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The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks ‘You Are Called to…’ Day 1: Proverbs 31:8, 9 - Speak – “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.” Day 2: Isaiah 1:17 - Learn – “Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows.” Day 3: Micah 6:8 - Act – “No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” Day 4: Isaiah 58:6, 7 - Share – “No, this is the kind of fasting I want: Free those who are wrongly imprisoned; lighten the burden of those who work for you. Let the oppressed go free, and remove the chains that bind people. Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help.” Day 5: Philippians 2:14, 15 - Lift Up – “Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.” Day 6: Hebrews 12:1, 2 - Keep Going – “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy[b] awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.” Day 7: 1 Peter 2:9, 10 - Declare – “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. ‘Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy.’” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

I feel like I am writing a thesis for my Master’s but as all of you may know, the chances of me doing a Master’s degree is slim to none and Slim has left the building. The fact is I have started working on a new series for the fall and am basing it on a book by Bud Robinson called “The Story Of Lazarus”. If you want to get ahead of the game, Google it and you will find a free download online. I have been reading this intriguing book, all of 110 pages, and was prompted to think about how the actions of the church in 1909 are very similar to society today. We change so much yet we don’t really change. One tiny part of the book concerns how a church of well over 500 relies on a very precious few to attend to the affairs of the church and even fewer to do God’s bidding of preaching the Word. Remember, this was in 1909! For the past six months, Natalie and I have been planning and preparing for holidays. I think this is the first time we have done so with very little stress and, when the time came to depart, even the threats of lost luggage and cancelled flights did not phase us. We were ready for a rest. No rentals in St. Johns, no worries, God provided an answer and U-Haul got our business. One day the weather did not cooperate but God provided the answer; you needed the rest. In Nova Scotia, the morning started off hot, muggy and overcast but by noon, the skies cleared and we made plans to hit the beach; God announced we needed time alone in His beauty. Take the time God provides and enjoy the beauty of His creation. So here is the key; listen to His direction, rest when He provides the occasion and be ready to respond when He opens up opportunity to share the peace and joy of the Lord with others. You see, the world has become way too busy fully enjoy the gifts God has provided. In some cases, society has become so earthly minded that they are no heavenly good. As I write this, my grandson has come to me with, what some would call, an interruption but for me it was an opportunity to share a laugh and hug. I am still working on the article but it is not the most important thing right now. God has provided the opportunities to relax and rejuvenate and, as we talked about last week, has even commanded it. Keep the Sabbath holy. What does it take for the pendulum to swing to the Lord? We all need to take a break from the busyness of the world and take stock of what God has provided. What would happen if we took a holiday from the rush and stress of tight schedules and embrace the peace and relaxation God has placed before us? Revival is defined as an instance of something becoming popular, active, or important again. My thought or suggestion for society is this; take a holiday from the hustle and bustle once a week, embrace the peace and solitude of the Lord and find out what is truly important once again. This week, we will once again welcome a message from Rev. Bob Hillock. 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 We look forward to seeing you this Sunday. Blessings, Pastor Todd www.mainavefellowship.ca

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks ‘Declare This… The Lord Will Fight For Me’ Day 1: Exodus 14:14 – “The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” Day 2: Deuteronomy 20:4 – “For the Lord your God is going with you! He will fight for you against your enemies, and he will give you victory!” Day 3: Joshua 23:10 – “Each one of you will put to flight a thousand of the enemy, for the Lord your God fights for you, just as he has promised.” Day 4: Deuteronomy 3:22 – “Do not be afraid of the nations there, for the Lord your God will fight for you.” Day 5: Isaiah 59:19 – “In the west, people will respect the name of the Lord; in the east, they will glorify him. For he will come like a raging flood tide driven by the breath of the Lord.” Day 6: Psalm 20:6 – “Now I know that the Lord rescues his anointed king. He will answer him from his holy heaven and rescue him by his great power.” Day 7: Psalm 138:7 – “Though I am surrounded by troubles, you will protect me from the anger of my enemies. You reach out your hand, and the power of your right hand saves me.” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

