Good morning on this 27th day of October. Nations and their surrounding events are in a constant state of flux and some of them can have major significance in the arena of Biblical prophecy. Such is the case with Russia. Following Russia's revolution under Yeltsin in which they threw off the yoke of communism, they have moved steadily away from democracy under the leadership of Putin. His goal has been to restore Russia to super-power status and once again make Russia a major player in world events. He has succeeded in reviving Russia's economy (mostly through oil revenues when oil went from $20 to $90 a barrel), rebuilding its military, developing new weapons systems, and becoming increasingly oppositional toward the west in foreign policy. He has threatened retaliatory action if the U.S. and its European allies install a proposed missile shield (comparing it to the Cuba missile crisis in the 60s) and stated that an attack by the U.S. on Iran would be considered as an attack against Russia. Since Ezekiel places Iran as an ally of Russia, this could have great prophetic significance. Clearly Russia is moving more and more into position to exercise her role predicted in Ezekiel 38 & 39. Now Turkey, long a U.S. ally, has become increasingly distant toward the western nations. After being rebuffed in its attempt to join the European Common Market, threatening action against the Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq who have menaced their border and attacked their troops and courting religious Muslim leadership instead of secular governance, they have expressed ever-increasing anti-west rhetoric. Keep a close eye on Turkey because Ezekiel places them in alliance with Russia and Iran, not with the western nations. It is wise to carefully study Biblical prophecy and at the same time, scrutinize world events because they can be so interrelated. Remember - PERHAPS TODAY - Jesus is coming again. Will you be ready?
Tomorrow our guest speaker in the A.M. services will be Dennis Jennings, Assistant Missions Director for the Baptist Bible Fellowship International. There will also be special adult Sunday school classes meeting in the auditorium and multi-purpose facility. The Edgewood 2007 Mission's Conference will close on Sunday evening with a candle-light service featuring our former intern, missionary Cory Barker.
I hope you'll be attending all of these services tomorrow.
Pastor Brown

A warm good morning to you on this 20th day of October. The apostle Paul mentioned that we are epistles known and read of all men manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:2-3). Have you ever heard the comment, "My life is an open book?" Well the idea Paul is sharing is that our lives as Christians are an open book, but the contents of each believer's life should reveal Jesus Christ in/through us to others. Our lives should not only represent Christ but also reveal Him to others around us. We reveal Christ through Christ-like attitudes, values and actions which demonstrate a life committed to Him and His word. Tomorrow begins a week of special focus at Edgewood. Actually, it is a Sunday to Sunday emphasis on missions through our mission's conference. Four missionaries will be our personal guests and others will share with us via video. I have the pleasure of preaching the first message tomorrow morning in both services entitled, The Motives for Missions. It will show how that which was near and dear to the heart of Jesus Christ should be to us also and should be a vital part of our "living epistle" message as representatives of Christ. Our Mission's Committee has planned an extra-special series of meetings for this conference which includes an opportunity for us to share a small-group time together in member's homes with a missionary in attendance to fellowship and share together. Sign up sheets for each group meeting are in the foyer of the church. Please invest the time to participate in one of these groups and plan to attend each of the services during this year's conference. You will be blessed by being there. I'll look forward to seeing you in church tomorrow.
Mel Brown

Good morning, it is Saturday, October 13th. Today is my birthday and I have much to celebrate since last year I was preparing for yet another round of chemotherapy. I would like to thank so many in the congregation for inviting friends and relatives to our annual Friend Day at Edgewood this year. Your efforts made the day an outstanding success with many visitors attending our services last Sunday. In fact, when I looked around the services (especially in the later service) I was pleased with the sea of unfamiliar faces before me. I also appreciate the response to the gospel sermon I preached on The Tests of Life. Seldom have I had so many people seek me out to compliment a message as I experienced this week. I'm glad the sermon was such a blessing to so many. Please pray that the seeds of the gospel which were planted in many lives last Sunday will produce salvation fruit in the unsaved who heard it. Scripture says in Proverbs 11:30, The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he who wins souls is wise.
Our next outreach Sunday will be November 11th when we celebrate my anniversary as pastor of Edgewood. Our guests that weekend will be the professional drama team, Clear Vision who will do a special presentation in our services.
Tomorrow's message is called, A Devil of a Time. I hope to see you there.
Mel Brown

Good Saturday morning on this the 6th of October. Have you ever needed direction from the Lord and desperately needed Him to show you what to do? Then you may know that sometimes God does not immediately answer, but causes us to wait upon Him and His leadership. The waiting part can be frustrating, especially if you feel you need to know NOW. In 1 Samuel 10:8 Saul was told, "Seven days shall you tarry, till I come to you, and show you what you should do." The good news was God told Him He would receive direction; the bad news was he had to wait before he would receive it. When the pressure is on to make a decision, it can be a real test of faith to wait upon the Lord's leading instead of rushing into making a decision on our own without His direction. In the end it is always worth the wait to have God work in our life and especially in our decisions. He knows the end from the beginning and not only knows the future but has what theologians call "middle knowledge" which is the knowledge of every possible outcome of every possible decision and course of action. No wonder then that Romans declares that His will is good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:2). His will is always worth waiting to know and do and so many of our problems in life are because we have done our will not His. If you are making an important decision would you rather go your own way or His?
Tomorrow is Friend Day at Edgewood and the message is entitled, The Tests of Faith.
I'll look forward to seeing you there.
Pastor Brown