Good Morning,
Praise the Lord for the way He is our strength and our security. In Him we find our salvation and significance. He is our great and mighty Savior. He has the whole world in His hands. We are so blessed to be loved by Him. In Him we live, move, and have our being. The world that we live in is very unstable, and it is always shifting. Though the world is slipping and sliding away, Jesus is our solid Rock. All other ground is sifting sand.
I like the story told of the jet that was making a transatlantic flight, when suddenly the pilot’s voice came on the intercom, “Those of you on the left side of the plane have probably noticed that one of our engines has failed. Please do not be alarmed. We can still fly on three engines, but we will probably arrive about 15 minutes late.” A few minutes later, the pilot’s calm voice came on again, “Those of you on the right side of the plane are probably aware that a second engine has failed. Please do not be alarmed. We can make it on two engines, though we will probably be at least 30 minutes late now.” A few minutes later the pilot spoke to the passengers again, “It has just come to my attention that a third engine has failed. Please do not be alarmed. We can make it to the airport on only one engine. However, we will arrive approximately 45 minutes late.” One passenger turned to another and said, “Boy, I hope that fourth engine doesn't fail, or we could be up here all night!” A story like that makes a good joke, but if it were really to happen to us, there would be no one laughing. When you are flying, your security literally depends upon the functioning of those engines. Just as a flyer’s sense of security is wrapped up in the proper functioning of those engines, so, too, in life, our sense of security is often dependent upon various factors in our lives. We depend upon our jobs, our bank accounts, our families, our friends, our health, and our position in society. We trust our sense of security to these things. In this lies the problem. God wants us to find our security ultimately in Him. All of these other things are temporary and unreliable, but God is eternal and completely reliable. There is an immature and unspiritual aspect in most or all of us that causes us to neglect to develop our security and trust in God. In our insecurity we tend to rely on many other things. Many times we don't even recognize that we are trusting in these things rather than God. We may fail to realize that things have become our crutch, and even our idol – the god we serve. In many cases, God wants us to release and relinquish dependency upon the false idols of our lives. He may even allow us to lose some of those things in which we have found security in so that we may re-develop our trust in Him. The words from the doctor, “It’s malignant,” just pull the rug right out from under you and send you into a tailspin. Other dreaded words, especially in today’s economy, include receiving pink slips that ultimately say, “Your services are no longer needed.” The loss of a job can bring a flood of insecurity. Still others have experienced the loss of finances - bank accounts have dwindled, IRAs and other investments have disappeared, resulting in foreclosures, evictions, bankruptcy, and fear. So what are we to do in tough times? We ultimately should do the same thing whether the times be good or bad. That is, we should put our trust in the Lord and lean on Him. Our only hope is in Him. "Some trust in chariots, but we trust in the name of the Lord, our God." Leaning is not wrong if we are leaning on the Lord. Deut. 33:27 says, “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.” Isaiah 41:10 states, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” David wrote in the Psalms, “In God, whose word I praise, in the LORD, whose word I praise- in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” (Psalm 56:10-11) Paul wrote, “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.” (2 Corinthians 1:8-9) Our best game plan is to seek to make the Lord our security from the very beginning – to hold on to God’s hand and never let go. We must not make an idol out of our mate, our children, our parents, or our friends. We must not make an idol out of work or reputation. We must not make an idol out of money or possessions. Our security is not found in any of these things. Our only true security comes from the Lord, who has promised us, “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.” Hold on to Him! Let Him give the security that we need!
In Christ,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_92Xe2W1IU
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Brown's Daily Word 2-3-09
Good Morning,
The Gospel reading for this past Sunday was taken from Mark 1:21 ff. Jesus, our Lord, went to the synagogue on the Sabbath as His custom was. He taught there with authority. He confronted and confounded Satan. Jesus, the Christ, during His ministry on earth, dealt with several demons to show us that they are real, that they exist in this world, and, that we can have authority over them through Him and the Holy Spirit!
