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“For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.

Then the disciples went away again unto their own home,” John 20:9-10.

I read those verses this morning as part of my daily Bible reading. As ever, I discovered out of its “treasure things new and old,” Matthew 13:52.

It is always comes as a rebuke to my soul when I see something that I never saw before for I should have seen it were not my eyes so blind!

How when we read our Bibles we need to pray as did David: “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law,” Psalm 119:18. We may have such a text as this framed and hung on our wall but how we need to continually pray these words when we read God’s Word, for our eyes are by nature shut tight and blind to the wonders of God’s Word.

Returning to John 20, verses 9 and 10,

1. WE ARE REMINDED THAT SUCH BLINDNESS OF MIND IS COMMON TO MEN.

That John and Peter should not understand the significance of the empty tomb is most amazing, considering their times of instruction under the Lord’s tutelage. Yet let us learn the lesson that even the greatest of God’s servants, no matter how well instructed they may be, oftentimes fail to grasp the truth of God. (more…)

“The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin: to whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month,”

Jeremiah 1:1-3.

Yesterday, after the morning service, I felt moved to write this article, based upon a sermon I preached some years ago.

Earlier in the morning, in my Bible reading, I read from Philippians 1:17 the words of Paul:  “I am set for the defence of the gospel.” It is a very long time ago I adopted those words as my own motto text.

I think I may correctly illustrate the word ’set’ by reminding you all that it is a word which was, and likely is still used, of plates and cups being ‘set’ on a table in preparation for a meal.

It is the same word as is used in Luke 2:16. “And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.” There it is translated by the English word ‘lying’. The Lord Jesus was ’set’ by the Father there in manger to begin His work as Redeemer and Deliverer of His elect.

Likewise Paul was appointed of the Lord to take up this defensive role as a preacher. I believe that it is the duty of all preachers to likewise see themselves as being ’set’ by the Lord in preparation for just such a function.

May you find the article beneficial and instructive.

Sincerely in Christ Jesus,

Ivan Foster.

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I have heard it taught that the people of God can never know of the approach of Christ or the circumstances that will prevail at the end of this age. That is an unscriptural statement that flies in the face of God’s Word. “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand,” Revelation 1:1-3. (more…)

This report of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland’s witness in Odessa, Ukraine, was shared with me by a friend of the ‘Burning Bush’ and I thought that I would share it with you all as it may help you get a perspective of the gospel witness in that troubled land and aid you as you remember the saints of God there in prayer.

Odessa is particularly under great pressure from the Russian invaders so keep the believers in that city particularly in your prayers. Remember too, Mr and Mrs Timothy Sloan who are Brethren Missionaries serving the Lord in Lutsk since 2004.

NI missionaries in Ukrainian city report panic as explosions threaten Gospel hall

“Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power: that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ,” 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12.

Sincerely in the Saviour’s name,

Ivan Foster.

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EASTERN EUROPE MISSION REPORT 2020

Rev D Levytskyi

(Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland, Odessa witness)

ANOTHER year has come to an end and it is time to give a summary of the mission work done in the past year. The situation in Ukraine for any unprejudiced observer would seem to be better since the previous year.

However, there are things that have not changed for the better, but in the good providence of the Most High the Eastern Europe Mission of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland is still present on Ukrainian soil and works from its Mission here in Odessa. (more…)