Search Results

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks ‘God’s Mercy, Receive it’ Day 1: Hebrews 2:17 – “Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people.” Day 2: Ephesians 2:4, 5 – “But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)” Day 3: Titus 3:4, 5 – “When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.” Day 4: Hebrews 4:16 – “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” Day 5: 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 6: 2 John 1:3 – “Grace, mercy, and peace, which come from God the Father and from Jesus Christ—the Son of the Father - will continue to be with us who live in truth and love.” 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

I would like to take you back to Acts 3 when the crippled beggar at the gate called Beautiful was lifted off his mat and miraculously healed. He was lame since birth, considered filthy and without worth and yet Peter and John stopped, took notice of him and healed him by the power of Christ. Can I suggest this for your consideration; when the Spirit of the Lord poured through the beggar and the moment his legs were healed, the man formerly known as the beggar preached the power of God. As the formerly lame man jumped for joy and then entered the Temple grounds, his actions testified to the power of God. I personally do not think that he could have contained the joy and excitement of being able to walk, of having the opportunity to be declared clean and made a part of the community as a full member. He was preaching the Message in his actions and, filled with the Holy Spirit, he walked arm in arm with Peter and John through the Temple grounds and up to Solomon’s Colonnade, one of the more prestigious locations at Temple. Were they noticed? Yes, they were, and they were arrested for preaching His message. The next day, they stood in front of the religious leaders and ... Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of our people, are we being questioned today because we’ve done a good deed for a crippled man? Do you want to know how he was healed? Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead. For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, ‘The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’ There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:8-12 NLT Here is the question I ask myself less often than I should. Am I as on fire for the Lord and so filled with the Holy Spirit as the former beggar at the gate called Beautiful as I could be or as I should be? This is a question I believe we all need to reflect on all the time. There will be those who would argue the point, but I stand firm in my belief. There is always more we can do to communicate the Good News throughout the world. Do our lives reflect the love of God within us, and do we jump for joy in His name, so high and so loud that those around us notice and want to know more? Are we so strengthened in His power that we stand up to those who would persecute us for faith in Christ or do we shrink into shadows like Peter did when confronted before the crucifixion? Consider this then. The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus. But since they could see the man who had been healed standing right there among them, there was nothing the council could say. So they ordered Peter and John out of the council chamber and conferred among themselves. Acts 4: 13-15 NLT Peter and John, filled with the Holy Spirit, spoke boldly and the man formerly known as the beggar was there with them. The same Peter who ran away in fear was now helping others to realize the power of the Lord through his testimony. Lean not on your own strength but rather testify of your faith in the Messiah with all the joy and love He provides you. We are all healed in the name of Christ, rejoice and praise His name. This week, Pastor Todd will be continuing the series on Acts 3 and 4. We invite you to join us either in person or online. Our service is at 10:30 AM both online and in person. The service will be broadcast online on our website (https://www.mainavefellowship.ca/socialplatforms), or you are more than welcome to join us in person at 402 Main Ave. W in Sundre, AB. Blessings, www.mainavefellowship.ca Our Mission “To live the love of Christ”

