Nov 30, 2017- Suggested Reading 2nd Service Luke 21

“Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man”

Luke 21:36 (NIV)

Pray that you will be able to stand before the Son of Man.
I want to be able to stand before the Son of Man when He comes in power and in great glory. I know that I do not have the ability to imagine what this experience is going to be like or what emotions I will experience. I have always understood John’s reaction to the appearance of the glorified Lord, recorded in Revelation 1 as emblematic of all humans, and therefore I understand the word “stand” in this verse to represent the outcome of facing my Judge. We memorize the Lord’s prayer knowing that the Lord KNOWS the best prayers for us. We study the Lord’s prayer and learn what we need for the Christian life from His sample prayers. We learn from this “Lord’s prayer” that we require supernatural help from God, to be able to survive facing our Lord as Judge. The biblical word for this supernatural help is GRACE, the grace that changes our hearts, that brings us to our knees, the grace that impresses upon our hearts our need to be in prayer.
Pray that you will be able to stand before the Son of Man.

Nov 30, 2017- Suggested Reading 1st Service 2 Thessalonians 1

“This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels.”

2 Thessalonians 1:7 (NIV) 

The holy fire has been kindled - the prophecies recorded in Dt 32:22 and Luke 12:49 have been fulfilled - the holy fire has been started and is raging now waiting for the Day that our Lord comes to earth with His powerful angels. When He comes again, it will be in judgment, to punish those who don’t know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. This punishment is everlasting. I can’t imagine being shut out from God’s Presence FOREVER. I can’t imagine destruction that lasts FOREVER. A forest fire on earth, births new life. A fire in a stove brings heat and prepares food. A brush fire produces ash which can be used for fertilizer and soap. A fire in a blast furnace produces purity. So it is with this holy fire, EVERLASTING destruction, on a scale we have never seen, and yet it produces purity, it redeems the earth, it makes the earth into a place that God will come to be “glorified in his holy people.” Oh, friend - be among those who believe in the Bible's testimony about Jesus Christ. He is the only way to life EVERLASTING.

Nov 29, 2017- Suggested Reading 2nd Service Mark 14

“Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour?”

Mark 14:37 (NIV)

ONE HOUR? 

How many of us could pray for one hour?

Peter and the apostles couldn’t, even with our Lord present with them, expressing sorrow and beseeching them to pray. I have been in prayer meetings that flew by, the hour was up before you knew it. Each person praying from their heart, the hearts of others joined in union, what a sense of accomplishment when those prayer times ended. But to pray for an hour by ourselves is a hard thing to do. A friend of mine who drives many miles every year calls his vehicle “his prayer closet”. The head of a foreign mission organization was known to get up from the table make a cup of tea all the while in prayer with others.

How many of us could pray for one hour today?

How many of us will pray for one hour today?

Our Lord asks us to- for our sake- not His.

Nov 29, 2017- Suggested Reading 1st Service Luke 12

“I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed!”

Luke 12:49-50 (NIV)

Our Lord is speaking here of His mission on earth, His trip to the cross to die in our place for our sin. He calls it His baptism - and we Baptists all understand what He means – for we understand immersion baptism as a symbol of our Lord’s death, burial and resurrection - and as a public declaration of our unity with Him in His death, burial and resurrection. Note that these verses are 2 parallel statements, which means that fire and baptism describe the same event. How could we know without our Lord telling us? How could anyone possibly know that a fire was lit when Christ died on the cross- a fire that will devour sin from the earth. Will we this day go to the cross, and surrender to our Lord and have His holy fire burn the sin from our lives? Or will we resist the Spirit’s call and be devoured on the Day of Christ’s appearance?

Nov 28, 2017- Suggested Reading 2nd Service Psalm 127

“Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.”

Psalm 127:1 (NIV) 

A family psalm! 

Yes, it is a psalm of ascent- its purpose is to prepare us to enter into the Holy City, the Holy Temple, to meet God Himself. What better way for a mother or a father, a grandfather or a grandmother to approach the Lord in worship then to remind themselves that the individuals in our families need more than us, more than our help to thrive, to succeed- that this Lord we worship is willing to build and to guard our families! Family is a lot of work, and the sleep that God grants us is a blessing, as much as the children He gives us are a reward. I have repeated this prayer to our God many times, in faith believing His Word that each of our children are a blessing from Him. The lesson of this psalm is that all of our hard efforts will be for nothing (vain), unless we involve the LORD. Not that we have no work to do- but that His is the most important work! Let us approach the throne of grace today- asking our gracious Lord to build our families, and to guard each individual life. Let us surrender our family to Him as an act of worship.

Nov 28, 2017- Suggested Reading 1st Service Psalm 50

“Our God comes and will not be silent; a fire devours before him and around him a tempest rages,”

Psalm 50:6 (NIV)

The appearance of God in this psalm is tied to His judgment of His people. Specifically, His people who are wicked, who hate His words, who join in with thieves, and adulterers, who speak lies and evil, who harm their brothers and sisters- God was silent, but will be no longer. God’s silence is always misunderstood by us as approval, but now the wicked will experience the full weight of God’s disapproval. This is a sobering psalm for all of God’s people to read. The apostle Paul speaks of the fire that tests our work- this event will not be like school where you get to rewrite the exam. Ask the Holy Spirit to change you, ask Him to rewrite the story of your life now! One life to live - long or short Lord I want to live it for you - in a way that pleases you. He summons the heavens above and the earth- quite a summons! Why will He summon all of creation? So that He may judge His people. May we be ready!

Nov 27, 2017- Suggested Reading 2nd Service Exodus 23

“See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared.”

Exodus 23:20 (NIV)

Angel/terror/hornet – 3 beings or 1 being? An angel to guard (defence), a terror to confuse and scatter, a hornet to drive out. No matter how we answer the question we can clearly see that God is supernaturally helping His people through the work of His angels. In this passage aimed at possessing the life God had planned for the Israelites, we understand that the Israelites needed supernatural help possessing God’s wonderful plans for them. Specifically - an angel to guard against attack, an angel to confound the enemy’s defence, and an angel to clear the enemy out. As we think about our plans for this week, may we remember to ask our God for supernatural help, that we may withstand the enemy’s attacks, that we may proclaim the gospel boldly, that we might see the gospel take root and displace unbelief in our families and communities.

