Encouraging Others in Faith

Dear Weekly Readers!

I am now on a long road trip (almost 6 weeks) with my wife.  We are visiting churches in the USA for the purposes of preaching Jesus Christ, and informing Christians of our work in other countries around the world.   It is our prayer, that by informing the Christians, they will be willing to join in support of the mission.

Please be in prayer for safe travels, and obedience to serve the Lord to His Glory!

During the time I will be traveling, the Weekly Diner will come every two weeks, rather than every week.  Please understand, and I am thankful for your prayers!

May God Bless you and yours!  John R.

Please enjoy the below article by Pastor Orval.

If you knew you had only a short time to live, what would you tell your children, your loved ones? You would share those matters of utmost importance concerning life, namely spiritual life.

In our text of meditation, Apostle Paul, who shortly will be martyred for his faith, is writing from prison (possibly the last letter that he ever wrote) to Timothy, a young man who was converted through Paul's ministry. He is concerned about the Gospel being handed off to Timothy intact so that it may continue to bring salvation through Christ to multitudes. Let us read the first 7 verses of 2 Timothy

:

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus, To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in

my prayers night and day;

Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy; When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also. Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Paul, vested with the authority of Christ as one who was sent by Christ, pours out his heart to his dearly beloved son, reminding him first of all that God through Christ has been and is yet gracious, merciful and peaceful toward Timothy. Paul then shares with his son his prayers for him, his longings for him, and his joy in him.

Then before Paul shared of his main concern for the writing of the letter, the source, foundation, guarding, teaching and preaching of the Gospel, he focused on four things

that were instrumental in the bringing of Timothy to where he was now in his Christian faith.

The first was his upbringing. Biographies never begin with the individual themselves, but with parents and grandparents for they bring/have brought/will bring to bear the greatest influence on our lives. When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee,  which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.

The second influence on Timothy was his spiritual friendship. After our parents, it is our friends who influence us most. Through Paul's ministry, Timothy had been led to Christ, and Paul did not desert, forget, or abandon him. Paul constantly remembered him. Three times in our text we see the bond of friendship between Paul and Timothy.

I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day; Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy; When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.

The third influence in Timothy's life was a special gift of grace. Even though the gift that Timothy received most likely was a call into the ministry, nevertheless, in general we all have been uniquely gifted by Christ according to His grace and for His purposes, so that glory would be brought to Him and salvation to lost souls. We may not have as of yet fully realized our special calling of the Lord, but in time we will. We are members of His Body, therefore that which He has given us has been and will continue to be used to strengthen, protect, nourish and enhance His Body, the Church.

All gifts and talents that are given to us are for the purpose of bringing glory to God by being used directly or indirectly to gather people to a saving relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.

The fourth influence on Timothy was personal discipline. Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up (rekindle, stir into flame) the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power (word for dynamite), and of love, and of a sound mind (sound judgment, self-control).

We are called to rekindle, reignite, the gift that is within us/in others so that we/they may

not only live in the benefits of the Gospel, but so that we/they may also teach and preach

the Gospel. We that are in a place of influence need to recognize the Timothy's among us,

such as the younger ones in our congregations, and especially the graduates this year.

May we follow the example of Paul so that the Timothy's among us will be loved, appreciated, prayed for, sympathized with, rejoiced over, challenged, equipped and supported.  May we continue in this training, teaching and transition process that already has begun from our/their infancy so that the Gospel will be taught and preached in the grace and in the truth of Jesus Christ until the end.  May we ask today: Who do we know that we could take "under our wing" in order to bring them encouragement and direction for their life today and tomorrow?

May God bless you. ~

Encouraging Others in Faith

Pastor Orval Wirkkala

Kingston, Minnesota

Dear Weekly Readers!

God’s Peace!   Our article this week reminds us of some very important things.  Please read and share with your friends, congregations, and children! 

May God Bless your Week!  John R.

Christianity Begins at Home

Pastor Wayne Juntunen

Esko, Minnesota

Many times in the Bible we can read how important is the home in the eyes of God. God begins with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 1:26-3:24) from whom have come all nations, kindred, peoples and tongues. But as they yielded to Satan's lie, the effects of that "fall" infected all of creation and home life became a battle ground. And from there the infection of sin has spread to all peoples. God, the All-Knowing, All-Powerful, and Everywhere-Present Lord of all, provides the blood sacrifice Himself in and through Jesus Christ to reclaim and restore all that was lost in the Garden of Eden. Jesus, God in the flesh, is born of a woman.

A new home begins through Mary and a substitute father, Joseph; God, the Father, being the true

Father. Even though Joseph was not the true father of Jesus, it was necessary that he be a godly man. The beginning of the Gospel according to Matthew records a long history of Joseph's godly heritage (Matthew 1:1-16).

