Praise the Lord for this new day. It was a great treat to have Sunita and Andy along with their dear friends Rob, Jenn, and Meredith from Washington, and Melanie from Baltimore, joining us for the prayer conference. We had a house full and soul full experience. Sunita is flying to Israel this evening for a conference. Many of her colleagues from all over the world will be coming to Bethlehem for a week of retreat and conference. Our friend Jerry has gone to Haiti on a mission trip. We praise the Lord that the world is our parish.
We will gather for mid-week fellowship and study this evening at 6 PM. Praise the Lord for the way He is our winsome Shepherd who feeds us, guides us, leads and restores us. We are involved in the feeding ministry, which has been a blessing. The ministry teams that are involved in this ministry are excited about serving. They share the stories of abundance and grace. They tell the stories of small miracles that our Lord performs every time they meet with the people.
The miraculous story of feeding the Five Thousand men alone is recorded in all four Gospels. We remember the story of Moses feeding the people in the wilderness, and we understand that Jesus is identifying himself with the lawgiver Moses. We also remember the story of the prophet Elisha feeding a hundred men with only twenty loaves of barley bread. The Bible says that Elisha’s servant did not believe it was possible, but Elisha said, “Give it to the people to eat. For this is what the Lord says: ‘They will eat and have some left over.’ Then he set it before them, and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the Lord” (2 Kings 4:43-44). So it was that Jesus was also identifying with the law and the prophets of the Old Testament, but he far surpasses them. Recall that the manna that Moses fed the people in the wilderness with was not to be stored or saved. If they attempted to keep it, it would rot. But Jesus told them to save the leftovers. He provided an abundance, giving not merely as much as they could eat, but far more. Jesus was telling us that the God we serve is a God of abundance.
During our prayer conference weekend we experienced the super abundance of our Lord afresh and anew. There is not just enough to meet our needs, there is more than enough. While we worry about how enormous our need is, God is telling us to sit and wait on his abundance. As the Psalmist said, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:5-6). Now that’s abundance.
During our time with our friend Kelly Johnson from Memphis, Tennessee I was reminded vividly that without Jesus we have nothing to give people. We have nothing to say, nothing to give, nothing to offer. What we do have is something to offer to Jesus. We take the little bit that we have, that we had been saving for ourselves, and give it to him — all of it. He takes our pitiful little offering and turns it into something that can not only satisfy the needs of other people, but an abundance beyond that. A little in my hands becomes a lot in Jesus’ hands.
Jesus said, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty” (John 6:35). Jesus can make bread because he is the Bread of Life. At the last supper, the Bible says, “While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, ‘Take it; this is my body.’” (Mark 14:22). It is in this setting that Jesus not only broke the bread, but transformed it. The real miracle is that Jesus not only meets our felt needs, the needs of the body, but he meets our real needs, the need of our soul. He gives us living bread. He gives himself. It's too bad that we are hungry for so much other than God.
Recently Texas governor Rick Perry asked people to pray for rain. He said, “I urge Texans of all faiths and traditions to offer prayers on that day for the healing of our land, the rebuilding of our communities and the restoration of our normal way of life.” But there has been an outcry against any call to prayer. Arizona Governor Jan Brewer is also being targeted for her Day of Prayer proclamations. A news agency reports, “The Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation, which has made elimination of the Day of Prayer a central cause of its existence, filed a lawsuit last month to prevent Brewer from declaring May 5 this year’s ‘Day of Prayer’ in Arizona.”
How little we understand our real needs. How little we want to understand our total dependence on God. He is our Creator. He is the source of all things. He is the One on whom we are dependent for all things in this life. We cannot find life anywhere else. However, this is the very thing that people today do not want to acknowledge. In our nation many do not even want to acknowledge that we are dependent on him for rain or food. (We can do all this ourselves — thank you very much.) We do not even want to acknowledge that he exists,making it illegal to pray.
This all leaves us with a need to acknowledge our dependence on God. It leaves us with a need to realize what our real need is: to know God and accept his gift of the Bread of Life. It means that we must stop looking in all the wrong places for the things that (we think) we need. We are to stop looking in all the wrong places for what we think will ultimately fulfill us. It means that we find rest, true rest, in the God who can meet all of our true needs. We turn from fear and turn to faith. Jesus said, “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:25-34).
