A Special Message Regarding the Recent Tragedy
Tuesday, April 21, 2020
Dear Congregation and Friends,
Our heart goes out to all of those who lost friends and loved ones in the horrendous shootings that occurred in our province. I spoke to all the households of our regular attendees yesterday. So many of them have friends or friends of friends who were victims. There is much cause for sorrow as we bear this affliction together.
As our gracious sovereign Lord has seen fit to bring these trouble upon us in addition to the affliction we were already under from Coronavirus, the session of CRPC and Erskine ARP is calling for a special day of fasting and prayer on Friday, April 24th. There will also be a worship service at noon by livestream. You can join this service in the ordinary way: http://www.crpchalifax.ca/live.html
It is appropriate for us to humble ourselves before the Lord and to cry out to Him for mercy. It is a time for repentance and for turning to our dear Lord Jesus Christ for forgiveness and grace to renew our walk with Him. For too long, we and our people have been ignoring God and walking according to the dictates of our own heart. The greatest offense lies with those of us who know Him as our Saviour. It is because He loves us that He chastens us. It is also a time for us to pray that those who do not know Him will come to know Him.
Lamentations 3:37-41 reminds us that both blessing and calamity come from the LORD:
37 Who is he who speaks and it comes to pass, When the Lord has not commanded it?
38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High That woe and well-being proceed?
39 Why should a living man complain, A man for the punishment of his sins?
40 Let us search out and examine our ways, And turn back to the LORD;
41 Let us lift our hearts and hands To God in heaven.
When affliction comes to an individual, we cannot necessarily say that it is on account of his sin. But when it comes upon a society, it should be seen as God's hand of chastisement. This is especially so when it is a society like ours that has departed from the God of our fathers, a society that: no longer calls upon Him, no longer observes the Lord's Day, gives itself over to fornication of every sort, and murders our unborn children. It would be very arrogant for a people like that to doubt that this is the wrath of God revealed from heaven against our ungodliness and unrighteousness.
But in the same chapter of Lamentations, we are given words of hope if we will wait upon the Lord for His salvation (Lam 3:21-26).
21 This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope.
22 Through the LORD’S mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not.
23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.
24 "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "Therefore I hope in Him!"
25 The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him.
26 It is good that one should hope and wait quietly For the salvation of the LORD.
It is in this hope that we come before the Lord. This hope is now greatly confirmed by the coming who Lord Jesus Christ through whose death and resurrection we who believe have full remission of sins and the assurance of eternal life. Let us call on His name together and wait patiently for His salvation!
Yours in Christ,
The Rev. John R Shearouse
Dear Congregation and Friends,
Our heart goes out to all of those who lost friends and loved ones in the horrendous shootings that occurred in our province. I spoke to all the households of our regular attendees yesterday. So many of them have friends or friends of friends who were victims. There is much cause for sorrow as we bear this affliction together.
As our gracious sovereign Lord has seen fit to bring these trouble upon us in addition to the affliction we were already under from Coronavirus, the session of CRPC and Erskine ARP is calling for a special day of fasting and prayer on Friday, April 24th. There will also be a worship service at noon by livestream. You can join this service in the ordinary way: http://www.crpchalifax.ca/live.html
It is appropriate for us to humble ourselves before the Lord and to cry out to Him for mercy. It is a time for repentance and for turning to our dear Lord Jesus Christ for forgiveness and grace to renew our walk with Him. For too long, we and our people have been ignoring God and walking according to the dictates of our own heart. The greatest offense lies with those of us who know Him as our Saviour. It is because He loves us that He chastens us. It is also a time for us to pray that those who do not know Him will come to know Him.
Lamentations 3:37-41 reminds us that both blessing and calamity come from the LORD:
37 Who is he who speaks and it comes to pass, When the Lord has not commanded it?
38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High That woe and well-being proceed?
39 Why should a living man complain, A man for the punishment of his sins?
40 Let us search out and examine our ways, And turn back to the LORD;
41 Let us lift our hearts and hands To God in heaven.
When affliction comes to an individual, we cannot necessarily say that it is on account of his sin. But when it comes upon a society, it should be seen as God's hand of chastisement. This is especially so when it is a society like ours that has departed from the God of our fathers, a society that: no longer calls upon Him, no longer observes the Lord's Day, gives itself over to fornication of every sort, and murders our unborn children. It would be very arrogant for a people like that to doubt that this is the wrath of God revealed from heaven against our ungodliness and unrighteousness.
But in the same chapter of Lamentations, we are given words of hope if we will wait upon the Lord for His salvation (Lam 3:21-26).
21 This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope.
22 Through the LORD’S mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not.
23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.
24 "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "Therefore I hope in Him!"
25 The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him.
26 It is good that one should hope and wait quietly For the salvation of the LORD.
It is in this hope that we come before the Lord. This hope is now greatly confirmed by the coming who Lord Jesus Christ through whose death and resurrection we who believe have full remission of sins and the assurance of eternal life. Let us call on His name together and wait patiently for His salvation!
Yours in Christ,
The Rev. John R Shearouse