcast Center, and Reading Terminal Market. We prepared and served an Authentic Indian dinner to Tom and Jessie and Tom's parents. It was a treat. Yesterday, Pentecost Sunday we attended New Life Presbyterian Church, where Jessie and Tom worship. It was reported during the worship about the church's mission al involvement in India and in Ukraine.

On the Day of Pentecost the Church was born. It was propelled into Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the outer parts of the world. The Church of Jesus Christ has been under the same Management for over 2 thousand years. Jesus Christ the Lord of the church, promised: "You will receive power." He promised to give us power for a purpose: "You will be my witnesses." Jesus told us to wait patiently for His power: "But stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high" (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8). That power came on Pentecost: "When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2).

The winds of change had come. The Church was empowered for its life and ministry in the name and to the glory of God in Jesus through the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised He would never leave us, and that promise was kept when He came on Pentecost as the Holy Spirit, who is God's continuing presence in our lives. Jesus promised He would stay with us in the Holy Spirit to guide our continuing spiritual journey. Jesus promised He would stay with us in the Holy Spirit to empower us. God in Jesus through the Holy Spirit provides those special abilities -- we call them spiritual gifts -- to serve Him.

"This is the most important thing we can know about God," wrote James W. Jones in Filled with New Wine (1974), "that He loves all persons and wants to draw them deeper into union with Him." It all began when the faithful gathered on that first Christian Pentecost. The winds of change came and empowered the faithful. Those winds are still blowing upon the Church, and the faithful are still being swept up to new heights of worship, work, and witness. The faithful continue to experience Pentecostal moments.

When the Holy Spirit came for the first time on that Pentecost, following our Lord's resurrection, the faithful were moved. Their tongues came alive. They were empowered or gifted for life in the Kingdom and ministry to the world: "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. " (Acts 2:42-47).

It still happens today. God's faithful people are Pentecostal, baptized and driven by the Holy Spirit. They are swept up by the winds of change. They don't always know where they are going, but it doesn't matter because the faithful know Who is sending the winds. It is written that the Risen and Exalted Lord is making all things new. It is always tempting to remain stale, safe, and stagnant. We are afraid to take risks and venture out. We are afraid to ask the Lord do something new and afresh in our lives.

Fear of the new often blinds us to the fresh blessings the Lord is pouring out upon His people through the Holy Spirit. It's like the parables of the wineskins and old garments: "No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved" (Matthew 9:16-17).

Dr. Jones wrote, "When a person feels self-satisfied and content -- whether it be a stuffy Episcopalian, a fanatical evangelical, or an overzealous Pentecostal -- then he has ceased to be responsive to God. No one, Pentecostal or other, has arrived at such a degree of spirituality that he can rest content. God always has more in store."

Our Lord is the One who calls us to step out of the boat and walk on water with Him. Our Lord is the One who calls us to take up the cross and follow Him. Our Lord is the One who calls us to risk everything through which we find security. Our Lord is the One who calls us to lose our lives for Him in order to find life in Him.

In "Who Switched the Price Tags?: A Search for Values in a Mixed-Up World" (1986), Tony Campolo wrote, "I read a sociological study that has great significance for those of us who are trying to respond to champions of the yuppie value system. In this particular study fifty people over the age of ninety-five were asked one question: 'If you could live your life over again, what would you do differently? ... Three answers constantly re-emerged and dominated the results of the study ... 1. If I had it to do over again, I would reflect more ... 2. If I had it to do over again, I would risk more ... 3. If I had it to do over again, I would do more things that would live on after I am dead."

One eighty-five year young woman named Nadine Stair put it like this: "If I had my life to live over again, I'd try to make more mistakes next time. I would relax. I would limber up. I would be sillier than I have been this trip. I know of very few things I would take seriously. I would be crazier. I would be less hygienic. I would take more chances. I would take more trips. I would climb more mountains, swim more rivers, and watch more sunsets. I would burn more gasoline. I would eat more ice cream and fewer beans. I would have more actual problems and fewer imaginary ones.

"You see, I am one of those people who live prophylactically and sensibly and sanely. Hour after hour. Day by day. Oh, I have had my moments, and if I had it to do over again, I'd have more of them. In fact, I'd have nothing else. Just moments, one right after another, instead of living so many years ahead of each day. I have been one of those people who never go anywhere without a thermometer, a hot water bottle, a gargle, a raincoat, and a parachute. If I had it to do over again, I would go places and do things and travel lighter than I have. If I had my life to live over, I would start barefoot earlier in the spring and stay that way later in the fall."

Jesus put it like this, "Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it" (Matthew 16:25). "As soon as you begin to live the life of faith in God," wrote Oswald Chambers, "fascinating and luxurious prospects will open up before you ... let God choose for you ... We have to learn to walk according to the standard which has its eye on the Lord." Let us move with the Risen Lord. Let us get swept up by the Holy Spirit winds. Let us become Pentecostal! Like those first century Christians, wait for Him to come. And open our hands and hearts and heads when His Holy Spirit winds start blowing in our direction. Let us allow ourselves to be filled, blessed and propelled.

It is happening. It is happening all around the world, and it is happening among us.

In Christ,

Brown

http://youtu.be/CmWVY4n_-wY