Families Are God's Will

Scriptures: Gen 2:24-25, Gen 3:7, 12 & 13, Rev 3:20, 1 Peter 5:8,
Joshua 24:15, Rev 12:10 & 11

On Sunday morning, Pastor Lorne said he wanted to talk about families. He had us turn to Gen 2:24-25 which states, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.’ The Bible’s talking about Adam and Eve – the start of the husband and wife team...the start of the family.

Adam and Eve lived in a paradise more wonderful than we can imagine. A beautiful place...a garden...living and enjoying things...God would talk and visit with them...no distractions...no other men for Eve to cast glances at...no other women for Adam to be carried away by. It was ideal. The perfect situation. They were living a fantasy like a reality show when you’re stuck on an island with the person of your dreams.

Only something happened that changed everything. Gen 3:7 says ‘Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.’ Pastor Lorne said Satan came into their midst. Satan went to Eve and questioned God’s words about not eating from the tree of life. The Bible says that Eve took fruit from the forbidden tree and gave it to Adam. She didn’t go off by herself to eat it...Adam was with her when she ate of the forbidden fruit. They both ate the forbidden fruit. And both their eyes were opened and they realized that they were naked and they both felt shame.

Now up til that time, they enjoyed being with each other in the garden where everything including the temperature was perfect for them. But then they disobeyed God, ate the forbidden fruit, felt shame at their nakedness, and found fig leaves to cover themselves.

Pastor Lorne said he believes it was that point in time that was the start of the sexual sins we see and hear of in the world today and down through the ages. He said when he thinks of all the young kids that’ve been sexually abused, all the women who’ve been raped, all the depravity and incest that we hear about...that it all started when Adam and Eve realized they were naked.

Pastor Lorne said he noticed something else. He said if you look farther down at v12 & 13, you read about the first marital argument: ‘The man said, "The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it." Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate." So this is the .the first laying of blame...Adam refused to take responsibility for his action – he blames Eve who then blames the serpent. And Pastor Lorne said that’s still going on in the world today...marital arguments...and it started way back then.

He then told us this little story about a new pastor who went and called on a family. There was no answer to his knock but he could hear rustling so he knew someone was home. He left a piece of paper with the Scripture Rev 3:20 that says, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him...’ The next Sunday, the pastor received a note that said, ‘I heard you in the garden but was afraid ‘cause I was naked...’ (laughter)

Pastor Lorne continued with the message saying that he noticed something when Adam spoke—not only did he blame the woman, but he also blamed God for giving him such a woman. According to Adam, he was just doing what he was told. When God asked Eve what happened, she admitted to eating the fruit.

Pastor Lorne said since then, we have wrestled with all the problems of the earth. Adam and Eve didn’t have to work until they were expelled from the garden. Now there’s everything from spraying or rototilling persistent weeds to cutting grass.

“What I’m getting at today”, Pastor Lorne continued, “Is the fact that Satan was out to destroy families...to drive wedges in families. That’s where he struck first.” He wanted discord between Adam and Eve. Why? Pastor Lorne says the Bible talks in many places about how the husband and wife relationship is like God’s relationship to His church and us, His people. And that’s why Satan wants to break it. He said many things tear at a marriage like lack of finances or too much money, rearing kids, nosy relatives...the whole thing...Satan gets in there and causes things to happen. He does everything he can to lay blame, cause arguments and break up families. That’s his job.

1 Peter 5:8 says, ‘Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.’ Pastor Lorne said Satan crawls around and checks out your family, watching to see if he can do something to start an argument. He’s quiet, he blends in, and then he strikes the weak like a roaring lion after a wounded animal. He’s doing it to families today. He takes down someone in a moment of weakness. Down through the ages he’s disrupted families. He’ll do anything he can to get a foothold into our relationships.

Pastor Lorne says he likes to study people. Like in a café. He’ll look around and watch. Like a couple with some kids enjoying themselves...a happy family doing things together and the love they share. But he said he once saw a man helping 2 young girls with their homework. Pastor Lorne said the man was enjoying helping them so he went over and started talking. The guy said he had the girls for a couple hours that night and then had to take them back to their mother. Pastor Lorne said he could see that the man loved his girls and wanted to be with them and yet he only had them for a little while.

Pastor Lorne said he wants us to know that we can declare and take a stand against Satan. Joshua 24:15 says, ‘...But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." Joshua took a stand that he wasn’t going to allow Satan to come in and destroy his family. He testified that in his house, they would serve God.

Pastor Lorne said that he hoped each one of us would take a stand that everyone in our house would serve God. Regardless of where we are in life...at what stage, whether we’re grandparents, parents with young children, or newlyweds, he believes God will honour your faith for taking that stand.

He said when he thinks of all the broken hearts and domestic fights...Satan is there trying to destroy our families because he doesn’t want the church to triumph. He said he doesn’t like to talk about the devil to much because he doesn’t want to give him time...even negative time...but he felt he needed to give this message to us. Satan is trying everything he can to upset and destroy our families.

