Daily Dose - Episode #74

Daily Dose #74 (Monday, June 15, 2020)

Here it is, Daily Dose Episode #74!!  

Our Dose for today comes from John 14:27, which has Jesus saying this to His disciples – “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” 

This past weekend saw some very volatile weather in our area – thankfully, though we did have some crazy storms, I have not heard of anyone in the church family who had any significant damage.  We have much to be thankful for in that regard.

Life can often seem like the weekend – beautiful and sunny, warm and lovely, only to be followed by a sudden and drastic change in the weather leading to very serious storms, etc.  In some ways, Covid-19 has felt like a storm that came out of nowhere, shattering our habits, routines, patterns, and life rhythms for many.  Things have been turned upside down – what used to be normal is anything but normal (just visit a local restaurant for a dine-in meal!). 

In these words from John 14, Jesus is speaking to His disciples towards the end of His life before He went to the cross.  The disciples knew something was going to happen, because Jesus had told them in as many words – He said He was going to die on a cross!  Do you think that they felt a little ripped off about the potential scenarios before them?  They had enjoyed close to 3 years of fabulous ministry following in the footsteps of Jesus.  Yes, it may not have always been easy, but it probably felt like life was beautiful and sunny, warm and lovely.  Crowds following wherever they went; healings; dead people raised from the dead; Jesus putting the Jewish religious leaders in their place; etc.  And now the time was coming closer when Jesus would be leaving them.

And this is where Jesus speaks these words – “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

Jesus came to give us peace, and not a peace that is from any other source – “my peace I give you.”  The peace that Jesus was giving the disciples, and the peace that He gives us, are nothing at all like what the world gives to us.  So Jesus told us straight out, in plain language, “do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”  

So as we continue to walk this Covid journey church family, as we look ahead to gathering this Sunday, we need to remember that Jesus has given us His peace – which transforms our very lives, our daily existence.  We must remember that the peace that Jesus gives us in not at all like anything the world offers to us.  So we don’t need to have troubled hearts – we don’t need to be afraid – for we have Jesus living within us, within our very being.  And so with His empowering Spirit in our lives, we are given the grace and mercy to follow Him each and every day, including today.  So receive His peace today – hear His words for you today yet one more time – “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

God bless you.

Daily Dose - Episode #73

This Week’s Worship Music

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing (Chris Rice)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjfToqk5w5g&feature=youtu.be

 

Your Love Awakens Me (Phil Wickham)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIMh6lS6VjE&feature=youtu.be

 

You are Holy (Prince of Peace) (Michael W. Smith)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsYyuK1w3q0&feature=youtu.be

 

Glorious Day (Casting Crowns)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXp6xcY5IqU&feature=youtu.be

Daily Dose - Episode #70

Daily Dose #70 (Monday, June 8, 2020)

Good morning church family.  I hope you had a good weekend.  Welcome to Daily Dose Episode #70!

Hopefully by now, either through Daily Dose episodes or via email, you have heard that the Elders have decided we would aim towards having a Sunday service again on Sunday, June 21 (Father’s Day).  Between now and then, as we follow the changing regulations and easing of restrictions here in Alberta, we will continue to communicate via email the plans we will be putting in place as we re-launch.

With that in mind, I wanted us to consider a few things as we think re-launch.  First, I want to draw our attention back to Daily Dose Episode #59 (May 20).  During that Daily Dose we focused on Romans 14 and God’s Word regarding those who hold different opinions than we do.  How do we respond to those who want to treat re-launch with more freedom than we would choose, or with more conservative actions than we would choose ourselves?

We concluded that day, and I want to remind us again (and you’ll probably hear me say this over and over in the weeks ahead), that we need to agree to let our abiding values going forward be love, grace, compassion and unity as a church family.

·      We don’t fully understand all that God is doing in the world right now, but we know He is in control.

·      We should hold our opinions as loosely as we can with an attitude of love towards our brothers and sisters who feel differently than we do.

Again, we aren’t 100% sure of what the coming weeks and months will hold, but can we please agree to let our abiding values be love, grace, compassion, and unity towards one another?

The second thing I would like us to consider as a church family is how we love our neighbour?  In Matthew 22:37-40 Jesus told us that the greatest commandment is to love God with all of our being, and the second greatest commandment is to love our neighbour as we love ourselves.  As we consider re-launching our Sunday gatherings, can I ask us to keep that command of Jesus in mind – to love our neighbours?  As we begin to gather together, under certain regulations and restrictions that remain in place, along with guidance from the province of Alberta about how places of worship should function, we need to be aware that we have neighbours who will be watching us as we gather.  We have people who will be driving by on a very busy road that runs past our church building and they will be watching what we are doing as we enter and leave the building.  Are we giving each other the space that is recommended?  Are we doing our best to work with the regulations that are in place?  Will they see us doing our part – or will they see us flaunting our freedom?  What does it mean to love our neighbours who are watching as we come and go from the church building?  I think part of what loving our neighbours means is that we will act in a way that will not bring disrepute on the local church and the greater body of Christ as we exercise our freedom to gather together.  So please, as you consider coming on a Sunday in the coming weeks, reflect on what it means to love our neighbours who surround the church building and will pass by as we are gathering.

