Rejoicing in God’s Justice

Rejoicing in God's Justice Delbert Enns   Luke 1:26-38 www.EasTview.org

This is a hectic stressful time. Loneliness, losses, mourning, grief, bankruptcies, all happen this time of year.

What is justice? If it works for me that's justice?

Is this season worth celebrating?

Truly God is good. Psalm 73:1-5 In the midst of trouble, God is good. If you feel things are disconnected remember Mary had her issues. Nothing good can come from Nazareth. I'm not from Jerusalem. Joseph, what a wonderful man! He stuck with me. I was proud to be at his side. When Jesus came all I had was a feeding trough. I admired him, my redeemer who would change everything.

Joseph could have had Mary killed.

You might be feeling you were born on the wrong side of the river. Things may be all wrong. Maybe nothing makes sense in your life.

Something happened that changed everything. Luke 1:26- The Annunciation. You will have a son whose kingdom will never end. The son of God. Nothing is impossible with God. I am the Lord's servant. Did Mary know what would happen?

We think the advent is for me. It's not about me and my pity party. It's about others. Mary's life was rearranged. She understood that this child was not here to be selfish. To walk humbly.

Joseph. He was also transformed. Your mess up is not just your own. Others are also involved. It affects others.

God's justice is for everyone. Not just for me. Joseph was willing to walk with Mary even though she was pregnant with someone else's child.

The shepherds got messed up. Herrod's life was messed up. The Jews were looking for a political redeemer messiah.

Mary was mentally confused deeply upset when the angel gave her that message. I'm a virgin she said. Why me?

Hush hush does not work. Call to God. Yell at him. He is not offended. He will hear your cry.

The Holy Spirit will overshadow you and give you peace in the quietness.

When you are in a traffic jamb pray for the others on the road. God is trying to talk to you. God has a rescue plan for them too.

Jesus took on the form of a servant. Mary said I'm your servant. This is the King of Kings.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9HodA8jUCk

Hug someone now. You need at least 3 hugs to know you are loved.

What hope we hold. Song.
Praise his name Emmanuel!

Wonder at God

Welcome to Eastview!  We're glad you're here! At Eastview, we are committed to "Leading people to Christ and on to maturity in Him."  Worship Services: 9:15 & 11:15am
Messages are recorded and video is available online: www.eastview.org/sermons
Today: Advent @ Your Door Steps   Wonder at God Delbert Enns   Luke 2:8-21
Third Sunday of Advent   
Next Week: Advent @ Your Door Steps   Rejoicing in God's Justice Delbert Enns   Luke 1:26-38 Fourth Sunday of Advent       

Eastview Christmas Eve Service Times   Monday, Dec 23, 6:30pm            Tuesday, Dec 24, 5:00pm & 6:30pm 

Songs this Morning: Joy To The World    Frederic Handel For All You've Done Reuben Morgan Come Thou Fount Robert Robinson Offering  Paul Baloche Music Team: Adam Bergman, Heidi Boon, Jesse Hamm

Bulletin
http://www.eastview.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/bulletin-Dec-15.pdf

How many Charlie Browns do we have? What is Christmas all about? How many Linuses do we have?

Where is the wonder of the season? We go through the rigamarole of Christmas and feel miserable.

How did Joseph feel? His girlfriend was pregnant with someone else's child. How did Mary feel? Subject to stoning.

Luke 2. How did the shepherds feel? Good news for all! These shepherds were chosen to be the first ones to hear the good news.
Shepherds had a noble calling. King David was a shepherd. By the time of Jesus's birth they were despised and considered ceremonially unclean.
They got fantastic good news. They were outside.
Jesus said: healthy people don't need a doctor. Sick people do.

If you want to understand 1 Cor 1 says few of you were wise when God called you. God calls the marginalized.

Claudia, a healer preacher, wanted to preach to the assembled 4,500 when Delbert heard that there were 2,500 people wanting to come in. They let them in and a small boy was in that group and he was worshipping God.

The shepherds did the ordinary things of life when God showed up. Jesus does that.

Jesus asked Peter and his team to go fishing after they had wasted all night and caught nothing. Peter said if you say so I'll do it! When they were overloaded with fish, Peter fell at Jesus' feet and worshipped him!

The Christmas story changes people's lives. Mega joy comes to those who are touched by God. Don't believe Satan's lies.

The great news comes to the community. God chose me!

Peter got a new assignment. Become fishers of mankind!

Have you shared the message of the messiah to those who don't know Him? Invite them to come to Jesus.

Invite people to the Christmas eve service.

This Table - written 20 years ago

Broken. 

Cut from side to side. 

Life is like that

sometimes. 

Through a series of foolish errors we are broken. 

Or

we break others. 

That hurts. 

We

learn.  We remember.  We heal in time.

This coffee table is in the centre of our living room.  We see it every day.  We use it every day.  We put things on it.  It carries our loads.  But its glass top is broken.  Four pieces of glass where there was one.  Held together with glass mending glue.  Three lines run through it.  Reminding us.

Renee, this glass broke when you sat on the cutting board that should never have been left on this table.  No one picked it up and put it away. 

You know you should not sit on the coffee table. 

We know that cutting boards do not belong on coffee tables.  We know that people should not sit on cutting boards. 

But you did. 

The pressure point of the cutting board edge on the glass broke the glass tabletop. 

You learned a lesson. 

You were sorry.  You cried.  But the glass was broken.

Your daddy saw what you did.  He forgave you and mended the glass with mending glue.  But the lines remain.  Reminding us of our lives. 

Your mom and dad experienced much pain and brokeness when one by one your brothers Kris and Jason went to be with the Lord.  God has healed us but the scars remain. 

Sometimes they still ache.  You will experience pain in your life.  Let this table remind you that God heals.

He heals when others hurt you deliberately or accidentally.  He heals when you hurt yourself.  Be careful where or who you sit with in life.

 

This table reminds us of God.  Three lines run through it from side to side.  They remind us of the trinity of God.  God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. 

Running through our lives and mending us. 

Like the almost invisible table top glass holds the coffee cups, God holds us.  He needs to be in the center of our social lives. 

As we share the coffee and donuts, we need to keep God in the center of the Living Rooms of our lives.

This table reminds us of our family.  Four pieces of glass held together by love.  Four children, Justin, Renee, Alayna, and Karalee. 

Fragile. 

Transparently honest. 

Innocent.  Clean. 

 

Life is fragile. 

Be careful not to get broken. 

Broken by the allures of sin or the slights of others. 

Make sure you read wholesome books and keep wholesome friends.  They mold your lives.

 

Be transparently honest with God.  Keep asking Him to cleanse you. 

Read His Word

 and

commune with Him daily.  Stay tuned in to Him so He can guide you

around and

over the thunderstorms of life.

 

Clean.  That's what we all want.  But life will throw dirt on you. 

You will stumble and get dirt all over you. 

Let God clean you

every day, moment by moment. 

If you let the dirt and the splatters of sin harden in your heart, then it may take a razor to scrape it off. 

That could hurt. 

Keep the glass clean. 

 

Always Remember. 

God loves you.

Your mom and dad love you. 

We will guide you to the

best of our ability. 

We

care about

you.

Advent: Wisemen seeking God

www.EasTview.org
Song: You are calling us all by name.
You choose the humble and raise them high
You choose the weak and make them strong  
You heal our brokenness inside 
And give us life
The same love that set the captives free
The same love that opened eyes to seeIs calling us all by name
You are calling us all by name
The same God that spread the heavens wide
The same God that was crucified Is calling us all by name 
You are calling us all by name
It's a really nice song; why sing it over ad nauseam?

Oh come all you faithful
O come let us adore him

Fabulous choir music. We anticipate the Christmas eve choir programs Dec23 6:30, & Dec 24 5:00 & 6:30. Worth putting on your calendar!

A new king was born. 400 years of silence broken by the cries of the son of God.

Dave Ens

"Earth's crammed with heaven, And every common bush afire with God; But only he who sees, takes off his shoes – The rest sit round it and pluck blackberries."– Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Interconnectedness. God is present in all our times.

People are seekers. The Wiseman were seekers.
They had expectation - 2 years the Wiseman followed the special star. (Maybe it was 2 months?)

Am I keeping up with Jesus? God is working. Are you watching for it? The Wiseman stopped to see Herod. (Was that wise?)

When they finally found Jesus they had a God moment. Finally they found the promised messiah! They were overcome with joy!

Jesus is difficult to see because we have so many preconceptions. We think he is with our team.

We presume to speak for God in spite of the fact we are not good at seeking God's will.

There is something bigger than we are. The seekers in the Bible were often outsiders. The Greeks came to see Jesus. Jesus said come follow me.

Seeking to see stuff is not truly coming to see Him.

Leave things behind to really find Jesus!

Advent Waiting for God

Steve says, Easter is what Christmas is all about so let's sing Easter songs today. Jesus Messiah Lord of All!
Humbly to the earth you came. Born into this world to save. Your name is a strong and mighty tower. Nothing has the power to save but your name.

Elton Da Silva
Jesus's parents brought Jesus to the temple. 2 devoted people recognized him as the Messiah. Simeon and Anna had been waiting for the deliverer for a long time. They recognized God had come!

