Visit our new web page @ www.mainavefellowship.ca

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Peter's Picks

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks
‘Heart Problems?’
Day 1: Jeremiah 17:9, 10 – “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.”
Day 2: Ezekiel 36:26 – “And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.”
Day 3: Psalm 51:10 – “Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.”
Day 4: proverbs 4:23 – “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.”
Day 5: Psalm 73:26 – “My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.”
Day 6: Psalm 19:14 – “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”
Day 7: Psalm 90:12 – “Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.”
** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

I Have Done As Directed

I have long followed the accomplishments of those I have had the honour to instruct over the years and have celebrated as they graduate to a new level. Cadets came into the program with long hair, no training and a bit of fear and trepidation as they embarked on a new journey. Some left the program at various points but many kept their eye on the prize, followed the rules and succeeded beyond expectation. Today, I looked through pictures of a group graduating from their camp after gaining their flight wings. There was immense joy in their expressions and I hazard a guess that they also felt a sense of relief after all they had gone through to get to this point. For those who fly, this only the first step as they still need to practice, take more classes to advance to larger aircraft and they will always continue to learn right to the end of their flying careers. For this moment in time however, the joy of accomplishing what they sought after is fulfilled and there is much to celebrate. These amazing people faced the option to take a path that lead down one path or another. Many chose to follow a path that would one day lead to fight wings but there were rules they had to follow, commands they were required to adhere to and they did so to its conclusion.

Psalm 119:59-60 states “I have considered my ways and have turned my steps to your statutes. I will hasten and not delay to obey your commands.” In life, we also face choices that lead to certain outcomes. We can get to a point where the path splits and we must choose to focus on one thing or another. Many times these paths may intertwine throughout life but one thing is certain, the path is long and will have many challenges to face and overcome. The are numerous plateaus where we can pause to celebrate but the journey to Glory is the final and perfect celebration, after this there will be no more challenges. God is our portion and He has set His Word on all our hearts. He is never far from us and celebrates each and every one of our accomplishments with us. He is also there when the path we take is not the one He would have chosen and gives us every opportunity to discover the error and return to the path. Without the odd hiccup, there can be no discovery and no growth. Each trip, each path taken in error is an opportunity for God to teach us through His great love and compassion.

This Sunday, we continue to study Ps 119:57-64 and look at the amazing love of God. We invite you to join us if you can at 10:30 MST on Sunday or watch live online on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/MainAvenueFellowship/ ) or view it afterwards on our website (www.mainavefellowship.blogspot.ca).

Blessings
Pastor Todd

Faith Over Fear


As my wife and I sat waiting for a follow up appointment with a surgeon this week, the minutes seemed like hours.  A procedure in the future related to her healing of her breast cancer was on the line, and as we watched for the door to open, a small amount of doubt and fear began to arise.  Was she a candidate, or will they move forward? Until the surgeon actually said yes, we could not help but be tempted into doubting, then it happened. I simply said that God did not arrange the meeting and bring her this far just to allow her to face disappointment. In that moment, we realized that Satan was trying to plant seeds of doubt, but he failed. As the appointment went on, the remarkable details of what we can look forward to emerged. All fear was swept away.

We felt faith overcome fear. We relied on God to fulfill His promise to be with us always, and we were not disappointed. He allowed us to escape being a slave to doubt. His healing power is much more than anything that the body can face on its’ own. We firmly believe that when we fully and completely rely on His grace, that He rewards His children. We prayed, not for the wants of a human, but for His touch on my wife’s situation. There will be a fairly long lead time for the next part of her journey, yet we know that He alone will shorten that timeline. Psalm 16:1 NVC says, protect me God, because I trust in You. Psalm 86:2 NCV : Protect me, because I worship You. My God, save me, your servant who trusts in You.

We are not alone with challenges like this. There are friends who are right now in the midst of health and welfare crisis. It is in times like these that our human frailty will allow us to take our eyes off God, and cry out, why me. Regardless of status or standing, we will all face the realities of fear. Our spouse may fall into a medical issue, our parents will age and be called home before us, and some will experience the shear devastation of losing a child. These are all things that we cannot control, but what we can do is allow our faith in God the Father to carry us through these things. We have to believe that there is life, after our life here. We will suffer through things, but fear does not have to hold us hostage. If you are locked into a mindset of fear of tomorrow and what the unknown will bring, then I encourage you to read the book of Psalms. Look in the mirror and tell yourself that you believe in faith over fear. Keep doing that and watch how God shows you just how right you are.

