Sunday November 30, 2015

Some notes from Sunday's service.  (Thanks, Heather)

Did you know in two days it's December?! Oh sorry, I should have said 'Are you sitting down?!' :D 

Please forgive me, I don't have notes for Something to Think About tonight; however, you can hear it live on our blog. As always, please check that out for information, videos, pictures, upcoming events, etc

Natalie MacDonald spoke on the first candle of Advent... The Candle of Hope. The assurance God will finish what he promised. 2 Corinthians 1:20 and 2 Corinthians 9:15. And because the Lord works ALL things, Pastor Todd was moved to bring us this message...

The Message ~ Pastor Todd

- The candle we lit tonight is the candle of HOPE.

- Our hope came... Jesus! Now our hope is He's coming again.

- ... and still remains. The person of Jesus is gone, but the person of the Holy Spirit is very much alive.

- Adam was warned not to eat from the ONE tree. When Adam ate of the tree, God didn't destroy him and make a new man warning 'listen the last one ate, and look what happened to him!'

- Yes Adam 'surely died', but not from God's hand... he became mortal.

- Adam wasn't destroyed because God had HOPE in humanity!!... as he still does today!

- Isaiah 7:14... 'All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).'

- Isaiah 53

- These verses, our hope, what we hold onto, and written 700 years before it all happened.

- He was born to a virgin (not a king), he was raised on earth, walked in our shoes, showed us how important relationships are (and with God the Father).

- There's no need to fear. He will be with us forever.

- There will be perfection in Glory.

- He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. Notice the 'caps'. He is the King over all other kings, and Lord over all other lords... the One and only!

- Why did He die? To show that nothing is as powerful as God himself.

- Psalm 62:5-8... ⁵ Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. ⁶ He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. ⁷ My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. ⁸ O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge.

As the Christmas season is upon us, through the hustle and bustle, how about whispering a 'ho-ho-Holy Spirit'. I'm sure the 'spirit' of giving, cheer, and even a smile will shine through your being!

Cheers

Heather

Update for Shoreline Gathering Point and the MacDonald's

As you are aware, we (Pastor Todd and Natalie) have accepted a church in Alberta.  We, along with the board of Shoreline, have decided the last service at our home will be November 29th.  We will still be around and will be at most Master's Hand services but need to get our house all packed.  We are also participating in the Christmas Concert on December 5th.

We want to say thank you to everyone for accepting, loving, encouraging and befriending us over the years.  You will be missed.  We will be leaving Nova Scotia on December 27th and will keep you up to date on our trip and as we start our work in Sundre.  We will be sure to get you new phone numbers and address as soon as that is settled but we do know we have a spare room and Chica and we would love to see her/our friends!  We will be back of course for visits and we will still be texting, e-mailing, facebooking, blogging and probably some Skype and phone calls too.

In His service, Pastor Todd & Natalie MacDonald

Sunday November 22, 2014

Here are some notes from Sunday's service.  (Thanks, Jean)

Dr. Barclay—Theme: Ancient Israel and an example to the church today

Today in many parts of the world where this is severe poverty, strife, war and persecution. Places like central and southeast Asia, Africa and the middle east mosques and churches are full, yet here in North America and Europe,  many churches are empty and only half filled. Here in the wealthier parts of the world where Christians experienced very little persecution many Christians have become lazy and selfish, they are not serious, nor committed when it comes to church attendance, prayer and Bible reading. When we read the old testament and look at the nation of Israel, it serves as timeless example and a great study of how compromise with false religions never works and leads to division and great tragedy. Isaiah along with other prophets warned ancient Israel and warns us today, we have to stand true for God 100%. Giving in and acquiescing with pagan practices and beliefs will only bring destruction. God does not ask or require us to be popular and politically correct, he  only requires us to tell the truth and obey his word.

Isaiah started his prophetic work in 740 BC.

Isaiah 1:1-28 1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. 2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the Lord hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. 3 The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. 4 Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward. 5 Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. 6 From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment. 7 Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers. 8 And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city. 9 Except the Lord of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah. 10 Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah. 11 To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. 12 When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? 13 Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. 14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. 15 And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. 16 Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; 17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. 18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. 19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: 20 But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. 21 How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers. 22 Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water: 23 Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them. 24 Therefore saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies: 25 And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin: 26 And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city. 27 Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness. 28 And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the Lord shall be consumed.

Israel is God's chosen nation. Israel is the vessel God chose, to spread his message throughout the world.

Sin brings destruction. Destruction was brought on Israel due to it's straying away from Jehovah.

