Speak of Peace, Believe in Peace

This one statement is a very wonderful and comfortable concept but it is one of the most difficult to actually fulfill. You would think it easy but not so much. Let me offer this up. One group of people feels persecuted and wish validation for their cause. They plan a strategy to inform the population and had out flyers. This goes well but things do not change so they ramp it up a bit. The group plans a peaceful gathering in a public forum yet nothing happens. There is no change and the frustration level increases. They stage a march and garner the support of other persecuted groups and invite the press. Opposition decides to come out as well to exercise their freedom of expression and are branded as hate mongers and oppressors and chaos reigns. They troll the social media and look for anyone who says anything that seems anti-whatever they stand for, gather their friends and bully them into silence. They speak of peace but, in their hearts, do they truly believe?

If you think I am talking about a group you belong to, chillax! I don’t need your anger or your negativity because what I say is the truth. Scripture says love your neighbour as yourself. How can one love their neighbour if they are so focused on self that it drives them to become a Pharisee of their own message? I honour the beliefs of others by respecting their position and faith. I don’t have to agree but I don’t need to become the monster that tries to bully or destroy another’s beliefs. If we are going to speak of peace, we must be ready to believe in peace even if it means crossing the floor to tell someone you care and respect them. Paul said it a numerous times that the message of God is for both Jews and Gentiles. Thank the Lord that He loves all His creation equally and fully. Not only is He the symbol of perfect peace but He believes it totally. For God so loved the world, He sent the Prince of Peace to show all mankind the way.

This weekend we celebrate the Message with Rev Bob Hillock. We invite you to join us in person or online at 10:30 MST or you can watch live on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/MainAvenueFellowship/) or view it afterwards on our website (www.mainavefellowship.blogspot.ca).

Blessings
Pastor Todd

Peter's Picks

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks

‘Peace: A Wonderful Gift’

Day 1: Psalm 34:14 – “Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it.”

Day 2: John 14:27 – “I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”

Day 3: Philippians 4:6, 7 – “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

Day 4: Psalm 29:11 – “The Lord gives his people strength. The Lord blesses them with peace.”

Day 5: Proverbs 16:7 – “When people’s lives please the Lord, even their enemies are at peace with them.”

Day 6: Isaiah 54:10 – “’For the mountains may move and the hills disappear, but even then my faithful love for you will remain. My covenant of blessing will never be broken,’ says the Lord, who has mercy on you.”

Day 7: Matthew 11:28-30 – “Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.’”

** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

The Goodness of God

When I was younger, I didn’t mind the dirt. The smells that permeated my clothing were a part of me. On the farm, you could tell the difference between a pig farmer and a dairy farmer. I remember going to my Uncle Howard and Auntie May’s house just up the road and the mud room smelled like cow and milk. It is a tough smell to describe but it was unique to their house. When I hugged Aunt May, she smelled like fresh baking and flour. Their house smelled different from our home but both were loving and warm homes. We moved from the farm about the same time that I began to get that teen smell. I never noticed it but my parents sure did. I was the same person but there was a change happening. We moved into my Grandparents home in Edmonton and there was a whole new set of smells. Grandad smelled like sawdust and fresh cut lawn, Grandma smelled like fresh baking and tea. All these places were different in their smells but one thing never changed, the love and comfort in the home was heartwarming and safe.

Over the years, I have attended numerous services in numerous locations and denominations. The atmosphere, the smells, were always different but the love and comfort in His home was heartwarming and safe. We may all smell a bit different, that is have varying experiences and pasts, but in His heart we are all united as His family. My Great-grandma Smith raised sheep, mom tried chickens for a while, Uncle Howard had dairy cattle, we had pigs and my cousins had cattle but when we all came together, we were all one family with our own unique smell. Too much is made about denominationalism and even separations within the same denomination. We all claim to be followers of Christ, united under one banner. Some may be the elders or the retired of the church, some may be relatively new to the church, some feel they are not worthy to be there, some are joyous and others are hurting and some are the rabble-rousers. In all cases, we gather in His house looking not for the judgement of others wondering why we don’t smell like them but rather they/we are looking for that heartwarming acceptance, the comfort of the gathering, the love of the Father.

This weekend we celebrate the deliverance of God’s children through the sacrifice of the Saviour. We celebrate the joy, comfort and peace of His church, His glorious gathering. We invite you to join us in person or online at 10:30 MST and can be seen live on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/MainAvenueFellowship/) or viewed afterwards on our website (www.mainavefellowship.blogspot.ca).

Blessings
Pastor Todd

Peter's Picks

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks

‘Bad News… Good News’

Day 1: Ecclesiastes 7:20 – “Not a single person on earth is always good and never sins.”

Day 2: Romans 3:23 – “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.”

Day 3: Romans 5:12 – “When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.”

