April 30, 2018 - Suggested Reading Psalm 147 for Apr 29th’s message on Nehemiah 11 & 12 in the 2nd Service

“ Praise the LORD. How good it is to sing praises to our God,
how pleasant and fitting to praise him!”

Psalm 147:1 (NIV)

Good in the true sense of the Word.

Pleasant in the true sense of the Word.

Fitting in the true sense of the Word.

For the exiles returning to a broken Jerusalem, it was good, pleasant and fitting that they praise the LORD for it was He who build them up by gathering them, by healing them, by sustaining them- He who made the stars and calls them each by name- the One who is great and mighty in power, the One who has no limit to His understanding – that’s the One we mean- sing to Him out of grateful hearts, make music to Him!

For those humans who are refreshed by the rain, for those of us who are amazed by this natural world the LORD made for us, for our lives – know this grateful ones- know that the LORD delights in those who fear Him who put their hope in His unfailing love- so extol Him, praise Him!

It is good, it is pleasant and it is fitting to praise the LORD.

For those people living inside these repaired walls, this shadow of what was the glorious city, it is good, it is pleasant, and it is fitting for us to praise Him, for He is the One who strengthens our gates and blesses us with peace and the finest of food. He is the One who sends His Word to us, and He is the One who freezes the hearts of people everywhere to His Word and He is the One who thaws the hearts of people everywhere towards His Word, and He is the One who has revealed His Word to you- not to others but to you.

So friend this morning as you begin your day- will you praise the LORD, will you sing and make music in your heart to your LORD? Will you open your lips and sing a song - for it is GOOD it is FITTING and it is PLEASANT to praise our God!

April 27, 2018 - Suggested Reading Psalm 146 for Apr 29th’s message on Nehemiah 11 & 12 in the 2nd Service

“ I will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.”

Psalm 146:2 (NIV) 

Don’t you love it when a worshiper talks to themselves? Make no mistake – when the words Praise the LORD, my soul appear in any psalm, it is the record of a worshiper of God speaking to themselves - their inner selves. Some might find this talking to yourself about praise a little strange - but those of us who share the intention stated in verse 2 understand the need to instruct and remind our inner person of our intention to praise the LORD ALL of our lives. Praising the LORD requires inner discipline and who we praise reflects who we trust.

If we trust the LORD praise Him.

If the LORD is our help praise Him.

If the LORD has set us free praise Him.

If the LORD is our God forever praise Him.

All of our lives!

April 27, 2018 - Suggested Reading Luke 16 for Apr 29th’s message on 1 Corinthians 7:25-40 in the 1st Service

“I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.”

Luke 16:9 (NIV)

The parable of the shrewd manager commends a man who was devoted to looking after himself. He put his own prosperity ahead of his employer’s – first by stealing from him for his own use, and then - when confronted with dismissal - by stealing from him on behalf of his customers for the manager’s future benefit. He stole from his employer and when caught decided to steal again - WOW- talk about doubling down on inappropriate behaviour! Why then would the employer commend him for his shrewdness? The Lord told the story with this twist at the end so that we will learn the lesson
stated in verse 9. 

But have we learned it? Do we live like this? 

Do we use worldly wealth to involve ourselves in the advancement of the kingdom? 

Or do we use the kingdom to help us lay up worldly wealth? 

It is the Lord that gives us the ability to produce wealth- to what end? A life of leisure for
us and our family? 

Or to be used in spreading of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ? 

The Pharisees sneered, and the story of the rich man and his brothers make it clear our Lord does not expect the Pharisees to learn the lesson.

May we show our devotion to God by how we use our wealth! 

April 25, 2018 - Suggested Reading 2 Chronicles 7 & Psalm 30 for Apr 29th’s message on Nehemiah 11 & 12 in the 2nd Service

“Sing the praises of the LORD, you his faithful people; praise his holy name.”

