Sunday, September 27, 2015

His Story - Hope Restored

www.EasTview.org
Pastor Delbert Enns
Dave and Louise Sinclair Peters will be here next Sunday. Newcomers lunch next Sunday. Trip to www.One88.org where we had the 1st baptism.

There is a lot of anxiety about world affairs and the election in Canada.
At 4 woke up and thought God was revealing something about the message.
It's God's business to restore people's lives. Thank you God for what you have done in the baptismal candidates. Thank you God for the peace.
In '99 I was one of the first westerners to visit the mining communities of the former Soviet Union. A former children's home was being converted into a radio ministry center. Now there is a church in the community and 2 children's homes. Romano and his wife are now pastoring a big church.

Who is God? What has he done? What did he make me for?
Our identity is what we do and how we do it. God had a better plan.
Genesis 6:5-6 God was sorry he made evil men. He feels all the pain of a Broken Heart.
Genesis 9:11-16 the rainbow sign of God's covenant. God restores in the time of Grace. He knows who we are.
Genesis 11:4 the spirit of rebellion wanted to build a monument to human ingenuity.
God builds everything for His glory. Anytime we try to build our monuments God will deal with it.
Genesis 12:1-3
"I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you;
I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."

This blessing is for all of us. Ephesians 1:11-14 because Jesus died for us to.
Genesis 12: God blesses.

Romans 8 the Holy Spirit wants to help us. Adopted us and we can call him papa.

Reflect on what God has Done. Surrender your unbelief. God still restores.

Sunday, September 20, 2015

All People's Church

Pastor Brian Hamilton
Sharon's family will miss her. Let's pray for them. Terry Gross and family.
Father we thank you for bringing everything into existence. You made the stars and named them one by one. Billions of them.
You made us out of the dust. We come to worship you today. We are so unworthy. We are sinful. We fall so short of your glory. We ask and receive forgiveness at the feet of Jesus. We ask that you breathe into us and all churches your revival. That the millions that have not heard will come to know you. Let people see that you are the Lord of Lords and king of kings.
We lay our needs before you. Please minister to us. The burdens we carry. The struggles we have. Minister to us.
Sharon is now rejoicing in your presence.
We pray for our country and the election. We pray that those elected will have your moral compass and ethics. We want Canada to reflect your love. May your gracious hand direct them.
Help us to see the world with your eyes.

Romans 12:1-8
http://bible.com/116/rom.12.1-2.nlt And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.  Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Walking in the Will of God
Paul is telling us what a fruitful Christian life looks like. Our life fruit comes directly from God in us. The Holy Spirit gives life. There is no such thing as trying to be a Christian. Actions don't make us Christians. We must be born again. Transformed. Then you'll know God's will and live in it. A personal relationship with Jesus and a healthy participation in his church. We must be attached to the body of Christ.
John 8.31 you can't be in the will of God if you are not part of the BODY.
Is Jesus clear and Paul befuddled it?
A pastor said we need to use the KJV because God made it hard to understand and we need to dig for the story.
Paul made every effort to make the gospel understood. When he got to sinful Corinth he wrote the book of Romans.  Please read it again and again.
As we follow the Lord we get to know him more and more. Offer yourself pleasing to God. Turn your life completely over to God.
After the wedding I decided to cut out all sweets for a day.
That's not what this is about. We abandon our own desires and give up the right to make our own decisions.
Jesus words are sacrifice yourself. Become a living sacrifice. We are not our own but were bought with a price. Whatever is God's will. Not mine. I have transferred my will to your will.
Through that I am liberated. Lord wherever you place me I will serve you. God has given each of us gifts for His service. Healthy participation in His body.
A book by a Muslim atheist concluded that the only solution to Isis is that the Christian church be what God called them be. Christ is reflected in his church. The greatest need today is for the church to be disciples of Jesus.

Sunday, September 13, 2015

Essentials by design

I want to live like there's no tomorrow - is that a Christian view? Song sung at www.EasTview.org
This church started 25 years ago this month.
Our downtown campus http://www.one88.org/ is having a baptism.

Pastor Delbert
The plight of humanity is in front of us. Refugees are seared into our memory.
Napalm bombing and the death of a 3 year old boy pictures evoke feelings. What are they?
Orphans are hurting. If you take care of one child things will get better for many. Make it better is my first response. Take care of one is the most important. Can we see a bigger picture.
We need to adopt 2 families from Syria. A Christian family is waiting to be sponsored.
God cares profoundly about what happens.
The next 11 weeks we will look at His Story and reflect on His heartbeat.
This is not about vision. Stop reflect what is God's heartbeat? How do I respond?
Write out what you think His Story is?
To bring glory to the Father.
Can I see myself in God's story? Isaiah 43:7 we have been created for God's glory.  He invites me into His Story.
Sociology says if we believe in something we will act on it. Culture.
3 elements. Values. Narrative (the story you are convinced about). Behavior (the response you are convicted about).
When you see the picture of the earth what comes to mind? Home. Creation. The speck in the universe where we live.
What do we see? Sickness? Who's perspective is this picture from? God's perspective. He is a holy God. While he created this world the angels rejoiced to see what he was doing. Some angels followed the Dragon and rebelled against God. Sin is rebellion against God.
What is God saying to you?
You will hear others with different stories. Blame others. Shame and guilt becomes part of us when we rebel against God.
Everything God created was for our pleasure if we bring glory to Him. That brings pleasure to Him.

Sunday, September 06, 2015

Rock Climbing

Matt Hamilton pastor for http://www.themeetinghouse.com/

I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener.  He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn't produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.  You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you.

My friend took me rock climbing. I had to trust him to lower me safely.

We need to abide in the vine in beautiful intimacy. Some of us fixate on the danger of being pruned but the line is that if we abide he will abide.

Pruning will still happen. In order for the backyard tree to blossom the buds must be trimmed so the moisture can flow to the branches. What does pruning mean for us? We all need pruning. Relationships, habits, etc. Where are the people that speak into our lives?

We have a finite amount of energy. Am I connected with the vine? The Jimminie Cricket in us is part of pruning.

Make disciples but not in isolation. Partner together in community with each other and Christ. We are many branches. Get along with the others.

How to celebrate Thanksgiving together? A church family invited a food truck to park in their driveway and invited their care group and their neighbors out to it. 100 people showed up. In the spring 200 people came.

Relationships, relationships. Rose died this week. Her influence was quiet and powerful. A gentle soul that lived well and died well. What a gift. A neighbor was there and realized she learned. God's love. God doesn't hate me but loves me.

Pray for a rejuvenated sense that God will give us the fullness of life in Jesus.