Notes From the Service of December 1, 2019

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

Dr. Barclay

Something to Think About:

Be bold and stand for Christ

2 Thessalonians 2-3

Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,

Scripture warns us of abandoning the faith, especially professing Christians. We have to be careful this never happens to us. When Christians stand together and express their love for Christ, changes can happen, particularly in society and everyday conversation. An example of this, is that people are now saying Merry Christmas, more than every before instead of saying Happy Holidays or Season’s Greetings and are no longer afraid of being politically correct.

_______________________________________________

Pastor Caroline Barclay

Theme: Traditions

Traditions are special things we do every year. The older we get we reflect and fondly remember family traditions. Through time life changes and people change. Always knowing that the church family will be out together on Christmas eve is the most wonderful tradition. Christmas is not about the lights and presents, it is about a love so deep that we can be the hands and feet of Jesus on earth. The true gift of Christmas is receiving Jesus as our Saviour and it is the best gift we can give someone else and always sharing the gospel message throughout the year. In a world of terrorism, recession and poverty hope is hard to come by, but if we are looking for hope, simply look to Jesus. The Christmas story is all about hope.

2 Corinthians 9:15

15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

PAYING IT FORWARD

An excerpt from an article on Global News, Master Warrant Officer Ouellette (in charge of postal operations) says: 

“In the morning, I would walk into the cafeteria to get breakfast, and everybody would stop eating and stare at me with lit-up eyes, hoping they would be the lucky ones to get a letter or a small package... You have no idea how much… it can boost their morale.”

If this is something you would like to participate in, the address is… Any Canadian Forces Member; PO Box 5004 Stn Forces, Belleville, ON K8N 5W6. 

Please note, postage is required and should be received before December 9th.

Notes from Sunday November 17, 2019

Some notes from Sunday's service: 

 (Thanks, Jean)

Dr. Barclay

Something to Think About:

God changes not, he is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.

John 1:14

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Ruth 1:1

Now it came to pass, in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem, Judah, went to dwell in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons.

Elimelech left Judah and took his family to the pagan land of Moab, when the famine came. We learn from scripture whenever the children of Israel followed false gods, disaster followed, such as wars and famine. When the Judges were good Israel prospered and when the judges were not good, Israel did not prosper. Unfortunately, the Judges did not always listen to God.

There was a famine in Judah that should not have been and the family should not have gone to Moab.

Judges 10:6-7

Then the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served the Baals and the Ashtoreths, the gods of Syria, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the people of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines; and they forsook the Lord and did not serve Him. 7 So the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel; and He sold them into the hands of the Philistines and into the hands of the people of Ammon.

Judges 10:13-14

Yet you have forsaken Me and served other gods. Therefore I will deliver you no more. 14 “Go and cry out to the gods which you have chosen; let them deliver you in your time of distress.”

We have to be careful not to serve any false gods or idols or wander off and take interest in falsehoods, so our lives will be blessed and not cursed.

Stacey Diamini

Message: The Perfect Storm

Storms of life will come our way in this world whether sickness, relationships, jobs or death. David was persecuted and on the run, yet he persevered and became the ancestor to Jesus and the psalms testify of the trials in David’s life. Job remained steadfast in his commitment to God throughout horrendous trials.

John 1:6-9

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world

John the Baptist’s message caught the attention of the religious priests for all the wrong reasons and for continuing to preach the truth with conviction, he lost his very life at the hands of Herod. John was the ultimate team player and he humbled himself and honored Christ. When looking at the life of John, God does not always act when we expect him to. The story of John is so important because it is so relatable. Jesus could have rescued John from prison, yet he did not. We may never know why Jesus does not change things when we expect, yet he is still God. His answer and speed may not be what we hopped for, but we can always know his grace is sufficient.

Notes from Sunday October 20, 2019

Sunday's service: (Thanks, Jean)

Steve Mc Evoy

Theme: The Glory of God

Exodus 25:8-9

8 And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. 9 According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so you shall make it.

Exodus 40:33-38

38 For the cloud of the Lord was above the tabernacle by day, and fire was over it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.

The tabernacle was God’s building and was built for God so that he may dwell there. The tabernacle was built for God and not for Moses. Thus Moses built the tabernacle exactly as the Lord had commanded. The tabernacle was a place for God’s glory to dwell.

John 1:14-18

17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

Jesus Christ dwells among us. He tabernacles among us. When Moses could not go through the door, now with Jesus that glory is accessible. Jesus only does what his father tells him. Everywhere Jesus went, he was a living representative of the tabernacle where God dwell ed. When the woman with the issue of blood touched Jesus garment, she connected with the glory of God (Luke 8:43-48). Wonderfully we can access God and he can change us from glory to glory. At the time of Pentecost, the glory of God spilled over from man into the streets.

