Brown's Daily Word

Monday, December 8, 2014

Brown's Daily Word 12-8-14

Praise the Lord for this wonderful time of the year. The Lord blessed with a soul full weekend. The service of remembrance and thanksgiving for Dave Ring, a faithful servant of Jesus, was a blessing. So many people attended. Many testified how Dave had touched their lives, how he had shared the love of Christ with them. There was a big dinner reception following the service, where there was sweet fellowship. In the evening on Saturday the St. Petersburg Men's ensemble presented an anointed concert of Russian Classical and Sacred music. It is always treat for us have them with us. They also shared at the first worship service yesterday. It was a Christmas blessing and treat. The Lord blessed us in His house yesterday. I preached at Union Center. Alice preached at Wesley. During the lighting of the second Advent candle the family shared about the peace that we have in Christ.

Praise the Lord; Peace that came down to the world on the first Christmas. "Peace on earth and good will to all men". The Divine peace promised by God cannot be acquired through any of the countless consumer items of our materialistic society. Peace is the certain knowledge that everything we have been told about God is true and certain. I have peace in times of crisis because I know "the Lord will make a way somehow." I have peace in the time of death because I know "when the earthly house we live in shall be destroyed, we have another building, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."

Yesterday, December 7, was Pearl Harbor Day. Peace is our deeply held conviction that wars will stop not when one army defeats another but rather when all armies "beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks and study war no more." In other words, peace comes as I rely less and less on the things of this world and rely more and more on the promises of God. That is why Isaiah 26:3(NKJV) could declare, "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you."

Peace is not limited or reserved for those times in life when everything is in perfect order. Peace is not the absence of tension or hardship; peace is the presence of tranquility within you in the midst of whatever storms may be raging around you. Peace is not a guarantor that every day will be easy and smooth. Instead, peace is the fruit of the spirit that blossoms in our souls and reminds us that even though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death we can fear no evil because God is with us.

Living with a spirit of peace in the midst of the storms of life is what Herman Melville was describing in the character of the harpooner in his novel Moby Dick. Melville portrayrd all of the characters on the whaling vessel busy at work as they seek out the great whale that has become the obsession of Captain Ahab. Everybody on board is furiously at work except one, the harpooner. The harpooner is sitting still and undisturbed. The harpooner is not caught up in the frenzy that involves a ship sailing through a storm to catch up to and then kill a giant whale. Instead, wrote Melville, "The harpooner sits in tranquility and rises with a sense of calm to do his work." The storm and the fury are going on all around him, but the harpooner is able to maintain a sense of tranquility and calm that allows him to do his job.

That is what peace looks like: tranquility and calm in the midst of the storms of life that allow you to get on with your life and do what needs to be done. That kind of peace does not come from anything this world can provide. That kind of peace comes only from God and, more precisely, from our relationship with Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace.

In Jesus the Prince of Peace.

Brown

http://youtu.be/-s_n_ycNvP8

Friday, December 5, 2014

Brown's Daily Word 12-5-14

Praise the Lord for this Friday. I spent my teen age years growing up in Orissa India. It is currently the harvest season there. I recall the joy of the harvest season when we gathered in the rice from the fields. The harvest was completed just before Christmas. The greatest anticipation and joy of the season was the celebration of Christmas. It was very simple yet it was profound and filled great joy. They were colder days and yet the Glory of Christmas was shining brightly and beautifully in the lives and the homes of those who celebrated the birth of Jesus.

    Living now in New York, the Empire State, it is all beautiful and powerful. The December days are cold, yet the anticipation of the celebration of the birth of Jesus our Lord is filled with glow and wonder. Warmer than average temperatures are forecast for the month of December here in the Northeastern USA. I love it. My wife does not like warm weather for Christmas. I tell her that with holy boldness, that this is about the Birthday of Jesus our Lord. If He does not want snow this year for His birthday who are we to complain. (She replies that if God wants snow for His Son's birthday, that is just fine, too.)  I say, "God Bless it". For me the joy and warmth of Christmas during cold December days makes it a very special time of year. Try to imagine, if you can, a world without Christmas. No Christmas trees, gifts, or visits to grandma’s house. No carols, shopping or gathering with friends. No Grinch, Rudolph or Charlie Brown, white Christmas, Miracle on the 34th Street, or Home Alone specials on the television. None of those great Christmas movies…

    Imagine if we lived in world that was always winter, but never Christmas (as in C. S. Lewis' great book, "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" – there’d be no Christ! What if Jesus had never been born? What if He had never lived, taught, died and risen from the dead? What would the world be like? In Ephesians 2:12, Paul described a world without Christ, saying, “[Remember] that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.”