In Christ,
Brown
http://youtu.be/6RGcb7alSk0
Saturday , October 22.2011
Praise and worship service:
First United Methodist Church , Endicott
Sponsored by Union Center UMC
6PM Gathering- Coffeee- Fellowship
6.30PM Worship
Music: Jane Hettinger
Speaker: Dave Hettinger
UPCOMING EVENTS:
OCT. 22 Serving at 12.noon. A Fish Dinner with home made pies at Wesley United Methodist Church, 1000 Day Hollow Road. Endicott.
Chef: Lawrence McMillan . Donation: $7.00 All the proceeds will be used for the feeding ministry in Endicott.
All are invited. Come, Share and REJOICEFor info: call 607-748-1358, 607-748-6329
OCT. 29, 6:30 PM at First United Methodist Church, Endicott, Special evening of musical praise and worship. Various Christian musicians will be participating in this special evening as they offer their gifts and talents to the Lord. A love offering will be received that will benefit needy families in
the community. Some of the musicians are Aric Phinney, Grant DeGaramo, Vin Rosenbarker, Dianne Glann, Laureen Naik, Yancey Moore, Praise Band from Hawleyton UMC and others.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Brown's Daily Word 10-18-11
Good morning,
Thanks be to Jesus our Lord for this new day. The Lord blessed us during our prayer conference weekend. Our daughter Laureen was part of the worship team, leading during all the sessions, providing worship music. It was a great blessing. Kelly Johnson used the Book of Colossians as the text for the weekend.
The reality is that the Church exists only in Christ. We cannot separate being in Christ and His Church. The existence and mission of the Church is subsumed in Christ. To be in Christ is to be in His Church and to be a Church is to be in Christ. I love the Church. I believe it offers hope for the world. It is the only place for find spiritual healing, where we find acceptance and discover hope for our lives. In Colossians Paul expresses his personal passion, love, and work in Christ’s Church. In so doing he describes what it means for the Church to be in Christ and how the Church expresses Christ. Paul is so moved by his love for people that he is willing to labor, struggle and even suffer so that people can come to know Christ and learn how to follow Him. His love moves him to action, and he is willing to pay the price for that action.
Making a difference in a person’s life is seldom easy. Making a difference in our world is not easy either. Making a difference is determined by our love and labor, our compassion, and our willingness to work on someone else’s behalf. It is both love and labor. Making a difference can be costly.
We live in a world where injustice still exists. Dictators still abuse people. Women and children are still used as slaves. All around us we can see suffering, sorrow and sadness. Paul said that the sacrifice’s he made for others was actually a source of great joy. In order to sacrifice for another we must be willing to humble ourselves and willingly become servants. We must be willing to take the same attitude that Jesus Himself demonstrated. When I set my selfishness aside I can see the needs of others. When I can set my ego aside I can serve them. When I set my own things aside I can sacrifice for them. In so doing I become more like Christ. Christ was joyful when He sacrificed for others, so I will have joy as well. This type of life is possible only when our labor and struggle is in His power. This is not something we can achieve simply by trying harder. It is, in fact, completely beyond our ability and will to do. We labor in His power and it is His energy that invigorates us. To impact the lives of others will demand labor, struggle, and even sacrifice but it must be labor in Christ’s power, not our own.
I love John Bunyan’s famous book, "The Pilgrim’s Progress". The story tells of Everyman, who becomes Christian and journeys toward heaven. Along the way he meets people who help him on his journey and people who hinder his journey. He meets people like Mr. Worldly Wiseman who seeks to persuade Christian to choose a path that offers more pleasure. He also encounters Talkative, who, as his name implies, is all talk and no action. He also meets Atheist, who, along the journey, mocks Christian and his beliefs. We too have people who are seeking to deface what God is doing in our lives.
On the other hand, there is also Hopeful who travels with Christian for most of his journey. The two become great friends as they live the journey together. When Christian has lost faith and is contemplating suicide in the house of Giant Despair it is Hopeful who admonishes and speaks truth to Christian. “With these words, Hopeful, at present did moderate the mind of his brother.” Near the end of the journey the two men attempt to cross a river to make it to the Celestial City. As they step into the river Christian begins to sink and his fears begin to conquer him. In the midst the voice of Hopeful rings clearly, “Be of good cheer, my brother, I feel the bottom, and it is good.”