Natalie and I were away on holidays, hence the reason for no article last week, and had a fabulous time. We had been saving for quite some time and even splurged a bit on an upgrade to the room. This was the first time in many years that we had taken time out for just the two of us with no appointments or deadlines. Once we hit the ground, the day consisted of us wondering what we were having for breakfast and were we going to start at the beach or by the pool. We had already decided where dinner was going to happen so that was a matter of just showing up. There was a slight problem, however, because when we arrived at our hotel, they informed us they did not have a room for us and we would have to shift to another hotel for three days. They apologized profusely and told us we were staying at a better hotel and they would be back but for us, we just rolled with it, we were on vacation. We got to the new hotel and realized we were not in Kansas anymore, this was swanky, in fact it was so posh we found out that to eat a la carte, we had to make reservations and there was a dress code. One had to reserve first thing in the morning otherwise they were already booked so we booked early and showed up early for the reservation. Here is where it gets interesting. There was a couple who were waiting for their table and had arrived just before us. They were dressed to the nines and when we were called for our table, one of them shot up and made it known that they were there before us. They had also asked another couple who were going in when their reservation was for. As we sat down, the young couple were escorted to a table just down from us but there was a difference in the atmosphere. You see, Natalie and I were elated with our table, with the treatment we were receiving and with the food. It was a fabulous evening with perfect company. The other two seemed fixated on the fact they were done so wrong by not being treated as royalty and their experience appeared to be rather tainted. This really got me to thinking of a passage from Acts 3 where Peter and John are on their way to Temple and came upon a man who had been lame since birth begging at the gate called Beautiful. Those entering the Temple would have passed him by and considered him unclean but Peter and John stopped to talk with him. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for some money. Peter and John looked at him intently, and Peter said, “Look at us!” The lame man looked at them eagerly, expecting some money. But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!” Acts 3:3-6 NLT Here is the thing, this man was considered below all others who could walk to the Temple to be in union with God. He has to be lifted and taken to the gate and removed from there in the evening. After receiving this healing gift, he jumped for joy and then went into the Temple with them. By one miraculous act, he had become equal to those around him in their eyes but consider this, Jesus walked among the lame and the sick, He cleansed them of their infirmities and laid a blessing upon them rather than casting them aside as damaged and full of sin. But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. Rom 3:21-24   NLT You see, when one looks upon others through their own eyes, one judges based on human standards but when one looks at others with God goggles on, one can see past the infirmities and can help others up from their place in life and show them the truth. Money and position can get you a fancy table at a restaurant but when we come to His table, we are all equal in His eyes, we are all forgiven perfectly and completely. Take the time this week to plant a seed of hope in the life of someone you may have considered a write off, the beggar at the gate called Beautiful was thankful that Peter and John stopped, that’s for sure. This week, Pastor Todd will bring a message fresh from the beaches of the Caribbean (BTW, the white stuff here in Sundre is not white sand, just saying). Our service is at 10:30 AM both online and in person. The service will be broadcast online on our website (https://www.mainavefellowship.ca/socialplatforms), or you are more than welcome to join us in person at 402 Main Ave. W in Sundre, AB. Blessings, www.mainavefellowship.ca Our Mission “To live the love of Christ”

Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks ‘You are Holy in Christ’ Day 1: Romans 6:22 – “But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life.” Day 2: 1 Peter 2:9 – “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: Romans 12:1, 2 – “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Day 4: Hebrews 12:14, 15 – “Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.” Day 5: Ephesians 4:20-24 – “But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.” Day 6: Romans 6:19 – “Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy.” Day 7: 2 Corinthians 7:1 – “Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God.” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks ‘Serve God’ Day 1: 1 Samuel 12:24 – “But be sure to fear the Lord and faithfully serve him. Think of all the wonderful things he has done for you.” Day 2: Romans 12:1 – “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.” Day 3: 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 4: Hebrews 6:10 – “For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do.” Day 5: Acts 20:35 – “And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Day 6: Proverbs 19:17 – “If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord—and he will repay you!” Day 7: 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.” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks ‘Don’t Get Too Busy for God’ Day 1: Psalm 127:2 – “It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones.” Day 2: Jeremiah 31:25 – “For I have given rest to the weary and joy to the sorrowing.” Day 3: Matthew 6:24 – “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.” Day 4: Mark 4:18, 19 – “The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced.” Day 5: Philippians 4:6-8 – “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. And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” 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: 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.’” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