Mike Shindruk
www.mastershandministry.blogspot.com

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Life Will Be Different


As I spoke to a friend this week whose wife had passed away recently, he began to share his life now without her. He shared that out of habit, he goes home and as he opens the door, he calls her name to share with her. Then, in an instant reality sets in that she is gone and he is now alone. His voice trailing off he says that life has changed, and will be different. This statement speaks volumes to the heart. It was only a few months ago our home faced a health challenge and in a micro-second that same thought crossed my mind.

Yet, God has a plan. When one life, lived well has come to the end here as we know it, we are promised something greater than we can imagine. It’s natural and human to be fearful of the reality that half of us will face being left alone and knowing loneliness when our mate is called home. What we do to prepare along the way will somehow ease the hurt. Knowing where we will be, and who we will be with will give comfort at the most critical time. Yes, life will be different. Those left behind will mourn, and celebrate if we know that Jesus is waiting on the other side of the door. A life of ill-health will be replaced by life eternal, where chains of affliction are gone. Age will no longer be a burden, as age will not exist.

Also, when we witness someone accepting Christ into their lives as Lord and Savior, life again will be quite different. A new-ness will take up residence in your mind, body and spirit that only you can experience. Holy Spirit will occupy your soul and the remainder of your life will be a daily transformation. You will still face the ails and problems of human frailty, yet, God’s promise of eternity with Him for believing in His Son and accepting Him will allow you to view the world from a mountain top.

Psalm 121 tells us where to look for help. Look this scripture up in your own Bible, and stand on that. Our lives can be so much more while we’re here, and our life will be so much more when it’s our time to go. We are never left alone if we have Christ, and although our health will fail, as we hope to grow old, please know that we are only going through a life change. That will give all of us the hope we are looking for.

Mike Shindruk
www.mastershandministry.blogspot.com

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

I Want My Stuffy Back!


What is the most important thing in life? This is a very interesting question depending on where your focus is. If your focus is the things of this world, your priorities will be slightly different than those who have a focus on the promise of God BUT I do want to establish that this is not always the case. Now before you get all set to start an argument, please consider the following. There are those in this world who are making every effort to provide a comfortable living for themselves and those they love. They want to ensure that all are taken care of now and for the future. We want to make sure there is food on the table, money in the bank and savings for the future. This is a wonderful and noble focus and is proper stewardship of the gifts provided to us all. In the past, I have noted that the love of the things of the world should not be the focus and priority of life and it is still true. The things of this world are temporary and, in most cases, replaceable. What is not replaceable is God’s love for each and everyone of us because how can you replace something that can never be removed?

When Tommy was five years old, he made the mistake of ignoring his parent’s rules and purposely went against the known rules of the house. The consequence was grounding. He lost the use of one of his favourite toys and when he threw a tantrum, his mom told him that the toy would be thrown away if he did not stop his tantrum and begin to follow the rules. The toy was given away as was promised but the parent’s love for Tommy never changed. The things of this world are only here while we are in this world. We have determined what is valuable and what is important but let us consider this; the highways of Heaven will be paved with gold. That does not mean that the roads are that valuable but rather that gold is nothing more than a paving stone. What is of utmost importance is that we will be in Glory with our great Creator and what matters most, our relationship with the Father, will envelope us all in a spectacular peace. Will we remember the things of the world that were once considered important or will we celebrate the fulfillment, the perfect fulfillment, of the Law.

As we gather in Heaven, we will come to understand the perfection of agape, God’s perfect love, for each other and for our Father. Yes, the things on this earth are important but they are not the most important. God loves us all so much that He watches over us all as His children regardless of our religious stances. He gives us all the opportunity to choose to follow Christ, to accept His gift of salvation, right up to the end. God wants us to be with Him but there are consequences. My god is a loving God but He has told us all that we need to seek Him and give over to Him. The ball is in our court and it is up to us to decide what is of utmost importance.

This Sunday, we continue to study Ps 119:49-56 and look at how it is very appropriate for our society today. We invite you to join us if you can at 10:30 MST on Sunday or watch live online on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/MainAvenueFellowship/ ) or view it afterwards on our website (www.mainavefellowship.blogspot.ca).

