Andrew Murray
And God Created Woman
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The Anabaptist Voice
12/31/2008
Proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom of God: Love, Joy and Peace in
Jesus.
Dear friend in Christ,
Did you have a blessed Christmas? We pray you are blessed by our Lord
Jesus Christ. We were blessed with very warm weather for last couple days, in
the low 70s. Betty, Elizabeth and little Paul
went for a walk yesterday afternoon, without a jacket. The photo shows the
mountains and weather near our home.
Patrick, his wife Betty and children Titus (5 years old), Elizabeth
Michiko (2 years) and baby Paul (7 months) came safely last Friday. The
children are getting big and they are all so sweet. Paul is such a smiley boy.
Every time one of us goes to him and says “Paul”, he looks us and smiles. It
was a joy to see him so happy all the time. He has lots of love shown him.
An amazing thing is that the children take care of each one. Elizabeth
cares for Paul and Titus cares for both Elizabeth and Paul. It is so sweet to
watch them. Elizabeth loves to help wash dishes after the meal, too. So Betty
and Elizabeth work together to clean up. She is only two and a half years old…
We see that Betty is such a good mother and Patrick is a good father. Titus and
Elizabeth like to sing and are such good singers.
While Patrick and his family were here, David could be with us, also. He
worked hard for us, setting up the computers and the Wii Fit system. He works
at Microsoft and is very helpful with computer problems. Five year old Titus
does very well playing games on the Wii Fit, especially bowling. Naomi is
enjoying it very much, she was introduced to the Wii Fit at her physical therapy
recently.
Sunday morning we had church in our home.
The sermon given by Don to our family is shown below.
Wednesday afternoon David had to return back to Seattle and early the
next morning Patrick and his family left for Seattle where Pat is to use Jim’s
car to drive over the mountains to visit the Hutterite colonies there. However
the Interstate freeway I90 over the mountains has been closed for a couple days
because of the unusual heavy snowfall there.
May God the Father grant you peace, love and faith, dear friend, and grace
to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love. (Eph 6:23-24)
your brother and sisters in Christ,
Don, Michi & Naomi Murphy
Tucson, AZ phone 520-297-1639
www.AnabaptistChurch.org
"Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to
what is good.” (Romans 12:9)
Elizabeth helping with dishes
Elizabeth and Titus singing
Elizabeth, Paul and Titus
Pat, Michi, Don
David, Naomi
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Our Sunday Service
12/28/2008
Songs:
#157 The Lord Our God Prepared a Way (by Peter Riedemann, c. 1535, German: Vom
Vater ist uns geben an), #120 Oh Heart of Faith Now Glorify (by Michael Weisse
(?), 1531, German: Du glaubigs Herz, so benedey), #103 O God, Thou Mighty Ruler
(by Jorg Bruckmair, 1585, German: Gott, du gewaltiger Herre)
Sermon: God is Love
Someone asked Jesus, "Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?" Jesus
replied, "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I
tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.” (Luke 13:23-24)
"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the
road that leads to eternal misery in hell, and many enter through it. But small
is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
(Mt 7:13-14)
There are differing beliefs about what happens after a person dies. Some
believe that that there is no life after death while others believe that
everyone will be either send into the eternal fires of hell or be welcomed in
the eternal joys of heaven.
How does God decide who goes to hell and who goes to heaven? The
Catholics believe in Purgatory where people are punished for their sins for a
time and then enter heaven.
The Protestants believe that just believing in Jesus will result in their
going directly to heaven when they die.
The Anabaptists believe that a person must live like Jesus taught in
order to be welcomed into God’s heaven. So who is right?
Someone asked Jesus, “What must I do to be saved?” Jesus replied, “Obey
the commandments.” "Which ones?" the man inquired. Jesus replied, " 'Do not
murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor
your father and mother,' and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'" "All these I
have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?” Jesus answered, "If
you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor,
and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (Mt 19:16:21)
“You must be perfect, as your Father in heaven is perfect.” (Mt
5:48)
“Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a
life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a
fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Eph 5:1-2)
“God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In
this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the
Day of Judgment, because in this world we are like Him.” (1 John 4:16-17)
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your
soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And
a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ These two
commandments sum up all the Law and the Prophets.” (Mt 22:36-40)
“To love is to live according to His commandments and the commandment
that you have heard from the beginning is to live a life of love.” (II
John 6)
“By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and
obey His commandments. For the love of God is this, that we obey His
commandments.” (I John 5:2-3)
“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.
Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love
does not know God, because God is love.” (I John 4:7-8)
“If we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in
us.” (1 John 4:12)
1 Corinthians 13
Love
“If
I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a
resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can
fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move
mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor
and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it
is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered,
it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with
the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
“Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease;
where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will
pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection
comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I
thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put
childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then
we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as
I am fully known.
“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of
these is love.”
Chapter 4 of Jim Murphy’s book teaches how important it is to be prepared
for death. A person who is prepared for death will live a life of full
surrender to God, a life of dying to self, a life of living for others.
Song: #190 You Who Would Live a Christian Life (by Daniel Kropf, 1534,
German: Wer da christlich leben will)