In Jesus the Solid Rock,
Brown
http://youtu.be/nqyy5zie_g4
Saturday , October 22.2011
Praise and worship service:
First United Methodist Church , Endicott
Sponsored by Union Center UMC
6PM Gathering- Coffeee- Fellowship
6.30PM Worship
Music: Jane Hettinger
Speaker: Dave Hettinger
UPCOMING EVENTS:
OCT. 22 Serving at 12.noon. A Fish Dinner with home made pies at Wesley United Methodist Church, 1000 Day Hollow Road. Endicott.
Chef: Lawrence McMillan . Donation: $7.00 All the proceeds will be used for the feeding ministry in Endicott.
All are invited. Come, Share and Rejoice. For info: call 607-748-1358, 607-748-6329
OCT. 29, 6:30 PM at First United Methodist Church, Endicott, Special evening of musical praise and worship. Various Christian musicians will be participating in this special evening as they offer their gifts and talents to the Lord. A love offering will be received that will benefit needy families in
the community. Some of the musicians are Aric Phinney, Grant DeGaramo, Vin Rosenbarker, Dianne Glann, Laureen Naik, Yancey Moore, others.
Thanks be to Jesus our Lord for this new day. The Lord blessed us during our prayer conference weekend. Our daughter Laureen was part of the worship team, leading during all the sessions, providing worship music. It was a great blessing. Kelly Johnson used the Book of Colossians as the text for the weekend.
The reality is that the Church exists only in Christ. We cannot separate being in Christ and His Church. The existence and mission of the Church is subsumed in Christ. To be in Christ is to be in His Church and to be a Church is to be in Christ. I love the Church. I believe it offers hope for the world. It is the only place for find spiritual healing, where we find acceptance and discover hope for our lives. In Colossians Paul expresses his personal passion, love, and work in Christ’s Church. In so doing he describes what it means for the Church to be in Christ and how the Church expresses Christ. Paul is so moved by his love for people that he is willing to labor, struggle and even suffer so that people can come to know Christ and learn how to follow Him. His love moves him to action, and he is willing to pay the price for that action.
Making a difference in a person’s life is seldom easy. Making a difference in our world is not easy either. Making a difference is determined by our love and labor, our compassion, and our willingness to work on someone else’s behalf. It is both love and labor. Making a difference can be costly.
We live in a world where injustice still exists. Dictators still abuse people. Women and children are still used as slaves. All around us we can see suffering, sorrow and sadness. Paul said that the sacrifice’s he made for others was actually a source of great joy. In order to sacrifice for another we must be willing to humble ourselves and willingly become servants. We must be willing to take the same attitude that Jesus Himself demonstrated. When I set my selfishness aside I can see the needs of others. When I can set my ego aside I can serve them. When I set my own things aside I can sacrifice for them. In so doing I become more like Christ. Christ was joyful when He sacrificed for others, so I will have joy as well. This type of life is possible only when our labor and struggle is in His power. This is not something we can achieve simply by trying harder. It is, in fact, completely beyond our ability and will to do. We labor in His power and it is His energy that invigorates us. To impact the lives of others will demand labor, struggle, and even sacrifice but it must be labor in Christ’s power, not our own.
I love John Bunyan’s famous book, "The Pilgrim’s Progress". The story tells of Everyman, who becomes Christian and journeys toward heaven. Along the way he meets people who help him on his journey and people who hinder his journey. He meets people like Mr. Worldly Wiseman who seeks to persuade Christian to choose a path that offers more pleasure. He also encounters Talkative, who, as his name implies, is all talk and no action. He also meets Atheist, who, along the journey, mocks Christian and his beliefs. We too have people who are seeking to deface what God is doing in our lives.
On the other hand, there is also Hopeful who travels with Christian for most of his journey. The two become great friends as they live the journey together. When Christian has lost faith and is contemplating suicide in the house of Giant Despair it is Hopeful who admonishes and speaks truth to Christian. “With these words, Hopeful, at present did moderate the mind of his brother.” Near the end of the journey the two men attempt to cross a river to make it to the Celestial City. As they step into the river Christian begins to sink and his fears begin to conquer him. In the midst the voice of Hopeful rings clearly, “Be of good cheer, my brother, I feel the bottom, and it is good.”