Mary, too, came from a godly heritage being a relative of Elisabeth (Luke 1:36), the wife of Zacharias, a priest, whose genealogy would go all the way back to Levi from whom the entire Old Testament priesthood started. While it was important that the home was a godly one into which Jesus was to be born and in which he would be raised to manhood, the timing of Mary's conception was also important.

Engagement in Bible times was as binding as the marriage itself. It was important that Joseph and Mary were engaged before the angel brought the message from God that she was to conceive a son through the power of the Holy Spirit. Had it occurred before Joseph and Mary were engaged, Joseph could simply separate from her and have no further connections. He would be breaking no law but Mary, quite likely, would have been stoned to death—the punishment for adultery (Deuteronomy 22:23-24).

At best she would have been left to raise Jesus outside of marriage. God waited until they were engaged to guarantee the marriage, although an angelic message to Joseph was necessary in order for him to understand the reason for Mary's pregnancy. Mary was not to raise Jesus as a single parent. Beginning with Adam and Eve, the blueprint for marriage is one man with one woman for life. Children need both a mother and a father for proper nurturing. As Jesus began the work of saving creation and mankind from sin, death, hell and the devil, the first miracle He performed was at a wedding (John 2:1-11). Why? Because only a home where Jesus Christ is present can mankind's history and civilization itself survive and flourish. In every home where Christ is not enthroned as Lord, there the fruit of our fallen nature will reign. Since the original home from which God was to build humankind had departed from the Word of the Lord, Jesus, the Word made flesh, began in a home at a wedding to reveal both His human and divine nature that was needful not only for life after death, but life before death.

For, as the Apostle Paul said in his sermon to the gathered crowd on Mars Hill in Athens, "In Christ we live, and move, and have our being (Acts 17:28)."  While Christ, through His life, suffering, death and resurrection, has finished the work necessary to save man-kind from his destructive course, each of us is still responsible to be the "doers of that Word (James1:22).

And the Bible is full of instructions as to how marriage and family life is to be carried out in the home. Each of us has a responsibility to live in harmony with God's Word as parents, children, brothers and sisters within a household. It has been said, "The light that shines the farthest shines the brightest at home." May the light of God's Word, the two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12), penetrate into our hearts. And as it reveals our thoughts and intentions, may each of us yield to its truth.

The only way Christianity can spread is from heart to heart, from house to house because the church, as a body of believers, is only as strong as each household within it. Then out of each heart and out of each home, Christianity can then spread to the neighborhood, the community, the nation, and the world. ~ 

We Just Have Today

Dear Weekly Readers,  

I pray that all is well with each of you today!  The below is a good reminder for all of us!  Sometimes we can miss the point and while we think we are doing the right thing, we miss what is right in front of us.  May God help each of us, and give us wisdom and fill us with His Love, so we would do what He would have us to do!

May God Bless your week!  John R.

WE JUST HAVE TODAY

by Mother Teresa

I do not agree with the big way of doing things. To us, what matters is the individual To get to love the person, we must come in close contact with Him. lf we wait till we get the numbers, then we will be lost in numbers, and we will never be able to show that love and respect for the person. I believe in person to person.

Every person is Christ for me, and since there is only one Jesus, there is only one person in the world for me at that moment. We talk about the poor but very little to the poor. There is so much talk about the hunger and ail that, that we'll have food after ten years, so much food--in the meantime, somebody's dying for a piece of bread and we don't even look at that person.

When they were having a very, very big conference in Bombay and they were calculating in fifteen years' time, how much food they'll have and right in front of the house, there was a man about iwenty-five, twenty-six years old actually dying of hunger. so I took him, put him in the car with me, By the time I reached our house, he died and he died purely of hunger.

This opened my eyes-they are calculating for tomorrow and the meantime, today, many people are dying for a piece of bread. I have never experienced saying to the people, I don't have, I can't give you. There's never been a time when we didn't have one more plate of rice, one more bed, or more dose of medicine.

We are for today; when tomorrow will come we shall see what we can do. Somebody is thirsty for water today, hungry for food today. Tomorrow we will not have them if we don't feed them today. So be concerned with what you can do today. The future is so much in the hands of God. I find it much more easy to accept today because yesterday is gone and tomorrow has not come, and I have only today. So very often if I have to be busy with tomorrow, I may neglect my people today.

And so, since we have just that one day, I prefer to put all my love and care and energy to that individual.....because I believe in loving just one person that is with me at the time. And, tomorrow may never come, that's in the hands of God, no?

And that is the wonderful gift of God that he has not given us--that is His great love for us that He has not given us to know the future. We fear the future because we are wasting the today. From Where There is Love, There ls God.

edited by Brian Kolodieichuk, MC.

