Good morning,
Praise the Lord for this fabulous Friday. Kelly Johnson, the feature speaker for the weekend's prayer Conference, flew in yesterday from Memphis. Sunita, Andy, and their friend drove in last night. Micah and Simeon will be coming in this evening. We have been visiting with Kelly and she has been sharing about how the Lord has been at her work so faithfully and wonderfully during last few years of her life. We are so excited for this weekend, anticipating rich blessings from the Lord. The prayer conference will commence with some authentic Indian and Italian cuisine this evening at 6 PM. Those who live in the area, join us. It is a great blessing to host people, particularly those who love hot and spicy Indian foods. Pray for our weekly Television Out reach this eve at 7 PM on Time Warner Cable Channel 4.
I have been blessed to have been able to attend several Billy Graham Evangelistic Crusades over the years, starting in May, 1982 in Baltimore where I met Joni Earekson as a young woman. In every Billy graham Crusade, George Beverly Shea sang a special song before the preaching by Dr. Billy Graham. One of the Hymns he sang was "Amazing Grace". Every time that "Bev Shea" sang this sweet hymn he made a reference to the epitaph of John Newton. In a small cemetery of a parish churchyard in Olney, England, stands a granite tombstone with the inscription, “John Newton, clerk [pastor], once an infidel amd Libertine, a servant of slavers in Africa, was, by the rich mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, preserved, restored, pardoned, and appointed to preach the Faith he had long labored to destroy.” You may not remember his name, but all of us know the song he wrote as a testimony of his life, “Amazing Grace.”
Amazing Grace finds it’s lasting legacy in the simplicity of the words & the universal understanding of man’s need for grace. This beloved song bears witness to a multitude of testimonies from all corners of the world and all types of sinners who found forgiveness of sins and eternal salvation through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. The list could go on and on. In my own ministry over the years I have seen alcoholics, drug addicts, prostitutes, thieves, homosexuals, adulterers, atheists, and motorcycle gang members give their lives to Christ.
The Bible records the conversions of the maniac at Gadara, the despised tax collector and traitor to his people, Matthew, blind Bartimaeus, the adulterous Samaritan woman, Zacchaeus, the Roman centurion at the crucifixion, Cornelius, the Ethiopian eunuch, the Philippian jailer, and Lydia, among others. Yet, of all the conversions ever recorded, none was more remarkable than that of Saul of Tarsus. This bitter enemy of the cause of Christ, in his own words "the foremost of all sinners", became the greatest evangelist and theologian the world has ever known. Acts 9, 22, 26, Galatians 1-2, Philippians 3, and 1 Timothy 1 all describe aspects of his conversion. Paul never lost the wonder that God could and did redeem someone like him. He viewed himself as the supreme example of God’s saving grace. Paul's story is very much our story. Every one of us was lost, each one of us was blind, but now we are found and now we see.
John Newton told often the story of his early life and conversion experience, and wherever he preached, large crowds gathered to hear the “Old Converted Sea Captain” as he was called. He is quoted, not long before he died, in a message saying, “My memory is nearly gone, but I remember 2 things: That I am a great sinner and that Christ is a great Savior!”
As the apostle Paul wrote to his dear Timothy, he did not write this to show how bad he was, but rather how good God is! Paul’s testimony is nothing short of miraculous. Grace is used in the original Greek language to convey the idea of a free gift. It has at its root the concept of joy. It is a delight to receive something you do not deserve, but it’s even more joyful to give something to someone in this way. The theological impression of grace speaks of God’s loving forgiveness, which he gives freely to those deserving only condemnation and judgment, and transfers them from darkness to light, from death to life without any worthiness on their part, based on nothing they have done or failed to do.
The grace of God was especially vivid in Paul’s mind because of his past. As a great sinner, he knew that he needed great grace. In Acts 9:1, Luke describes Paul as “breathing out murderous threats against believers.” It’s as if he lived and breathed to destroy what he considered to be the enemy, like a warhorse who sniffed the smell of battle. He was a frightening, violent adversary. Further, he was a callous, pious, self-righteous, bigoted murderer hell-bent on a full-scale inquisition. Read how he later described his behavior to Agrippa, in the words of Acts 26:9-11.
