MAC KIRK

  New American Standard Bible. " He will not fear evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD." Ps. 112:7 "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers Him out of them all." Ps. 34:19 " The Navy on Monday identified the two aviators who died when their EA-18G Growler jet crashed into the Washington state wilderness last week.  Lt Cmdr. Lyndsay Miley Evans , a naval flight officer, and Lt. Serena Dug Wileman, a naval aviator, both 31 years old and from California died on Oct 15 when their aircraft crashed near Mt. Rainer, setting off a days-long , search- and- rescue mission. The service described the two women as "trailblazing" aviators in a press release on Monday, and the cause of the deadly crash remained under investigation. They were decorated combat veterans who distinguished themselves during their squadron's recent deployment to the Red Sea aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower." military.com/daily-new

      " None can adquately describe the radical contrast there is between the bondage and misery of the service of sin and the liberty and peace of practical holiness. But anyone who has personally experienced both, need have no difficulty in determing whether he be out of Christ or yoked to Him. If you have a peace which passes all understanding and a joy which the world knows nothing of, you are a godly person. If despite both inward and outward opposition, you find obedience to Christ desirable and agreeable, then, His Spirit must indwell you, and the more you grow in grace, the easier His yoke and the lighter His burden."  Arthur Pink , " Identification of the Ungodly"     ARTHUR W. PINK (1886-1952) was an English Christian evangelist and biblical scholar known for his staunchly Calvinist and Puritan-like teachings) The Collect St. Luke the Evangelist ALMIGHTY God, who didst inspire thy servant Saint Luke the Physician, to set forth in the Gospel the love and he

  Let's dive into Hebrews.    This letter written was" by we do not know". Possibly Paul, Barnabas, Apollos or Clement. ( even Peter) Origen said, " Only God knows".  But its majesty, organized arguments, and beautiful exaltation of Christ as High Priest gives it a message that we sorely need today.  It is full of warnings , but done in such a way that the believer is strengthened.  Written to the " Hebrews" it encourages Jewish Christians to not give in but to know Christ and to keep perservering in their faith. Do not return to their old ways .  Here we too are reminded we live in such a world that does not give us much to anchor on to.  We too face a world which assaults the Christian faith by its indifference to the truth, and the pressure of persecution. 1. What then is the anchor of our souls?  God has spoken ( aorist tense indication of finality ; this is the last revelation TJH-  Bishop Theophilus J. Herter) and He has spoken in the superiority

 Growing in Grace    Last Sunday we talked about the word Eucharist which we saw meant good grace literally in the original language.  We are thankful if we realize that grace is our inheritance in Christ.  We realize we are to live by grace, and not our own striving.  Of course we should strive for holiness in our Christian life, " Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:  looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; " in Hebrews 12:14-15 I want to look at the question of how we should do that . A good illustration of this is in 2 Chronicles 34 where the law of God is rediscovered in Israel by the prophets and people . Imagine that!  A re-commitment to God is made after they find it. " because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants, and you humbled yourself before Me, and you tore your clothes and wept before Me, I also

  Luke 22:19  Quarterly Holy Communion Meditation "And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me."     I have never forgotten what my teacher told me in seminary, " Don't wait to preach it before you live it."  Dr.  Robert Rudolph    That may be what is wrong with many today...in churches, in homes etc....We have to know what to do ; so we should we should preach it if it is in the Bible. We fail to do it, but that is the point! We can only live by God's help and grace.  Many fail to understand this, because it is a great mystery , but it is at the heart of the reformed and Biblical faith----and grace should be taught and preached.   Grace.  It is undeserved , and unconditional  . God does not forsee who believes and receives them. He gives His Spirit to those whom He has known and loved from all eternity.  That is incomprehensible , but Biblical.   As usual,

  Listening and Discouragement Isaiah 50:4-9a; James 3:1-12; Psalm 116:1-8;Mark 8:27-38 Listening . This is one fact of what our Scriptures are about today. “ Listening is one of the best gifts one human can give another. It requires our full attention. It calls for a mind-set of appreciation, curiosity and wonder for the other person. We can’t be thinking about what we are going to say in response, or how we would handle the situation , or what’s going on at work or at home. We must let go of our own agenda for the moment, which is not an easy thing to do.” From Practicing the Sacred Art of Listening by Lindhal. " Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak. Courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen. " Winston Churchill  or " Listening is a hug you give with your mind."  Barbara Nixon and this one is the money shot, " We need silence to be able to touch souls."  Mother Teresa When Jesus asked the disciples “ Whom do men say that I am?” The r