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The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks ‘Are You Being Faithful?’ Day 1: Deuteronomy 23:21-23 – “When you make a vow to the Lord your God, be prompt in fulfilling whatever you promised him. For the Lord your God demands that you promptly fulfill all your vows, or you will be guilty of sin. However, it is not a sin to refrain from making a vow. But once you have voluntarily made a vow, be careful to fulfill your promise to the Lord your God.” Day 2: 2 Timothy 1:13, 14 – “Hold on to the pattern of wholesome teaching you learned from me—a pattern shaped by the faith and love that you have in Christ Jesus. Through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard the precious truth that has been entrusted to you.” Day 3: 1 Corinthians 10:12, 13 – “If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” Day 4: Hebrews 4:14-16 – “So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 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: James 1:12 – “God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” Day 6: 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 7: 1 Corinthians 15:58 – “So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks ‘Are You Producing Fruit?’ Day 1: Galatians 5:22-25 – “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.” Day 2: Ephesians 5:8-10 – “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.” Day 3: Colossians 3:12, 13 – “Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.” Day 4: Galatians 6:8-10 – “Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone - especially to those in the family of faith.” Day 5: Ephesians 4:2, 3 – “Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.” Day 6: James 3:17 – “But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.” Day 7: John 15:5 – “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

Farewell my friend but it is only for a time, not forever. It has been a while since I saw my friend Walter but I want to tell you a bit about him. You see, he had a big smile and an even bigger heart. I would see him at church and his joy was infectious. You could not help but smile when he was around. I cherished those times he would share his nature pictures on Facebook, such wonderful glimpses into the world just outside his back door. At the church gatherings, it was truly wonderful to chat with him and hear the love of God communicated through his words and actions. While I won’t see him again on this earth, I look forward to seeing him once again in Glory. Such a wonderful thought that one day we will be able to see those who have left before us in Heaven. I do have to say this, there are those who will say that I am a fool for believing in a fallacy, in a myth but I have to say this, I have faith in a magnificent and wonderful Saviour and in His promise. My response to those who mock is simple; am I hurting you with my faith? If not, pump the brakes, step off my belief and continue on your merry way. You see, my faith in a living and loving God is just that, mine. I don’t hurt you or force you to believe but if you do want to ask the questions and ponder, I will gladly sit and chat...just like Walter and many others like him. There is a parable about three men who were given a task of taking care of the master’s wealth and how the one servant took the time to grow the wealth over time and when the master returned, there was an increase and this was good. I want to challenge you to think about the things God has entrusted us all with; His Message. We have not been tasked to save the world but rather to share the love of God and the message of grace to all around us as we come into contact with them, We don’t need to slay the mighty giant with a stone or part the sea with a stick but rather spread the Word of God and see the fruits grow for the Master. I only hope one day there will be those who will say that I planted the seed of faith in their heart and they found salvation because they heard the Good News. For me, however, what I want more than that is to hear my Master say, “well done, oh good and faithful servant.” Those who mentored me, who took time to share the Message and help me better understand His Word, like Walter, I am certain they were met at the gates of Glory by the Saviour and heard those words from Him directly. Praise God for faithful servants! The Main Avenue service will be broadcast online (see links below), or you are more than welcome to join us in person at 402 Main Ave. W in Sundre, AB. Blessing, Facebook Live - Main Ave Fellowship YouTube Live – You Tube www.mainavefellowship.ca Our Mission “To live the love of Christ”

Once we pass June 21, our days start to get shorter and shorter. I have stood on a balcony in the far north and watched the sun dip down to the horizon and then come right back up moments later. It never did get dark that day and I was truly amazed. There is a downside to this however, in the winter, it gets super dark for a very long time. It is hard to stay super positive when you are lacking enough light to keep the Vitamin D levels up. You see Vitamin D is critical in helping the body to absorb and retain both calcium and phosphorus, both essential for building strong bones. Also, laboratory studies show that vitamin D can reduce cancer cell growth, help control infections and reduce inflammation. Many of the body’s organs and tissues have receptors for vitamin D, which suggest important roles beyond bone health, and scientists are actively investigating other possible functions…Vitamin D production in the skin is the primary natural source of vitamin D, but