I have missed gathering together with you church family, and I look forward to connecting again soon for corporate worship and fellowship.  However, as we look forward with anticipation, let’s also look forward with prayerful wisdom about how we carry ourselves in relation to each other and to our neighbours around us.  

God bless you, and have a great week.

Daily Dose - Episode #66

Daily Dose #66 (Monday, June 1, 2020)

Good morning church family – I hope you have had a great weekend and are re-energized and ready for what God has in store for you this week.  

Today’s Daily Dose, Episode #66, will take us to Psalm 27.  Please take a few moments and read the entire Psalm, found here:

Psalm 27  (Of David)

“1The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid? 

2When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. 

3Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident. 

4One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. 

5For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. 

6Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the Lord. 

7Hear my voice when I call, O Lord; be merciful to me and answer me. 

8My heart says of you, “Seek his face!”  Your face, Lord, I will seek. 

9Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper.  Do not reject me or forsake me, O God my Savior. 

10Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me. 

11Teach me your way, O Lord; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors. 

12Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing out violence. 

13I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. 

14Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”

 

Here are just a few reminders for us as we start our day today:

·      We do not need to be afraid, whatever may come our way, because God is our salvation, He is our light, and He is present with us.

·      In fact, we can “be confident” (vs. 3) in the face of adversity because our God is with us.

·      We look forward to the day (hopefully soon) where we can gather together and lift our praises to God (vs. 4 and 6).

·      God is merciful to us and hears us when we cry out to Him (vs. 7).  What are you crying out to God about today, relying on His mercies for this new day?

·      Verse 8 is a good reminder that when our heart tells us to seek God, we should indeed do that – we should be seeking the face of God in all the undertakings of our lives.

·      God is my helper, and He will never turn me away or reject me (vs. 9).  God will always receive me when I come to Him (vs. 10).

·      What does the Lord need to teach you today (vs. 11)?

·      Be confident in the Lord’s goodness for you today – look for the places He is working in (vs. 13) and choose to respond in praise to Him.

And finally today church family, “wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”

·      Don’t let your day run away ahead of you – don’t let your worries overwhelm you – don’t let your questions consume you.  Simply wait for the Lord today – wait on Him, choose to be strong (not in your own strength, but in His strength displayed in our weakness), and take heart today!

May the Lord bless you as you embark on the day He has given to you today! 

Listen to God’s blessing over you this day, church family:

“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace”  (Numbers 6:24-26).

Daily Dose - Episode #62

Daily Dose #62 (Monday, May 25, 2020)

Hey church family – welcome to Daily Dose Episode #62 for Monday, May 25.

Thank you for those who have responded to the Elders request for feedback regarding discussions we are having about re-launch plans.  If you took time to read the document from the Province of Alberta about “Guidelines for Places of Worship,” no doubt you will have recognized that any re-launch plans are very complicated and restrictive at this point.  We as Elders are very thankful for your prayers for us as we continue to seek the Lord for wisdom and guidance moving forward.  And we’ll endeavour to keep you posted on decisions as we know them in the days to come.

For today, let me turn our attention briefly to Acts 15:28, which says the following – “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us….”

This text comes in the middle of something known as the Council at Jerusalem.  This was one of the most significant gatherings of the infant church in the book of Acts.  Sides were being drawn.  Opinions were being expounded upon.  No doubt people were claiming to speak for God on both sides of the issue.  There was great potential for conflict and division.  And under these gathering storm clouds, the leaders of the early church gathered together to seek a resolution and a way forward.  And eventually they did.  

But do you ever wonder if there were people who didn’t agree and parted ways with the local churches represented?  We don’t really know how it played out, other than the fact that the church continued to experience explosive growth and expansion all over the known world.  

I like the verse I highlighted for us earlier – chapter 15:28 – because there was the God component in it.  The people really did care what God had to say about the issue at hand and their conclusion.  But there was also the people component in it – it really mattered that the people agreed on the decision and conclusion of the issue at hand.  And it was so important that they agreed with one another as they moved forward.

I believe, as I said last week in Wednesday’s Daily Dose, that there is real potential for division in our society between those who would handle the post-covid reality differently.  But I do know what we read in Ephesians 4:2-3, and I think these are good words for us to consider in these days as a church family.  This is what these verses tell us – “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

Look at the words we are called to be as we “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit” going forward.

·      Be completely humble

·      Be completely gentle

·      Be patient

·      Bear with one another in a loving way.

Again, as I said last week, let’s make those our abiding values as we move forward in the coming months.  Let’s be humble around each other – let’s be gentle with one another – let’s be patient with one another – and let’s bear with the differences one to another in a loving way.  

And as we do this, we trust the Lord will allow us to keep the unity we have as brothers and sisters in Christ.  

Have an amazing rest of your day church family – and I eagerly look forward to the time we can gather together again soon.