Psalm 30:4 (NIV)

King David not only selected and trained musicians for the temple, laying out regulations for them, but according to 2 Chronicles 7 he also made musical instruments for them to use and here in Psalm 30 we read that he wrote specific music for the dedication of the temple. David wasn’t allowed to build the temple but he did everything he could to make sure that God’s people were able to praise their God in the assembly. David’s work was aimed at one thing and one thing only - he wanted to help the people sing praises to their LORD. We can’t sing this Psalm 30 - but they did, in language, we couldn’t understand music played on strange instruments to us. Read that sentence again - doesn’t it sound like an older Christian talking about modern church music. LOL

What are we going to do to help each other sing praises together in our holy assemblies?

I think the worship war is almost over, it seems to me people have almost given up fighting, which is a step in the right direction - peace is what God wants among His people. But peace is not just an absence of war - true peace is both sides working together to each other’s benefit- the benefit is in all of us praising the LORD together. I remember singing a song in a Youth choir at Parkdale years ago entitled “We get lifted up when we praise the LORD”. I wasn’t old enough to hear the complaints for I am sure that me singing in the choir automatically made it less then it should have been. But the words are true - and David knew it- he knew that God’s people benefit as we praise the LORD together - and look at the work he did to make it happen!

May all of us who plan and lead the services at Parkdale have that spirit of David on us, for the benefit of everyone

April 25, 2018 - Suggested Reading 1 Kings 19 for Apr 29th’s message on 1 Corinthians 7:25-40 in the 1st Service

“So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his servant.”

1 Kings 19:21 (NIV) 

This verse has always impressed me, for it was a demonstration of Elisha’s determination not to go back. I think of the disciples leaving their boats and following Jesus, then going back to the boats after the crucifixion until the resurrected Christ appeared on the shore. If they had been Elisha they would have burned their boats when they first followed Christ, so that they would have nothing to go back to. It is accepted wisdom in our family not to burn bridges, Wanda and I praise our grown children when they leave employers well without burning bridges. However, when it comes to following Christ, some burning might be called for in our lives. The Lord said to a man who wanted to bury his father and follow Him, to let the dead bury the dead. That sounds a lot like burning a bridge. God used Elisha in a mighty way and He used Paul in a mighty way - both of these men were 110% committed to serving their God. Not many of us are called to this type of service but it seems to me that we can be obstacles to those who are called to this type of service. We say things like you need balance in your life, or don’t be so fanatical, or try to be an ordinary person, or find a nice mate and settle down. Paul says I wish all of you were as I am!

April 24, 2018 - Suggested Reading 1 Chronicles 6, 15 & 25 for Apr 29th’s message on Nehemiah 11 & 12 in the 2nd Service

“They ministered with music before the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, until Solomon built the temple of the LORD in Jerusalem. They performed their duties according to the regulations laid down for them.”

1 Chronicles 6:32 (NIV) 

King David was a skilled musician, as well as a skilled songwriter, and of course a mighty warrior. We wouldn’t normally think that warrior and musician go hand in hand, but God put both of these essential skills into this one man called David. As we read the accounts contained in 1 Chronicles of how David organized musicians, and gave them instructions, we might think that this focus on musicians and music in the Presence of the LORD is due only to David’s natural tendencies. A more biblical view would recognize that David’s personal worship of the LORD and personal understanding of God’s character and God’s salvation that rings through all David’s psalms- made David’s heart sing, and he recognized that all who come before the LORD - including angels on the day of creation- sing and make music in the Presence of the LORD, because His saving Presence brings forth music. So David spent the time and the money and the energy to find musicians, to train them and to create regulations for them in how to fill the tabernacle where God’s Presence dwells with sounds of praise, trusting that his son Solomon would use these trained musicians to fill the temple with praise. Is the Lord present in you today? Is there a song in my heart today? Let's praise Him today!

April 24, 2018 - Suggested Reading Numbers 18 for Apr 29th’s message on 1 Corinthians 7:25-40 in the 1st Service

“You must present as the LORD’s portion the best and holiest part of everything given to you.”

