Good morning,
Praise the Lord for this new day. I have been reading about the life and times of Samson. Sometimes it seems as though we are surrounded by waste. We are tired of hearing about all of the government waste that is out there. Another type of waste that is far too frequent and really hurts to see is the waste of people’s lives. To see people who have the potential to do great things give it all away or lose it for something stupid is a terrible tragedy.
I read the story Len Bias Several years ago. Len Bias graduated from the University of Maryland, where he was a star Basketball player, and he was the first pick of the Boston Celtics. Larry Bird was excited to have Len on his team and said he would take the young star under his wings. Len Bias looked to be a sure super star, but one night shortly after he was drafted by the Celtics Len decided to do a couple lines of cocaine to celebrate... well the party didn’t last long! The drugs led to heart failure and he died that night; what a waste, what a stupid senseless waste!
Len Bias was not the first person to waste his life. We see in the Scriptures many people who could have and should have, become "something", who were given tremendous opportunity but, for whatever reason, blew it. This list includes people like Cain (born to parents who walked with God and lived in the garden), Ham (Noah’s son who became the father of the Canaanites), Nadab and Abihu (Moses’s brother Aaron’s 2 sons who offered strange fire to the Lord and were consumed by God), King Saul (an anointed King of God who killed himself by falling on his own sword), and Judas (a man who spent 3 years with Jesus, who ended up hanging himself). All of these had tremendous opportunities and all of these are vivid examples of wasted potential.
When I was in the Middle School, one of the Local Churches presented the play, "Samson and Delilah". to raise funds to build a new sanctuary. I still remember the people who were the main characters Delilah". I was deeply fascinated by the story of Samson. We read the story of Samson in the Book of Judges chapter 13 ff. In my mind Samson epitomizes a sense of great waste in the Kingdom of God. Samson was not the last person who could have done something for God, but didn’t. If Samson were permitted to look at the lives of some of God’s people today, even his reaction would be, "WHAT A WASTE!"
If Samson and Gideon had gone to the same high school as kids, (let's call it "Jordan River High") the yearbook would have told the story and would have illustrated just how different they were. Samson would have been on nearly every page, strong handsome with his long curly hair. He would have been captain of all the sports teams, president of the student body, king for the homecoming court and he would have been voted most likely to do great and tremendous things. The only place you would have found Gideon would have been on the page with the other graduates, and they would have even spelled his name wrong. You could say that Samson was you "born with a silver spoon in his mouth". Samson had a lot of things going for him, but despite being given such a great start, Samson did not take very long to go astray.
Samson was a Nazirite, he had been set apart by God and for God. Samson did whatever he wanted he lived for himself and for his own pleasures. Samson went from bad to worse as his pride and arrogance grew. We find Samson in these chapters using his strength not for God’s glory but for himself, wanting to show everyone just how great he was.
SAMSON HAD IT ALL BUT BECAUSE HE DID WHAT EVER HE WANTED TO, HE LOST EVERY BIT OF IT AND MORE. He LOST:
HIS STRENGTH
HIS EYES
HIS FREEDOM
HIS LIFE
And there stood the once great, mighty, and feared Samson with eyes missing, feet shackled, back bent over working hour after hour grinding grain like a mule. As Samson felt the whip rip across his back as heard the jeers and the mocking Samson did some serious thinking and reflecting.
There in the prison at Gaza he sorrowfully ground the grain of his enemies. Round and round he pushed the heavy wheel that ground the wheat. This was a mindless job, and he was blind so there was nothing to see. He had only a dirty cell and a lot of time to think—time to think about the good days at home as a child when they would pray at the dinner table—time to think about the foolishness of playing with sin and the consequence it had brought into his life.
In Judges 16:23 a ray of hope broke in, “But the hair on his head began to grow again…” That was symbolic of his repentance. That was indicative of his growing consecration to God. What amazing grace Samson discovered in that prison. He did not deserve a 2nd chance. He already had many chances and still blew it. But, in spite of his sin and failure, God was with him in that prison—not initially to empower him as before, but to lead him to repentance. The chastening was painful but also effectual. Samson got right with God!
As the Philistines led him into their pagan temple they did not realize the work of God that has gone on in this man’s life. They did not know a God of such grace. There ,with a broken and contrite spirit, Samson called out to the Lord for one final burst of anointing before his death. Empowered by the Spirit, he brought down the temple walls—and against all odds he completed his mission. He began the deliverance of Israel from the Philistines, which was later completed by Samuel and David.