Nov 27, 2017- Suggested Reading 1st Service Deuteronomy 32

“For a fire will be kindled by my wrath, one that burns down to the realm of the dead below. It will devour the earth and its harvests

and set afire the foundations of the mountains.”

Deuteronomy 32:22 (NIV)

If as we read this verse we consider what scientists teach today about the molten lava under us- and take this verse as a having a physical meaning- we will marvel at the geological knowledge of Moses the servant of LORD.

If as we read this verse we consider the rest of the Bible's teaching about God’s holy fire – and take this verse as having spiritual meaning- we will shudder at the revelation of the power of the wrath of God.

If as we read this verse we take this verse as having both spiritual and physical meaning we will enter into how the New Testament teaches the subject of the fire of the wrath of the Lord Almighty, and we will worship Him in reverence and awe!

Nov 24, 2017- Suggested Reading 2nd Service 1 Peter 2

“But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.”

1 Peter 2:20 (NIV)

This is instruction for slaves from a man who knew what a beating felt like. I have been beaten a few times as a schoolboy, lost some fights, even been surrounded by a group knocked to the ground and kicked into a ditch. But never as a man, and never by someone in authority over me. But Peter has been beaten as a man and by people in authority over him, and yet his view expressed in 1 Peter 2 is barely acceptable in our society today. His view is that every authority is God given, and that we submit for the sake of our Lord. He doesn’t point us to himself- he points us to Christ who is our example. It is wonderful to be able to point out that the authorities we live under in Ontario have abolished slavery due to the influence of the gospel (especially Galatians 3:28) on our laws and society and therefore if you are subject to violence by someone in authority over you, I urge you to report them to the authorities in Ontario and they will protect you and free you. The changes I have seen in Ontario in my 50 years tell me that we are running away from the gospel’s influence rapidly, and that tells me slavery will become a part of our land as it is in cultures all around the world today. When our authorities turn on Christians like they do in other parts of the world, will we look to Christ, suffer for His sake, and be commended by Him?

Nov 24, 2017- Suggested Reading 1st Service Ephesians 2

“And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”

Ephesians 2:22 (NIV)

Read it once, then read it again and the wonderful truth of Ephesians 2 permeates your mind and soul and your spirit worships our wonderful God and our wonderful Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Each one of us who have been saved by the grace of God thru faith in His Son have received blessings upon blessings. Paul ends this wonderful chapter about who we are in Christ by pointing us to the great metaphor of the church which is a “building”. The cornerstone is Christ Jesus, the foundation is the apostles and prophets and all of us rise above this solid foundation. Note that the metaphor is applied not only to the universal church (all Christians over all time) but also to the local church at Ephesus. This means that Parkdale can be described as a building, a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit. We used to call the room we worship in a sanctuary thinking we were reflecting this truth. But we have come to realize that the structure is made up of people, not bricks and mortar. Friend let us join in the work at Parkdale of building a temple in which God lives by His Spirit.

Nov 23, 2017- Suggested Reading 2nd Service Acts 5

"His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.”

Acts 5:40,41 (NIV) 

The apostles are amazing;

the whole story of Ananias and Sapphira established the apostles as holy men, men who represent God so closely that lying to them is lying to God. The fear that seized the Christians in the church at Jerusalem seemed to be good, even fruitful fear, and when you add this holy fear to the mindboggling miracles that were occurring thru the apostles ministry – the church’s influence in Jerusalem strengthened to the point where the leaders of the temple arrested the apostles threw them in jail and woke up the next day to find that the apostles were no longer in jail, so they “asked” them to appear before the court- wanted to kill them but settled for a flogging??? This is when Acts 5 gets truly amazing- the apostles rejoiced over the flogging, not because they enjoyed it, but because they were counted worthy to suffer for the Name of Jesus. And so I wonder- will I rejoice like the apostles rejoiced when I suffer at the hands of the authorities in Ontario? We have Christ’s teaching, His example and we have the apostles examples - I pray that will be enough for me.

Nov 23, 2017- Suggested Reading 1st Service Matthew 20

“So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

Matthew 20:16 (NIV)

The patience, the grace and the teaching skills of our Lord Jesus Christ are so obvious in this chapter. He tells a parable of workers (all Christians) in the master’s vineyard (kingdom of God) each worker entered into an agreement with the master (do you remember that agreement- when you gave your life to Him in exchange for eternal life?). The point of the parable is that when it comes to working in the kingdom of God, we all receive equal pay – which because of our sin nature we think is unfair! Our Lord then tells us the terrible costly nature of His work in the kingdom. We notice immediately with story of James and John that the disciples do not understand what the LORD is saying. So the Lord gently reminds them again. I don’t think we are any better than the disciples, I think we all struggle with the truth that we are all co-workers with Christ, and even if we acknowledge the truth we struggle with the ramifications. SO – Are you feeling discouraged about these late to the church people who seem to have all the joy and none of the work- especially in light of all the work you have done in the kingdom over all these years?

Then let us pray the prayer of the blind men; “Lord we want to see”. Oh Lord open our eyes that we might see the wonderful gift of life and the wonderful gift of being able to work alongside you in your kingdom. Amen

Nov 22, 2017- Suggested Reading 2nd Service Luke 6

“Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.”

Luke 6:26 (NIV)

None of us want people to bad mouth us. I don’t want people talking down about me and yet our Lord teaches us in this passage that we are BLESSED when we are hated, excluded, and insulted. He tells us that we are under a curse (WOE) when everyone speaks well of us, and that if everyone speaks well of us then we must be false teachers. The great irony of our day and age in Ontario is that those who are supposedly leading the great fight against hatred, exclusion and insult in our society are eager participants in hate, exclusion and insults towards Christians in particular and people of faith in general. What would Jesus say to us if He was living in Ontario in 2017: “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven.”

Nov 22, 2017- Suggested Reading 1st Service Ezekiel 17

“This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will take a shoot from the very top of a cedar and plant it; I will break off a tender sprig from its topmost shoots and plant it on a high and lofty mountain.”