Do we recognize God in our lives? Are we ready to meet God? Do we recognize God at work at Tim Horton's?  I felt down that day, and when I opened the door, someone opened it and said I know who you are. God told me to come here to encourage you! Never met the man before but God worked something miraculous.

A four year old prayed for the man who is very sick. Who? The man who sold us the car. The next day mom went to encourage him.

God is doing amazing things. Are we missing Him because we have lost our passion? We don't expect him. Do we come just because or are we expecting God in church?

Are we hugging God with excitement like people at the airport?

Consolation Redemption are the 2 words of the text. Jesus brings healing comfort restoration.

God wants your life to be an exciting revelation. The glory of the King is about beauty.

Surrender. The story starts with the old law. There is a junction of the old and the new. The 2 old people are surrendering. Their lives are over. The new has come.

When guests come we surrender a room. It's yours for a season.

We need to surrender and say to Jesus this life of mine is now your temple.

Good Grief: What's Healthy; What's unhealthy

www.RussellCounselling.com www.DrDonRussell.com
There are all kinds of losses where there is no funeral. You get kicked out of the family business but there is no funeral for that.
Our world has been turned upside down.
Could be loss of a job or not getting the job you want.

Grief is a process of:
Orientation 》 Disorientation 》 Reorientation
Grief is fatiguing because it takes up a lot of emotional and mental space inside as we attempt to find a new normal after the old one has been lost. It is only as we digest emotional happenings.
Sometimes there's more than just grief. It can be traumatic. Consider the 2 layers. Trauma adds anxiety, avoidance, nightmares, flashbacks, intrusive thoughts, fatigue, brain freeze, nausea, guilt, should haves, the feeling of I'll never get better......

Unhealthy grieving includes:
Denying or suppressing the cocktail of feeling
Doing a spiritual bypass jumping to God knows. You can't take a spiritual bypass. God gave you the ability to feel
Becoming anxious or depressed for more than a year
Engaging in numbing self medication
Staying stuck in one of the stages of grief, denial, anger, bargaining, depression
Avoiding places or people that remind us of the loss

Take care of yourself. Stress of loss will deplete your energy and emotions.

Face your feelings. In order to heal acknowledge and express the pain or you'll kill yourselves. Not everyone is weepy. That's OK. Talk with people you feel safe with. TALK.

Express your feelings. Write a loss journal. Write a letter to the one who passed. Read it at the grave. Make a scrapbook or photo album. Get involved in a cause.

Don't let anyone tell you how you feel or should feel. Your grief is your own. Let yourself feel whatever you feel. Let yourself grieve without embarrassment or judgement.

Plan ahead for grief triggers: Anniversaries, birthdays, holidays, .. Be prepared for an emotional wallop and know it's normal. Give yourself permission to me cranky. Agree on strategies to honor the person you loved.

I so want to say something to take your pain away but Mr Fixit in me just can't. I must learn that the most important thing is to sit and listen.

Does the church help people who grieve? I would love to be out of business but I'm not.

We know Jesus is the answer but sometimes we are too superficial. The deep corners of the soul don't get touched.

An accepting congregation is a beautiful thing. People need to be open to each other's junk.

Getting angry at God is part of grief. God does not need defending. God can take it. It doesn't make you a bad person. Just read the Psalms. Your feelings need expression. I get it. That's a strong feeling.

We are fearfully and wonderfully made. God knows us in the deepest places.

How do you help children grieve? Language appropriate. Diluted to their level. Prayer is not a slam dunk. You may not eat dessert before you eat your vegetables.

What's mental health got to do with the church?

Mennville EMC north of Riverton.

Scripture reading by Roger Friesen:
Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.

DrDonRussell.com
Privileged to be here this morning. Beautiful drive this morning from Landmark.

Deals with people issues. Jesus has understanding about mental health.
Bullying and postpartum depression news is all around us.

1 of 5 people will have serious mental issues. All of us are touched by mental issues. Costs $51,000,000,000 in Canada.

Jesus speaks to us.  Romans 8:22 Creation is groaning. Great crowds came to Jesus with all kinds of issues.

In the beginning no one had mental issues.

In the end Jesus will make everything right again.

We make sense of it because we live in a fallen broken world.

Don't just sit and wait. Do something. Don't say the dreadful phrase: it is what it is.

We treat mental issues like they used to treat leprosy. Jesus has something to say about it. Leave something for the poor. Be extra gracious to the disadvantaged in society. We need to draw the 'thems' into our circle of friends. That includes the gay. If Jesus came to Steinbach would he shoot hoops with the cool jocks, or would he find the bullied? What did he say to the prostitute in John 8? What was Jesus writing when the self righteous wanted to stone her?

When clients talk about depression, I say I get that.

Shame bad is bad. Adam and Eve were not ashamed to be naked. The fall created shame. But now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. Rom 8

There are bad simplistic answers that hurt
1. Mental illness is demonic.
2. Psychobable
3. Medical problem.

We are fearfully made. Spirit. Body. Mind. Mental illness impacts all 3 areas of the person.

Exercise improves the body and mind.
Talk about it. Open the conversation. Love and acceptance goes a long way. It makes it far more manageable. Know where to find resources. Be the bridge.

So can I help myself?
Reach out. Ask for help.
Practice mental hygiene. Anchor yourself in biblical truth.
Practice spiritual disciplines. Read Ephesians. Practice gratitude. That is mood altering. Just as good as any drug.
Dialog with God. Talk to him about your crankiness.
The Lord is near. With thankfulness present your requests to God. Focus on the good.

Started an anger management group some years ago. One person dropped out. Then he came back after spending time in psych ward. They used to call them asylums. A safe place to rest. Not doing anything. Just resting.

Make the church an asylum. A place to rest.

The Marvel of Earth's Canopies

The Marvel of Earth's Canopies
by Professor C. Theo Schwarze
A fascinating book on the harmony of science and the Bible
This book is out of print
Click on the image to read it on line

Choices are OPTIONAL. Consequences are NOT.

Malachi 3
There was a small group who feared the Lord. God wrote their names in a Book of Remembrance. The Book of Life.
V17. They will be my people. My own special treasure my jewel. Recorded by name.
Do you know that you are the special treasure of God? If not, get right with God today!

Baptism and new member's Sunday:
Val has 7 grandkids. Wants to be baptized. Attended an Anglican church. Married 40 years. Lived in Flin Flon and Selkirk. Went to Roman Catholic church. Sherry was baptized at EasTview. Husband was diagnosed with cancer 20 years ago. Ted was doing well. They had an accident. Then she had cancer. Tough times brought me closer to God. God loves me and he has a perfect plan. The struggle is to learn to trust God.

Kelly was raised in a Christian home. Never got baptised. Got married very young. Moved to northern Manitoba. Forgot to attend church thinking she had spirituality. Mom got sick and wanted to go home to heaven. After 6 months she got better. Started to attend EasTview 6 months ago.

Scott grew up in Selkirk in a Lutheran church. Worked 6 days a week before having children. Had a tough time getting pregnant. Thought they lost that 1st child. Carter was born. 3 years later our second son was born.

Greg born in Winnipeg. Baptized as a baby in a united church.

Kelly always considered herself a Christian. United church. Then EKMB. Now wants to be join EasTview. Attended NK Alliance and got baptized there.

Cindy married 21 years with 2 children. Accepted Jesus at camp and war baptized there. Jesus is my rock and salvation. EasTview is now our spiritual home.

Choir
A Mighty Fortress is our God. A really good musical arrangement.
Praise the name of Jesus.
He's My Rock in Him will I trust.
His kingdom is forevermore

The baptismal water is too cold. Val God has never left you. I baptize you in the name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit.

Today is the right day to be baptized. This is the day that the Lord has made.
Do you confess that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior?

Congregational songs.
He became sin who knew no sin.
Love so amazing Jesus Messiah Lord of all. All our hope is in you.
Jesus Messiah name above all names Blessed Redeemer
In Christ Alone my hope is found
O precious is the flow that makes me white as snow. Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Choir
Be still and listen to God

Pastor Delbert. You are God's special treasure. Pray to be included in God's special chosen ones. Meditate on God's Word day and night. Be planted firmly so you can celebrate for all eternity.

Let's read the covenant together.

Song. You choose the humble. The same love that set the captives free is calling us all by name.

Blessed are the merciful

http://www.knoxtoronto.org/
5pm worship gathering
Ken Mitchell music
Paul Johansen Pastoral Care
Let us honor those gave so much and remember the One who gave his all.
Song. Your grace is enough.
Lord have mercy on us.
Gospel Encouragement. Passing the Peace
Hosanna Praise is rising
Kids Church. This is multi generational church.

God be with you.... and also with you!

Www.AdventConspiracy.org to make Christmas more meaningful. Worship fully. Spend less. Give more. Love all.
The average Canadian spends $1200 each Christmas much of it on gifts no one needs.

Pastor Paul
Merci bouquet!
Mercy me
Lord have mercy on me a sinner.
Bob Dillon when his career was flagging produced a CD entitled O Mercy. Everything is broken is a title that talks about the brokenness of the world.
Mercy is hard to define. Strong emphasis to enter into the brokenness of others. Tenderness meekness kindness
Willingness to forgive. Let others off the hook.
Psalm 28. Hear my cry for mercy.
Daniel prayed for mercy.

