Mission Lighthouse Ministry : The Rebirth
The Beginning.
In March 2003, I made the most important decision of my life. I was 39 years of age at the time and it was a lifetime in the making. Being born a Conservative Jew, I grew up knowing God and praising and worshiping God but not knowing a lot of the reasons as to why I worshiped God except for the fact that I had to, who it was that I was and where it was that I was truly headed in my life and discovering as I got older, God was getting further and further away from me. It was getting to the point that I was afraid that I was going absolutely nowhere in my life that I had to find a way to rediscover my life and it had to include God. It had to include not only here and there and when I had time but on a daily basis.
So, after meeting my wife Amy, a Southern Baptist, and marrying in May 2001, I discovered by attending church once in a while with her and her family in Atlanta, Georgia, that I was beginning to hear The Word again, the Word of God, The Holy Bible and it was time that I lived in it and with it. I knew of the Jewish law as I was accustomed to try and follow and live the Ten Commandments and to know at least the Pentateuch, the First Five Books of Moses. That is as far as it went for me, though. I had never stretched my learning and my knowledge beyond the laws delivered to Moses from God on Mount Sinai.
I had heard the name of Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior, The Messiah and the Son of God but only through the mouths of my non-Jewish friends. I heard the name when I would be asked the all-important question: "Why do you not believe in Jesus?" I could only respond, "I am Jewish and I am not supposed to believe in Him." Really, the answer was this: I had no answer. You see, growing up in a Jewish household, His Name was not even allowed to be mentioned. Unfortunately, when it was mentioned, it was in vain. Little did I realize that I was not only cursing the Son of God but I was cursing God as well.
If there was such a thing of a Jewish Last Will and Testament Party as there is a high school senior Last Will and Testament Party, I would certainly be named, "The Least Likely to Convert to Christianity." Well, that would certainly not have stuck. Actually, at my high school senior Last Will and Testament Party, I was named, "The Most Likely to become an Israeli army general." Go and figure.
The Conversion.
On Sunday, March 9, 2003, my life as it was known died away. The person that I had known, no longer existed. What was even greater, I was born again into Jesus Christ. I accepted Jesus Christ as my Personal Lord and Savior, that He is the Messiah and that He is the Son of God. I had been attending church for sometime before this day, almost a year, and I began to learn the truth. What I have also learned is that knowing the truth is an eternity of learning.
More about my conversion and what led to it in my new book: Testimony of Faith: What led me to Jesus which is due to be completed in 2013.
Why Mission Lighthouse Ministry?
Not long after conversion, I wanted to begin my time of witnessing to others and to teach them about Jesus Christ. I also wanted to use my testimony, God's Word, the Gospels to do just that. As scripture says:
"As servants of God (my emphasis) we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger, by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left...." 2 Corinthians 6:4. ESV
"For we are God's fellow workers (my emphasis). You are God's field, God's building." 1Corinthians 4:9. ESV
and,
"Therefore, we are ambassador's for Christ (my emphasis), God making His appeal through us." 2Corinthians 5:20. ESV
So, Mission Lighthouse Ministry was born knowing these three parts of scripture: I am a servant of God, I am one of God's fellow worker's and finally, I am an ambassador for Christ.
The Name: Mission Lighthouse Ministry
In secular terms, the idea of lighthouse to me means the lighthouse that stands watch to protect seafaring mariners so that their vessels do not come too close to shore and run aground. This is the same thing about Christ. He is our protector, making sure that we do not run aground, get lost and go to the darker side. He is the Light and He is wants us, needs us to stay out of the darkness of Satan.
I love the study of the history of Lighthouses but they have such a deeper meaning. A more spiritual meaning for me.
Here is some scripture to back this up:
The Light of the Gospel
"Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or "tamper with God's Word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." 2Corinthians 4:1-6. ESV
So, Mission Lighthouse Ministry is re-born. It is my "tool" to present to you the infallible Word of God. Just as I have come to accept and understand who my Personal Lord and Savior is, Who the Messiah is and who the Son of God is, I hope the same for you.
God Bless! Glory Be to God!
In the Most Holy and Precious Name of Jesus Christ,
David M. Brown
Founder
Mission Lighthouse Ministry
Tucker, Georgia
Thursday, January 24, 2013
