Uncategorized Murray McLellan on 22 Oct 2007 03:48 pm
Mmmmm… Oct. 22, 2007
Monday, Oct. 22, 2007
Good morning, saints,
We have all been impacted by Autumn Manz’s brief life of 9 months. If you have not already, I would encourage you to read Kendall’s blog (http://manzvillecanada.blogspot.com/ ). Kurt and Kendall have become living epistles of faith in the God who has loved us, and who Himself suffered to the uttermost for us. Through them, we are being exhorted to walk by faith and not by sight. In them, we read that the Lord’s loving kindness is better than life. In them, we read of a Lord who is worth trusting, though He leads us through dark valleys. In them, we read of the hope that is ours in Jesus Christ that goes far beyond a vaporous life in this sin-cursed time – a hope that extends to a restoration of things in the new heavens and the new earth, where all the wrongs are righted – where the light affliction which was but for a moment has become for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory – where joy will abound to heights that could never have been known had it not been for the circumstances of pain and suffering in the now.
Though sadness is in my heart, for it aches for our dear brother and sister, yet as I ponder the Word of our God, our wonderful High Priest, and the promises of the Spirit of God, I find myself anticipating the day of restoration when Jesus returns in glory, and where all things – even the seeming bad things – spring forth into glorious victory – even as in the first fruits in the resurrection of Jesus, where after His suffering He was presented alive … “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” Luke 14:25-26
In the words of Paul … “…that I might know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His suffering, being conformed to His death, if by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” Phil. 3:10-11
And “ For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.” Phil. 1:29
Jesus guarantees for His people that no suffering will ever be in vain.
This week we do not have Julie’s regular prayer reminder. However, Julie does send us the following to spur us on in our prayers this week.
‘I know that everyone is praying and aching and mourning with Kurt and Kendall and so as encouragement to all the saints, a few scriptures that come to mind are:
Mat 11:28-30 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Lam 3:21-23 But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”
Hab 3:17-19 Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places.
Matthew Henry comments - But those who, when they were full, enjoyed God in all, when they are emptied and impoverished can enjoy all in God, and can sit down upon a melancholy heap of the ruins of all their creature comforts and even then can sing to the praise and glory of God, as the God of their salvation. This is the principal ground of our joy in God, that he is the God of our salvation, our eternal salvation, the salvation of the soul; and, if he be so, we may rejoice in him as such in our greatest distresses, since by them our salvation cannot be hindered, but may be furthered. Note, Joy in God is never out of season, nay, it is in a special manner seasonable when we meet with losses and crosses in the world, that it may then appear that our hearts are not set upon these things, nor our happiness bound up in them. See how the prophet triumphs in God: The Lord God is my strength, Hab_3:19. He that is the God of our salvation in another world will be our strength in this world, to carry us on in our journey thither, and help us over the difficulties and oppositions we meet with in our way. Even when provisions are cut off, to make it appear that man lives not by bread alone, we may have the want of bread supplied by the graces and comforts of God’s Spirit and with the supplies of them. (1.) We shall be strong for our spiritual warfare and work: The Lord God is my strength, the strength of my heart. (2.) We shall be swift for our spiritual race: “He will make my feet like hinds’ feet, that with enlargement of heart I may run the way of his commands and outrun my troubles.” (3.) We shall be successful in our spiritual enterprises: “He will make me to walk upon my high places; that is, I shall gain my point, shall be restored unto my own land, and tread upon the high places of the enemy,”
Isa 9:2-7 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined. You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil. For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.
Hos 6:1-3 “Come, let us return to the LORD; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him. Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.”
May we love God, one another, and the city of Saskatoon.
Jesus, build your church in Saskatoon for the glory of our heavenly Father.
Much love in, and dependence upon, the Savior,
Murray
“Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God
and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ…”
Acts 28:31
“The story continues…”