Pastor Lorne said he believes God wants our families to stay intact. He believes that God wants us to have trust and faith in him and that He will cause that to happen.

Rev 12:11 says, ‘They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony...’ Pastor Lorne said he believes that the blood of the Lamb is something we know that Satan cannot cross...that it’s like a big electric fence and Satan can’t cross it. The blood of Christ that was shed on the cross so long ago still has its power today. He said he believes that God will give you strength by His Holy Spirit and the blood of the Lord will cover you and your family members whether they’ve strayed away from the fold or not...the blood of the Lamb will cover and protect them.

Know that we can stand on the Scripture that says, ‘they overcame him...’ and know that it’s talking about the devil. Rev 12:10 say, ‘I heard a loud voice in heaven say... For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.’ Pastor Lorne said he believes that you and I and our families can trust God that we will overcome our accuser.

Sometimes when we come against Satan he tries to put stuff on us but it’s so great to know that we can overcome him by the blood of the Lamb. And when that day comes we can all be together in heaven and stand before the throne, worshipping and praising God together as a family because that is God’s will and that’s what he wants us to be – a family.

If you would like to speak to Pastor Lorne about this, please email him.

Comments are appreciated. If you’re not sure how, please click on ‘comments’ under 'Labels' in the right column.

Women of Faith

Scriptures: Hebrews 11, Esther 1, Ruth chapters 1-4, Judges 4,
Joshua 2, 2 Tim 1:5, Luke 1:38

Pastor Lorne said thoughout the Bible we read of great men. Hebrews 11 even has a list of the heroes of faith. But, what about the women?

He said we always hear about Esther and how she arrived at the kingdom at the right time to save her people at risk of her own life, but what about the lady whom Esther had replaced? Esther 1 tells the story of how Queen Vashti refused to display herself before the king and his men, all who were drunk on wine (v10).

Pastor Lorne said Queen Vashti is a hero to him, because she thought enough of herself not to put herself in the position where she was the subject of lewd, inappropriate behaviour. To give you an idea of what the thinking was back then, Pastor Lorne said to look at Esther 1:15-18. When the men at the banquet realized that Queen Vashti wasn’t coming, they said they couldn’t condone that or when they told their own wives to do something, they’d also refuse and they couldn’t allow that to happen. At this point, Pastor Lorne said he could see some husbands and wives in the congregation looking at each other... (laughter)

And so, Pastor Lorne continued, these guys said they had to do something. They were worried because Queen Vashti thought herself special and important in God’s eyes. He said you know the rest of the story...the queen was taken from her position and Esther was brought in to replace her.

Another special woman in the Bible was Ruth, a young widow who chose to stay with Naomi. Ruth 1:16 has the infamous line ‘...Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.’ So doing, she honored not only her mother-in-law, but Boaz who she later married. Ruth 2:11 & 12 shows that even Boaz realized her worth. He praised her for the wonderful things she’d done and said she was a special person because of it. Ruth became part of the lineage of Christ. She was somebody who set an example...a lady who was important in the scheme of things. Important enough to be mentioned in the Bible and have a book named after her. A woman who, in a day when women didn’t really count for a whole lot, was praised and lifted up by Boaz.

Pastor Lorne said if you look in Judges 4:4-9, you'll find another lady who held a prominent part in history and Scripture. She was the prophetess Deborah who was leading Israel at the time. When the Israelites were threatened by an enemy that way outnumbered them, Deborah told them to take 10,000 men and she would lure the enemy into their hands. But, the military leader said that he wouldn’t go without her. Pastor Lorne said it was an amazing thing. Back in the day when patriarchs ruled in a society where women weren’t worth much, Barak wouldn’t go unless Deborah went with him. But he knew that she was under the hand of God and he knew he had to have her along if he wanted a victory. Deborah went with him and they won.

Jael, another important woman, can be found farther down, also in Judges 4. Pastor Lorne said Jael must’ve been a really tough gal because this is pretty gruesome, but the leader of the enemy was running away to hide and because their families had been friends, Jael invited him into her tent. He was exhausted from running. While he slept, Jael took a tent peg and pounded it right through his head, grounding him. She was just a lady who was able to help and win the battle and she’s mentioned in the Bible.

Pastor Lorne referred us to Joshua 2 where we find another lady who is actually listed as a heroe of faith in Hebrews 11. Amazing because she was a lady of ill-repute. But, she realized that God was with the 2 spies and she saved them from being captured by hiding them under some sheaves of flax on the roof of her house. Her name has gone down in history. She also is in the line that Christ came from.

This gives us a picture of how God uses people who are willing to open their lives and hearts to Him.

For another woman of faith, Pastor Lorne referred us to 2 Tim 1 in the New Testament. In Paul’s letter to Timonthy, V5, he says, ‘I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.’ Paul is crediting Timothy’s grandmother and mother for the faith they had put in him. How many mothers and grandmothers down through the ages...if it wasn’t for their faith and trust in the Lord...for the hours they spend on their knees praying for their children, for their grandchildren...it was because of them that Paul could write about Timothy and say the faith that is in them is also is in you.