Perhaps a little background would be helpful! The town of Capernaum was situated on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee. It was an important town on the caravan route to Damascus. It was also the site of a customs station and the site of a Roman garrison. We also know that it was the home of Peter, Andrew, and John! The synagogue there was the center of Jewish worship for the area! During the worship service on one particular day, there was an unexpected disturbance. A man having an unclean spirit (a demonic spirit) suddenly cried out - launching a tirade against the guest preacher. It was more than likely that he upset the congregation greatly by his outburst! Clearly, none expect someone in the "House of Prayer", the Lord’s House, the synagogue, to behave in such a fashion!Nevertheless, Satan and His demons do come to church on rare occasions, trying to soften the stand of Christians and instill an easy believism that imperils the Christian's power. It did not work this time because the guest preacher was Almighty God Himself in the Second Person of the Godhead. He was empowered and enabled by the Third Person of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit and, sent by the First Person of the Godhead, God the Father! Suffice it to say that this particular demon never stood a chance! We do not hear much about people being possessed by evil spirits any more, though I wonder why. Whatever the reason, we can safely say that this man was deeply troubled! Today, with all of the world-wide problems that exist, with the wars and rumors of wars, with fears of economic collapse, with the failure to have honest and truthful leadership, with a selfish and hedonistic society that wants instant gratification (and, that does not care how it gets it), there are many people who are deeply troubled! In the June 2004 edition of "The Journal of the American Medical Association," it was reported that 26 percent of Americans showed symptoms of emotional disorders! Can you imagine what that number must be today! Perhaps one of these deeply troubled people is in our own family - or, perhaps he or she is one of our co-workers. They can cause us much heartache! Some of them are powerless to help themselves, and we need to understand that as a fact! Some have problems so deep that they never will think themselves aside from their problems. They need some outside intervention! It took a command from the Master Himself to set this individual free from his unclean (or, demonic) spirit! The Disciples were given the Power of Jesus, the Christ, to cast out demons, heal the sick, and raise the dead, and, do even greater works than those but, on one occasion, as recorded in Mark 9:17-29 (KJV), they could not cast out a demonic spirit. When they asked Jesus, the Christ why, He told them, "This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting." Not all troubled people need psychiatrists or psychologists. However, all need someone with whom they can share their problems, who will listen to them and not judge them! There are problems, sometimes, that we simply cannot handle alone. Almighty God’s help is essential. We should also be ready to access competent medical or psychological help! We dishonor Almighty God when we refuse to take advantage of the care, the counseling, and the medical expertise of professional people in the health care industry! Christians know that no doctor can heal like Almighty God can heal and no counselor can listen with the understanding that Almighty God possesses. Yet it should be as a source of healing, understanding, and support that is in addition to, and goes beyond, human efforts!
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind 2 Timothy 1: 7
In Christ,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7YPaOD4PPQ
The Gospel reading for this past Sunday was taken from Mark 1:21 ff. Jesus, our Lord, went to the synagogue on the Sabbath as His custom was. He taught there with authority. He confronted and confounded Satan. Jesus, the Christ, during His ministry on earth, dealt with several demons to show us that they are real, that they exist in this world, and, that we can have authority over them through Him and the Holy Spirit!