Day 4: Isaiah 53:6 – “All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.”

Day 5: Isaiah 1:18 – “’Come now, let’s settle this,’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool.’”

Day 6: 1 John 1:7-9 – “But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.”

Day 7: 2 Corinthians 5:17 – “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”

** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

A Long And Winding Road

I remember when my siblings and I were very young, the long and winding road trip each year to visit our relatives here on the east coast. Being from Ontario, we would count down the days when we would be packed into our family car, and head out west one year to Manitoba, then the next year, to Nova Scotia. The trip always began, with my father at the wheel, leaving scenery that was familiar to us and eventually turning into the very unknown, yet exciting views of other provinces and license plates. Finally, we would see the familiar “Welcome to Nova Scotia” sign, and then we knew we were almost here. Being from away, we could smell the ocean long before we ever saw it. Then the magical moment happened when we reached our aunt and uncle’s, and grandparent’s homes here in Thorburn. We were greeted with screams of excitement, and hugs and handshakes all around. Those two weeks in August with our cousins, were magical, and without description.

I see our journey in Christ to be very much the same. Most of us don’t start out with a personal relationship with God, so leaving behind the familiar scenery of a different life is challenging. Yet, once we are introduced to Jesus, we are put on a road trip like no other. With our Father at the wheel, He will take us to places we cannot imagine. The journey we take with our faith family is like an unending drive through the Rockies. He will show us majesty that our eyes will see, yet our minds cannot fully comprehend. Like Saul on the road to Damascus in Acts 26:16, God will choose His moment to call each of us to be His servants and witnesses.

He will call some of us with a flash, and some with a gentle still voice, but He will call. Then, like the children we were on the highway, He will take us on the most exciting road trip of our life. He’ll show us the fruits of the Spirit. He will keep a lamp under our feet. He will gift us with His armor, and He will see His reflection in our words and deeds. Then, when He is satisfied, and we are at the end of our life’s road trip, He will allow us to smell the ocean of His eternity. It will be then that we will read a sign, and hear the words that say, “Welcome to the new Jerusalem”, you are home. Revelation 21. Can you only imagine?

Mike Shindruk

www.mastershandministry.blogspot.com

Prayer Circles

I was asked this week by someone very close to me for prayer. In fact it was for me to call on the big guns to increase the size of the prayer circle, because Satan was attacking, fiercely. Knowing the urgency, I immediately sent messages to prayer warriors that I trust. I then imagined a circular boundary, represented by the number of people who enter into prayer, all holding hands. The more people that are added the larger the circle. The larger the circle the harder it is for Satan to find a way in, and as a bonus it is a longer outside distance for him to run in order to find a way in. The more we can concentrate on God, the busier Satan will be trying to get in, and hopefully he’ll wear out before we do.

God covers all of us in our prayer requests, and in that Satan becomes so confused that he turns and runs, always toward someone who is in a weakened state. It’s at this time, that those of us who are strengthened by God, can circle around the weak, the infirmed, the desperate, the forgotten, and the attacked. You see, we all can be prayer warriors. All we need to do is obey God’s prompting. Do this and you will see just how powerful a simple prayer can be. It doesn’t need to be any long winded oration of fancy phrases and words. Just a simple little talk with Jesus about a situation will give Him permission to do the rest.

Now just because we start the process, does not mean we back off. No, it means we recruit others to join hands, join hearts, and join in. Safety in numbers comes to mind. When God sees our steadfast obedience in coming to Him with our prayers, He is well pleased. Intentions are fine, but action speaks louder than any words.

So my friends, pray when asked, and ask for prayer yourselves, often. Let us all create a prayer circle so large that Satan will never be able to even complete even one circle around it. Let’s make him so busy he’ll be dizzy, just like he does with us when we are weak. Let’s fight him with his own fire, and let God send him right back to where he belongs.

Today, let’s call on each other for prayer and create a circle that cannot be broken.

Mike Shindruk

www.mastershandministry.blogspot.com

Go Have A Rest

Have you ever gone for weeks or even months without a day off? How do you feel by week three? Are you tired, irritable, prone to making errors? Take a look at your decisions or even you notes by the end of week three and see how the clarity of thought has changed from when you were well rested and when you were on the tail end of a very long stretch of work. You will probably notice that the logic and clarity has suffered.

I was once told that if you think your company cannot survive without you for a day or two, you are either deluded or you have created a problem. So many people make themselves indispensable in order to protect their jobs. The question is this; what is the cost? Family life suffers, personal health suffers, relationship with other are damaged and in the end, are we truly happy?

Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. Gen 2:1-3

The Creator of all the universe, the Father of all mankind, the Saviour of humanity who, in His infinite wisdom, declared the world into existence rested on the seventh day. Six days He created and on the seventh day, He rested from all His work. In fact, it was so important to Him that He declared it Holy! God declared a Holy day of rest and, if you look at the empirical evidence, a day of rest for all of us is a healthy thing. So why do so many people think they need to work themselves into ill health or even into an early grave? Our Creator loves us so much He declared a day of rest, so why not abide by His wish and take a Holy Health Day every week?

This weekend, Natalie and I are away at a rest retreat. We are so fortunate to have Rev Glenn Reeder bringing the message this Sunday.  We invite you to join us in person or online at 10:30 MST and can be seen live on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/MainAvenueFellowship/) or viewed afterwards on our website (www.mainavefellowship.blogspot.ca).

Blessings
Pastor Todd

Peter's Picks

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks

‘Waiting on GOD’

Day 1: Isaiah 40:31 – “But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.”

Day 2: Hosea 12:6 – “So now, come back to your God. Act with love and justice, and always depend on him.”

Day 3: Psalm 37:7 – “Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.”

Day 4: Psalm 123:2 – “We keep looking to the Lord our God for his mercy, just as servants keep their eyes on their master, as a slave girl watches her mistress for the slightest signal.”

Day 5: Psalm 25:5 – “Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you.”

Day 6: Psalm 33:20 – “We put our hope in the Lord. He is our help and our shield.”

Day 7: Lamentations 3:24-26 – “I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!’ The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him. So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord.”

** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

Exclusive or Inclusive

Have you ever been denied access to something because you were not qualified or did not meet the prerequisites for admission? As a boy, I was denied access to a ride at the Edmonton Ex because I was too short. A friend of mine was denied access to an establishment because of his race. There were clubs that were supposedly open to all who applied but inclusion to the club did not mean that you were actually a part of the club. You were more than welcome to pay the dues but were never allowed into the inner circle, the cool kids club. Joey was smart enough to gain access but did not have the right credentials or lineage to truly be a part. Jeanie had the right lineage but did not fit the mold of what a true member needed to look like. Many times people do not even see this but that does not mean it doesn’t exist. Jeanie spent thousands of dollars to fit in, Joey gave up and walked away saying he would never be back.

I am going to probably cause some waves with this next statement but I am going to say it anyways. This is not just a part of secular society but also reals its ugly head in religion. Churches, denominations, faith groups around the world all suffer from the exclusivity bug. Let me ask you this, is it more important to conform to the laws of man if it means having to deny the rules of God to do so? If you need to become something else in order to enter the halls of a faith gathering, to have a voice in the community, where is the inclusiveness? Jesus did not sit in the halls of religious regulations but rather sought out the people that truly needed to hear the truth. Sinners and the sick were on the outside looking in, women and children were not even acknowledged in the census yet Jesus was there for them. The gentiles were heathens that would never be acknowledged by Jehovah yet the message of God was delivered to them through His apostles. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

This Sunday, we are going to look at the inclusive faith of a loving and compassionate Saviour and what an exclusiveness attitude can do to the church. We invite you to join us in person or online at 10:30 MST and can be seen live on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/MainAvenueFellowship/) or viewed afterwards on our website (www.mainavefellowship.blogspot.ca).

Blessings
Pastor Todd

Colours Of The Harvest

As I travelled on the highway, in mid-October near our home here in Nova Scotia, I noticed how quickly God reveals His pallet of fall colour. During this time of year, trees will be in the absolute prime of kaleidoscope of colour. Look closely, and you will see trees with lush green, vibrant red, orange or yellow, and some are already bare. Each colour offers something different to our senses, as we think of the stage of their life cycle for the year. Green signifies a remaining time of growing, the other colours represent a successful harvest, and bare branches are the clearing of the fields, prepared for future growth.

Ponder God’s Kingdom, imagining where each of us fit in His colour scale. Regardless of our age, background, or experience, we will always have green leaves if we accept Jesus’ life energy to be nurtured and grow in Him. Stay hungry and thirsty for His presence in our lives. Psalm 107:9 GNT,” He satisfies those who are thirsty and fills the hungry with good things”. The red, orange, and yellow in our lives are the harvesting of endless bounty as we share Jesus with those around us, whenever and wherever we offer to feed the spiritually starving. Bare branches are the prepared fields, ready for fall planting as we reach out to those who have yet to accept Jesus into their lives.

God’s colours promise a better future for all who will come into the fields, inviting Jesus into their hearts and trusting Him to take care of them. Psalm 37:4-5 GNT, “Seek your happiness in the Lord, and He will give you your hearts’ desire. Give yourself to the Lord; trust Him and He will help you.” Most importantly, it is the time to give Him thanks…for everything.        

