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Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks ‘What Jesus Has Done for Us’ Day 1: 2 Corinthians 5:21 - “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” Day 2: Romans 6:23 - “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” Day 3: 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 4: 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 5: Romans 10:9 - “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Day 6: Titus 2:11, 13 - “For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed.” Day 7: 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.” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

Can you find joy on the cross? I was having a great conversation with my buddy Bob at Bible study. We were chatting about how the world demands proof before they believe, yet the miracles are all around us. Here is the thing, both Bob and I have numerous acquaintances who do not believe or have a relationship with Jesus, and they tend to ask for proof of existence. Now, I have no problem with answering questions or even debating the issue. So many in our society are dismissive of a faith walk because they don’t have proof, they have proof but refuse to consider it as plausible, or they don’t want to listen because the proof that was presented did not match their needs or preferred understanding. “If it does not look like the duck I have in mind, then even though it walks like a duck and sounds like a duck, it is not a duck”. It does take more effort and understanding to recognize not only the divinity of Jesus but also the existence of God because it requires one to be open to all sides of a discussion, willing to be objective and interested in a dialogue designed to enhance a fuller understanding. Consider this question, who was filled with joy on the cross? Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him... And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine ... One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And He said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:32, 35-36, 39-43 ESV Those who were mocking the King were demanding proof on their terms. “Prove to us by dancing for us monkey and we will worship you! Save yourself and us and we will buy into your message!” The thief who defended Jesus was under the same sentence as the first thief and yet he got it. He may not have been happy that he was about to die but his joy came when the Messiah declared that he would be with Him in paradise this day. I have a very tough time understanding how anyone who is faced with death can hold so tightly to nothing, a hard stop as the breath of life leaves them. There is no hope, no joy in that understanding. The first thief wanted answers but asked the wrong questions and most likely faced that dark abyss as the light faded but the second thief was blessed with the promise of eternal life and his final moments would have been filled with hope and a deep joy. We come into a season of love and joy where many will share a smile and open their hearts to the true meaning of the season. This is the time where we embrace the celebration of the birth of a Savior, the birth of a new hope. Sunday, we begin the season of Advent with a message from Eryn, our minister of community, and celebrate the start of the season of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. Please plan to join us either in person or online at 10:30 AM this Sunday. 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

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks   ‘There is Abundant Grace for All’ Day 1: Romans 3:23-25 - “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. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past” Day 2: Romans 5:1, 2 - “Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.” Day 3: 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 4: Isaiah 30:18 - “So the Lord must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the Lord is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for his help.” Day 5: John 1:16, 17 - “From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ.” Day 6: 2 Corinthians 9:8 - “And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.” Day 7: 2 Corinthians 12:9 - “Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

Time to come clean, I have, for the past month or so, been dealing with numerous attacks and it has been tough to hold it together at times. It takes everything I have not to lash out at friends and family but there are moments when I feel I am not coping well. It is almost like trying to climb up a sand dune, no matter how much you try to crawl out of the valley, it seems like you are moving in the wrong direction. Over the past three months, I have put my faith in the word of others and have come to find out they are paying lip service to their “customer service”. Here is an example; “we are going to escalate your request up to my supervisor”. Translation, I am going to tell you what you want to hear just so I can end this call and get you off the phone. How about this one; “we are so sorry for all of this, I have forwarded your letter to the director for his consideration”. Translation, your letter is going to sit on the reservation director’s desk in the hope that you won’t remember our conversation and disappear. You may think that I am upset about this one incident but no, it has happened with three different organizations and their modus operandi is identical. It is almost like they all took a class on “Lying to Others 101”. I remember the day when your word was your bond, and you would rather walk over hot coals with bare feet than purposely slide problems under the rug and hope they go away.  So, how does this affect the average person, this onslaught of lies and deceit? It makes a person rather short with those who are closest to them because, in most cases, they will take it, but they should not have to. This line of thinking led me to focus on something else. Those who are closest to us should not have to take on the stress that we carry and yet they do because they love us. You see, the stress comes from selfish people that have taken advantage of us and will lie to shut us up or make us think there may be a chance. That is the foundation to this stress and if we truly want to move away from this stress, this cancer, we really need to consider a couple lessons from Christ’s teachings. First, consider this: A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples,  John 13:34-35. When people purposely try to upset you, try this one on for size; “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you”  Matt 5:43–44. One more thing, no matter how many times people let you down, remember that Peter really let down Jesus in the final moments before He was tortured and killed and yet He blessed Peter upon His return and said, “ ... Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”   “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”   Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”   After Simon fell asleep, cut off ears, denied the Lord and lied about his involvement with the Lord, Jesus still loved him perfectly and forgave him. Forgive me for projecting my anger and stress into your lives as of late, please know I love you all and will try better to live the love of Christ. I think we all can learn a thing or three from His example and others will also learn this from how we react to their actions.   This Sunday, we will be focusing on forgiveness as a means to cope with the world and how this can affect the lives of those around us. Please plan to join us either in person or online at 10:30 AM this Sunday. 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

