Come Home Now, Your Room Is Ready

As I spoke with a good friend  this week, he introduced me to his brother Leo, visiting from England. The baby brother is the ripe age of seventy five. Before long we were speaking about the Lord, living, and longevity. Leo said something that I found very profound. He said that God won’t call us home until our room is ready, an obvious reference to the book of John in the Bible. Jesus was comforting his disciples in John 14:1-4 NIV, where He says, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. ² My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. ⁴ You know the way to the place where I am going.”

This is an encouragement to us all to be faithful servants to the Lord, all the days of our lives. Jesus has made this promise to all of us, so while He prepares our room, we should prepare to go there by how we live our lives. Three weeks ago, a wonderful, faith-filled lady, and a friend to many, went to be with our Lord. She always welcomed our group as we sang for her friends each month. This past week, an uncle of my wife, also a faith-filled friend to many, passed, and is now re-united with family gone before him, and Jesus. Both were in there advanced years, leaving families and friends to grieve, and yet celebrate lives well lived and shared. Well, I guess they were called because Jesus had their room ready and knew that their impact on all of us was within His plan.

Like an old empty church building being torn to the ground, our human bodies will age, and be returned to the same. There will be sadness for the loss, yet, we should remember that it’s what took place inside, then shared outside for God’s Kingdom, is what really matters. So enjoy your gift of life, knowing that God will call you home, but only when your room is ready.

Mike Shindruk

www.mastershandministry.blogspot.ca

Harvest Moon

The harvest is in the bins but it did not come without some pain and sacrifice. We spent numerous nights working until the dew was too heavy and the moisture count got to high. We gathered early in the morning over coffee and cookies (yes, homemade cookies) while waiting for word on the moisture level so we could hit the fields. Long days, breakdowns, changing bins, dark nights; all these really contributed to the physical and emotional drain we all felt. Combine this with the worry that we would not be done before the snow set in and when it all came to the end of today, I was personally spent (falling off the back of the truck during the clean out didn’t help any either).

We can feel like this with our spiritual walk. We pour into lives, invest in ministry, join the renovation crew, the knitting small group, the Pastor’s advisory committee and numerous other activities but then we start to burn out physically, emotionally and spiritually. We end up needing to take a break from some things and, in many cases, people don’t understand why one needs a break and they keep the pressure on. We finished the field, put the barley in the bins and I will now take a break but there are those who will continue to go forward. They still need to bale the straw and then do maintenance on the equipment but I am taking a break until needed again. After the break, we need to get back into the game, back into the field. Sometimes a short break turns into a longer break that never truly ends.

Do you not know?  Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.  Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isa 28-31 NIV

Sometimes we need to take a break but be careful not to check out. The harvest is plentiful and the workers are few. Those who are fighting the good fight need help. Take a look at where you are in your involvement and if you have checked out, maybe it’s time to tag back into the game. Lord knows the devil is having a heyday pounding the righteous into ground but remember, after the harvest comes the planting season again. It’s time to jump over the boards and join the rush.

Blessings all

Pastor Todd

Week At A Glance Sep 26-Oct 2, 2016

Church Office Closed      - Mon, Sept 26

Church Office Open        - 3:00 PM – 7:00 PM Tues, Sept 27

Church Office Closed      - Wed, Sept 28

Church Office Open        - 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM Thurs - Fri, Sept 29-30

Church Office Closed      - Sat, Oct 1

Church Service                - 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM Sun, Oct 2

Special Events

Morning Prayer                            - 9:00 AM Tues, Sept 27

Lady’s Crafting with a Purpose   - 1:00 PM Wed, Sept 28  

Alpha Small Group                      - 7:00 PM Wed, Sep 28

Outdoor Fellowship                      - All day Wed, Sep 28

Men’s Leadership Study               - 8:00 AM Thurs, Sept 29

Men’s Coffee Fellowship             - 9:00 AM Thurs, Sept 29

Movie Night                                 - No Movie This Week

Care Home Services                     - No Services This Weekend 

Peter's Picks

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks

‘GOD is…’

Day 1: Mark 1:15 – NEAR – “’The time promised by God has come at last!’ he announced. ‘The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!’”

Day 2: Hebrews 4:12 – LIVING – “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires."

Day 3: 2 Corinthians 9:8 – ABLE – “And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.”

Day 4: 1 Corinthians 4:20 – POWER – “For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power.”

Day 5: Proverbs 30:5 – FLAWLESS – “Every word of God proves true. He is a shield to all who come to him for protection.”