These past two years have played havoc on everyone. Those of us who are members of a ministry can tell you that not being able to meet in person for church services has been a tough go. As restrictions loosen and more and more things open up, there begins a long road back to what we thought was normal. Our ministry group usually gathers at a local funeral chapel, and due to provincial guidelines, we are still on hold to meet. We know that there will be a time where we can gather to celebrate Jesus, and to be together as a complete faith family again. For now, we are business as the new normal by online messages by our pastor, bible study, weekly written messages and even a scripture for each day, all by way of social media. It is working and we are thankful for that. That being said, our congregation is another two years older and some have gone onto Heaven. A few of us meet when we can to stay in old voice so when we meet again, the worship will even more special than before. We are all doing what we can to stay plugged into each other, and to God, but there is still something missing. That missing element is live fellowship. We are realizing more and more just how much we need God. That one-on-one experience of being together in church has such a healing and uplifting quality that just cannot be replaced. We are hoping that absence does truly make the heart grow fonder as we look forward to the day when we can drop the masks and offer the hugs without fear. Some may argue that covid is just one of those things we will have to live with. Well, I can respect that point of view, yet scripture tells us to use the wisdom that God gave us, along with the knowledge of those we trust. That combination will allow us to regain some lost time and ground as we get ready to get our faith boots back on the ground. I do applaud those congregations that are meeting responsibly, as they know the joy of in person fellowship as it should be. Our ministry has no owned meeting place and I’ve even been told that we are a church without a steeple. That is true, but Jesus never had a steeple or even a place to call home. Where we gather is not as important as when we gather, so many groups like ours have been in good company all along. We are free of earthly responsibilities of a building, and that allows us to pour our tithes and offerings into our community as needed. We have been blessed by a group of volunteers who use our time, treasures, and talents to bring glory to the Father. Do we need Him? Oh yes, more than anything. As we come into the third year of this thing called a pandemic, we will continue to do what we can, and will always look to the future when we can gather in person, sing to the King, and hug each other with reckless abandonment. That time is coming, soon we hope. Until then, I encourage everyone to stay connected with your faith family. Don’t allow yourself to drop of the faith radar, as it is very easy to do these days. Maintain your financial faithfulness as you can, stay in the word and don’t allow the world to pull you into the rat race. I need Him, you need Him, we all need God, so remember He is as close as the whisper of His name. Until we all meet again, let’s keep on needing Him. Soon we will get to celebrate in person, and what a day that will be. Mike Shindruk Master’s Hand Ministry http://mastershandministry.blogspot.com/

The other day I came across an article regarding the benefit of taking a day off from a regular workout routine. For the past year, I have gotten back into working out and went back to some of the old routines which included taking a day off each week to give the body a chance to recover. Years ago, a personal fitness coach told me to take a day off and I just did but never really questioned it. So, today, I questioned it. Why do I have to take a day off? According to an article in Medical News Today, not only do you need to take a day off to let the muscle groups heal and rest but it also creates a stop point that will help prevent injuries. It is a break that is beneficial to the health of the body and creates a healthy platform for one’s overall physical fitness going forward. So this got me to thinking; what about our mental and spiritual health? There was a time where Sunday was a day of rest for everyone. You did not shop, go out for dinner, do any kind of work on that day. It was more about the Sabbath but it did have its health benefits. The Lord created the world in six days and on the seventh day, rested. The seventh day was set aside for resting for all and was strictly adhered to, in fact there were specific rules in the Mitzvah as to how one must observe the Shabbat. Some today view the rules about the Day of Rest as a hindrance to “getting things done” but even the medical profession has proof that taking a day off from work and stressors is of benefit to overall health. So often we try to fill every moment of the every day with something so that we “get the most out of every day of life” but it turns out it is not the best thing for us. God was right when He said to take time to rest, meditate and pray. In God, we find a peace and a calm that is beyond anything we can imagine. By taking that one day away from the busyness of life, we can find a great benefit for our overall health; physical, mental and spiritual. It is a reset for our holistic health, for mind, body and spirit. When God told us to rest on the seventh day, He truly knew what He was talking about. This Sunday, we welcome Rev. Bob Hillock as Pastor Todd is on holidays. 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 We look forward to seeing you this Sunday. Blessings, Pastor Todd www.mainavefellowship.ca

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks ‘Are You Putting God First?!’ Day 1: Matthew 6:33 – “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” Day 2: Proverbs 3:6 – “Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” Day 3: Galatians 2:20 – “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Day 4: Ephesians 4:22-24 – “... 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 5: Malachi 3:10 – “‘Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,’ says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, ‘I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!’” Day 6: Romans 8:5 – “Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.” Day 7: Psalm 37:4 – “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.” ** Verses taken from the New Living TranslationThe Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks ‘Are You Putting God First?!’ Day 1: Matthew 6:33 – “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” Day 2: Proverbs 3:6 – “Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” Day 3: Galatians 2:20 – “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Day 4: Ephesians 4:22-24 – “... 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 5: Malachi 3:10 – “‘Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,’ says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, ‘I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!’” Day 6: Romans 8:5 – “Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.” Day 7: Psalm 37:4 – “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