In the middle of his wretchedness, Paul was met with the Lord's boundless compassion. He could say with the hymn writer, “And from my smitten heart with tears, two wonders I confess: The wonders of redeeming love & my unworthiness.”
In His Amazing Grace,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqJsBRFdrA0
Once You Encounter Jesus – You Will Never Be The SAME!!
In Zechariah 4:6 it is written, "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts." As we approach the end of the year, the Lord has placed before us many open doors - for worship, for ministry, and for service. We have been blessed to have many prayer warriors in the life of the church, who are faithfully and joyfully engaged in lives of fervent prayer.
Sunita and Andy's church in Washington, DC goes on retreat together twice a year. Sunita always returns from these events blessed, refreshed, and inspired. We attempted to have our church's prayer retreat at Sky Lake, but scheduling conflicts prohibited it, so we are planning to have our upcoming prayer retreat at our own church here in Union Center. We invite all of you to come and be a part of this event. Keep praying for the Lord to refresh our hearts and renew our minds.
Praise the Lord for each one who has offered his or her time, talents, and treasures to make the upcoming prayer weekend possible. The schedule follows:
Friday, November 5 - 6 PM Supper, with Indian and Italian dishes. A love offering will be received.
6:30 PM The Prayer Conference convenes.
Saturday, November 6, 8:30 AM breakfast, prepared by Kathy Dence and team. A love offering will be received.
9:00 AM - 13 noon The Prayer Conference continues.
5 PM Thanksgiving Banquet, held at First United Methodist Church on McKinley Avenue. The menu includes homemade pies, rolls, turkey, and the trimmings. Lou Pasquale is the head chef, together with Rodney Haines as his sous chef. Sign-up sheets for the banquet are located in the Narthex, or reservations can be confirmed by calling the church office at 748-6329.
6:30 PM Worship service in the sanctuary at First UMC, Endicott. Music will be provided by Aric Phinney and the team. The speaker will be Kelly Johnson.
Sunday morning worship services will be at UCUMC at 8:30 and 11:00 AM, with Sunday School at 9:50 AM. Kelly Johnson will be speaking to a combined Adult Sunday School at that time. Worship service will be held at Wesley UMC at 9:30 AM.
12:30 PM There will be a meal immediately following the 11:00 AM service. Chefs for the meal are Jeremy and Matt Smith. The menu includes Carribean pork, braised chicken, candied sweet potatoes, salad, green beans, and rolls.
November 6, 2010 - ( Saturday) There will be a Thanksgiving banquet. At 5 PM a traditional Thanksgiving menu will be served, including home made rolls and pies. Chef: Lou Pasquale and team. (Reservations: Call the Church office (607)-748-6329 or email at umcgospel@aol.com
The banquet will be followed by 6:30 PM Worship
Music: Aric Phinney and the team
Friday, November 5, 2010
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Brown's Daily Word 11-04-10
Good morning,
Praise the Lord for the way He ushers in a new day, with a bright new morning. Great is His faithfulness. The Lord blessed us with a beautiful Wednesday evening gathering for delicious food and sweet fellowship and refreshing Bible Study. The Lord of the Church visits us with His refreshing Touch every time we come before Him. We looked into the Greatness Of the Forgiveness Jesus offers to us in His wonderful grace. There is something so amazing about His Grace and mercy. It is wonderful to be transferred to the grace-based culture from sin-based culture.
We are gearing up for the weekend Prayer conference that commences tomorrow evening. Our friend Kelly Johnson is arriving from Memphis this afternoon. Sunita, Andy, and one of her friends are coming from Washington, DC
tonight.
We spoke to our grand daughter yesterday on her 5th birthday. She is 5 years now, and is a big girl. She is home-schooled in Boston. She and her brother Simeon are coming down to Endicott as "fresh air kids" from Boston. Alice is meeting up with Janice and Jeremy near Lee, Mass near the Great Berkshires in Massachusetts.
We are getting ready for our Thanksgiving Banquet this Saturday. We are planning to serve approximately 250 people. We are so blessed. Our people are excited in fixing and preparing the food with much love. We praise the Lord for the way He offers us His extravagant hospitality so that we can be the channels of His hospitality to others. Please pray for us that the Lord would bless the gathering and bless all the laborers in His Kingdom.
