Praise the Lord for the freedom we have in Christ. Praise the Lord for the great land He has given us to live and to serve.
I was reading about Terry Waite some time ago. Terry Waite CBE (born May 31, 1939 in Styal, Cheshire, England) is a British Quaker and Anglican, humanitarian and author. In the 1980s he was Archbishop of Canterbury Robert Runcie's Assistant for Anglican Communion Affairs. As an envoy for the Church of England, he traveled to Lebanon to try to secure the release of four hostages including journalist John McCarthy. He was himself held captive between 1987 and 1991. Terry Waite in his book ‘Taken on Trust’ describes being chained to the wall and only allowed to go to the bathroom once a day. He was shackled to that radiator for 1763 days, almost four years. We can only imagine the sense of freedom he has now. But imagine that after he was released he was walking past the building where he had been held and one of his captors calls him over. The man says ‘Mr Waite won’t you come back into captivity again? We will give you a new set of handcuffs, a new chain, a new room and a new radiator to be chained to.’ Would Terry Waite go back? No of course he wouldn’t. Paul says in Galatians 5 verse 1 ‘It is for freedom Christ has set you free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again with the yoke of slavery.’ When we look around us and observe the lives of many people we see slavery and not freedom. I see people burdened with guilt, bound by fear, enslaved to habits which are sinful, shackled with an attitude that is far from Christlike. Yet here Paul says Jesus has set them free. In John 8 verse 32 Jesus says the truth shall set you free and four verses later in verse 36 he says ‘if the Son sets you free you shall be free indeed.’
In Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress there is a point at which Christian’s burden, which he has been carrying all his life, falls off his back and rolls away. Do you remember where this happens? It falls off at the foot of the cross and it rolls into an empty tomb. He never again carries that burden on his back – the burden by the way is sin. Friends Christ has set you free from the burden of sin. Paul tells the Galatians, and us, we are made right with God by grace through faith in Christ – our justification. That frees us from the burden of sin, from a guilty conscience, from the fear of death. We also have freedom of access to God and freedom of acceptance by God – all because of Christ. Therefore ‘stand firm’ in the freedom which Christ brings, and Christ alone brings. I have freedom to serve my neighbour. Paul says in verses 13-15 that I have been freed to serve others, not exploit them. You see the mark of freedom is service. Sounds strange but as we are told we are no longer our own but have been bought with the blood of Christ. We are freed from the slavery of sin and become servants of Christ. I display my freedom in Christ by serving others in the name of Christ. It is out of my freedom that I serve. It is an expression of my love towards Christ who has set me free that I serve others in his name.
The Son shall set you free and you shall be free indeed. Amen.
Micah called this morning and said grandpa I am coming to your house today. Simeon turned 2yrs. old today, they are all coming here for a few days. Alice has gone to Boston to drive them back here. Tom and Jessica will be coming home for the weekend too. Sunita will be coming from Washington. We will all be together for a few days, praising God and celebrating His grace and love.
May the Lord bless all of you as you travel and celebrate.
In Christ,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5gDTwi4YJk
Friday, July 3, 2009
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Brown's Daily Word 7/2/09
I love to read the biographies of those who have followed Christ and served Him faithfully to the end. Reading about them I get excited about Christ and His claims on our lives.. Jim Elliot was converted as a teenager. He gave himself entirely to Jesus.. Eventually, he believed that the best way to serve Christ, was in taking the gospel to the Waodani Indians in South America. On January 8, 1956, at the tender age of 28, he was killed, along with four other young missionaries, who were trying to make contact with the Indians. Several years earlier Jim wrote a statement that summarized what Paul is saying in Romans 12:1, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” Jim gave his life to Jesus in what he judged to be the most reasonable service, and he gained a spiritual inheritance forever. Another missionary, William Borden, came from a wealthy, privileged family, was a graduate of Yale University, and had the promise of a wonderful and lucrative career before him. But he felt a call to serve the Lord, as a missionary in China and left for the field even though his family and friends thought him a fool for going. After a short time away and even before he reached China, Borden contracted a fatal disease and died. He had given up everything to follow Jesus. He died possessing nothing in this world. But Borden of Yale did not regret it. We know this because he left a note as he lay dying that said, “No reserve, no retreat, and no regrets.” Like so many others, he found the service of Christ to be eminently reasonable, and he gained a lasting reward.
What a way to live and what a way to serve.