God's Love

Dear Weekly Readers!

The Bible text for the sermon on Sunday was John 14:8-27.

In Verse 8, Philip is asking Jesus to show them the Father, saying that they will then be satisfied.   Jesus asked them, “Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip?”  Jesus told them that if you have seen me, you have seen the Father, because He is in Me, and I in Him.  

How is it with you and me today?   Are we thankful for knowing Jesus?  Do we see Jesus with the eyes of faith?  I pray that we all do! 

As a very small boy, when I read the Bible I was afraid to read the words of Jesus.  I thought to myself in my young mind that Jesus is so holy that surely I cannot live up to His sayings and words.   Oh, what foolish thoughts of a young child!  

However, when I began to learn of how Jesus loved mankind so much and demonstrated it as He lived here on earth, I began to see Jesus and God as merciful lovers of my soul.  I noticed how Jesus treated the man with leprosy and the sinful woman caught in the very act of adultery.  I noticed how Jesus picked Peter up out of the water when Peter doubted and began to sink.  I noticed how Jesus did not forsake Peter even after Peter denied Him.  I noticed how Jesus conversed with the woman at the well.  I noticed how He forgave the sins of the man sick of the palsy.   This same Jesus loves me and each of you the very same way even today.  He will never leave nor forsake us! 

What joy it is now to read of Jesus!  To read all of God’s Words, knowing that I am still a poor sinner, but God is a merciful God!  

In verses 13 and 14, Jesus is telling us that if we ask anything in His name He will do it.   What are we to think of this?  So many of us have prayed in Jesus’ name, sometimes even for years, and what we wanted has not happened.   So from our own experiences, we must admit that this verse must have much deeper meaning than this.   When we pray in Jesus’ name, we are asking for His intercession.  We are asking for His merit.  We are asking for His council, His wisdom, and His power.  

We surely do not pray to God in a demanding way.  We lay all of our cares and burdens down in front of Jesus, and He will surely do what is best.  Even as earthly fathers we do not give our children all they want, because we know certain things are bad for them.  This is the same with our Heavenly Father.  He will only give those things that He knows are good for us and our family.  Those things that fit His will.  Those things that will be best in the broad expanse of time and in the generations that follow as well.  You see, God can see the entire future, while we can only see today.  He knows so much better than we do as to what is good for us! 

So let us pray humbly, obediently, and with reverence in Jesus’ name, asking that God’s will be done in each situation!  

Verse 15 says, ”If ye love me, keep my commandments.”   What are the commandments of Jesus?  Are they the ten commandment laws?  We know Jesus came not to destroy the law but to fulfill them.   When sin entered the world through the sin of Adam, all mankind was at once lost and condemned.   In order for us to be saved, Jesus needed to come and fulfill all in our behalf.  We are ever so grateful that He willingly did this, and then gave His life for us!    In John 13:34-35, Jesus said, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.  By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

Dear reader, do you hate your brother, your neighbor?  Are you jealous of a fellow pastor?  Do you care for the lost of this world?   Let us pay attention to these words of Jesus about love.  

We are not capable of loving as Jesus does.  We fall so short of having perfect love.  However, let us turn humbly to our Lord and in daily contrition and repentance, ask Him to work on us to love one another.  

We are out of time for this week, but please read the text and see how Jesus promised the Holy Ghost, which is the comforter to come and dwell with us and in us!   This will always be our strength and comfort and joy. 

We will close this article with the Words of Jesus found in verse 27.  “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid!”

God’s Peace!  John R.

God's Word

Dear Weekly Readers!

May the Peace of God be with you this week!

Please enjoy the below article from a Pastor from the country of Norway.  One year ago I had the privilege to serve in his home church.  This pastor is now over 90 years old, and is still proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

May God Bless your week!  John R.

 

GOD HAS CALLED US THROUGH His Word, and He has revealed His grace to us through His Word.  We have become sinners through the enlightenment of God's Word and, by the testimony of this same Word, we have also been able to believe that our sins are forgiven.

We have come to know God's wrath toward sin but also His love toward the sinner who humbles himself under His mighty hand. We have heard the Gospel, and we know that the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes. Faith is also a gift of God. The Lord Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith; He alone is our righteousness. It is by His grace that we have been saved through faith.