Ezekiel 17:22 (NIV) 

Not only is the LORD the Creator and Sustainer of all life on earth- according to Ezekiel 17 our God is Sovereign in the affairs of all the nations of the earth. The LORD speaks thru His prophet Ezekiel a word of judgement against a king of Judah who would not obey the LORD’s Word thru Jeremiah and pray for the prosperity of Babylon where God had ordained His people to thrive during the exile. This judgement comes in a horticultural metaphor of a shoot and a transplanting and tremendous growth, and then a withering and the plucking up of the plant. The first part of Ezekiel 17 is history to us- it has happened exactly as the LORD spoke it - and so the prophecy of verse 22 and 23 bring great hope. These verses point to the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ and the strength of the arm and the hand of the Sovereign LORD who will make His kingdom grow and thrive. Surely our Lord spoke out of Ezekiel 17 when He taught about the kingdom of God recorded in Mark 4:30-32!

Nov 21, 2017- Suggested Reading 2nd Service Isaiah 49

“This is what the LORD says— the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel—to him who was despised and abhorred by the nation, to the servant of rulers: “Kings will see you and stand up, princes will see and bow down, because of the LORD, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”

Isaiah 49:7 (NIV)

I cannot read this chapter without being overwhelmed with gratitude for the LORD’s determination to achieve great glory for Himself thru the work of His Servant. It was too small a thing for the Lord Jesus Christ to bring back the tribes of Judah, NO WAY! The Lord Jesus Christ is going to bring back all of the tribes of the world to a rightful worship of their Creator. THANK YOU GOD!!

But notice that verse 7 outlines how this work will be achieved- thru the abasement of the Servant- He will be despised and abhorred. This treatment of the Lord Jesus Christ- this rejection of their Messiah by the Jewish people is what opened the door of the kingdom of God to an alien and an outcast like me. There will be great reversal, we see that kings will praise Him- but not because of what the kings and princes do, but because a Sovereign LORD is faithful to His Servant and makes the reversal happen. Friend, are you despised, even abhorred, because of your service in the kingdom of God? Then friend be encouraged by the truth in this verse and trust in your faithful LORD to reverse the situation, and even - if your faith is great enough - to trust Him to redeem those who despise you.

Nov 21, 2017- Suggested Reading 1st Service Psalm 104

“He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to cultivate— bringing forth food from the earth:”

Psalm 104:14 (NIV)

What a delightful song of praise to the LORD our God!

who has not only created the earth but sustains the earth, 

who not only sustains the earth but sustains the animals, 

who not only sustains the animals but sustains humans,

who not only sustains all life but stands in judgment over all life.

This psalm declares the interaction of our God, the Creator with every aspect of the created world, it declares the created purpose of the sun and moon.

As we look towards our 1st service this Sunday – we notice that this psalm declares what Paul points out in 1 Corinthians 3:6. 

Humans plant but it is the LORD our God who makes things grow! Worship Him! Trust Him! - as we plant the seeds of His Word in our hearts and in others.

Praise the LORD, oh my soul.

Praise the LORD

Nov 20, 2017- Suggested Reading 2nd Service 2 Samuel 6

“As the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, she despised him in her heart.”

2 Samuel 6:16 (NIV)

Verse 2 of this chapter tells us of the significance of the ark to David, when it describes the ark as being the place where LORD Almighty is enthroned. David ‘s psalms are filled with this longing to be blessed by the Presence of the LORD Almighty. Yet this account of the ark being brought into David’s city is very sobering. The first attempt ends with the death of Uzzah who dared to touch the ark. The second and successful attempt ends with the estrangement of David from his first wife Michal. To be despised by your wife is a terrible spot for a husband to be in. To despise your husband in your heart has to be a terrible place to be in as a wife. Despise is defined as “feel contempt or a deep repugnance for”, and it absolutely is a marriage killer. I have no words of wisdom for spouses who have found themselves in the opposite situation from the place of mutual love and respect- other than to point out that this story is about the manifest presence of the LORD coming into our lives, and surely we need more of the LORD and His blessing in our marriage today!

Come Lord Jesus come, help us to be the spouse you want us to be.

Nov 20, 2017- Suggested Reading 1st Service Genesis 11

“Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”

Genesis 11:4 (NIV)

In this chapter we have the record of human societies after the flood, and specifically the ancestry of Abram and Sarah. Humans spoke the same language until God in judgement confused our tongues and we have been separated by language ever since. Despite the best efforts of humans- we have not been able to put back together what God has split apart- because He is AWESOME in POWER! As Canadians, we have first hand knowledge of the issues of different languages in our ongoing French/English dance. It amazes me how similar humans are in 2017 to humans who lived thousands of years ago. Not only are we still separated by language, but we are still engaged in building cities and towers across this globe. How much energy do we spend building human homes, cities, towers, societies? We are builders by nature, and what an opportunity we have been given by God to be involved in building God’s society, God’s city, God’s tower! How about we ease back a little on the human building and put more of our energies into building God’s kingdom! A kingdom that will never perish, a city that will last forever, what an opportunity you have today- get involved- be a co-worker with God- build!

Nov 18, 2017- Suggested Reading 2nd Service Revelation 2

“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance.”

Revelation 2:1,2a (NIV)

How awesome is it to you to realize from this chapter the truth that the Lord Jesus Himself walks among the local churches? That the One who loves us and gave Himself for us attends our church services and takes note of our activities, our attitudes, and our spiritual temperature. It is a sobering truth! Yet my response is always worship- it is always a thankfulness, an appreciation that He has not left us alone, that He cares, even for this little church we call Parkdale. Notice with me that He knows their deeds. What does He notice about us- would he say to us; “I see your hard work and perseverance”? Hard work and perseverance belong together. Many can work hard for a short time and then burn out, but to work hard for a long time brings results. It is true in every endeavour and especially true in a local church. Yet these qualities seem to bring a temptation to forget the One we are working for – we can put our shoulder to the task and forget the One for whom we work.

Dear Lord Jesus Help us work hard, help us persevere in that work, and help us we pray to remember for whom we work, may our love for You be the driving force of all we do! Amen.