Micah. This is what God is asking you to do.
Act justly, love mercy, walk humbly with God.

Blessed are the merciful they will be shown mercy. He saved us because of His mercy.
Les Miserables the book. 83 year old mom just read it. She was moved. Quite a story she said.
Only the grace of God can change us from the inside out.
Lord have mercy for those in the path of the typhoon.
Lord treat us in a way we don't deserve.
For Mayer Ford, Lord have mercy.
We need to show mercy every day.

Did Micah do an about face? Do the right thing but at the end of the day, walking with God is very personal. Mercy comes when you extend mercy.
Ps 103 God knows who we are. How fragile we are.
Paraphrase the beatitudes. Show you understand them.

Song. I'm getting down to the mercy seat.
Here is love vast as the ocean.

God's Word to us

Mennville EMC

Stan Burkholder from Alberta

Sat in on the Sunday School and got a lesson on grief. Not sure how to respond to that.

Praise like never before
130 passages in the Bible on praise.
I have no practical application for grief. How many have sorted out how to praise God?
They had a community advent program. He was supposed to preach on why creation praises God. Why are the colors more majestic for Christians?
When we give God proper recognition we praise him.
Luanna's garden grew all the wrong things. The red beets were red so that was good.
Do the stars do what they are created to do? When they do they praise God.
Gravity does what God created it to do.
120 days a year Stan travels all over teaching. It's a fun job. Every two days his students evaluate him. Some praise him with fluff. Some really appreciate his work.
He was the president of the  lumberman's association. He got real recognition in front of his peers. That felt good.
How can I praise God? How about giving him proper recognition? How does that make the mountains more majestic? When I admire God's handiwork I praise him because I share with him the beauty of creation.

We live in a society of entitlement.  Why? Do you remember the first $ you were given? The first $ you earned. How did you deal with that.
My voice is the gift of God to me. I'm not entitled to it. If I recognize that God gave me my voice and I praise God with it.
Link with grief somehow. Whatever may pass whatever lies before me. In grief when you cry you praise God. Recognize your loss.
Let me singing when the day is done. When the end draws near and my time has come still my soul will sing your praise unending ten thousand years and then forever more.
My praise will be different  each season of my life. When my store burned down I wrote about my firey Christmas.
Got a call from a customer wanting to help. Shared my struggles with him. I was praising God by writing my story.
There are 10,000+ reasons to praise God. When God created us I always tell my students. I got a free trip to Scotland.
When you do what God created you to do you are praising him.
God, thanks for being real and sharing your creation with me. Help me to do what you created me to do.

Essentials by design: Hope

I was depressed forsaken and God healed me. Only through Christ have we been saved.
www.EasTview.org
Delbert Enns
Winnipeg is Canada's murder capital but there is hope!
Just as there was hope for Ephesus there is hope for Winnipeg.
Hope.
1 Timothy 6:12 fight the good fight. Hold tightly to eternal life. The church was facing all kinds of pressures. He was in a battlefield. It was hard.

Who wants to move away? Who wants to move west? In the last 100 years things have changed.
What does Hollywood think of Winnipeg?
Simpson's says We live here. We were born here. What is your excuse?

While we face many difficulties we have bought into cynicism and negativity.

Too often we say what's in it for me?
Timothy agonize through your struggle of faith. Wrestle with it. Wrestle together. V13 I charge you before God and Christ Jesus to remember when Jesus stood before Pilate he confessed that he was God and that took him to the cross. Hope begins there.
You have hope through Jesus when you die to your own ideas.
Obey without wavering.
Love your neighbor. Stand your ground. Unwavering.

Jesus is coming back. The relationship with Jesus starts when you admit that you are lost. There is no hope without Jesus's promise that he's coming back.
He said we will be coming back. Jesus is immortal. Lord of Lords he lives in light so brilliant that human eyes can never see him.

Paul says that this excites him. Teach those who are rich not to be proud. To be generous to those in need. Instruct para angelo means come walk alongside like an angel. Live and walk alongside with someone that needs you.
V20 guard what God has entrusted to you. Be careful. Walk carefully. Guard yourself! We need each other. May God's grace be with you all.

Lord's supper. The Eucharist. Hope is an active decision. Live it in the community.
Jeremiah 29 work for the peace and prosperity of the city where God has put you.

Jake Plett Memorial service

Oct 18, 2013

Memories from:
Eddie and Erna of Port Colborne.

Sam knew grandpa the least. He was too far away. Grandpa loved the Bible. Tara and Sam work with troubled young people.
Is there anything more beautiful than a young couple? Yes! Old love. A couple holding gnarled hands in love. Growing old in love.
Parkinson's is hard. Rom 8:37 we are more than conquerers. Grandpa has not lost the battle. He was victorious through his savior. He did not fight to stay. He fought the good fight and finished the race. He loved singing. What a wonderful change in my life has been brought since Jesus came into my life. He is singing a new song face to face with Christ his savior.
1 Cor 15 death has lost its sting and life is not in vain.

Nico the singer will sing the song grandpa wrote: Help up the fallen Cheer up the sad Avoid all evil and bad. Hold unto Jesus By Him be led

Rachel. Alviera and Marvin's daughter. Grandpa loved unconditionally. Rides he gave to the great grandkids with the walker.

Dale. Leroy's son. Meaningful verse. Grandpa's faith was very important. Many years of mission work. Matth 25 faithful servant enjoy what God has in store for you.
Kim remembers her grandpa fondly

Garner and Betty Reimer. Loved spending time with them.

Mission Conference Austin EMMC

www.AustinEvangelicalFellowship.com
Loretta. Crisis Pregnancy Centre Brandon
We listen to people with values different than our own. A teenager cried deeply about her post abortion pain.
A young woman found out she would not be able to have children because of an abortion. She is getting married and mourns the loss of her ability to have children.
Jesus loves every person and our hope is that we can help each one to realize that there is redemption. Canada has no restrictions on abortion and 100,000 babies are aborted every year for convenience. We affirm and respect every client. We hope they will affirm the value of their baby.
We provide clothes and help them find housing when needed.
Housing can be very difficult to find when a woman is pregnant.
http://www.cpcbrandon.ca/
Recently a woman shared how she tried to kill herself after an abortion. Guilt of abortion.
Post abortion women find it hard to believe God could ever love them again. It's not too late for her. Love won when Jesus sacrificed himself. His love replaces ashes for beauty.
You don't have to be what you were before.
We pray for Loretta and the staff. May God bless their ministry.

Dedrich Friesen family
Music: The Family Bible. Mother singing Rock of  ages cleft for me.
We want to be a blessing wherever we go. God showed us how much he loves 2000 years ago.
Song. Jesus wants to love you. He will never fail you when the doubts assail you. His love is a boundless love that will last through all eternity.
We have a God that loves us so much that: I pledge allegiance to the lamb.

We went to Bolivia and preached and sang in low German plautdietch. They had heard us on the radio.
Sang one song over and over in low German:
Come you sinners lost and lonely. Jesus blood can make the vilest sinner clean.
Come, ye sinners, lost and hopeless,
Jesus' blood can make you free;
For He saved the worst among you,
When He saved a wretch like me.
Refrain:And I know, yes, I know
Jesus' blood can make the vilest sinner clean,
And I know, yes, I know
Jesus' blood can make the vilest sinner clean.

Message by Mr Friesen.
4 weeks in Bolivia. So amazed that people would invite us to sing. Mom and dad were musicians. My wife and I both had a strong call to missions as children. We felt God wanted us there. Came back to go to Bible school. We got called to Shipyard Belize to establish a church and school. God impressed upon us that we needed to minister in low German. Agatha started translating songs into low German. They sang on the radio in low German to some 40,000 listeners. They need the gospel in low German. Desperately needed.
12 year old girl Terri was babysitting her baby brother. She went out of the house. Then she saw smoke coming out of the house. She rushed into the house to rescue her baby brother. It was hard to pull him out from under the rafters. But she got him out. Why did she do it? "I heard my brother cry!"
How many people do you hear crying? What do you do about it? Are you responding?
Do you see what's most important in the eyes of God?
Mk 12:28 Jesus sums up the whole law: The LORD our God is the one and only LORD.
You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.'

The second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' No other commandment is greater than these."

Others will know you are Jesus' disciples when they see your love. How do we do that?
Matth 25 you visited the lonely and fed the hungry.

There are neighbors here that need love. Recently one life was lost right here in this community.
There are so many ways to show love to your neighbor.

I hope your service starts when you leave this place.

Shawn O'Kelly heard a mother of 5 was going hungry. He bought 3 bags full of groceries and delivered them. When the small child that opened the door saw him he called his mom to come quickly. "Jesus brought us food!"

If we gave 10% of our money to the church and all our love to others, there would be no hungry people.

How long has it been since you heard someone crying? Perhaps it's time.

Song: Each day I'll do a golden deed
By helping those who are in need
My life on earth is but a span
And so I'll do the best I can
Life's evening sun is sinking low
A few more days and I must go
To meet the deeds that I have done
Where there will be no setting sun
While going down life's weary road
I'll try to lift some traveler's load
I'll try to turn the night to day
Make flowers bloom along the way

Mission conference Austin

CSSM will become One Hope Canada. They had a fabulous year at Valley View Bible Camp this year. The horse program was very effective.

