Good morning, it is Saturday March 29th. If you were to look up the definition of success in the dictionary, you would find it defined as: favorable or desired outcomes, the attainment of wealth, favor or eminence, and to attain a desired object or end. Note that each of these definitions focuses upon the end result and completely omits the process of getting there. A better definition of success is "the progressive realization of a worthy ideal." This definition focuses on the outcome and process. Joshua 1:8 says about success, This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. The Hebrew word for success in this verse means: insight, understanding, to act in wisdom, be prudent, and cause to prosper. The Hebrew word incorporates both the process and outcome and elevates success to the possession of qualities such as wisdom, prudence, and insight. Prudence means: the ability to discipline yourself by reason, shrewdness in the management of affairs, skill and good judgment in the use of resources, and circumspection with regard to risk. Those qualities are linked to successful outcomes and prosperity. Joshua was associated with favorable outcomes throughout the book of Joshua, but some of those favorable outcomes were the result of failures and setbacks which produced insight, understanding, prudence and wisdom and ultimately led to success (See Joshua 7 about the battle at Ai). Some of the most successful people have suffered failure but have turned setbacks into success through the insight gained by the experience. In other words, they learn and grow because of their mistakes. Joshua teaches these steps to true success:
(1) The principles of the Bible should be internalized and expressed in our lives
(2) Continual meditation and application of the Bible's teaching in our lives
(3) Obedience to Scriptural principles and practices
These principles are the pathway to "good" success as defined by God. In light of these principles, do you have good success?
Tomorrow morning The Children of The World Choir will be with us. You won't want to miss them.
Mel Brown

Good morning on this Easter eve, March 22nd. HE IS RISEN! I've been seeing this emphatic statement throughout the week on church outdoor signs around the area. It summarizes the message of Easter and succinctly presents the teaching of the great resurrection chapter of the Bible found in 1 Corinthians 15. May I suggest that you take the time this Easter to read that great chapter, as I did before writing this blog this morning, to review its marvelous teachings about the importance and doctrinal applications of this climactic event in the life of Christ. The chapter covers the necessity of the resurrection to the gospel message and our salvation, the evidences of the resurrection through many witnesses, the consequences to us if there were no resurrection, the comprehensiveness of future resurrections, the order of the resurrections, the nature of the resurrected body and its relationship to our current bodies, the rapidity of our resurrection and the signs and sounds which will accompany it, the song of triumph of those resurrected, and a concluding admonition to us. That concluding admonition is, Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:58). May we all not only celebrate His resurrection this Easter, but strive to live every day as steadfast, immovable believers who are always abounding in the work of the Lord.
Tomorrow's message is entitled, Something's Missing. I hope to see you in one of our three Easter services tomorrow (8:00, 9:30, and 11:00 A.M.).
Pastor Mel Brown

Good Saturday morn on this, the 15th of March. Last week I wrote about how my plans were abruptly changed when about noon, I received word that our guest speaker, Dan Brown, was snowed in and would not be coming as planned. Because I have to rewrite my blog to reflect the change in plans, I was not able to make the usual printed copies available in the foyer of the church as I usually do. I did post the blog online but I had to post it in the afternoon instead of the morning, so I apologize for the inconvenience caused by the delay and lack of availibility of a hard copy. Isn't it interesting how one circumstance can change our plans for the day. In fact one circumstance can change our plays for a brief time, a longer time, or even our whole life. The Bible is replete with examples of incidents which altered plans and people's lives. Encounters with Christ completely altered people's lives such as Nicodemus (John 3), the woman at the well (John 4), and Zaccheus (Luke 19), to name just a few. Unexpected situations such as the numerous persecutations and arrests of the Apostle Paul (many passages in Acts and the Epistles), Moses encounter with the people dancing before the idolatrous golden calf (Exodus 32), or Balaam's experience with his talking beast of burden (Numbers 22), changed the trajectory of people's lives by altering plans and outcomes. Proverbs warns us to not boast about tomorrow because we do not know what a day may bring forth (Proverbs 27:1), and James addresses this issue when he advises us, Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit"; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that" (James 4: 13-15). It is therefore always a good idea to make our plans subject to a "Lord willing" or we will experience many frustrations along the way.

Tomorrow's sermon is entitled, Powerful Pictures of the Christian Life.

Good morning on this Saturday, March 8th. In Matthew 5:15 and Luke 8:16, Jesus teaches that someone who lights a lamp doesn't cover it up or put it under the bed, but puts it on a lamp stand so that there will be light for those who enter and all who are in the house. The verses are an illustration of His teaching about letting our light so shine before men that they might see our good works and glorify our Heavenly Father found in Matthew 5:16. Note the word "so" to modify the word "shine." That little word "so" is so important because it emphasizes how or how much. God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son. It tells us how much God loved us and the letting our light so shine tells us how or how much we are to shine our light before others, which is on every occasion we can to light the way for others to see Jesus Christ. What a wonderful opportunity we have in the next two weeks to let our light so shine as we invite others to church for our Easter services. If more people will accept our invitation to attend on Easter than any other occasion, it is a golden opportunity to take advantage of putting this verse into operation in our lives. Will you let your light so shine this Easter?

Tomorrow our special guest was to be Dan Brown who is the moving force for the LIFT camps which are so enjoyed by our young people and youth sponsors. He was to speak in the AM services as well as speak to our youth during Sunday school but is snowed in and will not be able to make it. He will be rescheduling to be with us soon. So, I'll be speaking tomorrow, Lord willing. I hope I'll see you there.

Mel Brown

Good morning, it is Saturday, March 1st, and like most of us I am so glad to see this month arrive as it brings us closer to the end of winter. I've heard more comments this winter than any other in years about folks being tired of the cold, the snow and the ice. The good news is that tomorrow promises to be a great day weather wise and every other "wise" as well. It is Founder's Day at Edgewood - the day we remember the very first meeting of that small group who met on the site of the former Farmall Plant and eventually organized into what became the Edgewood Baptist Church. That meeting occurred in 1901, 107 years ago. Tomorrow's celebration will include the giving of the New Testament on CD to every adult attending and a children's' CD to every child sixth grade and under. You will be blessed by these CDs as you listen to the Bible reading in your car or home. The CDs are provided free by a group of Christian businessmen who have a burden to see the Bible read regularly by every believer. We will receive a special offering to enable the Bible to be available in another of the world's languages. Special envelopes are located in the pews for this offering. We are excited about tomorrow's services which will include a gospel message entitled, The Simplicity of Salvation. It includes a powerful testimony at the end; I hope you won't want to miss it. Lord willing, I'll see you there.
Pastor Brown