Nov 18, 2017- Suggested Reading 1st Service Galatians 5

“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”

Galatians 5:16 (NIV)

Walk here means live your life. I walk to the fridge, I walk to my car, etc and wherever I go I should go by the Spirit. By the Spirit means in the power of the Spirit, or controlled by the Spirit which will only happen as we SURRENDER every part of our life to Christ. The Spirit will not force us into anything - NO we must choose. Christians are the ONLY people who have true choice- they can choose to live lives that bring death or they can choose to live lives that bring life. The list in 19 thru 21 is sobering when you read that these acts exclude us from inheriting the kingdom. So what will it be for you and me today? Will we surrender that walk to the fridge to the Lord today? Will we surrender that interaction with our spouse? Will we say to our Lord; “Lord help me to honour you in all I do, forgive me, bless me, I commit my body unto you today, bring life into every relationship, bring your LIFE into everything I do.”

Live by the Spirit and be FREE!

Nov 17, 2017- Suggested Reading 2nd Service Hebrews 13

“Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.”

Hebrews 13:17 (NIV)

This last chapter of this amazing book clearly places this as a letter written by an apostle to a local church. Notice they are to show hospitality to strangers (Elisabeth does a great job at Parkdale helping us do this). This local church was under pressure – some in jail, and some being mistreated. The apostle covers sex, money, lifestyle, true religion, and then he moves to the leaders in their local church. These appear to be different leaders than the leaders who spoke the Word of God to them – the ones thru whom they were saved.

These two words- CONFIDENCE and SUBMISSION- are not normal behaviours of Canadians toward any leaders, it seems that these Christians in this ancient culture struggled with them also. These two words are in the right order (an important order) but let's leave these words and concentrate our attention on the fact that leadership in a local church is WORK. Many of us think leaders don’t work, that workers work and leaders talk. Yet Scripture teaches that local church leaders WORK. If we are leaders in a Parkdale we need to remember this, and we all need to remember that the people in the local church have the ability to make this work a BURDEN or a JOY.

Nov 17, 2017- Suggested Reading 1st Service Titus 3

“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior,"

Titus 3:4-6 (NIV)

HE saved us

HE saved us

HE saved me

Can you say those words? 

Was it God that saved you or did you save yourself?

Was it God who saved you, or did your pastor save you?

Was it God who saved you, or did your creed save you?

This passage explains in a very simple and clear way how God saves us. He saves us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, poured out on us through Jesus Christ our Saviour. This is true baptism, baptism of the Spirit, the saving act of merciful, gracious God. There is only one baptism (which is the act of God) the rest are simply symbols (the acts of humans) of that true baptism. Reborn, renewed, saved by the act of God!

Unless a man be born again… our Lord told Nicodemus

How can someone be born again… asked Nicodemus

water and the Spirit … said the Lord

How can this be… asked Nicodemus

Oh friend, I hope you know that He saved you. 

I hope you know that the Holy Spirit is within you.

Nov 16, 2017- Suggested Reading 2nd Service Ephesians 4

“From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”

Ephesians 4:16 (NIV)

It amazes me how far from this text Christians in 2017 have strayed. The idea that each part (each individual) of the local body of Christ has work to do for the benefit of the local church would probably be rejected by the majority of people who attend church in Belleville. Attending church on a Sunday is a decision that needs to be made each week- it is not a given in most Christian’s lives today. The reality is that church attendance must fit into our schedules and other priorities. If that is reality today, then the idea that Parkdale won’t be build up to what God intends for us, unless each person who is a part of Parkdale gets to work and does their part is so radical as to be unbelievable. But that is the vision the Lord has for His church everywhere according to Ephesians 4. The pastors and teachers are there to equip His people for works of service- not to do all the works of service themselves. The church is a body and therefore each part (each person) has work to do, and actually until each person does that work prepared in advance for us to do (Eph 2:10) Parkdale will never have the kingdom impact God has created us to have. I don’t want you to misunderstand- I am not upset or worked up in any way- this chapter is all about God’s grace, the river of grace that you can’t stop. It is His grace that called us, His grace that gave us our spiritual gifts, His grace that brought us together and it will His grace that makes Parkdale become the church God intends us to be.

Dear Lord Jesus, Lord of Parkdale take each us to the place where we all are doing the work you have prepared for us to do at Parkdale. To your glory, to your fame, may your church be build up.

Nov 16, 2017- Suggested Reading 1st Service Matthew 3

“I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

Matthew 3:11 (NIV)

This verse is a clear comparison between John’s ministry and our Lord’s ministry.

John baptizes (immerses) with water

Our Lord baptizes (immerses) with the Spirit and fire.

John is a prophet of God with authority and power.

Our Lord has more authority and power than John.

John has status among the people of God.

Our Lord has so much status that John can’t carry His shoes.

John baptized people as preparation for the kingdom to come.

Our Lord baptizes people to bring them into the kingdom.

John demanded the people live up to their baptism with changed lives.

The baptism from our Lord gives us the ability to live changed lives.

People received John’s baptism by going out to John and confessing their sins.

So it is with our Lord- confession of our sins brings us to His feet.

“God have mercy on me a sinner.”

Nov 15, 2017- Suggested Reading 2nd Service Proverbs 26

“A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven people who answer discreetly.”

Proverbs 26:16 (NIV)

What a masterfully written piece of poetry! Sucks me in every time. I have read this hundreds of time and I still am furious at some particular fool in my life by the time I get to verse 11. Then the pail of cold water is splashed on my face with verse 12 as I hear that there is more hope for a fool than for someone who is wise in their own eyes. Ahhh that would be me at this moment- more hope for the fool than for me. Being wise in our own eyes is usually expressed in our vernacular as “know better than everyone else” and it is a condition that afflicts both genders, all ages and usually strikes us at the most inopportune times. The sluggard –who has crazy excuses for not going outside (vs13), who loves their bed (vs14), who can’t even eat properly (vs15)- the sluggard is super wise in their own eyes. There is a lesson here for all of us – if we don’t want to be wise in our own eyes, don’t play the part of the sluggard! How many people who never lift a finger to work inside the local church, somehow are able to tell those of us volunteering inside the local church the better way to do something, and they can’t believe how foolish we are for doing it the way we are doing it?

