October 25, 2018
Dear friends,
Thank you for your prayers as we have travelled extensively in recent months, visiting supporters and churches in Québec and Ontario, as well as going to our Mission headquarters in Buffalo, NY last week for the annual Board meeting of Action Mondiale d’Évangélisation (the Québec incorporation of Global Outreach Mission). It was our privilege to participate in two Missions conferences this month. The keynote speaker at the Global Christianity weekend at Peoples Church of Montreal was Dr. Glenn Smith, who served as Executive Director of Christian Direction in Montreal for 35 years, before transitioning to his current position as Chief Advocate in the same organization (www.direction.ca). His messages, based on Matthew 5:13-16, were a tremendous blessing to me and others.
While looking at the website of Peoples Church of Montreal to see if Dr. Smith’s messages were posted (they aren’t), I found a sermon by Brother Nicholas Roussakis about tribulations, testings, trials and temptations – http://www.peoplesmontreal.org/sermon/#preacher-sort_nick-roussakis – which is very pertinent to many people, including himself and his daughter, Melissa, who are both bravely facing health challenges.
Others are experiencing difficulties in relationships. When Karen and I were in Tulsa Bible Church in February, we met a man who was estranged from his daughter for sixteen years. Since then, we have heard many stories of heartbreak, as sin causes ruptures and anguish.
In the past week, we received Bible lessons from two students who received them many years ago, including one that was sent in the 1990s. Besides these encouragements, a letter came yesterday from a pastor in Haiti, who wrote to express his gratitude for Bible studies that he received from our ministry many years ago. Praise the Lord for all that He is doing!
Scripture for the weekend: “For Thy righteousness, O God, reaches to the heavens, Thou who hast done great things; O God, who is like Thee?” Psalm 71:19 (NASB)
Thought for the weekend: “Friendship … is the instrument by which God reveals to each the beauties of all others.” – C.S. Lewis (quoted in “Disciplines of a Godly Man” by R. Kent Hughes)
By His grace,
Steve