Living Our Faith

"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." Romans 12:1

  • Home
    Home This is where you can find all the blog posts throughout the site.
  • Categories
    Categories Displays a list of categories from this blog.
  • Tags
    Tags Displays a list of tags that has been used in the blog.
  • Archives
    Archives Contains a list of blog posts that were created previously.
  • Login

Posted by on in Upcoming Sermon
b2ap3_thumbnail_ascension.gif
The Scripture readings for this Sunday are Psalm 47 and Acts 1:1-11. Yesterday (Thursday, May 9) was Ascension Day – a day that went by without much Hallmark fanfare. We can’t buy Ascension Day cards or Ascension Day themed bouquets. It’s not like Christmas or Easter in that regard. In fact, it’s a day that the Christian church often doesn’t even do much with. At Christmas we celebrate the birth of Baby Jesus, at Easter we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead – He is present – but on Ascension Day we remember that he left … How...
Rate this blog entry:
1

Posted by on in Upcoming Sermon
The text for this Sunday is John 5:1-18. “Do you want to get well?” It was a startling question for Jesus to ask. Of course the man wanted to get well; he and the many others with various disabilities who were there with him. He had been struck with this disability for 38 years. He had been coming to this pool, Bethesda, perhaps daily hoping to be the one to make it into the water first “when the water is stirred.” He never made it though. Someone always beat him in. And so he waited and watched with countless others...
Rate this blog entry:
3

Posted by on in Upcoming Sermon
The Scripture passage for this Sunday, GEMS Sunday, is Philippians 4:8-9. This year the theme for GEMS was, “Think Right: Win the Fight,” a theme that comes from Paul’s letter to the Philippians (Philippians 4:8) – “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.” As the GEMS learned throughout the year, our very thoughts are important to our walk with the Lord and in determining our words, actions, and behaviour. It seems that wherever...
Rate this blog entry:
2

Recent comment in this post Show all comments

Posted by on in Upcoming Sermon
b2ap3_thumbnail_loveGodloveothers.jpg
After 2 Sunday's without a blog entry, we're back! This Sunday is Cadet Sunday. The Scripture reading is Romans 12:1-2, 9-21. Throughout the year, the Cadet group has been studying the “what now?” of our Christian walk, as in: “Now that I am a Christian… What do I do? How do I live? What does living as a Christian look like?” These are important questions for both new Christians and long-time Christians. Upon hearing the Gospel – the Good News that Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, became human, lived a perfect life, died, rose again, and ascended back into heaven...
Rate this blog entry:
1

Posted by on in Uncategorized
b2ap3_thumbnail_psalm-sunday.jpg
Our Scripture reading for this Sunday, Palm Sunday, is Luke 19:28-44. Before you read that passage, here is the “Triumphal Entry” account from Mark 11:1-11 – As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it...
Rate this blog entry:
4

Posted by on in Upcoming Sermon
The Scripture reading for this Sunday is Jeremiah 31:27-37. Something had to change. God had renewed his covenant countless times with His people over the years, but it just wasn’t working. His people chased after false gods, they trusted in themselves and in their military might, and they defiled God`s reputation. Even though God was a husband to His people, they had broken His covenant over and over. So God declared a plan to fix it once and for all. Jeremiah 31:31-34 is the central message of hope in the book of Jeremiah. When we consider the entire prophetic work...
Rate this blog entry:
5

Posted by on in Upcoming Sermon
b2ap3_thumbnail_brsnake11.jpg
*** Remember that the time “springs ahead” this Saturday evening and we lose an hour of sleep. The Scripture reading for this Sunday is Numbers 21:1-9. The first three verses are important to the “bronze snake” narrative in verses 4-9. In the first three verses the Israelites act toward God as they are expected to. After the Canaanite king of Arad attacked the Israelites and captured some of them, the Israelites cried out to God. They trusted, believed, and made a vow with God. And God came through for them big-time, so much so in fact they named the place...
Rate this blog entry:
2

Posted by on in Upcoming Sermon
The Scripture reading for this Sunday is Genesis 22:1-19. This may be the most difficult text to read in the Old Testament, and maybe even in all of Scripture. It makes us raise uncomfortable questions about God. It scares us. Maybe it even disgusts us. “How could God command such a thing?” many people wonder, “Who does that!?” If you have felt (or feel) uncomfortable with this text in any way (or disgusted, or angry, or scared by it) you are not alone. When Cheryl and I lived in northern New Brunswick for a little more than a year before...
Rate this blog entry:
3

Posted by on in Upcoming Sermon
The text for this Sunday’s sermon is Genesis 17:1-26. Perhaps most famously this text is known as the “Covenant of Circumcision” but, for this Sunday and the “Redemption Journey” series I invite you to look at this text in the light of what happened before. In Genesis 12 God called Abram, and after hearing God’s call Scripture simply states, “So Abram went as the Lord had told him.” So often what we remember of Abram/Abraham is his faithful response to God’s call. He was faithful, yes, but the whole narrative of Abram/Abraham in Genesis 11:10 – 25:11 tells the story...
Rate this blog entry:
1

Posted by on in Upcoming Sermon
b2ap3_thumbnail_ARK.jpg
The passage for this Sunday morning is Genesis 9:8-17, however, I encourage you now to read the whole of the Noah account in Genesis 6:1-9:17. If you are following the reading plan, it is coincidentally the reading for today. Today, this passage is one of the many focal points for the attack against the historicity of Christianity. Non-Christians argue that there is no geological evidence for the flood so therefore it didn’t happen, so therefore Scripture isn’t reliable, so therefore it isn’t true. And I don’t want to get into that argument right now because I don’t have the space...
Rate this blog entry:
2