In Christ,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxH2Ow3ep88
Bumper Stickers for Women
Here are some of the latest in bumper stickers for women!
So Many Men, So Few Who Can Afford Me.
My Mother Is A Travel Agent For Guilt Trips.
Princess, Having Had Sufficient Experience With Princes, Seeks Frog.
Coffee, Chocolate, Men ... Some Things Are Just Better Rich.
Don't Treat Me Any Differently Than You Would The Queen
If You Want Breakfast In Bed, Sleep In The Kitchen.
Dinner Is Ready When The Smoke Alarm Goes Off.
Warning: 6 Minutes Until Next Mood Swing.
And Your Point Is?
I resemble that comment!
Warning: I Have An Attitude And I Know How To Use It.
Of Course I Don't Look Busy...I Did It Right The First Time.
Do Not Start With Me. You Will Not Win.
You Have The Right To Remain Silent, So Please Shut Up.
All Stressed Out And No One To Choke.
I'm One Of Those Bad Things That Happen To Good People
How Can I Miss You If You Won't Go Away?
(Hey!, some of these work for men too!)
What a way to live and what a way to serve.
In Christ,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxH2Ow3ep88
Bumper Stickers for Women
Here are some of the latest in bumper stickers for women!
So Many Men, So Few Who Can Afford Me.
My Mother Is A Travel Agent For Guilt Trips.
Princess, Having Had Sufficient Experience With Princes, Seeks Frog.
Coffee, Chocolate, Men ... Some Things Are Just Better Rich.
Don't Treat Me Any Differently Than You Would The Queen
If You Want Breakfast In Bed, Sleep In The Kitchen.
Dinner Is Ready When The Smoke Alarm Goes Off.
Warning: 6 Minutes Until Next Mood Swing.
And Your Point Is?
I resemble that comment!
Warning: I Have An Attitude And I Know How To Use It.
Of Course I Don't Look Busy...I Did It Right The First Time.
Do Not Start With Me. You Will Not Win.
You Have The Right To Remain Silent, So Please Shut Up.
All Stressed Out And No One To Choke.
I'm One Of Those Bad Things That Happen To Good People
How Can I Miss You If You Won't Go Away?
(Hey!, some of these work for men too!)
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Brown's Daily Word 7-1-09
Good morning,
Praise the Lord for this new day. It has been raining almost every day. It is very much like Monsoon of India. Somebody has stated that the summer will skip the North East USA this year. Our youngest daughter Jessica was born very early in the morning on this day in 1984. She was born at Robert Packer Hospital, in Pennsylvania. Jessica has been a great source of Joy from the Lord to us. We praise the Lord for her life.
I love to read the letter of Paul to the Philippians, which is Paul’s ode to joy. He has used the term “joy” or “rejoice” several times before, but now he shouts out the essence of all that he has said, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (4:4). Some people equate joy with happiness, but it is much deeper than happiness and more enduring. Happiness depends on what is happening around you; joy is constant and sure. Joy is always possible, which is why Paul says we should rejoice “always.” To rejoice requires an action, not merely a feeling, and we choose how we are going to react to our situations.
When Paul wrote the letter to the Philippians, he was sitting in a Roman prison, his back sore and tender, his wrists chafing from the chains, perhaps a little bloody with a soldier connected to the other end of that chain. Despite his circumstances, he’s telling the Philippians to rejoice. He himself was rejoicing in his circumstances, as we have seen throughout this letter.
This sounds like a foreign concept. Our brains are not wired to think like this. How do you get to a place of joy like this?
About ten years ago CNN’s Larry King interviewed Billy Graham. For some time Graham already had several health issues including his struggle with Parkinson’s Disease. When Larry King asked him how he felt about having Parkinson’s Disease, Dr. Graham replied, “I feel great about it. It’s been a wonderful experience. I believe the Lord has many lessons to teach me through this disease.” Dr. Graham was rejoicing in the Lord.
One would wonder how a person could be able to do this. The answer is twofold. First, it is supernatural. It must be from God. Second, in cooperation with the Spirit of God, Dr. Graham must have made it a habit to daily rejoice in the Lord. Even a disease like that, which would bring anyone’s spirits down, was a cause for Billy Graham to praise God. The Lord gives the gift of joy but it is up to us to put it into practice. This response goes completely against our natural mind-set. When we face tragedy we are more likely to blame God and ask “why?”. Joy does the opposite. When we practice rejoicing in all circumstances, our minds are better prepared for any circumstance. If we can learn to rejoice even when things go wrong a change of attitude is going to be evident.