Blessings
Pastor Todd


Saturday, August 17, 2019

Peter's Picks


The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks
‘Why We Need God’
Day 1: Romans 3:23 – “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.”
Day 2: Romans 5:8 – “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”
Day 3: John 14:6 – “Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.’”
Day 4: John 1:12 – “But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.”
Day 5: John 10:10 – “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”
Day 6: Ephesians 2:8, 9 – “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.”
Day 7: Psalm 86:15 – “But you, O Lord, are a God of compassion and mercy, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.”
** Verses taken from the New Living Translation


Tuesday, August 13, 2019

As The Years Roll Along

Over the years, I have heard so many times my elders comment that they have more years behind them than they do ahead. They also claim that they have little to contribute because the world is moving forward at an incredible pace and they haven’t got the energy or strength to be of any help. There are so many things that are wrong with those attitudes but I do want to address something that happened today. There were three of us doing renovations in the basement of the church today and I came to the conclusion that six hours of framing will do me in and the other two gentlemen I was working with are both very knowledgeable and to be respected. As I was setting up the area for the day’s duties, both men were getting the next stages ready so we could hit the ground running when the supplies arrived. Tom had the plans ready for the south wall and Ernie was cleaning our area so we wouldn’t be tripping over our garbage. Ernie had offered to head out for get fill for the hole in the one room and came back with something I was not expecting and I was rather quick to dismiss it but, out of respect, I took the time to listen to his idea and then helped him start the project. I admit I was wrong

If there is something I can pass along to the youth today it is this. My years behind me are more than my days ahead. I have seen and experienced much but I have not the wisdom or knowledge of those who have paved the path before me. I would not be the person I am today had it not been for the elders who graciously took the time to teach me and mentor me. Do not dismiss the wealth of knowledge they have and are willing to share. Remember this from 1 Peter 5:5

In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”

Now elders, remember this; it is important to share your knowledge and experience with those around you as often as you can. What you know will be forgotten if you do not share it with others. A friend shared on Facebook a picture of a gentleman cleaning a field with a scythe. I know the principle of how to use it and have carved great trenches with the nose of the tool. Had I spent time learning the tricks from my elders, I may have done it more than once. So elders, be generous with your experiences, knowledge and wisdom and remember this from 1 Peter 5:1-3

To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: 2 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be;not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve;3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.

This Sunday, we welcome Greg Dole from Mission Aviation Fellowship. We invite you to join us if you can at 10:30 MST on Sunday or watch live online on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/MainAvenueFellowship/ ) or view it afterwards on our website (www.mainavefellowship.blogspot.ca).

Blessings

Pastor Todd


Those Two Little Words


This last weekend culminated in the marriage of our daughter to a wonderful son in law. Our family acquired another son, and his family acquired another daughter. Preparations for the wedding began many months ago, and my sideline observations were of a constant hub of preparation activity. As my wife crafted a mountain of various decorations including the bouquet and halo for our daughter, the groom’s mom was on the other end organizing church and reception details. Our daughter, some three thousand miles away, spent countless hours coordinating things she could not touch. Outside this nucleus were many friends and family members planning their own accommodations and travel.

All of the preparations would come down to a mere twenty minute ceremony, and ultimately two little words. I will. This statement, although simple in delivery is one of the most personal and important that any of us will make. We are announcing to the world, and God that we are now totally committed to our spouse. My father advised me that when I said the words, that I should mean them. I carry that with me even today. Marriage takes work, and we are given whatever lifetime God has planned to celebrate being husband and wife. Through that journey we will be coached and supported by many people who have gone before us, so we should always learn at every opportunity.

Choosing Jesus as our personal Savior is very much the same way. When we spend time in our life with Him, we establish a very personal relationship with the one we will spend our life with. In the beginning like our life mates, we know very little about Him. Yet, the more we seek Him, the more we find Him, and the more we find Him, the more we love Him. We sing these lyrics that I borrowed, and they are so true. God has given all of us the gift of His Son. When we fall into a love relationship with Him, we will begin our lifelong preparation to be with Him. Our family and friends will help and guide us, just as in our marriage, and He will choose the day to have us say, I will, to being married to Him. As a bride prepares herself for her husband, so should we prepare ourselves to be the bride of Christ. Revelation 19:7 NCV, Let us rejoice and be happy and give God glory, because the wedding of the Lamb has come, and the Lamb’s bride has made herself ready.

So, just like we prepare the details for our human marriage, so should we be preparing to be the church married to the Lamb, Jesus. Our lifetime of preparation will ultimately come down to those two little words. I will.