Sometimes it seems just the way things are written that women aren’t as important - even in Scripture. Pastor Lorne said there aren’t as many women mentioned as there are men but he finds that those that are mentioned are ones that tackled situations and stood true...who had a faith that brought them through.

Pastor Lorne said he wanted to encourage all ladies...all mothers there on Sunday...to know that God hears your prayers. God will give you the strength to stand up for Him and for what you have to face in your life. He said he thinks of Timothy and how he was a young man who grew up into a spiritual person and had a relationship with the Lord because of his grandmother and mother.

In other Scripture, Paul talked about all the other women who stood and contended with him as he did the work of the Lord. We know of many times Paul had tough things in his life and yet he takes time to mention the women who stood with him:
- Lydia seller of purple
- Priscilla who worked with a tentmaker alongside Paul in the ministry
- Many other women who worked with him who were part of that whole setting of starting the church as we know it today.

Pastor Lorne said he knows of places like nearby Grenfell where the church was started either in part or whole by a lady who’d come to preach years ago. And to the north is the church in Lemberg which was started by a lady and now many have gone from there for missions. He said he wanted to encourage all the ladies that you can experience the blessing of God in your life and know that God’s hand can be upon you to change things...to shape things.

He said you’ve heard it said that ‘The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world’. Well, you have a great part to play. You are of great importance in God ‘s kingdom. When times are tough, you think of all sorts of different things. You stay up late nights with sick children and then when they get older, you stay up late nights waiting and praying for them to get home safe. Pastor Lorne said he believes God sees your heart and sees your faith. He will honor it and bless you and He will keep His hand upon you.

He believes that day will come when we stand before the Lord and each one of you will be counted and listed in that list of heroes of faith...those who have stood for the Lord...those who have accomplished what God has called you to do. Be encouraged...it’s a great task. You have a great responsibility but he believes that in the end, you will have a great blessing.

Pastor Lorne thinks if you were to talk to a lot of the people who have become famous or have great ministries, many of them...probably most of them...will point back to what their mothers have done for them. Their mothers’ testimony, their prayers and their wisdom.

Keep that in your mind and heart and when you have a tough time, think of all the ladies who have gone on before you who stood for God...stood for truth...who have led their families...those who have been an encouragement to their husbands and who without their help we don’t know what would have happened.

Pastor Lorne said the last lady he wanted to mention was the Mary, the mother of Jesus. He said after the angel told Mary she would bear God’s Son, Mary replied in Luke 1:38 ‘I am the Lord's servant...May it be to me as you have said...’ Pastor Lorne said he thinks there are so many women who have that attitude and say Lord, your will is my will...

He asked members to think of the impact their own mothers have had on their lives. The service was concluded with a special blessing on the mothers to honour them and let them know that they are special.

If you would like to speak to Pastor Lorne about this, please email him.

Comments are appreciated. If you’re not sure how, please click on ‘comments’ under 'Labels' in the right column.

Intercessory Prayer & God’s Promise

Scriptures: 2 Peter 3:8-9, 1 Tim 2:1-4, Matt 21:21-22, John 14:13,14, John 15:7, Romans 10:13

Last Sunday morning, Pastor Lorne said he wanted to talk about intercessory prayer for our friends and loved ones.

He drew our attention to 2 Peter 3:8-9 which says, ‘...With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise...He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.’ Pastor Lorne says the scripture is talking about Jesus’ promise to come back, in His own time.

We then turned to 1 Tim 2:1-4 which says, ‘I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone...and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.’ Pastor Lorne said with this scripture, he’s trying to emphasize that it’s Gods will for everyone and God wants every person to gain knowledge of the truth and not perish (previous paragraph).

God doesn’t have certain people picked out that He wants to come to Him. He’s made it plain and clear that He wants everyone to know of the truth. He wants every member of your family to have a relationship with Him: your kids, your friends, your uncles and aunts, your neighbours, your work mates - everyone. No one is to be left out. If your best friend or a small child doesn’t know, you have to tell them. Everyone you deal with or have a relationship with.

God wants men everywhere to follow Him. He wants everyone to be a follower of Him. He doesn’t want anyone to perish, separate from God or go into hell.

The Bible is plain...everyone is to have a personal relationship with Him.

Pastor Lorne said he realizes that every person must make that personal commitment themselves, sometime in their life. In Christian homes, it happens sometimes when you’re very young and you don’t know the exact time you became a Christian because you’ve always believed. Others can tell you the exact time and place that it happened. But besides all that, we need to know that when we pray and ask God for salvation for someone, we can pray in confidence that we are praying totally according to the will of God.

When you pray for your adult child that he or she will return to God, or when you pray for your neighbour that they find their way to God, Pastor Lorne believes you are praying in God’s will because the scripture plainly says he wants everyone everywhere to come to the saving knowledge.

Matt 21:21-22 says, ‘Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt...If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."’

Pastor Lorne said everyone must make their own personal commitment. But as we seek out people in our lives, the Holy Spirit will work and bring people into our lives. People who will want to commit and serve God. ‘If you believe, you will receive...’