God loved us so highly that He called us, lost and condemned sinners, to be His children. This great love enables us to understand that we are indebted to love God and all of those who are born of God. Love to God is also evidenced in a love of His Word. Therefore, Jesus said, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. (John 14:23)

But the Word of God does not speak to us only of God's love; it speaks to us of His righteousness and of His wrath toward sin. The apostle Paul gives this testimony concerning the written Word: All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. (2 Timothy 3:16)

When the spoken word is according to the written Word, it contains both comfort and admonition. Thus it was with the teachings of Jesus. His Word was comfort and salvation to the repentant sinner; it was admonition and chastisement to those who did not receive it. Therefore, it is necessary for all of us to humble ourselves under the Word of God so we may lay aside all of those things

that the Word shows us to be contrary to the will of God. None of us is perfect; we are all guilty before God. But we see also that even though Jesus was a faultless preacher who preached the perfect and living Word there were still those who would not humble themselves unto repentance in obedience to this Word. They said,This is an hard saying; who can hear it? (John 6:60)

If we become guilty under the hearing of the Word of God and cannot find any fault with the Word, the fault must lie in us. It will be harmful to us if we allow ourselves to be offended at the one who has spoken the Word, as did the Jews, rather than acknowledge and confess our own sins. The most important thing is not who speaks the Word but what is spoken. When the Word of God is spoken according to the Scriptures and the doctrine of Jesus, it will be a blessing and a joy to those who keep it. But the devil, who is God's enemy, will endeavor to corrupt the Word. If he has great wrath toward the children of God who love His Word, how much greater is his wrath toward those who are the preachers of the Word!  He endeavors in every way to cause them to forsake their labors in the Lord's vineyard.

Therefore, I encourage all of the children of God who love God's Word to pray to the Lord of the

harvest that He will send forth laborers into His harvest. The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few. Pray also for those who continue to preach the Word. Ask God to be with them and strengthen them so that their work might be to the glory of God and to the salvation of souls; yes, that they might labor in one Spirit so that there will be one flock and one Shepherd.

 

Kaare Suhr

A Walk Never to Be Forgotten

Dear Weekly Readers!  God’s Peace!

It is springtime in New Hampshire, USA!  It is a great time to be outside after the long cold winter with much snow!  On a nice day it is enjoyable to walk outside!   Please read an article about a walk Never to Be Forgotten!   May God bless your week! John R.

Two disciples on an afternoon walk from Jerusalem to Emmaus had heard some amazing things that morning. Some of the women had returned to the disciples to say they had seen a vision of angels, which said that he [Jesus] was alive. (Luke 24:23)

And some of them, especially Peter and John, who were with them went to the sepulcher and found it even as the women had said, but they didn't see Jesus (Luke 24:24). They were saying this to Jesus whom they did not recognize. To them He was a stranger.

Undoubtedly Jesus chose to remain a "mystery man" to them for at least two reasons:1)      to give these disciples an opportunity to talk about their understanding of what had happened during the past few days;

2) to provide Jesus with an opening to help them understand what happened in the light of the fulfillment of the Old Testament, thereby making their faith more sure.

(See 2 Peter 1:19). While they thought this "stranger" was the only one in Jerusalem who didn't know what had happened, in reality Jesus was the only one who did know what had happened. What a special few hours for these two disciples! May it bring comfort and encouragement to each of you to know that Jesus cares about you as much as He did for these two. Though we may be as sad, disheartened, confused, or bewildered as were these men, Jesus loves us and will draw near to us and walk with us to encourage, enlighten, comfort and guide us in our walk of faith. Because we all see through a glass darkly (1 Corinthians 13:12), we constantly need Jesus to draw near to us. And He does so through His Word and the Holy Spirit. Life is filled with so many trials and tragedies only the assurance of Christ's presence with us can help us to go through them.

While the hearts of these two disciples burned with in them while Jesus talked with them and opened to them the Scriptures (Luke 24:32), they still did not know this was Jesus speaking to them. When they reached their home in Emmaus, Jesus made as though he would have gone further. But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. (Luke 24:28-29)

Jesus went in to spend some time with them and as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him. (Luke 24:30-31) Can you imagine how important it was for these disciples to invite Jesus into their home; even though they didn't know it was Jesus? Jesus, the gentle Lamb that He is, does not and will not impose Himself on anyone.

Even with the Laodicean Church, of which we read in the Revelation of St. John, Jesus said: Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:20)

Jesus may walk with us, talk with us, open His Word to us, but until we long for Him to enter our homes, our hearts, our lives, we will never truly "know Him." It is a precious and blessed thing to know the Scriptures as they speak to us about Jesus. But we need to know "the Christ" of the Scriptures in a real, personal relationship.

When these disciples knew Jesus as the once crucified, but now the resurrected, living and actual Messiah, Jesus could leave them. And their personal experience with Him was so powerful, they hastened back to Jerusalem, probably as fast as their feet would carry them, to tell the others that the Lord is risen indeed!

May this glorious message of the resurrected Lord have such a powerful impact upon us that we, too, will hasten to tell others this Good News! Everyone needs to know that Jesus, our crucified Savior, is living. He longs to dwell within us for it is in Him that we live, and move, and have our being (Acts 17:28).