Numbers 18:29 (NIV) 

When God calls Himself Holy something else is meant than when God calls something on earth holy. God is Holy, Holy, Holy – absolutely different from every created being and thing in a wonderful and terrible way. The worship song in Revelation 15 declares that He alone is holy, and will receive glory and worship from all of us as His righteous acts are revealed. Any record in the bible of a person who saw this Holy God, either in a vision or in reality gives us a sense of how terrible the Holiness of God is to sinful humans.

When God calls an offering holy, He is referring to the truth that it has been set aside for Him, the Holy One. In the instructions contained in this chapter He is ordering that priests and the Levites are to be set aside from everyone else in order to serve Him by ministering between the people and their Holy God. Their entire lives are to be devoted to doing the work required for a Holy God to meet His sinful people on the face of the earth. They are therefore holy servants, and are to get their food and drink from the holy offerings people bring to the LORD. So the Levites collect from the people, and the Levites offer a tenth of all they collect to the priests - now notice that the part they present to the priests is to be the best part of what the Levites received.

There are two principles here for us if we want to consider them -

Do we friend give God the best part of ourselves each day? Or do we give Him what is left over from what we give to others? Do we love Him before we love our spouse, or our children, or our parents?

Just think today of what has been given to each of us individually from God – count our blessings - do we give the best of what He has given to us back to Him?

April 23, 2018 - Suggested Reading Hebrews 10 for Apr 22nd’s message on Nehemiah 10 in the 2nd Service

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV)

This passage teaches clearly that Christians have stayed away from church since the beginning of organized church. They make it their habit to not attend church. They are Christians, they have come to Christ for the forgiveness of their sins, they have the confidence to enter God’s Presence because the blood of Jesus has been applied to their lives, and they draw near to God with a sincere heart, holding unswervingly to the hope they profess- and yet they don’t meet together with fellow Christians. Not attending church regularly will always become a habit for a Christian. It is easier not to go, then to go. It is easier to listen to our favourite preacher and our favourite music in our favourite chair, then to go to a meeting where our preferences are not on the order of service. The apostle knows this of course and so he points out that the purpose of attending church is to encourage others, to spur one another on, all the more so as we see the Day approaching. 2,000 years have passed since this was written, we are very close to the Day and you would think that Christians would be flocking together anticipating the Lord's return and yet in Canada churches are not full, and a committed church member only attends meetings two or three Sundays out of four, and those meetings can’t be very long. It is not incidental that this exhortation is followed by a warning against falling away from our faith. We were made for one another, and we need one another for our spiritual health. May we not neglect our local house of the Lord, may we be those who consider how we may spur one another on.

April 21, 2018 - Suggested Reading Mark 11 for Apr 22nd’s message on Nehemiah 10 in the 2nd Service

“And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”

Mark 11:17 (NIV)

Money is a good thing, it provides shelter and food and happiness and is necessary for living life. If money is good then wealth is better - Proverbs 10:15 says “The wealth of the rich is their fortified city, but poverty is the ruin of the poor.” The Lord’s actions and Words in the temple are not aimed at money or wealth per se, but are aimed at the corruption of the purpose of the house of the Lord. There is a place to generate wealth and that place is not to be the house of the Lord. We know the history of the Jews in this matter of mixing money making and prayer, and we can read the ancient history of the church in this matter of mixing money making and prayer, for the Reformation came out of that history. If we are foolish enough to think that their issue could never be our issue then we are doomed to repeat the type of behaviour that brings our Lord’s whip to our backs. We immediately think of our church and examine how we operate in our meetings, but we should pause and think of ourselves and examine how we operate in our lives. Do we mix up money making and prayer? Do we make the mistake the Lord warned us of when he told us we can’t serve 2 masters? We just naturally put money ahead of prayer.

How about this for a statement - money is good, wealth is better but prayer is best.

April 20, 2018 - Suggested Reading 1 Kings 8 for Apr 22nd’s message on Nehemiah 10 in the 2nd Service

“But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!”

