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When I start an article, the first item which needs to be addressed is the title. Usually this is not a big deal and, even today, the inspiration came from a daily reading but there was a twist. As I renamed the file it said “saving; faith of a mustard seed”. That go me to thinking about the completeness of the message for the season. Think about this for a moment. Christ had entered the city of Jerusalem, triumphant as the King of kings, and the people cheered Him on and rallied around Him. A few days later, He was falsely accused of crimes against the laws of the Temple, sentenced to death and suddenly the masses were rallied against Him and they turned. Suddenly they were calling for His death and willing to have a known criminal, a ruthless criminal, released back into their midst rather than have Christ set free. Their faith in Christ being the Messiah was replaced by doubt and fear, even His closest friend had turned away and departed. Just like Peter stepping out of the boat in faith, the second they took their focus away from Christ, they began to sink away and disappear. Christ had told them numerous times to have faith, that salvation faith in the Son of God. Scripture is pretty clear in this. Then Jesus told them, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more… Matt 12:12 “You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible. Matt 17:20 But when the people rallied against the Messiah and their hope was left hanging lifeless on the cross, fear for self replaced faith in Christ. The promise, however, was still in place and not even death could silence His covenant, for Christ had already told them the truth. “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. And you know the way to where I am going.” John 14:1-4 The world is in a tough way right now and it is not the first time. Fear, doubt and self-preservation dominates the news, people have lost focus on the Way and now rely on the world to right itself. I hate to say this but the world will not fix itself, only through Christ can there be a love and a peace not available in the world. The time is now to refocus on Jesus, let Him lift you up from the waters of turmoil and set you on firm ground for He is the way, the truth and the light. Let the seed of faith find root in your heart and you, along with millions of others, can make a huge difference in this world. It is time to rally around the Saviour, and in one voice proclaim victory in His Grace, and we will be with Him always. We will be gathering Friday, April 7 at 10:30 AM for a Good Friday service and then again Sunday, April 9 at 10:30 for an Easter Celebration. Both services will be broadcast online (see links below) or you are more than welcome to join us in person at 402 Main Avenue W in Sundre, AB. Facebook Live - Main Ave Fellowship YouTube Live – You Tube www.mainavefellowship.ca Our Mission “To live the love of Christ”

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks ‘Rest’ Day 1: 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 2: Hebrews 4:9-11 – ”So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall.” Day 3: Psalm 23:1-3 – “The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.” Day 4: Jeremiah 31:25 – “For I have given rest to the weary and joy to the sorrowing.” Day 5: Proverbs 19:23 – “Fear of the Lord leads to life, bringing security and protection from harm.” Day 6: Psalm 62:1 – “I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him.” Day 7: Philippians 4:6, 7 – “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks ‘If You Follow Him, You will Serve’ Day 1: Hebrews 9:14 – “Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins.” Day 2: James 1:27 – ”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.” Day 3: Joshua 22:5 – “But be very careful to obey all the commands and the instructions that Moses gave to you. Love the Lord your God, walk in all his ways, obey his commands, hold firmly to him, and serve him with all your heart and all your soul.” Day 4: Romans 12:11 – “Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.” Day 5: Galatians 5:13 – “For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.” Day 6: Colossians 3:23 – “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” Day 7: 1 Peter 4:10 – “God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

