Saturday, October 6, 2007
Friday, October 5, 2007
Brown's Daily Word 10-5-07
Good morning,
Praise the Lord for this beautiful, summer-like Friday. Thank the Lord for the opportunity to go to the Mercy Me concert last night. It was wonderful - and a great blessing. I had the special blessing of being able to spend several hours with the six members of the band, all of whom reside in Dallas with their wives and children. It was amazing to see all of the preparations by the road crew before the concert, setting up equipment and preparing the stage. It is a huge undertaking.
The other two groups were also a great blessing. Monk and Neagle, from Amarillo, Texas, led in heartfelt worship and praise - and were wonderful. Aaron Schust also performed with his band, and glory came down.
I asked the band members of Mercy Me how they came up with the name for their band. The lead singer told me that at the time when he was looking for a name for their band, his grandmother asked him what he was doing. He replied that he was starting a little band and that he needed a name for it. She responded, "Oh, mercy me!" (just like a grandmother, don't you think?)
During the concert the lead singer shared from his heart. He spoke of the death of his father when he himself was 19 years old. He struggled with his father's death from cancer, and out of the dark night of his soul the Lord gave him marvelous peace and light. He had a glimpse of the glory of Jesus and he penned the words, "I Can Only Imagine", which grew into the group's signature song. It has been a great comfort to many around the world. I was in a cemetery recently, where I saw the words, "I can only imagine" inscribed on one of the tombstones.
He also spoke about his young son's diagnosis with juvenile diabetes at the age of two, and how this diagnosis led him through great personal struggles. Out of those struggles the Lord gave him many wonderful songs of praise and worship, including my wife's favorite, "Bring the Rain".
This devotion is posted on my homepage: BrownNaik.com. Our friend, Julie, is the webmaster who maintains this page so faithfully. On this page you can find the link to our children's ministry in India and to our church's homepage. Also, there is the link to Sunita and Andy's wedding picture gallery.
I was reading about a teenager named Ron who came from a broken home. When he was 15, he said something terrible to his dad and he ran away. He got into drinking and drugs and partying. But one day, he met someone who told him about Jesus. He heard about how God loves him so much that He wants us to come back to Him. The Spirit of God opened Ron’s heart to respond to the gospel. He accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior.
And God changed his life. One day, Ron said, “I bet there are a lot of teenagers who need Jesus just like I did. I want to do everything I can to reach them with God’s love.”
He started Teen Mania Ministries in 1986. And now Ron Luce is in ministry for the Lord. God totally reshaped and reformed his life, and turned him into something beautiful. The ministry of The Teen Menia was featured in recent ,CNN's " God's Warriors"
That’s what God wants to do for everyone Today,
Let us look at Jeremiah chapter 18. It’s 600 BC. Beginning with verse one, God says to Jeremiah, “Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.”
So Jeremiah heads for the potter’s house. He sees him working at the wheel. The potter spins the lower wheel with his foot. And he works with the clay on the top wheel. He never takes his eyes off the clay. He’s always watching. He’s always working. Making sure that the clay turns out the way it’s supposed to turn out.
This is a picture of God at work in our lives. Just as the potter molds and shapes the clay into what it ought to be, our heavenly Father molds and shapes us into what we ought to be. He uses our situations and our circumstances to make us more and more into the image of Jesus Christ. We may be struggling financially. We are working as hard as we can. But the bills just keep coming. We can’t get ahead. We say, “Lord, this isn’t what wewanted!? Why is this happening?”
But then we realize that God is using this to make us more like Jesus. Philippians 1:6 says that “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Our God is an attentive God.
Our God is an artistic God. He doesn’t want us to be lumps of clay for the rest of our lives. He wants us to become His masterpieces! Ephesians 2:10 says that “we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
God’s plan for our lives will turn out well if we turn to Him.
Back in 1501, Michelangelo was commissioned to work on a great statue of David. At the time, he had a big block of marble that was spoiled and abandoned. Most artists would say, “Who needs this ruined hunk of marble?”
But Michelangelo couldn’t take his eyes off of it. Every day he would walk to where it was, and he would touch it, measure it and caress it.
He decided to work with it. And so for two years, Michelangelo worked without any contact with the outside world. He chipped off the parts of the marble that were bad. And he chiseled the rest of it into the image he wanted it to be.
