Praise the Lord for the beauty of the earth. It is mid-winter here in New York. It is the dawning of spring in India. The mango flowers are in full bloom. In India the Tata Motor company just launched a small car for the Indian Road. It costs, brand new, $2,500. The first car that Alice and I bought was an 1976. It was brand new Chevy Nova. We paid $3,600( cash).
We live in an exciting time of world history. Our Lord is on the move. He is at work, with truth and grace every where.
We visited our friend Linda, who had brain surgery last month. She is doing wonderfully well. She is praising the Lord for His miracle that He bestowed on her. Our Friend Richard Babcock has decided to stop dialysis and has gone home, where he is under Hospice care. He is prepared to see the Savior face to face soon. We praise the Lord baby Caleb born in Oklahoma , yesterday. He weighed 8 lbs. Because of Jesus, our Savior, we can do life and death well.
Jesus Christ is the light of the world. He is the only light that can deal with the darkness of sin upon the earth and its people. We can still see the evidence of spiritual darkness just by looking around us. Spiritual darkness is behind all manner of evil, such as armed robbery, rape, murder and torture. Spiritual darkness is the reason why terrorists are killing innocent people through suicide bombings, and only a few days ago 30 people in Kenya who had sought refuge in a Church were burnt alive. Spiritual darkness is the reason behind drug abuse and the break up of many family relationships. The world had been living in darkness waiting for the light of the world to rise and shine. When the Light came the world did not recognize Him but because of that light we today can arise and shine, for our light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon us. Jesus Christ, the light of the world has dispelled the darkness of evil and made it possible for all people to come from the darkness into His light. All these things were revealed in the Scriptures and fulfilled in Christ.
The birth of the Lord Jesus Christ is described in the Bible as the rising of the sun in a very dark place. With the rising of the sun the darkness immediately disappears. In the same way, with the rising of Jesus Christ in our lives the darkness of sin and guilt also disappears. Christ came to earth for the salvation of the whole world and has been revealed to everyone. He was revealed to the Jews in Israel and to the Gentiles in a faraway land. God has placed within each one of us a place that only Christ can fill. Without Him we are empty inside. It is an emptiness that is caused by God in order to bring us to Christ. Just as the wise men needed to fill the emptiness in their lives by seeking Christ so wise men and women today also need to fill the emptiness in their lives by seeking Him. Christ must be sought with the same sort of seriousness that characterized the search by the wise men from the east. They were prepared to undertake a long difficult journey across the desert on camels to find Jesus in order to worship Him. We should also be prepared to seek Christ at all costs and not allow any perceived difficulties to prevent or hinder our search for Him.
The Scriptures reveal God’s plan of redemption to save the human race by sending a Savior into the world. Jesus Christ came to save everyone. He came to save you and me. Christ’s birth was revealed to people both near and far and those who were wise recognized who He was. When the wise men saw the star, they rejoiced and came to worship Him because He was also their Lord. These men from faraway lands recognized Jesus as the Messiah when most of the Jews who should have been better informed did not. The chief priests and the teachers of the Law were not the least bit interested in the star. They were not even prepared to travel the short distance from Jerusalem to Bethlehem to find out what had happened although they knew the predictions about the Messiah.
God has ordained Christ to be the Lord and King of the whole world whether we believe it or not. Our response to Him should be that of wise men and women who seek Him and not the response of Herod and the Jewish rulers. We are to point those who are still in darkness to the light as we ourselves ‘arise and shine, for our light has come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon us’.
Epiphany also describes the process when someone trapped in the darkness of sin sees and believes in the glory of Jesus Christ. It is when a person finally stops trusting in himself for salvation, and begins trusting in Christ. This is what happened to the wise men from the East. These Gentiles came from a far away land and probably did not know as much about God sending a Savior into the world as the Jews did. Yet, when they saw the star, they recognized the work of God and knew that the Messiah had come. When the wise men saw the sign that the King had come they set out to worship Him. They left their land of spiritual darkness and made the long trip to Jerusalem only to realize that it was just as spiritually dark as the land from which they had come. Yet, finally, the wise men saw the light of the world. The glory of God filled them and all they could do was to worship. They had left the darkness and come to the light.
We can only enjoy peace, and God’s blessings, when Christ is our Lord. He sacrificed Himself for us on the cross and this should be reason enough for us to trust and accept Him as our King. When we accept Him as our Savior and Lord He forgives our sins, forgets them, breaks the power of sin over us, and gives us the gift of the Holy Spirit to become members of His Kingdom. Salvation is not something we do, but something Jesus does for us. We cannot save ourselves any more that a drowning man can save himself. We are saved so that we can have a relationship with God, submitting our will to His and allowing Him to rule our lives. This relationship enables us to enjoy His enormous blessings. Without it we miss out on God’s blessings.
Jesus Christ is the King who can bless us with every imaginable blessing . Hehas made available all that we need to live in His Kingdom. This Kingdom is a reality and not just wishful thinking, and it makes demands on us. It calls us to obedience, to faith, and to love. It calls us to reflect the character of Christ.