Perhaps a little background would be helpful! The town of Capernaum was situated on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee. It was an important town on the caravan route to Damascus. It was also the site of a customs station and the site of a Roman garrison. We also know that it was the home of Peter, Andrew, and John! The synagogue there was the center of Jewish worship for the area! During the worship service on one particular day, there was an unexpected disturbance. A man having an unclean spirit (a demonic spirit) suddenly cried out - launching a tirade against the guest preacher. It was more than likely that he upset the congregation greatly by his outburst! Clearly, none expect someone in the "House of Prayer", the Lord’s House, the synagogue, to behave in such a fashion!Nevertheless, Satan and His demons do come to church on rare occasions, trying to soften the stand of Christians and instill an easy believism that imperils the Christian's power. It did not work this time because the guest preacher was Almighty God Himself in the Second Person of the Godhead. He was empowered and enabled by the Third Person of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit and, sent by the First Person of the Godhead, God the Father! Suffice it to say that this particular demon never stood a chance! We do not hear much about people being possessed by evil spirits any more, though I wonder why. Whatever the reason, we can safely say that this man was deeply troubled! Today, with all of the world-wide problems that exist, with the wars and rumors of wars, with fears of economic collapse, with the failure to have honest and truthful leadership, with a selfish and hedonistic society that wants instant gratification (and, that does not care how it gets it), there are many people who are deeply troubled! In the June 2004 edition of "The Journal of the American Medical Association," it was reported that 26 percent of Americans showed symptoms of emotional disorders! Can you imagine what that number must be today! Perhaps one of these deeply troubled people is in our own family - or, perhaps he or she is one of our co-workers. They can cause us much heartache! Some of them are powerless to help themselves, and we need to understand that as a fact! Some have problems so deep that they never will think themselves aside from their problems. They need some outside intervention! It took a command from the Master Himself to set this individual free from his unclean (or, demonic) spirit! The Disciples were given the Power of Jesus, the Christ, to cast out demons, heal the sick, and raise the dead, and, do even greater works than those but, on one occasion, as recorded in Mark 9:17-29 (KJV), they could not cast out a demonic spirit. When they asked Jesus, the Christ why, He told them, "This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting." Not all troubled people need psychiatrists or psychologists. However, all need someone with whom they can share their problems, who will listen to them and not judge them! There are problems, sometimes, that we simply cannot handle alone. Almighty God’s help is essential. We should also be ready to access competent medical or psychological help! We dishonor Almighty God when we refuse to take advantage of the care, the counseling, and the medical expertise of professional people in the health care industry! Christians know that no doctor can heal like Almighty God can heal and no counselor can listen with the understanding that Almighty God possesses. Yet it should be as a source of healing, understanding, and support that is in addition to, and goes beyond, human efforts!
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind 2 Timothy 1: 7
In Christ,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7YPaOD4PPQ
Monday, February 2, 2009
Brown's Daily Word 2-2-09
Good Morning,
I trust you had a blessed and a very beautiful weekend. The Lord gave us a super, sunny Sunday. It was brilliant. The Lord blessed us during Worship time by His presence. We celebrated the Lord's Supper. The Lord is always there when we come into His presence, before His Table. He is the Host. We are the honored guests.
Jessica went with Tom's parents to Costa Rica for a vacation on January 24. They all returned back to Philadelphia, reaching home at about 1:30 AM. Laureen went down to Washington, DC to visit Sunita and Andy and some her friends there.
She will be returning home later today.
We watched the Super Bowl game in the house with some friends. It was an amazing Game. As you all know by now, the Steelers won. Both teams played their hearts out, but Pittsburgh came away with the win.
The reading for yesterday was taken from Mark 1:21-28. Jesus moved from the shore of the sea of Galilee to a synagogue in the city of Capernaum. Capernaum was about to become Jesus’ base of operations for his ministry throughout Galilee. Archeologists have actually uncovered the site of the synagogue Jesus visited in Capernaum. When you go there today, you can see the remains if the Synagogue still standing. Jesus was on the move, preaching, teaching, and healing. He was in charge and in control. He is the author of everything that is well and Holy.
Jesus went to the Synagogue as His custom was. Jesus set an example for us to be there in the house of the Lord on the Lord's day in worship, celebration, and witness. We live in a tough world, where often we see the effects of the demonic and diabolic influences. We gather in the house of the Lord to declare our dependence on Christ, the Risen One. We submit to His authority. He is supreme and Pre-eminent in everything.