Isaiah 7:10-17 10 Moreover the Lord spake again unto Ahaz, saying, 11 Ask thee a sign of the Lord thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above. 12 But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the Lord. 13 And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. 15 Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good. 16 For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings. 17 The Lord shall bring upon thee, and upon thy people, and upon thy father's house, days that have not come, from the day that Ephraim departed from Judah; even the king of Assyria.

Isaiah 11:1-5 this passage was written 750 years before the birth of Christ, Isaiah foretold this great event.

Isaiah 11:1-5 11 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: 2 And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; 3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: 4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth: with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. 5 And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.

Christmas is to be thought of and celebrated as a Holy Day not a simple Holiday, such as a time for parties and a day off work. Christmas is not about presents and trees it is all about our relationship with Christ.

Isaiah 53

Isaiah 53 53 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? 2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. 3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. 8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. 9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. 10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. 11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Whatever time we have left on this earth we should spend it in a sincere relationship with God.

Pastor Dave McLean ----Theme: We are not to be controlled by our emotions.

Christians worldwide need to know who they are in Christ and not be insecure.

Christians have been made victorious through Christ and we need to live out that knowledge. We need to love and trust God with our full hearts and not just half or a little. What is happening in the world today should not be a surprise. We need to continue trusting God and not fear.

Matthew 24:6-14 6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. 9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. 10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come

Christians cannot be defeated God is on our side, he said he would never leave us or forsake us.

John 10:10 10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

God wants us to have life and to have it more abundantly. The devil comes to make us feel bad about ourselves. We have been made more than conquerors in Christ. We are not limited by our worldly education. God has placed his wisdom within us. Satan will try to have us look back on our failures. We cannot let our emotions rule our lives. As Christians we are to let God's word rule our lives. We will never be winners if we let our emotions control our lives. We are joint heirs with Christ, we are to pray and lay hands on the sick with full faith and confidence. Satan wants us to feel unworthy so that we will not step out in faith. God cares about the little things in our lives. The same spirit that anointed Jesus has anointed you and I.

Mark 9:23-24

23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. 24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

Believe the answer is on the way when you pray. If we do not forgive Satan will take advantage of us. Do not spend time with people who will bring you down. Only place your confidence and trust in Christ, in this world he is our only security.

Sunday November 15, 2015

Hi!

Here's some notes from Sunday's service.  (Thanks again, Heather)

If you would like to watch Pastor Todd's sermon and Dr. Barclay's "Something to Think About, click here: 
Master's Hand YouTube Channel

Well hello again... here we are. And here's what you may have missed Sunday past...

Something to Think About

- Soloman wrote Ecclesiastics. He concluded, with all his wisdom, that everything is vanity, except to honor God!

- He also wrote Proverbs; to give instruction

- 3rd book... Songs of Songs. This is a love story with a great deal of passion and intimacy.

- This book illustrates what love should be like between man and woman; what true love looks like. He wrote this book in an era when there were sex slaves and human sacrifices.

- As the illustration shown in Song of Songs, we need to give God our body, time, connection.

- We never expect our love with Christ to never die... but we sometimes don't 'show up'

- You can look at the events in Paris and ask 'why?' 'Where's God?'  The thing is, Satan is ruling the earth.

- Because we don't have the relationship like in Song of Songs, we are not as influential as we should/could

- Perhaps God isn't hearing our prayers as He would if we 'showed up' or were faithful to Him.

- Look at American Christianity where pre-marital sex, extra-marital sex, gay lifestyles as happening... why would they want to join our religion (THEY meaning other worldly religions that would literally die for their faith/god, ex. the events of Paris, ISIS, etc...)

- Psalm 57. Prayer for help

We then had a moment of silence for Paris

The Message ~ Pastor Todd MacDonald

- God provides the ultimate protection.

- Times are tragic, but there will be a time of triumph.

- John 1:1... In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.

- Strength in the darkness grows

- Every time darkness strikes, the light fights back! Example after 9-11, the pews were never so full!

- Where was God? He was crying for the loss as well

- Darkness cannot overcome the Light.

- Yes, darkness is spreading, but the more we know and understand, the better equip we are when Lucifer attacks.

- Lucifer is the 'Prince of Darkness', but he is NOT the King!

- Sure 'All things are made by Him and through Him', but God also gave FREE WILL.

- This gives us CHOICE, yet He still comes along the journey with us

- Sure there's fear, but faith in Christ is greater.

- We may cry 'where are you God', but we don't see God in our path (how He's working things out), but He says 'Ahhhh, here I am'

- People have been programmed to crave drama.

- If the news was all about good deeds, happy birthdays, 'thank God's... how long would that station last?!

- Goodness doesn't seem to govern attention as evil (ex: lines to get the latest war video game, but not the newest Bible version)

- We are the witness to the Light.

- Darkness... the absence of Light; like cold is the absence of heat.