Pastor Lorne asked us to look at John 14:13, 14 which says, ‘And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.’

And in John 15:7 ‘If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.’

Pastor Lorne said these promises are pretty clear. When we pray, if someone’s sick we pray for God to heal them. Or we pray for financial needs. We pray, seek God, commit ourselves to live in faith by Him and our needs are met. We believe Him and God answers our prayers and meets our needs.

He said he believes we need to take that same mindset into our life when we pray for people that are special in our lives whether they are family members, friends, neighbours, or people that we work with. We have to believe that God will do something in their life.

Pastor Lorne said the 1st scripture we read said that ‘With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day’. Pastor Lorne wants us to keep having faith and keep trusting in God. Don’t be one of those people who say they’ve prayed and after 2 days nothing happened so they think God won’t answer their pray. Pastor Lorne said he himself is impatient and sometimes when he’s waiting for a phone call, he wants to call back and find out what’s the hold up, but he believes that if we put our trust in faith and ask God, He will do what we ask in His own time.

Pastor Lorne said he wanted to encourage us...if you’ve been praying and pouring out your heart for someone, and nothing seems to be happening, he knows that God will hear your prayer and honour His promise and bring it to pass.

Pastor Lorne said there’s one more scripture he wanted us to see. We turned to Romans 10:13 which says, ‘...Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ So, salvation is for everyone.

And today, (last Sunday) Pastor Lorne wanted to pray specifically for certain people. He said we can pray generally, and that’s great, but today he wanted us to ask for intercessory prayer for specific people.

So, the congregation gathered in small groups around the sanctuary and prayed for family and friends who needed salvation.

Communion followed.

If you would like to speak to Pastor Lorne about this, please email him.

Comments are appreciated. If you’re not sure how, please click on ‘comments’ under 'Labels' in the right column.

The Compassion of Christ

Scriptures: Matt 23:27, Matt 21:12, Heb 4:14-16, Matt 9:36,
Matt 14:13-14, Matt 15:32, Matt 20:29-34, Mark 1:40-41,
Luke 7:11-15, John 11:35

Pastor Lorne said he wanted to wrap up his Life of Christ series by talking about the compassion of Christ.

We find that compassion was the main guiding force of Jesus. Pastor Lorne said that people today have all sorts of different reasons for doing things. Some people are motivated because they need money, feel the need to make money, or want a bigger bank account. Other people are driven not because they want compassion or like it but because it’s the right thing to do. Others are motivated by a satisfaction in a job well done. These are all okay.

Still others are motivated by a challenge or a competition, especially in sports. Sometimes coaches emphasize the winning and not the fun of the sport. As long as they are in a race or competition, they feel motivated. There are many others reasons that make people do things, too.

Pastor Lorne said reading the scripture, he found that what caused Jesus to do what He did was because he had compassion for people. It’s why He did the things He did:
- He was harsh with religious leaders whom He referred to as dead bones (Matt 23:27)
- He chased people out of the temple who weren’t there to worship (Matt 21:12)

But mostly we read about Jesus and His interaction with people because of His compassion with them:

Heb 4:14-16 calls Jesus our High Priest – ‘Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God...For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are...’ This scripture lays out what Christ was like. He’s not like a high priest who’s unable to give us sympathy (v15). He’s a high priest who can sympathize with our weaknesses, problems, etc. Jesus understands what we feel...what we’re going through...what real life is all about because He went through it.

Pastor Lorne pointed out our farming area. We understand when someone talks about being hailed out, frozen crop, diseased cattle, all these things. We can sympathize with them because we know what it was like. We had a frozen crop. We were hailed out, etc. So when someone talks, we can relate and we feel for them. Pastor Lorne says he knows what they went through. He says the same for raising a family, the stages of growth – if you have a family, you know and can talk to someone else about it.

Pastor Lorne said we should know Matthew by now. He said he doesn’t remember ever being in the Book of Matthew as much as he has while doing this series.

In Matt 9:36 says when Jesus ‘saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.’

When Jesus heard that John the Baptist had been executed, He wanted to be alone. Matt 14:13,14 says ‘When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.’ So even in His own time of grief and sorrow, He had compassion and healed them.

Pastor Lorne said this is the Lord we serve. The Master we serve.

Matt 15:32 says ‘Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, "I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way."' A miracle follows that Pastor Lorne hadn’t covered in any of his other messages – that of the 7 loaves and a few small fish. (The boy with the 5 loaves and 2 fish have been in another blog post.)

Pastor Lorne said he looked up the dictionary definition of compassion: Feeling what other people feel and compelled to do something about it.

So, compassion is more than just feeling it. Compassion is more than love. You have to have love for people before you can have compassion for them. Not only do we feel it, but it drives or compels us to do something about it. Pastor Lorne thought that was pretty good. He says he’s blessed when he sees the people of this church help others. When there’s a need in someone’s life and the church people step forward to lend a helping hand.

Compassion. You feel compelled to help and you do it.

