Praise the Lord. He is good and faithful. His mercy endures for ever. His love never fails. Praise the Lord for the great hymns and songs of the church. Our grand daughter has memorized some hymns, and one of the hymns she sings with her parents at bed time is, "Come Thou Fount of every blessing, Tune my heart to sing Thy Praise". There is one stanza that begins with these words “Here I raise mine Ebenezer; hither by thy help I’m come,”.
The word " Ebenezer" taken is from a story in the Old Testament. The Philistines, Israel’s enemies, had gathered against the Israelites to engage them in battle. Samuel, the priest, was offering a sacrifice as the Philistines approached, and the Lord thundered from heaven, throwing the Philistines into confusion and panic. They fled from the battlefield, and Samuel took a large rock and set it up as a reminder. He called the stone Ebenezer, which means “stone of help,” and said, “Thus far has the Lord helped us” (1 Samuel 7:12). Every time an Israelite saw that stone they were reminded of what God had done for them in the past and gained hope for the future.
May be we need to set up an Ebenezer, a “stone of help” — a writing, a plaque, a picture, a marking, an object, a trip, a celebration. Let us Think of some creative way that we can mark a significant event in our lives, where we can say, “Thus far has the Lord helped us", and we know he will take us the rest of the way. Let it be a permanent testimony to those who come after us.
Hudson Taylor was a missionary and founder of China Inland Mission. In his home he kept a plaque with these Hebrew Words on it: EBENEZER, meaning “Stone of help,” and JEHOVAH JIREH: “The Lord is my Provider.” One looked back at what God had done and how he had helped in the past, and the other looked forward to how he believed God would provide in the future. One reminded him of God’s help and faithfulness, and the other helped him to focus on God’s provision and assurance of help in the days to come.
Let’s raise an Ebenezer to God’s faithfulness in the past, and let’s believe that God is Jehovah Jireh, our Provider.
In Christ,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V84STSWVp3g
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Brown's Daily Word 10-14-09
Good morning,
It is Wednesday - WOW! If you can join us at the church for a meal at 6:00 this evening, followed by Bible study. (It's a double feast.)
During the Korean War, a group of US soldiers got cut off from the rest of its regiment by an enemy advance. Headquarters repeatedly tried to communicate with this missing unit. They kept saying “Baker Company, do you read me? Baker Company, do you read me?”
Finally after 2 hours, a voice replied “This is Baker Company.”
Headquarters said “What is your situation?”
They said “The enemy is to the east of us, the enemy is to the west of us, the enemy is to the north of us, the enemy is to the south of us. And we’re not going to let them escape this time!”
Those men were bold! They were not worried about the opposition! They were confident about their mission even though they were surrounded by the enemy. Can the same thing be said about us? Are we confident enough to talk to our friends about how Jesus has changed our lives? Acts 28:31 says that the apostle Paul "boldly and without hindrance preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ" and God expects the same thing to be true of us.
Paul wrote his second letter to Timothy in 66 AD, near the end of his life. He was in prison and he was lonely. He wanted to send Timothy one more letter before he died. In verses three through five, Paul wrote, “I remember you in my prayers. I remember the tears you shed the last time we saw each other. I look forward to the day when we can be together again!
“But most of all, I am reminded of your sincere faith. I remember when you first joined my ministry team. I was so proud of you. I even told the Philippians (in Philippians 2:22) that I have no one else like you! I told them that they should be happy to have a minister like you! I told them that having you around was just as good as having around one of the apostles!”
Then, in verse six, Paul continued, “For this reason, I want you to keep on serving the Lord! Fan into flame the gift of God which was given you through the laying on of my hands.” The expression “fan into flame” literally means “to rekindle a fire that’s in danger of going out.” Paul was saying, “You have a gift for ministry. But you need to get the fire going again! You have to start using it! You have to fan into flame the gift for ministry that God has given you!”
Some of you have the gift of encouraging people. People need to be encouraged! It brings glory to the Lord and it promotes the gospel of Christ. 1 Peter 4:10 says “Use WHATEVER gift you have been given to serve others.”