Jesus showed up in the Synagogue and started teaching. The people in this synagogue were amazed at Jesus’ teaching. In fact, the Greek word here for "amazed" is very strong; it means "to be so amazed as to be practically overwhelmed". Often this word has overtones of fear, so they weren't just impressed, they were overwhelmed, even scared by the authority with which Jesus taught. Sociologists distinguish between two different kinds of authority people display in their actions. The first is extrinsic authority, which is authority outside of one’s self. That’s the kind of authority the scribes had. The other kind of authority sociologists talk about is intrinsic authority, authority that comes from within. This is the kind of authority Jesus exhibited when he taught. He didn't quote scripture verses or cite the opinions of previous teachers or rabbis. He simply said, "This is the way it is." To teach in that way was to claim to have a special kind of authority that went far beyond that of a teacher, rabbi or religious leader. It was more like the authority of a prophet or some other special representative of God. This kind of authority was so overwhelming that it frightened the people in this synagogue. Jesus demonstrated his authority in the synagogue. The teachings of Jesus were radical and innovative because he spoke with authority. We know from the other Gospels that sometimes Jesus said, "You've heard that it was said, but I say to you." That kind of formula tells us that Jesus believed Himself to be speaking the very words of God Himself in His teaching. Jesus didn’t simply summarize what others said, but he spoke directly from the heart of God. Furthermore, Jesus’ teachings have carried that same kind of authority down through the ages. While Jesus taught, he was interrupted. In vv. 23-28 we see the irony here. Within a holy place of worship during a holy time of worship, an unholy presence made itself known. A man possessed by an evil spirit disrupted this teachable moment. People today sometimes struggle with the idea of a person being possessed by an evil spirit. We think that maybe this was just the way they referred to mental illness back then. Yet, the Bible clearly teaches the existence of an unseen spiritual realm of both good and evil spirits. These spiritual beings try to influence people, and given the opportunity, they can gain a foothold in people’s lives. In this man’s case, his body had become a host for a demonic spirit. This evil spirit spoke on behalf of all evil spirits when it asked Jesus, "What do you want with us? Have you come to destroy us?" This spirit recognized Jesus for who he was, even if the no one else here recognized him. Yet, Jesus silenced the spirit and commanded it to leave this man alone. With a shriek the spirit came out, and the man was delivered from his bondage to evil. Here again, Jesus spoke with authority. Jesus demonstrated his authority BY REBUKING THE FORCES OF EVIL. God’s rule and reign includes evicting the evil that’s been ruling and reigning in our universe. Here, of course, the irony is that this evil had found a home in a place of worship, this synagogue of Capernaum. Yet, they were helpless to deliver the poor man who was victimized by this evil spirit. It was one of the worst days of Satan, when He came face to face with Jesus. Jesus indeed came to destroy the powers of Satan. He came to demolish the dominance of the devil. When we surrender our lives to Jesus, the Lord, we do not have to fear Satan and his power. We read in 2 Timothy 1:7, " For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and of a sound mind". Jesus continues to speak with authority against the forces of evil today. I have seen people dominated and harassed by demonic spirits find relief and freedom through the voice of Jesus today. Christ has the authority to rebuke the powers of darkness.
In Him,
Brownhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twuLr5rQmp0
I trust you had a blessed and a very beautiful weekend. The Lord gave us a super, sunny Sunday. It was brilliant. The Lord blessed us during Worship time by His presence. We celebrated the Lord's Supper. The Lord is always there when we come into His presence, before His Table. He is the Host. We are the honored guests.
Jessica went with Tom's parents to Costa Rica for a vacation on January 24. They all returned back to Philadelphia, reaching home at about 1:30 AM. Laureen went down to Washington, DC to visit Sunita and Andy and some her friends there.
She will be returning home later today.
We watched the Super Bowl game in the house with some friends. It was an amazing Game. As you all know by now, the Steelers won. Both teams played their hearts out, but Pittsburgh came away with the win.