Pastor Lorne said what we have here in Matt 20:29-34 is a couple of blind guys who started to yell out as Jesus was walking by. They were yelling for the Lord to have mercy, but the crowd told them to be quiet. Jesus ignored the crowd and asked the men what they wanted. When they said they wanted to see, ‘Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.’

Mark 1:40-41 has Jesus traveling in Galilee: ‘A man with leprosy came to Him and begged Him on his knees, "If you are willing, you can make me clean." Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," He said. "Be clean!" Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured.’ Pastor Lorne asked if you can imagine the results of leprosy...stumps of hands and feet, damaged face and skin. When Jesus saw that leper, He was filled with compassion and it drove him to reach the man so that his leprosy would be healed. He made a difference in that man’s life.

Jesus knows what we’re going through and His compassion causes Him to do something about it.

Pastor Lorne referred us to Luke 7:11-15. (also in a previous blog). Jesus saw a funeral procession. Back then, there were no cars so the body, a man, was being carried down the street. The man’s mother was a widow and v 13 says, ‘When the Lord saw her, His heart went out to her and He said, "Don't cry."' Then Jesus gave him – alive – back to his mother.
When you have to face the death of a loved one, Jesus knows how you feel and His heart goes out to you. His heart went out to the widow and caused her son to rise from the dead. That would be something great to happen today. It would make the national news!

John 11:35 is the shortest verse in the Bible: ‘Jesus wept.’ It’s in the story of Lazarus, a good friend of Jesus. When Lazarus died, Jesus saw the sorrow in the hearts of His friends’ sisters and Jesus felt compassion for them. And He wept. But He also did something about it...He called out to Lazarus and Lazarus came back to life.

Pastor Lorne said it would be interesting to find out how long these people who ‘came back’ or were healed...what their lives were like...how long did they live afterward...what did their families say when they walked in the door? Pastor Lorne said we can ask them when we get to heaven.

Pastor Lorne wanted to leave this with you us as a help. For comfort and encouragement. When you come to Jesus , He’s not going to say ‘You’ve got yourself into trouble’ or ‘It serves you right’, etc. He is moved by compassion because He knows what you feel. What you’re going through. When we go to Jesus, He says ‘I know’ I went through it. Here’s what He’ll do...He’ll reach out a hand, touch you, and take care of it.

Pastor Lorne said He wants you to know that even though Jesus was a man, when you come to Him, remember that He is a high priest who is touched by your infirmity or your needs and He can work in your life and in any situation you have.

Pastor Lorne said he didn’t know what your needs are, but lift your need up to Jesus and know that He has compassion for you and He has the power to do something about it.

Pastor Lorne said next week he was going to talk about families and the belief in the salvation of your friends and family.

If you would like to speak to Pastor Lorne about this, please email him.

Comments are appreciated. If you’re not sure how, please click on ‘comments’ under 'Labels' in the right column.

Because of the Words He Spoke

Scriptures: John 14:12-14, John 7:32-45, John 15:7, John 16:24
John 15:11 & 12, John 3:16, John 3:3

This blog entry is about a week late getting posted but because it’s a continuation of Pastor Lorne’s Life of Christ series, I figured it was worth the effort.

You see, the kids and I couldn’t make it to church last week, so I gave my digital recording device to my hubby to tape the service for me. Due to prior commitments, I’ve been unable to transcribe the recording until today, (Sat). Now, I’m finally back to blogging.

So last Sunday, Pastor Lorne spoke for the second week on the words of Jesus.

Pastor Lorne said he could make it sound like he knows a lot intellectually and it sounds great but when we go home, it wouldn’t help us. So he’s going to tell us things that we can take home with us and tomorrow at work or sitting at the breakfast table or whenever you have to make a decision, you’ll have the word of God to help you.

Pastor Lorne said he finds that Jesus spoke on the things that can really help us in our daily life. Words that are more than promises of what can happen when we trust and seek His word.

In John 14:12, Jesus says, ‘I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing.’ Now this is Jesus speaking to us not one of the prophets or apostles or disciples. Listen to the words and take them to your hearts literally.

John 14:13 says, ‘And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.’ Pastor Lorne said already twice, Jesus mentioned if you believe in Him and have faith in Him you can do what He’s been doing. Now for the 3rd time, Jesus says, in v 14 ‘You may ask me for anything in my name and I will do it’. Pastor Lorne said he thought, “Well what would I want? I’d like to live somewhere in a nice house overlooking the ocean or beach...somewhere warm where the wind never gets strong and just be waited on and lay there for the rest of my life and be a burden to everyone around me...”

He said it sounds nice but he knows that some things are close to the heart of God but if he asks God for the things he’s just mentioned, he feels sure that God would provide those things for him. However, one of the things that Jesus talked about was His will that everyone comes to the knowledge of salvation...that not one soul would perish. Pastor Lorne said he’d ask for salvation for his neighbors, his friends, and his family. He said he believes that he could take the scriptures that say we could ask for anything in His name and He will do it. These are the words of Jesus.