Timothy’s gift for ministry was preaching and teaching, and in verse 7, Paul said, “Don’t be afraid to use it! God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” The Bible seems to suggest that even though Timothy was a faithful Christian, he may also have been a timid Christian. In 1 Corinthians 16:10, Paul told the Corinthians, “If Timothy comes, see to it that he has nothing to fear while he is with you, for he is carrying on the work of the Lord, just as I am.”
In 1 Timothy 4:12, Paul wrote to Timothy, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, life, love, faith and purity.”
Paul's words remind us that God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but a Spirit of power, love, and self-control! The Holy Spirit gives us the boldness, the strength, and the compassion to do whatever we are called to do to help propagate the gospel of Jesus Christ! God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but a Spirit of power, love, and self-control!
Proverbs 28:1 says that “the wicked man flees, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.” May we bold, brave, courageous and confident to day because the Lord leads us in triumph.
Praise be to Him,
Brown
The following is one of the worship songs the" Continentals" sang during their recent concert.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-08YZF87OBQ
It is Wednesday - WOW! If you can join us at the church for a meal at 6:00 this evening, followed by Bible study. (It's a double feast.)
During the Korean War, a group of US soldiers got cut off from the rest of its regiment by an enemy advance. Headquarters repeatedly tried to communicate with this missing unit. They kept saying “Baker Company, do you read me? Baker Company, do you read me?”
Finally after 2 hours, a voice replied “This is Baker Company.”
Headquarters said “What is your situation?”
They said “The enemy is to the east of us, the enemy is to the west of us, the enemy is to the north of us, the enemy is to the south of us. And we’re not going to let them escape this time!”
Those men were bold! They were not worried about the opposition! They were confident about their mission even though they were surrounded by the enemy. Can the same thing be said about us? Are we confident enough to talk to our friends about how Jesus has changed our lives? Acts 28:31 says that the apostle Paul "boldly and without hindrance preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ" and God expects the same thing to be true of us.
Paul wrote his second letter to Timothy in 66 AD, near the end of his life. He was in prison and he was lonely. He wanted to send Timothy one more letter before he died. In verses three through five, Paul wrote, “I remember you in my prayers. I remember the tears you shed the last time we saw each other. I look forward to the day when we can be together again!
“But most of all, I am reminded of your sincere faith. I remember when you first joined my ministry team. I was so proud of you. I even told the Philippians (in Philippians 2:22) that I have no one else like you! I told them that they should be happy to have a minister like you! I told them that having you around was just as good as having around one of the apostles!”
Then, in verse six, Paul continued, “For this reason, I want you to keep on serving the Lord! Fan into flame the gift of God which was given you through the laying on of my hands.” The expression “fan into flame” literally means “to rekindle a fire that’s in danger of going out.” Paul was saying, “You have a gift for ministry. But you need to get the fire going again! You have to start using it! You have to fan into flame the gift for ministry that God has given you!”
Some of you have the gift of encouraging people. People need to be encouraged! It brings glory to the Lord and it promotes the gospel of Christ. 1 Peter 4:10 says “Use WHATEVER gift you have been given to serve others.”
Timothy’s gift for ministry was preaching and teaching, and in verse 7, Paul said, “Don’t be afraid to use it! God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” The Bible seems to suggest that even though Timothy was a faithful Christian, he may also have been a timid Christian. In 1 Corinthians 16:10, Paul told the Corinthians, “If Timothy comes, see to it that he has nothing to fear while he is with you, for he is carrying on the work of the Lord, just as I am.”
In 1 Timothy 4:12, Paul wrote to Timothy, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, life, love, faith and purity.”
Paul's words remind us that God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but a Spirit of power, love, and self-control! The Holy Spirit gives us the boldness, the strength, and the compassion to do whatever we are called to do to help propagate the gospel of Jesus Christ! God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but a Spirit of power, love, and self-control!
Proverbs 28:1 says that “the wicked man flees, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.” May we bold, brave, courageous and confident to day because the Lord leads us in triumph.