Or as the Apostle Paul wrote: For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen. (Romans 11:36)

Pastor Wayne Juntunen

The Keys of the Kingdom

Dear Weekly Readers!

Please find the below article from a Foreign Mission Board member, Shane Juuti.

Dear brothers and sisters in faith, and anyone whose heart is seeking a place of comfort, may the Peace of God be yours.

The importance of a portion of scripture found in 2 Thessalonians 2 has struck my heart, especially as a reminder to believers of the importance to share the true message of the Gospel with people.

Paul tells the Thessalonians not to be troubled about things that are going to happen.  He talks of a falling away from the truth. Then he speaks of the son of perdition being revealed.  Starting at verse 4 he writes: “Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped, so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Remember ye not that when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.”

This mystery of iniquity which is already at work, I believe is another picture of the antichrist spoken of by John in 1 John 4. On one hand this iniquity wants to deny Christ abides in flesh; on the other, it wants to have the worship due God and replace God in man’s heart with a worship of self, which is in reality idol worship. But, one is withholding or constraining or preventing it from having free rein.  The word “let” is Old English for, to hinder, or prevent.  I feel it is very important to look very closely at what is withholding, or letting, this iniquity.

We find written in Revelations 20:1-3 “And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand, and he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.”  A little further on in the chapter we read of those who have partaken in the first resurrection, living and reigning with Christ a thousand years.  So we know this thousand year period spoken of is this time we live in, from Christ's resurrection till he comes again. Angels are very often used as messengers in the Bible, so I believe this is a message that binds Satan, and this binding is the same spoken about using the word “letteth” in Thessalonians.

It's very telling that the angel has a key.  This message is so important that it is Christ himself that delivered it. Matt. 16:19 “And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”  In the end of John Christ first gives them the Holy Ghost, and then says John 20:23 “whosesoever sins ye remit they are remitted unto them; and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained.”  If one doesn't first have the Holy Spirit the keys are of no value, because we only exercise them by the power of God through the Holy Spirit. That message believed by faith, that a sinner can believe their sins forgiven in the name, and because of the blood of Christ releases them, but binds Satan, for he is no longer free to accuse a heart that that sin is standing between them and a righteous God.  And, a heart that has heard and believed this truth will not be deceived into thinking that there is another way to the peace and joy of a good conscience before God.

If the true and full gospel of Christ is not spoken, (for it is Christ who letteth or retains) the Devil is freed to deceive.  It tells us he sitteth in the temple of God.  We know the heart of a believer is the temple of God. Cor. 3:16 “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you?”  Satan will try to deceive man into believing that there is some other way to deal with sin. Any other way is in reality a work of flesh, and worship of Christ's work is replaced by worshipping one’s own ability to cleanse one's own heart.

It is this deception that leads to a falling away from the truth, because people don't love the true gospel message; “God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie.”  What a very sad state to be in.

May God grant that the true gospel message of Christ Jesus would never be lost in our midst, but go forth to others.  Amen.

God’s Peace.

Shane Juuti

Gimlet, Alberta

He is Risen

Dear Weekly Readers!  

I hope each of you have a very Blessed Easter and Holy Week!

This time of year is so precious to us as Christians, because it is not only a time to remember, it is who we are.  The events of this week give us our very life, our very being, and our true identity!

This week I want to share with you just a few points from Mark chapter 16, which is where I spoke from in our church on Easter Sunday morning.

We first notice in verses 1-4, as the women were walking toward the tomb where Jesus was laid, that they began to talk about the large stone that was blocking the entrance to the tomb.  They began to worry about the practical things in their life at the moment.  They wondered how they could get in to where Jesus was with the stone in the way.    Notice that they kept walking toward where Jesus was while they wondered about this.  They did not give up on their attempt to see Jesus and return home, but they continued on.

How many times do we as people begin to worry about the practical things in life?  We spend so much time focusing on the natural things, the practical things of life.  Let us make sure that even though we have to deal with these things, that we do NOT alter our course.  Let us make sure we continue on toward the Lord Jesus Christ!  As in Philippians 3:14… I press toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Do not get sidetracked.  Do not allow the devil to take your eyes off the prize, off the goal!  Keep your eyes fixed upon Jesus so you do not begin to sink like Peter sank in the water.  If we do that, we will realize that God will move the “stones” from the way, and we will see Jesus.

We notice in our text in verses 5 and 6 that when they entered the tomb, there was a man sitting there.  Another Gospel tells us this was an angel.  We see that the angel is having a conversation with them, just as God still speaks to man today in any number of ways. The angel said not to be afraid.  He said to look at the place where they laid him.   He is not here, He is RISEN!!    We still have these words to live by today.  He is risen!  What a wonderful thing!     Because He is risen, the grave has lost its sting.  Victory has been won.  Because He is risen, we can pray in Jesus’ name because He is alive and is on the right hand of God, making intercession for us!   Because He is alive and has conquered death, we as Christians live!

What a wonderful and Victorious Lord we have.  He wants to show us the risen Lord today!  He wants us to hear His Voice and follow him!

I love how in verse 7 the angel of the Lord instructs them to go tell Peter.  God wanted Peter to know that Jesus is risen.  Why?  We can read in scriptures that Peter, while a great man, also had many failings.  He failed to keep his eyes on Jesus and sank in the water.  On the last days of Jesus’ life on earth, Peter denied Jesus three times.  We see how after the third strong denial by Peter, the rooster crowed.  Then Jesus looked at Peter.   Jesus did not condemn him or strike him dead; He just looked at Peter.  Peter was then deeply convicted, saddened, and went out and wept bitterly.  

Let this be a lesson for us.  No matter how far we have fallen, Jesus still looks upon us with love.  He wants us to know and be assured that because He is alive, we can believe that His complete work has covered our sins and washed them away.  He wants us to know that He is Lord, that He loves, He forgives, and He is Risen!  He is the Living Lord Jesus and wants us to hear His voice and come to Him. 

He wants us to come just as we are!  Do not look at our surroundings.  So often we can begin to grumble that things are not so good or perfect.  Do not look at our past sins or troubles.  But LOOK TO JESUS, the author and finisher of our faith! Look to the one who shed all His Blood on the cross to wash our sins away!  Look to the Risen Lord and Live because HE lives!  Live in the Power of His resurrection!  We of course know that we cannot come to faith and believe this unless God calls us and gives us the faith to do so!  So let us humbly call upon Him and hear His voice.

Philippians 3: 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death…

May each of us believe by faith in the complete redemptive work of Jesus Christ the Lord today!

 

May God Bless your entire life in the Lord Jesus!

The Resurrection News

Dear Weekly Readers!

May God grant each of you a most Blessed Holy Week and Easter Sunday.  May the knowledge of what Jesus has done and accomplished during this time, be our very Life as we continue onward in Him through eternity!

Please enjoy the article below!

God’s Peace!  John R.

THE RESURRECTION NEWS IS THE most glorious and far- reaching word that has been uttered by mortal tongue. It offers blessings of inestimable worth. There is no greater joy than to have risen with Christ, and to possess living, victorious faith in Him.

The resurrection message does not consist only in a teaching or a doctrine about which we learn and to which we give mere intellectual assent. It is not just a subject that we should be able to discuss theologically in an intelligent manner. Neither is its essence something that is seen fulfilled regularly in nature when it awakens from the dormant, death-like sleep of winter and puts on the fresh, new beauty of spring.

Concerned about the true understanding of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, Martin Luther wrote: How is a dead man profited, however much life may be preached to him, if that preaching does not make him alive? Or of what use is it to preach righteousness to a sinner if he remains in sin? Or to an erring, factious individual, if he forsakes not his error and his darkness?

Even so, it is not only useless, but detrimental, to listen to the glorious, comforting, and saving doctrine of the resurrection if the heart has no experience of its truth; if it means naught but a sound in the ears, a transitory word upon the tongue, with no more effect upon the hearer as if he had never heard.

The key to the resurrection experience lies in the personal realization that Jesus was delivered to death for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. (Romans 4:25) Its effectiveness is found in the individual awareness of our sinfulness, and of our need for grace. When I spoke of personal salvation with Christian friends in Latvia, they often emphasized their belief in the basic Biblical truth that the knowledge of sin must precede the knowledge of grace.

The word 'death' is used in Scripture as a means to identify the condition of those who are not in fellowship with God. It is referred to as being dead in trespasses and sins. (Ephesians 2:1) Of himself and his experience, Paul said, For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. And the Commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. (Romans 7:9-10)

Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth  may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. (Romans 3:19)

The Gospel message provides the foundation upon which rests the hope of our salvation. Our Saviour Jesus Christ...hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. (2 Timothy 1:10)

How can this simple message do such great things? How can this Word even raise the dead? The power is that of the Holy Spirit, which calls, gathers, enlightens, sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and preserves it in union with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In His instructions to the disciples, the Lord told them that the means by which His ministry is made known and available is through the preaching of repentance and the forgiveness of sins in His name. In many ministries today, this order no longer exists. The invitation to embrace Jesus as Savior has been replaced by the familiar, commonly used injunction to "make Him the Lord of your life by submitting your life in service to Him."