1 Kings 8:27 (NIV)

As I read verse 13 I marvelled at the pride contained in Solomon’s words and wondered if he had a correct understanding of the Presence of God in their midst. He had just witnessed the cloud – the glory of the LORD - enter this new structure, this building called the temple, and in contrast to the tabernacle this building must have seemed very permanent to them. Yet when I get to the words of Solomon’s prayer in verse 27 I realized that Solomon had a very correct view of the Presence of God in their midst. God doesn’t live there in the same sense we live in our houses, nor in the sense of how people think idols live in their temples. God is too big for that, actually, God is too big for all creation. God’s Presence among His people is purposeful, and those purposes can be discerned by reading the entirety of Solomon’s prayer, but can be summed up in the words “my house will be called a house of prayer”. He dwells among us on the face of the earth so that we can be sure that He will answer our prayers, forgive our sins, and heal our lives. His Presence is a guarantee of His blessing as we humble ourselves before Him. We can read the history of Israel and their temple- which is why I called Solomon’s words in verse 31 pride- they refused to humble themselves despite the very Presence of God in their midst and He removed Himself. What a wonderful gift we have from God in the Presence of the Holy Spirit in our earthly bodies. May each of us fulfill God’s purpose in putting His Spirit within us, may we be a “house of prayer”.

April 19, 2018 - Suggested Reading Exodus 40 for Apr 22nd’s message on Nehemiah 10 in the 2nd Service

“Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.”

Exodus 40:34-35 (NIV)

There are many wonderful aspects of an assembly of God’s people. We share our lives together, we encourage one another, we pray for one another, we serve one another, we listen to one another, we eat with one another and we laugh with one another. As parents, we know how important it is for our teenage children to make friends at church, to make those ties with like-minded friends, that are so important to them continuing in their faith. All of these things were true in the Israelites lives - even more so than in our fragmented culture - and yet the purpose of this structure was for each of them to meet with God. It was called the Tent of Meeting, and it is very clear that a meeting with God was intended, for God filled this tent with His glory. We would do well to remember this and to fix this in our minds as the primary purpose of any service held in our church. It is good to meet with each other, but eternal good is achieved by us meeting with God. Part of me wants to have been there when God’s glory filled the tent, but a sober evaluation of myself makes me realize that I would have been one of those who rebelled and died in the desert, for I am neither Caleb nor Joshua. But I can meet with Jesus, who is the radiance of God’s glory and I can leave a changed person- but do I want to? Do I come to church to meet with God, to listen to Him and to speak with Him?

April 18, 2018 - Suggested Reading Exodus 25 for Apr 22nd’s message on Nehemiah 10 in the 2nd Service

“Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them.”

Exodus 25:8 (NIV)

The Eternal One, the Creator of all that is, the LORD Almighty desires to dwell among His people. 

His people- the descendants of Abraham- the many thousands of people that the LORD Himself brought out of slavery in Egypt with a mighty outstretched hand.

He doesn’t just lead them out and leave them to themselves- He revealed Himself to them, He entered into a covenant of blood with them, and He will dwell among His people.

It is a truth that if you want to find God you will go wherever His people are. The book of Acts reveals that in the days of the temple God-fearing Gentiles would come to Jerusalem, seeking God. In this age of grace where we worship Him in Spirit and in truth, people show up to churches like Parkdale- led there not because someone from Parkdale invited them, but because God led them. A number of months ago a man gave this testimony at a baptism service, and even last Sunday I heard this testimony from a man who showed up during the ice storm. God dwells in the presence of His people. It is clear from Exodus 25 that preparations must be made, that the people themselves are to bring offerings to build the ark, the table and the lampstand, and the ark and the table are described in terms of Presence. The lampstand brings light to the sanctuary,  Zechariah 4 and Revelation 5 teach us that the lampstand represents the Presence of the Holy Spirit, and that the priests needed to do work in order for this lampstand to fulfill its purpose. This Presence of the Holy Spirit is so critical to the true life of our church, and yet are we willing to do the work to see the Holy Spirit fulfill His purpose in our midst? 

Friends as the Holy Spirit moves in our services and ministries in Parkdale may we found doing the work of surrender in our own lives, may we bless Him and not grieve Him. 