Day 6: Psalm 116:5 – COMPASSIONATE – “How kind the Lord is! How good he is! So merciful, this God of ours!"

Day 7: Psalm 73:26 – STRENGTH – “My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.”

** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

Here In Your Presence

This week marks the close of a month long visit by our daughter from Calgary. While our family waited for her arrival, it seemed that the hours dragged on so slowly. We prepared our home as much as we could for such a special guest, fretting over the smallest of details. Then came the minute she walked through the door and there were tears of joy and hugs a plenty. As she settled in for a much needed rest, conversations and laughter filled our home and our hearts every day. We tried not to miss a single moment of just clinging to each other. She returns on Sunday, to her life, so far away and we again will have to endure the heart pain of separation and letting go. Yet, we will be so thankful that God saw a way for us to be together, to rest, to recharge, and to reassure her that where ever she goes, we are in her presence. We have been given the gift of each other and that is what is most important.

Jesus wants the very same gift for all of us. He has promised that He is coming back as in John 14:28. He wants us not to fret about preparing our (house) as Martha did in Luke 10:38-42. He does not wish for us to be so distracted by our tasks in His fields that we lose sight of Him in our life. He wants us to embrace Him in our hearts, to sit and speak with Him, to allow Him to wrap Himself around our lives. God gave us family to love, to be with, to hug, to hold and to remain present in their lives. He does want us to spread His word, by way of working in His fields but not to the point of missing our children growing up or our friends growing old. His Kingdom has been there before time began, and He wants us to enjoy the life He has gifted us with, so we may enjoy the eternal life He will gift us with. He calls us to rest in Him when we are weary and enjoy His company. Like we sit with our children when they visit, we should also do with Jesus. After all He is always here in your presence.

Mike Shindruk

www.mastershandministry.blogspot.com

So Much To Do And So Little Time To Do It

We were out in the fields last week combining and getting the grain into the bins and it was an all out effort. We started the second the grain was dry enough to work with and we did not stop until the moisture content got too high. Every second counted and one night we were out until 1:00 in the morning. Monday was the one day that was truly a tough one. We got out late because of a heavy dew and at around 2:00 in the afternoon the clouds started to build up. We didn’t know when the rain (or snow) would set in so we were all out. We went down a combine due to a bearing in the wheel and down a truck as the other driver helped with repairs.

You just never know, do you? There are times when the grain is just waiting to be tended to in the fields but the labourers are few and the ones who are trying to get the harvest in are scrambling and becoming exhausted but the harvest is still there; waiting. It can be frustrating to see the field and know that some of it may not see the bin because the snow could come at any time and it would all be buried for the winter. It was like those few hours Monday when we did not know when the rain (or snow) would come and shut us down. It was inevitable but we did get two and a half more hours into the bins.

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. Matt 24:36 NKJV

There are those who would have us believe that the end is right around the corner and they scare people into faith but when the Time of Doom comes and passes, they turn and walk away or they become skeptical. Scripture is very clear; there are warning signs and signals but in the end know one knows the final day so why not focus on what is of utmost importance right now?

Jesus said to His disciples “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” Matt 9:37 ESV

The end time is not the focus but rather the message to the children of God and for that we need the faithful to dig in and make hay while the sun shines. The time to sit around wondering is not now! There will be plenty of time to relax when the roll is called up yonder.

When the harvest is in and the machines have been put away for the winter, then I can truly say…

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸ Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. 2 Timothy 4:7-8 NIV

May God bless you all richly!

Pastor Todd

Peter's Picks

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks

‘GOOD GOOD FATHER’

Day 1: Psalm 86:5 – “O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive, so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help.”

Day 2: Psalm 25:7-8 – “Do not remember the rebellious sins of my youth. Remember me in the light of your unfailing love, for you are merciful, O Lord. The Lord is good and does what is right; he shows the proper path to those who go astray."

Day 3: James 1:17 – “Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.”

Day 4: Psalm 34:8 – “Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!”

Day 5: Psalm 31:19, 20 – “How great is the goodness you have stored up for those who fear you. You lavish it on those who come to you for protection, blessing them before the watching world. You hide them in the shelter of your presence, safe from those who conspire against them. You shelter them in your presence, far from accusing tongues.”

Day 6: Psalm 84:11 – “For the Lord God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right."

Day 7: Psalm 23:6 – “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.”

** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

Week At A Glance - Sep 19-25, 2016

Church Office Closed      - Mon, Sept 19

Church Office Open        - 9:00 PM – 1:00 PM Tues-Fri, Sept 20-23

Church Office Closed      - Sat, Sept 24

Church Service                 - 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM Sun, Sept 25

Special Events

Morning Prayer                             - 9:00 AM Tues, Sept 20

Alpha                                             - 7:00 PM Wed, Sept 21

Lady’s Craft for a Purpose            - 1:00 PM Wed, Sept 21

Men’s Bible Study                         - 8:00 AM Thurs, Sept 22

Men’s Coffee Fellowship              - 9:00 AM Thurs, Sept 22

Movie Night                                  - No Movie This Week

Care Home Services                      - No Services This Weekend 

Yes, Jesus Loves You

There is a song that has been taught to children for generations. The lyrics are: Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong, they are weak but He is strong. Yes Jesus loves me, yes Jesus loves me. Yes Jesus loves me, the Bible tells me so. When we sing this to our children, its message is accepted without question. Why, then, as we grow older, we forget this and sometimes even stop believing it? This question was raised last weekend at our annual prayer retreat at Camp Geddie here in Pictou County, NS.

Through some discussion and opinion, we heard that our individual life circumstance can play a huge role in germinating seeds of doubt. Like the illness of depression, doubting God’s love for us can and will affect anyone regardless of age, gender or social standing. The world and it’s never ending barrage of technology, violence, speed and stress have us so busy that we become disconnected with the very one who designed and made us; God. Governments, activists and society have been forcing Jesus out of our schools, public and workplaces. God’s morals and commandments are being removed in favor of political correctness so as to not offend anyone. All the while, we are seeing simple things like common courtesy, moral honesty and being our brothers’ keeper becoming extinct like the dinosaurs. All of this mayhem seems to be running amok and instead of addressing and stopping it, we have our noses buried in our cell phones. Free WiFi has replaced free Bibles.

Yet, there is hope. Despite all of these distractions, God still loves us. He loves us regardless of race, color, gender, age, sexual orientation, social status or whether we believe in Him or not. He loved us from the beginning of time, before we came into existence and there is nothing that can separate us from that perfect love. He does not instruct us to silence or kill those who disagree with us, rather He tells us to love and pray for them as in Matthew 5:44 and Luke 6:27.

God loves you, with no conditions attached; period. He’s there even when you don’t know it. How should you know this? Easy, He woke you this morning and gave you another day to love Him right back.

Mike Shindruk

www.mastershandministry.blogspot.ca

We Are All Under One Flag

I was missing my brothers and sisters in Christ who were gathering at the annual retreat out east this past weekend. They shared pictures of the event, the video of the speakers is online through You Tube and there were numerous referrals to the great time that was had by all on Facebook. When we were there, the gathering was attended by friends and family from numerous churches representing several denominations. This year, Natalie and I were not there but the Spirit was still there and the gathering was truly a time of great worship and fellowship.

We had a philosophy out there in Nova Scotia. Master’s Hand and Shoreline focused on being one in Christ and not separated by denominational barriers. The head of the Church is Christ and Him alone. Mankind has such a bad habit of looking for ways to create walls and barriers that will separate us from each other. It is almost like there is a competition for who has the best religion. This is a load of garbage! The Christian Church is a gathering of the faithful, that is, those who follow the commandments of Christ and communicate the Gospel in word and deed to the world. There is no room for argument or separation in His Word in fact there is a definite directive from Paul to the Ephesians.

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Eph 4:2-6 NIV

The world is in a constant state of chaos and we, the Christian community, should heed the words of the great Christian teacher. Make bridges, not walls; make peace rather than look for ways to create separation. We are the messengers of the Gospel and need to be a united front in a world that is focused on creating division. Let’s be different and embrace each other, let’s show the world what a true loving community looks like.

Blessings all!

Pastor Todd

Week At A Glance Sep 12-18, 2016

Church Office Closed      - Mon-Wed, Sept 12-14

Church Office Open        - 9:00 PM – 1:00 PM Thurs-Fri, Sept 15-16

Church Office Closed      - Sat, Sept 17

Church Service                - 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM Sun, Sept 18

Special Events

Clergy Days                                   - 9:00 AM Tues, Sept 13

Lady’s Craft Gathering                  - 1:00 PM Wed, Sept 14  

Alpha Small Group                        - 7:00 PM Wed, Sep 14

Men’s Bible Study                         - 8:00 AM Thurs, Sept 15

Men’s Coffee Fellowship               - 9:00 AM Thurs, Sept 15

 Movie Night                                   - No Movie This Week

Care Home Services                      - No Services This Weekend 

Sing a New Song

This morning was our time of prayer, meditation and reflection at the church and I came across this passage from the Book of Psalms.

