Good morning,
Praise the Lord for this new day in His kingdom. All honor and power belongs to Him. He is the author of our salvation . He is the author and the finisher of our faith. The Lord blessed us a beautiful Wednesday Evening gathering. Today our oldest grand daughter, Micah, celebrates her 6th birthday in Boston. We love Micah to pieces. She is one of the most beautiful little girls I know all over the world. She is bright and brilliant. Best of all she loves Jesus. She loves His church.
We received a news from England yesterday that our dear friend Bruce Henry went to be with Jesus our Lord. Bruce and Joyce Henry served in India as missionaries for many years. They were Christ's blessing to us and to many many people in the State of Orissa , India. While I was in Oxford last year I had visited Bruce and Joyce Henry in Worthing, UK. Joyce was in a nursing home there. Bruce , Susan, and I visited Joyce one afternoon in July last year. We had a beautiful conversation and prayer I prayed with her in our Indian language. We left Joyce that afternoon, and she died that very same night and entered the Eternal City. Bruce kept living in his own house. He was 93 yers old when he died on all Saints Eve( October 31). Bruce was a veteran missionary. He was a Bible translator and lover of people because he was a first and foremost a lover of Jesus. During of visits to UK we all had stayed with them. They also had visited us in the USA three times. They were grandparents to our children. In addition to being a missionary Bruce was a very accomplished artist. His works were sold at the Christies of London.
In addition to the death of our friend Bruce, we are also praying for home missionary Ed Hower, who suffered a severe heart attack last Saturday and has been on life support since that time. The family has made decision to take him of the life support.
We praise the Lord for these saints of Jesus, one a missionary in foreign land and one a missionary at home and around the corner. The Bible makes the audacious declaration in Psalm 116:15. "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints". WOW!
Charles Spurgeon, the great English Victorian preacher wrote of the death of Richard Baxter, the great Puritan preacher. As Baxter lay dying some friends came to see him. They asked him what we all asked at times like that, “How are you doing?” Baxter was weak and obviously near death, but with great effort he answered. “I am almost well”, he said. Spurgeon explained, “Death cures; it is the best medicine, for they who die are not only almost well, but healed forever. You will see, then ... the aspect of death is altogether altered from that appearance in which men commonly behold it. Death to the saints is not a penalty, it is not destruction, it is not even a loss.”
Precious is the death of his saints. We have difficulty understanding that. While playing in his grandmother's backyard, a small child happened upon some beautiful little blue eggs in a bird’s nest. It was as if he had discovered a great treasure all his own. He knew enough not touch them. When it came time to leave, his Grandmother promised to keep an eye on his precious treasure until he returned. Several weeks past before the lad came again. He immediately ran to the backyard to check on his eggs. Immediately he ran back to the house with tears streaming down his face. "Grandma," he cried, "Someone has destroyed my beautiful eggs. Nothing is left but a few pieces of broken shell. My treasure is gone!"
Grandma comforted the lad and explained, "Child, there is no destruction. There were little birds within those eggs. They have flown away. They are singing now among the branches of the trees. The eggs are not wasted, child. Your treasure is even greater now. It really is!"
Precious is the death of his saints. Psalm is really about life not death. It speaks of the protection the Lord provides in times of trouble and danger. It is a reminder about how much God values us in life and death, especially life. Listen to how the Psalm 116 begins. “I love the LORD, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live. The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome by trouble and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the LORD: “O LORD, save me!” The LORD is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.”
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints because God doesn’t take our life or death lightly. We matter to him. Humans are the crown of his creation, more valuable than the greatest treasure. He fashioned us from the dust of the earth, but he made us in his own image. We bear his likeness. We are precious to our God in life and in death.
Our God values us so much that he sent Jesus Christ to be our Savior by paying the ultimate price for our sins on the cross. Regardless of who we are, where we live, what we have, or what we have done, he offers us the free gift of forgiveness and life everlasting though faith in Jesus Christ. “Precious is the death of his saints.”
Grandma comforted the lad and explained, "Child, there is no destruction. There were little birds within those eggs. They have flown away. They are singing now among the branches of the trees. The eggs are not wasted, child. Your treasure is even greater now. It really is!"
Precious is the death of his saints. Psalm is really about life not death. It speaks of the protection the Lord provides in times of trouble and danger. It is a reminder about how much God values us in life and death, especially life. Listen to how the Psalm 116 begins. “I love the LORD, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live. The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome by trouble and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the LORD: “O LORD, save me!” The LORD is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.”
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints because God doesn’t take our life or death lightly. We matter to him. Humans are the crown of his creation, more valuable than the greatest treasure. He fashioned us from the dust of the earth, but he made us in his own image. We bear his likeness. We are precious to our God in life and in death.
Our God values us so much that he sent Jesus Christ to be our Savior by paying the ultimate price for our sins on the cross. Regardless of who we are, where we live, what we have, or what we have done, he offers us the free gift of forgiveness and life everlasting though faith in Jesus Christ. “Precious is the death of his saints.”
Philippians 1:3
In Christ,
Saturday , November 5.2011
Praise and worship service:
First United Methodist Church , Endicott
Sponsored by Union Center UMC
6PM Gathering- Coffeee- Fellowship
6.30PM Worship
Music: Laureen Naik
Speaker: Rev William Turner
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