April 13, 2018 - Suggested Reading 2 Corinthians 4 for Apr 15th’s message on 1 Corinthians 7:8-24 in the 1st Service

“For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.”

2 Corinthians 4:6 (NIV)

This comparison between Christians and creation can be powerful if we allow it to be.

Paul is teaching us that we are darkness and that the only light in us is Christ.

Jesus our Lord did not die to make lights shine brighter - He died to replace darkness with light.

Jesus our Lord didn’t die to make good people better - He died to make sinners into saints.

Self - righteousness is so subtle, it is so deadly, and it whispers throughout churches.

How do we forget our true state before we were called to follow Jesus?

Well John - “I was never really bad - I grew up a good girl - I didn’t do those bad things other people did.” Well friend Paul says you were darkness.

Would it not change our attitudes towards Christians who are not as far along the path with Christ as we are if we would remember that we were darkness – that we are still darkness?

Let us remember that the light shines in the midst of darkness, and let us surrender the darkness still in us to Christ, that his light would shine forth from within.

April 12, 2018 - Suggested Reading Luke 19 – for Apr 15th’s message on Nehemiah 9:38 in the 2nd Service

“But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

Luke 19:8 (NIV) 

The people muttered -“ There Jesus goes hanging around sinners again.”

Then Zacchaeus stood up and said “…” and the people were quiet, but Jesus called him saved.

This is a wonderful story to tell children, to teach them of the love of Jesus for sinners, and that sinners don’t stay sinners when they hang around with Jesus - they repent.

What about us adults - can we learn anything from this “children’s” story. It wasn’t written for children you know - it was written for adults.

Is it really possible to confess your sins and expect forgiveness without any intention of changing your ways? Are we not mocking God by eating with Him at the Lord’s supper and confessing our sin without any intention of changing our ways.

God forbid that we would come to His cross for forgiveness and not promise to change our ways. 

You may say - well John I learned not to promise to Christ because I have broken my promise to Him many many times, and I don’t want to disappoint Him again.

Friend – when His children come to Him seeking forgiveness but are not willing to state their intention to change their ways - we have already disappointed him, and on the basis of this account are not likely to be forgiven.

Sinners who eat with Christ change their ways.

Not relying on themselves to pull up their socks, or to just stop doing that.

But relying on the Holy Spirit to change our inward being.

He won’t do that work unless we have made our minds up we want the work done.

Its called surrender.

April 12, 2018 - Suggested Reading John 10 – for Apr 15th’s message on 1 Corinthians 7:8-24 in the 1st Service

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”

John 10:27 (NIV) 

What does it mean to be called by Jesus?

His sheep know His voice - but how do they recognize His voice from others?

Do we need to know the answers to these and other questions or is it enough for us to know that we recognized His voice and that we followed after Him?

The Pharisees didn’t understand, they are smarter than us - but they didn’t follow Jesus because they didn’t recognize His voice. They saw His miracles, they heard His teaching, they heard His audible voice but they didn’t follow Him. Its like they only listened when they were talking - do you know anyone like that?

There is a real sense of finality in this chapter, a sense of Jesus being in control – it brings me great peace as I read these Words - because I know His voice and I follow Him.

He has never made me do anything, He is gentle with me, speaking softly and persistently. He calls me by name, He speaks Words of life into my ears, 

He leads me beside still waters and green pastures and He restores my soul, and He sets a table of fellowship up in the midst of my enemies. 

He knows my name-oh that I would honour His Name by listening when He speaks.

April 11, 2018 - Suggested Reading Psalm 51 – for Apr 15th’s message on Nehemiah 9:38 in the 2nd Service

“Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you.”

Psalm 51:13 (NIV)  

The writing of Psalm 51 by David was fulfillment of this promise made to God.

This transgressor has been taught and will continue to be taught by these words of David.

This sinner has turned back to God, on the basis of what I see in this psalm.

Our grounds for asking for forgiveness is His love and His character.

His forgiveness when given, is absolute cleansing.