As I was growing up, I thought for sure my nickname was “What where you thinking?” My last name was “Don’t do that again!” My brother and I had a great childhood. We had a swing-set in the back yard that needed to be tied down to the ground with a large piece of ready-rod lest we tipped it over swinging too high. We were often told not to swing so high because we were going to wreck the swing and if we did, we would not get another one. Beside the swing was a very cool fort. It had three levels and windows for shooting our cap guns out when the enemy came to attack. It later served as target practice for shooting tennis balls at with our hockey sticks. Then we got the bright idea to get people to go inside the fort and put their face in the window and try to avoid getting hit with the ball as we fired the dripping wet tennis projectile at the hole (we had dogs that loved to drool). Apparently we were “not thinking” when it was discovered what we were doing and we were told to stop it – NOW! Beside the fort was our sandbox in the shade of a huge evergreen. We spent hours playing with our Tonka trucks and Dinky cars and, like most boys, we also dug holes. One day in our exuberance, we started digging and just never stopped. After some time, mom looked out the kitchen window wondering where we had gotten to and came out the back door to call us in for lunch. My brother and I popped our heads out of the rather large hole to answer and we asked “what on earth are you two doing?” We thought it was quite obvious but failed to realize that as we dug down, hacking through roots as we went, we were weakening the tree at the foundation. We were told very vehemently that what we had done was wrong and to fill it back in and don’t do it again. If you read the scriptures, the Old Testament is full of rules God handed down to us. These were not meant to hold us back but rather to protect us and, yes, direct us to a better path. God’s creation, His children, often rebelled because rules are meant to be “broken or tested”. My parents set up some very solid rules to live by, many of them biblically based, and, while we did push back on them, they still are an integral part of our personalities. When we were living as children, we needed the parameters but as we grew, rational thinking became a part of our makeup and our thought process changed quite a bit. The Old Testament had the pat rules but take a look through the New Testament and count the number of times Christ referred to the law and put it out there in a different way, “You have heard that it was said…but I say to you.” Take Matthew 5:21-24 for example; “You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell. “So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God. Here we see rational thought and a positive solution being presented in such a way as to promote growth and peace for all involved. This is the message of the Christ. This Sunday, we will explore the “but I say to you” moments in the New Testament. 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 We look forward to seeing you this Sunday. Blessings, Pastor Todd www.mainavefellowship.ca

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks ‘Be Washed in His Mercy’ Day 1: 1 Peter 1:3, 4 – “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you...” Day 2: Lamentations 3:22, 23 – “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Day 3: James 1:5 – “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” Day 4: Psalm 73:25, 26 – “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Day 5: Psalm 29:11 – “The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.” Day 6: 2 Corinthians 9:8 – “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” Day 7: Psalm 103:1-5 – “Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits - who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

When we start to think outside the box and test the boundaries of limited understanding, this is when we can fully begin to realize that we may not know everything. There are those who will attempt to impress with their vast knowledge of a variety of topics but when it comes right down to it I just want to know the basic facts. Consider this, I was having issues with a solenoid for a garden tractor and, like a dope, I forgot to take pictures as I pulled the solenoid and the starter off the tractor. Part two to this, if enough time has gone by, I will forget or question myself on how to put it back together again. Long story made short, I could not remember which pole to put the positive wire on and I started to question myself as to how it all went back together. So, like all guys, I googled it and ended up even more confused and not at all confident. There is a lot of conflicting messages out there and numerous “experts” who will be more than happy to tell you how to do it even if they are bat crazy. We need to question things (science relies on this to move forward) but we all need to recognize that if the facts lead to a specific conclusion, we should really heed the wisdom even if it runs contrary to our own preconceived notions. An open mind is a wonderful thing, a closed mind leads to stagnation. With all that said, consider this; God, three in one, is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent. In other words, He is infinitely powerful in all creation, infinitely wise and infinitely everywhere. He is the Father of all creation, the Son is perfect in word and the Holy Spirit is with us always and forever. In John 1:1-5, In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. And in Genesis 1:1-2 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. In the beginning, God, the Father, created and at that same moment, the Holy Spirit hovered over the surface and eventually breathed life into Adam. In the beginning was the Word, the Son of God. This from the word of God, witnessed to and faithfully followed for thousands of years. It has been studied, questioned and tested well before the thoughts of mankind had even begun to fully understand. I am not saying that science does not have a place in our world, but I am saying that the Word of God has just as much a right to play into the conversation. Many do not understand faith in God but faith in an all-powerful divine Creator makes a bit more sense than blindly following spaceships, aliens and zombies. Do you want to test it? Join us this Sunday as we seek the truth in the Word. We would love for you to join us either in person or online at 10:30 AM MST. Facebook Live - Main Ave Fellowship YouTube Live – You Tube We look forward to seeing you this Sunday. Blessings, Pastor Todd www.mainavefellowship.blogspot.com