It was only after I wrote this message, three years ago that I realized that one of my dearest friends was colour blind. It happened early in her life, so she has a recollection of colours, yet these days colours are muted in her vision. To anyone else reading this, I hope you can see the way God displays Himself, and our world for us to enjoy. It also reminds me that many people, through events and circumstance can become “God blind”. That is, we don’t believe, because our eyes don’t see. We don’t believe or see Him every day, because we are either stubborn, or blinded by the vanities of the world. Well God will make a way. You don’t need perfect sight to appreciate the world, your friends, or your family. Our other sense’s, will compensate. Our ears allow us to listen, our mind allows us to learn, and our heart allows us to know the truth. Jesus is real, He’s alive, and He’s in your life.

Something we should all be very thankful for.

Mike Shindruk

www.mastershandministry.blogspot.com

Don't Ignore The Roadblocks

Have you ever planned an event, where all the pieces seemed to come together then all of a sudden, the road seems to fall out from under you? Other events seem to draw people away from your efforts and plans. The best laid plans can be disrupted at a moments’ notice. We have all been there. You know, planning a family get together, music event, even a church gathering. Then we get the cancellation calls, or even worse, the no shows. When this happens we can do one of two things. We can throw our hands up in defeat, or we can take a breath, plant our feet, refocus, and rely on our faith for a better outcome.

At our current bible study, we are in the book of Philippians, written by Paul while he was in prison. In his previous life as Saul, he was a powerful Pharisee who had everything, unlimited power, wealth, and resources. His mission was to persecute and eliminate any followers of Jesus, and he was very good at it. Then God got a hold of him, as in Acts 9:3. From this point on, Saul’s plans were upset by God. Yet, instead of complaining, and giving up, he gave in. He was shown by Holy Spirit the plan that God had laid out for him. Thus, he became one of the most influential apostles that spread God’s word to the world.

In prison, and chained to a Roman guard did not stop him from spreading the Gospel. I can only imagine the contrast in life, and lifestyle that he went through. Yet, he was given a plan and a purpose from God. We are learning that he preached night and day about the humble love of Jesus. I am seeing the road block that God put in front of his life as Saul. I am also seeing how God took him, and turned the road block, into a directional change of his life journey. As powerful as he was, even Saul could not ignore God’s roadblock.

In some ways, we are not so different. We are raised in the world, scratch and claw our way in the quest for our own power, wealth, authority, and fulfilment. Then God comes along and we cannot ignore His roadblock. He knocks us off our horse just to get our attention. When we collect ourselves, open our eyes and see Him, and His plan for us, we change.

 It’s then, at that moment when He has our attention, that we can all become Paul, following, and sharing the Gospel with every breath. That my friends, is just the beginning….

Mike Shindruk

www.mastershandministry.blogspot.com        

The Season New Starts

As I take a break from a whirlwind week that involved two funerals, a couple of board meetings and numerous other commitments, I decided to take a hiatus from all scheduled events if even for a brief time and watched the snow gently fall upon the grass. According to the Book of Ecclesiastes in Chapter Three, there is a time and a season for everything. A time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to be born and a time to die, a time to tear down and a time to build. After a weekend filled with mixed emotions of mourning and celebrating a life well lived, I took a closer look at the scripture where, in verse four, it says there is a time to mourn and a time to dance. This was the message at both celebrations of life.

I watched the snow fall gently on the ground and, even though the green grass under the white carpet had disappeared, it was not dead. The trees have not died but rather have gone to sleep for the winter. The leaves are no longer required to convert the nutrients for the tree so they fall to the ground, grass no longer grows but the root system is still intact ready for a new start. The winter season is a time of rest and rejuvenation. Even though the ground is carpeted underneath, there is still life. In the spring, this life is renewed and hope for a new beginning is fulfilled. My friends have passed and while we mourn their earthly loss, we celebrate with them a new start in a land of joy and love. Jesus proclaimed that He was going to prepare a place for you, a place filled with many rooms and He was going to come back for us. As the stillness of winter settles in take time to ponder the fullness of a new and wonderful spring that awaits us just around the corner.

This Sunday we gather to celebrate God’s love and relationship in our lives through song and worship. We invite you to join us in person or online at 10:30 MST and can be seen live on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/MainAvenueFellowship/) or viewed afterwards on our website (www.mainavefellowship.blogspot.ca).

Blessings
Pastor Todd

Peter's Picks

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks

‘Disappointed? – Trust GOD’

Day 1: Isaiah 55:8, 9 – “’My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,’ says the Lord. ‘And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.’”

Day 2: Jeremiah 29:11 – “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’”

Day 3: Psalm 34:18 – “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.”

Day 4: Romans 8:28 – “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”

Day 5: Psalm 55:22 – “Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.”

Day 6: Philippians 4:6, 7 – “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

Day 7: Psalm 27:14 – “Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.”

** Verses taken from the New Living Translation