Last year, I was booked for a sabbatical and, for six months leading up to it, I was so excited. I had so many plans that included taking time to reflect and consider the future. That may have been a bad thing because I did take a long, hard look at not only my future but also the future plans for my family. During the time I was on my sabbatical, I noticed a couple of people I went to high school with had passed away and that hit me rather hard. I spent a ton of time in anticipation for my sabbatical, looking forward to taking time away and reinvigorating myself for my return to work but what I was not anticipating was contemplating my future after ministry and my future after my lights go out for the last time. You see, there are three things in my life that take priority, faith, family and friends. Jobs come and go, money comes and goes, power comes and goes but faith, family and friends are precious. There are people in my life I have known since I was a kid and when we chat, its like no time has gone by. My family has been with me through thick and thin.  When it comes to my faith, even though I wandered away for a time, He has never left my side. Since my sabbatical, my priorities have shifted and I am looking forward with great anticipation to what the Lord has in store for me, my family and my friends. For you see, God has shown us all the way to Glory and it is with great anticipation that I look forward to being with Him in that place and I know He will be with me, with us, until that day comes. 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. Phil 1:6 NLT There are better things to come, I promise you that, because Jesus has promised it. When we focus on the things of this world, we focus on that which is temporary, finite. But to seek His will with anticipation is to seek an infinite future, eternity in Glory. Earnestly and eagerly seek Him in all you do, in all you are and, with all the power of the Holy Spirit, help others to see and embrace His eternity. We are confident that you are meant for better things, things that come with salvation. For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do. Our great desire is that you will keep on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true. Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and endurance. Heb 6:9b-12 Praise God for His blessings and grace and let us all anticipate the fulfillment of His promise soon to come. This week we welcome Pastor Eryn Austin-Bergen and eagerly anticipate the message God has laid upon her heart. Our service is at 10:30 AM both online and in person. The service will be broadcast online on our website (https://www.mainavefellowship.ca/socialplatforms), or you are more than welcome to join us in person at 402 Main Ave. W in Sundre, AB. Blessings, www.mainavefellowship.ca Our Mission “To live the love of Christ”

Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks Heaven, All Can Come… Choose Jesus Today’ Day 1: John 3:16 – “For this is how God loved the world: He gave[ his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” Day 2: Matthew 25:34 – “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world.’” Day 3: Isaiah 25:8, 9 – “He will swallow up death forever! The Sovereign Lord will wipe away all tears. He will remove forever all insults and mockery against his land and people. The Lord has spoken! In that day the people will proclaim, ‘This is our God! We trusted in him, and he saved us! This is the Lord, in whom we trusted. Let us rejoice in the salvation he brings!’” Day 4: Philippians 3:20, 21 – “But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.” Day 5: John 14:2-4 – “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.” Day 6: Revelations 7:9, 10 – “After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. And they were shouting with a great roar, ‘Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!’” Day 7: Revelations 7:15-16 – “That is why they stand in front of God’s throne and serve him day and night in his Temple. And he who sits on the throne will give them shelter. They will never again be hungry or thirsty; they will never be scorched by the heat of the sun.” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

Today, I was asked about an event that was scheduled to happen. The question was regarding the temperature and the chance of snow. You see, we got a bit of a dump overnight and the temperature was going to get down to about –8 C tonight. I am all about safety while travelling and all that and am very appreciative that my advice was sought concerning this. My response was quite quick in this regard because I have been on social media and texting our family in Nova Scotia who, in some cases, are having trouble getting out of their homes because the snow is two thirds the way up their doors. I saw a picture from my niece where the snow was two feet over her head after the sidewalk was cleaned. For the record, I have been there when we got hit with that much of a dump not once, not twice but rather three times in one week. Temperature-wise, they are not in a deep freeze like we were a few weeks ago (-46 without the windchill is very cold). In making my quick decision, the weather events in Nova Scotia helped me to realize that, from a safety standpoint, we were just fine. Perspective is a very individual thing. There are some who do not feel there is a Heaven and that is okay, it is their perspective. I can take time to chat them up with His message and pray the seeds take root, but, in the end, it is their choice. There are some who think they can get to Heaven by being a good person but without that heart and soul commitment to Christ, being good will get you a bunch of friends and that could be about it when it comes to eternity in Glory. “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:16-17 NLT Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!” John 14:6-7 Now, I know I am coming from a perspective of a follower of Christ and I trust that His promise is solid. My life both here and into Glory is based on my faith in a living God who died for me and for all. Even within the faith family, there are numerous perspectives that can cause some angst between denominations, and they can affect the relationship amongst us all even affecting our own perception of another group but in the end, Jesus Saves. This week, Pastor Todd brings talks about the blessings from God. Our service is at 10:30 AM both online and in person. The service will be broadcast online on our website (https://www.mainavefellowship.ca/socialplatforms), or you are more than welcome to join us in person at 402 Main Ave. W in Sundre, AB. Blessings, www.mainavefellowship.ca Our Mission “To live the love of Christ”