This is a time of joy, celebration and yet it is also a time of sorrow and loss. You see, this was the day of the coming of the Lord. He came into the presence of the people, the victorious King of all kings and the people sang praises to His name and shouted Hallelujah and recognizing Him as the Messiah. When he reached the place where the road started down the Mount of Olives, all of his followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen. “Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!” But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, “Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that!” He replied, “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!” Luke 19:37-40 NLT Such a fabulous celebration and, as it was foretold in the ancient texts, He arrived as the victorious Saviour, the mighty Son of God on a small colt. For it was written in Zechariah 9:9 NLT: Rejoice, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey-riding on a donkey’s colt. He was lifted up as He should have been but, according to the prophecies, He was destined to be betrayed, brutalized and crucified beside the vilest of villains. The Saviour, victorious in life, triumphant over death. He died on the cross so that we would have victory over death through Him. He takes our sins upon Himself and, when we proclaim Him as Lord and Saviour and live for Him, through His grace, we will, one day, join Him in Glory. He went before us to secure our salvation in eternity. The victory won that day was meant for those who knew Him that day and for those who proclaim Christ as Lord of their lives today. Jesus paved the way for us all going forward into eternity. In that, we can truly celebrate. This Sunday, we celebrate His love for us all in the lead up to Good Friday. We would love for you to join us either in person or online Sunday at 10:30 AM MST. Facebook Live - Main Ave Fellowship YouTube Live – You Tube www.mainavefellowship.ca Our Mission “To live the love of Christ”

So, here are two questions to contemplate; what do you believe in and what symbol represents it? You may question what this illustration has to do with anything but stay with me until the end. The bow tie on a vehicle years ago meant you identified with a particular family, the Chevrolet family. This was a large family that had/has a very large impact on our nation and, yes, they had their opponents. The Ford family was/is also a very large family, and they rally around the big blue oval. Both families, both communities, were and still are very brand loyal and have a very distinct culture within the domestic scene. This is but one example of symbolism in our society and I am sure you can come up with literally thousands of other examples because we all rally behind a symbol as a part of our need to belong to a specific community. These symbols can change over time such as the Canadian flag and it does take time to get used to the change but once we accept the symbol as part of the ethos, it becomes the image of the culture. Consider this, when Michael Jackson hit it big, the Jackson nation started wearing one white glove, when the Beatles were all the rage, Beatlemaniacs started wearing their hair just like them. The world today knows the swastika as a symbol of death and war when at one time is was actually a symbol of spiritual well-being for the Hindus, Buddhists and Jains for millennia. So let us think about the cross for a moment. Before the death of Christ on the cross, it symbolized a cruel and painful death. There were many crosses, the “X” cross, the pole, the “T” cross but I can guarantee that not a single follower of Christ wore the symbol of death around their necks as jewelry. They followed the Way, identified as His family through word and deed. They led with their hearts, not with spears and swords. Scholars feel that it was not until the 4th century that the Christian nation actually adopted the cross as the symbol of the faith family. So, here is the question; why does the Christian nation wear the symbol of death, method of death for their Saviour, around their neck? Why is it a symbol on their churches and in their sanctuaries? The cross is a symbol of hope, the sign of a promise fulfilled. By His death and resurrection, we have a hope of life eternal through His sacrifice. The empty cross is a symbol of His promise fulfilled, death has no hold over Him and through Him we are saved. But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands. When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins. I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels. Isa 53:10-12 NLT This Sunday, we take a look at the symbolism found during this season of forgiveness and celebrate His love for us all in the lead up to Palm Sunday. We would love for you to join us either in person or online Sunday at 10:30 AM MST. Facebook Live - Main Ave Fellowship YouTube Live – You Tube www.mainavefellowship.ca Our Mission “To live the love of Christ”

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks ‘Real Strength’ Day 1: Psalm 46:1 – “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.” Day 2: Isaiah 40:10 – ”Yes, the Sovereign Lord is coming in power. He will rule with a powerful arm. See, he brings his reward with him as he comes.” Day 3: 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 4: Isaiah 40:29 – “He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.” Day 5: 1 Peter 5:10 – “In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.” Day 6: 2 Thessalonians 3:3 – “But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.” Day 7: Psalm 29:11 – “The Lord gives his people strength. The Lord blesses them with peace.” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