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks   ‘You Can Talk to God Anytime; He’s Listening’ Day 1: Psalm 116:8, 9 - “He has saved me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling. And so I walk in the Lord’s presence as I live here on earth!” Day 2: 1 Peter 3:12 - “The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers. But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil.” Day 3: Psalm 18:6 - “But in my distress I cried out to the Lord; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry to him reached his ears.” Day 4: Isaiah 65:24 - “I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!” Day 5: Psalm 34:17 - “The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles.” Day 6: Psalm 4:3 - “You can be sure of this: The Lord set apart the godly for himself. The Lord will answer when I call to him.” Day 7: 1 John 5:14 - “And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him.” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

Funny, this is the second time I have written this article in as many days. I guess I may have rattled the bones of an old adversary. You see, these past two weeks, for me, have been filled with numerous challenges and attacks that seem to come from left field. Once, I came back with some fairly harsh words to which I felt very convicted with regards to the way I handled the situation but the other times I felt an incredible peace descend as I looked past the attack and embraced the calm. The understanding, for me, came when I realized that you don’t disturb the soil unless you desire to plant seeds. I know I have talked about this in the past and I will do so until the day I die. If your enemy is focused on the stuff they feel is important and maintain the status quo, and if it does not cause you any grief or concern, why would you desire take their mind off it all and get them to turn their designs upon you? The term that drives me up the wall is “as long as it doesn’t affect me, why worry”. I have seen so many ministries that just keep on keeping on doing things the “way they have always been done” and they become ineffective and fade away. What a travesty and what a disservice to the Kingdom. I am going to throw this out there; complacency is the work of the devil. Let me expand a little bit on that. If you are rolling along, avoiding the challenges by bending to the will of the world and not really planting your flag on any hill, do you think that you are making a difference or are you following the path of the church of Laodicea? If your ministry is lukewarm and no one is really challenged to move against worldly influences on the faith, do you think the devil is going to disturb you or take shots at you? Now, I am not saying that all ministries that are moving along well are ineffective but I am suggesting that we take time to examine our ministries, our lives even, and ask the question, “are we making the devil nervous or angry?” A few weeks ago, I had a decision to make and I chose a path that led me away from a position of comfort and put me onto the path of ministry that looks very much like that of the Apostle Paul. Natalie and I decided to retire from the church and, moving out in faith, followed the call to that of a tent maker. You see, Paul went from province to province and helped those new churches get established and healthy, plus he taught a new generation of preachers and spoke in the new lands to all who would hear. Natalie and I have embraced this new opportunity and move. I did, however, fail to remember that Paul did not walk around all happy and feeling secure, he was hammered by those who listened to the world, the same world that the devil plays in, and was never really safe (just read through his letters). Through it all, he persevered and was protected by the One who was in ultimate authority, Jesus. I have learned that life is not always going to be a bowl of cherries but if you lean fully on His guidance and strength, He will not let you fall. The devil has no power over us and would love to let sleeping dogs lie for fear of disturbing the faithful to action. Last week, we talked about a society that has forgotten the love of God and the travesties of the past, the time has come to poke the bear, arose the sleeping nation of faith and rally them to take back what the devil has stolen and this Sunday, I will delve into this subject more. Please plan to join us either in person or online at 10:30 AM this Sunday. 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