I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the Lord.

But may sinners vanish from the earth and the wicked be no more.

Praise the Lord, my soul. Praise the Lord. Ps 104:33-35 NIV

Two things came to mind as I read the chapter – God provided everything we needed on this earth to survive and prosper and we should rejoice and be glad for all He has given to us. Praise the Lord, sing praises to Him all the world and be thankful for what you have. It is not by accident that all things came together and it is not by accident that the world has survived as well as it has.

Our Creator has gone to great lengths to ensure our survival. He parted the waters and gave us good land to live on. The air is the perfect mixture for our needs and we travel around the sun at the exact distance required to ensure the needed climate for our lives and for the lives of the plants He provided for our sustenance. We have the food we need; in fact, we have it here in abundance. There are those who are in need around the world but the earth provides enough for all, mankind has a habit of being a bit protective of those supplies though. Truth be told, what God provides, some find it necessary to horde for themselves but that is a conversation for another day.

Our Lord and God provides and does so abundantly. One line that really got me to thinking, however, was in regards to the sinners. God provides for all mankind, not just the select. There are provisions made for saints and sinners alike but it is the choice of the wicked to continue on the path to destruction. May sinners vanish from all the earth and may the wicked be no more, may those who are walking that path find the love of God, embrace the salvation provided by the sacrifice of Christ on the cross and I pray that one day the wicked will be no more because they have found peace and righteousness in the arms of the Father.

This week we welcome Terry Fleming from HUGS as our guest speaker. May the Holy Spirit give you comfort and strength in the coming weeks and may you be blessed richly.

Pastor Todd 

Peter's Picks

‘Building Your Faith’

Day 1: Psalm 112:6-8 – “Such a man will not be overthrown by evil circumstances. God’s constant care of him will make a deep impression on all who see it. He does not fear bad news, nor live in dread of what may happen. For he is settled in his mind that Jehovah will take care of him. That is why he is not afraid but can calmly face his foes.”

Day 2: Psalm 32:7-9 – “You are my hiding place from every storm of life; you even keep me from getting into trouble! You surround me with songs of victory. I will instruct you (says the Lord) and guide you along the best pathway for your life; I will advise you and watch your progress. Don’t be like a senseless horse or mule that has to have a bit in its mouth to keep it in line!"

Day 3: Hebrews 10:35-38 – “The Do not let this happy trust in the Lord die away, no matter what happens. Remember your reward! You need to keep on patiently doing God’s will if you want him to do for you all that he has promised. His coming will not be delayed much longer. And those whose faith has made them good in God’s sight must live by faith, trusting him in everything. Otherwise, if they shrink back, God will have no pleasure in them.”

Day 4: Isaiah 26:3, 4 – “He will keep in perfect peace all those who trust in him, whose thoughts turn often to the Lord! Trust in the Lord God always, for in the Lord Jehovah is your everlasting strength.”

Day 5: 1 Peter 5:7 – “Let him have all your worries and cares, for he is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you.”

Day 6: Isaiah 41:13 – “I am holding you by your right hand – I, the Lord your God – and I say to you, Don’t be afraid; I am here to help you."

Day 7: James 1:2-4 – “Dear brothers, is your life full of difficulties and temptations? Then be happy, for when the way is rough, your patience has a chance to grow. So let it grow, and don’t try to squirm out of your problems. For when your patience is finally in full bloom, then you will be ready for anything, strong in character, full and complete.”

** Verses taken from the Living Bible

Week At A Glance Sep 5-11, 2016

Church Office Closed      - Mon, Sept 5 Labour Day

Church Office Open        - 9:00 PM – 1:00 PM Tues-Fri, Sept 6-9

Church Office Closed      - Sat, Sept 10

Church Service                - 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM Sun, Sept 11

Special Events

Morning Prayer                             - 9:00 AM Tues, Sept 6

Lady’s Craft Gathering                  - 1:00 PM Wed, Sept 7  

Men’s Bible Study                         - 8:00 AM Thurs, Sept 8

Men’s Coffee Fellowship               - 9:00 AM Thurs, Sept 8

 Movie Night                                   - No Movie This Week

Care Home Services                      - No Services This Weekend