Peter's Picks

 

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks 

‘The Faithfulness of God’ 

Day 1: 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 2: 1 Corinthians 10:13 – “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” 

Day 3: Hebrews 10:23 – “Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.” 

Day 4: Number 23:19 – “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 5: Lamentations 3:22, 23 – “The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.” 

Day 6: Psalm 91:4 – “He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.” 

Day 7: 2 Thessalonians 3:3 – “But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.” 

** Verses taken from the New Living Translation 

My Mama Always Said...

When I was a child, I remember sage advice from my Mom and my Grandmother. If you cannot say anything nice about someone, keep your pie hole closed. Okay, maybe they did not say pie hole, but the message is very clear. Now, for those who would argue that Disney’s Thumper was the one who first came up with the saying, I would say the writers got it from my Mom. The one thing that we can agree upon with this saying is this; so many of today’s occurrences of strife and break ups come from someone either purposely or unintentionally saying something hurtful. I have seen families break apart because of words. Television shows are, for the most part, based on someone saying something to another that cuts to the bone. Yes, there are those who do not realize what is said is hurtful but, in the mind of the person hurt by the remarks, it does not really matter. There are a couple groups on Facebook that have to do with our community and the remarks are cutting, hurtful and, for many of us, rather embarrassing. To think that people can be so cruel to let fly without regards for those around them is rather insensitive and uncaring. On Facebook there is a like button and a wow button but I would suggest we put a bunny button on there that would denote a hurtful comment and advise them to reflect on Thumper’s wisdom; if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.

In scripture, Paul spoke of this rule and I would suggest that the foundation for the saying did, in fact, come from the Holy Word.

“…Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Eph 4:29-21 NLT

The world has enough examples of how people can be cruel to each other in social media, on the television and in the news to name just a few. Can we not find ways to curb the negativity in our own language in order to not add to the hurt and anger that is already so prevalent in society? When I was young, my Dad used to say “think before you speak” but when I was a youth, I thought like a child and inevitably spoke words of hurt rather than take the time to seek out words of encouragement. I have learned over time and continue to learn every day that a kind word can make a world of difference in a person’s life. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if this act went viral? One day it will and on that day, the world will experience a joy like it never has before.

As per the latest orders from the Alberta Government, our church will, on May 30^th, be allowed 15% capacity in attendance. Praise God for this move and we look forward to welcoming a few more people into the building. We invite you to join us in person at 10:30 AM Sunday or online at:

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

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

We look forward to seeing you this Sunday.

Blessings,

Pastor Todd

www.mainavefellowship.blogspot.ca

 

Peter's Picks

 

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks 

‘Our God is Healer of Mind, Body, Spirit’ 

Day 1: Isaiah 53:4, 5 – “Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.” 

Day 2: Jeremiah 33:6 – “Nevertheless, the time will come when I will heal Jerusalem’s wounds and give it prosperity and true peace.” 

Day 3: Proverbs 4:20-22 – “My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully to my words. Don’t lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart, for they bring life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body.” 

Day 4: Psalm 107:19-21 – “’Lord, help!’ they cried in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He sent out his word and healed them, snatching them from the door of death. Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them.” 

Day 5: 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.’” 

Day 6: Psalm 41:2, 3 – “The Lord protects them and keeps them alive. He gives them prosperity in the land and rescues them from their enemies. The Lord nurses them when they are sick and restores them to health.” 

Day 7: Psalm 103:2-4 – “Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies.” 

** Verses taken from the New Living Translation 

 

Locked In A Prison

Paul of Tarsus wrote many a letter to churches and individuals throughout his ministry and, while these letters were very encouraging and inspirational, many were written while he was in jail. He was, however, a free man in that, while his body was captive in a cell, his mind and soul had been set free years before. While he was known as Saul of Tarsus, his primary mission was the identification and persecution of those who followed Christ. He was at the stoning of Stephen, holding onto the wraps of those who were casting stones and was on his way to Damascus to continue his mission when Christ got a hold of him and set his soul free from the bonds of hatred and anger. I look around at the world today and feel great sorrow for those trapped in the bonds of hatred, anger and chaos because they cannot see the beauty that surrounds them continually. It is almost as if they were in a prison with no windows to look out and they were trapped in the dark and gloom of a self-made exile. I was once in that darkness, staring at the gloomy wall in front of me and focusing on the wall. What I did not realize until later was this; there was an open door behind me leading to the light and all that was needed was for me to turn around and walk through the passage. When Paul’s eyes were opened, he saw the freedom that was in Christ and broke free of the bonds that held him back. Even though the walls held his physical self, Paul was set free in the Spirit and the world rejoices in his writings.

This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. 2 Tim 1:6-7

For years, I was silent about my faith but when God finally broke through my thick skull and showed me there was truly a beautiful life out there, the bonds that held me in check were broken and life began anew in Christ. I no longer fear anyone knowing I am a follower of Christ because I know the Truth and He has set me free, the scales were removed and I now see life as it is supposed to be seen, live life as it is supposed to be lived. No longer does the question of “what happens when we die” cause me stress for God has set my future, our futures, in Glory, He has prepared a place for us. So while we are here, on earth, we need to seek the power of the Holy Spirit, embrace the love, the power and the self-discipline of the Spirit and shake off the bonds of fear and timidity. Turn away from the darkness and embrace the newness of what God has to offer each and every one of us. Why fear the darkness because the darkness is chased away by the Light. On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came upon those in the upper room like tongues of fire and filled them all with wonderful gifts and they went forth boldly proclaiming the Good News. Is today the day all the chains come off?