Chris and Cheryl Peters were in the Dominican Republic all summer.
Started going there with Green Valley Equipment in 2007 and been going there every year. Good jobs pay $7 a day. Maids get $1 a day. Not everyone has food every day. Building houses out there cost $700 per house.

When they graduate they get a small piece of land and they can grow 2 crops a year and support their families. 80% of women in some communities have HIV. Prostitution is legal. Most girls are pregnant by age 12.

1/2 of the children live in poverty. Sponsorships make a big difference in those villages.

Cultural shock for Jacqui 17 was overridden by the peace of knowing this is where God wanted me.

Got baptized in the ocean was her highlight. Ecstatic to be able to go. Got dengue fever. That was hard.

Jennifer: Want to go again. It was 40 degrees all summer.

Did hospital visitation. Hospitals don't provide food or bedding. Often a few patients became Christians. Cheryl lost 5 babies over the years. She was able to lead a woman (who had lost her baby) to Christ in DR hospital.

Went to visit a man in the men's ward who was comatose. The interpreter prayed for the man and he was healed.

The 40 degree heat was almost unbearable but the smiles and hugs made it all worthwhile. We lived in a gated community with armed guards and thieves were regularly shot with shotguns.

80% of the men are unemployed. The mission teaches them to work.

This last mission for 10 weeks was very challenging. He was teaching engine repair in DR. A course with no material trying to teach uneducated men how to repair engines. Very challenging. Also taught ethics.

Who is the queen in your home? The wife. Who is the king? The man. Who is the king of kings? Jesus. Men should model Jesus in the home. Jesus came to serve. Men ought to serve their wives.

Appreciate that we can share here. It was hard but willing to do it again.

God is good always. Open the eyes of my heart.

The Steinbach youth group went to Mexico through YUGO missions. Need to share Jesus. Evangelism. Reach out across the border. They need groups to create an event. Events draw people. The churches of Mexico request these teams to help them impact their communities. They learn from the teams that come in. Children's ministries
Soccer ministry to boys and girls. Go twice a day. The kids cling to us.
Going there is an easy place to share Christ. Let's go and share Christ here and there.
Women's ministry is very effective. They did a foot washing and ladies came to Christ.
Sports ministry was so powerful. All the guys prepared sermons and testimonies. All the participants were changed for life. There is now a different awareness.

We were there two years ago and God put us on the same soccer field and the community gang leaders said they would start going to church.
Safety is covered. We need to disciple. Jesus wasn't safe. When we go into uncomfortable territories God can change us and those around us. Let's mobilize our kids to go out make a difference. Our youth are showing the way. That's exciting!
Youth get 15-20 hours of preparatory training before leaving.
Dave was the Designated Old Guy (DOG) drove the big motorcoach bus. Through the narrow streets of the city. Shared his story. Cancer. Scared. Peace. Shared the gospel. Connected with people.

Curtis. This was his second trip. Scared spitless to share God's story. It was a blast to do this.

Allie. Her second trip. Maximum we had 12 kids at the site. That was hard. Would have liked to have more kids.  We had 24 people trying to teach those kids.

We worked with the churches. One of the kids on the trip had the opportunity to win a provincial championship but chose to go on this trip. Amazing!

Phase 12 Thai ministry

Www.EasTview.org
Phase 12 had 2 phases
1 training
2 travel to Thailand
Romans 12
Training in Falcon Lake
Team building exercises
Small group sessions
Worship time
5 leaders each mentored 2 students
Competed to not be last
Living conditions in Thailand were not what we are used to.
We shared and became vulnerable. Did a foot washing. That was emotional but it helped us support each other.
Spiritual gifts thinking was helpful.
As a leader it took a few days to adjust being with them 24,7
Really built a solid team.

Thailand
1st impressions. Why am I sweating? Went straight into a church service. Were welcomed.
Why is everything so smelly? Embrace the sweat.
Pick up kids from the slum. Houses built out of scraps.
Stayed at the lighthouse. On the 3 rd floor. So very very hot. 1 bathroom to share. 1 squatty and a hose on the wall.
Our days varied a lot. Start off with donuts from the market. 4ish do kids ministry. Ended the day in small groups.
Worked with Bethal church and Lighthouse.
Worked with the Hope Centre a youth ministry centre. Louise asked me to share my testimony. Shared how mom encouraged her to love her enemies. A handicapped girl in the audience really connected. 3 girls in the audience accepted Christ that day. I realized what a wonderful mom I have.

Video of the trip. Working with slum kids. Playing with them. Carrying them.
Doing touristy things
Teaching English to the kids.
Eating Thai food.
Enjoying the ocean.

Jeanette. Planning the English camp. Cory asked her to share the story of Jesus. Did a lot of worrying about what to say. It went well. Had to trust God for what to say.
One night went to an HIV family. The dad was dying. They prayed for his healing and he was healed. They still have lots of struggles.
Church for the Thais is a new and fresh thing. They eagerly share their faith. We grew from this experience. Bought a Bible and started reading it daily.
Need to learn not to be so selfish.
The Thai people have simplified their lives to be grateful for everything. The youth group is really dynamic there now. The new believers 2 years ago are now dynamic leaders of the church. They have really grown.
Get the book of stories that we prepared for you.

Cory
There were so many experiences we had. Watching the EasTview kids sharing the gospel every day all day. To see them share their faith. That was the highlight of the trip.
1st day Louise took 2 people to a factory to witness in the middle of Asia. Can you preach?
In cell groups the students shared  voluntarily whenever the opportunity came up. There is a new generation that loves God  enthusiastically.
To have a trusting relationship where we put others first. Christ sacrificed his life for us, now he trusts us to put Him first.
We are in the top 2% of wealth. This summer we witnessed the bottom.
It's about loving God wherever we are. To be moved by him to reach others. Your prayers made a big difference.
Tell people about Jesus. We are blessed and we have a responsibility to share.
I hope that stimulates you to bless others.

The Meeting House Oakville

Matt - the lead pastor is 30ish? 14th site opens today in Brantford. Katie attends in Ottawa.
Starting a series on modern family today. Not the tv show.
www.theMeetingHouse.com

http://m.youversion.com/events/268685

The vision of Jesus for the Church is that those who have left family and possessions to follow Jesus will receive things back even in the present age – a new and ever-enlarging family of their fellow-disciples, with homes open to them wherever they go. ~ N.T. Wright

Family is one of the metaphors Jesus uses. This series will:
1. Focus on family
2  singleness of Jesus
3. Singleness of Paul
4. Diversity in harmony
5. Hot seat Sunday

Ecclsia the gathering of the family of God. Church means gathering together of the people of the spiritual.

Family is supposed to have loyalty love safety security.
Brady bunch. All in the Family. There are some wild examples of family.
Paul wrote to 1Timothy 3.14 get back to church. You are called to community that rallies around.
Matt12.46-50
The Bible pictures the "church" as a... nation, race, body, bride, temple, family

Crowds are people that are interested. But not committed. Religious practices and religious pedigree do not make us a family. It takes committed people to be Jesus's family. Jesus pointed to the committed and said they are my brothers and sisters because they are living out the will of God. Jesus points out that women are included in his group of disciples.

How does this impact us? Peter and the disciples were always worried about which thrones they would sit on in the new kingdom.
When you follow Jesus you will get 100 x as many homes and when you die you'll get the cherry on top of eternal life.

Take out: share a meal
Adjust the experience of what it means to be a church. A list can become legalism. We need examples to inspire us to follow.

Kimmy and Fred are here to talk family. Fred: Connected to home church. Kimmy has a bunch of stories. Kimmy is an elder. Fred now gets supper at Kimmy's house. He does the dishes.

Go for lunch and invite others to join the family meal.

Now it's your time to sign up for a home church. Arrange a meal. Invite someone for lunch today. Every week we get together to meet family of Jesus. Get together with someone you don't know. We are family because of Jesus. We share communion because of Jesus. Reflect and celebrate.

I will exalt you. You are my God. My hiding place.

Christ is risen from the dead.

Musical grandchildren

60th anniversary of George and Maria Wiebe.
Interview by the grandchildren:
Where did you learn: If you don't have time to do it right the first time how will you have time to do it again?
Grandma did you have other dreams besides marriage? Wanted to have cows to milk.
One year of dating once a week. Went to the weddings in a horse and buggy with wooden spokes on the wheels.
Grandpa did you have any other dreams? No.
How old were you when your first child was born? 43 How old were you when your youngest child was born? 90. How did you manage raising 13 children?
We had $1,000 and got a one month working permit.  In 3 years got Canadian citizenship.
What do you love most about each other? The love she he has for God.
How do you keep married for 60 years? Always make everything right before going to bed.

Grandchildren sing: You are my sunshine.

