Uplook - August 10, 2024
Greetings Seattle Saints,
It is good to be home and mostly back on a “normal” schedule again. Thank you for your prayers and support during our time in South Korea. God has done some marvelous things for many of us during this summer and we are already looking forward to the good things the Lord has in store for us in the fall season, although summer is certainly not over yet.
With those words, I am reminded of a sermon which I heard many years ago as a fairly new convert. I lived in Medford, Oregon and one of our ministers (later a pastor) named Bro. Paul Andrews was not only a good preacher but a great storyteller. During one particular sermon, he told of an old man who was gravely ill and in the hospital. In his last hours he began to quote a scripture. That scripture was Jeremiah 8:20 which reads:
“The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.” Jeremiah 8:20
As the mans life was ebbing away, he quoted that scripture over and over, until he had only enough energy and breath to speak the two words “not saved” before he passed into eternity. I can still remember the bleak and stark picture which Bro. Paul shared and the gravity of missing our opportunity to be saved. That picture mirrored that of the prophet Jeremiah who was speaking of Zion, which had arrogantly ignored the covenant to the point that the harvest blessings (spoken of literally and figuratively) were now to be lost to them. In Bro. Paul’s story, apparently the man had been taught well and given myriad opportunity to respond to the call of God, but constant rejection had hardened his heart to the point he simply could not believe in God’s mercy.
As our “summer” approaches the “end”, we rejoice that several in our congregation were saved during the recent camp meeting and youth camp. We are thrilled at the moving of the Holy Spirit in our midst, stirring both young and old alike to a deeper walk with the Lord. May we, by God’s grace, embrace all the Lord has for us during this “time of harvest” and carry a burden for those around us who seem indifferent or even hostile to the message of salvation through Christ. And may we never take for granted God’s promise of salvation and harvest blessings lest our hearts be hardened as well.
Housekeeping Notes:
Sunday PM Service cancelled. We will cancel Sunday (August 11) PM service (in person and livestream) because so many of our folks will be out of town.
Bible Study resumes. We will resume Bible Study this Wednesday, August 17 at 7 pm. Normal meeting place is in the third floor activity room (unless temperature moves us to the sanctuary)
Special Meetings Dates. Looking ahead, we have planned special meetings here in Seattle for the weekend of October 19-20. We are currently working on details and will let you know specifics beyond the date by the end of the month.
God bless.
BB
Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor
It is good to be home and mostly back on a “normal” schedule again. Thank you for your prayers and support during our time in South Korea. God has done some marvelous things for many of us during this summer and we are already looking forward to the good things the Lord has in store for us in the fall season, although summer is certainly not over yet.
With those words, I am reminded of a sermon which I heard many years ago as a fairly new convert. I lived in Medford, Oregon and one of our ministers (later a pastor) named Bro. Paul Andrews was not only a good preacher but a great storyteller. During one particular sermon, he told of an old man who was gravely ill and in the hospital. In his last hours he began to quote a scripture. That scripture was Jeremiah 8:20 which reads:
“The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.” Jeremiah 8:20
As the mans life was ebbing away, he quoted that scripture over and over, until he had only enough energy and breath to speak the two words “not saved” before he passed into eternity. I can still remember the bleak and stark picture which Bro. Paul shared and the gravity of missing our opportunity to be saved. That picture mirrored that of the prophet Jeremiah who was speaking of Zion, which had arrogantly ignored the covenant to the point that the harvest blessings (spoken of literally and figuratively) were now to be lost to them. In Bro. Paul’s story, apparently the man had been taught well and given myriad opportunity to respond to the call of God, but constant rejection had hardened his heart to the point he simply could not believe in God’s mercy.
As our “summer” approaches the “end”, we rejoice that several in our congregation were saved during the recent camp meeting and youth camp. We are thrilled at the moving of the Holy Spirit in our midst, stirring both young and old alike to a deeper walk with the Lord. May we, by God’s grace, embrace all the Lord has for us during this “time of harvest” and carry a burden for those around us who seem indifferent or even hostile to the message of salvation through Christ. And may we never take for granted God’s promise of salvation and harvest blessings lest our hearts be hardened as well.
Housekeeping Notes:
Sunday PM Service cancelled. We will cancel Sunday (August 11) PM service (in person and livestream) because so many of our folks will be out of town.
Bible Study resumes. We will resume Bible Study this Wednesday, August 17 at 7 pm. Normal meeting place is in the third floor activity room (unless temperature moves us to the sanctuary)
Special Meetings Dates. Looking ahead, we have planned special meetings here in Seattle for the weekend of October 19-20. We are currently working on details and will let you know specifics beyond the date by the end of the month.
God bless.
BB
Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor
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