We invite you to join us this Sunday 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 

‘Choose Wisely’ 

Day 1: Romans 2:6-8 – “He will judge everyone according to what they have done. He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers. But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness.” 

Day 2: Proverbs 8:10 – “Choose my instruction rather than silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold.” 

Day 3: Romans 13:1-3 – “A wise child accepts a parent’s discipline; a mocker refuses to listen to correction. Wise words will win you a good meal, but treacherous people have an appetite for violence. Those who control their tongue will have a long life; opening your mouth can ruin everything.” 

Day 4: Galatians 6:7, 8 – “Don’t be misled – you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.” 

Day 5: Deuteronomy 30:19 – “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!” 

Day 6: 1 Peter 5:5 – “In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’” 

Day 7: Proverbs 12:15 – “Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others.” 

** Verses taken from the New Living Translation 

Bracing For The New Future

Over the past year, the term I have come to loath is “It is the new normal”. Truth be told, every time we wake up, it is a new normal. The only thing that is consistent according to normal is the setting on the dryer but even that is determined by the make, model and type of dryer. What was once considered normal for the day in 1908 when Henry Ford rolled out the first Model T soon changed the second they added options. I can assure you the world is ever changing and every moment we are alive is a new normal. So why is there always change? Why does “normal” never really become, well, normal? We talk of ethics and morality as being a point of view dependent on our own perspective and “normal” also belongs in this category. The only thing that is normal in our daily lives is that change is normal. To expect anything else or be surprised by the stray ball out of left field is rather naïve.

Now, with all that said, there is a sense of normalcy that is unchanging for it does not need tweaking to be perfect for He is perfect. One thing that is perfect and constant is Agape. I know, there are some out there who do not know the term Agape so let me throw this out there. Agape is a love that is so perfect it is indescribable, in fact there is no definition that fully describes it or translation that does justice to the perfection of what it is intended to describe. At the beginning of John 3:16, scripture states “God so loved the world”. The word loved in this case was ἠγάπησεν, egapesen, which is in the agape family of words. God so loved us that He sent His Son into the world to die for our sins. This is not just for a time but for all times and, for God, this is the perfect normal. There is only one perfect norm and that is the love of Christ, Agape. It is a love that does not change because it is perfect and in Glory, there will be nothing but this perfection. How can I say this in confidence? The message in Hebrews 13:8-9 states “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  So do not be attracted by strange, new ideas. Your strength comes from God’s grace, not from rules about food, which don’t help those who follow them.” There is a truth to this in light of today’s circumstances. In all things governed by the will of mankind, normal is in the eye of the beholder but when we focus our gaze upon the Saviour, we find an anchor point to set our course. When we focus on the Master there is a newness in the term normal and, while life may throw up all sorts of bumps and detours, we can rest assure in His promise, His Agape.

This coming Sunday is a bit different a service. We will be holding our AGM while we sing praises to our Lord and Saviour and there will also be a short devotional at the end. 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

Blessings,

Pastor Todd

www.mainavefellowship.blogspot.ca

Nazarene COVID Response supports hospital in India

Peter's Picks

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks 

‘God of Mercy’ 

Day 1: 1 Peter 1:3 – “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.” 

Day 2: Deuteronomy 7:9 – “Understand, therefore, that the Lord your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands.” 

Day 3: Exodus 34:6 – “The Lord passed in front of Moses, calling out, ‘Yahweh! The Lord! The God of compassion and mercy! I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.’” 

Day 4: Psalm 145:9 – “The Lord is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all his creation.” 

Day 5: Malachi 3:17 – “’They will be my people,’ says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. ‘On the day when I act in judgment, they will be my own special treasure. I will spare them as a father spares an obedient child.’” 

Day 6: 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.” 

Day 7: Lamentations 3:22 – “The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease.” 

** Verses taken from the New Living Translation 

Anticipation

As I sit to write this, I am bursting with pride and wonderment at the arrival of a new granddaughter on Mothers’ Day. Her arrival was the first for our daughter and son in law, and the anticipation for them and both families was electric. With every ping of our computer, or ringing of our phone came the expectation of the wonderful news. When the message finally came, our home exploded with joy. With the thousands of miles between us, we can only wonder what she looks like. What would she feel like in our arms, and what would be the first words we would say to her. We remember the sheer joy of those experiences with our own children, all now grown. We know what her mom and dad are feeling right now, as we have been blessed with those emotions three times. We, as grandparents will now wait with anticipation of the first time we meet her, the first time we hear her voice, and to watch her walk and grow up in her parents care.

