QUOTES FOR APRIL 11, 2026

 

WHAT IS WORSHIP

 

     We live in challenging times.  Currently the inflation rate in Canada is over seven percent with food, shelter, clothing, and transportation the main drivers of this inflation.  Only recently have we seen a small relief from gas prices.  In our grocery stores we are dealing with shrinkflation which is getting smaller quantities for the same amount of money.  In some parts of the country housing is almost becoming unaffordable.  All of this is causing physical, mental and emotion stress.  Is there any hope?  Of course, there is but it is not found in education, government, social reform, or environmental action.  It is found in the Lord.

     When I gave my life to Jesus Christ back in 1974, I committed my time talents and resources to the Lord.  I have lived through the runaway inflation of the seventies, high interest rates of the eighties, the recessions of the nineties and early twenty first century.  Not once in that time did, I ever lack in anything.  I was able to buy homes, cars, clothe my four children and not once did I miss a mortgage payment or utility bill.  In my case the Lord was Jehovah Jireh my provider. 

     I have had a lifetime experience of the Lord’s care and keeping.  In these uncertain times I have encouraging you to put your trust in the Lord.  I am always reminded of Prov 3:5-6, “Trust the Lord with all your heart, do not lean to your own understanding but in all ways acknowledge the Lord and He will direct your path.”  I have found this wonderful promise to absolutely truth and trustworthy. 

     Recently there was a survey that asked Albertans how they felt about the future over half with uncertain and even afraid.   I love this verse from Isaiah 41:10 which states, “Do not fear, for I am with you, do not, be dismayed for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you.  I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”  God promises that He will be in your corner.  Jesus stated in Matthew 29:20, that He would never leave or forsake us.  It is so comforting to know God is helping and working on your behalf.

     I have discovered over the years that as stated in Psalm 37:23, “That the steps of a good person is ordered by the Lord.”  When we commit our steps to the Lord, he will always not only be with us but go before us to prepare the way.  I remember when I was living in Hay River, I was driving my new Jeep on a gravel road near the Dene Village.  A van went by a threw a large rock into the path of my windshield is smash the windshield and caused a lot of damage.  When I got back to Hay River I went to a local glass shop and asked how much to install a new windshield.  He gave me the price, told me he had to order it in and that it would be in town in a couple days.  I told him to order it and then driving back home wondered how I was going to pay for this.  Now get this, by the end of the day the Lord provided every penny of the price miraculously.  I told no one the need but through two unexpected sources God provided the need.  This is just one of a lifetime of similar types of provision. 

     What I am saying is that if you put you hand in the hand of the man who still the water, like the song says you will find Him faithful.  I have a lifetime of experience in this area.  I have found God to be faithful and you will as well.  When you do your life will not be ruled by fear but by faith.  I leave you with one final thought from the Apostle Paul.  It is found in Phil 4:19. Paul states, “My God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory.”  God has provision for you waiting to be released to you.  All you must do is ask.   James 4:2, says you have not because you ask not.  Why not ask and you will be surprised what the Lord will do.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE

 

Truths from John 14:18-21

 

1.         You will not be alone or orphans.  Jesus intends to come to us and for us.  Vs 18

 

a.        Reality of loneliness.  One in four adults are lonely. 

b.        27% among those under 30.

c.        17% among seniors.

d.        45% of women feel lonely.

e.        The Lord said he would never leave or forsake.  We are never alone especially when we know these truths.

 

2.        The world will not see Him but soon they will see Him.  Vs 19

3.        Because He lives, we will live also.  Abundant life is found in Christ.

 

5 Attributes of an abundant life are:

 

a.        Gratitude

b.        Optimism

c.        Generosity

d.        Fulfilling relationships

e.        & Continuous growth

 

4.        I am in my Father.  The Trinity is a Christian doctrine that defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ) and God the Holy Spirit, three distinct persons sharing one essence/substance/nature1. The attributes of the Trinity include:

a.        All members of the Trinity are equally omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, eternal, and unchanging.

b.        Each member of the Trinity has unique functions.

c.        Scripture shows how each member of the Trinity fulfills His specific role and how those three roles interrelate.