many people have insufficient levels because they live in places where sunlight is limited in winter, or because they have limited sun exposure due to being inside much of the time. (Harvard TH Han https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamin-d/) Vitamin D is the “sunshine vitamin” and without it, we would not have the vital foundation required to do the amazing things we want to accomplish. As the world gets smaller and smaller through the instant communication network that is social media, conspiracy theories, cancel culture, public shaming and negativity seems to rule the web and many conversations, on a daily basis. No wonder depression and mental disorders are so prevalent in our culture because there is so much darkness in all aspects of our daily lives. The darkness that is out there is widespread because the world wants us all to focus on that instead of the Truth that is the Light. Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” John 8:12 NLT Why is this message so scary? Jesus did not come to the world to condemn but rather to save, to bring Light into the lives of all. It is a message of love and kindness, peace and joy. This is a message of caring for others and keeping the Light front and center. Even though the world wants for itself, Jesus came to chase out the darkness and conquer death for all. So, for a time, the lovers of the darkness have their time but, in the end, the Light will destroy the darkness and He will prevail. As Harvey Dent said in the Dark Knight “The night is darkest just before the dawn. And I promise you, the dawn is coming.” Jesus will return, be ready and be vigilant. When the time is right, He will come and chase away the darkness forever. Praise the Lord! The service will be broadcast online (see links below), or you are more than welcome to join us in person at 402 Main Ave. W in Sundre, AB. Blessing, 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 ‘It’s a Heart Issue’ Day 1: Proverbs 4:23 – “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” Day 2: Psalm 26:2 – “Put me on trial, Lord, and cross-examine me. Test my motives and my heart.” Day 3: Jeremiah 17:9, 10 – “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.” Day 4: Lamentations 3:40 – “Instead, let us test and examine our ways. Let us turn back to the Lord.” Day 5: Psalm 139:23, 24 – “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” Day 6: 1 Corinthians 11:28-30 – “That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup. For if you eat the bread or drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself. That is why many of you are weak and sick and some have even died.” Day 7: Matthew 6:21 – “Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks Can You Say “This I Believe”?’ Day 1: John 3:18 – “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.” Day 2: 1 Thessalonians 2:13 – “Therefore, we never stop thanking God that when you received his message from us, you didn’t think of our words as mere human ideas. You accepted what we said as the very word of God - which, of course, it is. And this word continues to work in you who believe.” Day 3: Hebrews 11:6 – “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.” Day 4: 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 5: John 20:31 – “But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name.” Day 6: Psalm 28:7 – “The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.” Day 7: Mark 9:23 – “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

This sabbatical has been good for me but it has also opened my eyes a bit more. You see when one focuses on the needs of the faith gathering for the majority of the time, one tends to be somewhat blind to the needs of the greater community around us and the warnings contained in Scripture. I was perusing the internet for scripture paintings and art that I could possibly purchase for my office when I came upon one that grabbed my attention. The more I read it and read around it, that is the passages before and after, and I realized this was a message that needed to be studied and broadcast to the world. You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that! 2 Tim 3:1-5 NLT Many will call those who stand on the street corner packing signs and pamphlets that declare “the end is near” yet two thousand years ago, Paul was telling Timothy what the end days would look like. There will be even harder times coming unless we, as a faith community, take a stand and ask the world to pump the brakes on selfish attitudes and shift the focus off dangerous and divisive self-centred desires and shift the paradigm to one of love and unity in Christ. While the world looks for ways to promote distinctiveness, Jesus promotes unity and peace. There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. 1Tim 2:5-6 NLT Over the next two and a half months, I will be focused on Paul’s message to Timothy and will start a series on the epistles to Timothy. The service will be broadcast online (see links below), or you are more than welcome to join us in person at 402 Main Ave. W in Sundre, AB. Blessing, Facebook Live - Main Ave Fellowship YouTube Live – You Tube www.mainavefellowship.ca Our Mission “To live the love of Christ”

