Sunday August 27, 2017

Sunday's notes.  (Thanks, Jean)

Dr.  Barclay-Something to Think About

Theme: Always be humble and seek the Lord regardless of our position in life.

If we do not learn from the lessons of history we are all bound to repeat them. As David became King and powerful, he lost that close connection he had with God, such as in his days of being a shepherd and playing the harp to calm King Saul when an evil spirit troubled him. The Lord had blessed David and had taken him from great heights; from the days of being a shepherd and taking bread and cheese to his brethren, to now being the ruling King of Israel. However the benefits of power and fame came with consequences, David took full liberty with Bathsheba had an affair with her and sent her husband Uriah to the front lines of battle during war and was assuring his death would follow, which it did. David later repented after being confronted by the prophet Nathan and David went to write many of the wonderful psalms we read and sing today. We as Christians in the Western world have gone astray like David, material wealth and comforts have taken away our need for God. Today we see people leaving the church in large numbers, Europe and North America, they are finding pleasure in material things, worshipping themselves and making themselves happy.

2 Timothy 3:2-4 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—

Sadly many people leave the church and never come back, it is those who maintain the faith steadfast and loyal that God will reward.

Revelation 22:12-13 12 “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done.13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

Pastor Caroline – Theme: Trust in the Lord and obey his law for he is faithful.

Psalm 25:4-10

 To be bitter is to live in a place of darkness. If we live in Christ’s righteousness and humility, God will be faithful to us and we can trust we will be under his love and protection. We are Christ filled people and we need to remember, the world is watching us. The world is watching our behavior and lifestyle and how we react to the heartbreaking situations in life. God always extends his mercy and his grace in our times sorrow loneliness and hurt. The Christian can always be confident in Jesus. We are only human and our knowledge is limited and humans will fail. Therefore our full confidence and assurance needs to be in Christ and Christ alone, Christ will never fail us.

Philippians 4:13 13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Sunday August 13, 2017

Notes from Sunday's Service.  (Thanks, Jean)

Dr. Barclay - Something to Think About

Theme: Iniquity thrives, when man says I will take the place of God.

Looking at the world today we often think there is no true leadership anymore. That applies not only for the political, national and international realm, but often there is no true leadership in the church as well. Man often thinks he can solve the world’s problems, through human means such as money and weapons and control of natural resources.

2 Timothy 3:1-5 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of  themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power.

Babylon was the main superpower at one time, ruled by Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel 4:24-34

Daniel received a vision of Nebuchadnezzar living like an an animal and eating grass on all fours, like oxen. This vision came true, his body took on the form of a beast, hair like feathers and nails like claws and he ate grass on all fours like an animal. Nebuchadnezzar learned a lesson from this experience and was humbled.

Daniel 4:34 And at the end of the time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever:

For His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
And His kingdom is from generation to generation.

Throughout history, from the time of the Babylon empire till present, we have seen the perils of human arrogance repeated over and over again. We must always remember human leaders will fail us from time to time and political and government systems are put together by man’s laws and ideas and are never perfect. There is only one true righteous leader and that is Jesus Christ and he is the one,  we are to place our sole trust in and he will never let us down. His law will last forever and his kingdom shall have no end.

Pastor Bill Annis

Theme: We must trust and obey, for we never know what blessings God has planned for us down the road.

Never get upset about your setbacks. They just might be a setup for something wonderful- an unexpected blessing God has for you.

Romans 1:1 Paul, a bond servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God.

Ephesians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God,

To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus:

Genesis 50:20 But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.

Paul was a zealous Pharisee, who persecuted the followers of Christ. Through the power of God his life was transformed and he became a true convert of Jesus Christ. Now, that is the power of the gospel, Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God. When the will of God is on your side, nothing is impossible. The will of God is always for us and it always brings peace, never fear or anxiety. We cannot let circumstances dictate to us, because in our human understanding we cannot fully know what the will of God is. In every circumstance in life Jesus is Lord and he is in charge. We are the beneficiaries of grace and peace.

Romans 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

We are in the world, but not part of it, nor it’s political system. We are citizens of a heavenly kingdom. Our blessings from God and are not tied to material things, they are just the resource, God is the source. Jesus is the answer and his will is always for our good.

Sunday August 13, 2017

Notes from Sunday's service.  (Thanks, Jean,  😀)

Dr. Spencer Barclay-Something to Think About

Theme: We must have great faith and trust God for physical and spiritual healing.

 Mark 8:22-26

Then He came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him. 23 So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything.

24 And he looked up and said, “I see men like trees, walking.”

25 Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly. 26 Then He sent him away to his house, saying, “Neither go into the town, nor tell anyone in the town.”

This is a fascinating passage to look at. Someone took the blind man to Jesus. He did not come by himself, someone in great mercy stopped and took the time to take him. In this passage we think of the physical eyes and also the eyes of the heart and our understanding of Christ. People often wonder why bad things happen to themselves and in the world. We look at things through the physical and earthly sense, yet do not see clearly with our spiritual eyes. This man asked Christ to touch him, Christ did and he received his healing. Jesus took him by the hand and let him outside of the town. Christ touched him twice for a full healing, his vision was restored and he saw clearly.

 Matthew 11:21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

 As a result of the lack of faith in the large cities, Christ took his miracles out side the city. As the people did not recognize and appreciate the small miracles he did in the cities. He did the big ones outside the city.