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks ‘How to Have Joy’ Day 1: Romans 15:13 – “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” Day 2: John 15:10-12 – “When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.” Day 3: Psalm 16:11 – “You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.” Day 4: Proverbs 8:32-35 – “And so, my children, listen to me, for all who follow my ways are joyful. Listen to my instruction and be wise. Don’t ignore it. Joyful are those who listen to me, watching for me daily at my gates, waiting for me outside my home! For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the Lord.” Day 5: Psalm 16:8, 9 – “I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety.” Day 6: Acts 2:28 – “You have shown me the way of life, and you will fill me with the joy of your presence.” Day 7: Jeremiah 15:16 – “When I discovered your words, I devoured them. They are my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies.” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

I know a person who is NEVER wrong. This person does everything perfectly and will be sure to let me know when I have messed up. Over the years, I have been on the “corrective side” of some learning moments, and, in many cases, I have learned some new ways. Here is the problem, this person does not want to be reprimanded or given any advice. You see the tried-and-true ways are proven to work flawlessly – until they don’t. There have been a couple opportunities to apply constructive input, but the concept has always been met with “that’s nice but we will do it this way.” I have given up trying to help as I feel rather stupid when I try to assist. I have learned something by this. There was a young lad who thought he knew it all but when he made a mistake, he would ask me how I would fix it or do it differently or he would ask my opinion on a new idea and, in the end, we both learned and grew. Now you must understand, this all happened many, many years ago and I am certain this guy is still doing it the same as always but the young lad I was working with is a very successful contractor. This has happened in the past and I am afraid it still happens today in the faith community. There are those who are steadfast in their ways to the point of harm to self, but Jesus told the Pharisee that they may not know everything, and in fact, they were very wrong about the Messiah, the one they were trying to not only challenge but also destroy. Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.” Luke 5:31-32 NLT If they were able to understand the message He was giving them, they would have realized that it was their own preferences not being in harmony with Christ’s Word that was making them sick. They did not realize that they were trying to cut down the tree of life and would not cease because they were right, and the Master was completely wrong. While they thought themselves righteous, they were actually sinning against the Creator. Here is the hope, the hope for all. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. Romans 3:23-24 NLT I do not hold any ill-will towards the person who is always right but instead pray that God’s wisdom and grace take root within them, and they come to realize that He has set them free. Pride is a terrible master; our Saviour is far greater though – praise God for that blessing. This week we welcome Pastor Eryn Austin-Bergen and celebrate with her as she receives her local minister’s license. Our service is at 10:30 AM both online and in person. The service will be broadcast online on our website (https://www.mainavefellowship.ca/socialplatforms), or you are more than welcome to join us in person at 402 Main Ave. W in Sundre, AB. Blessings, www.mainavefellowship.ca Our Mission “To live the love of Christ”

...And I know what is to come. If we go way back in my life to the days of chaos and stupidity, I was not a joy to live with. My father worked his tail off trying to get me to stay on the straight and narrow and, when it really went sideways, he was still watching over me. Both of my parents saw such potential and tried to get me to see it, but I was having none of that. I know better than anyone and you can’t tell me anything. Interesting thing, the older I get, the smarter my parents become. Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. Matt 6:9-10 NLT There was a moment when I was at the fork in the road, continue the road I was on and possibly end up in jail or call for help. I knew exactly who to call and I knew just where to find him. You may be thinking I called on Jesus, but you would be wrong, I called my dad. Even though we did not see eye to eye, he was there to gather me up within twenty minutes, he took me back in, gave me a place and, yes, gave me the talk. “You are more than welcome to come home but you are expected to get a job, finish school and change your ways.” I knew exactly where my father was, and I knew he would be there if needed. He also made sure I knew there was a standard to keep and wanted only what was best for me. Decades later, I came to understand that my Father in Heaven is also right there, all the time. My Father is in Heaven and His name is Holy. To call upon the name of the Lord, to call out for HIs help, is to ask for His guidance is not a sign of weakness but rather a nod to wisdom. If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. James1:5-6 NLT This Sunday, we continue the series on the “Will of God”. Our service is at 10:30 AM both online and in person. The service will be broadcast online on our website (https://www.mainavefellowship.ca/socialplatforms), or you are more than welcome to join us in person at 402 Main Ave. W in Sundre, AB. Blessings, www.mainavefellowship.ca Our Mission “To live the love of Christ”