So, after a very mild January and February, we start off March with copious amounts of snow, minus thirty temps and a snow blower that decides it no longer identifies as a mover of snow. We went from hoping to have a nice mild end to winter to asking the weather broadcaster “what did we do to deserve this?” You know, the cold temperatures are not forever and it truly could be worse. I think of those who are suffering through the cold but they are living in a war zone and have lost all they own, their homes are gone, friends have been killed and there is no end in sight with regards to the hostility around them. The warming trend that signals the start of spring only makes conditions slightly better. Here in Sundre, we are making plans for a yard cleaning once the snow clears, clean the windows of the winter filth and put away the winter clothes. In war torn countries, they are looking to start rebuilding their homes and their lives while still dodging bullets and bombs. I was chatting with a friend who still has family in the Ukraine and he was telling me that the one thing they are clinging to is the fact God is still with them even in the crisis. Some in this country ask “where is your God in all the chaos” while his family is thankful that God has not left them. They are relying on a compassionate Lord to see them through this crisis and He is their only hope in a time of darkness. When I think of this, I look back to the scripture where David and his cohorts are fleeing the king and are doing everything they can to stay hidden in the very back of the cave (see 1 Samuel 24). God was with them all that day and, when David could have taken the life of his adversary, the wisdom of God prevailed and then He softened Saul’s heart. But the Lord watches over those who fear him, those who rely on his unfailing love. He rescues them from death and keeps them alive in times of famine. We put our hope in the Lord. He is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in you alone. Ps 33:18-22 NLT When all things look bleak, consider this message from David and hold it to your heart, write it on your heart. When the darkness creeps into life, call on the Light, lean on the wisdom, strength and compassion of Adonai. Think about it; things could be worse. We could be wondering through life with no Heavenly Father to watch over us, with no Saviour to advocate for us, with no Holy Spirit to bless us every moment of the day to see us through. When we walk in the Light as He is in the Light, we never walk alone for He will be with us at all times and for all time. This Sunday, we welcome Rev Glenn Reeder as Pastor Todd is away for the weekend. We would love for you to join us either in person or online Sunday at 10:30 AM MST. Facebook Live - Main Ave Fellowship YouTube Live – You Tube www.mainavefellowship.ca Our Mission “To live the love of Christ”

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks ‘Favor of God’ Day 1: Proverbs 8:35 – “For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the Lord.” Day 2: Proverbs 12:2 – ”The Lord approves of those who are good, but he condemns those who plan wickedness.” Day 3: Psalm 119:135 – “Look upon me with love; teach me your decrees.” Day 4: Proverbs 16:7 – “When people’s lives please the Lord, even their enemies are at peace with them.” Day 5: Proverbs 11:27 – “If you search for good, you will find favor; but if you search for evil, it will find you!” Day 6: Proverbs 5:12 – “You will say, ‘How I hated discipline! If only I had not ignored all the warnings!’” Day 7: 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.” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks ‘Set a Watch’ Day 1: Proverbs 15:1,2 – “A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare. The tongue of the wise makes knowledge appealing, but the mouth of a fool belches out foolishness.” Day 2: Proverbs 12:18, 19 – ”Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing. Truthful words stand the test of time, but lies are soon exposed.” Day 3: Psalm 34:13 – “Then keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies!” Day 4: Proverbs 21:23 – “Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut, and you will stay out of trouble.” Day 5: Proverbs 15:4 – “Gentle words are a tree of life; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.” Day 6: Colossians 4:6 – “Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.” Day 7: 1 Peter 3:10 – “For the Scriptures say, ‘If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies.’” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