Praise be to Him,
Brown
The following is one of the worship songs the" Continentals" sang during their recent concert.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-08YZF87OBQ
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Brown's Daily Word 10-13-09
Good morning,
Praise the Lord for this new day, a gift from the Lord. It was Augustine who said, "Oh Lord, thou hast made us for thyself, and our hearts are restless until they find rest in thee. Praise the Lord for the way Jesus offers His rest to us. He said, "Come unto me all ye who labor, and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light." In Hebrews 4:11, we are admonished to enter into the rest that the Lord gives us. Often we forfeit rest and blessings due to our rebellion and unbelief.
We had a wonderful evening yesterday with the Continentals Worship Band. The Lord anointed the presentation of music and the Word, and the proclamation of the Gospel. The Lord greatly moved among the people who attended. There were many who went forward to lay their burdens at the feet of Jesus. Each of the songs, which speak of the hope that we have in Jesus, was anointed and powerful. Those of you who were able to come, thank you for joining us in an anointed time of worship and praise.
Thank you, Dan and Lisa, Aric, Rich, Al and Hannah, and Alice for opening your hearts and your homes to members of the team for the night. Thank you also to those who cooked for the group, especially Santosh, who made authentic Indian cuisine. Thanks also to those who have supported Laureen financially, and especially those who have committed themselves to supporting her in prayer. Every time, every place, that Laureen and the team present the Gospel in song and in word, you are there. Please continue to pray for them as they travel in the States and Canada, and eventually to Thailand. We serve an awesome God, who is full of majesty and wonder. Every time we come in a close encounter before Him we are changed, and we are grateful.
It has been well said that "gratitude is a natural outworking of wonder, and wonder is cognizant of God Himself. Where there is not wonder there is no gratitude. Self-aggrandizement breeds a sense of entitlement. Entitlements unfulfilled give birth to catastrophic means of procurement..."
H. L. Mencken said, "The problem with life is not that it's a tragedy, but that it's a bore." - Without Christ life is boring and meaningless, but with Christ it is rich and fulfilling. Without Christ, life is a great enigma, but with Him it is a great affirmation - a great AMEN!
I am including one of the songs that the Continentals sang yesterday, "The God of the City". I trust that you'll be blessed.
In Jesus our Saviour,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d61LamkXfwk
Praise the Lord for this new day, a gift from the Lord. It was Augustine who said, "Oh Lord, thou hast made us for thyself, and our hearts are restless until they find rest in thee. Praise the Lord for the way Jesus offers His rest to us. He said, "Come unto me all ye who labor, and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light." In Hebrews 4:11, we are admonished to enter into the rest that the Lord gives us. Often we forfeit rest and blessings due to our rebellion and unbelief.
We had a wonderful evening yesterday with the Continentals Worship Band. The Lord anointed the presentation of music and the Word, and the proclamation of the Gospel. The Lord greatly moved among the people who attended. There were many who went forward to lay their burdens at the feet of Jesus. Each of the songs, which speak of the hope that we have in Jesus, was anointed and powerful. Those of you who were able to come, thank you for joining us in an anointed time of worship and praise.
Thank you, Dan and Lisa, Aric, Rich, Al and Hannah, and Alice for opening your hearts and your homes to members of the team for the night. Thank you also to those who cooked for the group, especially Santosh, who made authentic Indian cuisine. Thanks also to those who have supported Laureen financially, and especially those who have committed themselves to supporting her in prayer. Every time, every place, that Laureen and the team present the Gospel in song and in word, you are there. Please continue to pray for them as they travel in the States and Canada, and eventually to Thailand. We serve an awesome God, who is full of majesty and wonder. Every time we come in a close encounter before Him we are changed, and we are grateful.
It has been well said that "gratitude is a natural outworking of wonder, and wonder is cognizant of God Himself. Where there is not wonder there is no gratitude. Self-aggrandizement breeds a sense of entitlement. Entitlements unfulfilled give birth to catastrophic means of procurement..."
H. L. Mencken said, "The problem with life is not that it's a tragedy, but that it's a bore." - Without Christ life is boring and meaningless, but with Christ it is rich and fulfilling. Without Christ, life is a great enigma, but with Him it is a great affirmation - a great AMEN!
I am including one of the songs that the Continentals sang yesterday, "The God of the City". I trust that you'll be blessed.
In Jesus our Saviour,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d61LamkXfwk
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