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks   ‘Rock Solid Hope’ Day 1: 1 Corinthians 3:11 - “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.” Day 2: Hebrews 6:19 - “This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary.” Day 3: Psalm 62:5 - “Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him.” Day 4: Psalm 40:1-3 - “I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord.” Day 5: Matthew 7:24 - “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.” Day 6: Deuteronomy 32:4 - “He is the Rock; his deeds are perfect. Everything he does is just and fair. He is a faithful God who does no wrong; how just and upright he is!” Day 7: Psalm 95:1 - “Come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

Over the next week, many will don the red poppy over their heart in remembrance of those who served in the military, the RCMP and other agencies. For those who gave their lives in support and protection of others and for the thousands who serve and have served Sovereign and country over the past, we remember their sacrifice of their own lives and their time. We do this so we do not forget the horrors of war and abuse that have occurred. In remembering, we also seek ways to prevent the deadly losses of the past to repeat in the future. I will speak this truth, however; when the memories fade and are forgotten, history tends to repeat and the horrific events of the past are once again realized by the actions of those who do not hold onto the sanctity of life. I do understand that some may not appreciate the harshness of this declaration but I fear that the importance of remembrance is slowly being forgotten. You see, fewer people are taking a time out to stop and truly remember those who sacrificed their lives, both their mortal lives and their daily lives as they set everything to the side in order to come to the aid of others. The less society remembers or ignores the past, the more likely society is to repeat the mistakes of the past. Let me shift to the messages from the Bible. Jesus came to live amongst us all and to teach us the way of love and compassion over war and destruction. As Peter cut off the ear of the servant, Jesus healed him and claimed; “Put away your sword, those who use the sword will die by the sword. Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly? But if I did, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now?” Matt 28:52-54 NLT Many tend to forget the part where Jesus healed and asked compassion on those who came to persecute Him. Many more have forgotten the sacrifice He made on our behalf so that we would not know the pain and suffering associated with death. Jesus promised us before He left that He was going to prepare a place for us, a place in Heaven where we would no longer know pain, sorrow or evil. The world has lost faith in this message and doomed itself to repeat the errors of the past when the needs of self overshadowed the compassion and love for others that Jesus taught us. We will remember them, the motto of the Royal Canadian Legion. Our battle cry of the faith family should be “We Will Remember Him”. Love God with every ounce of your being and love all others around you as you are loved by the Creator. This week, we gather on the Sunday before Remembrance Day and will take a few moments to remember those who have passed in service to our nation and our Sovereign and Pastor Todd will reflect on the sacrifice made by our Lord and Saviour centuries ago so we can live with the assurance of a future without pain and oppression, plus an eternity filled with love and fellowship with the Father. Please plan to join us either in person or online at 10:30 AM this Sunday. 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

So, I have a question, but I want to clarify the reason for the question in advance. You see, Natalie and I have told my family, her family and our church family about our future plans. We have let others know that we are moving back to Nova Scotia in April of 2025 and now you know. Many have asked why and, while we are very transparent about the primary reason for the move, there is another bit of information that weighed in on our decision. You see, there are no such things as coincidences, but there are opportunities. We spent many days praying over our decision to move and to retire from leading a church and, while Natalie and I will truly miss our Sundre faith family, as well as our Alberta family & friends, the time has come to “go and make disciples of all the nations”. Now, you need to understand, there were numerous opportunities that presented themselves over the past few months but the one that we, Natalie and I, chose was one that truly spoke to us in a special way. When you lean on His calling, there is a peace, an excitement, and even a bit of nervousness, but in God we trust.  The question is this; what is the next big thing? It has been an amazing 25 years in church ministry, but God is opening doors for several opportunities outside the formal church setting.  He has provided and we are willing to go where He leads. There are a variety of teaching & training opportunities, plus transitional ministry and more.  We look forward to finding ways to continue to be relevant in our daily lives, and move forward in faith. When we came to Sundre, at the time it was the next big thing in our ministerial life. We feel God has used us well in this community but there is a calling to the next big thing. The passage that came to mind as I was contemplating the change was from Matthew 28:19-20 NLT.   Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”   The time has come to take this message to the east coast of Canada, to be His representative and build relationships as He guides & directs. These past two weeks, I have been referred to as Padre and Chaplain and numerous individuals have come forward for spiritual guidance and advice. Was this confirmation of His calling for the next chapter in my ministerial life? Another opportunity was very interesting to say the least, but we are confident this is the path He has set our feet upon.    This week, Darryl Wicks, President of our local Missions Ministry will be bringing us a message that touches on Kingdom news throughout the world. Please plan to join us either in person or online at 10:30 AM this Sunday. 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