If it is in this way that citizens are enlisted into His kingdom, we are in danger of depriving them—and the Lord Himself—of His primary purpose for coming into this world. Jesus explained His mission by saying that the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:28)

Our relationship to Jesus is not established upon our service to Him, but upon our being the beneficiaries of His sacrificial service to us. The primary emphasis in ministry must have as its foundation the order of grace that the Bible established. Otherwise, we will never truly know the joy of being risen with Christ, or of living in victorious faith through Him. When the grace of God, which brings salvation, appears to a convicted sinner, he finds that he is no longer his own, but the Lord’s, possession. It is then that he rises with Christ; and the new man, who has been created within him, seeks those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. (Colossians 3:1)  All that Christ is, and all that He has done, become ours through faith. We can rest in the assurance that, because He lives, we, too, shall live.

Through Him, we are victorious by the power of faith—and that faith is a gift of God. His love has won the love of our hearts. He is our Savior, the blessed and only Potentate, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. “Crown Him the Lord of life, Who triumphed o’er the grave, And rose victorious in the strife For those He came to save;  His glories now we sing, Who died, and rose on high, Who died eternal life to bring, And lives, that death may die.”

The late Pastor Alvin Holmgren

God Uses Man

Dear Weekly Readers!  God’s Peace!

God uses Man!

At the time of creation, when God wanted someone to look after the Garden of Eden, and the animals, and all of His creation, He used Adam and Eve.

At the time of the great flood, God used Noah to build the ark, so that the people that turned toward God would have a place of refuge! 

At the time that the children of Israel were held in Egypt in bondage, God used Moses to lead them out of that very difficult situation.

When the children of Israel needed to be led into the Promised Land, God used Joshua (a picture of Jesus) to lead them across the River Jordan into the Promised Land.

When God sent His own Son into this world, He used Mary to give birth and Mary and Joseph to care for Him.

When God sent His Holy Spirit into this world (fulfilling the promise of our Lord Jesus), He gave it to the Disciples, and then to thousands of people at the day of Pentecost.

When God wanted His Word preached on this earth, He sent preachers that possessed this Holy Spirit to preach His Word.  1 Corinthians 1:21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

This all brings us to today.  God’s work needs to continue on.  Where do you and I fit in? Does God still use sinful men to do His work?  Are we willing and obedient to do the work that God wants us to do?   

These are some of the questions that we can ask ourselves each day. 

Remember that the Lord Jesus said in Matthew 9: 37:38 … The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest. 

So, what are we to do?  Pray.  Jesus said to Pray.  Then God’s Word says in Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

Oh that we would humbly come before God and say with the Prophet Isaiah; …..Here am I; send me.

If God chooses to use us, let us be willing and obedient to His calling! 

Romans 12: The night is far spent, the day is at hand; let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

Let us not let the darkness of this world distract us from the work of the Lord!  Matthew 5:16 Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven!

Amen, 

May God Bless your week!  John R.

Of New Birth, Baptism and Children

Dear Weekly Readers!   God’s Peace!

One of the topics that was part of the Pastors training on a mission trip lately was Baptism.  This is a very important Sacrament in the Christian Church.   However, many people are confused by this issue.   Please enjoy the well-written article below by Pastor Steve Wouri.  

Lord willing, I will share more on this topic in coming weeks as well. 

May God Bless your week!
 

Of New Birth, Baptism and Children

      The history of the Christian church has often been marked by discussions, disagreements and divisions over points of scripture and interpretations of the will of Godin certain areas. One of these concerns the question of whether infants and young children are children of God from the womb, or are in need of a “new birth” experience. This leads further to the matter of baptism - should it be performed on infants or must some adult comprehension or decision be involved? I believe we can come to a clear understanding through study of God’s word as expressed in both the Old and New Testaments.

      The Word makes abundantly clear that Jesus is a lover of children. He would often hold a young child and use the child as an example of faith and a proper heart condition to those who were assembled to hear Him. In Mark 10, Jesus gathered children to himself, “...took them up in His arms, and blessed them”. In this way He was claiming them as His own, putting His blessing upon them, making it clear that in His eyes, they belonged to Him. We see abundant and unconditional love of God demonstrated through this simple and forceful act of Jesus, for He claimed them without regard to their lineage, the condition of their parents, or even their own thoughts, Jesus’ blood was shed for all, and He was that Light described in John 1. “...that lighteth every man that  cometh into the world.” Jesus could therefore claim any child as His own, knowing that He would die to save them, and knowing that they belong to no one else.

      God has also always instructed that His children be marked with the seal of His love at a young age. This was accomplished through circumcision in the Old Testament, and is accomplished  through baptism in the New. Hebrew parents were instructed to bring their male children to be physically circumcised and named on the eighth day after their birth. Genesis 17: 11-12, “And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.”  Luke 2:21, “And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, His name was called Jesus,...”.