The reading for yesterday was taken from Mark 1:21-28. Jesus moved from the shore of the sea of Galilee to a synagogue in the city of Capernaum. Capernaum was about to become Jesus’ base of operations for his ministry throughout Galilee. Archeologists have actually uncovered the site of the synagogue Jesus visited in Capernaum. When you go there today, you can see the remains if the Synagogue still standing. Jesus was on the move, preaching, teaching, and healing. He was in charge and in control. He is the author of everything that is well and Holy.
Jesus went to the Synagogue as His custom was. Jesus set an example for us to be there in the house of the Lord on the Lord's day in worship, celebration, and witness. We live in a tough world, where often we see the effects of the demonic and diabolic influences. We gather in the house of the Lord to declare our dependence on Christ, the Risen One. We submit to His authority. He is supreme and Pre-eminent in everything.
Jesus showed up in the Synagogue and started teaching. The people in this synagogue were amazed at Jesus’ teaching. In fact, the Greek word here for "amazed" is very strong; it means "to be so amazed as to be practically overwhelmed". Often this word has overtones of fear, so they weren't just impressed, they were overwhelmed, even scared by the authority with which Jesus taught. Sociologists distinguish between two different kinds of authority people display in their actions. The first is extrinsic authority, which is authority outside of one’s self. That’s the kind of authority the scribes had. The other kind of authority sociologists talk about is intrinsic authority, authority that comes from within. This is the kind of authority Jesus exhibited when he taught. He didn't quote scripture verses or cite the opinions of previous teachers or rabbis. He simply said, "This is the way it is." To teach in that way was to claim to have a special kind of authority that went far beyond that of a teacher, rabbi or religious leader. It was more like the authority of a prophet or some other special representative of God. This kind of authority was so overwhelming that it frightened the people in this synagogue. Jesus demonstrated his authority in the synagogue. The teachings of Jesus were radical and innovative because he spoke with authority. We know from the other Gospels that sometimes Jesus said, "You've heard that it was said, but I say to you." That kind of formula tells us that Jesus believed Himself to be speaking the very words of God Himself in His teaching. Jesus didn’t simply summarize what others said, but he spoke directly from the heart of God. Furthermore, Jesus’ teachings have carried that same kind of authority down through the ages. While Jesus taught, he was interrupted. In vv. 23-28 we see the irony here. Within a holy place of worship during a holy time of worship, an unholy presence made itself known. A man possessed by an evil spirit disrupted this teachable moment. People today sometimes struggle with the idea of a person being possessed by an evil spirit. We think that maybe this was just the way they referred to mental illness back then. Yet, the Bible clearly teaches the existence of an unseen spiritual realm of both good and evil spirits. These spiritual beings try to influence people, and given the opportunity, they can gain a foothold in people’s lives. In this man’s case, his body had become a host for a demonic spirit. This evil spirit spoke on behalf of all evil spirits when it asked Jesus, "What do you want with us? Have you come to destroy us?" This spirit recognized Jesus for who he was, even if the no one else here recognized him. Yet, Jesus silenced the spirit and commanded it to leave this man alone. With a shriek the spirit came out, and the man was delivered from his bondage to evil. Here again, Jesus spoke with authority. Jesus demonstrated his authority BY REBUKING THE FORCES OF EVIL. God’s rule and reign includes evicting the evil that’s been ruling and reigning in our universe. Here, of course, the irony is that this evil had found a home in a place of worship, this synagogue of Capernaum. Yet, they were helpless to deliver the poor man who was victimized by this evil spirit. It was one of the worst days of Satan, when He came face to face with Jesus. Jesus indeed came to destroy the powers of Satan. He came to demolish the dominance of the devil. When we surrender our lives to Jesus, the Lord, we do not have to fear Satan and his power. We read in 2 Timothy 1:7, " For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and of a sound mind". Jesus continues to speak with authority against the forces of evil today. I have seen people dominated and harassed by demonic spirits find relief and freedom through the voice of Jesus today. Christ has the authority to rebuke the powers of darkness.
In Him,
Brownhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twuLr5rQmp0
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