I heard a story the other day. There was a preacher who walked into a barbershop for a trim and, after a few minutes, the conversation turned to occupations. The preacher told him a bit about his responsibilities at the church and as the conversation went along the barber confessed that he did not believe in an all powerful God. He said that God was a good resource when people were not well informed about the ways of the world, science and such and that now a days no one really needed to believe in something they have never seen. Ancient people believed in many gods such as the Greeks and their belief in the gods of Olympus but since there was absolutely no proof of their existence, they did not exist. He ended the debate with this; “if God exists, why are there so many sick people? Why are there abandoned children in the world or so much suffering and pain. I can't imagine a loving God who would allow all of these things." The preacher quite enjoyed the debate and, when it was all over, he paid for the trim and left behind a very nice tip. The preacher walked out the door and noticed a homeless man who was in dire need of a haircut so he brought him into the barber. The preacher then said to the barber “there are no such things as barbers otherwise there would be no one unshaved or improperly quaffed”. "Ah, but barbers do exist! " answered the barber. "What happens, is, people do not come to me." "Exactly!"- affirmed the customer. "That's the point! God, too, does exist! What happens is people don't go to Him and do not look for Him. That's why there's so much pain and suffering in the world." There is strength when we come together in His name and work together to not only alleviate suffering and pain but to also help the world to understand He cares much more than we realize. I believe Paul addresses this in his letter to the Church in Corinth: All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort—we get a full measure of that, too. 2 Cor 1:3-8 MSG This Sunday, we will look at strength through Christ and discover that God is there with us celebrating in the good times and lifting us up in the bad times. Though many question how a loving God can let bad things happen, we will delve into how He never leaves us alone in the tough times. We would love for you to join us either in person or online Sunday at 10:30 AM MST. Facebook Live - Main Ave Fellowship YouTube Live – You Tube www.mainavefellowship.ca Our Mission “To live the love of Christ”

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks ‘Repentance - A Must’ 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: Matthew 9:13 – ”Then he added, ‘Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: “I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.” For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.’” Day 3: James 5:16 – “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” Day 4: Psalm 32:5 – “Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, ‘I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.’ And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. Interlude” Day 5: Proverbs 28:13 – “People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy.” Day 6: Acts 3:19 – “Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.” Day 7: 2 Chronicles 7:14 – “Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

When it comes to the issues of our day, it seems like there is more focus on the things that separate us then there is on those things that can bring us together. For example, a friend of mine is a huge fan of Levi jeans. He has numerous pairs of Levi jeans, many are purposely purchased for a variety of occasions such as going to a concert or for business meetings. He even has a pair specifically for funerals. Now, another mutual friend of ours is a Wrangler guy and very devout at that. They would argue and kibitz about which company has the best jean, finding fault in everything they could to get the other to make the change. They tried to draw me into the argument once but it was short-lived. You see, my brand, WIOS, Whatever Is On Sale, could be Wrangler, Levi, Costco stretch jeans or thrift store whatever jeans. For the casual observer, it could seem that these two would soon come to blows and I have even witnessed some pipe up and get involved in the discussion. As a counsellor, I sit back and watch the dynamics and, for the most part, the debate degrades into a head butting contest and so many are left with feelings of anger. Differing opinions, preferences, ideals and beliefs can be very divisive, especially when the people involved are only interested in telling you why they are right and you are wrong or they are not willing to really communicate, that is to both listen & speak. It is when we recognize the value of another’s opinion that we truly grow and the fullness of a relationship strengthens the whole. Here is another example. My friend had some leftover scrap wood hanging about in his garage. There were several types of wood, a variety of colours and grains. It represents two things in this illustration; diversity and worth. There are those out there who will only use cherry and others who vehemently defend the use of maple for projects. When someone who is looking for beauty and strength in diversity, the thought of combining materials is intriguing, the idea of making something wonderful out of what others would consider scrap is a talent. When people devote time and effort into celebrating diversity rather than putting time and effort into not only seeking out the negatives but also propagating divisiveness, we can revel in the beauty of a united community. My friend took what others saw as scrap, a collection of garbage leftovers, cleaned them up, trimmed them and glued them together making a beautiful cutting board. Had there been an argument as to which wood should have been used or how it should have been put together, I dare say we would not have been privileged to share in the beauty of a one-of-a-kind cutting board made with love and care. Apart, we are nowhere near as resilient as we are bound together in community, strong and beautiful. This Sunday, we will look at strength in diversity and unity. We would love for you to join us either in person or online Sunday at 10:30 AM MST. Facebook Live - Main Ave Fellowship YouTube Live – You Tube www.mainavefellowship.ca Our Mission “To live the love of Christ”