 In the New Testament, baptism (understood to be the visible sacrament of baptism with water) is to be applied soon after one becomes a believer. In Matthew 28:19 we read,“ Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:”  Recall that the first desire of the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8) after he became a believer was to be baptized by Philip with water, and Acts contains several other examples of people being baptized unto Jesus Christ immediately after they believed. So, if baptism is to be performed soon after faith comes, where does that leave an infant?

      It cannot be emphasized forcefully enough that all people are children of God ( believers by faith in Christ) in the womb. The reaction of John the Baptist, who leapt for joy in his mother’s womb upon hearing of Jesus in the salutation of Mary, is an example. Luke 1:41 “And it came to pass, that when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:” , is a vivid depiction of how even the unborn , with no capacity for thought or reason, respond by faith to the love message of their Creator. To suggest otherwise is to imply that all, or some unborn are children of the devil. This is impossible, as the devil has no ability to create life, and he only accumulates children who fall from faith into unbelief at some point (perhaps years) after birth.

      The newborn, however , is a believing child of God to whom the covenant of baptism applies,  and this covenant has nothing to do with the opinion or decision-making ability of the child! The Hebrew children were not asked for their views on whether they should be circumcised (marked), Jesus did not ask the children if they wanted to be blessed, and we are not to be concerned about whether an infant wishes to be baptized (marked). Why? Because it is entirely the work of God, who marks children as belonging to Himself with a seal that is good for life. In other words, God’s view of the child is constant and unchanging, even if the covenant is later broken through adult unbelief, it is clear that God did not break it.

The beauty of infant baptism is that it is applied when man is at his most helpless and incapable state, leaving the work entirely in the hands of God. Baptism has also been properly compared to the natural example of branding of a calf in a cattle herd - the calf will forever carry the mark of original ownership, though it may later go to another master. As Luther noted, “to suggest that an adult decision is required for baptism contorts the Sacrament, converting it from the work of God into the work of man.” Baptism, once applied, is valid for life, and there is no need to repeat it in adulthood.

      This also clarifies who is in need of new birth, or being “born again”. New birth is only required in those who are dead spiritually, those whose spiritual portion, which was alive at birth, has starve, withered and died through lack of nourishment. This can occur at any point after birth, and one who has lost their pure God-given faith in Christ must be reborn. Such was the state of the Jewish leader Nicodemus and those he represented, and Jesus admonished him “... ye must be born again.” John 3:7 We cannot, however, require new birth of a childhood Christian, one who has never denied nor lost their faith. No spiritual death has occurred, and therefore it is not possible to require new birth. Such a requirement is a heavy burden of man and is not edifying to the believer. I believe that childhood Christians do,and must, and will experience a “ piercing of the soul”, similar to that which Mary experienced (Luke 2:35), wherein the fallen condition of our flesh,our own failures, forgiveness and salvation through faith in Jesus Christ are brought home to the heart in a very personal and special way. It is impossible to assess at what age this should happen, and we must therefore leave the timing of such an experience in the hands of God. He is faithful, and may His Word ever be a blessing among His people.

In Christ

Stephen J. Wuori  Calgary, Alberta, Canada

 

The Word of God

Dear Weekly Readers!

God’s Peace!

The Bible! There never has been and never will be a more important book.  The Bible is so much more than a book; it is food for the soul!  Let us think about this for a few short moments today.

Below is a short article about the Bible by a Foreign Mission Board member Shane Juuti. 

May God Bless your Week!  John R.

THERE ARE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS that we, as Christians, need to answer for ourselves, and believe the answers so completely that we can live by them with confidence.

The first question we need to answer is this: Is the Word of God inerrant? Is the Word of God the only truth, with no errors?

If we do believe this to be true, let's ask ourselves this second question: Do we believe that the Word of God is sufficient for us? Is the Bible enough for us to live by, or do we need to add to it from man's understanding in order to deal with certain situations?

In John 14:26, we read, But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

How many of us trust these words, and live accordingly? Do we read the Bible believing that it is the truth of Christ, from God? Do we trust that the Holy Spirit can, and will, bring these truths to our minds when it is best and necessary for each of us? Can we trust that it is only the Holy Spirit that reveals and teaches the truths of Scripture, and that we can have more confidence in the Word than in any study Bible (that may be some man's idea of what a portion of Scripture means)?

If we are struggling with certain verses, let us look into other ones. Scripture can always be backed up with Scripture. If we have the Holy Spirit, we can trust that it will reveal what is meant by a portion of the Word when we need it. Do we need self-help books to aid us? Or is the best and only self-help book we really need the Holy Bible?

Is the Word of God really hard to understand, or is it too clear, and our flesh doesn't want to listen?

Let us pray that God will reveal how truly sufficient His Word is for all our needs. May He graciously give us faith to trust the guiding of His Spirit, through the Word, in all things. Our hearts will be filled with God's peace. ~