Scripture tells us that it’s the will of God, His desire for us that we live in health, and so Pastor Lorne believes that we could pray for those people who need a physical touch in their bodies and we’ll be praying God’s will. He said take your finances...Pastor Lorne believes it’s God’s will that we have enough to live on, pay our bills and have a little left over to give to people in need. He said he could pray for that...because these are the words of Jesus.

In John 7:32-45, the Pharisees and chief priests sent temple guards to arrest Jesus and interrogate Him but they came back empty-handed. ‘Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, "Why didn't you bring him in?" "No one ever spoke the way this man does," the guards declared.’ They were so taken with the words of Jesus that they forgot that they were supposed to arrest Him and bring Him before the chief priests for interrogation.

The words of Jesus can change lives. The people in Jesus’ life had never heard anything like it before. Pastor Lorne said he mentioned last Sunday that the words that Jesus spoke were totally radical because they went against human nature...against the way we’re taught...against the direction today’s world takes. Pastor Lorne reminded us that Jesus said to let them slap your other cheek. And if someone wants your jacket, give them your coat too. These are totally opposite views of what we’re taught now. Retaliation and all those things are so much a part of life today. Nobody has ever spoken like Jesus did.

V 40 and 41 records, "On hearing His words, some of the people said, "Surely this man is the Prophet." Others said, "He is the Christ." Pastor Lorne said they realized just by the way Jesus spoke and the things He said that He was someone special...that He was sent from God and that He actually was who He said He was...because of the words He spoke.

Pastor Lorne referred us to John 15:7 which says, ‘If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.’ Pastor Lorne said, “there’s a little condition here...did you notice it? ‘If you remain in me and my words remain in you...’ And so it seems that if we have a relationship with Christ and if we’re walking with Him and following Him...I’ve been kind of going through when I’m talking about the life of Christ and the fact of staying close to Jesus. Staying close to Him...remember, ‘if you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. You can ask anything.’

Pastor Lorne said we’ve heard it over and over again but I’m sure that the way that the Lord’s been working in some of your lives that it’s starting to come true for some of us and for the rest of us who’s standing their watching, it’s also becoming real. And that’s just what we’re talking about here.

This is Jesus speaking. It’s His words. Pastor Lorne said, “I don’t know how far you can go with this. It depends on your state I guess, but just believe God. I guess that’s all I can say...believe and trust Him and He will bring these things to pass.”

In John 16:24, Jesus says, ‘Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.’ Pastor Lorne says we find that not only will we receive what we ask but we will receive with joy knowing that God loves us and cares enough about us to meet our needs. And He answers when we ask him for something.

Pastor Lorne said he really encourages you in your life to take these steps of faith to ask God or begin to ask God. And if you think the faith is way too big for you, take baby steps...ask for little things and as He answers those, ask for something bigger. Because He says we can ask for anything in His name. Pastor Lorne said it was like he mentioned before...if you’re wondering what to ask for, be sure to ask for things that He talked about in His word...about people coming to the Lord, people being healed, delivered, needs being met in their life. You’re on safe ground asking for those kinds of things because they’re in the Word of God. When we go on, we can ask for other things needed in our lives. The Bible says God hears us and He comes to give joy, happiness and contentment, and it comes by simply asking Him and trusting Him.

Look at John 15:11 – ‘I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.’ Pastor Lorne said this is not a theologian writing this but the actual word of Jesus recorded in the Word of God. Jesus goes on in v12: ‘My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.’ Pastor Lorne said God loves us...that’s sometimes hard for some people to understand...they say why does God love me? I’m such a sinner...I haven’t done anything for anyone...why does God love me?

But John 3:16 says, ‘For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.’ How much would you give for one of your children? If you had to buy back one of your children, would you give up your car? Your furniture? Maybe your house? Maybe your whole farm for one of your children? Pastor Lorne says he knows for each parent, that for the sake of your children, you’d surely give up everything that you have.

Did you know that God’s love and the words of Jesus are so great and that God loves us so much that He gave His only son, Jesus to the world so that you and I can be set free from the guilt of sin and the sentence of sin?

And He loves us. That’s the word of Jesus. God loves you and me. Jesus said that just as His father loves Him. We know how much a parent loves their children and it doesn’t matter what they’ve gone and done or what kinds of problems they have. Pastor Lorne said sometimes he thinks the love is almost greater for that type of child and that shows what Gods love is for us...for you and me. Jesus talks about that love...of how God was willing to give up his Son because He loved us and that’s what Jesus was trying to teach.

Pastor Lorne reminded us of Nicodemus who asked how to be right with God. Johns 3:3 says, ‘...Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again”.’ Again, the words of Jesus. He talks about love, he talks about asking for anything we want in His name and here He tells us that every man, woman, boy and girl must be born again...that you can’t see the kingdom of God unless you’re born again.

So here are the words of Jesus and He’s giving people the formula of having a right relationship with God and being born again, about receiving Christ...about asking Him to become Lord and Saviour of our lives. And all these words are words that Jesus spoke...they’re words of hope and words of joy. They bring joy to our heart and Pastor Lorne says he’s sure that we’ve had people who’ve been healed from diseases that just strike terror in your hearts and we’ve heard the Word. We’ve asked Jesus and believed Him and we’ve heard reports of God ‘s healing touches.

