Good morning on this last Saturday of February. If you are like me you are carefully following the events which are unfolding in the Middle East and Northern Africa. Because of demonstrations in Egypt where protesters have overthrown the Mubarak government and replaced it with temporary military control, demonstrators have been emboldened throughout the region to attempt to do the same. An strong anti-authoritarian movement has swept throughout region. Here is an up-to-date review of what is happening geopolitically in many countries in the area.
Libya - Protesters have gained control of some parts of Libya and are clashing with forces loyal to strongman dictator Qaddafi in the capital city. Many protesters have been killed and Qaddafi has vowed to fight to the death.
Iraq - Protesters in at least 10 Iraqi cities burned buildings as security forces fired on the crowds as they demanded changes in government.
Iran - Protesters attempted to stage demonstrations against the Iranian government led by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad but have met with calls for leaders of the demonstrations to be executed. Protesters have called for continuing protests every Tuesday for the next three weeks in spite of the threats.
Bahrain - Tens of thousands of anti-government protesters have flooded into Bahrain's capital demanding sweeping political changes.
Yemen - More than 100,000 demonstrators poured into the streets in a peaceful demonstrations to protest against president Ali Abdullah Saleh in a wave of anti-authoritarian zeal.
Tunisia - Tunisians have high hopes that the interim government which has been formed will reform their institutions.
Sudan - A government spokesman has reported that president Omar Hassan al-Bashir who has been accused of genocide against his opposition will not continue in office beyond his current term.
How these situations play out could have major implications not only for the region but for the world. Who ultimately gains control of the various countries, their loyalties and alliances, and posture toward Israel and the West can have a great impact on our lives.
Tomorrow's sermon is entitled, God's Antidote To Fainting. I hope to see you there.
Mel Brown

Good morning on this Saturday, February 19th. Last Monday was Valentines Day and I hope you and your sweetheart enjoyed a wonderful Valentines Day together. Usually Valentines Day is thought to be about special cards, flowers, and candy as gifts given as expressions of love. Recent research has shown that the giving of gifts remains an important ingredient in successful marriages, but three non-material gifts given by one partner to another are even more important. One is the gift of listening - the giving of thoughtful attention and consideration to the things which your loved one is saying. The second is caring - the showing of concern, understanding and sensitivity to your mate and their needs. The third is compassion - the empathetic and sympathetic consciousness of the the others feelings and distress. These intangible gifts have proven to be the ultimate Valentine. Materially they cost nothing; practically they are priceless.
Some couples who have been married for many years report that the giving of material gifts fades in importance after years together, but nearly all report that the three intangible gifts of listening, caring, and compassion remain tremendously important throughout the years. What kind of Valentine are you and are you giving the three most important gifts to your Valentine?
Tomorrow's sermon is entitled, Live Better For Less. I hope you will not miss this message.
Mel Brown

Good morning on this Saturday, February 12th. Many of you have been asking about the significance of the uprising in Egypt which toppled the regime of Hosni Mubarak after his nearly 30 year reign. During an 18 day revolt Egyptians filled Tahrir Square which became the epicenter of the people's rebellion. They demanded Mubarak's resignation and the establishment of a new government and continued the pressure until they accomplished their goal - the overthrow of the Egyptian leadership. The military is now in control and Mubarak is out. As of now there are too many unanswered questions about the situation in Egypt to determine the possible prophetic importance of these events. What will be the composition of the new government? Who will ultimately be in charge? What role will the more radical Muslims play in Egypt's immediate future? What will be the leadership's posture toward the west, Russia, and other Arab states? Until we have more clarity about the answers to these questions, no definitive assessments can me made. We'll be closely watching the future unfolding of events in Egypt and keep you well informed. In the mean time we'll have to take a wait and see attitude about the Biblical implications of the Egyptian situation.
Tomorrow's sermon is entitled, Let Us Go On. I hope you'll be able to attend.
Mel Brown

Good morning on this first Saturday of February. I returned today from central Florida where Barb and I visited my wife's 96 year old mother, then attended a pastor's conference in northern Florida. I followed the weather in the Quad Cities on my computer and was concerned when I learned that the area endured an 18 inch snowfall earlier this week. As I was flying over the area as we prepared to land in Moline, I was struck by the sea of white which covered everything below with such saturation. Never before have I seen such a 3D-effect created by the snow accumulated on the ground when viewed from the air. The rate of accumulation and overall depth of the final snowfall produced considerable hardship for many people and I wanted to take this opportunity to thank those who worked so diligently to clean the snow from our parking lots and clear the snow and ice from our sidewalks. Our guys did a terrific job and we appreciate the yeoman effort. Thanks to all who were involved in this task for a job very well done! Edgewood is blessed with so many wonderful people who are willing to serve with dedication and determination to do whatever needs to be done in the work of Jesus Christ.
I'm looking forward to returning to the pulpit tomorrow with a message entitled, Keys To Winning Your Life's Race. I hope to see you there.
Mel Brown