Roxann Spicer- Theme: Christ waits and is patient with us, even when we lack faith and doubt.

Matthew 14:22-33

 Peter stopped looking at the Lord and looked at his circumstances and began to sink----How human!

Would we be scared if we saw someone walking on the water?

Why did Peter stop trusting and give into fear, emotions and panic?

The disciples faced the wind and the waves as their ship was tossed about in a storm. Scripture says in the fourth watch of the night, which is the darkest hour just before dawn. Jesus came to the disciples by walking on the Sea. When the disciples saw him walking on the water they were full of fear and cried out saying “It is a ghost”. Jesus told them not to be afraid as it was himself. Peter then said Lord if it be you, beckon me to come and join you on the water. Thus Jesus beckoned Peter to come. Peter got out of the ship and began walking on the water to meet Jesus. But when Peter saw the wind and storm he was afraid and began to sink, he called out to the Lord to save him and Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him.

Peter let his fear and emotions take over,  he took his eyes of Jesus and neglected his faith. Walking on the water, being outside the boat was being in the unknown for Peter. Jesus is always with us, even in the unknown. We have to keep using our faith, keep trusting and believing and not give into fear. Peter was seen in his humanity and Christ was seen in glory, power and might by the other disciples. That day the disciples had seen Jesus feed the five thousand, yet it was not till later that night when they saw him walk on the water, did they finally say “Truly You are the Son of God”and worshiped him in the ship. We people today, are often like the disciples, always looking for another sign, more proof to believe what Christ had told us along.

Sunday August 6, 2017

Notes from Sunday's service. (Thanks, Jean)

Dr. Barclay - Something to Think About

Theme: The Word of God is powerful and yet do we even read it?, value it? and study it?

 Matthew 21:42 Jesus said to them,“Have you never read in the Scriptures:

‘The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.
This was the Lord’s doing,
And it is marvelous in our eyes’?

 Joshua 1:8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

Mediation is not just reading,  it is to study,  pursue and follow through.

How should we meditate—James 1:22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

To meditate, is to put away everything else, to focus and concentrate. We must receive scripture with meekness, humbleness and not a know it all attitude. Our souls are saved by faith, but our faith is watered by the Word of God. Many people plan, study and invest in a career that will last perhaps 40-50 years or less. But do we plan, study and invest for eternity, like we do for this earthly life? Here in the western world the bible is easily accessible and yet do we value this wonderful blessing and asset we have? Knowing there are many people in other parts of the world who struggle and go through such great hardship, just to get their hands on a bible and to be able to read and understand it.

Pastor Caroline Barclay

Theme: Destination Heaven

Are we preparing for eternity? In our everyday lives, are we thinking only about this earthly life  only ? or are we thinking ahead with great anticipation toward eternity and life with Christ? Are we focused on the temporal? or what is eternal?

John 14:1-5 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.”

To be saved from eternity in hell, only God’s grace through faith can do this. If we do not confess him as Lord and acknowledge his finished work on the cross as the way for salvation than we will not spend eternity with him in heaven.

How do we prepare for eternity in heaven:

-- Accept Christ as Lord and accept his gift of salvation through faith and confess our sins.

--Repent from sinning and ask Christ’s forgiveness.

--Trust Christ everyday for his help and guidance and thank him and praise him everyday.

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

Sunday July 30, 2017

Notes from Sunday's service (Thanks, Jean)

Dr. Barclay - Something to Think About

Theme: Never give up on prayer.

 Many people look to heaven expecting as they pray. But many people are looking to a false god. Today even in the church many times God is robbed from his praise and worship.

James 5:16

Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

Fervent means prolonged persistent and passionate.

Daniel 6:6-24—King Darius signs a decree that if anyone were to pray to a man or deity other than himself for 30 days, would than be cast in a den of lions.

Daniel knew the decree, yet he stayed loyal and true to Jehovah. Daniel knelt and prayed three times a day toward Jerusalem with his windows open, Daniel was faithful in his prayer life. Daniel was eventually thrown into the Lions den, but his life was spared, God sent an Angel to shut the mouths of the Lions.

Who knows what our prayers would accomplish if we prayed earnestly and effectively. Let the life of Daniel be an example to us all not give up praying even when things in life seem to be at their bleakest. God will work a miracle when we least expect it. The Lord sustained Daniel’s life with divine protection. Following Daniel’s example of a faithful prayer life, we can trust the Lord will do the same for us.

Pastor Todd MacDonald

Theme: Letting Go

John 8:1-11

Scribes and Pharisees took a woman onto Jesus who they say was caught in the act of adultery. Jesus said, he that is without sin let him cast the first stone and then he wrote something on the ground, these religious men were convicted by their own conscience and went out walking away one by one. Jesus said to the woman where are your accusers? Has no one condemned you? “Neither do I condemn you: go, and sin no more”.

Christ says to us today, Go and sin no more. Put the sinful things of the past behind you. Move on and walk with your head held high. Christ forgives us, we must forgive ourselves. We cannot give others the authority, to hold things over our head. God does not make junk and does not wants us to feel that way. We are God’s children and we need to know and remember that everyday. When we let things go and give them to God they are completely gone. Christ died on the cross for our sin to be gone and never taken back. We must leave the past in the past and get rid of any negative labels we might have had.