- Darkness is the power of man (given by Lucifer)... Light is the power of Christ!

- Let's pray for the world that Christ's light will be seen/recognized

Sunday November 8, 2015

Some notes from Sunday's service.  (Thanks, Heather)

Lest We Forget

Has it been another 'Manic Monday'... :D  As we learned from the Message last night, lets dwell on all things good...

Something to Think About

- 1918; 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month... the end of WWI; 65 million people were involved, with 10 million casualties.

- 25 years later, greater wars are still going on... never seems to end.

- 6% of wars are Religious, the remaining are secular, based on greed, pride, etc

- "Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition"; a song in response to the attack on Pearl Harbour that marked United States involvement in World War II.

- Many of Hilter's soldiers' belt buckles read 'God with us'

- Hilter wrote: "I believe that I am acting in accordance with the will of the Almighty Creator: by defending myself against the Jew, I am fighting for the work of the Lord."

- Hmmmm... fighting on behalf of God, not WITH God.

- Religious wars is mans attempt to reach God... man tries to define God here.

- This is a dividing cause among the world.

- True Christianity isn't a religion... it's a relationship. It's God reaching down to us.

- Exodus 23... help those in need, even your enemies

- There will always be war; Islam and Christianity can not both exist!

- Our logo is the hand of God reaching down to man... and if we understand this, there would be no war.

- Islam teaches Muslims to fight unbelievers until they are dead or convert to Islam; and if a Muslim leaves his religion, kill him.

- ... Until Christianity reigns, there will be war!! 

The Message ~ Pastor Caroline Barclay

- Philippians 4:4-9... be united, joyful, and in prayer

- Open the Word and receive what you need for today!

- God says 'come sit with me a while'

- Soldiers hold memories of the mind that we will never understand. Every veterans keep hidden heartaches that we will never know.

- Peace is never just given... it's fought for... so wear a Poppy in remembrance.

- Take a read of 'In Flander's Field Poem' posted at the bottom.

- As we remember, may we also remember the one man who shed His blood for our freedom and eternity!

- Be joyful because He accepts us who we are. This is a call for rejoicing! 

- Philippians 4:4-9... now practice all of these things... (Get rid of the stinkin thinkin'!) :D

- Don't bring yourself to man's standards; stay before God and what he instructs you.

- As we obey God, we need to obey our laws.

- He doesn't keep telling us how broken a people we are... he just says 'I love you, I love you, I LOVE YOU!'

- We need to respect and appreciate the Freedom of Canada... "God Keep our Land Glorious and Free"

- The peace we still feel today was given by the blood of many

- Our burdens are lighter because of Jesus.

- We as Christians are called to be soldiers for Christ... proclaiming who He is, what He's done.

- We are called to never forget... called to love, honor, respect what He gave.

- Yes the blood of many gave us the freedom we have today... the blood of one man paid a debt we could not pay... He was so willing to die.

- Poppies and the blood at the cross were both red... love shown.

- Lord, remind us daily... Lest we forget.

Please join a service this Wednesday...

Heather

Terry Kelly - A Pittance of Time

In Flanders Fields

by John McCrae, May 1915

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Sunday November 1, 2015

Here's some notes from Sunday's service.  (Thanks, Heather)

To watch Dr. Barclay's "Something to Think About" and Pastor Caroline's sermon. click on this link to go to Master's Hand YouTube channel: Master's Hand YouTube Channel

Hi there. Please find notes from service below...

Something to Think About

- Hebrews 11:6: without faith you can not please God.

- Part of why people don't care come to church or Bible Study, is because they don't believe the Bible is true... think it's fable or fake.

- Revelations brings all prophecies together... satan is overcome because of the blood of lamb.

- Colossians 2:15

- If you believe in God, you have to believe in satan and demons

- There's definitely a battle between satan and God!!

- Christ conquered satan through the cross... but why is we still feel Satan?!

- Like the judicial system, until he has a just sentence, he is free

- Now that Christ has died and rose, satan is now at battle with the church... as we are the body of Christ

- We have now become more of a social body then a group that recognizes the blood of Christ.

- there are MANY martyred for their faith, and this is often how the Word of Christ is spread

- we need to not preach good feelingness, but of freedom!

- Everything there is a season... maybe it's time to come back to the preaching of God's Word?!

The Message ~ Pastor Caroline

- Pastor Caroline brought an article from 'Decision Magazine'... an excerpt from Billy Graham's new book 'Where I am', chapter 21. I've attached the article for you to read in its entirety. 

Do you want to go to heaven?? Turn from your sin and accept/trust Christ as your Saviour!

Click here to read the article on-line: http://billygraham.org/decision-magazine/october-2015/an-excerpt-from-billy-grahams-new-book-where-i-am/