Peter's Picks

 The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks 

‘Walk in God’s Total Forgiveness’ 

Day 1: Isaiah 55:7 – “Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously.” 

Day 2: 1 John 2:1, 2 – “My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins – and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.” 

Day 3: Colossians 1:13, 14 – “For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.” 

Day 4: 1 John 1:9 – “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” 

Day 5: Psalm 103:10-12 – “He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.” 

Day 6: Micah 7:18, 19 – “Where is another God like you, who pardons the guilt of the remnant, overlooking the sins of his special people? You will not stay angry with your people forever, because you delight in showing unfailing love. Once again you will have compassion on us. You will trample our sins under your feet and throw them into the depths of the ocean!” 

Day 7: Acts 3:19 – “Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.” 

** Verses taken from the New Living Translation 

Dirty Laundry

A friend of mine and I were chatting the other day about the faith gathering and how things have changed. I recall many decades ago my grandmother was dressed to the nines with her best hat on, white gloves and her handbag matched her purse. Grandad always had on his best hat and a three-piece suit. We both talked about the shift to a more casual attitude and the relaxation of the attire requirement. Years ago, I was the guest speaker at a church on the east coast. Now, I was not the one who came up with this approach but I had so much fun doing it. It started two hours before the service by me hanging around the entrance of the church dressed as a street person.  I had my bags of recycle (I donated them to the church after the service for missions), my matted wig was horrendous and state of my clothing probably warned people that this homeless person probably stinketh. There was one lady at the church who kept coming up to me and asking me to come into the service and share in a coffee and a good message. She was very convincing and I did go into the service much to the surprise of the individual I sat next to. I came in with my cans a rattling and a good hearty cough rattling the rafters. The associate pastor started the service off in prayer and opened the prayer altar before while they waited for the guest preacher. I appreciated the altar call and went from the back of the church up to the front. A couple people came up to pray with me and when it was done, I got up from the altar and took my place at the pulpit, stripping off the outerwear and washing my face of the dirt and grime.

It is not what you wear that allows you access to glory but how your heart is. The filthiest of beggars, sickly and “unworthy” sought out the mercy of Christ when He was walking the streets. While the “most clean” looked down on the “filthy”, Jesus knelt with them, associated with them and loved them perfectly. He met them where they were and lifted them up to where He is, whereas the priesthood wanted the sinners to become clean before they approached the temple. This is so backwards!

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ Luke 10:25-37 NIV

Love your neighbour as yourself. The church is that place where people should come just as they are and be washed by the blessings of the Holy Spirit. We are cleansed by the blood of the Saviour and are promised our place in heaven when we claim Jesus as Saviour and ask His forgiveness for our sins. This salvation is not contingent on what we wear on the outside but what we wear on our hearts, that is the Word of God. He has paid the price and watches over us. He sits at the right hand of the Father and intercedes on our behalf fully. Will there be three-piece suits in heaven? No clue, but this I know, there will be no judgement in Glory after we enter the gates of Heaven.

This Sunday, we once again welcome Rev. Hillock and look forward to his wonderful message. We invite you to join us either in person (we are limited to numbers inside the building) or online. Should you wish to join us online, click on either link below to join us live:

Facebook Live - https://www.facebook.com/main.ave.31

YouTube Live – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs9LIkN_QTdVM6eVXEgy9QA

See you all Sunday.

Blessings,

Pastor Todd

www.mainavefellowship.blogspot.ca

 

 

