Good morning on this Saturday, September 25th. The Psalmist said in Psalm 91:11, "He will give his angels charge over you to keep you in all your ways." It is a comforting thought to know that God has assigned his angels to watch over us as we live our daily lives. Consider these examples which illustrate angels doing just that in people's lives. In 1 Kings 19:5, an angel awakened Elijah and fed him to prepare him for an arduous journey which lay ahead. In Daniel 6:22, Daniel tells the king that God had sent an angel to close the mouths of the lions and deliver him from the lions' den. In Matthew 18:10, Jesus warned not to demean one of the little ones because their angels have constant access to the Heavenly Father. In Luke 16:22, as the beggar, Lazarus, died, we read that the angels came and carried him into Abraham's bosom which is an ancient proverbial expression for Heaven. In Acts 12:7, an angel directs Peter as he delivers him from prison. In Matthew 2:13, an angel directs Joseph the husband of Mary, to take the young Jesus and flee to Egypt to avoid the deadly persecution which is coming. In Acts 27:23-24, Paul counseled the sailors to not be afraid because none of them would perish in the coming shipwreck. He stated that an angel of God had given him this message.. In Daniel 9:20-22, Daniel reports that God had sent the Archangel, Gabriel, in answer to his confession and prayer, to help him understand the mystery of things to come.
Clearly we can see from these many incidents that angels frequently guide, direct, and protect us; hence, the use of the term, Guardian Angels. Think of the many times that God has delivered, led, safeguarded, and helped you or your understanding and consider that an invisible angel was right there with you enabling God to minister to you. Now that is both comforting and encouraging isn't it!
Tomorrow's sermon is entitled, Vows For A Holy Life And Successful Responsibilities. The message is an exposition of Psalm 101. Also, please plan on joining us for the Soup and Sandwich Luncheon to raise money for Smilehouse Orphanage after the 10:45 a.m. service.
Mel Brown

Good morning on this very early Saturday, September 18th. In a recent blog I quoted the verse, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord," and observed that any nation that honors and obeys God will enjoy God's blessings. This principle is clearly illustrated in comparing the two kingdoms of Israel in the Old Testament. The kingdom of Israel was united under the rules of Saul, David, and Solomon, but split when Solomon's son and successor Rehoboam refused the people's request to reduce their overwhelming tax burden. The twelve tribes of Israel subsequently divided into two separate kingdoms, the Northern Kingdom consisting of the ten northern tribes and the Southern Kingdom consisting of the two southern tribes. The Southern Kingdom continued under the rule of Rehoboam and the Northern Kingdom under the rule of their selected ruler, Jeroboam, the son of Nebat. Both kingdoms lasted for many years with each having a total of nineteen kings. But there was a significant difference in their leaders and people's relationship with God. All nineteen kings of the Northern Kingdom were evil and led the people into sin. Again and again we read, "The children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord." Evey one of their kings followed in the footsteps of Jeroboam who was described as evil, but the Southern Kingdom enjoyed a number of king's rulership who honored God and led them to obey the Lord. In fact some of their kings led the people in revival and a return to God's principles. The Northern Kingdom was conquered by the Assyrians in 721 B.C., but the Southern Kingdom lasted until 606 B.C. when they were conquered by the Babylonians. This 115 year difference in their existence was evidence of the Lord's blessing on the Southern Kingdom because of their making God their Lord and following Him. There is a dynamic message for any nation in this illustration. America are you listening?
Tomorrow's message is entitled, Experiencing The Presence And Power Of God. I hope to see you there.
Mel Brown

Good morning on this Saturday, September 11th. Actually I'm writing this blog late on Friday night because I have a series of commitments for Saturday. The Apostle John wrote, "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear" (1 John 4:18). When love increases, fear decreases. Love counteracts and replaces fear. The more we love God and understand His love for us, the less we are afraid of Him and His ways. I was reminded of the realization of this verse last weekend when I visited my daughter, Cheryl and her family over the Labor Day holiday. Kai (we call him Kai Kai) is the four year old boy whom they adopted two years ago when he was two years of age. Kai had a rough time in his first years of life. Born with two club feet, he had been in and out of hospitals and orphanages and endured two horrendous operations which left him scarred, marred, and crippled. His mother, a crack foot surgeon, eventually fixed both feet good as new, but this article is not about his physical mending; it is about the healing of his soul. I was at the airport when he arrived at his new home in Chicago and most of us saw him for the first time. He was among strange people in a strange environment and was obviously afraid. He refused to allow me to touch him and recoiled when I tried. God only knows what he had previously endured. He was touchy, resistant, afraid, and withdrawn. All of the members of our family committed ourselves to shower him with unconditional love, affection, attention, and acceptance. Now nearly two and one-half years later, he is a transformed boy. He loves to be loved, touched, and spend time with his family. Love has cast out fear and replaced it with peace. He is no longer afraid but comfortable giving and receiving love and acceptance. He is a living example of the principle taught in this verse. The greater application is that the more we love the Lord and experience His love for us, the more comfortable and fearless we will be with Him. Have you experienced the truth of this verse? I hope you have! The reality of its teaching is life changing in our relationship with God and His word.
Tomorrow, our guest speaker will be Bruce O'Neill, the founder and president of Manna International, the organization we have often partnered with to build feeding centers and children's homes around the world. You won't want to miss him and his inspiring message.
Mel Brown