As part of the study from Mathew 18 and 19 we looked into that late great saint of the Christian Church, Cornelia "Corrie" ten Boom (1892-1983). She testified that from the greatest hell man could create the Nazi concentration camps of World War II. She and her beloved sister, the late great Elisabeth "Betsie" ten Boom (1885-1944), paid the price for hiding Jewish people in the attic of their home in Holland! Through torture, humiliation, and pain, they turned to the Christ, who lived in them, and testified to His peace! Their witness was backed by credentials of a suffering that few of us have ever known! Betsie died in that concentration camp; Corrie was released as a result of a clerical error! In Betsie’s dying hours, she spoke of a message that her sister, Corrie, would carry around the world for nearly forty (40) years. Betsie said, "Tell them that there is no pit so deep but that God’s love is deeper still." Corrie and Betsie has tasted what it means to be "more than conquerors through Him who loved us!" The peace that Christ brings is that strong!
This is the Word of the Lord to all the combat veterans of the world, that is, the permanent cure to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is Jesus, the Christ - "by His stripes we are healed!" Excessive guilt and sorrow can only lead to depression, to despair, to defeat, and, sometimes, to destruction! Don’t let that happen to you; turn to the "Prince of Peace". Let Him take the guilt and sorrow away. It works. He did it for me!
Hebrews 13:20-21 (NLT) tells us, "And now, may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, equip you with all you need for doing His Will. May He produce in you, through the Power of Jesus Christ, all that is pleasing to Him." Jesus is the great Shepherd of the sheep by an Everlasting Covenant, signed with His Blood. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen.
In Jesus our Lord,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zhmrb3uFYwI
Once You Encounter Jesus – You Will Never Be The SAME!!
In Zechariah 4:6 it is written, "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts." As we approach the end of the year, the Lord has placed before us many open doors - for worship, for ministry, and for service. We have been blessed to have many prayer warriors in the life of the church, who are faithfully and joyfully engaged in lives of fervent prayer.
Sunita and Andy's church in Washington, DC goes on retreat together twice a year. Sunita always returns from these events blessed, refreshed, and inspired. We attempted to have our church's prayer retreat at Sky Lake, but scheduling conflicts prohibited it, so we are planning to have our upcoming prayer retreat at our own church here in Union Center. We invite all of you to come and be a part of this event. Keep praying for the Lord to refresh our hearts and renew our minds.
Praise the Lord for each one who has offered his or her time, talents, and treasures to make the upcoming prayer weekend possible. The schedule follows:
Friday, November 5 - 6 PM Supper, with Indian and Italian dishes. A love offering will be received.
6:30 PM The Prayer Conference convenes.
Saturday, November 6, 8:30 AM breakfast, prepared by Kathy Dence and team. A love offering will be received.
9:00 AM - 13 noon The Prayer Conference continues.
5 PM Thanksgiving Banquet, held at First United Methodist Church on McKinley Avenue. The menu includes homemade pies, rolls, turkey, and the trimmings. Lou Pasquale is the head chef, together with Rodney Haines as his sous chef. Sign-up sheets for the banquet are located in the Narthex, or reservations can be confirmed by calling the church office at 748-6329.
6:30 PM Worship service in the sanctuary at First UMC, Endicott. Music will be provided by Aric Phinney and the team. The speaker will be Kelly Johnson.
Sunday morning worship services will be at UCUMC at 8:30 and 11:00 AM, with Sunday School at 9:50 AM. Kelly Johnson will be speaking to a combined Adult Sunday School at that time. Worship service will be held at Wesley UMC at 9:30 AM.
12:30 PM There will be a meal immediately following the 11:00 AM service. Chefs for the meal are Jeremy and Matt Smith. The menu includes Carribean pork, braised chicken, candied sweet potatoes, salad, green beans, and rolls.
November 6, 2010 - ( Saturday) There will be a Thanksgiving banquet. At 5 PM a traditional Thanksgiving menu will be served, including home made rolls and pies. Chef: Lou Pasquale and team. (Reservations: Call the Church office (607)-748-6329 or email at umcgospel@aol.com
The banquet will be followed by 6:30 PM Worship
Music: Aric Phinney and the team
Praise the Lord for the way He ushers in a new day, with a bright new morning. Great is His faithfulness. The Lord blessed us with a beautiful Wednesday evening gathering for delicious food and sweet fellowship and refreshing Bible Study. The Lord of the Church visits us with His refreshing Touch every time we come before Him. We looked into the Greatness Of the Forgiveness Jesus offers to us in His wonderful grace. There is something so amazing about His Grace and mercy. It is wonderful to be transferred to the grace-based culture from sin-based culture.