Mike Shindruk
www.mastershandministry.blogspot.com

Wednesday, August 7, 2019

You Need To Stop Living In My Past


There are names out there who have come to conjure up various images. I remember hearing a tale, whether true or not, where a Dr. Samuel Mudd gave medical help to John Wilkes Booth when he broke his leg escaping capture after he shot President Lincoln. Apparently, he was convicted as a conspirator of Wilkes Booth in the murder even though he had nothing to do with the assassination but the name stuck. Once your name is tarnished, your name is mud. Now whether or not that story is correct, there is an unfortunate result of our past that is very representative of that saying. Once a person has been labeled, it generally sticks. Face it, everyone is guilty of labelling. Labels are based on race, religion, colour, gender and the list goes on and on. Yet there is one thing that is perfectly true; we are all God’s children whether we believe in Him or not. His label for us all is that we are His children and that will never change.

There are people out there who judge me for my past going back decades and yet I have changed. My name was synonymous with the stupid acts I did when I was younger yet for those who know me now,  they perceive me as something else and my name no longer means what it used to for many people today. The label of the past was washed away the day I cast off my past and let it go. When Christ became the centrality of my being, I took on a new title, a new name. I am a Christian, filled with the newness that Christ bought for me on the cross. When I took on the name, the hardest one to convince of the change was myself. How can my Father in Heaven look past my selfish past and call me His own? I am way too unclean to even consider being in His presence much less call myself one of His own and yet He has. The people of my past who call me mud live in the past but my Father sees past all of that and has given me a newness. This is not just for me though, this newness is available for all who put on the fresh new robes He has provided and claim Christ as King and Saviour. The time has come to quit compartmentalizing those around us and rejoice that we are all children of God.

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” 
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 
“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” 
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Matt 16:13-16

Claim the love of God, claim His name to be Master and Saviour and be blessed. This Sunday, we welcome Rev Bob Hillock and members of Cowboy Church. We invite you to join us if you can at 10:30 MST on Sunday or watch live online 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
‘Overcoming Fear, Worry and Anxiety’
Day 1: Isaiah 41:10 – “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”
Day 2: Joshua 1:9 – “This is my command – be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Day 3: Psalm 34:4 – “I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears.”
Day 4: Jeremiah 17:7, 8 – “Lord, don’t terrorize me! You alone are my hope in the day of disaster. Bring shame and dismay on all who persecute me, but don’t let me experience shame and dismay. Bring a day of terror on them. Yes, bring double destruction upon 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: 1 Peter 5:6, 7 – “So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.”
Day 7: Isaiah 41:13, 14 – “For I hold 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. Though you are a lowly worm, O Jacob, don’t be afraid, people of Israel, for I will help you. I am the Lord, your Redeemer. I am the Holy One of Israel.’”
** Verses taken from the New Living Translation


The Master’s Plan


This past week I witnessed God in motion, again. A friend who had such a passion for life that he made it infectious, passed away. He left behind a wife and family as their hearts had to release their grasp and allow him to slip into the arms of Jesus. His room was made ready in the Father’s mansion, and is no longer confined to a chair. The broken hearts of his family will remain broken for a long time, yet through the grief, a time will come when they realize that his chains are gone. Letting go is hard, and although we see an end coming, we can never really prepare for its’ arrival. I speak from experience knowing that the rest of their lives, and his new life in Heaven will change many things. I lean on the word in the Bible that tells me that God has a plan for each of us. Jeremiah 29:11-12 NCV tells us” I say this because I know what I am planning for you”, says the Lord.” I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future. Then you will call my name. You will come to me and pray to me, and I will listen to you”.

My wife and I had the honor of water baptizing our daughter this past Sunday. She had given her life over to Jesus after many years of searching for the peace and promise that only God could provide. After listening to her testimony at our church service, we saw how raw and real that a transformation can be when we ask Jesus into our lives. In her now is a new life, a new beginning. She was so brave to share her soul with us and be the disciple that God asks us to be in Matthew 28:19-20. She has now been given a glimpse of the plan that God has for her, so the rest of her life will be much different than her previous years.

So too, it will be for my friends’ family. In time, God will reveal the plan He had for their loved one. Perhaps it was to inspire acts of kindness, or to lend themselves to a cause dear to his heart. Time alone to grieve a loss, and also to celebrate a life well lived will eventually give way to understanding. As our daughter celebrates a new life in Jesus, so shall my friend celebrate his new life in eternity with Him. Perhaps we should spend the rest of our lives believing in the Master’s plan for us.

Mike Shindruk
www.mastershandministry.blogspot.com