Milton Loewen: moved to Arborg in the same year. The Wiebes have been a real blessing to us.
They drew their strength from the Lord. They made simple vows 60 years ago.
King David recognized that he needed to praise the Lord. How long is your list of blessings? We are getting older. David prayed that God would keep him in old age. Praise God more all the time.
God will guide us. We will flourish in old age. Ps 91 the Lord is my refuge.
God's hand is over you. May God richly bless you!
Kids Anna Susan Anna Peter Marie Jake Tina George Helen Margie Nettie Abram Abe Johnny Martha plus 10 spouses children and grandchildren = 106-4 in the family.

Riverton Community Service

This service today is in memory of pastor Don who passed away recently.
Unity and diversity. People telling their faith stories. God's Word in many languages. 1st Corinthians 12:12-13 Romans 12:3-5
English French Ukrainian Icelandic Spanish German

Hymn: The love of God.
Were every stalk on earth a quill and every man a scribe by trade to write the love of God above would drain the oceans dry

Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus.
Oh for grace to trust him more

Come thou fount of every blessing.

Faith story Menno Friesen
Sharing our faith walk should be an encouragement to you. Grew up in a wonderful home. Parents tried to install biblical values. I rebelled trying to do my own thing. Called Christianity a crutch. I wanted fire insurance for protection from the fries of hell. Was in several accidents and came out of it alive even though we got soaked in gasoline. Tried to hide during thunderstorms. In 72 went hunting and prayed that if God existed he would send a moose to him without taking another step. A moose came straight at him and when the moose was less than 50' away he finally had the gun loaded and dropped the moose. God said this is nothing for me. You will see greater things. From that day on I've served the Lord. It took some struggles to die to self. Do you really love me? Jesus asked. My life changed so dramatically. I became a new creation. God was making all mankind his friends. God said go and share the good news.

Enjoy your faith walk. You are a new creation. It's wonderful and we have heaven to look forward to. When my vitals stopped a few years ago I had a taste of heaven. The angels were with the doctor and staff that day.

Hecla pastor John: in volunteering with Siloam I have realized there are lots of needs. Today's offering is for the Riverton Food Bank. It is not government funded. Your donations keep it going. 50 families need this every week. You can also volunteer.

Riverton Lutheran church choir: A wonderful savior is Jesus my Lord.
Oh come angel band and bear me away in your snowy wings to my immortal home.

Children's feature: A sheep story. Little lamb what are you doing out there by yourself? I have a shepherd that looks after me but I ran away and got hurt and scared. Then my shepherd called and I was so happy to respond. I heard all the wolves howling and when I heard my shepherds voice I responded so happily. Now I'm happy to be in the fence my shepherd built. Jesus is the good shepherd who looks after us. He loves you. Jesus loves me this I know. The Bible tells me so.

Special Music: Willie Nelson song. That Bible on the table. Dad would read to us from the family Bible. I can see us sitting round the family and hear my mother softly singing rock of ages cleft for me. If we only had more Bibles on the family table.

Thrift Shop story: Luanna Friesen. A black garbage bag. Could contain the remnants of a life well lived. I work as a volunteer. I'm swiss. Amish. I never met a perhogie till I moved to Manitoba. The thrift shop is what keeps me busy. I belong to Christ you belong to Christ I belong. I bring hope to the world. 34 years ago Ruben and I were invited to join the thrift shop start up. We served on the board for 20 years. Volunteered there for 40 hours a month bridging the gap between the black garbage bag and hope.

Special Music: His Church song by Ruth Dyck and daughter. Be encouraged it is His church. The cornerstone is in place. It's God's church. Not yours not mine.

Faith Story: young man's story: The Crazy Farmer. Wanted to do things differently. By hand. He seeded each seed by hand and watered it all by hand. Even seed that was planted many years ago. He never gave up. God is like that, caring for each of us and never giving up hope. Theology is trying to understand the logic of God. Jesus gave himself and died for us. Let's sing Amazing Grace.

Music Ministry: Amazing Grace.  Sam & Barb

Closing and Prayer: Dwight Plett
We have seen people working together and we are having potluck
Closing song Jesus loves me sung in all the languages simultaneously.

The essentials of church. Worship

www.EasTview.org
Pastor Dave Ens.
In 42 years I may have attended 1,400 church services. Why? What are the things that make the wheel go round?
Take a spoke out of the wheel and it loses integrity.
1Tim 2.1 First of all then... refers to something before this. Keep the church on track.

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.
Paul is challenging us.
Mark 12.30 Love the Lord and your neighbor goes together.
Where does it flow from?

1st you need to worship God. What's the chief end as humans. To glorify God and enjoy him forever.
How you understand God depends on your understanding of God. Get worship right. They had all kinds of arguments in the early church. Worship had to get right.
Presentation and order is not important. Entertainment is not worship. The church can't compete in the entertainment world. Each episode of 'Thrones' costs $6 million dollars to produce.
Does my worship pull me out of this world? Or do I find something bigger. Experience know and appreciate God who is so much bigger than I can imagine.
When we worship we are all at the same place at the foot of the cross.
God's love sustains us. Of the 1400 times I've been in church Psalm 27:4 behold the beauty of the Lord.
1Tim 2.1-9 the Lord our God and savior wants everyone to be saved.
When we get threatened we retreat. Paul wants us to reach out.
The church needs to be salt and light but FIRST OF ALL get your worship right.
Transcend our pressures and fears. Worship is an essential spoke in the wheel.
Read Scripture together to worship God. Rev. 5 fall down and worship.

What is working in the kingdom of God?

Mark 2.1,12
Falcon Lake Church
Pastor Brian Hamilton
What is easier, tell him he is forgiven or tell the paralyzed man to get up and walk?
Jesus was back home in Capernaum. Jesus was making a huge impact. News spread quickly. Soon there was a crowd at the door spilling out unto the street. People at the windows trying to see and hear Jesus. 4 men showed up with a physically handicapped friend. This is strange for that era. Handicapped people were mostly ignored. These friends carried the paralytic. They could not get through the door so they climbed up and chopped a hole in the roof so they could lower the man to the feet of Jesus!
Would I be willing to do that? These men are a good example to us.
1. They were people focused and willing to be inconvenienced. Could they have been the 1st row? Yes They were healthy men.
They had to repair the roof afterwards. Be concerned about others more than about ourselves.
2. They had a spirit of cooperation. One might have been able to haul him up the roof and drop him at Jesus' feet. Jesus could have healed him of the concussion too. We all need each other. We have different gifts but as we work together the kingdom gets built.
3. Conviction. These men were determined to reach Jesus. That determination meant victory and healing to their friend. That determination causes church growth. James Corbett was a boxing star. How do you get to the top? Fight one more round.
4. They knew that the most important thing for their friend was to be laid at the feet of Jesus. Will we disturb others too much. Thank you God for people willing to dig holes in roofs. People willing to bring friends to Jesus.
Imagine what God can do if we all become willing like the 4 friends to bring people to Jesus.
Come back to the cross and say Lord forgive me.
See yourself in the story to be led of the Lord and bring others to the feet of Jesus.
That can only be done in the power of God.
Let's pray.
Come thou fount of every blessing.

All People's Church

Pastor Brian Hamilton
Communion
Luke 22.7
John 17
I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me.
The essence of the Lord's table is unity.
Paul was scolding the early church for creating disunity. We need to be brought to complete unity.
Nova Scotia was as beautiful as ever. We felt belonging with the family. When parents die some people feel like orphans.
have always felt secure in his family. His Mom wrote a letter to Brian every week since he left home at age 18. Last week she gave it to him in person. (She's 81 now)
Mom provided a package of goodies every month. She kept reminding him of home and family.
God has placed eternity in our hearts. That's how God made us.
Jesus left us a message to celebrate the Lord's table. His message to us is that He loves us. Jesus prayed for our protection.
When you pick up your communion cup and bread think
How much Jesus loves you.
We are significant in Jesus's eyes.
We've created so many things to make us feel significant. When you participate this morning remember that Jesus was willing to sacrifice himself.
Mom was always concerned about him. Communion reminds us of God's presence.
Jesus said I'm leaving for your benefit. I'm sending the Holy Spirit to be with you all the time.
Jesus wants a close relationship. Rev 3 Jesus says I stand at your door and knock. Come near and eat with me. There is a safe place. The Lord's table is A care package from our home in heaven to remind us of his love. Remember Jesus today.
Celebrate God's presence today. Thank God Jesus forgave you.
This is my body BROKEN for you.
This cup is the new covenant.

Harry Funk and family

Harry Funk and family at All People's Church in Falcon Lake.
The 5 couples shared one cottage this weekend. Last night they had no hot water. Emergency repair and they are all here sparkling clean.
Psalm 23 is a favorite. Husband was a teacher and then a pastor in 4 churches. Where to retire was a hard decision. Set aside a day of fasting and prayer. The next day we both knew that Portage La Prairie. Now working with needy boys ministry.
Song:
Here we stand at a crossroads again. We turn our hearts to what is yet to come. We know you will lead us Lord. Prepare our hearts to risk again to lead a life of fruitfulness.
Like a shepherd God protects us. John 9. Jesus came to give us abundant life. He gives us strength. Reach out and experience the breadth and depth of God's love. Glory to God through all millennia.
Song duet
He leads me by his hand he leads me through Jordan or wherever. His faithful follower I will be.
Solo by Harry
There has never been a friend like Jesus. We walk hand in hand through this pilgrim land. Let me recommend this friend so faithful.
Group song
Because the Lord is my shepherd I have everything I need. I will never be afraid because he is close beside me.
Reading
Our shepherd gives us nourishment of every kind. Psalm 59 I will sing of your strength
Solo
Your love is life to me. My truest longing my deepest need. Without it I don't know where I'd be. Your love is life to me.
Ladies Quartet
Holy Words long preserved. Ancient words will guide us home. They will change us they will change you. They resound with God's own heart.
Reading
Shout for joy.
Song
Harry with the Ladies Quartet
God will carry the lambs close to His heart.
When I pause in God's presence I enter God's cathedral. There are times when I can't feel his presence because doubts fill me.

