MAC KIRK

An Exchange and and an Encouragement Mark 8; Romans 8 Against the background of these two texts and the OT one of the offer of Isaac by Abraham to God after He tested him these texts offer us an exchange and an encouragement. An article on God's control of our situations no matter how desperate highlights this as well, " The rivers of woe shall not thee overflow. Those rivers sweep many good things away. Your deepest distress is deeply distressing. But the God who loves you is Master of your significant sorrow. He calls you to go through even this hard thing. Though woe feels impossible, though woe devastates earthly hopes, God sets a boundary (but not where we would set it). He convinces you that this hard thing will come to good beyond all you can ask, imagine, see, hear, or conceive in your heart (Eph. 3:20; 1 Cor. 2:9). You will pass through the valley of the shadow of death that is filled with evils and enemies. But you will come out saying that goodness and merc...

Christ's Suffering for Us Has an End/Purpose I Peter 3:18--- " For Christ hath once suffered for sins" " the just for the unjust" "that He might bring us to God" The theme of Peter is the suffering of Christ and Christians and that this is a part of the Christian life. (" In this world you will have tribulation" Jn 16:33) The first point is that Christians have a duty to conduct themselves with meekness and hope, vs 15 , and that if we suffer we have Christ as our hope and Chief Sufferer. (note the Apostle's note in vs 14 about why we suffer....and vs 17...if you and I suffer for well doing , good, but if for evil doing then that is not suffering but what we are reaping so to speak...) Luke 22:44 reminds us that He being in agony "sweat great drops of blood as it were falling down to the ground." Once suffered also recalls His One Offering of Himself for our sins... Hebrews 10:10, 12, 14 Once for all Sacrifice ...

The Prophet and Us I Kings 19 A great event happened in ch 18 when Elijah went head to head with the prophets of Baal. 450 men were prophets of Baal, vs . 22 . Elijah issued a challenge to them. If Baal could light the fires on the altar, then he was god, and if the God of Israel " answereth by fire, let him be God." The prophets called from early morning to noon to Baal, but no answer . Elijah then took twelve stones , built an offering unto the LORD, poured water on it , vs, 38, the fire from the LORD came and burned it up at Elijah's prayer . Today's reading is a different story from ch . 19. It does not seem like the same man. Elijah after the great event says he should just die. 19:4 He exaggerates the situation saying only he has been zealous for God and the people have not been, but they just saw the great event of the fire in ch. 18 and re-committed themselves to God. I see two things here about Elijah. He needed rest and was not seeing thi...

Mark 1:29-39 Stands Out What stands out in this ? Jesus as the Physician. Prayer, and Preaching that He did. Jesus goes into Peter's house and his mother in law " lay sick of fever" . 1:30 " He came and took her by the hand, and raised her up; and the fever left her..." Many seek healing in their lives, and perhaps do not find it. Healing in body, mind and spirit? The healing of extreme difficult memories? Therapeutic is the word. Notice His touch . He took her by the hand. 1:34 He healed many, and cast out demons. Are we healers ? We too must be this. Or are we not? How can we receive healing in our lives? In His presence . It seems for me that many of the prayers of the BCP heal. For Quiet Confidence O God of peace, who has taught us that in returning and rest we will be saved, in quietness and confidence will be our strength: By the might of your Spirit lift us, we pray, to your presence, where we may be still and know that you a...