It is amazing that Samson is listed in Hebrews 11:32 as a hero of faith. Was he a saint or a sinner? He was both, but by the grace of God he finished his course. I am certain he could have avoided a lot of pain and humiliation had he walked in obedience and never taken that trip down to Gaza in Judges 16:1. For twenty years God had blessed him. He could have enjoyed his latter days as ruler of Israel and fulfilled his destiny without that prison experience. But, oh, the riches of the mercy and goodness of God, that even there in the prison of Gaza God did not abandon him. He continued to work in his heart, and fulfilled His purposes in his life.
In His Amazing Grace,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyFxArMeRDI
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Monday, May 10, 2010
Brown's Daily Word 5-10-10
Good morning,
Praise the Lord for the gift of family, the gift of moms, the gift of the church and above all for Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord. He is the reason for our gathering , for our serving, for our celebrations, and for our worship. The Lord blessed us with an abundant weekend. We gathered for our banquet in celebration of Christian home. Krista and Cameron, culinary students from Johnson and Wales University, Rhode Island, prepared a sumptuous meal with much love. Our youth waited tables for the event and the Valley Four, a men's quartet, blessed with beautiful music.
We gathered for worship yesterday. Each woman and daughter was given a book by Ashley Smith "An Unlikely Angel". My wife, Alice, and our friend, Seanne McPherson, brought the message during the morning worship services. Two moms spoke on Mother's Day and it was a great blessing. Proverbs 31:10-31 (KJV), was part of the reading for yesterday. This passage is an acrostic poem; that is to say, each of the twenty-two (22) verses begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet! The opening words of our Scripture text, "Who can find a virtuous woman?" indicates to us that this Word from the Lord is telling us what Almighty God views as the "ideal" woman - the epitome (so-to-speak) of womanhood! The words "virtuous woman" speak to us of excellence, moral worth, ability, and nobility, not just marital fidelity! Such a woman, is the role model of "Wisdom in Action"! This passage of Scripture emphasizes both the hard work and the skill that a woman enjoys doing - bringing fulfillment to her life as she goes about employed in her many varied tasks!
The words "she riseth also while it is night" describes her concern for others! She gives of herself to care for her family! "She considers a field" says that she buys and sells and builds her own resources, remarkable words to describe a woman of the day, considering that many restrictions were placed on women in the ancient world ! The virtuous woman works not to get rich, but to give "to the poor" and help "the needy."
The virtuous woman is enabled to be concerned for others because she has provided for her family! The virtuous woman is a Godly woman and our Scripture text paints her portrait as a woman shaded in strength, colored with intelligence, high-lighted in competence, radiating business acumen and industriousness, glowing with glory and beauty! The virtuous woman is an example, I believe, of what Almighty God intended when he created "Eve" to walk alongside and with the first Adam!
The virtuous woman, the Godly woman, is clearly a partner and a companion to her husband, not his inferior, not at his "beck and call"! This description that Almighty God gives to us of a virtuous woman is designed to show us what kind of wives the women should become and what kind of wives the men should choose!
An abbreviated version of our Scripture text, for today, can be found in 1 Timothy 2:9-10 (KJV) and 1 Peter 3:1-6 (KJV), both of which agree with Proverbs 31:10-31 (KJV). The virtuous woman is a woman of strength, and though she is the weaker vessel, yet she is made strong by wisdom and grace, and the fear of Almighty God. The Apostle Paul, in his second letter to the young preacher, Timothy, (2 Timothy 1:5 KJV), told him, "When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother, Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also." A devout Jewish woman, Lois instructed both her daughter, Eunice, and her grandson, Timothy, in the Scriptures! Eunice, also a devout Jewish woman, with a Gentile husband, assisted her mother, Lois, in the spiritual instruction afforded to her son, Timothy!
In the words of Marianne Williamson, "There is nothing Madison Avenue can give us that will make us more beautiful women. We are beautiful because God created us that way."
Abraham Lincoln (1809 - 1865) said, "No man is poor who has a Godly Mother."
"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Philippians 4:8 (KJV)
In Christ our Lord,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYukEAmoMCQ
Praise the Lord for the gift of family, the gift of moms, the gift of the church and above all for Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord. He is the reason for our gathering , for our serving, for our celebrations, and for our worship. The Lord blessed us with an abundant weekend. We gathered for our banquet in celebration of Christian home. Krista and Cameron, culinary students from Johnson and Wales University, Rhode Island, prepared a sumptuous meal with much love. Our youth waited tables for the event and the Valley Four, a men's quartet, blessed with beautiful music.