Events in our lives will always give way to many forms of anticipation. A wedding day, an unexpected illness, a needed surgery, a new job, or even a retirement date. All of these will evoke different emotions, some of joy, and some of sorrow. I cannot help but draw a comparison to Jesus here. I can imagine Mary and Joseph’s anticipation when they were waiting for Jesus to be born. Can we all imagine the people at the time, hearing of a King, their Savior that was to be born as prophesized? The waiting, the signs, all strong enough to draw Kings to travel long distances to meet Him. Then came the elation of His arrival, and the joy it brought. Their faith in God strengthened by the news, gave hope. Not many years later, sorrow as He was crucified by the very people He came to save. Yet, He rose, and the anticipation of His return, was, and is even stronger than ever.

Our lives will be a journey of joy and sadness, yet, when we accept Jesus as our very own, and acknowledge Him as our Savior, then our anticipation of meeting Him face to face is immeasurable. Just like our grand daughter so far away, we know we will see her. We know also that we will also see Jesus, look into His eyes, and hear His voice. The anticipation of that very moment will help us in the human as we face mortal challenges. As I approach the age of sixty-five, I feel blessed to have my general good health. I also know that friends and loved ones around me share in the same joys and fears as I do. I’m sure that many who read this are wearing the same shoes. I encourage everyone in these troubled times in our country to reset. If you have already accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, then continue to believe that He will pull you through anything. If you haven’t allowed Him into your life, then today is the day to look up and give Him the invitation. I would like you to have the same anticipation of meeting Jesus some day, as we did waiting for our grand daughter to arrive.

We will see her some day, and will welcome her and tell her how much we enjoyed waiting to meet her. Jesus will meet us someday, and He will look into our eyes and say welcome my child, I have been anticipating your arrival.

Mike Shindruk

Master’s Hand Ministry

 

Main Avenue Fellowship (Sundre)

Raising funds for Central Alberta Pregnancy Care Centre | 2021 Baby Bottle Campaign - Small Change for Big Change

https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/central-alberta-pregnancy-care-centre/p2p/baby-bottle-campaign2021/team/main-avenue-fellowship-sundre/

Annual General Meeting

Attention members of Main Avenue Fellowship, Sundre Church of the Nazarene. As has been announced, the AGM for Main Avenue Fellowship will be held 16 May 2021 @ 10:30 AM. Once again, due to protocols established by AHS, this will be a bit different. We have emailed the Annual Report to our active members with the exeption of those who do not have access to email. For those without email access, the reports, along with a voting ballot, will be mailed out today, 06 May 2021. 

Voting ballots will be distributed either in person or at this Sunday service and will be picked up during the week or they can be dropped off at the church at your convenience. They will be handled in such a manner as to ensure anonymity. 

For those who wish to have an Annual Report mailed out or emailed out, let us know at mainavefellowship@gmail.com and we will get one to you. There will be hard copies available at the church as well. 

Please note, the booklets do not contain the financials for last year as they take a bit of time to prepare but will be available before the AGM.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us via email or phone (403-638-4055)

Blessings to you all,

Pastor Todd

Something To Think About

Voice of reason versus voice of authority. Let me take you back a few hundred years. The church was the centre of the community and the voice of authority reigned supreme. The clergy spoke the law to the masses and held court over the community. Did you know that the only ones able to read scripture at one time was the clergy? The Rabbis and the Priests were taught to read the Holy Words and would relay them to the masses. The Priests of the Catholic Church were trained to read Latin and were the authorized communicators of His Word. We take it for granted that there is a Bible in almost every hotel room, thanks to Gideons, and the Word of God is available in an app form and we can carry the Message with us on our electronic devises. Go back in time and you had to apply to the authority, the keeper of the Bible, in order to understand the Scriptures, to hear the Good News. Something to think about.

My question is this, did the authority of man ever convert the heart of a sinner? What I mean is this, can we force anyone to heed the Word and give their lives over to Jesus? Is there anyone powerful enough to hold the prize, that is, the promise of Glory, over anyone’s head on this planet? There is only one voice of authority, He is the one who holds the key to our salvation, and He is truly in love with everyone of His children. He loves us so much that He went to the cross for our sins so that those who ask His forgiveness and claim Him as Lord and Saviour will be with Him in Glory. The door is unlocked, we only need to open it and invite Christ in. The Voice of Authority is the only one who can grant eternal life.

Now, for those of us who claim to be followers of Christ, we are the voice of reason. We have the opportunity to share the Word of God, speak to the hearts of those around us and lead out with our hearts. I recall the old saying that you can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink. If you try to force the horse to drink, it will either resent you and be wary, or it will drown. Long gone are the days of pounding pulpits, calling down fire and brimstone and using eternal damnation as a way to get people to claim the love of Christ. I suggest that the best way to claim the love of God is to show those around us that same love. We reason, we plant seeds and help people to see the Light, and all the while, the Voice of Authority sits at the right hand of the Father and intervenes on our behalf.

Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong! 1 Peter 3:15-17 NLT

As you may have heard, the updated restrictions on Sunday services by the Government of Alberta are in effect this weekend and we are required to reduce our gathering to fifteen people. The voice of authority has spoken and we will comply (Romans 13) but we will continue to broadcast His message throughout the land. 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

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