Taking A Rest

For the next two Sundays, Rev Bob Hillock will be bringing a message for us and I, for one, am truly grateful for God providing numerous gifted messengers in our church. When you are rolling along at a hundred miles an hour, there comes a time when a rest is a welcome relief. It recharges and gives us an opportunity to get our feet under us for a while. The way I know I am ready for a bit of time away is I tend to get a bit testy and short tempered around others and, I have to tell you, people notice. Years ago, a peer told me that friends will be there to help when needed, a true friend will sit you down and tell you, “take a break, I got this”. When a respected and caring friend tells you to take a break, rest up and, when you return, things will look a lot better. We all have those times when the only thing that comes out of our mouths are jabs and barbs. The tongue is sore and bleeding from biting it and, on occasion, the words delivered are regretted the moment they leave the lips and you can instantly see the damage done as it hits the ears of the hearer. Many times, the words land on those we care about the most because we think they love us enough that they can handle it. Now before anyone starts to ask, I am not to that point yet but some personal time in scripture, prayer and meditation is truly needed so that I don’t do something stupid. So, why do I say this? With all the negativity on the news and the lockdown protocols taking their toll on individuals and families, I thought it would be helpful to share this as not only a look into my life but also pass along what I hope to be some wise counsel.

Step 1: When you are in a bad frame of mind and the only thing you can think of is negative, consider your audience. Do they deserve to be brought into that dark area with you?

Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. So, get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls. James 1:19-21 NLT

Step 2: Be honest with yourself. Many think of themselves as a lone wolf capable of taking on all situations on their own. Others would just muddy the waters and mess things up. Truth be told, we all need help, we all need each other, we all need a lot more Jesus.

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. Math 7:7 ESV

Step 3: Make time for your emotional, physical and spiritual well-being. So many out there spend their days focused on the world and give whatever time they have left to their family and then to their own overall health. Shift the priorities. Yes this will mess things up for a while but, in the end, all those around you will benefit as will you.

But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.  For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.  If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you. James 1:22-27 NLT

In First Aid, I teach that the most important person on the scene is yourself and then the casualty. If we bring this forward to our own daily lives consider this; purposely take time to pray, meditate and spend time in the Word. So much of what messes us up during the day, the week, the month are false priorities and we, in turn, suffer on a variety of levels and we affect the lives of those around us. In the days following Christ’s resurrection, He walked among the people preaching, teaching and showing others how to live in loving relationship. We owe it to ourselves and our loved ones to rest, relax and rejuvenate our lives before we go off the rails.

This Sunday, we welcome Rev. Hillock and look forward to his wonderful message. We invite you to join us either in person (we are limited to numbers inside the building) or online. Should you wish to join us online, click on either link below to join us live:

Facebook Live - https://www.facebook.com/main.ave.31

YouTube Live – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs9LIkN_QTdVM6eVXEgy9QA

See you all Sunday.

Blessings,

Pastor Todd

www.mainavefellowship.blogspot.ca

 

Peter's Picks

 The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks 

‘Things God Can’t Do’ 

Day 1: Numbers 23:19 - He can’t lie – “God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?” 

Day 2: Hebrews 13:8 - He can’t change – “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” 

Day 3: Psalm 89:34 - He can’t break His promises – “No, I will not break my covenant; I will not take back a single word I said.” 

Day 4: Jeremiah 31:3 - He can’t stop loving us – “Long ago the Lord said to Israel: ‘I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.’” 

Day 5: Hebrews 11:6 - He can’t move without our faith – “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.” 

Day 6: Psalm 51:17 - He can’t refuse a broken heart – “The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.” 

Day 7: Philippians 1:6 - He can’t fail to finish His work – “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” 

** Verses taken from the New Living Translation 

Victory: The Proof Is In The Pudding

Over the years, I have heard this phrase over and over but I never really thought of it from a scriptural point of view. The expression, the proof is in the pudding, did not mean the ingredients but rather in the taste. According to Merriam Webster Dictionary, “… the expression "the proof is in the pudding," … is a version of the proverbial "the proof of the pudding is in the eating (or tasting)". So, the real worth or effectiveness of something can be determined by putting it to the test, that is, to compare it to the known truth. Many years ago, a friend and I went to a burger place in Calgary and I was told, no promised, they had the best burger in the world. The proof was in the pudding, rather the burger, and I did have to admit it was the best burger I had ever had. I was skeptical but once I was able to taste it and test it for myself, I was satisfied at his statement. But there in lies the question; why did I doubt my friend’s claim? I had never doubted him before and he had never steered me wrong but he had to talk me into it, to promise me the best if I only had faith.