I became aware of this sin in my life because of God’s grace.

You are righteous – I am wrong.

I can’t rely on myself- but I can rely on your grace in me.

Healing and joy start from the inner work of God in my heart.

I am completely dependent upon the Holy Spirit working within me.

Your forgiveness will cause me to serve you.

I will teach others and I will sing your praises

Most important of all I will keep my heart broken and open for your Spirit to do his work.

May it please you to build your church at Parkdale through sinners who have been forgiven.

April 11, 2018 - Suggested Reading Luke 5 – for Apr 15th’s message on 1 Corinthians 7:8-24 in the 1st Service

“Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Luke 5:31-32 (NIV)

Luke’s account of the calling of Simon Peter, and James and John to follow Jesus is powerful.

Simon Peter falls at Jesus’ knees and says “Go away from me Lord; I am a sinful man.”

The Lord’s response is to call him into discipleship.

Do you know that you are a sinner?

Do you know that churches are full of people who know they are sinners?

We forget this and think to ourselves that churches are where the ‘good’ people are, and yet the truth that is pressed home by Luke in this chapter 

is that people only become ‘good’ after coming to Christ and being made clean thru the
forgiveness of their sins.

The Lord did not come to call the ‘good’ people, He came to call the ‘sinners’.

 How is it that when ‘sinners’ start to hang around our church we get our backs up?

How is it that when people fall on their knees in front of Christ and give their hearts to the Lord, we want them to instantly behave like a ‘good’ person? 

Which seems to mean behave like people who have been following Christ for years, and who have seen change occur over time.

For some reason we expect instant change in them but are ok with gradual change in us.

The apostle Paul knew he had a bunch of ‘sinners’ in the Corinthian church, people who were called by Christ to follow Him, yet people who were in relationships that most of us in Canadian churches would say are unacceptable.  

Paul didn’t find it unacceptable, he had the spirit of Christ, he had the mind of Christ – the Christ who came to call sinners to repentance.

April 10, 2018 - Suggested Reading Joshua 24 – for Apr 15th’s message on Nehemiah 9:38 in the 2nd Service

“See!” he said to all the people. “This stone will be a witness against us. It has heard all the words the LORD has said to us. It will be a witness against you if you are untrue to your God.”

Joshua 24:27 (NIV)  

Joshua is known for his use of memory stones for the purpose of stimulating faith, but this stone’s purpose seems to be a warning to stimulate obedience. God doesn’t need a stone to know whether or not the Israelites remained faithful, but Joshua felt the people needed one.

If we read Joshua 24 and Nehemiah 9 consecutively, we can see very quickly that the people praying in Nehemiah’s day, confessed the themes found in Joshua 24 including the unfaithfulness of their ancestors. No wonder the penitent prayers of Nehemiah 9 lean wholly on God’s covenant love - on God’s character and track record - and not on their obedience!

These people are without excuse! YET, the stone was erected beside the Holy Place, the place where the blood of the covenant was applied against their sin and rebellion.

Friend, can you see yourself in their shoes?

Are you without excuse today?

Go to the cross where Christ’s blood was applied and seek God’s forgiveness.

April 10, 2018 - Suggested Reading Isaiah 60 – for Apr 15th’s message on 1 Corinthians 7:8-24 in the 1st Service

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.”

Isaiah 60:1 (NIV)  

The message of the prophet is the message of the apostle is the message of God.

Child of God, know that this message is for us.

Our life in Christ is a matter of arising and shining.

No longer dead in our sin, ARISE for your sin nature died on the cross with Christ.

No longer am I full of darkness - SHINE for the living Christ is in our hearts.

ARISE and SHINE!

Our light- the blessed Christ has come- the glory of the LORD has come.

Not only to this world, for that is history.

He has come to you, now that is a mystery.

Why me? Why you?

When we see Him face to face we will have those questions answered.

But what will we say tonight when He asks us in a still small voice;

Child why did you not arise and shine today?

April 9, 2018 - Suggested Reading Genesis 21 – for Apr 15th’s message on Nehemiah 9:38 in the 2nd Service

“God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there.”