We are gearing up for the weekend Prayer conference that commences tomorrow evening. Our friend Kelly Johnson is arriving from Memphis this afternoon. Sunita, Andy, and one of her friends are coming from Washington, DC
tonight.
We spoke to our grand daughter yesterday on her 5th birthday. She is 5 years now, and is a big girl. She is home-schooled in Boston. She and her brother Simeon are coming down to Endicott as "fresh air kids" from Boston. Alice is meeting up with Janice and Jeremy near Lee, Mass near the Great Berkshires in Massachusetts.
We are getting ready for our Thanksgiving Banquet this Saturday. We are planning to serve approximately 250 people. We are so blessed. Our people are excited in fixing and preparing the food with much love. We praise the Lord for the way He offers us His extravagant hospitality so that we can be the channels of His hospitality to others. Please pray for us that the Lord would bless the gathering and bless all the laborers in His Kingdom.
As part of the study from Mathew 18 and 19 we looked into that late great saint of the Christian Church, Cornelia "Corrie" ten Boom (1892-1983). She testified that from the greatest hell man could create the Nazi concentration camps of World War II. She and her beloved sister, the late great Elisabeth "Betsie" ten Boom (1885-1944), paid the price for hiding Jewish people in the attic of their home in Holland! Through torture, humiliation, and pain, they turned to the Christ, who lived in them, and testified to His peace! Their witness was backed by credentials of a suffering that few of us have ever known! Betsie died in that concentration camp; Corrie was released as a result of a clerical error! In Betsie’s dying hours, she spoke of a message that her sister, Corrie, would carry around the world for nearly forty (40) years. Betsie said, "Tell them that there is no pit so deep but that God’s love is deeper still." Corrie and Betsie has tasted what it means to be "more than conquerors through Him who loved us!" The peace that Christ brings is that strong!
This is the Word of the Lord to all the combat veterans of the world, that is, the permanent cure to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is Jesus, the Christ - "by His stripes we are healed!" Excessive guilt and sorrow can only lead to depression, to despair, to defeat, and, sometimes, to destruction! Don’t let that happen to you; turn to the "Prince of Peace". Let Him take the guilt and sorrow away. It works. He did it for me!
Hebrews 13:20-21 (NLT) tells us, "And now, may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, equip you with all you need for doing His Will. May He produce in you, through the Power of Jesus Christ, all that is pleasing to Him." Jesus is the great Shepherd of the sheep by an Everlasting Covenant, signed with His Blood. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen.
In Jesus our Lord,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zhmrb3uFYwI
Once You Encounter Jesus – You Will Never Be The SAME!!
In Zechariah 4:6 it is written, "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts." As we approach the end of the year, the Lord has placed before us many open doors - for worship, for ministry, and for service. We have been blessed to have many prayer warriors in the life of the church, who are faithfully and joyfully engaged in lives of fervent prayer.
Sunita and Andy's church in Washington, DC goes on retreat together twice a year. Sunita always returns from these events blessed, refreshed, and inspired. We attempted to have our church's prayer retreat at Sky Lake, but scheduling conflicts prohibited it, so we are planning to have our upcoming prayer retreat at our own church here in Union Center. We invite all of you to come and be a part of this event. Keep praying for the Lord to refresh our hearts and renew our minds.
Praise the Lord for each one who has offered his or her time, talents, and treasures to make the upcoming prayer weekend possible. The schedule follows:
Friday, November 5 - 6 PM Supper, with Indian and Italian dishes. A love offering will be received.
6:30 PM The Prayer Conference convenes.
Saturday, November 6, 8:30 AM breakfast, prepared by Kathy Dence and team. A love offering will be received.
9:00 AM - 13 noon The Prayer Conference continues.
5 PM Thanksgiving Banquet, held at First United Methodist Church on McKinley Avenue. The menu includes homemade pies, rolls, turkey, and the trimmings. Lou Pasquale is the head chef, together with Rodney Haines as his sous chef. Sign-up sheets for the banquet are located in the Narthex, or reservations can be confirmed by calling the church office at 748-6329.