I had been raised in a Christian household and, even though we were not regular attenders, we were brought up understanding the Truth, the real reason for Christmas and Easter and know who Christ was. As my world went sideways, I still knew my Lord and Saviour but there was a moment when I fully realized the love and compassion He had for me. Like others, I knew the Bible stories, understood there was a God and all that but there was that moment when I tasted the pudding as it were and realized the full worth of His love for us all. He died on the cross and then came back to say, “I told you so, I love you this much”. The proof of His love was in His return.

Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’  You are witnesses of all these things. Luke 24:44-48 NLT

So, the proof was in the pudding as it were. Just before this passage, Jesus said “look at my hands and my feet, touch me and you can plainly see I am not a ghost. I do respect that people have the right to their own opinion, not everyone likes chocolate pudding, but a wise person will always keep an open mind to the wisdom of those around them. Arthur Conan Doyle wrote “Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.” Christ was alive and had the scars to prove it which goes to prove that He has Risen.

This Sunday, claim the victory of the risen Lord. We invite you to join us either in person (we are limited to numbers inside the building) or online. Should you wish to join us online, click on either link below to join us live:

Facebook Live - https://www.facebook.com/main.ave.31

YouTube Live – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs9LIkN_QTdVM6eVXEgy9QA

See you all Sunday.

Blessings,

Pastor Todd

www.mainavefellowship.blogspot.ca

Peter's Picks

 The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks 

‘God is Able’ 

Day 1: 2 Corinthians 9:8 – “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 2: Philippians 1:6 – “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” 

Day 3: Jeremiah 32:17 – “O Sovereign Lord! You made the heavens and earth by your strong hand and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for you!” 

Day 4: Hebrews 7:25 – “Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.” 

Day 5: Jude 1:24, 25 – “Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault. All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen.” 

Day 6: Romans 16:25-27 – “Now all glory to God, who is able to make you strong, just as my Good News says. This message about Jesus Christ has revealed his plan for you Gentiles, a plan kept secret from the beginning of time. But now as the prophets foretold and as the eternal God has commanded, this message is made known to all Gentiles everywhere, so that they too might believe and obey him. All glory to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, forever. Amen.” 

Day 7: Ephesians 3:20, 21 – “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.” 

** Verses taken from the New Living Translation 

Victory In Jesus – Walking With The Lord

Over the years, I have had the opportunity to relay the message of Christ to hundreds of people. There are some who have believed and gone on to become a part of a faith family and, yes, there are others who have either questioned or denied the validity of an “all powerful god”. When I first started in ministry, I took it as a personal afront that anyone could or would deny God especially after I had so carefully explained just how wrong it was to not have faith. After I so carefully explained the pros and cons, how could anyone deny that God is the only option? I am giving people the only choice for a perfect and joyous life yet they choose an alternative. Just for the record, I have mellowed in my old age.

My Lord has given us a wonderful gift, it is the gift of free will. We have a choice and have been given the opportunity to weigh the facts and make up our own minds. God did not intend His children to be mindless robots but rather come to know Him by their own choice. Yes, we of faith are messengers but we are not supposed to drive the Word down the throats of people and demand they be compliant. There are many out there who are tired of being brow beat by the “most righteous” and told they are headed for a nasty place and have chosen to follow a different path. They have lost sight of the Master, they have decided that He was not really who He promised. Consider this conversation from Luke 24:19-21, 25-27 and 30-31 NLT

…“The things that happened to Jesus, the man from Nazareth,” they said. “He was a prophet who did powerful miracles, and he was a mighty teacher in the eyes of God and all the people. ²⁰ But our leading priests and other religious leaders handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him. ²¹ We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. This all happened three days ago.

²⁵ Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. ²⁶ Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?” ²⁷ Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

…So he went home with them. ³⁰ As they sat down to eat, he took the bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave it to them. ³¹ Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared!