 

5.        Christ is in us, and we are in Him.  The resident Holy Spirit will help us to think, talk and act like Christ.  He will come along side, be our guide, comfort, helper, advocate, and counsellor.  The Lord will live in us, manifest Himself through us and elevate us to be place of influence and destiny never imagined before.  Vs 20

 

6.        Whoever has my commandments and keeps them loves me.  Action speaks louder than words.  Faith is shown. 

 

a.        The one who loves Christ is loved by the Father.  The results are they are loved by Christ and He will show Himself to them.  Love is the Key.  Love is the conduit in which all the blessings, benefits, results and promises come. 

b.        Jesus Christ will show Himself to them.  This is done through the word, prayer, the Holy Spirit and others. 

 

 

 

 

YOU ARE WEHAT YOU EAT

 

3 Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ.

 

1.       Paul in this letter is saddened by the fact for all his work among them for a year and a half some of them were still acting like children.  He wanted to address them as people of the spirit.  Instead he must address them as not even children but mere infants.

2.      An infant can only handle milk and needs constant care and attention.  The world revolves around them and without care and protection they can perish.  Worldly people are vain, selfish, envious, and ambitious for the wrong things.  It is about pride, pleasure, and possession.  This is what some of Corinthian were exhibiting. 

 

2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.

 

1.      Paul says when he was among them, he gave them the milk of the word.  Simple truths in simple ways.  Jesus did the same when he spoke in parables which is simple truth contained in a story or example.  Paul shared his testimony and kept it simple.

2.      What sadden Paul was they were still not ready.  This the reason for this letter.  It is hard to get the world out of people.  That is why we must be patient, loving, caring and graceful in our discipling of people.  Jesus took three years with his disciples.

3.      It is a combination of personal responsibility and continuous care.  It takes years for a child to growth up so why would you expect any less from fellow believers.  Maturity comes eventually 

4.      We grow by the word, prayer, church attendance and personal witnessing.  Peter tells us in 2 Pet 3:18 to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.  The Lord supplies the apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher to help us with the rest.  The goal is become mature. 

 

3 You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans?

 

1.      Paul then reveals the negative things they are showing to show that they are still worldly.  Being worldly means to be selfish, envious, and ambitious for the wrong things. 

2.      Paul says the two things that should they were acting like babies, world and like everyone else is that they were jealous and quarreling among themselves.  There was no unity.  No tolerance, compassion, or patience.  They were fighting over their favorite preachers.  What is even sadder is that is what we are doing right now.

3.      We have denominations, church splits, traditional churches, liturgical churches, evangelicals, fundamentalists, charismatics, Pentecostals, Trinitarians, Jesus only, once saved always saved, King James only vs other translations and the list goes on and on.  This is worldly, baby like behaviour. 

4.      We wrap it up in spiritual boundaries and contexts.  We are just like the Corinthians or the Pharisees who said to Jesus if these prophets were alive today, we would not do to them what our ancestors did.  Yet they put Jesus to death and persecuted the prophets.

5.      A religious spirit is a religious spirit you can dress it up, disguise it as truth but it is still a religious spirit.  The Corinthian problem has not gone away. James says pure religion is taking care of the vulnerable and keeping oneself from being polluted or stained by the world.

 

6.      So, our question today is how can we avoid it?  Paul stated in the second chapter of this book.  He said, I chose to preach and live Christ crucified.  Paul reset his life.  To keep it simple.  He kept to the word and prayer.  The mindset of Christ is to do the will of the Father.  Where do you find that in the pages of the Bible and how is that implemented through prayer.  It is not that complex.  It is time to major on the majors and stop campaigning on the minors.

 

POWER TO CHANGE

 Power to Change

Isaiah 43:19 “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”                                                 Slide One

 

Change means:  to make different in some particular : ALTER: to make radically different : TRANSFORM 

 

In the case of a Christian you have been transformed.  Your change is from the inside out.  Slide 2

 

Here are five reasons people don’t like to change.

 

1.      People fear being different--especially when there's no precedent.  We're creatures of habit. For the most part, we love routine and procedure.

       2.    People feel overwhelmed or stressed, people may resist change simply because they're tired.

       3.    People fear a departure from the status quo, 62% of people don’t want to change, don’t feel

              they need to change or fear change. 

       4.   People know change brings a new set of possibilities and problems.  Many people prefer for

              things to stay the way they are.  How many have you heard the old saying if it aim broke, don’t

              fix it.

        5.  People don’t trust the one encouraging the change.                                        Slide 3

 

Here are seven reasons why embracing change can be a very good   

 

Change helps you grow. ...

Change teaches you to be flexible. ...

Change can challenge your values and beliefs. ...

Change reveals your strengths. ...

Change makes you more compassionate. ...

Change breaks up routines. ...

Change offers opportunities.                                                                                                  Slide 4

 

Here are some Biblical characters where change was for the best.

 

Abram left Ur to Haran than to Canaan.  He later became Abraham the Father of the faithful.  He was the Father of the Israelites through Isaac.  Through him all nations have been blessed. 

 

Jacob when he left and found Leah, Rachel, he had 12 boys who became the 12 tribes of Israel.  Had his name change to Israel which means Prince with God.

 

Joseph, was a Prince of Israel, sold into slavery by his brothers, end up as a slave and then in prison for 13 years.  In one day went from prisoner to Prime Minister and saved the then known world from Calamity.

 

Daniel was taken in captivity by the Babylonians.  He became a high ranking official in the Babylonian and Medo-Persian empire.  Influenced a number of rulers.

 

Esther was taken from her home to the harem of the King, won his heart and eventually saved her people from the sinister minister Haman.  ``                                                                Slide 5

 

Change is an opportunity to renew, retool, and re-imagine what’s possible.  Change is the ultimate opportunity for transformation.  It’s a chance to do a reset.  It’s a chance for a fresh start.  It’s a chance to let things go.  It’s a chance to create a vision for the future.  It’s also a chance to reinvent yourself, which many times means bringing out more of who you are.                                              Slide 6

 

One man wrote:  Change is good.   But only if you embrace it.   Change is a chance to stop doing what’s not working, start doing things that would work better, and keep doing the things that work well

 

Change is good.   But only if you embrace it.   Change is a chance to stop doing what’s not working, start doing things that would work better, and keep doing the things that work well

 

     As a Christian we embrace change.  The Bible says the mercy of God are new every morning.  Great is his faithfulness.  Peter states in 1 Pet 3:18, that we are to growth in the grace and the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Paul tells us in Romans 12:2 that we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.

 

     God demands and makes changes.  He loves us to much to leave us as we are.  God change and  process us.  God is always at work in us.   His ultimate goal is to make us like Jesus.  Our job is to work with Him and let Him change us.    The agents of change are as follows, the word, prayer, circumstances, other people and life in general. 

 

QUOTES FOR APRIL 8, 2026

 

THE POWER OF UNITY

 

How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!

 

1.      Two Benefits of Unity is life is good and pleasant.  When you have urgency, chaos, confusion, and crisis life is not pleasant.  The author of confusion is the enemy.  His agenda is to rob, kill, and destroy.

2.      The definition of unity is the state of being united or joined as a whole.  You are working together.  You have one goal, purpose, aim, and direction.  For the church it has three components.  We are to preach the gospel, make disciples and love those God brings across our path. 

3.      It is easier when we are working together and not against each other.  When the church was in one accord the Holy Spirit fell in power and the communities in which they served became changed.  Paul was described in Acts 17:6 as the men who turn the world upside down.

4.      Here are the five qualities that keep unity.

 

a.      Humility. Humility has to do with not thinking of yourself as better than others. ...

b.      Gentleness. Gentleness has to do with considering others, forfeiting your rights. ...

c.      Patience

d.      Love.

e.      Zeal for the Lord and prayer.

 

It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard,

    down on the collar of his robe.

 

1.      David uses the illustration of Moses anointing Aaron.  Unity comes when you are anointed by God in His service.  When you know that you are an advocate, ambassador, representative and intercessor.  It is the anointing by the Holy Spirit that brings unity. 

2.      You are consecrated for the sacred and holy.  You are not like others.  You represent God and His kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy.  We are kings and priests unto God.  Unity comes when you know your role, responsibility, duty, obligations, and task.  You have a higher purpose.  You are not ordinary but extra-ordinary.  You are in this world but not of it. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.      Five results of the anointing of God

 

a.      The anointing will consecrate you. It will literally set you apart for the blessings of God and for His ministry.

b.      The anointing of God honors you...God honors His people.

c.      The anointing will enable you. The power of His anointing will be behind all that you do.

d.      The anointing will give you authority. Authority over devils, and over things on this earth. We have authority...so great it is frightening; we just don't use it sometimes.

e.      The anointing destroys bondage.

 

It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion.  For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.

 

1.      Unity is beautiful and powerful. 

2.      The Lord bestows His blessings here.  Abundant life, provision, security healing, love, grace, truth, faith, prosperity, success, and health. 

3.      It is central to breakthrough, revival, renewal, restoration, and transformation.  It is accomplished through personal examination, prayer, honoring the word and fasting.