Genesis 21:17 (NIV)  

Effective fervent prayer?

Or a mother in such a desperate situation she has no words, of hope or comfort for her boy who
only has sobs left.

Terrible situation - no hope left - no way out - no help on the horizon.

God heard the boy, gave them water and gave them a future.

It is clear from Genesis that God heard Ishmael because of His covenant with Abraham.

How much more will God hear His children cry because of His covenant with Christ Jesus?

We should not go willingly into these places of despair.

But when we are there - 

O child our Heavenly Father hears us cry. 

April 9, 2018 - Suggested Reading 2 Kings 5 – for Apr 15th’s message on 1 Corinthians 7:8-24 in the 1st Service

“If you will not,” said Naaman, “please let me, your servant, be given as much earth as a pair of mules can carry, for your servant will never again make burnt offerings and sacrifices to any other god but the LORD.”

2 Kings 5:17 (NIV)  

Naaman wants to worship the LORD.

Want an amazing work of grace God did thru the little girl, the reluctant king, the prophet Elisha and the pagan servants! All of the people involved in this man’s conversion reminds me of our GO pastor’s message yesterday- as Mark reminded us that we all have a part together in the work of seeing people come to Christ!

Naaman wants to worship properly, so he states his intention to ONLY worship the LORD,

and then asks a very practical question about bowing to an idol’s temple as his king requires.

We forget when we read 1 Corinthians that Paul is writing to people like Naaman, that they are pagans who have given their hearts to Christ, desiring to worship Christ only, and yet have to deal with practical situations in their pagan lives. Paul is answering their questions to him about these situations, with the Words of Christ, and also with Words given to him by the Holy Spirit. Notice in this passage that Naaman received Elisha’s blessing but the servant of Elisha received the curse of leprosy. Money, money, money! Surely Christ spoke truth when He told us we can’t
serve two masters.

May we have the heart of Naaman as we seek to worship Christ in very practical ways in our families, work and neighbourhoods. May we put ourselves in the way of Paul’s blessing.

April 7, 2018- Encouragement from 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

“After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.”

1 Thessalonians 4:17 (NIV)

That word ‘left’ is a nasty word- how much pain is in this little word?

Oh friend, grieve and mourn, weep and wail but do it with hope.

The world talks about hope, but only those who have given their lives to the Lord HAVE this hope;

“So we will be with the Lord forever.” You will find that the Person of our Lord does not occupy much of the hope of the world. They hope for no pain, for a reunion with loved ones, for joy and pleasure, for healing. But it is only us Christians who hope for our Lord. Foolish is the person who thinks they can experience healing, love, joy and pleasure without the Presence of the Lord Jesus. Perhaps you can have those experiences in part, for a time - but those times will pass, and then what will you have? To be with the Lord forever is the desire of every true Christian, and it is the only place where healing, love, joy, and peace can last forever.

That word “together” is a wonderful word- how much joy is in this little word?

We will be together forever with our Lord!

Be thou my vision indeed!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Optrm7lF16s

April 6, 2018 - Encouragement from 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

“ For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.”

1 Thessalonians 4:16 (NIV)

Here are some details for us!

The Lord Himself will come for us, He will leave heaven once again because of His great love for you and me. He is not coming into a lowly manger, into a helpless state, but is coming in great power, for there is a loud command as opposed to a baby’s cry. Although the voice of the archangel was heard at His birth, speaking words to Zechariah, Mary and Joseph, and the mighty voice of the angels was heard by the shepherds, this voice seems different, for it contains a power the earth has not yet heard. For the command with the trumpet call brings the dead (how many will that be?)
out of the ground. 

Do you notice Paul changed his terminology from sleep to death - could it be to accentuate the power that is described in this verse?

What kind of power can bring Christians long dead and dissolved back to life?

An awesome earth shattering power!

What kind of power can put a spirit into a body?

Only the power of Creator God!

What kind of power can take dust and form it into what it once was, and put it back on two legs?