We gathered for worship yesterday. Each woman and daughter was given a book by Ashley Smith "An Unlikely Angel". My wife, Alice, and our friend, Seanne McPherson, brought the message during the morning worship services. Two moms spoke on Mother's Day and it was a great blessing. Proverbs 31:10-31 (KJV), was part of the reading for yesterday. This passage is an acrostic poem; that is to say, each of the twenty-two (22) verses begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet! The opening words of our Scripture text, "Who can find a virtuous woman?" indicates to us that this Word from the Lord is telling us what Almighty God views as the "ideal" woman - the epitome (so-to-speak) of womanhood! The words "virtuous woman" speak to us of excellence, moral worth, ability, and nobility, not just marital fidelity! Such a woman, is the role model of "Wisdom in Action"! This passage of Scripture emphasizes both the hard work and the skill that a woman enjoys doing - bringing fulfillment to her life as she goes about employed in her many varied tasks!
The words "she riseth also while it is night" describes her concern for others! She gives of herself to care for her family! "She considers a field" says that she buys and sells and builds her own resources, remarkable words to describe a woman of the day, considering that many restrictions were placed on women in the ancient world ! The virtuous woman works not to get rich, but to give "to the poor" and help "the needy."
The virtuous woman is enabled to be concerned for others because she has provided for her family! The virtuous woman is a Godly woman and our Scripture text paints her portrait as a woman shaded in strength, colored with intelligence, high-lighted in competence, radiating business acumen and industriousness, glowing with glory and beauty! The virtuous woman is an example, I believe, of what Almighty God intended when he created "Eve" to walk alongside and with the first Adam!
The virtuous woman, the Godly woman, is clearly a partner and a companion to her husband, not his inferior, not at his "beck and call"! This description that Almighty God gives to us of a virtuous woman is designed to show us what kind of wives the women should become and what kind of wives the men should choose!
An abbreviated version of our Scripture text, for today, can be found in 1 Timothy 2:9-10 (KJV) and 1 Peter 3:1-6 (KJV), both of which agree with Proverbs 31:10-31 (KJV). The virtuous woman is a woman of strength, and though she is the weaker vessel, yet she is made strong by wisdom and grace, and the fear of Almighty God. The Apostle Paul, in his second letter to the young preacher, Timothy, (2 Timothy 1:5 KJV), told him, "When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother, Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also." A devout Jewish woman, Lois instructed both her daughter, Eunice, and her grandson, Timothy, in the Scriptures! Eunice, also a devout Jewish woman, with a Gentile husband, assisted her mother, Lois, in the spiritual instruction afforded to her son, Timothy!
In the words of Marianne Williamson, "There is nothing Madison Avenue can give us that will make us more beautiful women. We are beautiful because God created us that way."
Abraham Lincoln (1809 - 1865) said, "No man is poor who has a Godly Mother."
"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Philippians 4:8 (KJV)
In Christ our Lord,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYukEAmoMCQ
Friday, May 7, 2010
Brown's Daily Word 5-7-10
Praise the Lord for this new day. Praise the Lord for the garb of Spring, truly a wonderful gift from the Lord. The Lilacs are blooming, the Honeysuckles are in full bloom. The trees are green. Our Lord makes His creation beautiful. He is more than Wonderful.
Those who live in the area join this evening for our Television outreach at 7 PM on Time Warner Channel 4. We will gather tomorrow for the banquet and concert tomorrow, beginning at 6 PM. Sunday is Mother's Day. Praise the Lord for the gift of moms, and for the gift of home.
I am reading from the book of Judges this morning. In chapters 6 and 7 we find the familiar story of Gideon, whom God called “a mighty man of valor”. His story is almost unbelievable simply because Gideon was not a warrior or a great military commander. He was simply a farmer who was hiding his wheat crop from the Midianites who had conquered Israel. He was hiding behind a winepress while threshing his wheat when the angel of the Lord came to him.
When the Lord called Gideon, he was not prepared to take the reigns of authority, commanding an army. He was leading a simple life, existing from day to day as God provided him the means to do so. He just went about his daily routine, plowing, planting, and harvesting. He never once thought of becoming a deliverer of his people.
In his own eyes Gideon was less than nothing. He had no power within himself, no knowledge of warfare and tactics, no education in the use of weaponry, and no ability to lead men into battle. In other words, he was just a common citizen trying to make it the best way he knew how. But God saw something in this man Gideon that no one else could see!
God saw that Gideon was nothing in his own eyes, as well as in the eyes of other men. Gideon was the least likely of all his brethren. Even he said that he was the least among his tribe, the Tribe of Manasseh, and that his family was poor even among that small, poor tribe.
I am reminded of the words of Paul to the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians 1:26-29, "For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence."
God’s view of who is useful to his Kingdom is so very different from our own! We may look for those who have talent or those who are influential. We may look for those who are great orators or those of high education. We look for those whom everyone would call, “beautiful people”, because we think that somehow the fleshly appearance and ability will draw crowds or bring down the Spirit of God in some special way. God doesn’t look for what we look for in those that he will use. God looks for a willing vessel but, more than that, God looks for that willing vessel that is broken and powerless without him.