6:30 PM Worship service in the sanctuary at First UMC, Endicott. Music will be provided by Aric Phinney and the team. The speaker will be Kelly Johnson.
Sunday morning worship services will be at UCUMC at 8:30 and 11:00 AM, with Sunday School at 9:50 AM. Kelly Johnson will be speaking to a combined Adult Sunday School at that time. Worship service will be held at Wesley UMC at 9:30 AM.
12:30 PM There will be a meal immediately following the 11:00 AM service. Chefs for the meal are Jeremy and Matt Smith. The menu includes Carribean pork, braised chicken, candied sweet potatoes, salad, green beans, and rolls.
November 6, 2010 - ( Saturday) There will be a Thanksgiving banquet. At 5 PM a traditional Thanksgiving menu will be served, including home made rolls and pies. Chef: Lou Pasquale and team. (Reservations: Call the Church office (607)-748-6329 or email at umcgospel@aol.com
The banquet will be followed by 6:30 PM Worship
Music: Aric Phinney and the team
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Brown's Daily Word 11-3-10
Good morning,
Praise the Lord for this new day, the morning after the mid-term elections in this America, the Beautiful. Jesus is Lord. We will gather for our Mid-week fellowship and Study today at 6 PM.
Our favorite grand daughter Micah,celebrates her 5th birthday to day in Boston . We praise the Lord for her. Our Lord reigns and He rules. He is upon the Throne. We worship the King of kings and the Lord of lords. May the Lord of all the nations heal our land and turn us back to Him. One of the beautiful cities I visited few years ago is Copenhagen, Denmark. Outside the Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark’s Parliament building, there are three stone figures guarding the entrance. They represent the earache, the headache, and the stomach ache. They were placed there to suggest that if you enter politics, you will have all three.
I think that most of us would agree that entering politics is likely to cause a great deal of stress. David gives us the Lord’s prescription for dealing with the stress in our lives...
Psalm 4:1-8, "Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; Be gracious to me and hear my prayer. O sons of men, how long will my honor become a reproach? How long will you love what is worthless and aim at deception? But know that the Lord has set apart the godly man for Himself; The Lord hears when I call to Him. Tremble, and do not sin; Meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah. Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, And trust in the Lord. Many are saying, 'Who will show us any good?' Lift up the light of Your countenance upon us, O Lord! You have put gladness in my heart, More than when their grain and new wine abound. In peace I will both lie down and sleep, For You alone, O Lord, make me to dwell in safety."
Many scholars believe that David wrote Psalm 4 as he was about to retire for the evening. He could not do much about the war around him, but he could do something about the war within him. Instead of lying in bed fretting, stewing and worrying, he committed himself and his situation to the Lord. Psalm 4:1, "Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; Be gracious to me and hear my prayer."
He started by saying, "O God of my righteousness!" David was praising God for who He is. It is important sometimes for us to take our eyes off ourselves and realize the goodness and greatness of our God. "Be gracious to me and hear my prayer." In these words, David asked for grace in his situation. Perhaps David realized that his trouble was, at least in part, a result of his past sins. Sometimes deliverance from our distress is as simple as saying, "God, if I brought this trouble on myself. I am asking You to forgive me." It is truly amazing how gracious God is willing to be to us, if only we would ask Him.
Psalms 4:6-8 (MSG)
6 Why is everyone hungry for more? "More, more," they say. "More, more." I have God’s more-than-enough,
7 More joy in one ordinary day than they get in all their shopping sprees.
8 At day’s end I’m ready for sound sleep, for you, God, have put my life back together.
David indicated the intensity of this search by repeating it over and over. “More, more, more, more.” We see the answer at the end of verse 6. “I have God’s more-than-enough.” The way out of the more-more cycle is to receive and celebrate God’s more-than-enough. A main theme throughout scripture is our Lord's absolute sufficiency, the fact that if He who is our Emmanuel, is with us, and that is all we will ever need. In verse 7 the Psalmist assigned a word to this “more-than-enough” presence of God. He called it “joy.” Joy is an awareness of God’s more-than-enough presence in our lives.
There is more joy in one ordinary day serving Jesus than we can ever get in all our shopping sprees. Jesus is indeed our Eternal Joy.