Being a sluggard in life brings poverty.

Being a sluggard in my spiritual life brings spiritual poverty.

Being a sluggard in my local church makes me “super wise” in my own eyes.

Nov 15, 2017- Suggested Reading 1st Service Isaiah 30

"Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

Isaiah 30:21 (NIV)

We live in the realization of this prophecy of an age these people could only dream about. Those of us who have given our lives to the Lord Jesus, who have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit, and this same Holy Spirit speaks to us in order to guide us constantly in the way we should go.

Questions like - What school should I go to? Who should I marry? Where should I apply for a job? turn so quickly into - Where should I live as I get older? At what point do I sell my house? How can I influence my grandchildren? What retirement home should I choose? What cemetery should I choose?God speaking through Isaiah speaks judgement on His children, who heap sin upon sin by making plans without His Spirit. They refuse to listen to God’s prophet and so God instructs His prophet to write these things down as an everlasting witness. May I point out to all of us who live in this wonderful age of the Spirit of God, given freely and abundantly to all who call on the Name of the Lord- May I point out that if these individuals have no excuse for not consulting God’s Spirit, then we absolutely have no excuse for making plans without listening for that still small voice, without asking for guidance by the Holy Spirit, in the multitude of decisions we make on our own. Perish the thought – may we be individuals who seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit in all of our ways. Speak LORD, for your servant listens.

Nov 14, 2017- Suggested Reading 2nd Service Psalm 122

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May those who love you be secure.”

Psalm 122:6 (NIV)

SECURITY PEACE FAMILY FRIENDS the LORD our God

The city of God is the place where all of these come together.The city of God is Jerusalem, the place where the tribes of Israel gather according to the statute given to them in Exodus 23:17. It is a walled city, with fortified gates, a city with houses built close together, a city where justice is dispensed from the throne of David. But most of all it is the place where the house of the LORD is located. The God who created the heavens and the earth lowered Himself to the ground and dwelt among humans. This house of God is called the temple of God, it is a place of forgiveness and fellowship and worship, a place to praise the name of the LORD. You would think there would be need to pray for peace for a place such as this, yet that is the point of this psalm. Pray for peace- peace is so much more than the absence of conflict, it is people living in such a way that mutual benefit comes to all. Verse 6 makes you think that the prayer is for a peace with the enemies around Jerusalem, but verse 7 indicates peace is needed within the walls, that there is strife with the city. As we gather in Parkdale, the LORD’s house of fellowship and worship for us in this age of grace, praising the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, let us remember to pray for peace within our walls. Let us pray for the sake of our family and friends and let us remember not to stop with prayer, but to move into the action of the psalmist- the action of seeking the prosperity of our local church- for the sake of the Presence of the LORD in our midst.

Nov 14, 2017- Suggested Reading 1st Service Psalm 143

“Teach me to do your will, for you are my God;

may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.”

Psalm 143:10 (NIV)

David is in one of those situations that made David into the hero of Israel’s songs. Have any of us ever been in the terrible situation that David describes? Dwelling in the ground like a dead person, while hiding from our powerful enemies? He is in a dire place- his spirit grows faint, his spirit fails - with no hope unless the morning brings him word of God’s unfailing love. David is not speaking here of the intangible, perhaps a song, or a note of encouragement coming his way, or even of his faith becoming stronger. David is speaking here of the tangible, of God changing David’s reality, of God moving in power in such a way that David’s faith becomes sight. David is crying out in desperate need, his faith is evident in every line, he remembers what God has done in the past, and it brings him to a place where he got a glimpse of a future. In that future, he asks to be taught by God to do God’s will, to be led on level paths by God’s good Spirit. Oh friend let us not wait to be in a situation like David’s to pray this verse- may this be our prayer today and every day from now until we meet our Lord.

Nov 13, 2017- Suggested Reading 2nd Service Genesis 2

“The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.”

Genesis 2:15 (NIV)

Many of us believe that the 1st mention of work in the Bible was after the fall in Genesis 4- surely work is a result of the curse. We can’t imagine having to work in the new heavens and the new earth- Crazy talk we think! Yet in the creation account of Genesis 2 before the fall, the man was put to work, and the woman was created to help him. This means that in Perfection- the man and woman were created perfect, creation itself was perfect, in the Presence of God, without sin or death or curses - we will work. Wait a minute you say, God must have changed the plan, because heaven is about REST, and we need faith to enter that Rest. Well, in Revelation 22:3 God’s servants are serving Him- that sounds like work to me. I think of the parable of the talents or bags of gold recorded in Matthew 25 which describes us appearing before our Lord before entering this wonderful Rest. What is the reward for the good and faithful servant, who put what God gave them to work in this sinful world? “you have been faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things.” Oh dear, sounds like more work to me- actually it sounds like a real job, with heavy duty responsibility.

Workaholics serve work itself - they make a terrible mistake. 

Faithful servants of Christ, serve a master whose yoke is easy, and whose burden is light.

Nov 13, 2017- Suggested Reading 1st Service 2 Samuel 23

“The inspired utterance of David son of Jesse, the utterance of the man exalted by the Most High, the man anointed by the God of Jacob, the hero of Israel’s songs:"

2 Samuel 23:1 (NIV)

I have a fondness for 2 Samuel 23, for I owe it a great debt! Many memories of my 3 boys at the age of needing to sit in church, and yet not able to stay interested – 2nd Samuel 23 and the stories of David’s heroes would keep their noses in the Bible, their bums on the seats and their hands from trouble. The 4 of us eagerly purchased the novels by Cliff Graham a few years ago that do a great job of fleshing out this account, especially good job describing the “covering of the Spirit” – the supernatural ability God gave these heroes to defeat their foes. http://cliffgraham.com/project/lion-of-war-franchise/hk David is called the hero of Israel’s songs and the credit for his ability to write these wonderful songs is given solely to the Spirit of God. These psalms written 3,000 years ago still speak into the situations of Christians today. They give us the ability to persevere as Eleazar and Shammah did, to show great courage and initiative as Benaiah son of Jehoiada and others did. These psalms written by David have inspired many MIGHTY women and men over the ages. HOW? The Spirit of God wrote truths about spiritual realities, through an anointing over a man named David, and the Spirit of God brings these truths to life in the innermost parts of the people who have the Spirit of God dwelling within them through faith in God’s Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Read Christian Read! Speak Spirit Speak!

