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Tuesday, July 28, 2020

What Does Transparency Truly Mean?


If anyone was to say they did not have an evil bone in their body or if they did not have a sinful thought ever in their life, could we have complete confidence in the factuality of the claims? According to scripture, there is only one who walked this earth that could claim perfection and that it our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Saul of Tarsus (aka Paul) was considered one of the elect of the Pharisees walking throughout the territory with a license to arrest, judge and prosecute anyone who claimed allegiance to Emmanuel, God with us. He was allowed to call upon the elders of a community to stone to death anyone who claimed to be followers of Christ. God opened Paul’s eyes to how wrong his actions were and suddenly Paul realized the difference between goodness through man’s rules and righteousness through God’s law.

1 Timothy 1:14-16 NLV
Then our Lord gave me much of His loving-favor and faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus. What I say is true and all the world should receive it. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners from their sin and I am the worst sinner. And yet God had loving-kindness for me. Jesus Christ used me to show how long He will wait for even the worst sinners. In that way, others will know they can have life that lasts forever also.

Paul gave us such a wonderful example of how to live. Christ has given us all, every single one of us, the opportunity to a life eternal. We do not have to be perfect to claim this love nor do we need to jump through a ton of hoops to gain His approval. One of the toughest things these days is to admit when we are wrong and take responsibility. There are many who make a living shifting blame from one person to another or covering the errors of those who messed up. Paul states if clearly, “Christ came into the world to save sinners from their sins and I am the worst”. Jesus does not want us to pay huge sums of wealth to be forgiven, He simply wants us to be honest with Him and ourselves. I recognize I am a sinner, Lord forgive me and take from me this burden. So often, the issues of this world could be resolved if combatants would take a moment, recognize their part in the conflict and be culpable for their own portion of the matter. If I broke the window, I must be willing to accept the responsibility and seek forgiveness. Be honest with self, God sees that and honours that.

We invite you to join us online Sunday at 10:30 AM MST. 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

Sunday, July 26, 2020

Peter's Picks

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks ‘What God is Saying to you... (say it out loud often)’

Day 1: Romans 5:8 - You are loved – “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”
Day 2: 1 Peter 2:9 - You are chosen – “But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.”
Day 3: Ephesians 1:7 - You are redeemed – “He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.”
Day 4: Psalm 5:12 - You are favored – “For you bless the godly, O Lord; you surround them with your shield of love.”
Day 5: Psalm 146:5 - You are blessed – “But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the Lord their God.”
Day 6: 1 Peter 2:24 - You are healed – “He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.”
Day 7: Jeremiah 29:11 - You have a future – “’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.’”
** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

Monday, July 20, 2020

What Is In A Name?


Last week, I started to look into the names of God. I thought that it would be relatively easy. How many different names are there for God? The answer to that, well over a hundred. There are names that people feared to speak because it was thought to sully the name of the Lord. Jehovah, Elohim, Lord, God, Creator; so many names but none truly describe the fullness of God. The name of the Lord strikes fear in the heart of the evil one and the devil bows down to the great I Am.  

Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.”
Satan replied to the Lord, “Yes, but Job has good reason to fear God. You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look how rich he is! But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!”
“All right, you may test him,” the Lord said to Satan. “Do whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don’t harm him physically.” So Satan left the Lord’s presence. Job 1:8-12 NLT

Our Lord knows His children and takes great joy in us. Satan knows that God is the Mighty Protector and challenges God. Elohim, God of power and might, set the boundaries and not even the evil one dares go against Him. What is in a name? Don’t mess with the Lion!

People are defacing the statues of Jesus, making false claims on His ministry, telling His followers to be silent and respect their wishes. Guess what, we have the right to our faith, we have the right to our opinions, just like everyone else. Knock down a statue of Emmanuel, God with us, and you damage a piece of art. Jesus is not in the statue, He is with us everywhere and always. What is in a name? Jesus Christ, Jesus the Anointed One. He is the King of all kings, the Son of God …“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Matt 3:17

What is in a name? We are Christians, followers of Jesus Christ and by His name we are saved. He takes our sins upon Him, intercedes with the Father on our behalf and has conquered death. What is in a name? Our eternity is promised when we declare Jesus as Saviour. There is none who can knock Him down. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit, do not anger the Creator because there is no one greater.

We invite you to join us online Sunday at 10:30 AM MST. 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 ‘I am Blessed in Jesus’
Day 1: 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 2: Psalm 5:12 – “For you bless the godly, O Lord; you surround them with your shield of love.”
Day 3: Psalm 84:11 – “For the Lord God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right.”
Day 4: Psalm 90:17 – “And may the Lord our God show us his approval and make our efforts successful. Yes, make our efforts successful!”
Day 5: Proverbs 3:3-4 – “Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart. Then you will find favor with both God and people, and you will earn a good reputation.”
Day 6: Isaiah 54:17 – “But in that coming day no weapon turned against you will succeed. You will silence every voice raised up to accuse you. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the Lord; their vindication will come from me. I, the Lord, have spoken!”
Day 7: Ephesians 1:3 – “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.”
** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

Tuesday, July 14, 2020

Who Do You Serve?