Blessed be His Name.
In Him,
Brown
Once You Encounter Jesus – You Will Never Be The SAME!!
In Zechariah 4:6 it is written, "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts." As we approach the end of the year, the Lord has placed before us many open doors - for worship, for ministry, and for service. We have been blessed to have many prayer warriors in the life of the church, who are faithfully and joyfully engaged in lives of fervent prayer.
Sunita and Andy's church in Washington, DC goes on retreat together twice a year. Sunita always returns from these events blessed, refreshed, and inspired. We attempted to have our church's prayer retreat at Sky Lake, but scheduling conflicts prohibited it, so we are planning to have our upcoming prayer retreat at our own church here in Union Center. We invite all of you to come and be a part of this event. Keep praying for the Lord to refresh our hearts and renew our minds.
Praise the Lord for each one who has offered his or her time, talents, and treasures to make the upcoming prayer weekend possible. The schedule follows:
• Friday, November 5 - 6 PM Supper, with Indian and Italian dishes. A love offering will be received.
• 6:30 PM The Prayer Conference convenes.
• Saturday, November 6, 8:30 AM breakfast, prepared by Kathy Dence and team. A love offering will be received.
• 9:00 AM - 13 noon The Prayer Conference continues.
• 5 PM Thanksgiving Banquet, held at First United Methodist Church on McKinley Avenue. The menu includes homemade pies, rolls, turkey, and the trimmings. Lou Pasquale is the head chef, together with Rodney Haines as his sous chef. Sign-up sheets for the banquet are located in the Narthex, or reservations can be confirmed by calling the church office at 748-6329.
• 6:30 PM Worship service in the sanctuary at First UMC, Endicott. Music will be provided by Aric Phinney and the team. The speaker will be Kelly Johnson.
• Sunday morning worship services will be at UCUMC at 8:30 and 11:00 AM, with Sunday School at 9:50 AM. Kelly Johnson will be speaking to a combined Adult Sunday School at that time. Worship service will be held at Wesley UMC at 9:30 AM.
• 12:30 PM There will be a meal immediately following the 11:00 AM service. Chefs for the meal are Jeremy and Matt Smith. The menu includes Carribean pork, braised chicken, candied sweet potatoes, salad, green beans, and rolls.
November 6, 2010 - ( Saturday) There will be a Thanksgiving banquet. At 5 PM a traditional Thanksgiving menu will be served, including home made rolls and pies. Chef: Lou Pasquale and team. (Reservations: Call the Church office (607)-748-6329 or email at umcgospel@aol.com
The banquet will be followed by 6:30 PM Worship
Music: Aric Phinney and the team
Speaker: Kelly Johnson from Nashville, TN.
Praise the Lord for this new day, the morning after the mid-term elections in this America, the Beautiful. Jesus is Lord. We will gather for our Mid-week fellowship and Study today at 6 PM.
Our favorite grand daughter Micah,celebrates her 5th birthday to day in Boston . We praise the Lord for her. Our Lord reigns and He rules. He is upon the Throne. We worship the King of kings and the Lord of lords. May the Lord of all the nations heal our land and turn us back to Him. One of the beautiful cities I visited few years ago is Copenhagen, Denmark. Outside the Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark’s Parliament building, there are three stone figures guarding the entrance. They represent the earache, the headache, and the stomach ache. They were placed there to suggest that if you enter politics, you will have all three.
I think that most of us would agree that entering politics is likely to cause a great deal of stress. David gives us the Lord’s prescription for dealing with the stress in our lives...
Psalm 4:1-8, "Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; Be gracious to me and hear my prayer. O sons of men, how long will my honor become a reproach? How long will you love what is worthless and aim at deception? But know that the Lord has set apart the godly man for Himself; The Lord hears when I call to Him. Tremble, and do not sin; Meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah. Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, And trust in the Lord. Many are saying, 'Who will show us any good?' Lift up the light of Your countenance upon us, O Lord! You have put gladness in my heart, More than when their grain and new wine abound. In peace I will both lie down and sleep, For You alone, O Lord, make me to dwell in safety."
Many scholars believe that David wrote Psalm 4 as he was about to retire for the evening. He could not do much about the war around him, but he could do something about the war within him. Instead of lying in bed fretting, stewing and worrying, he committed himself and his situation to the Lord. Psalm 4:1, "Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; Be gracious to me and hear my prayer."
