Don’t Forget to Set Your Clocks Ahead Saturday Night

 

A

.

Dr. Barclays Bible Study - The Book of Ephesians Part 11

Dr. Barclay with Something to Think About - F.I.R.S.T.

F.I.R.S.T.

No one can serve two masters; 

for either he will hate the one and love the other, 

or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. 

(Matthew 6:24)

[So] seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness… 

(Matthew 6:33)

What is really meant by seeking “first” the kingdom? In one instance, “first” has been broken down in this manner.*

Finances - How often do many people spend their entire lives working day and night to increase their wealth? People spend years working toward careers, toward advancement and prosperity. Yet how often do they forget God in the process? The Bible states clearly that:

…the earth is the Lord’s and all its fullness. 

(1 Corinthians 10:26) 

Therefore putting God in to a financial plan often leads to a greater benefit than otherwise would occur because, after all, He’s the one who really controls the purse strings.

Interests - Everyone these days seem to have multiple interests. We all get involved in our favourite sports, shows, or plays; our favourite restaurants and places to shop, in fact, we often seem to be going in multiple different directions every day. This frequently displaces any time people might have for God and as result these interests become an alternative deity.

The Bible states that God is:

…a holy God. He is a jealous God… 

(Joshua 24:19)

and that we are to 

…meditate in [the Book of the Law] day and night… 

(Joshua 1:8)

Do we make God and His Word part  of our daily interests?

Relationships - True Christianity is considered a relationship and not a religion. A relationship that exists between God and ourselves and is perhaps best stated this way:

I’ve known You as a Father

I’ve known you as a friend**

The Bible states that:

 

Abraham believed…and was called the friend of God. 

(James 2:23)

If one considers God a friend, then the interests of that person should certainly involve an interest in having a relationship with God.

Schedules - We all have a schedule to keep each day even if we don’t consider it in that context. We have classes to make or work to clock into or after hours events to go to. We have times for meals and TV and bed, but do we fit God into our schedule? Often, He is the last one thought of. How can we maintain a good relationship with God if we don’t fit Him into our schedule? It would be like trying to keep a relationship with your fiancé but never seeing them.

Troubles - We all have these. The Bible says in Psalm 34:6:

[The] poor man cried out, and the Lord hears him,

And saved him out of all his troubles. 

This because…

…My yoke is easy and My burden is light. 

(Matthew 11:30)

If we can do this with our finances, our interests, our schedules, and can enter a relationship as mentioned then we know He will help with our troubles and we can truthfully say that Christ is first in our lives.

And that is something we should all think about.

*Adapted from a talk by Canon J. John on Sharing Your Faith-Invitation
**Lyrics from The Goodness of God by Bethel Music and Jenn Johnson, 2019

Matthew and Jasmine Trott's Ordination with Rev. Bill Annis March 2, 2025

Pastoral Installation Service - March 2nd 5 PM

 

Just a reminder that our service will be at 5 PM this Sunday March 2nd.

There will be no morning service this week.

Dr. Barclays Bible Study - The Book of Ephesians Part 10

Dr. Barclay with Something to Think About - WITHOUT GOD

 WITHOUT GOD

..that at that time you were without Christ…

having no hope and without God in the world.

Ephesians 2:12

That statement was made by Paul concerning the Gentile people before they came to know Christ. Have you ever really considered what life would truly be like without Christ? There would be no one who has said He would not leave us, no one to pray to for help or guidance, and no hope for an afterlife or to see loved ones again. Just a bleak void awaiting everyone.

But the Bible does not give such a bleak picture for those who have Christ, who have God; only those who have not yet come to the realization that God is really the foundation of life and existence. The Scriptures go on to describe in a number of ways the state of those who are yet unsaved.

The Bible goes on to say that those without God are “dead in trespasses and sin” (Ephesians 2:1) and that they are never truly and fully alive as we were meant to be. Spiritually dead, so to speak, although physically and mentally still living.

The Bible also describes such people as being blind and not able to see the truth.

But even if our gospel is veiled, 

it is veiled to those who are perishing, 

whose minds the god of this age has blinded… 

(2 Corinthians 4:3-4)

Such people are also called slaves to sin - not really free but controlled by their own lusts and desires.

But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin…

having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.

(Romans 6:17-18)

In addition, such people were called lovers of darkness because their desires were such that only darkness could cover them.

And this is the condemnation, 

that the light has come into the world, 

and men loved darkness rather than light…

For everyone practicing evil hates the light 

and does not come to the light 

(John 3:19-20)

The Scriptures consider such persons as sick:

When Jesus heard it, He said to them,

“Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 

I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” 

(Mark 2:17)

And also as lost:

What man of you, having a hundred sheep,

if he lose one, does not…go after the one which is lost?

…there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents 

than over [those] who need no repentance. 

(Luke 15:4,7)

If we fit into the above description, then we no longer fit into the image into which we were made, i.e., the image of God. And so we are called:

aliens…strangers from the covenants of promise… 

and foreigners…

(Ephesians 2:12,19)

and

children of wrath…

fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind…

(Ephesians 2:3)

All this if we have not accepted the one who

 

…has delivered us from the power of darkness 

and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love. 

(Colossians 1:13)

It certainly does give one a lot to think about.