So many do not recognize that the Lord walks with them continuously. These men believed that Jesus was probably not the Messiah as promised because He had died and the promise of a rescue had disappeared. What they did not realize was the prophecies had been fulfilled and they were in the presence of the Living God. They chose to believe one thing while the Truth was right in front of them. Suddenly their eyes were opened and they were astounded.

There are many out there who have had the seed of faith planted and there are those who have yet to experience the joy of the Good News. They do not walk alone but they also do not recognize that Jesus walks with them. This week we explore our personal victory in our walk with Christ. This Sunday, we celebrate the victory of Christ as we remember His triumphant arrival in Jerusalem. We invite you to join us either in person (we are limited to numbers inside the building) or online. Should you wish to join us online, click on either link below to join us live:

Facebook Live - https://www.facebook.com/main.ave.31

YouTube Live – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs9LIkN_QTdVM6eVXEgy9QA

See you all Sunday.

Blessings,

Pastor Todd

www.mainavefellowship.blogspot.ca

 

 

Peter's Picks

 The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks 

‘He is Risen, He is Lord’ 

Day 1: Romans 4:25 – “He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God.” 

Day 2: Romans 1:4 – “... he was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord.” 

Day 3: Ephesians 1:18-21 – “I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called – his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else – not only in this world but also in the world to come.” 

Day 4: 1 Peter 1:3, 4 – “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance – an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.” 

Day 5: Romans 8:34 – “Who then will condemn us? No one – for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.” 

Day 6: Romans 10:9 – “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” 

Day 7: John 11:25 – “Jesus told her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.’” 

** Verses taken from the New Living Translation 

Raise a Hallelujah!

A wonderful message from a wonderful Pastor!!

Answering The Call

Each, and every week, I receive a phone call from our Pastor. Without fail, she includes our home on a long list of almost sixty people, just to keep that spiritual contact intact. She never misses a single person, and many are people who never attended a church service. Every conversation is tailored to each person, and always ends with lifting a prayer for the needs of each household. This commitment is nothing new for her, yet this past year it has become even more relevant. She does this along with holding down a full time job. It takes a special kind of person to do this week after week. God calls on  people like this to be our mentors, our leaders, our advocates, our shoulders to cry on. Yes, they are our Pastors.

As we just finished Resurrection weekend, I cannot help but to draw some parallels to what I believe Jesus would do. In His short life, I’m sure He never overlooked an opportunity to speak to every person He met along His way. I can only imagine the conversations He would have with people of all backgrounds and situations. Whether Jew or gentile, man or woman, rich or poor, and healthy or afflicted, He called on everyone. Just think of the conversation He would have with you today, if your phone rang, and it was Him on the other end. He would ask how you were doing, and already know the answer. He would just want you to answer the call and chat. He wants to hear our voices as much as we want to hear His. Each conversation would be special for your ears, and every prayer would be for you and you alone. He would always lift you to the Father and remember you to Him every day. He asks only that you remember Him to those you meet. Wouldn’t that make you feel special and loved? Well this is how we should feel when our Pastor’s call us. After all, they were appointed and anointed by Him.

In these times as we enter the second year of restrictions, lock downs, and hope in a vaccine, we should all remember that God is still in the business of looking after us. The proof is seen every Sunday on social media as church bodies live stream and record their services to the world. God is allowing us to use today’s technology to reach out and share His message through those He has assigned to care for us. I see friends from coast to coast in service, and I know they keep contact with their congregations. So, some of us cannot meet in person yet but God’s phone call to us still comes in many forms.

We are into the first few weeks of Spring, and as our weather improves, and the grass green’s up, we should be looking forward to what God has in store for us. Our freedom to worship Him has not been taken away, only some of its forms. Keep the faith, rather keep your faith that we are all in the palm of God’s hands. Let each day be a Sunday and worship Him in some form all the time. If you think you are too busy when a phone rings, remember it could be your chance to say thank you to someone who is thinking about you. It could even be your chance to be His feet on the ground for someone else. Your Pastor will call you this week, so do yourself a huge favor, and answer the call. It may just be the one you’re expecting.

Mike Shindruk

Master’s Hand Ministry