Change

These are days of change and transition in my world and my human nature would like to rebel and brace myself against it.

But years of trial-and-error living and solemn thought has instructed me that this would be an incorrect response to what I can't change.

Instead, I will pray to my God, trust in His guidance, read and obey His Word, and face the new challenges with a renewed attitude and a broad smile. 

I am choosing to soar - and take others with me!

The Awesome Why

In the span of 14 seconds, two loud concussions stilled the jubilant air of the warm spring day and covered it with a blanket of smoke, debris and body parts. Two innocent people, no three, were caught up in the moment and swept away to a place beyond the sights and sound of the Patriot’s Day: Martin, age 8, Krystle, age 29, and an unidentified Chinese national. None of the three had a chance to choose what would become of them, for their lives were taken by a horrific act of cowardly terror.

America has again come under fire from those who would destroy her.

I was out of the country when I heard the news from The Boston Marathon.  The sunny skies and warm breezes of Montreal, Quebec, kept me from being near a radio or television that afternoon. But when I tried to return to the United States, the long wait at the border told me something had happened in America that would make me ask an awesome why of God.

Listen, friend. The Stars and Stripes can’t protect us from the madness that fills some people’s minds and leaks out into acts of heinous impact.  The goodwill of so many of our citizens cannot squelch the insanity that would motivate crimes of hate from the hands of people too self-possessed to realize the harm and cost they were demanding of others whose names they did not know.

Though many miles separated me in Montreal from my fellow Americans in Massachusetts, I was immediately and deeply affected by their suffering.  And a certain sense of bewilderment again came over me as I pondered their fate. So I did what many of you did: I lifted my heart to my Father in Heaven and cried out for His Spirit to comfort those who were mourning the pain, suffering, death and destruction caused by this senseless act of terror. And He was there with them (John 1 4: 16).

The last twenty-four hours have yielded many angles of the Boston story and I’m already weary of seeing the scenes and hearing the screams of the victims. I’d just like to know why someone felt empowered by detonating pressure cookers laden with explosives and sending nails, BB’s and ball bearing shrapnel into the path of tired runners and their well-wishers.  I’d like to get my hands on them and shake them for their cruelty.  But I’ve lived long enough to know I may never receive a satisfactory explanation for my questionings.

So I’ll just do what I did on 9/11: I’ll pray. I’ll ask an Awesome God an awesome “Why?” and then hold steady in the knowledge that He is intimately aware of the matter and will work out a purpose that seems a mystery to deep for me to ever understand.  And I’ll do whatever I can to confront such hatred and act to dispel the kind of violence that drove a lunatic to such extremes. And I’ll borrow the words of Jesus on the cross when He cried out, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know not what they are doing” (Luke 23: 34).

Join me now for a moment of silence for our fallen citizens and their families.

My Three Women

Like Jesus, I have known many women who have been a part of my ministry over the years. I thank God for them all, for without them, little would have gotten done in the churches I have served! 

But there are three women who have walked with me throughout my ministry who have blessed me in ways far more meaningful than I can possible write about today. 

Rosalie, my wife. 

Sarah, my eldest daughter. 

And Naomi, my youngest child. 

These three women, wonderful and incredible in so many ways, have walked with me every step of my way and I been been the recipient of their love, support, humor, hard work, counsel and prayers so many times that I have lost track of them all. But I do know that I would not have been as effective as I have been without their unique and godly contribution to my life and ministry.

Rosalie, Sarah and Naomi, I love you more than than words can say and want you each to know just how blessed I know I am because you have shared your life with mine.  

143,

Dean/Dad  

“Come On, Boys!” He Said

“Come on, boys. Let’s go fishin!” he said.

So they said goodbye and jumped aboard the little Miss Ally.

And set their course and laughed about the wave and breeze.

“Come on, boys. We can do it!” He said.

So they throttled up and steamed away to find the better catch.

And hoped for awful winds and seas to blow away.

“Come on, boys. She’s getting rough!” he said.

So they went on down and held on tight so not to be afraid.

And waited for mornin’s light to point the better way.

“Come on, boys. We’ve gotta get off a here!” he said.

So captain and crew launched the little craft and jumped away.

And prayed their cries would summon a bigger ship that way.

“Come on, boys. It’s okay!” God said.

So they reached out to take the Safer Hand that came their way.

And knew for sure that raging sea and swelling tide would have no more sway!

Come on, boys. We’ve got to say goodbye!” we said.

So we set about to say so long and pray for strength today.

And then, like them, we board our boats to fish another day.

Pastor Dean Brown

The Wesleyan Church

I Want to Forever Struggle

Jim Dennison said it well:

"Our divisive, negative culture will know we are Christians by our love (John 13:35).  We are most clearly the children of a loving God when we love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44-45).  As I've often noted, you can tell if you're a servant by the way you react when people treat you like one.  When last did you "turn the other cheek" for Jesus?"

I want to forever struggle with being a loving servant of the Living One.  

I too much want to be served, not to serve.  I too often want to condemn my "enemies", but not love and pray for them.  I know I should want to turn the other cheek when someone is raging out at me but I too easily strike out and slap others' faces. 

I want to forever struggle with being a loving servant of the Living One. And He will help me in my struggle (2 Pe 1: 3).

Thanks to Calvary

This song is my testimony. I thank God for Calvary and the change it is bringing in my life even to this day.  While I'm never going to be perfect, and I have deep regrets about the past, Jesus Christ has decisively stepped into the area of my life and forgiven, saved, and cleansed my heart.  Thank you, Lord, for who you are and the difference you're making in my life this very hour!

Listen to George Younce and The Old Friends Quartet sing one of my favourite life songs:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6F2kQ3gxfk

Do You Like Chinese?

“My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” (John 4: 34 NIV)

If I were to take a survey today and ask about your favorite food choices, I bet one of them would be Chinese food.  From my early days in Canada (where Chinese food is authentic and delicious), one of my favorite dinners is Chinese egg rolls, sweet and sour chicken, fried rice (pork or chicken!), and beef and broccoli delight.  Anyone reading this share my love for this Asian cuisine?

While out and about doing spiritual work last week, I was impressed by the Spirit to drop into one of our favorite chinese restaurants.  This was not a feeding frenzy but a spiritual visit to open doors of communication that I might tell the restaurateur about Jesus Christ and His ability to feed his soul for eternity.  The young man who greeted me was very cordial and we struck up an instant friendship.  We discussed the restaurant’s history and what it was like for them to serve the Glens Falls public.  It was fun and informative interacting with him. Finally the moment arrived for me to tell him the purpose of my visit.  Imagine my joy when I learned that the owner was a Christ follower.  I’d found a friend who knew my Best Friend personally!

After explaining the real reason for my visit, I left my card, promised to help them in any way I could, and strode to my car. Once inside the cool comfort of my vehicle, I gave thanks to God for the privilege of being able to visit people to tell them about my Lord Jesus.

Jesus once commented on His mission: “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work” (John 4: 34 NIV).  I’d like to think that it is God’s will and my mission to drop into people’s lives and tell them about Jesus and His death and resurrection. Why? So that they can feast with me at the Wedding Supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19: 9).

How about you? Have you begun the work He’s calling you to do so that you can finish it before Jesus returns (1 Thess. 4: 13-18)?