Yet more than what it was, for these new bodies are imperishable, never to die again!

This verse is all about the power of our God - oh this is so encouraging to meditate on.

I find myself humming “when the roll is called up yonder”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Qu_giBQs3Q

 

April 5, 2018 - Encouragement from 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

“According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.”

1 Thessalonians 4:15 (NIV)

Paul wants us to be sure that this next bit of information is true - not coming from his logic or imagination- and so he declares that this encouraging information comes from the Lord Himself. 

You will not find this detail recorded in the gospels, therefore it must have come through direct revelation from Christ to Paul.

We may wonder why it matters who comes first - the Christian life is not a race is it?

It seems to me that Paul is sharing this information to stress once again the unity we have in Christ.

We are all spiritually united in Christ, whether we sleep or are still of earthly use to our Lord.

Yet those who sleep are actually ahead of us who are still breathing oxygen, aren’t they?

Free from their sinful bodies, free from pain, free to worship Christ in ways we can only dream about.

Hey if it is a race they beat us to Christ’s side, and Paul is telling us that they will stay ahead.

There is something very encouraging about thinking about this truth that those who have gone before will get their new bodies before we will.

Good for them- we miss them and when we see them again they will be in their new bodies.

How different they will look from how they looked when we said goodbye.

How cool will that be?

April 4, 2018 - Encouragement from 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

“For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.”

1 Thessalonians 4:14 (NIV)

The first bit of information Paul wants to us to ruminate on is the ramifications of the truth of the Gospel we believed.

We believe that Jesus died and rose again.

We believe that being saved means we are “in Jesus”

That is when we confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead;

that we are saved by the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, who brings us into spiritual union with Christ, never to die again.

Therefore we believe that for a Christian dying can be called sleeping.

Just as a sleeping individual although alive is of no earthly use until they are awakened, so an individual who is united with Christ in spirit, is still alive although their dead body is of no earthly use.

And furthermore we believe that these individuals are alive in the Presence of Christ, and that God will bring them with Jesus when He comes in power onto this earth.

John 11:25 records Jesus telling Martha that belief in Him meant she would never die, and then He asked; Do you believe this?

Do you?

April 3, 2018 - Encouragement from 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

“Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.”

1 Thessalonians 4:13 (NIV)

True encouragement starts with true information.

 We live in what some call the information age and yet so much of this information is fake.

Some people think Christians should never grieve – that’s FAKE news!

Christians are to grieve, actually our Lord told us that we are blessed when we mourn.

I wonder how a person who has never grieved could receive any encouragement from this passage.

Paul’s concern is that when we grieve – we grieve with hope. He compares us with those who have no hope- and he doesn’t want us to grieve like that.

It is true that most of the people we live beside and work with or go to school with tell us they have hope that their loved one is in heaven. It seems that in our community everyone goes to heaven except for those die-hard atheists who just go into the ground, because there is no such thing as an afterlife - that’s FAKE news! Let's ignore the atheists (there are no atheists in foxholes therefore there are no atheists! - they pretend God doesn’t exist, perhaps we can pretend they don’t exist)

If you are given the opportunity to explore the nature of this false hope that the majority of people in Quinte have about going to heaven, you will find out pretty quickly that they know it is a false hope, or at least it is a hope they don’t understand.

Paul is reminding us that we have a real hope, based on the Word of God, the righteousness and sacrifice of our Saviour Jesus Christ, and the presence of the Holy Spirit within our lives.

True information precedes true encouragement.

April 3, 2018 - Encouragement from 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

“Therefore encourage one another with these words.”

1 Thessalonians 4:18 (NIV)

Here we have Paul’s stated purpose for the preceding five verses.

We can try to fit these verses into our eschatological view - would that fit his purpose?

We can try to speculate as to the details of this resurrection - would that fit his purpose?

Giving encouragement is his purpose and giving encouragement should be ours.

encouragement can be defined as “something that gives hope, determination or confidence”

I find myself encouraged as I read these verses - would that fit his purpose?

Only when I encourage someone else with these Words will I enter into his purpose.