In Jesus the Solid Rock,
Brown
http://youtu.be/nqyy5zie_g4
Saturday , October 22.2011
Praise and worship service:
First United Methodist Church , Endicott
Sponsored by Union Center UMC
6PM Gathering- Coffeee- Fellowship
6.30PM Worship
Music: Jane Hettinger
Speaker: Dave Hettinger
UPCOMING EVENTS:
OCT. 22 Serving at 12.noon. A Fish Dinner with home made pies at Wesley United Methodist Church, 1000 Day Hollow Road. Endicott.
Chef: Lawrence McMillan . Donation: $7.00 All the proceeds will be used for the feeding ministry in Endicott.
All are invited. Come, Share and Rejoice. For info: call 607-748-1358, 607-748-6329
OCT. 29, 6:30 PM at First United Methodist Church, Endicott, Special evening of musical praise and worship. Various Christian musicians will be participating in this special evening as they offer their gifts and talents to the Lord. A love offering will be received that will benefit needy families in
the community. Some of the musicians are Aric Phinney, Grant DeGaramo, Vin Rosenbarker, Dianne Glann, Laureen Naik, Yancey Moore, others.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Brown's Daily Word 10-17-11
Good morning,
Thanks be to Jesus for this new day. He blessed wonderfully during our weekend of prayer conference. The Lord moved among us, in and through His Holy Spirit, igniting our hearts with power and mercy afresh and anew. The Lord used Kelly Johnson and the prayer teams to bless so many. So many were touched by the grace of Jesus afresh and anew. So many came to be prayed for. The Lord used this weekend to set many captives free. He healed many broken hearts. We praise the Lord for His faithfulness. We are praying that the Lord would bring forth great harvest from the seeds that have been planted this weekend in so many lives.
“I had a brother once, and I betrayed him.” With these words, African writer Laurens Van der Post began his wonderful book, "The Seed and the Sower". The story speaks of two brothers from a small South African village. The elder brother was tall, athletic, a good student, and a natural leader. The younger brother was not. He had a back deformity and was very sensitive to the fact. He had, however, a beautiful singing voice. Both attended the same private school. One night some of the older boys dragged the younger brother out and ripped off his shirt and made fun of his deformity until he cried. They threw him into an abandoned water tank and forced him to sing. The older brother was aware of what was going on but did nothing to rescue his younger brother. The younger brother survived but with a crushed spirit. He returned to the family farm, w here he lived a reclusive life and never sang again.
During World War II the older brother had a dream in which he realized he had been Judas to his younger brother. He made the incredibly difficult journey back to South Africa to ask his brother’s forgiveness. Later, in the dark of the night, he heard a beautiful sound – his brother singing a song that the older brother had written when they were boys.
In that story the younger brother had a choice to make when his older brother asked his forgiveness. He could forgive him or he could hold on to the hurt, bitterness, resentment, and anger, and refuse his forgiveness.
Kelly used the Book of Colossians as part of her preaching and teaching this past weekend. In Chapter 3,verse 10 we read that the Christian has already put on the new self in Christ through regeneration, i.e. through being born again. Therefore when we turn to verse 12 we read Paul pointing out the practical outworking of this change in the believers life because of Christ Jesus. He must clothe himself with new garments, the garments of grace which befit a new creation in Christ. Verse 12 speaks of being chosen by God – being the elect, the Holy – that is, those set apart by and for God. Deeply loved by God – is that not the most wonderful phrase your soul has ever heard? How many of us today long to know we are deeply loved? This is Paul’s simple formula for saying who we are in Christ. We are indeed deeply loved, wonderfully blessed and called out to live a life in Christ that becomes the gospel.
In Christ,
Brown
http://youtu.be/axqXMuW8x1U
Saturday , October 22.2011
Praise and worship service:
First United Methodist Church , Endicott
Sponsored by Union Center UMC
6PM Gathering- Coffeee- Fellowship
6.30PM Worship
Music: Jane Hettinger
Speaker: Dave Hettinger
UPCOMING EVENTS:
OCT. 22 Serving at 12.noon. A Fish Dinner with home made pies at Wesley United Methodist Church, 1000 Day Hollow Road. Endicott.