Paul followed the challenge to rejoice with a natural result of rejoicing, “Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near” (4:5). This word is translated variously as “forbearance,” “mildness,” “moderation,” “large-heartedness,” and “inner calmness.” Charles Swindoll described it this way, “In our rough-and-rugged individualism, we think of gentleness as weakness, being soft, and virtually spineless. Not so! ... Gentleness includes such enviable qualities as having strength under control, being calm and peaceful when surrounded by a heated atmosphere, emitting a soothing effect on those who may be angry or otherwise beside themselves, and possessing tact and gracious courtesy that causes others to retain their self-esteem and dignity.... Instead of losing, the gentle gain. Instead of being ripped off and taken advantage of, they come out ahead!”
Paul could have been frustrated with the Corinthians, who thought they had it all as Christians but the Apostle could see glaring immorality in their midst. He could have been really angry with them. Instead he wrote, “By the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you…” (2 Cor 10:1). He took a sensitive, parental approach to their stubbornness.
Paul always remembered that “the Lord is near.” There are two meanings we could take from this phrase; both give us reason to rejoice and remain calm. One is that Jesus is literally near. “The LORD is near to all who call on him” (Ps 145:18). The second is that Jesus is coming back soon. “…be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!” (Js 5:8-9).
Either way we have reason to be calm. If we are facing trouble or frustration we can be calm because the Lord is near. Our attitude is based on the faith that God is in control.
The attitudes of joy and gentleness will help lay a foundation for growing a beautiful mind and allaying our fears and anxiety. Paul wrote, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving present your requests to God” (4:6). The KJV says it even better, “Be anxious for nothing.” The word “anxious” means “to be divided” or “to de drawn in different directions.” If that sounds bad consider that the word “anxiety” comes from an old English word that means “to strangle.” It was used to refer to the practices of wolves killing sheep by biting them around the neck, strangling their prey to death. That’s anxiety.
R. H. Mounce once said, “Worry is practical atheism and an affront to God.” We can worry or we can worship. It’s impossible to do both. Let us worship. Also,
rather than worry, Paul calls us to prayer. To pray is to worship God, to focus on his character and adore his attributes and his names. It continues to amaze me that we pray as a last resort when the peace that comes from prayer is so profound.
When we pray we also put before God those problems and needs, no matter how small, and we can get real specific about the troubles we are facing. Always pray with thanksgiving. This is the practice of a beautiful mind.
The result is this very real truth, “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (4:7). When God’s peace floods our souls it protects our hearts from wrong feelings and thoughts. The word “guard” means “to garrison” and it is a picture of soldiers protecting a camp or castle. The enemy is unable to get in when God’s peace protects us.
A beautiful mind is a mind that has learned to cast our worries onto Jesus our Lord,and receive his peace. This is a mind that views life differently than the pattern of this world.
In Christ,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eA4narr2wyEGive
Him A Strong Warning
On a street, where the speed is limited to 30 mph the police stop a driver.
"Not only have you been driving too fast, you've been passing cars where it is not allowed. Your lights don't work, your tires all completely worn out. This is surely going to cost you a lot. What's your name?"
"Schtrathewisizeski Vocgefastilongchinic."
"Well, I'll let you go this time but don't do it again."
Praise the Lord for this new day. It has been raining almost every day. It is very much like Monsoon of India. Somebody has stated that the summer will skip the North East USA this year. Our youngest daughter Jessica was born very early in the morning on this day in 1984. She was born at Robert Packer Hospital, in Pennsylvania. Jessica has been a great source of Joy from the Lord to us. We praise the Lord for her life.
I love to read the letter of Paul to the Philippians, which is Paul’s ode to joy. He has used the term “joy” or “rejoice” several times before, but now he shouts out the essence of all that he has said, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (4:4). Some people equate joy with happiness, but it is much deeper than happiness and more enduring. Happiness depends on what is happening around you; joy is constant and sure. Joy is always possible, which is why Paul says we should rejoice “always.” To rejoice requires an action, not merely a feeling, and we choose how we are going to react to our situations.
When Paul wrote the letter to the Philippians, he was sitting in a Roman prison, his back sore and tender, his wrists chafing from the chains, perhaps a little bloody with a soldier connected to the other end of that chain. Despite his circumstances, he’s telling the Philippians to rejoice. He himself was rejoicing in his circumstances, as we have seen throughout this letter.