In a few weeks, I am performing a wedding for a lovely couple and there is always an opportunity to share a short message during the service. For years, the message never changed much. Love is, stay faithful, honour, respect and the usual words of encouragement but something I am noting more and more is that we start off with all the best intentions but, for some, the relationships change and suddenly a gap begins to open up. There is no way to predict who this could happen to before the wedding but there is something I am becoming more aware of as young couples mature in their relationships over time. This may seem very obvious, but my question is this; if it is so obvious, why do so many miss it? So here it is. If a married couple is focused on mutually seeing to the needs of the other without thought of who pours more into the relationship then the other, is the relationship stronger than those who grow to fulfill personal wants and needs? I have personally seen relationships start out as focused on the needs of the other person, and mature into the ideology being considered the norm and it permeates the lives of others around them. It is such a joy to watch as lives are changed and strengthened by this attitude.

God stated in both the Old and New Testaments the ultimate law: Love God with every ounce of your being and love your neighbour as yourself. In other words, if you seek out ways to pour into the lives of those around you and teach them that this way will promote a deeper love for others and lead to a more peaceful way of life. We should not have to worry for ourselves because those around us are looking out for us and the message of love and compassion becomes the norm rather than the exception. When we also include loving God in this lifestyle, we will find a wholeness in our life. Loving each other is half the equation. Loving God and others, is the answer to a new peace and will lead to a fulfilled life. My advice for people coming into a new relationship; seek out the love of God first and then pour into the lives of those around you. As the love grows and blossoms, there will be change but it does require effort on all our part.

We invite you to join us online Sunday at 10:30 AM MST. 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, online.

Blessings
Pastor Todd
www.mainavefellowship.blogspot.ca


Peter's Picks

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks ‘God Alone’
Day 1: Isaiah 44:6 – “This is what the Lord says – Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies: ‘I am the First and the Last; there is no other God.’”
Day 2: Deuteronomy 4:35 – “He showed you these things so you would know that the Lord is God and there is no other.”
Day 3: 1 Kings 8:60 – “Then people all over the earth will know that the Lord alone is God and there is no other.”
Day 4: 1 Chronicles 17:20 – “O Lord, there is no one like you. We have never even heard of another God like you!”
Day 5: Exodus 8:10 – “’Do it tomorrow,’ Pharaoh said. ‘All right,’ Moses replied, ‘it will be as you have said. Then you will know that there is no one like the Lord our God.’”
Day 6: Isaiah 46:9 – “Remember the things I have done in the past. or I alone am God! I am God, and there is none like me.”
Day 7: 1 Timothy 2:5, 6 – “’For, there is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity – the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone.’ This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time.”
** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

Wednesday, July 8, 2020

What Is Truly Important


A group of ministers and leaders in our area meet together weekly to discuss how we, as leaders, are doing, how our faith community is fairing and what can we, as a united body, can do for our town and county. We want to be know as a group of caring Christians who are dedicated to serving the needs of those in our area and throughout the Covid crisis, we have stepped up to help in a variety of ways such as emergency food hampers, counselling and communicating the hope. So here are two questions for you to contemplate and comment on.

1.      If you go to church either regularly or occasionally, what would you say is the one thing you would like to be known for?
2.      If you don’t go to a church, what are you looking for as a focus of the faith community?

Now, let me expand on this for a moment. There are some who will look for an electric preacher, others who want to experience a top-notch worship team, many look for music that speaks to their particular tastes and some who want to hear the Word of God spoken with wisdom and strength. Before I became fully immersed in the faith, I looked for a church where my past would not be used against me and that I would feel welcomed and cared for while I grew in knowledge and faith.

This is something we need to explore going forward if we want to make a difference in our community. The foundational message that Christ lived and preached every day of His life was this:

Jesus declared, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matt 22:37-40

Many churches believe they are following the Christian ethos but can I challenge all the churches of our nation to take a look at this message and ask themselves “Is this how we look to those who are seeking a place to call home?” Does our church truly die to self in order to serve the needs of the community? Do we love God with absolutely every ounce of our being? Do we put the needs of those around us ahead of our own? Do we realize that we are never alone when we serve the Master? Is this the foundation upon which our church is built? Is this what people see when they look in on us? Jesus put it all on the line when He went to the cross for each of us, can we, will we, pay it forward? Jesus washed the feet of the disciples wanting them to understand that our passion should be to serve, not to be served. Is this how we look to others? Only you can answer that question.

We invite you to join us online Sunday at 10:30 AM MST. 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, online.
Blessings
Pastor Todd
www.mainavefellowship.blogspot.ca



Sunday, July 5, 2020

Peter's Picks


The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks
‘God Said It, Do You Believe It?
Day 1: 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 2: Psalm 50:15 – “Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory.”
Day 3: 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 4: John 14:13, 14 – “You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!”
Day 5: Luke 11:9, 10 – “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.”
Day 6: Psalm 103:2-5 – “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. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!”
Day 7: Mark 11:24 – “I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.”
** Verses taken from the New Living Translation