All Peoples Church Falcon Lake

Pastor Brian Hamilton has a twin. His name is Brian Hamilton and he works for Ambassadors For Christ of Woodstock NB a mission that works in Cuba and Cambodia.
Oh wait no, he is the same fellow!

Philippians 3.7 I consider everything rubbish compared to Christ.
A popular movie that came out a few years ago, Elephant Man. Brought people to evaluate self worth. The man was considered a freak and a circus object until a doctor saw through his deformities.

It is now 50 years since "I have a dream" speech by Dr Martin Luther King.

There are cultural ideas of ideas of worth. Handsome males and beautiful women are in. All others are...

Sweat pants used to be only for exercise. Now our gods and goddesses make many people feel useless.

A man from Switzerland with the Elephant Man syndrome came to Falcon and was amazed at the beauty here. He shared how he had been shunned.

If a doctor who works among the poorest of Africa is ignored. Angelina Jolie gets lots of attention.

Jesus identified with the poor and outcast. God loves the poor. He made so many of them.

God chose the week to shame the wise. Anything we rely on can become an idol to us. In Cambodia idols were easy to see. Our idols are more difficult to see. Our idols are the things we think about all the time.

Dr Paul Brandt wrote lots of books. There were lots of good preachers in England. Then he encountered a fisherman preacher Willie, a simple man who showed Paul the image of God. That changed his life.

Beauty fades wealth gets left behind.

Mother Theresa said when she looked into the face of a begger she prayed that she would see the face of Christ.

Music by James Fast of SCHS. His chamber choir won top honors in Chicago recently.
Next Sunday Harry Funk will lead the music and devotional. Pastor Brian and Linda will be in Nova Scotia to celebrate his father's 80th birthday.

May all who come behind us find us faithful.

The Gap between Me and God

Www.TheMeetingHouse.com/Oakville Christa Hesselink @clhesselink teacher:
Sin is missing the mark. We are full of sin. Jesus is the only one who can rescue us.
The higher the need for rescue the higher the impact of rescue.
Dramatic rescues:
Deal with life and death. The Chilean miners needed a dramatic rescue.
The whole story of the Bible is about the most needed and dramatic rescue of all time. Jesus is the rescuer going to the place of bondage to rescue us. Rom 3:22-25

I need a God who can rescue me.
I was rescued I am being rescued I will be rescued.
God's motivation is love. Rick and Dick Hoyst are running marathons. The son is paralyzed so the father carries him through the races. God our father takes us and carries us.
Let love in.

God has already rescued you. Make sure you get in touch with God. Live as a follower of Christ. Sameness leads to numbness. Participate in rescuing others to stay in touch with the dramatic rescue.
Sing a new song together.

God is able.

Wisdom: get to know God. Trust

1) Holy words long preserved for our walk in this world,they resound with God's own heart, oh let the ancient word impart.
words of life words of hope give us strength help us cope in this world wherein we roam, ancient word will guide us home

chorus 
ancient word ever true changing me and changing you we have come with open hearts oh let the ancient word impart

2) Holy word of our faith handed down to this age come to us through sacrifice o heed the faithful words of christ
Holy words long preserved for our walk in this world they resound with God's own hearto let the ancient word impart
chorus

3) Martyr's blood stains each page they have died for this faith hear them cry through the years heed these words and hold them clear.

Chorus(4x)

Dave Ens pastor
Proverbs 3.5
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own heart. Parallelism. Or Trust in the Lord with all your understanding and lean not on your own understanding. We like to say to God, help my life to go the way I think it should go.
What does it mean to acknowledge God? Oh hi there you are? Hello?
In Hebrew it says 'know' God. Discover what God plans for you.
How do we get to know God? Study. Practice what we know God wants us to do. Walk with God in the everydayness of life. In all your ways... get to know God every step of the journey. Live with eyes open towards God.
There is a direct correlation between the time spent to know God and the ability to trust God.
A youth pastor came to talk to Dave. I don't believe in God because he hasn't answered my prayer. I prayed that a certain girl would come and ask me out but she hasn't.
Proverbs 16.3 let go to the Lord whatever you do and God will establish your plan.
Saul's priest is doing through the rituals to get God to listen to him. Jonathan says this is ridiculous. If God wants to defeat the enemy he'll do it. Jonathan moved ahead with his armour bearer. God have Jonathan the victory. 600 people can't beat the enemy, but 2 people and God can.
Listen and God will make your path well and right filled with integrity. The manner in which you live your life will be straight.
In every situation you can walk in honesty.

Kingdom Rock: Where Kids Stand Strong For God

Kingdom Rock: Where Kids Stand Strong For God. This week at www.EasTview.org

Pineridge: Get out of the Boat; Treading Water

http://www.thechurchatpineridge.org/
They are / have / will be doing the c2c series. They have the 8x8 cross that used to be at EasTview.org. They installed 2 new projectors. One facing the front the other to the screen at the back. 1 service approx 120 people.
Good singing group. All modernist "worship" songs.

Pastor Lorne:
Matth 14 we like the word immediately. We will not talk about that. We'll talk about waiting. Do you like waiting? Sailing in a crisp wind is fun. Sometimes we got stuck in the middle of the lake with all the wind gone out of the sails.
Waiting at the park entrance you are
Happy
The opportunity to invite them to church
Pass by on the shoulder
40,000,000,000 hours are spent waiting in North America each year. We hate to wait.
A person without patience is like a car with no brakes.
God gives you opportunities to wait.
Becalmed
Interruptions happen. They are opportunities to learn patience.
Irritations
You can sit on a mountain easier than on a tack. Inactivity
Patience carries a lot if wait.
Lord I need patience and I need it now!
When people got impatient waiting for elevators they install mirrors so people can see themselves and check their hair etc.
Becalmed
People say I'm just waiting on the Lord.
Becoming Patient
Discover a bigger protective.
We want God's resources without waiting. I must learn to trust God and wait for him to do it. To the Lord a thousand years are like a day.
Patience comes when we see life from God's point of view. Patience develops strength. The marshmallow test. Those who waited would get more marshmallows. They were the people who became successful in life.
Wait to deepen your faith. Noah waited 120 years till his boat floated.
Amen. Come Lord Jesus. The Bible talks more about Jesus's second coming than his first.
God always has the last word. Depend on Jesus's power. God will give you patience. The Egyptians chased the Israelites with evil intent. Moses said wait. God's got it under control.
What God is doing is part of the process of becoming what God wants us to do. God is waiting for you.
God's promise
Those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength.
Flap your wings. Glide. Or soar like an eagle.
God is giving you power to soar. Not on your own strength. Keep running. God will give you strength to soar in due time. He knows your condition. Jesus kept walking. He was not soaring on the way to Calvary. He stumbled and fell.
It will be worth the wait to trust in the Lord. Remember the suffering of Jesus when we take communion. We will celebrate Jesus's willingness to suffer to pay the penalty we should have paid. Jesus took your pain. Love is patient. The first word used to describe love.

Communion is served with a gluten free option.

Finding Balance

www.EasTview.org
The 16 youth go to Thailand leaving Friday morning. Phase 12 Corey Bell has created a blog www.phase12Thailand.blogspot.ca . They will be helping Dave and Louise with the church planting ministry.

The Grey Owls are going on the Prairie Dog Central on Tuesday 11 a.m. call 204.222.8080

A good worship song praises God. It's to worship God, not singing about God. Instead of Forever God is with us, sing, Forever You are with us. Makes a big difference!
Hosana you are with us

Terrance: Sophia's Garden. Yoda's Garden. Wisdom. Listen to what God has to say. When we water the plants they grow. Not instantly. It takes time. Same with praying for wisdom. We pray and sometimes it takes a while.

Our bodies are designed to take breaks. We need to sleep. Every day. Rest to get strong.

Psalm 23. The Lord is my Shepherd. He gives me strength.

When you make bread the dough has to rest before baking. Flowers need to rest to grow.

Andrea Toews, Children's Ministry:
The plants are growing. When watering the plants I pray for God's guidance. Sharing the Word is such a responsibly. Wisdom is more than knowing what it is, but to be obedient to God.

I have been amazed at how these plants have grown!

Last Sunday's object lesson worked well. A Mars bar a day, at work rest and play. The ad leaves the impression that the Mars bar creates a well balanced life.