Today, his amazing statue of David is considered to be one of the greatest works of art in Renaissance culture. It’s a wonderful example of how an artist can take something that is marred and turn it into something that is marvelous.
He makes all things beautiful in His time.
In His grace,
Brown
Praise and Prayer:
I am forwarding prayer requests and praise reports from various friends and ministry partners. We serve an awesome God who specializes in healing brokenness, restoring broken lives and filling empty vessels. We are so grateful we serve the living Lord who is in the world today. The kingdoms of the world have become the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Dear friends in Christ,
Peg and I have had one of the busiest falls ever; God has given supernatural strength to both of us, undergirding and empowering us for ministry! We praise His name!
Tomorrow about noon, October 5, we will begin our trip to Tangier Island, VA and the Swain Memorial UMC. Once we reach the land dock we will embark on the "Mail Boat" for a 15-mile ride across the Chesapeake Bay.This will be our third time among these beautiful people! They love their church and their God. This revival runs from Oct. 7-11. Please pray for us as we minister in music, Bible teaching and preaching in their midst. We do need much prayer for: safe travel, good health, anointing, souls coming to the Lord and seeing church renewal. Thanks so much for including us on your prayer list!
Following the Tangier Revival we begin a revival in Petersburg, VA at St. Mark's UMC on Oct. 14-16.
Thanks so much for your prayers.
God loves you and so do we!
LeRoy & Peg
Lucky you to b an escort for MERCY ME!!!!!!PLZ put my client Bethany
Brelsford on the prayer list ,she is having uncontrolled seizures .We are
waiting to get her in CHOP.phila, for lonbg term monitoring ..pray that that
happens soon...thx love to all the family ,M.
Pastor Brown,
Thank you for this message on the storm. It confirmed a word from God that L. received a week earlier. He came home and told me that we needed to remember Jesus sleeping in the boat in the middle of the storm. That was such a comforting thought to me, that when I go to sleep at night, I picture myself curling up next to Jesus in the bottom of the boat while the storm rages all around. Your words added so much more depth and insight to that word. It was especially meaningful to see the contrast in the fear of the storm verses the fear of Jesus who calmed the storm. We are holding on to those “pitons” of God’s faithfulness and know by faith that this will be another one in which we see God work all things together for good to those who love him.
Thanks again. The Lord bless you. Love,
J.
Simian Dube, the passenger vin this car, is a good friend of my granddaughter Rachel. He is not doing well so we would really appreciate prayers. I will keep you posted on his progress.
Thanks
L and W
*****************************************************************************************************************************
Two Williston teens injured in crash
Published: Thursday, October 4, 2007
Free Press Staff Report
HINESBURG -- A one-car accident Wednesday morning left a Williston teenager in critical condition.
Hinesburg Community Police responded at 8:18 a.m. to a crash on Pond Road near the Champlain Valley Union High School soccer field. The car, a 2001 Volkswagen Beetle driven by Carolyn Dube, 16, of Williston went off the west side of the road, overturned and struck a tree.
Simian Dube, 14, a passenger, was trapped in the car until removed by passing motorists who witnessed the crash.
Both teens, en route to CVU for school, were taken to Fletcher Allen Health Care. Carolyn Dube was treated and released. Simian Dube remains in the hospital in critical condition
Hi Brown: Please put our grandson Alex Umiker on the prayer request list. He will be in Rochester on Friday for tests. He has been very ill with stomach pains, headaches and vomiting. He will have 3 tests to determine if there is a problem with the brain shunt. Karen and I will be with him.
L.
That's awesome that you are going to chauffeur.Mercy me. One of my favorites of mercy Me is "I can't say enough" and "here I am send me" this was our theme song for Malawi really!
I love getting your daily emails!
Please keep praying for us here in Malawi as we plant Churches and support the National church here. K. is over seeing the finishing of a large Church building in Zomba about one hour drive away.I do a bible study at the local weaving factory where people with disabilities work.
This email encourages me today in my discouragement of this MS. Walking is getting harder and the disease is sometimes very hard to cope with.
Please give my love to your girls today all 5 of them!
Blessings,
J.
Praise note from the Family of Jack Hoppes:
I just want to drop everyone a line who has been praying for my dad and family. First I want to tell you that my dad and family thank you for your prayers. There is power in prayer.
The tests came back and the doctor was encouraged by the size of the tumor in the pancreas, it was smaller (2cm) than he anticipated. The spot on his liver was only about 1cm. Praise God. I myself believe that God is healing him of all and that by the time that they do the procedure there will be nothing at all. Not even the diabetes.
You see, my father had bypass surgery years back and to make a long story short, they didn't understand then how he was still alive as two arteries were blocked and two were partially blocked. Upon doing the surgery they came across the fifth artery that needed attention also. Jesus was holding his hand and standing by his side then as He is doing today. With this type of cancer it is suppose to be very painful. I have been told by a nurse that usually an IV morphine drip is given for the pain. My dad has no pain and any person that didn't know what he was experiencing right now, wouldn't even know he has been diagnosed with the cancer.
Right now my dad is sitting in the palm of the Almighty's hand. The same God that created the heavens and the earth, the same God that parted the red sea, the same God that healed the blind, the lepers, the deaf. The same God that at the name of Jesus, demons would flee in fear. The same God that raised Jesus from the dead.
Now you tell me, what is impossible for our God? NOTHING
Praise the Lord for this beautiful, summer-like Friday. Thank the Lord for the opportunity to go to the Mercy Me concert last night. It was wonderful - and a great blessing. I had the special blessing of being able to spend several hours with the six members of the band, all of whom reside in Dallas with their wives and children. It was amazing to see all of the preparations by the road crew before the concert, setting up equipment and preparing the stage. It is a huge undertaking.
The other two groups were also a great blessing. Monk and Neagle, from Amarillo, Texas, led in heartfelt worship and praise - and were wonderful. Aaron Schust also performed with his band, and glory came down.
I asked the band members of Mercy Me how they came up with the name for their band. The lead singer told me that at the time when he was looking for a name for their band, his grandmother asked him what he was doing. He replied that he was starting a little band and that he needed a name for it. She responded, "Oh, mercy me!" (just like a grandmother, don't you think?)
During the concert the lead singer shared from his heart. He spoke of the death of his father when he himself was 19 years old. He struggled with his father's death from cancer, and out of the dark night of his soul the Lord gave him marvelous peace and light. He had a glimpse of the glory of Jesus and he penned the words, "I Can Only Imagine", which grew into the group's signature song. It has been a great comfort to many around the world. I was in a cemetery recently, where I saw the words, "I can only imagine" inscribed on one of the tombstones.
He also spoke about his young son's diagnosis with juvenile diabetes at the age of two, and how this diagnosis led him through great personal struggles. Out of those struggles the Lord gave him many wonderful songs of praise and worship, including my wife's favorite, "Bring the Rain".
This devotion is posted on my homepage: BrownNaik.com. Our friend, Julie, is the webmaster who maintains this page so faithfully. On this page you can find the link to our children's ministry in India and to our church's homepage. Also, there is the link to Sunita and Andy's wedding picture gallery.
I was reading about a teenager named Ron who came from a broken home. When he was 15, he said something terrible to his dad and he ran away. He got into drinking and drugs and partying. But one day, he met someone who told him about Jesus. He heard about how God loves him so much that He wants us to come back to Him. The Spirit of God opened Ron’s heart to respond to the gospel. He accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior.
And God changed his life. One day, Ron said, “I bet there are a lot of teenagers who need Jesus just like I did. I want to do everything I can to reach them with God’s love.”
He started Teen Mania Ministries in 1986. And now Ron Luce is in ministry for the Lord. God totally reshaped and reformed his life, and turned him into something beautiful. The ministry of The Teen Menia was featured in recent ,CNN's " God's Warriors"
That’s what God wants to do for everyone Today,
Let us look at Jeremiah chapter 18. It’s 600 BC. Beginning with verse one, God says to Jeremiah, “Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.”
So Jeremiah heads for the potter’s house. He sees him working at the wheel. The potter spins the lower wheel with his foot. And he works with the clay on the top wheel. He never takes his eyes off the clay. He’s always watching. He’s always working. Making sure that the clay turns out the way it’s supposed to turn out.
This is a picture of God at work in our lives. Just as the potter molds and shapes the clay into what it ought to be, our heavenly Father molds and shapes us into what we ought to be. He uses our situations and our circumstances to make us more and more into the image of Jesus Christ. We may be struggling financially. We are working as hard as we can. But the bills just keep coming. We can’t get ahead. We say, “Lord, this isn’t what wewanted!? Why is this happening?”
But then we realize that God is using this to make us more like Jesus. Philippians 1:6 says that “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Our God is an attentive God.
Our God is an artistic God. He doesn’t want us to be lumps of clay for the rest of our lives. He wants us to become His masterpieces! Ephesians 2:10 says that “we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
God’s plan for our lives will turn out well if we turn to Him.
Back in 1501, Michelangelo was commissioned to work on a great statue of David. At the time, he had a big block of marble that was spoiled and abandoned. Most artists would say, “Who needs this ruined hunk of marble?”
But Michelangelo couldn’t take his eyes off of it. Every day he would walk to where it was, and he would touch it, measure it and caress it.
He decided to work with it. And so for two years, Michelangelo worked without any contact with the outside world. He chipped off the parts of the marble that were bad. And he chiseled the rest of it into the image he wanted it to be.
Today, his amazing statue of David is considered to be one of the greatest works of art in Renaissance culture. It’s a wonderful example of how an artist can take something that is marred and turn it into something that is marvelous.
He makes all things beautiful in His time.
In His grace,
Brown
Praise and Prayer:
I am forwarding prayer requests and praise reports from various friends and ministry partners. We serve an awesome God who specializes in healing brokenness, restoring broken lives and filling empty vessels. We are so grateful we serve the living Lord who is in the world today. The kingdoms of the world have become the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Dear friends in Christ,
Peg and I have had one of the busiest falls ever; God has given supernatural strength to both of us, undergirding and empowering us for ministry! We praise His name!
Tomorrow about noon, October 5, we will begin our trip to Tangier Island, VA and the Swain Memorial UMC. Once we reach the land dock we will embark on the "Mail Boat" for a 15-mile ride across the Chesapeake Bay.This will be our third time among these beautiful people! They love their church and their God. This revival runs from Oct. 7-11. Please pray for us as we minister in music, Bible teaching and preaching in their midst. We do need much prayer for: safe travel, good health, anointing, souls coming to the Lord and seeing church renewal. Thanks so much for including us on your prayer list!
Following the Tangier Revival we begin a revival in Petersburg, VA at St. Mark's UMC on Oct. 14-16.
Thanks so much for your prayers.
God loves you and so do we!
LeRoy & Peg
Lucky you to b an escort for MERCY ME!!!!!!PLZ put my client Bethany
Brelsford on the prayer list ,she is having uncontrolled seizures .We are
waiting to get her in CHOP.phila, for lonbg term monitoring ..pray that that
happens soon...thx love to all the family ,M.
Pastor Brown,
Thank you for this message on the storm. It confirmed a word from God that L. received a week earlier. He came home and told me that we needed to remember Jesus sleeping in the boat in the middle of the storm. That was such a comforting thought to me, that when I go to sleep at night, I picture myself curling up next to Jesus in the bottom of the boat while the storm rages all around. Your words added so much more depth and insight to that word. It was especially meaningful to see the contrast in the fear of the storm verses the fear of Jesus who calmed the storm. We are holding on to those “pitons” of God’s faithfulness and know by faith that this will be another one in which we see God work all things together for good to those who love him.
Thanks again. The Lord bless you. Love,
J.
Simian Dube, the passenger vin this car, is a good friend of my granddaughter Rachel. He is not doing well so we would really appreciate prayers. I will keep you posted on his progress.
Thanks
L and W
*****************************************************************************************************************************
Two Williston teens injured in crash
Published: Thursday, October 4, 2007
Free Press Staff Report
HINESBURG -- A one-car accident Wednesday morning left a Williston teenager in critical condition.
Hinesburg Community Police responded at 8:18 a.m. to a crash on Pond Road near the Champlain Valley Union High School soccer field. The car, a 2001 Volkswagen Beetle driven by Carolyn Dube, 16, of Williston went off the west side of the road, overturned and struck a tree.
Simian Dube, 14, a passenger, was trapped in the car until removed by passing motorists who witnessed the crash.
Both teens, en route to CVU for school, were taken to Fletcher Allen Health Care. Carolyn Dube was treated and released. Simian Dube remains in the hospital in critical condition
Hi Brown: Please put our grandson Alex Umiker on the prayer request list. He will be in Rochester on Friday for tests. He has been very ill with stomach pains, headaches and vomiting. He will have 3 tests to determine if there is a problem with the brain shunt. Karen and I will be with him.
L.
That's awesome that you are going to chauffeur.Mercy me. One of my favorites of mercy Me is "I can't say enough" and "here I am send me" this was our theme song for Malawi really!
I love getting your daily emails!
Please keep praying for us here in Malawi as we plant Churches and support the National church here. K. is over seeing the finishing of a large Church building in Zomba about one hour drive away.I do a bible study at the local weaving factory where people with disabilities work.
This email encourages me today in my discouragement of this MS. Walking is getting harder and the disease is sometimes very hard to cope with.
Please give my love to your girls today all 5 of them!
Blessings,
J.
Praise note from the Family of Jack Hoppes:
I just want to drop everyone a line who has been praying for my dad and family. First I want to tell you that my dad and family thank you for your prayers. There is power in prayer.
The tests came back and the doctor was encouraged by the size of the tumor in the pancreas, it was smaller (2cm) than he anticipated. The spot on his liver was only about 1cm. Praise God. I myself believe that God is healing him of all and that by the time that they do the procedure there will be nothing at all. Not even the diabetes.
You see, my father had bypass surgery years back and to make a long story short, they didn't understand then how he was still alive as two arteries were blocked and two were partially blocked. Upon doing the surgery they came across the fifth artery that needed attention also. Jesus was holding his hand and standing by his side then as He is doing today. With this type of cancer it is suppose to be very painful. I have been told by a nurse that usually an IV morphine drip is given for the pain. My dad has no pain and any person that didn't know what he was experiencing right now, wouldn't even know he has been diagnosed with the cancer.
Right now my dad is sitting in the palm of the Almighty's hand. The same God that created the heavens and the earth, the same God that parted the red sea, the same God that healed the blind, the lepers, the deaf. The same God that at the name of Jesus, demons would flee in fear. The same God that raised Jesus from the dead.
Now you tell me, what is impossible for our God? NOTHING
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Brown's Daily Word 10-4-07
Praise the Lord for this beautiful day. It is going to be warm, very warm, and glorious. It is still like summer. One of the big events for our area is the Mercy Me concert . It will be held at the Forum in Binghamton tonight. The doors will open at 5.30 p.m. The concert will start at 7 p.m. Some of the beautiful contemporary Christian praise songs made prominent by the Mercy Me Band are "I Can Only Imagine" and " If We Are the Body". Some of our teens will be attending the concert. Laureen is driving up from Washington today to join us for this concert. I have been asked to pick up the band members from the Syracuse airport this afternoon. I will be their chauffeur. (Lord help us, Jesus) We are praying the Lord would bless the ministry of the music to bless His people and to encourage all of us.
We live in a world filled with discouraging situations, discouraging financial news, and discouraged people. Without question, the number one way reason that Christians do not ascend to the highest level of spiritual maturity is discouragement. When people feel disenchanted they are less likely to love, to give, or to serve, as they should. Millions are depressed and need medication for their bouts with depression. More Christians are disengaged from Christian fellowships today because they have somehow given in to feelings of discouragement or have internalized their setbacks and they say, "What is the use".
God’s sent His encouraging message to Zerubbabel in Zechariah 4:6,7 where God says, "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel, ’Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty. What are you, O mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of God bless it! Go bless it.'"
The Lord will work through us, not by human, but by His supernatural Spirit’s power. God will carry out His work through us by the power of the Holy Spirit who helps us do everything God asks us to do. The Lord wants to direct, guide and lead us in the ways out of the clouds of discouragements. The Lord told Joshua, "Be strong and courageous and act, do not fear or be dismayed for the Lord goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until ALL the work of the house of God is completed." (Josh. 1:7-9) Do not think you have to pilot your way to your destination, because the Lord wants to navigate you through all kinds of troubled waters. God told Jeremiah, "I know the plans that I have for you says the Lord, plans for welfare and not for harm, to give you a future and a hope." Look to the Lord’s Spirit continuously to guide you with the still small voice of calm.
So many people are discouraged because they think they do not have enough money, materials or resources. Other people are discouraged because they do not have any close friends. Paul wrote, "He who spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all. How will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things.” (Romans 8:32)Our Almighty God is a Providential Giver. He provides for our needs with His timely care. The Providential God foresees what we need emotionally, socially, physically and spiritually. His beneficent care supplies us all our needs according to His rich reservoir of resources found in Christ. Jesus. (Phil. 4:19) We can trust Him to supply us with whatever we need financially, emotionally, or socially.
Regardless of how dark the clouds may appear on your horizon, the Lord’s promises will brighten your outlook. His word is filled with more than 7000 promises that are ready to be claimed in Christ. Paul wrote, "For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the Amen is spoken by us to the glory of God." (2 Corinthians 1:20)
Promises are like assets in the bank that are given to us to use when we are in need. Many Christians are not appropriating or utilizing the riches that are available to them in Christ and the promises of God’s word. In Christ we have the power, the encouragement, the consolation of love, the fellowship of the Spirit, the affection, and the compassion to make our joy complete. His resources are inexhaustible.
In Christ,
Brown
Happy 50th anniversary to our friends Lee and Skip, who live in Hope, NJ. Hope is a town that was founded by the Moravians. Lee and Skip love the Lord, and serve Him faithfully through their local church. After Lee's mother died, she and Skip raised her young sister, Becky. (Becky turned 50 this year). Amazing love!
Pray for Sarah Deuel, who will be having back surgery next week.
Please remember our young friend Alexander in prayer today:
Hi Brown: Please put our grandson Alex Umiker on the prayer request list. He will be in Rochester on Friday for tests. He has been very ill with stomach pains, headaches and vomiting. He will have 3 tests to determine if there is a problem with the brain shunt. Karen and I will be with him.
Linda
Hundreds Remember Televangelist Rex Humbard
According to The Christian Post, hundreds gathered on Saturday in Akron, Ohio, to remember the late Rev. Rex Humbard, widely considered the pioneer of televangelism. "Rex was focused on one thing: to tell people they need to be saved," said Wayne Jones, Humbard's brother-in-law, according to The Associated Press. Humbard died Sept. 21 of natural causes at the age of 88. His body lay in state Saturday at the former Cathedral of Tomorrow in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, where he broadcast Sunday services to millions of people worldwide. Elizabeth Bandy of Akron said: "I grew up in this church. My parents came to Christ through Rex's ministry. His legacy is so touching. He's made such a difference in this community and his ministry worldwide is so overwhelming. When I look around and see the faces of all these people who came to say goodbye, I realize the one common thread is Rex's ministry."
China Urged to Release Christian Human Rights Lawyer
ASSIST News Service reports that a prominent Christian human rights lawyer has been rearrested in Beijing. China Aid Association (CAA) reports Mr. Gao Zhisheng and his family members were reportedly arrested again on September 23, 2007 after he sent an open letter to the US Congress and Senate on September 21. In the letter, Gao lists numerous cases of grave human rights abuses in the name of hosting the 2008 Beijing Olympics and urges the international community not to be fooled by the Chinese government propaganda. Earlier this year after being detained and even severely tortured for a number of months, Mr. Gao was sentenced to three years with five years probation because of his human rights defense work.
Trans World Radio Impacting Muslim Countries for Christ
OneNewsNow.com reports that Trans World Radio (TWR), which broadcasts to the Arab world, is making a major impact in the Muslim world. TWR's coordinator, whose name is withheld for security concerns, says although many Arab countries are closed to the gospel, radio waves penetrate all areas of the world with the message of Christ. "A faithful body of Christian believers are facing huge tasks, because they want to fulfill their calling and they want to be the good news for this part of the world -- and they believe that there's something they can contribute to the Muslim community." The coordinator says although Islam is not a peaceful religion, Muslims must be given the opportunity to hear the gospel and respond to Christ.
We live in a world filled with discouraging situations, discouraging financial news, and discouraged people. Without question, the number one way reason that Christians do not ascend to the highest level of spiritual maturity is discouragement. When people feel disenchanted they are less likely to love, to give, or to serve, as they should. Millions are depressed and need medication for their bouts with depression. More Christians are disengaged from Christian fellowships today because they have somehow given in to feelings of discouragement or have internalized their setbacks and they say, "What is the use".
God’s sent His encouraging message to Zerubbabel in Zechariah 4:6,7 where God says, "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel, ’Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty. What are you, O mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of God bless it! Go bless it.'"