John 14:6

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

When we get close to Jesus, we get close to the Father. Access to God is through Jesus and Jesus is the only one who can bring peace and blessing in our lives. From the book of Exodus to Jesus, to the life of the believer, this picture is to show us, that it is not about us, it is about God’s presence and his glory and that makes all the difference. We have to get past ourselves and realize, there is something bigger than ourselves. God has a great supernatural plan for our lives, we have to be open to him and allow him to reveal his glory.

Sunday October 13, 2019

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

Dr. Barclay

Something to think about: Choosing Christ even when the road may be difficult.

Acts 7:54-60

59 And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Saul watched while the religious zealots stoned Stephen. Saul was a religious fanatic who persecuted the believers of Jesus. After Saul’s conversion on the road to Damascus, he now believed in Jesus as Lord and stopped persecuting other believers. Yet for him, choosing Jesus came at a great cost, being jailed and shipwrecked. Saul also known as Paul suffered a lot after he was converted and he now knew what Stephen felt like. If we were in Paul’s place today, would we willingly suffer or would we shy away from hardship. This thanksgiving we should all be thankful we are part of the family of God and have the privilege to serve Christ, regardless of setbacks, difficulties and ridicule. We need to look to these wonderful examples in the bible and choose to go God’s way even when it is not easy.

Roxann Spicer

Theme: Do not fear and look at things through eyes of faith.

Ephesians 3:20-21

20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

God can do super abundantly more than we can think to ask for. God’s power is greater than, king’s, governments or armies. God does super abundantly wonderful things through us. God works wonders according to his power through our faith.

1 Samuel 17:45

45 Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.

David squares off with the giant Goliath with only 5 stones. David went out to fight Goliath in complete faith and confidence. David hit Goliath in the forehead and he fell dead instantly. David was victorious over the Philistines with only a sling and a stone, unlike Goliath having a sword, a spear and shield. Sometimes things do not seem like they will work with our natural eyes, but with our spiritual eyes they do. Goliath taunted David because of his youth and reddish complexion. Goliath wanted David to feel weak, but David stood firm and was victorious in God and showed the Philistines Jehovah is Lord. God wants us to live in abundance and have no fear.

Sunday September 15, 2019

Notes from Sunday's service (Thanks, Jean)

Dr. Barclay
Something to Think About: 

We are to think and love like Jesus, not judge like the pharisees.

There is more to the bible than we realize. For those who do not know the bible,  it is a mystery 66 books that seem like a jig saw puzzle. In the passage Mark 2:13-17, we read where Jesus dines with tax collectors and sinners and the Pharisees mockingly question him, Jesus sharply rebukes them, explaining he has come to those in the greatest need of him (Mark 2:17). The Pharisees were noted for keeping the commandments to the letter, but lacked love and compassion. The parable of the prodigal son in, Luke 15:11-32 has much we can learn from. The older son that stayed home with the father, had an attitude just like the Pharisees, he was proud and judgmental, lacking mercy and compassion. From what we know in the story, the older brother did not forgive his younger brother for wasting his father’s money and having lived in rebellion and a sinful lifestyle and he did not forgive his father for welcoming the wayward son home and showing love and hospitality to him. If we want our prayers answered we have to forgive (Matthew 6:15). God wants us to have compassion, mercy and forgiveness and not have an attitude like the pharisee’s. God calls us to have an attitude of humility and love.

Roxann Spicer
Theme: Forgiveness

Matthew 6:12 And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.

We have been commanded by Jesus to forgive one another, this is how we can live in right relationship with God and our fellow man. When we refuse to forgive someone, we are building a wall between ourselves and God. The walls of resentment have to come down and then God can work on our attitudes. Unforgiving and bitterness is not just harmful to our spiritual and mental health it is also harmful to physical body. Forgiveness is an act of our will to obey the scriptures. Our emotions and sense of self will not want us to for give. Forgiving each other is not easy and we may not always want to forgive, but we can forgive because of our love for God.

God is love and his nature is love.

Colossians

3:13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do

Sunday September 1, 2019

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

Dr. Barclay

Something To Think About: We have to have an attitude of love, welcoming everyone back to Christ, and rid ourselves of any attitudes of mockery and doubt.

Luke 15:11-31 Parable of the Lost Son

The younger son is the prodigal who goes off into the world looking for fun and excitement. The older son remains loyal and stays home with the father.

Due to the request of the younger son, the father divides his wealth between his two sons. Before he has died, he divided and gave away his wealth while still living.

After a time of sinful living, the younger son spent all the money the father gave him, he was destitute and hungry and finally gave up doing his own thing and went home and his father gladly received him with great celebration. Yet the older son who had remained faithful to the father was angry and questioned why his father would display such happiness and fanfare, when the prodigal son came home.

Luke 15:31“And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.32 It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.”

The younger son represents believers in Christ who have gone astray. The older son represents, the pharisees, people who been in church, yet very cynical and self centered. God wants us to welcome everyone back into church and not be indignant or want our own way.

Matthew 23:27-28 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. 28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.