While I was in university, one of the discussions we had focused on the Trinity, or Triune God. The question our professor wanted us to consider was this; how would you explain the wholeness of God to a ten-year-old? Our class had some brilliant students and we thought this was going to be quite simple but it turned out to be more difficult than we first presumed. The group was fortunate to have a parent of a ten-year-old and, as we began to formulate a method of delivery, we discovered this was going to be more difficult than we first imagined. Let me give you an example. God is like an egg. The egg has a shell, the yellow yolk and the white. While all three are separate, they all make up an egg. The parent in our group just stared blankly at us and we waited for the response. “God is an egg? Do you know what the first question would be? Do you realize where the questions are going to go especially in a Sunday school class full of ten-year-olds? Is it a boiled egg or a raw egg? Is it a brown egg or a white egg? Robin’s eggs are blue” We were just talking about eggs and hadn’t even started in on the Triune God. Explaining the Father was going to be relatively easy since most children of faith already understand that God, the Father, was Christ’s Father (don’t get me started on when someone noted that Joseph was His father – there is always one). The Heavenly Father, by way of the Holy Spirit (don’t use the term Ghost, that is a story for another day) became pregnant by the power of the Holy Spirit. This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Matt 1:8 NLT We all thought we were going to nail this part but we soon found out how wrong we were. Here were some of the possible questions: · Where do babies come from? · Was Joseph mad? · Is Joseph the stepdad? · What’s a virgin? None of us really saw that coming. We were thinking on an adult level and not a child level. We were using adult speak where we needed to kid friendly language. You see, the message of God is not complicated but we have made it tough. Too many scholars trying to make everyone realize just how smart they are rather than take the time to speak the truth in simple terms. This may upset some of the highly educated and the professors but the truth is this, Christ came for all and not just the highbrows. In fact, if you want to know the Trinity read this bit of scripture. One day when the crowds were being baptized, Jesus himself was baptized. As he was praying, the heavens opened, and the Holy Spirit, in bodily form, descended on him like a dove. And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.” Luke 3:21-22 NLT God is the Father of all creation, Jesus the Son who came to earth to save us all and the Holy Spirit who dwells with us 24/7. All three are God and God is the great I AM. It may seem tough to wrap our head around it all but we can think of it this way; God is creator, saviour and protector wrapped up in one magnificent package. This is as simple as can make it. This Sunday, we will finish the series on Pentecost. 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 We look forward to seeing you this Sunday. Blessings, Pastor Todd www.mainavefellowship.blogspot.com

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks ‘You say… God Says’ Day 1: Matthew 11:28-30 - I’m Tired – “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Day 2: Proverbs 3:5, 6 - I Can’t Figure It Out – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Day 3: Romans 8:1 - I Can’t Forgive Myself – “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.” Day 4: 2 Timothy 1:7 - I Am Afraid – “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” Day 5: 1 Corinthians 1:30 - I’m Not Smart Enough – “It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God - that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.” Day 6: 1 Peter 5:7 - I’m Always Worried – “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” Day 7: Hebrews 13:5 - I Feel All Alone – “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks ‘Jesus Paid it All’ Day 1: Romans 6:23 – “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Day 2: Ephesians 1:7, 8 – “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us… ” Day 3: 1 Peter 2:24 – “‘He himself bore our sins’ in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; ‘by his wounds you have been healed.’” Day 4: 2 Corinthians 5:21 – “God made him who had no sin to be sin[a] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Day 5: Isaiah 53:5 – “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” Day 6: Acts 4:12 – “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” Day 7: John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation