Aches and Praise Two Hundred & Eighty Nine

Posted on 2017-03-24 in English |

Dear friends,  

 

One of the first songs that I learned after trusting in Christ as my Saviour at the age of seventeen was “Pass It On.” One of the verses in this song talks about Spring time, when the birds begin to sing and the flowers start to bloom. Last week our church began its annual Missions conference and it has been a wonderful time of refreshing spiritually and an inspiration to share the love of God with others, like the words of the chorus of “Pass It On” urge us.
 

It has been almost 35 years since I left my position in the Gazette business office to serve the Lord full-time. I still use the burgundy briefcase that my colleagues gave me as a parting gift. Some of my co-workers asked me if I was going to South America when they heard that I was going to be a missionary. They were surprised when I said that I wasn’t going overseas, only across the St. Lawrence river to Châteauguay.

Words do not adequately express the gratitude that Karen and I have for the army of prayer warriors, including a lady who is 100 years young, who uphold us in prayer. Your prayers have helped us immensely in the ministry and in family relationships. Please join us in prayer for three people who have contacted the radio follow-up office recently: Alain has a physical challenge, Lise has painful inflammation sometimes when she walks, and Jimmy asks prayer for his adult daughter.

In the past three editions of this blog, I have written about Christian doctrines that the late G. Christian Weiss examined in one of his books. After looking at universal prayer, the unity of God, and the universal love and concern of God, Weiss directs his attention to the unique mediatorship of Jesus Christ. The words of 1Timothy 2:5 are on a plaque in our office, proclaiming the mission of the Lord Jesus Christ. Weiss writes: “He alone uniquely effected mediation and reconciliation between God and mankind by His substitutionary death on Calvary’s cross (see 2 Corinthians 5:18-21; 1 Peter 2:24; 3:18). Before bowing His head in death, Jesus said, ‘It is finished’ (John 19:30). He had established reconciliation between the holy Heavenly Father and His sinful creatures.”

This week we received an email from a person who is seeking God. It is our privilege to share the truth of God’s Word with all who do not know the Lord. As Weiss writes: “Apart from the knowledge of the truth of salvation in His Son, Jesus Christ, and apart from personal faith in Him, there can be no salvation.” May we be faithful to take the gospel to the ends of the earth.    

Scripture for the weekend:“For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” 1 Timothy 2:5 (NASB)

Thought for the weekend: “Even as He prepares them for His departure, He will tell them, ‘You must choose to be near Me. Those who do,’ He promises, ‘will know the power of answered prayer as they do great things for Me. But, more important, only those who abide will know the joy of the deepest experience of love with the Son of God – a friendship so close that you will know the deepest truths of My Father’ (see John 15:1-15).” – Ed Underwood (from his book “When God Breaks Your Heart”)
 

By His grace,

 

Steve

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