He started by saying, "O God of my righteousness!" David was praising God for who He is. It is important sometimes for us to take our eyes off ourselves and realize the goodness and greatness of our God. "Be gracious to me and hear my prayer." In these words, David asked for grace in his situation. Perhaps David realized that his trouble was, at least in part, a result of his past sins. Sometimes deliverance from our distress is as simple as saying, "God, if I brought this trouble on myself. I am asking You to forgive me." It is truly amazing how gracious God is willing to be to us, if only we would ask Him.
Psalms 4:6-8 (MSG)
6 Why is everyone hungry for more? "More, more," they say. "More, more." I have God’s more-than-enough,
7 More joy in one ordinary day than they get in all their shopping sprees.
8 At day’s end I’m ready for sound sleep, for you, God, have put my life back together.
David indicated the intensity of this search by repeating it over and over. “More, more, more, more.” We see the answer at the end of verse 6. “I have God’s more-than-enough.” The way out of the more-more cycle is to receive and celebrate God’s more-than-enough. A main theme throughout scripture is our Lord's absolute sufficiency, the fact that if He who is our Emmanuel, is with us, and that is all we will ever need. In verse 7 the Psalmist assigned a word to this “more-than-enough” presence of God. He called it “joy.” Joy is an awareness of God’s more-than-enough presence in our lives.
There is more joy in one ordinary day serving Jesus than we can ever get in all our shopping sprees. Jesus is indeed our Eternal Joy.
Blessed be His Name.
In Him,
Brown
Once You Encounter Jesus – You Will Never Be The SAME!!
In Zechariah 4:6 it is written, "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts." As we approach the end of the year, the Lord has placed before us many open doors - for worship, for ministry, and for service. We have been blessed to have many prayer warriors in the life of the church, who are faithfully and joyfully engaged in lives of fervent prayer.
Sunita and Andy's church in Washington, DC goes on retreat together twice a year. Sunita always returns from these events blessed, refreshed, and inspired. We attempted to have our church's prayer retreat at Sky Lake, but scheduling conflicts prohibited it, so we are planning to have our upcoming prayer retreat at our own church here in Union Center. We invite all of you to come and be a part of this event. Keep praying for the Lord to refresh our hearts and renew our minds.
Praise the Lord for each one who has offered his or her time, talents, and treasures to make the upcoming prayer weekend possible. The schedule follows:
• Friday, November 5 - 6 PM Supper, with Indian and Italian dishes. A love offering will be received.
• 6:30 PM The Prayer Conference convenes.
• Saturday, November 6, 8:30 AM breakfast, prepared by Kathy Dence and team. A love offering will be received.
• 9:00 AM - 13 noon The Prayer Conference continues.
• 5 PM Thanksgiving Banquet, held at First United Methodist Church on McKinley Avenue. The menu includes homemade pies, rolls, turkey, and the trimmings. Lou Pasquale is the head chef, together with Rodney Haines as his sous chef. Sign-up sheets for the banquet are located in the Narthex, or reservations can be confirmed by calling the church office at 748-6329.
• 6:30 PM Worship service in the sanctuary at First UMC, Endicott. Music will be provided by Aric Phinney and the team. The speaker will be Kelly Johnson.
• Sunday morning worship services will be at UCUMC at 8:30 and 11:00 AM, with Sunday School at 9:50 AM. Kelly Johnson will be speaking to a combined Adult Sunday School at that time. Worship service will be held at Wesley UMC at 9:30 AM.
• 12:30 PM There will be a meal immediately following the 11:00 AM service. Chefs for the meal are Jeremy and Matt Smith. The menu includes Carribean pork, braised chicken, candied sweet potatoes, salad, green beans, and rolls.
November 6, 2010 - ( Saturday) There will be a Thanksgiving banquet. At 5 PM a traditional Thanksgiving menu will be served, including home made rolls and pies. Chef: Lou Pasquale and team. (Reservations: Call the Church office (607)-748-6329 or email at umcgospel@aol.com
The banquet will be followed by 6:30 PM Worship
Music: Aric Phinney and the team
Speaker: Kelly Johnson from Nashville, TN.
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