This sounds like a foreign concept. Our brains are not wired to think like this. How do you get to a place of joy like this?
About ten years ago CNN’s Larry King interviewed Billy Graham. For some time Graham already had several health issues including his struggle with Parkinson’s Disease. When Larry King asked him how he felt about having Parkinson’s Disease, Dr. Graham replied, “I feel great about it. It’s been a wonderful experience. I believe the Lord has many lessons to teach me through this disease.” Dr. Graham was rejoicing in the Lord.
One would wonder how a person could be able to do this. The answer is twofold. First, it is supernatural. It must be from God. Second, in cooperation with the Spirit of God, Dr. Graham must have made it a habit to daily rejoice in the Lord. Even a disease like that, which would bring anyone’s spirits down, was a cause for Billy Graham to praise God. The Lord gives the gift of joy but it is up to us to put it into practice. This response goes completely against our natural mind-set. When we face tragedy we are more likely to blame God and ask “why?”. Joy does the opposite. When we practice rejoicing in all circumstances, our minds are better prepared for any circumstance. If we can learn to rejoice even when things go wrong a change of attitude is going to be evident.
Paul followed the challenge to rejoice with a natural result of rejoicing, “Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near” (4:5). This word is translated variously as “forbearance,” “mildness,” “moderation,” “large-heartedness,” and “inner calmness.” Charles Swindoll described it this way, “In our rough-and-rugged individualism, we think of gentleness as weakness, being soft, and virtually spineless. Not so! ... Gentleness includes such enviable qualities as having strength under control, being calm and peaceful when surrounded by a heated atmosphere, emitting a soothing effect on those who may be angry or otherwise beside themselves, and possessing tact and gracious courtesy that causes others to retain their self-esteem and dignity.... Instead of losing, the gentle gain. Instead of being ripped off and taken advantage of, they come out ahead!”
Paul could have been frustrated with the Corinthians, who thought they had it all as Christians but the Apostle could see glaring immorality in their midst. He could have been really angry with them. Instead he wrote, “By the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you…” (2 Cor 10:1). He took a sensitive, parental approach to their stubbornness.
Paul always remembered that “the Lord is near.” There are two meanings we could take from this phrase; both give us reason to rejoice and remain calm. One is that Jesus is literally near. “The LORD is near to all who call on him” (Ps 145:18). The second is that Jesus is coming back soon. “…be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!” (Js 5:8-9).
Either way we have reason to be calm. If we are facing trouble or frustration we can be calm because the Lord is near. Our attitude is based on the faith that God is in control.
The attitudes of joy and gentleness will help lay a foundation for growing a beautiful mind and allaying our fears and anxiety. Paul wrote, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving present your requests to God” (4:6). The KJV says it even better, “Be anxious for nothing.” The word “anxious” means “to be divided” or “to de drawn in different directions.” If that sounds bad consider that the word “anxiety” comes from an old English word that means “to strangle.” It was used to refer to the practices of wolves killing sheep by biting them around the neck, strangling their prey to death. That’s anxiety.
R. H. Mounce once said, “Worry is practical atheism and an affront to God.” We can worry or we can worship. It’s impossible to do both. Let us worship. Also,
rather than worry, Paul calls us to prayer. To pray is to worship God, to focus on his character and adore his attributes and his names. It continues to amaze me that we pray as a last resort when the peace that comes from prayer is so profound.
When we pray we also put before God those problems and needs, no matter how small, and we can get real specific about the troubles we are facing. Always pray with thanksgiving. This is the practice of a beautiful mind.
The result is this very real truth, “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (4:7). When God’s peace floods our souls it protects our hearts from wrong feelings and thoughts. The word “guard” means “to garrison” and it is a picture of soldiers protecting a camp or castle. The enemy is unable to get in when God’s peace protects us.
A beautiful mind is a mind that has learned to cast our worries onto Jesus our Lord,and receive his peace. This is a mind that views life differently than the pattern of this world.
In Christ,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eA4narr2wyEGive
Him A Strong Warning
On a street, where the speed is limited to 30 mph the police stop a driver.
"Not only have you been driving too fast, you've been passing cars where it is not allowed. Your lights don't work, your tires all completely worn out. This is surely going to cost you a lot. What's your name?"
"Schtrathewisizeski Vocgefastilongchinic."
"Well, I'll let you go this time but don't do it again."
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