Posted by on in Bible Reading
As we celebrate the season of Lent and highlight God's redemptive work in Christ and throughout history, I invite you to join me in reading "The story of the Bible" in these 40 daily readings. I know that it is impossible to "boil down" the story of the bible into 40 readings, but this is an attempt to do just that anyway.  Feel free to comment and talk about any connections or insights in the comment section as you read through these passages each day. Let's take this time to read God's Word together, and may God bless the reading of...
Rate this blog entry:
2

Recent comment in this post Show all comments

Posted by on in Upcoming Sermon
The Scripture reading for this Sunday is Genesis 3:1-24. This text will serve as an introduction to our Lent Series – Redemption Journey. We will also come to the Lord’s table as we celebrate the Lord’s Supper.  In Genesis 2:15-17 – a text that must be understood in order to properly understand Genesis 3 according to Walter Bruggemann and many other scholars – God placed Adam in the Garden of Eden, instructed him to care for it, and permitted him to eat of any tree in the garden except from “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” That...
Rate this blog entry:
2

Posted by on in Uncategorized
b2ap3_thumbnail_cuddlewithmom.jpg
Praise God from whom all blessings flow! Today at 2:00 PM baby Vivian was born measuring 7 lbs 9 oz and 21 inches long. Mom and baby are doing very well. As you can see from the picture, Phoebe was very excited to visit.  ...
Rate this blog entry:
3

Posted by on in Upcoming Sermon
  The Scripture reading for this Sunday (unless we are having a baby) is John 2:1-11. (An introductory comment: In his gospel, John calls Jesus’ miracles “signs” because he sees the miracles of Jesus as something more than acts of power. As signs, they are something revelatory. They disclose something from God and they point to something more important than the miracle itself.) At first blush, this seems like a simple story of a wedding celebration, not enough wine, and Jesus first miracle, but there are hints that suggest John means to say much more in this story than simply...
Rate this blog entry:
5

Posted by on in Upcoming Sermon
The Scripture passage for this Sunday morning is Isaiah 43:1-7. There are many people who believe that God wants all people who believe in him to be happy and prosper. In fact, if we aren’t happy and prospering, it is very likely that we are doing something wrong. If we struggle with depression – the cause is our sin and nothing to do with biology. If we lost our job – we need to look at our relationship with God (who wants us to prosper) because the reason lies there. “God wants us to prosper, be happy, and be blessed,”...
Rate this blog entry:
7

Posted by on in Upcoming Sermon
The Scripture reading for Sunday is Genesis 28:10-22 – Jacob’s dream at Bethel. I’ve always had a hard time with Jacob. He rubs me the wrong way. In many ways, especially up to this point in Genesis, Jacob is everything that I hope I am not. He is a cheat, a liar, an opportunist, a crook. He doesn’t seem to care about others insofar as he is willing to take everything from his brother in order to get ahead. Yet, if we turn back a page or two in our Bible’s from Genesis 28 to the time just before Jacob...
Rate this blog entry:
3

Posted by on in Upcoming Sermon
When we gather together on Sunday, we will be gathering for a service called: “Remembering God’s Faithfulness in 2012.” It will be a service of lament and praise. During the worship service we will remember the hard times that we have gone through this year, both individually and corporately, offer lament to God, and praise God for his faithfulness throughout the year. The Scripture reading for Sunday is Psalm 146. Below you can read it as copied from “The Message” – often I find reading a passage in different Bible versions helps me understand the passage better. If you normally...
Rate this blog entry:
2

Posted by on in Upcoming Sermon
The Advent theme for this Tuesday, Christmas Day, is “Rejoice!” and the Scripture reading is Ruth 4:18-22 and Luke 2:1-20. Rejoice! It’s a word synonymous with Christmas. Christmas is a time of celebration and presents, a time of turkey dinners, sales, and advertising. Every year we hear the song telling us that Christmas is “the most magical time of the year.” It’s a time when even some of the crankiest people that we know will turn up the Christmas music and belt out, “Joy to the world!” or “Deck the Halls!” It’s a time when people think about doing good...
Rate this blog entry:
4

Posted by on in Uncategorized
b2ap3_thumbnail_Merry-Christmas-prev.jpg
  For to us a child is born,     to us a son is given,     and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called     Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,     Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace     there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne     and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it     with justice and righteousness     from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty     will accomplish this. (Isaiah 9:6-7) May God’s infinite love, made known in the birth of Jesus Christ our Saviour, fill you with hope, peace, joy, and love this Christmas. We pray...
Rate this blog entry:
2

Posted by on in Upcoming Sermon
b2ap3_thumbnail_TrueLove.jpg
The theme for this Sunday, the fourth Sunday of Advent, is Love. The Scripture reading is Ruth 4:1-17. The story of the first Christmas morning is a story of love – God’s love. It’s a story of God’s love for a people that he made His own even though they didn’t always love him back. It’s a story of God doing for His people what they could never do for themselves. It’s a story of God giving of Himself because of love. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whosoever believes in...
Rate this blog entry:
3

Upcoming Events

There are currently no upcoming events.

Devotionals