Leisure can be very stressful. A perfect plan can get very exhausting.
A lesson from jelly beans. 28,000 days of our lives. What are you going to do today?
Is there a perfect balance for life?
Proverbs: Do not love sleep or you'll go hungry. Learn from the ants. Work work work.  Or poverty will attack you! Like a bandit.
God gives rest to God's loved ones. God's burden is light. God values hard work but wants rest in our lives.
God painted a picture of what is good balance. He worked 6 days and then he rested from all his work. God wants us to have rhythm. Circadian rhythm has been built into us. Our calendars have been built on the 7 day rhythm. A French experiment of running a10 day week left the people exhausted. The Soviet Eternal calendar was a 5 day week. They staggered work days. That did not work. So they implemented a 6 day week. That did not work so eventually they switched back to the 7 day week. God designed us to take a day to worship him. Take time to be holy. Let God be your guide. In joy or in sorrow still follow your Lord.
Work is part of creation. God values it. Busy is easy, smart is hard.
Jesus and his disciples went off to rest. Jesus left the crowd just when there were so many people that needed his help.
Leonardo DaVinci knew he needed rest to do his best thinking.
Rest helps us to be more effective. Aesop said a bow needs to rest so it can produce music. You'll be the best for the Lord if you loosen the bow.

Sticks and Stones May

Great Is Thy Faithfulness
Ancient Words Lynn Deshazo http://lyrics.bradlis7.com/songs.php?song=106 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIF3GQJF72g

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Greg Armstrong
A Boy Named Sue - names can hurt.
Ancient words are so true
James. We can steer a horse with a bit or a ship by a small rudder. No one can tame the tongue. Can a fig tree bear olives?

Inadequate. Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me. That's ridiculous!

If I am a child of the I Am I can say to you, you are!

Sin is sin. Telling lies. Spreading rumors. Unsigned letters. That's bullying. Leads to suicide.

I was told in grade 5 that I would not amount to anything. For 20 years it was true. That word hurt me for all that time. The great I Am loved me more than that teacher hated me.

The power of the tongue. The grace of God is greater. Keep your tongue under control. Even fools that keep their mouth shut are considered wise.

By your words you will be judged. Proverbs 26.20 fire goes out without wood.
Soulpancake you are beautiful. Give compliments.

If I say I know the I Am then I can say you are beautiful.

Isaac means laughter. Zacchaeus means hope.
The name change happens over time. Jesus is changing you. Saul named after the king was changed to Paul means small.

A childless old man Abram was renamed Abraham. God renamed Jacob (grasper) to Israel (God wrestler).

Greg and Gregory. Sometimes I'm one sometimes the other.

Your new name is God's name for you. He gives you a white victory stone with your name inscribed on it.

You can no more make amends for harmful words than you can gather the feathers of a pillow scattered in the wind. Fix your gaze on the name God gave you.

Summer wisdom: Being

James 2:19-27, 3:13-18
www.EasTview.org/media
Delbert Enns
All for Jesus? We live in tension everyday. I want to be more like I used to be. What makes me happy? Where does the good life come from? I want I want I want! Can I live the good life without pain?
Do you like reno projects? Do the expenses ever stop? Does chasing the good life ever stop? Do the kids ever stop wanting more?
Why do keep chasing the good life? Do we go to God like a vending machine? We want our little buckets filled. Emotional, happiness, satisfaction. We think God should fill those buckets.

James defines the good life. A way of doing life. Humility with wisdom and gentleness. Who had greater wisdom? Thomas Edison or his mom? His teacher sent a note saying he was too dumb to teach. His mom decided to teach him at home. She taught him everything she knew.
Whatever we have been told we are, we become, unless someone is willing to raise us up.
Wisdom is not a popularity contest. Wisdom comes with the humility of what God has done. Tom's mom taught him about God. Home schooled and prepared to be an inventor.

Check point!
What motivates you? Selfish ambition? Check your heart! Pure heart? Evil? Psalm 16: don't shop for God by brand name. Message
2. Peace making lifestyle. Are you at peace with those around you? v17 willing to yield and be at peace.
3. Committed to the process of getting wisdom from God? Treat each other with dignity and honor. Talk to someone and bring peace to them. 
Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration. Thomas Edison

4. Perseverance in prayer. 1:5 God says ask and I will give. Pick up God's word and read.
Pray! Pray! Pray!

Fellowship with those you don't normally associate with and make a difference this week.

Proverbs and Wisdom Literature

Early bird gets the worm. Everything has an end excerpt the sausage has two.

Www.EasTview.org
Pastor Dave Ens
What does biblical wisdom do for us? God is right there with us. The Greek word for wisdom is Sophia.

There are many voices out there. What do you listen to? How can we find wisdom. The oldest wisdom book is the book of Job. There is a transaction between God and Satan in a bizarre chain of events. Job's 3 friends speak to Job the traditional wisdom. For a long time they argue back and forth. Job 28. It's a ballad about where shall wisdom be found?
God understands the way to wisdom. The fear of the Lord is wisdom.
That's the mystery of finding wisdom.
Fear of the Lord is an interesting line. It's about God is God and I am not. Turn to God for wisdom. Wisdom is perspective. If you need more, ask God. Wisdom is a posture that leans to God. A fool is someone who says there is no God. Wisdom eludes the fool.
Job's friends mean well. They think they have it figured out.
God gives wisdom to everyone who asks. Happy are those who find wisdom.

Meetinghouse Oakville

> Grow the membership.

> Invite 100,000 people to accept Jesus. Each person to introduce 4 people to Jesus. Who are the 4 people in my life. Goals. We need to make them real. Some people can make a face to face invite. Not me.
An older gentleman prayed for Matt Vincent. Thought he led him to the Lord. We need to be honest open relational
> Care
Maybe we are sponsoring 1000s of kids. Can we concentrate on sponsoring in Malawi so we can go visit them? Send them letters.

Jesus heals and forgives
Mark 2:1-12 Mark gets right into the story. Friends take the paralyzed man to Jesus. Everyone is pushing to see Jesus. They went up on the roof, removed some tiles and lowered him. The first thing Jesus did was forgive them. For wrecking Jesus's home.
The religious gate keepers were upset. No one can forgive sins but God alone. Jesus knew their thoughts. Which is easier? Forgive sins or heal? He is either who Jesus said he is or a fake. The son of God or a hypocrite. Jesus healed the man to prove he is who he says he is. Deut 18:20-22 a fake prophet must die. Jesus is not fake.

If Jesus has changed me they will want to know. The things that are important to Jesus need to be important to me.

Not Flasher evangelism. We need to be real and share our faith. Who are the 4 people I need to develop relationships.  Am I authentic and natural? Have I been authentic?
Let's reach out personally to 100,000 people and share with them what happened to me when I met Jesus.

The Meeting House

Speaker youth pastor Dave:
Energetic speaker. He was the speaker at an event and a girl in a wheelchair volunteered to sing a song. She was fabulous. The Lord sees the heart not as man sees.
Jesus was able to communicate that he saw people as God sees. David was disqualified from the worship service because he was too young too small. When Samuel saw David he knew here is the anointed king of Israel.
All of us live with faults and failures and we tend to concentrate on that. We are made in the image of God. Concentrate on God. Caleb was born with defects and lived only for one hour but he was loved. God is willing to hold us and love us no matter what.

Sarah:
There is power in words. I am your father who loves you. We've all have had moments where words made a real impact. You are seen and loved. We must be willing to partner with God and help others see God.
I was adopted. Why wasn't I good enough for my mom? I have a fabulous parents and the adoption was the best thing that happened to me. I need to speak God's love into others. Help others see that because of God's love Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice.
Paul met Timothy and saw something. He called him to go alongside him.
2Timothy 1:2 I am writing to Timothy, my dear son.
May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord give you grace, mercy, and peace.
Paul says I want to spend time with you.
Dad always said: Sarah you are beautiful a gift from God I will love you forever.
It's all about God and what he's done for us.

I can imagine Renee giving this presentation. I think about her every day. I'm often struck with moments of paralysis of grief.

Satellite located in downtown Toronto at 259 Richmond Street West
http://www.themeetinghouse.com/locations/downtown-toronto/

Celebration Sunday

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Celebrate children advancing to the next level in our church's children's ministry. 40 hours a year. Parents have 4,000 hours a year to teach their children. God placed them into the home for a reason.

Thomas means twin and we pray that he will grow up to be a twin with Jesus.
Ember means to glow.
Olyvia olive tree peace don't worry about anything
Blessed and beautiful
Dylan Andrew off the sea the strong one. Gavin white-hawk you will battle through the struggles of life. Jesus is the son of God.
We pray that they will each feel the certainty of God's presence.
Nathan is in grade 4. What did I learn? Genesis to chronicles. We can trust God no matter what.
Nicole and Jenna take care of the 2 year olds.

Cassie. I can always turn to God no matter what.
Jenna is one of the teachers of the 3 year olds. It's so worth it to teach these kids. They all have a special future. They were a lot of trouble but so fun.

Brad. I learned that I'm human and that's ok. God invites me back.
Kids Moving from Kids Cove to 56 Degrees. They get a Bible as a gift. Don't let dust collect on them. Your parents have written a message into your Bible just for you.

Mr Kroeker. Experienced lack of energy diagnosed with congestive heart failure. Felt God's nearness through it all. Every day was a test. Learned to trust God. My faith in Jesus my savior sustains me. There is still the rest of the story. God began a good work.
Levonne led the group through 56 Degrees to bring the Bible alive to each of the kids. The kids collect points for points toward the Triple B Trophy. And the winners by 87 points are the boys! They are moving into youth group now. They each now get a Bible protector.