Nov 11, 2017- Suggested Reading Psalm 119:169-176

“I have strayed like a lost sheep. Seek your servant, for I have not forgotten your commands.”

Psalm 119:176 (NIV)

This last verse is the most encouraging verse of the 176 verses of Psalm 119! Many times as we read Scripture we seek to stand in the writer’s shoes, and rightly so. But in this verse the psalmist stands in my shoes- he has strayed from God’s Word, he has lost his way and he is completely dependent upon God seeking him out! The good news for the psalmist and for me and for you (if you have lost your way)- is that seeking the lost is what Jesus came to do. He is the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep, He came to seek and to save that which was lost.

This verse qualifies all of the verses that precede it, for it reveals that the writer did not perfectly keep the Law, even further that the writer is aware that he purposefully left the Way of Life.

This verse overflows with grace, instead of me earning my way back, God has to seek me out – His action is my only hope.

My part? – Don’t forget God’s commands, don’t forget God has given Life giving commands in His Word. If my prayer to God to act in grace and seek me out is a prayer of truth- then my prayer will be accompanied by me reading His Word.

Nov 10, 2017- Suggested Reading Psalm 119:153-168

“See how I love your precepts; preserve my life, LORD, in accordance with your love.”

Psalm 119:159 (NIV)

This verse contains the great theme of this long psalm. It is correct to think of Psalm 119 as the psalm about the Bible, and yet if we separate the bible from the theme of “preserving my life” we will have missed the major point of this psalm.

25 I am laid low in the dust; preserve my life according to your word.

37 Turn my eyes away from worthless things preserve my life according to your word.
40 How I long for your precepts! In your righteousness preserve my life.
50 My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.
88 In your unfailing love preserve my life, that I may obey the statutes of your mouth.
93 I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have preserved my life.
107 I have suffered much; preserve my life, Lord, according to your word.
149 Hear my voice in accordance with your love; preserve my life, Lord, according to your
154 Defend my cause and redeem me; preserve my life according to your promise.
156 Your compassion, Lord, is great; preserve my life according to your laws.

Nov 10, 2017- Suggested Reading Psalm 119:137-152

“Yet you are near, LORD, and all your commands are true.”

Psalm 119:151 (NIV)

There are times when God seems far away- times of trouble, times of danger, lonely times. Times when you call out as the psalmist calls here. Is the psalmist “making a deal” with God in verses 145 thru 147? As we look closer into the surrounding verses, it seems as if these words are a recommitment. He has tested the Words of God and found them righteous and true. He delights in the Words of God and yet trouble has come, enough trouble that he gets up early to cry for help. When we face trouble like this, when Scripture seems aimed at a time long past, and a people long dead, are we able to read these ancient Words and seize the promises for today, for right now, for me? Then can we echo the psalmist; 

You are near LORD, and ALL your commands are TRUE. Help me please.

Nov 9, 2017- Suggested Reading Psalm 119:121-136

“Because I love your commands more than gold, more than pure gold,”

Psalm 119:127 (NIV)

Money, Money, Money. Do I love God’s commands more than money? Well that depends, I say. Depends on whether or not obeying God’s commands pays off in the long run. There should be no depends in our answer, and yet sadly we lie- oh sorry- not lie - just don’t tell the whole truth, use a little guile, (that’s not lying is it?) to gain financially. The Lord warned us about loving Money, and the Pharisees sneered at Him! This obedience thing is a matter of our heart- Do I love God’s commands more than money? If I do then I can pray the way the psalmist prays in this section. I will pray with the expectation that God will deliver me, that He will redeem me, that His face will shine upon me. But setting aside the commands of God for the sake of Money leads me down wrong paths and pierces me with many griefs.

Nov 9, 2017- Suggested Reading Psalm 119:105-120

“My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end.”

Psalm 119:112 (NIV)

My heart can get set on all kinds of things, you know how it is. When you decide you want to do something or you want something, somehow you end up getting there. We say “Where there is a will – there is a way”. Do I have the will to obey – not for a time- but to the END of my days? I don’t know when my end is going come, maybe today maybe tomorrow, maybe years from now. But I do want what the psalmist has- I want my heart to be set on obeying God’s Word until my end! So I learn from his words;

God’s Word is intended to light my path,
I need to tell God I will follow Him always
I need to persevere thru suffering
I need to praise Him with my mouth
I need to stake my life on His Word
I need to recognize traps people set for me
I need to stay away from evildoers
I need to PRAY and PRAY and PRAY
Above all I need to be afraid of God

Nov 8, 2017- Suggested Reading Psalm 119:89-104

“Your word, Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.”

Psalm 119:89 (NIV)

God has placed eternity in our hearts but we can’t get our heads around it. We can define the word- without beginning or end- but we don’t understand it, we haven’t experienced it because we are finite. The blessing of putting our faith in the Lord Jesus is eternal life, (His life enters us) and yet we must walk thru death before we truly experience the fullness of His gift to us. So to state that God’s Word is eternal is an act of faith, and is proved to be true faith when we delight in His Word, when we expect that He will be faithful to His Word, when we love His Word, meditate on His Word, obey His Word, walk in His Word, even taste His Word- and especially if we hate every wrong path. This last statement of the psalmist cuts me to the heart- “prone to wander Lord I feel it, prone to leave the One I love” Heavenly Father please increase my faith, may I see Your Word as eternal.

Nov 8, 2017- Suggested Reading Psalm 119:73-88

“Though I am like a wineskin in the smoke, I do not forget your decrees.”

Psalm 119:83 (NIV)

I love the bible for it presents true life, it doesn’t gloss things over. We see God’s people with all their warts and issues, and this psalmist has issues! A wineskin is not supposed to hang in smoke- it's not good- the wineskin will be ruined. He wants to be an example of faith and devotion to others around him, and yet he hangs in the balance, will he survive, will those who mock his desire to be guided by God’s Word be proved true. As I read this passage I have a memory of an uncle telling my father that dad’s life became a disaster as soon as he was born again. Determined is the word for this psalmist- he is determined! Determined to wait for God to save him, determined to live by his Creator’s commands and decrees, determined to place his hope in the faithfulness of God. Heavenly Father fill us today with this kind of determination!

