Pastor Brown's blog will return next weekend.

Good morning on this Saturday, August 25th. Last Sunday's message was the last in the Prophecy 2012 series of sermons and I thought I would use this blog to answer a few of your questions regarding access to the messages.

(1) The entire series is available on CD. You may order the series through the Tape Ministry at the Information Desk in the church's main foyer.
(2) CDs of each individual message are available from the same source if you need a particular sermon.
(3) The messages are available for download in both video and audio for viewing/listening on the church's website, www.edgewoodbaptist.net. Simply click on the sermons tab and select the sermon of interest.
(4) Because of copyright issues, I could not print out copies of the maps and graphics used to illustrate some of the messages. Access information for viewing some of these materials on your computer is included with some of the sermons on our website.
(5) Interest in this year's series of messages has been at a all-time high, presumably because of current world events and geopolitical crises. If some of the sermons have not been immediately available because our supply has been sold out, please order the CD you wanted and you should be able to pick it up the following week at the Information Desk.
(6) If you are interested in following prophecy on a continuing basis, I recommend visiting the Prophecy Central website at www.bible-prophecy.com. This site is devoted exclusively to Biblical prophecy and includes insights and updates for leading prophecy scholars. The site also features an encyclopedic index of prophetic events with noteworthy event updates.

Tomorrow's sermon is entitled, King Saul: The Rise and Fall of a Leader. We will also have the privilege of commissioning Stacy Lovett, one of our own, who will soon be leaving for Japan to begin her missionary work there. I hope you will be able to attend.
Mel Brown

Good morning on this Saturday, August 18th. Tomorrow's message will be the final lesson in our prophecy series. The message will answer eight prophecy questions members have asked pertaining to all of the material we've taught during the last two months.
The unfolding of numerous current events are of continuing interest to a student of the Bible's predictions of future events.

(1) The leadership of Iran continues to insist that soon Israel will no longer exist. Iran's president Ahmadinejad now adds that Israel's existence is "an insult to all humanity," and has again insisted that soon Israel will be no more. Joining him in insisting on the destruction of Israel is Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who possesses ultimate influence over Iran's policies. Because Iran is now very close to having nuclear weapons and the rockets to deliver them, this threat is ominous and of special importance. For years Iran has had the desire and determination to wipe Israel off the map, but now they will soon possess the means to do so.

(2) Egypt has placed the Muslin Brotherhood in power over the country and their newly elected leader Muhammad Morsi has solidified his power by removing two powerful military leaders from their posts. We now know his intentions because he has begun crucifying those who oppose him.naked on trees in front of the Presidential Palace. Those being crucified are any who oppose the new regime including Egyptian Christians. Raymond Ibrahim of the Middle East Forum and Investigative Project on Terrorism reports that Christians are being especially brutalized with the crucifixions being justified by Islamic doctrine as required by the Quran.

(3)Not only has Iran threatened numerous U.S. bases around the world if Israel or the U.S. attempts to take out their nukes, but the head of Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shiite militant with close ties to Iran has promised to "transform the lives of millions of Israelis to 'hell'" if Israel attacks Lebanon.

These threats from the Iranians are more than just rhetoric. This is a powder keg with a short fuse waiting to be ignited. The Israeli Rabbi Heir warns that Hitler used such rhetoric years ago which was then ignored by the Jews to their peril. Israeli leaders have warned they will not make that mistake again. The scene is set, the situation is escalating and Russia continues to contribute to the atomic program of Iran. Heavy sanctions imposed upon Iran may yet turn the tide in favor of a peaceful outcome, but if I were a betting man, I would bet against their working. Time will tell.

Don't miss tomorrow's message. You will be blessed by being there.
Mel Brown

Good morning on this Saturday, August 11th. Summer does not officially end until late September, but I always kind of considered the signal for the ending of summer as the time when the kids go back to school. Historically that used to be the day after Labor Day, but now days can occur any time from late July to mid-August for most schools. Most of us will be glad to see this summer finally end and will welcome the cooler temps of fall because of the intense heat - temps up to 108 degrees. In fact the Weather Bureau has announced that July 2012 is officially the hottest July on record since records began to be preserved in 1895.
As I drive around the area I see lawns everywhere browned  because of the heat and drought. Very few lawns have survived unscathed this summer. It seems the only part of my lawn which has flourished this year has been the weeds! The brown grass indicates the lawn has gone dormant, Here are a few facts from the experts about caring for grass in the dormant state.
(1) The dormant state means the grass has focused its water resources on the roots.
(2) Depending on the type of grass and the condition of the lawn, most dormancy lasts at least 3-4 weeks before the grass begins to die.
(3) It is recommended to water the lawn thoroughly (soil whetted down to 5 inches) to rehydrate the grass and keep it from dying if the drought lasts more than 4 weeks.
(4) Do not mow, fertilize or otherwise stress the grass during this dormant period because the grass is not healthy enough to withstand strain or repair itself. You can spot treat the weeds.
(5) When the grass comes out of dormancy, give it much tender loving care to help it grow and thrive.
I have written about this topic to apply a particular  truth to some Christian's lives. Some believers suffer from summer spiritual dormancy. They travel, camp, vacation, attend sporting events, picnic, and neglect church attendance and their spiritual lives. Though they have the Living Water within to sustain them, they fail to tap the spring and let it flow and flourish them. They become spiritually dry and parched. If that is true of you I urge you to water your spiritual life with the water of His Word, His house, and His Spirit. Jesus promised in John 4:14, "Whoever drinks of the water I will give him will never thirst." To maintain spiritual health we need to drink deeply and regularly. Our fellowship with the Lord is dependent upon it..
Tomorrow's message is "Answers To Prophecy Questions." I hope to see you there so we can drink of His Word together.
Mel Brown

Good morning on this Saturday, August 4th. Last week I wrote about the beginning of the 2012 Olympic Games, the opening ceremony, and the game's relationship to their forerunner, the athletic competitions in the Apostle Paul's day. I quoted Paul's references comparing the Christian life to running a race and striving to win the prize. I wrote about the incredible desire, determination and discipline required of the athletes to prepare for and compete in the Olympic games and compared that discipline to the discipline(s) practiced by Christ in His life. I promised to highlight those disciplines in today's blog.
But as I began outlining those many disciplines, I became aware that merely having such a list without the necessary explanation and application would not convey what was needed to help you put them into practice in your life.
Consequently, I have decided to prepare a more detailed commentary and make it available to the church. Within the next couple of weeks it should be ready and available for distribution in the Edgewood foyers.  Please watch for this summary and commentary in the coming weeks and be sure to pick up your personal copy.
Tomorrow's sermon is another in our series on prophecy. I hope you'll be able to be there.
Mel Brown