I like what Tommy Tenney says in his book God’s Eye View, “Less is Better and Nothing is Best.” What he is saying is that God will only use those vessels that are powerless to take any credit for what God wants to do through their lives. God will wait and allow us to drain all of our resources, use up all of our abilities, exhaust our strength, and come to the end of our rope. Then, when we have done all we can do to no avail, and we bow our heads in complete surrender to Him, God will take over to move on our behalf to accomplish his will.
Our Risen Lord chooses to use these earthen vessels which we know as bodies of flesh. It is an imperfect, weak, corrupted body that is destined to return to the earth, and yet God will use this flesh to do his will. He has placed His spirit within our hearts, and we are held captive inside an imperfect clay vessel: a perfect Lord living inside an imperfect clay vessel.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 says, "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds): Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;" The weapons of our warfare are God’s weapons, spiritual in nature, and against them Hell has no defense.
Isaiah 54:17, "No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD."
2 Corinthians 4:7, "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us."
Jeremiah 20:11, "But the LORD is with me as a mighty terrible one: therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and they shall not prevail: they shall be greatly ashamed; for they shall not prosper: their everlasting confusion shall never be forgotten."
God delights in delivering his children. He is our strong and mighty tower. He is our fortress and our refuge. The battle is His, not ours! WE ARE ON THE WINNING SIDE!
In His Victory,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZWhGmQL-Ec
Those who live in the area join this evening for our Television outreach at 7 PM on Time Warner Channel 4. We will gather tomorrow for the banquet and concert tomorrow, beginning at 6 PM. Sunday is Mother's Day. Praise the Lord for the gift of moms, and for the gift of home.
I am reading from the book of Judges this morning. In chapters 6 and 7 we find the familiar story of Gideon, whom God called “a mighty man of valor”. His story is almost unbelievable simply because Gideon was not a warrior or a great military commander. He was simply a farmer who was hiding his wheat crop from the Midianites who had conquered Israel. He was hiding behind a winepress while threshing his wheat when the angel of the Lord came to him.
When the Lord called Gideon, he was not prepared to take the reigns of authority, commanding an army. He was leading a simple life, existing from day to day as God provided him the means to do so. He just went about his daily routine, plowing, planting, and harvesting. He never once thought of becoming a deliverer of his people.
In his own eyes Gideon was less than nothing. He had no power within himself, no knowledge of warfare and tactics, no education in the use of weaponry, and no ability to lead men into battle. In other words, he was just a common citizen trying to make it the best way he knew how. But God saw something in this man Gideon that no one else could see!
God saw that Gideon was nothing in his own eyes, as well as in the eyes of other men. Gideon was the least likely of all his brethren. Even he said that he was the least among his tribe, the Tribe of Manasseh, and that his family was poor even among that small, poor tribe.
I am reminded of the words of Paul to the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians 1:26-29, "For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence."
God’s view of who is useful to his Kingdom is so very different from our own! We may look for those who have talent or those who are influential. We may look for those who are great orators or those of high education. We look for those whom everyone would call, “beautiful people”, because we think that somehow the fleshly appearance and ability will draw crowds or bring down the Spirit of God in some special way. God doesn’t look for what we look for in those that he will use. God looks for a willing vessel but, more than that, God looks for that willing vessel that is broken and powerless without him.
I like what Tommy Tenney says in his book God’s Eye View, “Less is Better and Nothing is Best.” What he is saying is that God will only use those vessels that are powerless to take any credit for what God wants to do through their lives. God will wait and allow us to drain all of our resources, use up all of our abilities, exhaust our strength, and come to the end of our rope. Then, when we have done all we can do to no avail, and we bow our heads in complete surrender to Him, God will take over to move on our behalf to accomplish his will.
Our Risen Lord chooses to use these earthen vessels which we know as bodies of flesh. It is an imperfect, weak, corrupted body that is destined to return to the earth, and yet God will use this flesh to do his will. He has placed His spirit within our hearts, and we are held captive inside an imperfect clay vessel: a perfect Lord living inside an imperfect clay vessel.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 says, "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds): Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;" The weapons of our warfare are God’s weapons, spiritual in nature, and against them Hell has no defense.
Isaiah 54:17, "No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD."
2 Corinthians 4:7, "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us."
Jeremiah 20:11, "But the LORD is with me as a mighty terrible one: therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and they shall not prevail: they shall be greatly ashamed; for they shall not prosper: their everlasting confusion shall never be forgotten."
God delights in delivering his children. He is our strong and mighty tower. He is our fortress and our refuge. The battle is His, not ours! WE ARE ON THE WINNING SIDE!
In His Victory,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZWhGmQL-Ec
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
