Andrew Murray
And God Created Woman
Difference between Anabaptists and Evangelicals
Mysteries of the Kingdom of God
Anabaptist
Voice
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The Anabaptist Voice
12/10/2008
Proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom of God: Love, Joy and Peace in
Jesus.
Dear friend,
How are you? We pray you are well and resting up from all your travels.
We here are enjoying the beautiful Arizona winters.
Our daughter N
aomi
has been going to the physical therapy two or three times a week, both in the
pool and out of the pool. She gets quite tired, but it is good for her. One
day last week, after she got out from the pool, she did not get dressed soon
enough and caught a cold. Don got a cold from her, and now his heart was not
working right either, the cold seems to weaken his heart. We are glad that
Naomi is getting better.
We did not get to go to church on Sunday and so we worshipped our
Heavenly Father at home with just three of us. Still, the Lord was with us and
we were blessed. We get to sing Anabaptist songs and we get to listen to an
Anabaptist sermon. It has been long time since we did that, so it was nice.
Our dear friend and sister in Lord, Hyeok Flynt, called last night.
Hyeok and her family used to live with us in the Fan Lake community, and we
talked how we miss that good fellowship. Here is a photo of her children
sliding down our hill at Fan Lake (don’t they look happy?) and a photo of Don
feeding the wild deer down by our pond.
Hyeok is now a widow, her husband died in an accident a few years ago.
Hyeok’s children have been sick, especially Timothy. He had a ruptured appendix
recently. It was very scary for Hyeok. We are glad that he is OK now.
Hyeok is working at a hospital and is a blessing to the patients there.
She prays for them, and she sings for individual patients. She is a wonderful
singer. God gave her all these gifts. She is happy and feels blessed to be
used by God. It is a blessing for Michi to speak with her and share the love of
our God.
Michi felt a little pain on her stomach the other night. She thought
that Jesus was mentioning to her to pray for her brother. Her brother had to
have his stomach removed. How can anybody can live without a stomach? Lord, we
pray for Michi’s brother. You can make a new stomach for him if You want to.
Last Saturday, Tony and Krishta Brown came and we had supper and then we
worshipped the Lord together. It is so wonderful to have God’s brothers and
sisters get together and worship.
Now, dear friend, may the grace of the Lord
Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with
you. (2 Cor 13:14)
your brother and sisters in Christ,
Don, Michi & Naomi Murphy
(Formerly of Fan Lake colony, Elk, Washington
and now in Tucson, Arizona, phone 520-297-1639. Fan Lake was listed in the
Hutterite address books as a Dariusleut colony. Note: The first part of our
newsletter is written by Michi, Don writes the last part and Naomi checks.)
www.AnabaptistChurch.org
"We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to
do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
(Ephesians 2:10)
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Our Sunday Service
12/07/2008
Songs: “O Lord, Let Sin Nor Guilt” (German: Lass
uns, Herr, nicht beflecken by Peter Riedemann, c. 1540), “By Grace I Would be
Singing” (German: Durch Gnad so will ich singen by Hans Straub), “My Heart with
Joy Looks Forward” (German: Herzlich thut mich erfreuen by Johann Walter, 1552)
Hutterite Sermon: “Will only a few be saved?”
Where do we find deep, long lasting peace and joy? Surely not
when we have our eyes down, looking at the things of the world. For the world
offers only temporary joy and little peace. No, the true, deep peace and joy
that everyone seeks and longs for is available only in the kingdom of God. It
is available only to people who are in the kingdom of God while here on earth.
And to be in the kingdom of God means that you become like a little child and
live according to all of the teachings of Jesus.
Jesus said, "I
tell you that unless you change and become like little children, you will never
enter the kingdom of God.” (Mt 18:3) So we
need to change, to become like simple children trusting in our heavenly Father.
Jesus said, “Repent, for the kingdom of God is
at hand.” (Mt 4:17) Let us allow the Holy
Spirit change us so that we can be in the kingdom of God and experience that
deep, long lasting joy. The apostle Paul tells us that the kingdom of God is
righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Rom 14:17)
Today’s Hutterite sermon (book 9) is on the teachings of Jesus in Luke
13:23-30.
Someone asked Jesus, "Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?"
Jesus replied, “Make every effort [try
your hardest] to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will
try to enter and will not be able to. Once the owner of the house gets up and
closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, 'Sir, open the
door for us.' But he will answer, 'I don't know you or where you come from.'
Then you will say, 'We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.'
But he will reply, 'I don't know you or where you come from. Away from me, all
you evildoers!'”
What does Jesus mean by “I don’t know you… evildoers”? John tells us,
“We know that we have come to know Him if we obey His commands. The man who
says, ‘I know him,’ but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is
not in him.” (1 John 2:3-4) Those who do not obey the commands of Jesus are
evildoers!
So when we consider the teachings of Jesus and His apostles and compare
their walk to today’s lip-service Christians, we have reason to ask whether out
of the thousands and thousands of Christians, will any be saved?
Oh, how hard it is for lustful, unrepentant people to crush and crucify
their flesh and try to live righteously.
Oh, how hard it is for the proud, angry, and unfriendly to become gentle,
merciful and friendly.
Oh, how hard it is for the greedy, selfish, and self-centered when they
have to share, be obedient, and become community-minded.
Those who strive to go through the narrow gate – forsaking, letting go
and giving up – cannot do their own will anymore but only the will of God. This
is such a narrow gate that the unregenerate cannot enter through it. How hard
it is for those who are not born again and filled with God’s Spirit to walk the
narrow road to the Kingdom of God.
Song: “Ye Sons of Man, Consider” (German: Merkt auf, ihr Menschenkinder by
Michael Schneider, c. 1537), “If you would follow Christ” (German: Welcher
Christo nachfolgen will by Peter Riedemann, c. 1540)
1. If you would follow Christ
Toward the heavenly goal,
You must forsake the world,
Entrust to Him your soul.
2. John has proclaimed to us,
"Repent from evil ways,
Receive God's mercy now,
Forgiveness, love and grace."
3. And Jesus calls today,
"The soul that thirsts may come,
May drink the waters pure,
From the life giving stream."
4. Whoever drinks of this,
Shall never thirst again,
Well pleasing unto God
Forever would remain.
5. The door is small and strait
That leads to blessedness;
Few find the narrow gate,
And many seek amiss.
6. Take up the cross of Christ,
Lay earthly burdens down.
Who suffers for the Lord
Will win the victor's crown.