A while back, I attended a service where the person beside me was chatting rather loudly with regards to the preacher. The conversation mainly focused on the delivery, the tone of the preacher’s voice, and a variety of other issues that had nothing to do with the message. I even overheard the person say, “if this person becomes more regular in the church, I am looking for another church”. I will admit, I was not all that into the delivery or even the attitude of the preacher, but I did keep it to myself, but I will admit, the message was fully scriptural and right on point. There are some who preach like Rev. Lovejoy from the Simpsons or preach like a wind-up monkey with a set of tambourines but what we need to listen for is the message. Let’s try this on for an illustration. There are many out there who do not like southern gospel. Some people love the old hymns, some appreciate the new choruses and others a good old fashioned Gregorian chant. Over the past twenty-three years in ministry, I have heard the same complaint with regards to music, “they never play music I like”. Consider this, if I was to pull up some of the worship songs from the days of Christ, not many would really fancy the tunes but think about this, are we there to tickle the fancy of self or are we there to share, worship and celebrate our Lord and Savior. Take some time to look at the lyrics of the Christian songs you like and define the central message of the song. Now, look at song you are not a fan of and analyze the central message presented. Are they the same? Do they celebrate Jesus and encourage a faith in God? Sure, not all messages tickle our fancy but not all of us like the same things in life. My suggestions is this, instead of complaining about the delivery, celebrate the fact that someone has taken time to listen to His Message, that the preacher or worship team has been faithful to present His Message to those who need to hear and celebrate and that they are doing everything they can in a world filled with doubt and confusion to declare the Grace of God. Celebrate God, lift His messengers in prayer and support the faith family through encouragement and uplifting discussions. You see, the evil one’s main tool is chaos, confusion and separation, don’t give into his nasty tactics. One last thing before I sign off for this week, if the church is missing something like a children’s program or a youth group or even a young adult’s group, don’t walk away going “they have nothing for us here”. Instead, ask around to see if there is an opportunity to start something and then just do it. It takes time and effort to build up the church, don’t wait for “someone” to get the ball rolling, be that “someone”. Remember, Jesus said go out into all nations to share, baptize, and build up the faith community (I paraphrase). He did not say go out and find a group that is already up and running that suits your needs. The service will be broadcast online (see links below), or you are more than welcome to join us in person at 402 Main Ave. W in Sundre, AB. Blessing, 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 ‘Praising in the Storm’ Day 1: Psalm 59:17 – “O my Strength, to you I sing praises, for you, O God, are my refuge, the God who shows me unfailing love.” Day 2: Psalm 100:4 – “Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name.” Day 3: Psalm 103:2 – “Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me.” Day 4: Jeremiah 17:14 – “O Lord, if you heal me, I will be truly healed; if you save me, I will be truly saved. My praises are for you alone!” Day 5: Habakkuk 3:17-19 – “Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights.” Day 6: 2 Corinthians 12:9, 10 – “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. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Day 7: Psalm 150:1-6 – “Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heaven! Praise him for his mighty works; praise his unequaled greatness! Praise him with a blast of the ram’s horn; praise him with the lyre and harp! Praise him with the tambourine and dancing; praise him with strings and flutes! Praise him with a clash of cymbals; praise him with loud clanging cymbals. Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord! Praise the Lord!” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

I was watching a show the other day about engineering mistakes and some of the consequences. There was a building that was erected on rather sketchy ground, and after a couple of earth movements, it began to shift. Over a few months, it had shifted enough that the experts were convinced it would soon fall down and cause major issues to the buildings around it. The decision was made to bring it down. It took a week to figure out how to implode it safely and a couple seconds to bring it to the ground. Had the engineers taken some time to work up the plans better, research the area better and build up the foundation even more, the building would not have failed and had to be taken down. There are numerous examples of buildings falling down due to people not taking the time to fully appreciate the situation and working on ways to build up the foundation on the way to creating something of beauty. It does take more effort in the planning stage, but the results are evident in the end. Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. Eph 4:29 NLT It takes only a moment, a slip of the tongue, to bring down a person. I have, unfortunately, been on the delivery end of some hurtful comments and, even though I have taken time to apologize for my error, my words/actions still haunt me to this day. It takes time to slow up, think about what we are about to say and rework the message to build one up rather than lash out and take the feet out from under someone. When we use foul or abusive language (hurtful remarks), it is like setting dynamite at the base of a building and letting it go off and rarely does the person who pushed the button stick around to clean up the aftermath. It does take time to think our way through a thoughtful way to build someone up and invest in them so they become all they can be. How much richer is the community when we seek ways to build each other up rather than take the lazy way out and tear down those around us? As a person who has the legs taken out from under him on numerous occasions, I can tell you the names of every person who has taken the time to help me up, dust me off and encourage me to go forward with a new outlook and strength. To those people, I give you thanks. To the ones who did not, I forgive you completely. As I am on sabbatical for the next three months, these articles will still be coming out because it is an opportunity for me to share what God lays on my heart. We invite you to gather with us at 10:30 a.m. to explore His love and His message for our hearts through His messenger Rev. Bob Hillock. The service will be broadcast online (see links below), or you are more than welcome to join us in person at 402 Main Ave. W in Sundre, AB. Blessing, 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 – ‘Mourn With Those That Mourn’ Day 1: 1 Thessalonians 4:13, 14 – “And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.” Day 2: Matthew 5:4 – “God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Day 3: Psalm 147:3 – “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Day 4: 2 Corinthians 1:3, 4 – “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.” Day 5: Psalm 34:18 – “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” Day 6: Galatians 6:2 – “Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.” Day 7: 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.” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

By the time you sit to read this message, I will have been retired for one week. After fifty years of working in retail sales, my finish line was crossed last Thursday. At the ripe young age of sixteen in 1973, I began working like most other teens at the time. There was no long-term goal, just the prospect of earning my own money to buy a car, and date a girl. I would have never guessed that my first job would be my last job. The money was never enough to dream big, but looking back, it was what I now know, almost enough to provide what I would need. I may have changed employers five times over my fifty-year history, but the fundamental tasks were pretty much the same. Looking back, I do have a few regrets, but I sit today realizing that my life has been blessed beyond those regrets. The circle of close friends I have may not have been, had I not been where I was at any given moment. The faith family I cherish may not have come into my life if not for the timely changes that occurred for me. The communication and labor skills I possess today may not have turned out how they have. My regrets are overshadowed by the blessing God poured onto me. My employment finish-line was always there, yet invisible to me until God began to reveal it, one event at a time. Over the last eight years these included three shots at knee replacements, my wife’s victory over breast cancer, and the loss of a very special brother-in-law. His passing was the wake up call for me to plan my exit from work, to be home with my family. That one life stopping event was moment I realized that I should never take any day for granted. Actually, it reminded me to enjoy and savor every single day. All of these set me to determine my retirement day. So now for me, a hobby has become a small business where my goals and opportunities are ahead of me. The road will have many curves so each day will be an exploration of life beyond my finish line. My story has been written and planned by God. I acknowledge that now. Yours is also being written so pay attention. As we all go through this event of life, we are all assigned a blank book. The thickness of that book depends on how long we live. The story line and content of the writings depend on the life you live and share. There was a time when God was not a part of my life, let alone knowing Him the way I do now. I came to accept Him twenty years ago and every day I am amazed how He makes Himself known to me. The thousands of little blessings, or signs He gives, were never on my radar when I was younger. I can only imagine the millions of times He was there for me, and I never even knew. Yet, He cared enough for me to provide me with long and winding roads. Now that I know Him, the scripture Jeremiah 29:11 is now my mantra, and I share that a lot. Looking back, I acknowledge that His provision in my life far outweighs any wants or goals from my youth, and I am content with that. Everything I have, value, love and know are all because He loved me enough that He sent His son, Jesus to die for me. When I think of that fact I am humbled beyond all understanding. Spoiler alert folks, He has done the very same for you as you read this, and for those who have yet to accept Him. That is agape love right there in a nutshell. As for me, He has gifted me with yet another birthday recently. He keeps my body as healthy as I can expect for a sixty-seven-year-old. He has blessed my finances to provide me with enough. He keeps my wife by my side in our advancing years and blesses our family to remain tight knit. Are there some things being worked on that are not perfect yet? Yes, and I will continue to pray that He works those things out. Our lives here are all on the road to our own finish lines, yet His promise to us in John 3:16 reassures me daily that when He is done with you and me here, there will be life beyond our finish line. What kind, you may ask? Eternal, and we’ll not be alone. Mike Shindruk Master’s Hand Ministry