    This is a pretty bleak picture. For a moment, ponder the weight of those words – “aliens from God’s people, strangers from His promises, no hope, without God in the world.” I don’t know if there could be any worse description of life than the two words “without hope.” It sounds like a land where it’s always winter, but never Christmas.

    Each year, beginning on June 22, the number of minutes of sunlight we enjoy each day begins to shrink. From 15 hours and 2 minutes on that day, the time we have in the sun shrinks gradually until December 22, when we have only 9 hours and 20 minutes, but as we approach that shortest day, I find myself telling people around me, and reminding myself, that the days immediately start getting longer again – gradually building till that wonderful 15 hour day in June! We need that hope – that reminder that things will once again return to the warmth and light of summer!

    I imagine a world with no hope. What if on December 23, the minutes of daylight kept getting fewer and scientists told us that it would never get better – no hope! Imagine the despair of being hope-less, of feeling there is no end to the misery, no light at the end of the tunnel – no reason or purpose to go on. That’s how the world would be with no Christmas – and it is the way the world is today without Christ.

    One of my wife's favorite books C.S. Lewis's "Chonicles of Narnia". Lewis intended Narnia to be a picture of this world. When Adam and Eve chose to disobey God, the world was placed under the curse of sin – Paul says in Romans 8 that all of creation has been placed under this curse, and “groans as if in the pain of childbirth right up to this very time.” When sin entered the world, the whole of the earth was plunged into darkness, separated from God, made alien to Him, without His promise and without hope.  The one who claims to be the ruler of this world was Satan. To many he appears to be beautiful and powerful – a “White Witch” if you will.  The Bible describes him as an “angel of light” and “the prince of the power of the air.” His goal is to keep the “sons of Adam” and “daughters of Eve” in captivity- oppressed and in darkness – and to ultimately destroy them. He knows that he can inflict the deepest wound on God by destroying God’s greatest love – you.

    You see, "The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe" is actually a literary telling of the greatest love story every told. It is the epic battle between ultimate good and most horrible evil with the imprisonment and threatening of loved ones, and the fight and sacrifice of the lover to free them at any cost. It is, in short, the good news – the gospel. For awhile Narnia was a land where it was always winter, but never Christmas, but it was not a land without hope. The people of Narnia were waiting for the coming of the great Lion – ASLAN – who would take his rightful place on the throne, destroy the curse, and bring life to the desolate world. Aslan did come, and did the most unexpected things – .

     In our lives , we may be feeling like we are stuck in perpetual winter, no Christmas…it’s cold, dark, gloomy and depressing. Worst of all, we may feel like there’s no hope. We may feel alien from God’s people, a stranger to His promises, without hope, and without Christ in the world. Praise the Lord sent the Good News in the person of Jesus Christ. This is wonderful news! Christmas came! There is hope – not just that the days will get longer as we move toward June of next year – but that we can have life – a life free from guilt and shame – a life that is filled with the light of Jesus – a life where the dark cold of isolation breaks into the warm fellowship of love. May " Aslan" fill us with a great and holy anticipation. We anticipate best, and the best is yet to come.

In Jesus our Lord.. the Christ of Christmas. He reigns and He Rules.

In Jesus ,

Brown

http://youtu.be/U4CSJvzGai4

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Brown's Daily Word 12-4-14

Praise the Lord for this awesome Advent season that ushers in the glorious Christmas event and the season. I love the signs and the sounds of the season. Churches are decked and decorated for Advent. Various very special events are planned for celebration and worship. The majestic Christmas tree at the iconic and historic Rockefeller Center in New York City was lighted with great pomp and ceremony last night. The city streets and busy streets are decorated. I love Christmas. My wife is busy decorating the house with lights and trees. She loves to watch Christmas movies (or listen to Christmas music) 24/7. I am listening Handel's Messiah, reading the prophecy passages from the Scriptures and pondering anew on the blessings and the beauty of the season. Alice is preparing the list of the gifts for children, grandchildren, and family friends. I am also thanking the Lord for all the ones I am linked in the life through Jesus. You are part of the blessing. I rejoice with you on the inexpressible gift the Lord gave us in Jesus at the first Christmas. I love the stories that are associated with the Christ of Christmas. In my book, some of the best literature, best music, and best art in the world are linked to Jesus. The true life that we can have on earth is all about Jesus, the King of all nations and the Prince of Peace.

I am reading yet again one of the most famous Christmas stories of all, "A Christmas Carol", by Charles Dickens. The rich and powerful Scrooge is brought to his knees by Christmas ghosts, while the poor and lowly Bob Cratchitt rises above his circumstances to find true joy.