The Lord will work through us, not by human, but by His supernatural Spirit’s power. God will carry out His work through us by the power of the Holy Spirit who helps us do everything God asks us to do. The Lord wants to direct, guide and lead us in the ways out of the clouds of discouragements. The Lord told Joshua, "Be strong and courageous and act, do not fear or be dismayed for the Lord goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until ALL the work of the house of God is completed." (Josh. 1:7-9) Do not think you have to pilot your way to your destination, because the Lord wants to navigate you through all kinds of troubled waters. God told Jeremiah, "I know the plans that I have for you says the Lord, plans for welfare and not for harm, to give you a future and a hope." Look to the Lord’s Spirit continuously to guide you with the still small voice of calm.
So many people are discouraged because they think they do not have enough money, materials or resources. Other people are discouraged because they do not have any close friends. Paul wrote, "He who spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all. How will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things.” (Romans 8:32)Our Almighty God is a Providential Giver. He provides for our needs with His timely care. The Providential God foresees what we need emotionally, socially, physically and spiritually. His beneficent care supplies us all our needs according to His rich reservoir of resources found in Christ. Jesus. (Phil. 4:19) We can trust Him to supply us with whatever we need financially, emotionally, or socially.
Regardless of how dark the clouds may appear on your horizon, the Lord’s promises will brighten your outlook. His word is filled with more than 7000 promises that are ready to be claimed in Christ. Paul wrote, "For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the Amen is spoken by us to the glory of God." (2 Corinthians 1:20)
Promises are like assets in the bank that are given to us to use when we are in need. Many Christians are not appropriating or utilizing the riches that are available to them in Christ and the promises of God’s word. In Christ we have the power, the encouragement, the consolation of love, the fellowship of the Spirit, the affection, and the compassion to make our joy complete. His resources are inexhaustible.
In Christ,
Brown
Happy 50th anniversary to our friends Lee and Skip, who live in Hope, NJ. Hope is a town that was founded by the Moravians. Lee and Skip love the Lord, and serve Him faithfully through their local church. After Lee's mother died, she and Skip raised her young sister, Becky. (Becky turned 50 this year). Amazing love!
Pray for Sarah Deuel, who will be having back surgery next week.
Please remember our young friend Alexander in prayer today:
Hi Brown: Please put our grandson Alex Umiker on the prayer request list. He will be in Rochester on Friday for tests. He has been very ill with stomach pains, headaches and vomiting. He will have 3 tests to determine if there is a problem with the brain shunt. Karen and I will be with him.
Linda
Hundreds Remember Televangelist Rex Humbard
According to The Christian Post, hundreds gathered on Saturday in Akron, Ohio, to remember the late Rev. Rex Humbard, widely considered the pioneer of televangelism. "Rex was focused on one thing: to tell people they need to be saved," said Wayne Jones, Humbard's brother-in-law, according to The Associated Press. Humbard died Sept. 21 of natural causes at the age of 88. His body lay in state Saturday at the former Cathedral of Tomorrow in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, where he broadcast Sunday services to millions of people worldwide. Elizabeth Bandy of Akron said: "I grew up in this church. My parents came to Christ through Rex's ministry. His legacy is so touching. He's made such a difference in this community and his ministry worldwide is so overwhelming. When I look around and see the faces of all these people who came to say goodbye, I realize the one common thread is Rex's ministry."
China Urged to Release Christian Human Rights Lawyer
ASSIST News Service reports that a prominent Christian human rights lawyer has been rearrested in Beijing. China Aid Association (CAA) reports Mr. Gao Zhisheng and his family members were reportedly arrested again on September 23, 2007 after he sent an open letter to the US Congress and Senate on September 21. In the letter, Gao lists numerous cases of grave human rights abuses in the name of hosting the 2008 Beijing Olympics and urges the international community not to be fooled by the Chinese government propaganda. Earlier this year after being detained and even severely tortured for a number of months, Mr. Gao was sentenced to three years with five years probation because of his human rights defense work.
Trans World Radio Impacting Muslim Countries for Christ
OneNewsNow.com reports that Trans World Radio (TWR), which broadcasts to the Arab world, is making a major impact in the Muslim world. TWR's coordinator, whose name is withheld for security concerns, says although many Arab countries are closed to the gospel, radio waves penetrate all areas of the world with the message of Christ. "A faithful body of Christian believers are facing huge tasks, because they want to fulfill their calling and they want to be the good news for this part of the world -- and they believe that there's something they can contribute to the Muslim community." The coordinator says although Islam is not a peaceful religion, Muslims must be given the opportunity to hear the gospel and respond to Christ.
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