Aches and Praise Five Hundred & Twenty Nine

Posted on 2021-10-29 in English |

October 29, 2021
 
 

Dear friends,

                                                                                                                                                                       
Last weekend, Karen and I had a wonderful time as Shelley Stone, the Canadian director of MissionGO, came from Ontario to visit us and our colleagues in Châteauguay. It was encouraging to know that Shelley is praying for us and the ministry the Lord has entrusted to us. We want to thank each of you, as well, for your prayers. Yesterday, a ministry contact phoned to say that it was the fifteenth anniversary of her trusting the Lord Jesus Christ as her personal Saviour. What a blessing it is to know the One who loved us so much that He willingly went to the cross to die for our sins!
 

On Tuesday night, our Bible study group looked at John 16:30, where the disciples said “Now we are sure that You know all things, and have no need that anyone should question You. By this we believe that You came forth from God.” This declaration came right after Jesus told the disciples that He would soon go to the Father. The Lord Jesus also told His disciples: “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full” (verses 23 and 24). In commenting on this, Dr. David Jeremiah observes: “The power of prayer is in the name of Jesus Christ. Praying in His name is not a tagline at the end of one’s prayers; it means praying according to His will. Keeping Jesus in focus keeps people from selfish prayers. The result of a Christ-empowered prayer is that a person’s joy will be full.”

In his Study Bible, Dr. Jeremiah has the following list under the heading “Finding Joy”:

Joy at salvation (Luke 19:6)                                                                      
Joy at baptism (Acts 8:39)                                                                        
Joy in reading the Word of God (Jer. 15:19)                                                     
Joy in prayer (John 16:24)                                                                         
Joy in troubles (James 1:2)                                                                       
Joy in persecution (Acts 5:41)                                                                  
Joy in dying as a believer (Acts 20:24)
           
Two people come to mind when I think about joy: Eric Liddell and Frank Humphrey. Eric was an Olympic champion, whose story is portrayed in the Oscar-winning film called “Chariots of Fire.” To learn about this athlete who went to China to serve the Lord, please visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Liddell. Pastor Humphrey loved God’s Word and inspired me and others to see how much God loves us. He was afflicted with ALS in his 50s and endured much pain before the Lord called him home in 2019. For more about this servant of the Lord, please visit: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/en-ca/obituaries/pointe-claire-qc/francis-george-humphrey-8940763

 

Have you dedicated your life to the Lord? If not, why not? Don’t delay another day. Turn from whatever is holding you back and ask the Lord to use you to bring glory to Him.
 

Scripture for the weekend: “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 (NKJV)

Thought for the weekend: “We are all missionaries. Wherever we go we either bring people nearer to Christ or we repel them from Christ.”  – Eric Liddell
 

By His grace,

Steve

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