Epiphany is the light of Christ revealed to all people and all nations. It is when anyone living in the darkness of sin sees the glory of God revealed in Jesus Christ. Just as the sun rises on every nation and people, so also does the light of the world. The grace, forgiveness and salvation of Christ rise, and shine on all people on earth. No matter who you are, you too, can leave the darkness and come into the light. Once the grace, mercy and forgiveness of Jesus Christ is experienced in your life, the light of His glory will never stop shining in your life. No matter how dark the world becomes you are to shine and, by manifesting the love of Christ in your life, point others to the light of Jesus Christ. May this Epiphany season be for you and me, a time when we clearly see the glory of our Savior, Jesus Christ “Arise; shine, for your light has come. And the glory of the Lord rises upon you.”
In His Light ,
Brown
I just got this news about our friend Richard Babcock . He loved the Lord. He was a sweet singer for Jesus our Saviour. " Blessed are those who die in the Lord"
Dear Brown,
On this beautiful day, my dad went to be with the Lord in Heaven! His services will be announced in the Bing. Press on Friday. Thank you for loving him and our family through the years.
Love,
Lynda Babcock Lowin
The Lord is everpresent with me(us).
Today I had the second of my "maintenance" treatments. The Oncology Nurse informed me that my blood counts are all normal; that in itself is miraculous because most people they've experienced do reflect minor and sometimes severe reductions in their blood counts. I continue to tolerate Gemzar (chemo) very well and I give all the thanks to Almighty God. I have experienced some leg weakness 2-3 days after the treatment and am told that is a reaction to the chemo. If that is the worst of it, I can accept that, otherwise, I am feeling simply wonderful. I had a chemo reaction last Saturday and spent most of the day sleeping and was very weak. Sunday I felt 90% better but didn't venture out and by Monday was feeling like myself again. Throughout this time my weight dropped to 170 but I have since rebounded to 175.
Please continue to pray for my complete healing. I know that God is keeping me both physically and spiritually and I know continual prayer will bring about my total healing.
Thank you all and God Bless you.
Jack
Hi Pastor Brown ,
Please keep Andy in your prayers ,as he is headed for Iraq on April 29th. His wife Bonnie is due with their second son ,on the 14th of April Thanks so much ,Marilee and Mike
Hi again,
Caleb weighed...(none of us won!) 8lbs 1oz, 20 1/2" long
sandy blonde hair and blue eyes. Desi said he looks alot like Justin did only tinier! She called me about 5:30pm and sounds really good, but really tired. We will go visit tomorrow, and I'll post pictures when I get home. it was really good to hear her voice.
Justin and Nana will definitely sleep well tonight!
love to you all!
The Nana
From
Bishop B.N. Nayak
Vill:- Kumbharkupa
P/o:- Mallikapodi
Via:- G.Udayagiri
Dist:- Kandhamal, ORISSA , INDIA, 762100
Sub:- Prayer request for recent persecution in Kandhamal District.
Dear Prayer partners,
Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Who came to save us. With great burden and heavy heart and tears I am writing this letter. When whole world was planning to celebrate Christmas. We were in Kandhamal also planned to celebrate birth of our Lord. But on 24 December 2007 thousand of forces of evil came to our Church and burnt, damaged Church Buildings, broken the crosses, burnt chair, pulpits, sound equipment, computer, motorcycles and beaten the people and two people are killed, some pastors evangelists are terrorized and saved their heads and asked them deny Jesus or face death at the point of sword and gun point they have burnt the houses. Christian have left their houses and hiding in jungles with one single clothe on their bodies. Man and women, children with out food, shelter spend Christmas in bitter cold. I personal visited the villages and found the Churches were set on fire completely destroyed and we are living in state of fear. I can not afride to type and send this email in now Christian people facilities. We donot feel safe to travel hiring vehicle of non-Christian people. I cannot describe our state mind. Please pray for us. Prayer can change persons, change things. If you have moved with compassion, prayerfully you can help us.
Our needs-
1- 50 Churches are damaged- to be rebuilt.
2- Nearly 5000 people have lost their houses, need clothing,cooking, utensils, warm clothes. Adopt some families
3- Computer to send email to different places.
4- Vehicle for transporting relief materials.
First and last prayer, prayer and prayer.
With loving Christian greetings
Bishop B.N. Nayak
Pastor Scott and Pastor Brown and Jim,
Would you please send a notice out to all the prayer chains and our praying classmates about our dear friend John Clark. He is the son of our best friends from the days when Harvey and I were dating. Our boys grew up with John. He has M.S. It started over 10 years ago with some relatively minor symptoms then went into remission.
He gradually became ill shortly before Thanksgiving and has been gravely ill in the hospital at Binghamton General ever since. But we know prayers make a difference. He is currently receiving some cutting edge treatment and his doctors are in communication with doctors at Strong Memorial to determine how best to treat John. He may even be transported to Strong for treatment if he doesn't rally soon. The treatment he is on will continue for about another week or so and then they will assess his situation.
He can't have visitors for a while because the treatment lowers the immune system. And even after treatment, nobody should visit him if they even have a hint of a cold or anything that might be contagious. But please pray. I will be in touch with his Mom after the treatment assessment and give you all a report.
In Christ, Nancy Henson
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