Nov 7, 2017- Suggested Reading Psalm 119:57-72

I will hasten and not delay to obey your commands.

Psalm 119:60 (NIV)

The Heth and Teth of Psalm 119 is about obedience, about affliction, about the love and goodness of the LORD. We wonder why it takes God soooo loooong to accomplish His wonderful promises- could the reason be that it takes soooooooo loooooooong for us to obey His commands? The wicked bind us, the arrogant smear us, thousands of pieces of silver and gold beckon - but we know that we NEED to obey His Word. I want to see God’s love, grace and goodness in my life and my loved one’s lives today! That is not going to happen unless I know what the Word says, and unless I obey. The psalmist connects affliction in his life to his renewed desire to obey, his renewed desire to be in the centre of God’s will for him. Let us be a friend to those around us who fear God and who seek to follow His precepts, especially those who are in affliction.

Nov 7, 2017- Suggested Reading Psalm 119:41-56

My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.

Psalm 119:50 (NIV)

I can’t imagine the suffering that the people who are connected to the people wounded and killed in this little church are going through but God knows and He put these Words into the Psalmist’s mouth. Comfort comes from the promises in God’s Word. When you can’t explain the why- when you can’t even put 2 thoughts together because of the overwhelming grief – when you are in a place that is worse than your worst nightmare – can you go to the God of the bible and ask - even ‘demand’ - that His unfailing love come to you? Can you remind Him of His promises? Can I say to God “Help me, because I have put my hope in your laws”? If we think of His laws as a bunch of don’ts, we don’t know His laws, for His laws are full of wonderful promises. His promises preserve our lives, His promises bring us comfort in times of suffering.

May the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, comfort those impacted by this tragedy.

Nov 6, 2017- Suggested Reading Psalm 119:1-40

“Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the LORD.”

Psalm 119:1 (NIV)

This longest Psalm’s central message is contained in its 1st verse. Blessing from God comes through obedience to God’s Word. At 1st glance we get discouraged, for we are a long way from the individual described in verse 1 thru 3, but we soon realize that the psalmist is in the same boat we are. He DESIRES to be steadfast in obedience and he looks forward to learning God’s Laws. This is a lifetime of learning, it is a journey, a mindset called continual learning- it starts when we are young, and continues thru our whole lives by putting God’s Word in our hearts- the wellspring of our lives. We ask God to teach us, and we work on being good students; we practise, we meditate, we consider, we delight in and we do not neglect the Word.

When we hit the obstacles of friends/family/bosses who treat this behaviour of ours with scorn, contempt, slander and arrogance, we ask God to vindicate us, and carry on in our pursuit of walking in His ways.

When we hit the obstacle of soul weariness, we ask Him for strength, for grace, for deliverance from deceitful ways. Even though we are laid low in the dust, we ask Him to continue to teach us – we want to follow Him to the end!

WE PRAY! Teach me, give me, direct me, turn my heart, turn my eyes, fulfill your promise, take way disgrace, preserve my life!

Nov 6, 2017 Fellowship Devotional Hebrews 4:12

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12  (NIV)

This devotional appears at http://thegreatestbook.ca/en/ as part of the Fellowship’s Bible Engagement project.

Burn a bible- we shrug. Use the pages as wrapping paper or toilet paper – we sigh. It doesn’t seem to matter to Christendom what you do with our printed scriptures. The sacredness of the Christian’s Holy Book comes not from the ink and paper used, not from the physical words - be they Greek or Hebrew or Aramaic or English or Urdu or Arabic, and not from any physical or earthly properties, but from the reality that they are the living Words of the living God, the Creator of heaven and earth. Do whatever you want to the written page, God’s Word won’t disappear!

God being God, the only true God, the Creator, the Source of all life, and Sustainer of all life, brought forth life by His Word. He spoke and life sprang into existence. His purpose was to glorify Himself by the existence of life, so His creation reflects His nature. Although His creation reveals His nature, humans who are lost and dead because of sin, required more revelation than creation to bring us back to a state of life. So God in His grace gave us His written Word- Life to bring life.

People say to me, “I am not going to line my life up with something that was written 2,000 to 3,000 years ago by men who are long dead!” If the words the Bible contained are the words of men who are now long dead, I would agree wholeheartedly, BUT the Bible contains the Words of a God who is very much alive and therefore those Words are alive!

We know God is alive because we see His activity everywhere in creation, and we sense His Presence. We know His Word is alive because we see its activity in people’s lives, and we see His Presence in its pages. Why do the lyrics of songs written 3,000 years ago in an archaic language that was put to music long lost, still speak into the hearts of modern people like us? Because the Psalms are the living Word of a living God and He shows Himself to us in those lyrics! Why do adults who have been living destructive lives, suddenly begin to live in ways that benefit themselves, their families and their communities? In ways that glorify their Creator? Because they discover that the Words contained in the Scriptures bring life, and bring it to abundance!

Moses told the Israelites these words are life (Dt 32:47), the Lord Jesus told Satan that these words are life (Matt 4:4) and Peter declared that Jesus had the words of eternal life (Jn 6:68). John tells us that Jesus is the Word -which taken literally- means that Jesus is Scripture come to life, and also means that the Word of God (the speech of God) is the 2nd person of the Trinity. The writer to the Hebrews declares that the word of God is living and active.

God established Scripture, God made it alive, God gave it authority and God will defend Scripture. The printed words on the pages of our Bibles by themselves are just words, but combined with the work of the Holy Spirit, they become alive and bring life to all who obey. The Psalmist calls those who say there is no God “fools” but our Lord calls those of us who read the Scripture but don’t obey it “fools”. So friend, let us open our bibles in whatever language we speak - let us bow before the living God, and ask Him to open our minds that we might discover the meaning, to open our hearts that we might decide to obey, and to open our eyes that we might see Him as He truly is!