Pastor Lorne says he encourages you today to take into your life the words of Jesus...to allow them to become a part of your life. And when you think, how am I going to get around this, or how am I going to deal with that, remember that Jesus said, if you ask, you will receive. He wants you to take His word and believe it...to trust it...to rest upon it and know that He will answer because He has already and He’s going to continue to do so.

If you would like to speak to Pastor Lorne about this, please email him.

Comments are appreciated. If you’re not sure how, please click on ‘comments’ under 'Labels' in the right column.

The Words of Jesus: Matthew 5

Scriptures: Psalms 119:11, Matthew 5, Matthew 11:28

Pastor Lorne started the message last Sunday by saying that he was thinking back to The Rawling Brothers concert here at COTH and he remembered Bruce standing up there saying that when things get rocky, all these other things can happen, but our God is rock solid. So, when things go wrong or not the way we want, Pastor Lorne said he wants us to remember that God is always rock solid.

He then reminded us that he’s been talking about the life of Christ in his messages. He said people often make reference to words that someone else said and quote them. Pastor Lorne thought of the words of Jesus and wanted to talk about the words that Jesus spoke. He said that when he started researching just the words and things that Jesus said, he had just barely started when he realized how much is involved in such a task.

Pastor Lorne looked at the clock and said he seemed to be talking too long each week. He said each Sunday was a little longer and he would try to watch it this week. It was 10:52 at that time and he wanted everyone to time him and wave at him or something if he went too long.

He started the message with Psalms 119:11 which states, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Pastor Lorne believes that if we hide the words of Jesus in our heart, when we come to life’s issues, if we have His words hidden in our heart, we can react the way we should as He wants us to.

Pastor Lorne said the basis for today’s message is Matthew 5. That it’s not a message of great deliverance but it is liberating. Matt 5 is where The Beatitudes are found in the Bible. Pastor Lorne realized there are some radical things listed here but it’s a message of hope and encouragement, although, he said he himself might have to readjust how he does some things if he was going to take the words literally.

V3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit...” Pastor Lorne said someone who is poor in spirit is someone who has a need for the Lord. Someone who doesn’t have the power and presence of God in their life. The Beatitudes encourage people that they need God and His relationship in their life. We all come to the Lord poor in spirit and we commit our life to Him and in return, He gives us the great promise of the kingdom of heaven.

V4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Pastor Lorne said this means people who are sorry for their sins, lifestyle, etc.

V5 “Blessed are the meek...” Pastor Lorne finds this totally against what we hear today because everything today says the go-getters will win in the end. But the Bible doesn’t say that. It says “the meek... will inherit.” Those who are humble.

V6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness...” Pastor Lorne said if you want to live a life pure before God to live a live with Christ. Without Christ, you might lose your cool in a situation but you’ll handle it well with Christ at your side.

V7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” Pastor Lorne said sometimes you go and help people and don’t think about being paid back but down the road you get in trouble and need help and it comes back to you.

V8 “Blessed are the pure in heart...” Pastor Lorne said pure in heart by our faith and trust in the righteousness of Christ. By ourselves we couldn’t make it. Not the whole 10 commandments. He reminded us of the song that starts: “I am covered over with the robes of righteousness...” The robes of righteousness smothers all the things we might not be proud of and it makes us pure in heart before Christ.

V9 “Blessed are the peacemakers...” Pastor Lorne said there are people who like to get other people riled up. But in accordance to the scripture, we are to be peacemakers and bring peace wherever we go. We are to live in a peaceful atmosphere.

V10-12 “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness...” Pastor Lorne said you’ve probably never been taken by a government official and been whipped and beaten - at least not in Canada. But he was sure everyone had been laughed at or lost friends, etc or suffered some other form of persecution because of your faith in Christ.

Pastor Lorne said we’ve gone through all of these quickly, and here’s some of the other things Jesus said in the same chapter:

In V13, Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth....” You have flavour but you also preserve things.

In V14, He said, “You are the light of the world...” Pastor Lorne says those are pretty big shoes to fill, right?

Jesus talks about other things in life that are centered on the 10 commandments.

V21 is about murder: “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment...” Jesus then goes on to say that anyone angry with his brother will be subject to judgement and if you call someone a fool, you’ll suffer the same fate as a murderer. (Ouch – I know I’m in trouble with that one.)

In V23, Jesus is talking about offerings. He said if you’re having problems with your brother, “...First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.” (Just like in a previous message about not taking communion unless your heart is clean.)

In V27 & 28, Jesus mentions the commandment not to commit adultery but He takes it one step further by saying, “I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

In V31 & 32, Jesus gives His opinion on the matter of divorce.