Oh Lord you never let go of me!
This year's babies presentation.

One Heart service Winnipeg

Prayer time to pray for Winnipeg. For government leaders, police services, education systems including bill 18, new Canadians, aboriginal community. 6 minutes.
Milt Stegall football player testimony: Life is not all about me. It's about Jesus. Read the Bible. There is no 85% commitment. The ultimate team sport is football with only one goal. Win.
Churches need to learn to give God the glory. There is only one thing for sure. You will die. Give God the glory.
Pastor Mark Hughes:
Any Given Sunday. Today over 1,000,000,000 people around the world get together to celebrate Christ.
One Lord, one coach, one church, one team.
When we really become one church we will make a big difference.
Inch by inch we will fight and die. See the guy next to you. We either work as a team or we die individually. We are all on the same team. Jesus said you all are the the light of the world. Vince Lombardi started to win 75% of the games. You may not like them but you must love them. The players must love one another.
In 1963 Martin Luther King said the most segregated hour in North America is 11 a.m. Sunday morning. It is still that way.
Love Winnipeg starts tomorrow. To make the gospel real to Winnipegers. Brandon helps at a homeless shelter. They donated their shoes. He wrote a book: "The barefooted church". Told the story in church. The bus driver donated his shoes the next week.
It's time for us to get out of the pews and love the neighborhood. Change our world!
We need every one on the team. If you are not saved, come now.

Dr Curt Thompson Being Known Attachment

Curt@BeingKnown.com

Delighting in the Trinity is a recommended book.
God can't help himself but create.

Never too late to change. When you get to 75 God will change you. You will be a blessing for generations.  Make sense of your story. That will create secure attachments. Thank the grocery store clerk for the good job she did yesterday. Life is not about not being messy but how do you deal with life's messes.
When 4 year olds make a picture they make a mess and bring you their treasure.
Jesus said here's news. I'm going away. If he had stayed here we would keep begging him for favours.
Toxic ruptures happen in life. You said ten I heard two. The first 12 months of the infants life is all about joy after joy. Life is about discovering the world. Do we let the 15 month old eat the begonias? How do you do it? STOP or join the fun.

Tolstoy said we are created for joy. Did you have at least 5 minutes of joy this weekend? Babies come into this world looking for someone to need them.

We can't wait until ruptures happen before we figure out how we'll deal with them. Tripod of awareness: Open Observe how does this connect to the now? 10,000 hours of Practice. Know all about the iceberg.  Say sorry to fix ruptures.

2 groups of rats. One gets nothing but all the good stuff. The other group gets all the stress with short good stuff portions. The stressed end up with better brains.

With repair we get better. Ultimate rupture repair happens over time. We need honest friendships.

We have shame attendants that go with us wherever we go. We sense it so easily. Get a 3x5 card and just make a mark every time you sense it. The shame attendant keeps coming back again and again.

For the joy set before us God keeps telling me. I hear it in song and art. What do you picture? God is delighted in your presence.

Let's work on The development of healing communities. Song: Sara Gross. Lay down your arms give up the fight. Love is a mystery a miracle.
We are called to embody miraculous things. We must embody 1 Cor 13. Rethink group therapy to get over the issues. 1 John 1:9 confess, telling the truth of my life. You have the fruit of the Spirit. What if you decided to embody each of the attributes for 1 week each? What would that look like?
The story of Neuro science needs to be told by Christians. Articulate the new paradigm.  What is the Difference between feelings and emotions? What is shame? What are other things we attach to those words? Where do we feel that? Do we feel love right now? The individual is the most important thing in the iWorld. The Bible does not say that.
We have to know our anthropology.

Living: Hallmarks of the Spirit-led Life?

Dave Ens
www.EasTview.org
1Cor 12: - 13:
Happy Mother's Day
Thankful for the women that make such an important difference in our lives.

What do you think when you hear the word Christians? Judgemental? Malcolm Gladwell says we always make judgements. What jersey are you wearing? We judge in so many ways.

We are made to be a being of integrity. Jesus said you know a tree by the fruit that it bears. What does your life show?

What defines a spirit filled life look like? We can put on carnivals without love and it's useless. Gal5:22 the fruit of the spirit.

The fruit of the spirit is relegated to the kids. Mostly we get negative news. Occasionally there is a fruit of that spirit report.
Someone has demonstrated love joy peace. Do we force it happen or do we "show love even if it kills me?"
Some people in Paul's day wanted to enforce the law. But Paul says you then negate the grace of God.
Isaac was so anxious to look like everyone else. His suit didn't help to find friends. We were meant to live in the freedom of Christ.

How can we bring patience into our situations? Persevere. Be ok with the fact that you are on a journey. The work we are asked to do is to abide in God. Plunk yourself down in the midst of God. What does that look like for you?

Find ways to stay connected.
Next week Delbert will talk about that.

FMD - DON'T DO IT!

Mark your calendar: May 26 1p.m. for One Heart Winnipeg worship service. Get together with 25,000 Christians to a citywide celebration of Jesus at the first public event at the new Blue Bomber stadium at the University of Manitoba.

Living: Natural vs Supernatural Gifts
Dave Ens
www.EasTview.org
Happy Spring! Yard work didn't used to hurt so much!
Jesus said out of the believers heart will flow rivers of living water. What flows out is determined by what went in.
1Cor 12. Each of us has been given gifts.
There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.
Paul wrote this letter to the churches of Corinth. 500,000 people lived there with people from around the world. Rich cultural diversity a city of the unchecked ego. Do what you feel like it. Ego cannot be satisfied. It is unstoppable. An uncontrollable monster. A screaming child getting hauled out of the store because he can't have what he wants. Ego can be very dangerous. I want what I want more more more.

We should be reading 1Corinthians in our day. We have the done issues today. We want good feelings. Spirituality drugs. Help us feel good.

What is Paul talking about? Now, dear brothers and sisters, regarding your question about the special abilities the Spirit gives us. I don't want you to misunderstand this. You know that when you were still pagans, you were led astray and swept along in worshiping speechless idols. So I want you to know that no one speaking by the Spirit of God will curse Jesus, and no one can say Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit.

We can be so hungry for spirituality in our world because we are made for God. It can become an egotistical rush. I'm more spiritual than you! They sorted into divisions in the church. I'm more spiritual than you! Get rid of this division. All Christians are equally saved through the Spirit. Jesus is Lord and nothing else is. Caesar is NOT Lord. Saying that was akin to suicide.
Paul is calling us to surrender our gifts to God for the good of our community.

FMD - DON'T DO IT!
Forget Mother's Day? Next Sunday
http://skitguys.com/videos

This Table - written in 1993

This Table




Broken.

Cut from side to side.

Life is like that

sometimes.

Through a series of foolish errors we are broken.

Or

we break others.

That hurts.

We

learn. We remember. We heal in time.



This coffee table is in the centre of our living room. We see it every day. We use it every day. We put things on it. It carries our loads. But its glass top is broken. Four pieces of glass where there was one. Held together with glass mending glue. Three lines run through it. Reminding us.



Renee, this glass broke when you sat on the cutting board that should never have been left on this table. No one picked it up and put it away.

You know you should not sit on the coffee table.

We know that cutting boards do not belong on coffee tables. We know that people should not sit on cutting boards.

But you did.

The pressure point of the cutting board edge on the glass broke the glass tabletop.

You learned a lesson.

You were sorry. You cried. But the glass was broken.



Your daddy saw what you did. He forgave you and mended the glass with mending glue. But the lines remain. Reminding us of our lives.



Your mom and dad experienced much pain and brokeness when one by one your brothers Kris and Jason went to be with the Lord. God has healed us but the scars remain.

Sometimes they still ache. You will experience pain in your life. Let this table remind you that God heals.

He heals when others hurt you deliberately or accidentally. He heals when you hurt yourself. Be careful where or who you sit with in life.



This table reminds us of God. Three lines run through it from side to side. They remind us of the trinity of God. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

Running through our lives and mending us.

Like the almost invisible table top glass holds the coffee cups, God holds us. He needs to be in the center of our social lives.

As we share the coffee and donuts, we need to keep God in the center of the Living Rooms of our lives.



This table reminds us of our family. Four pieces of glass held together by love. Four children, Justin, Renee, Alayna, and Karalee.

Fragile.

Transparently honest.

Innocent. Clean.



Life is fragile.

Be careful not to get broken.

Broken by the allures of sin or the slights of others.

Make sure you read wholesome books and keep wholesome friends. They mold your lives.



Be transparently honest with God. Keep asking Him to cleanse you.

Read His Word

and

commune with Him daily. Stay tuned in to Him so He can guide you

around and

over the thunderstorms of life.



Clean. That's what we all want. But life will throw dirt on you.

You will stumble and get dirt all over you.

Let God clean you

every day, moment by moment.

If you let the dirt and the splatters of sin harden in your heart, then it may take a razor to scrape it off.

That could hurt.

Keep the glass clean.



Always Remember.

God loves you.

Your mom and dad love you.

We will guide you to the

best of our ability.

We

care about

you.