Nov 3, 2017- 2nd Service Suggested Reading Acts 15

After this I will return and rebuild David’s fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, that the rest of mankind may seek the LORD, even all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the LORD, who does these things.

Acts 15:16, 17 (NIV)

There is only One Rebuilder - the rest of us are privileged to assist the One True Rebuilder - we are only assistants! James quotes the prophet Hosea as he speaks up for those of us in Parkdale and the Quinte area. He tells the council that the prophets spoke of a rebuilding of David’s tent by God Himself, for the purpose of bringing the rest of the world to God. That would be us- the Gentiles separated from the people of God, separated from God, brought near through our Lord Jesus Christ who is building His church with grace and power. We are part of the rebuilding of the tent of David, part of the building of the kingdom of God, ruled by the Root and Offspring of David. Let us never forget that although we are small and insignificant we are part of the Kingdom of God, and that as we work to build Parkdale we work alongside local churches all over our community and all over the world. May we have the attitude of James and the rest the council who chose not to make it difficult for others turning towards God, to become part of the Lord’s church.

Nov 3, 2017- 1st Service Suggested Reading Ephesians 3

His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,

Ephesians 3:10 (NIV)

How many of us know/believe that Parkdale makes known the manifold wisdom of God to heavenly rulers and authorities in heaven? Sometimes local church feels like a bit of a joke, it feels unorganized even substandard, completely dependent upon the whims of volunteers. Paul will have none of that talk because God has revealed to him the true nature of the local church. God’s purpose is that when these heavenly rulers (oh so much more powerful than us) look at us joined in fellowship together before Christ our Lord, they see God’s wisdom in all of its facets displayed. Christ is God’s wisdom, those of us in Christ are God’s wisdom for the spiritual world. No area of our life depends more upon our perspective than church. If we look at it from the world’s perspective- weak and foolish. If we look at it from our perspective – it needs a fresh work of God. If we look at it from the rulers and authorities in heaven’s perspective- the manifold wisdom of God. If we look at it from God’s perspective- the apple of His eye, His beloved, the ones He died for- the ones who make know His wisdom. 

Heavenly Father, may you grant each of us the grace to see Parkdale with your eyes.

Nov 2, 2017- 2nd Service Suggested Reading Isaiah 58

Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.

Isaiah 58:12 (NIV)

What will our people be called? Will the people of Parkdale in 2017 be called Repairers and Restorers of God’s city? What an honour, what a privilege it is to be allowed to do God’s work on this little part of God’s city called Parkdale! Will we do it? Will we do the work that is required to have this title given to us? Our LORD declares thru Isaiah that the work goes beyond prayer, and goes beyond fasting. That the required work is true justice and righteousness expressed in how we treat those we have power over, how we help those who others have power over, how we help them with own food, our own clothes, our own homes, our own selves. This is upside down to the methods of the world. Governments take from some people and give to others. Repairers and Restorers of God’s city take from themselves and give to others. This is counterintuitive- we think; “if we are going to build Parkdale, we need to collect money not give it away.” BUT let us remember – Parkdale is part of God’s city and it will be rebuilt God’s way not our way. To put our methods in the place of God’s methods is to stand in God’s place.

Nov 2, 2017- 1st Service Suggested Reading Isaiah 64

For when you did awesome things that we did not expect, you came down, and the mountains trembled before you.

Isaiah 64:3 (NIV)

This short chapter is a prayer filled with longing. A prayer by a person who has known the blessing of God in their life. A person who knew what it was to worship the One True God. A person whose worship life is now a ruin, black with ash. The longing of the heart is that God would move in power from heaven down to earth, to move the mountain, to change reality here on earth. In spite of our sin and filthiness – and because of His unfailing faithfulness to His people. Friend have you ever been in this place of prayer? This prayer is placed in the mouths of the Jewish people while in captivity in Babylon- but the prophetic aspect of the prayer and the timeless truths contained, mean that this prayer is for today. Are you even today in a hopeless situation? Take hope in the truth that His power moves to us in unexpected ways. We may think we know exactly what He should do to deliver us BUT He does it in unexpected ways. We may think it is impossible to see the situation redeemed, BUT He makes happen in ways we never expected nor imagined. The prayer from the heart is always answered! PRAY and WAIT!

Nov 1, 2017- 2nd Service Suggested Reading Isaiah 9

The bricks have fallen down, but we will rebuild with dressed stone; the fig trees have been felled, but we will replace them with cedars.

Isaiah 9:10 (NIV)

A statement of pride and arrogance beyond measure!

Well you don’t have to be like that you say! I just want to do my best for the LORD. I just want God’s city to be as large and prosperous as Toronto. All I am doing is using wisdom God gave me to build my business, or our government, or our education system. O friend we need to be so careful when it comes to God’s city. It is God’s city and it will be rebuilt God’s way not our way. To put our methods in the place of God’s methods is to stand in God’s place. That’s pride and that is arrogance.

God’s way of building local church is the way of humility;

“For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given.”

God’s way of building local church is the way of peace;
“Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end”

God’s way of building local church is the way of servanthood;
“He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom”

If we really want to see God’s community (our local church) be rebuilt and restored to salt and light in Quinte, we must start on our knees with ourselves.

“But the people have not returned to him who struck them, nor have they sought the LORD Almighty.”

Nov 1, 2017- 1st Service Suggested Reading Proverbs 8

Then I was constantly at his side. I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in his presence, rejoicing in his whole world and delighting in mankind.

Proverbs 8:30,31 (NIV)

Is wisdom really a person? Is wisdom really a woman? Personification is a fascinating literary technique - where human attributes are given to an abstract quality. The lady wisdom calls to all of us, she wants to bless us all by serving us if we would only put her to work in our lives. She was created by God before He created anything else, and He used her to create everything else. Most amazingly of all is that she is a happy lady – because of His Presence, His world, and His humans. The message in Proverbs 8 is clear- when you find me you find life OR when you fail to find me you find death. The act of finding wisdom flips the literary technique on its head – the attributes of an abstract quality are now given to a human. AS we seek wisdom which only comes from God, as we find wisdom (He gives it to all who ask without finding fault) we become a happy person- because of His Presence, His world and His humans. Now that would be a blessed way to spend today!