Some of the other Christmas stories also have a powerful message. How about Rudolph? The poor little misfit can't even join the reindeer games, let alone hope to earn a place on Santa's team, but an unexpected storm turns his disability into an asset, and he becomes the hero. How about the folks down in Whoville? The Grinch erroneously thinks he's ruined their Christmas by stealing their stockings and stuffing but they turn the tables on him and wake up singing their Christmas songs anyway. The next thing you know, the Grinch is carving the roast beast. And how about good old Charlie Brown? Everyone tells him he has to have a big, brassy tree and a flashy Christmas pageant but he refuses to go along with these ideas. He buys the saddest tree that money can buy and, with a little help from Linus and Luke chapter 2, he discovers the true meaning of Christmas!

The Christ of Christmas turns the world upide down and right side up. He makes all rough places plain. Indeed, he exalts every valley. He brings down low every mountain. He overthrows the established order. After receiving the wonderful news from the angel, Mary went off to visit her relative, Elizabeth, who was also miraculously expecting a child in her old age. When Elizabeth heard Mary's voice, and felt the child within her leap for joy, she pronounced a blessing on Mary. At that point, Mary broke into a song of praise; a song we refer to as the Magnificat. "

"My soul praises the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the mighty one has done great things for me - holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down the rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers." Luke 1:46-55

This song begins as any good hymn or praise song begins—rejoicing in the character and work of God, but it soon strikes a subversive tone. " … for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant." Mary was both a peasant and (barely) a woman. She was not accustomed to being noticed, let alone being visited by a distinguished guest or entrusted with an important assignment. "From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the mighty one has done great things for me." She could hardly believe it. God had noticed her, and her "humble estate," meaning, her poverty and lowliness, and not just her, but others in her condition: "His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation."

The song of Mary provokes us to be "mindful" of people that are often forgotten or ignored. They are the invisible people—the materially poor, the homeless, the prisoner, the lonely. To a certain degree at Christmas we become mindful of the last, the lost, and the least as people toss change into Salvation Army buckets, or sing in nursing homes. The message of Advent and Christmas provokes us to be intentional and more thoughtful.

Mary's song gets even more pointed as it continues,"He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble." This is completely turning the world view upside-down. Those on top—the proud and powerful—being brought low, while the humble and lowly are lifted up. "He has filled the hungry with good things, but has sent the rich away empty." When the angel spoke those words to Mary, it meant that at long last God was going to act on Israel's behalf. When Mary burst into song, she sang about a world set right, with the hungry being fed, captives set free, and God being praised. Months later, in the fullness of time, Christ came.

This Christmas let's remember how Jesus came — born in a stable to a refugee couple living in occupied land. The only ones aware of his arrival, aside from his parents, were a handful of shepherds. It was a stealth campaign enacted and orchestrated by God, the Father. For 30 years no one knew that the Son of God was here in human form. This completely overturned the established order. Some of the first words out of Jesus' mouth were, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven", indicative of a diving conspiracy. He spent most of his three years telling people to keep it quiet; not to tell anyone who he was. He left the whole thing in the hands of a hundred some followers — fisherman, tax collectors, and women — and told them to take his message to the streets. Within a generation, they had turned the world upside down in Jesus' name.

I am so glad and grateful that the Christ of Christmas, the Holy Child of Bethlehem found me and loves me. This life is all about Him. I am so grateful and so blessed to know that we can do life together in Christ and because of Christ.

O Come all ye faithful joyful and triumphant.

In Jesus.

Brown

We praise the Lord for the ministry events that are planned for December that belongs entirely to Jesus.

Each Friday - Television Broadcast at 7 PM on Time Warnwer Cable channel 4. I will be sharing Advent and Christmas messages.

Saturday, December 6, 2014 at 6:30 PM. The St. Petersburg Men's Ensemble will be in concert, followed by a reception of Christmas cookies and pastries, all home made.

Sunday, December 7, 2014 at 8:30 and 11:00 AM, Worship services at Union Center UMC. 9:50 AM Sunday School 9:30 AM Worship at Wesely UMC

Saturday December 13, 2014 at 5:30. There will be a youth gathering, including Baking Christmas cookies and decorating the fellowship hall with Christmas trees.

Sunday December 14, 2014 - Morning worship services.

5:30 PM - Caroling in the neighborhood.

Saturday, December 20 from 5 to 7 PM, there will a Living Nativity at Center Court at the Oakdale Mall in Johnson City. We will be singing carols, accompanied by Yancey Moore at the grand piano. At 6:30 PM we will join in a "flash mob" singing the Hallelujah Chorus.

Sunday, December 21 - worship services. At 12:30 there will be a special Christmas luncheon, along with a reception for children and youth, in the fellowship hall of the Union Center UMC. We will be presenting each child and youth with a Christmas gift.