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks   ‘You Can Talk to God Anytime’ Day 1: Psalm 116:8, 9 - “He has saved me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling. And so I walk in the Lord’s presence as I live here on earth!” Day 2: 1 Peter 3:12 - “The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers. But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil.” Day 3: Psalm 66:19, 20 - “But God did listen! He paid attention to my prayer. Praise God, who did not ignore my prayer or withdraw his unfailing love from me.” Day 4: Psalm 18:6 - “But in my distress I cried out to the Lord; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry to him reached his ears.” Day 5: Isaiah 65:24 - “I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!” Day 6: Psalm 34:17 - “The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles.” Day 7: Psalm 4:3 - “You can be sure of this: The Lord set apart the godly for himself. The Lord will answer when I call to him.” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks   ‘The Closeness of God’ Day 1: Isaiah 49:16 - “See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands. Always in my mind is a picture of Jerusalem’s walls in ruins.” Day 2: Zephaniah 3:17 - “For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” Day 3: Psalm 145:18 - “The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth.” Day 4: Psalm 34:18 - “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” Day 5: Psalm 63:7, 8 - “Because you are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you; your strong right hand holds me securely.” Day 6: John 14:18 - “No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you.” Day 7: Psalm 73:23-28 - “Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny. Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth. My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever. Those who desert him will perish, for you destroy those who abandon you. But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

Have you ever had one of those days, those weeks, or even those months where you have had the rug pulled out from under you so many times that lying on the floor looking up at the ceiling seems like a natural position. You see, when you have an expectation of how things should flow, and others decide that there needs to be more to it than that, well, things must change. It seems that fully relying on others to help in the successful completion of an activity was rather naive of me. Now, don’t get me wrong, most of the time this is not the case but, let’s be honest, we can default to the negative when it comes right down to it and some things can overshadow the goodness that is around us all the time.   Let me try this illustration as an explanation. I remember a couple years ago I was given some gourmet jelly beans.  I was intrigued by all the wonderful colors, but I realized I have come to expect a certain taste to accompany the visual queue. For me, a deep vibrant red and orange jellybean builds up an expectation of a taste explosion of possibly orange and grapefruit but instead it was a hot cinnamon. The next one was a nice bright green which would make you expect a lime but alas it was green apple. Disappoint me once, shame on you, disappoint me twice, shame on me. The jellybeans went into the garbage. My expectation was that the jellybeans would be a wonderful treat, and yet it turned into a negative memory.   There are those out there who will not lift a hand to help others up from the dumps, there are also those who will throw roadblocks to trip you up and will stand by to see just how you handle the trial. I have seen so many people who have such kind and caring hearts, who would drop everything to lift a friend up, get so downtrodden that eventually their “give a care” runs out or is busted. Truth be told, we are all human and are fallible. We will fall short, at some time, and cause others some disappointment but we should always try to err on the side of compassion when we can. I know this can be rather difficult to maintain but think about this;   It is better to trust in the LORD Than to put confidence in man Ps 118:8 NLT   “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   Whenever things get me sliding into that dark place, when people laugh at my expense, when people make promises then fail to carry it out, I cry out to the Lord and ask for strength, and I will testify to this for the rest of my life, He has NEVER let me down.  This week, Pastor Todd will be on holidays but we have Eryn, our Community Minister blessings us with a message. Please plan to join us either in person or online at 10:30 AM this Sunday. 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