Brown's Daily Word 2-28-14

Praise the Lord for this last day of February, the last Friday of February.  Sweet Spring is around the corner.  I have been hearing the birds sing.  Many have seen the Robins around.  The other day I saw a group of deer behind the parsonage.   Plan to be in the Lords house this coming Lord's day in worship, praise, and witness.  Praise the Lord that we get to worship the Risen Lord.  We get to give for the sake of the unshakable Kingdom.  We get to serve the King.  We are praying for a young woman who has received her second heart transplant on Valentines Day.  Her sister is going to NY City to spend time with her.  Praise the Lord  for His miracles.  We are praying for a baby who was born prematurely at only 1 pound 3 ounces.  He is now 4 pounds and 5 ounces.  I met with the young mom and her parents yesterday.  They are jubilant and grateful to Jesus.  I was visiting with a young pastor in the Hospital yesterday.  His beloved wife suffered a major stroke.  She is a nurse herself, the mother of 5 lovely children, and only 37 years old.  I prayed with the young pastor.   

    In Psalms 23 we see ourselves walking through darkness with the Shepherd as our guide.  In C.S. Lewis' The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, as Aslan makes his way to the stone table he comes to a point where he does not allow Lucy and Susan to go any further.  They are not permitted to make that last leg of the journey with him.  It is a path which he must walk alone, into the heart of death and darkness.  Likewise, Jesus proceeded toward the cross  for our sake.  He who knew no sin became sin for us.  He lamented over the abandonment He would experience from His disciples.  Peter, however, insisted that he would not fail.  It is here that Jesus informed him of his triple failure.  Three times he would deny the Lord.  Yet Jesus interceded.  Jesus said, "Peter, Satan has asked that he might sift you like wheat.  But I have prayed for you that your faith fail not.  And when you have returned to me strengthen your brothers" (Luke 22:31-32).

    What is to become of us when it is the Shepherd's valley of the shadow of death?  Let us fear not.  Christ has prayed for us.  He has passed through the valley of the shadow of death for us.  We need not fear any evil.  We are kept by the power of God.  In our crises of faith, He whispers in our hearts through the anointing of the Holy  Spirit, "All is well".

    The chief shepherd has passed through the valley of the shadow of death.  There is no valley so deep that the Son of God can not fathom, no mountain so high that the Son of Man can't climb, no darkness so grim that the Prince of the dawn can not illuminate.  There is no sin God can't forgive, no person so lost that Christ can not find them, no bondage so great that the Deliverer can not burst asunder.  The valley is the Lord's.  The way is safe.  "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow you all the days of your life.  And you shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever."  Amen. 

  In Christ,

   Brown

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1nyzGR3tUE&feature=share&list=RDKSShylcAcZs&index=2