Chef: Lawrence McMillan . Donation: $7.00 All the proceeds will be used for the feeding ministry in Endicott.
All are invited. Come, eat a good lunch and support a good cause!
For info: call 607-748-1358, 607-748-6329
OCT. 29, 6:30 PM at First United Methodist Church, Endicott, Special evening of musical praise and worship. Various Christian musicians will be participating in this special evening as they offer their gifts and talents to the Lord. A love offering will be received that will benefit needy families in
the community. Some of the musicians are Aric Phinney, Grant DeGaramo, Vin Rosenbarker, Dianne Glann, Laureen Naik, Yancey Moore, Praise Band from Hawleyton UMC and others.
Thanks be to Jesus for this new day. He blessed wonderfully during our weekend of prayer conference. The Lord moved among us, in and through His Holy Spirit, igniting our hearts with power and mercy afresh and anew. The Lord used Kelly Johnson and the prayer teams to bless so many. So many were touched by the grace of Jesus afresh and anew. So many came to be prayed for. The Lord used this weekend to set many captives free. He healed many broken hearts. We praise the Lord for His faithfulness. We are praying that the Lord would bring forth great harvest from the seeds that have been planted this weekend in so many lives.
“I had a brother once, and I betrayed him.” With these words, African writer Laurens Van der Post began his wonderful book, "The Seed and the Sower". The story speaks of two brothers from a small South African village. The elder brother was tall, athletic, a good student, and a natural leader. The younger brother was not. He had a back deformity and was very sensitive to the fact. He had, however, a beautiful singing voice. Both attended the same private school. One night some of the older boys dragged the younger brother out and ripped off his shirt and made fun of his deformity until he cried. They threw him into an abandoned water tank and forced him to sing. The older brother was aware of what was going on but did nothing to rescue his younger brother. The younger brother survived but with a crushed spirit. He returned to the family farm, w here he lived a reclusive life and never sang again.
During World War II the older brother had a dream in which he realized he had been Judas to his younger brother. He made the incredibly difficult journey back to South Africa to ask his brother’s forgiveness. Later, in the dark of the night, he heard a beautiful sound – his brother singing a song that the older brother had written when they were boys.
In that story the younger brother had a choice to make when his older brother asked his forgiveness. He could forgive him or he could hold on to the hurt, bitterness, resentment, and anger, and refuse his forgiveness.
Kelly used the Book of Colossians as part of her preaching and teaching this past weekend. In Chapter 3,verse 10 we read that the Christian has already put on the new self in Christ through regeneration, i.e. through being born again. Therefore when we turn to verse 12 we read Paul pointing out the practical outworking of this change in the believers life because of Christ Jesus. He must clothe himself with new garments, the garments of grace which befit a new creation in Christ. Verse 12 speaks of being chosen by God – being the elect, the Holy – that is, those set apart by and for God. Deeply loved by God – is that not the most wonderful phrase your soul has ever heard? How many of us today long to know we are deeply loved? This is Paul’s simple formula for saying who we are in Christ. We are indeed deeply loved, wonderfully blessed and called out to live a life in Christ that becomes the gospel.
In Christ,
Brown
http://youtu.be/axqXMuW8x1U
Saturday , October 22.2011
Praise and worship service:
First United Methodist Church , Endicott
Sponsored by Union Center UMC
6PM Gathering- Coffeee- Fellowship
6.30PM Worship
Music: Jane Hettinger
Speaker: Dave Hettinger
UPCOMING EVENTS:
OCT. 22 Serving at 12.noon. A Fish Dinner with home made pies at Wesley United Methodist Church, 1000 Day Hollow Road. Endicott.
Chef: Lawrence McMillan . Donation: $7.00 All the proceeds will be used for the feeding ministry in Endicott.
All are invited. Come, eat a good lunch and support a good cause!
For info: call 607-748-1358, 607-748-6329
OCT. 29, 6:30 PM at First United Methodist Church, Endicott, Special evening of musical praise and worship. Various Christian musicians will be participating in this special evening as they offer their gifts and talents to the Lord. A love offering will be received that will benefit needy families in
the community. Some of the musicians are Aric Phinney, Grant DeGaramo, Vin Rosenbarker, Dianne Glann, Laureen Naik, Yancey Moore, Praise Band from Hawleyton UMC and others.
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