In V33-37, Jesus is talking about people taking oaths. He says not to do it. In V37, He expands on this by saying, “Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'...” Pastor Lorne said he was watching TV and they were selling diamonds. He said a buyer will buy a group of diamonds worth a couple million dollars and when the deal is made, both parties shake hands. It’s a tradition – instead of signing papers. Pastor Lorne said that’s what Jesus is talking about: if you say yes, do it...you don’t need oaths, or to swear by heaven etc

Now in V38 Jesus says, “You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth'." Pastor Lorne asked if that meant we can hold down our buddy and pull out his tooth because he knocked out ours? But in the next verse, Jesus said, “...If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” Now that, Pastor Lorne said is sometimes very difficult to do, unless you don’t have a temper. He said he’d probably want to give it back or at least let them see his heels but that’s not what Jesus wants us to do. Prayer comes in handy at times like these.

V40 says, “And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.” Pastor Lorne said in the olden days, the cloak was used like a jacket in the day when you were cold, but it was also used as a covering like a blanket at night, so to give away your cloak was hard stuff.

V41 has always been a mystery to me: “If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.” And on Sunday, Pastor Lorne explained it. He said that in the days before phones and telegraphs, etc, they had messengers carrying the letters along the roads. And if one of those messengers had a heavy load, they had the right to stop you and make you carry their burden for a mile.

Pastor Lorne said Matthew 5 is all everyday, practical stuff.

He also said V44 – to love your enemies, is a difficult one. Pastor Lorne said that if you don’t like someone and don’t care about them and they’re mean to you, he’ll challenge you to start praying for them and asking God to bless them. And he said you’ll find in a little while your attitude to them will change and God will touch their lives and hearts. He said he knows this from experience. And if you keep praying for them, your heart and theirs will change. Pastor Lorne said several times he’s taken himself by the back of the neck and forced himself to pray that way...and God made a change in his life and in the lives of those he thought had misjudged him.

V48 “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” That’s a tough one. That’s talking about stretching yourself or doing the impossible at least in Pastor Lorne’s case. He supposes that if we completely follow everything in Matthew 5 then we would be getting close to being perfect.

He asked the congregation if anyone was close to being perfect. There were no takers. Pastor Lorne says he himself has a long way to go to be perfect.

In Matt 5, Jesus lays out how we ought to live our life. Jesus wouldn’t say it if it was impossible. But how can we do it? Pastor Lorne believes that if you have committed your life to Christ and stand in His righteousness, when God looks at you He doesn’t see the things you’ve done but He sees Christ. He sees the righteousness of Christ

In ourselves we can’t make it without the love of Christ. With His righteousness, we’re perfect in His sight.

Pastor Lorne doesn’t know what applies to you or me but in Matt 11:28, Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” So, amidst all these things above, Jesus is waiting and says “Come to me...”.

Pastor Lorne wants you to know that Jesus walks with you every step of the way when you attempt to do these things in your life because He gave us some radical things to do if we want to be part of His kingdom.

No one is immune to the pressures of life, but with Christ, all things are possible.
Pastor Lorne wanted to encourage you to take the words of Jesus in your heart...now that you know what to do...

After a final song and prayer, I happened to glance up at the clock. Church was over at 11:22.

If you would like to speak to Pastor Lorne about this, please email him.
Comments are appreciated. If you’re not sure how, please click on ‘comments’ under 'Labels' in the right column.

Come Away with Me!

Dianne, wife of Pastor Lorne, is guest blogging here today:

Song of Solomon 2:11-13: "See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land. The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me."

How we look forward to spring after the long cold winter. On the first warm day, even before all the snow is gone, it is so refreshing to step outside and breathe in deeply the fresh, invigorating air. You can smell the freshness of spring, and you know that winter is past. Soon flowers appear, and someone will come with a little bouquet of crocuses. And the appearance of the crows and geese always brings an excited “Look, there is a crow!” or “Can you hear the geese?” Then gardening becomes the focus of our attention, while those who don’t garden are sitting out on their decks beckoning, “Come sit with me for awhile!”

Sometimes we experience winter in our hearts, and it seems like we have died on the inside. Life goes by us faster and faster and we can’t catch our breath long enough to contemplate our next activity before we are already in the midst of doing it. But God doesn’t want for our lives to become hectic or aimless. He wants us to experience fulfillment and contentment. He wants that the winter be over, and that all the sorrows and disappointments of life fade away like the snow. He wants to bring springtime into our lives, where we will find newness of life, and a season of joy and gladness. He wants us to relish life around us, and listen to its music. He wants us to let our inward being be fed by his word, and our prayers be a fragrant aroma to him.

He invites each of us to come away with him, and learn of Him, because He is meek and lowly. He desires that we know Him, and communicate with Him. He is approachable to all who call upon him.

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Start with believing in Jesus. Let Him come into your life, and renew a right spirit within you. Let him bring you contentment, joy, and peace. Let Him soothe you with the wonderful music of life around you, and the fragrance of laughter. Let Him feed you from his word, the Bible. Read it everyday; it is food for your soul. God wants you to come away with him. You are precious to Him. He calls you “My darling.” He beckons, “Come sit with me for awhile!”

If you would like to speak to Dianne about this, please email her.

Comments are appreciated. If you’re not sure how, please click on ‘comments’ under 'Labels' in the right column.