Sunday, November 05, 2023

Martha's health update

In June 2022, my beloved Martha, sought medical help for suspected endometrial cancer. It took until December to get surgery in Winnipeg. By that time, it had metastasized. She developed excruciating pain in her right knee. Eventually, they gave her radiation to reduce the pain. She had surgery
on October 10, 2023 to reinforce the leg bones. 

On October 19 they transferred her to Riverview Palliative Care. A week ago her bladder ceased to function and she was transferred to St Boniface Hospital for emergency dual nephrostomy to drain the kidneys. 

She's feeling much better now, but we don't know how much longer. 

She's in SBH palliative care now, and welcomes a few visitors a day. If you would like to see her, text me at 204-782-2112 to arrange a visit. We had hoped she could be home for Christmas....

She has spent a great deal of time at Cancer Care and continues to suffer a great deal of pain. The only treatment they can offer her now is pain control and hormone therapy until it no longer works. The cancer has become terminal.

There was hope that the new immunotherapy and targeted therapy to stimulate her immune system to fight the cancer would help. After weeks of painful side-effects, she developed immune related myocarditis. That required emergency care and hospitalization to administer prednisone to suppress her immune system. 

Now we are between a rock and a hard place. 

In early September she spent a week in hospital getting prednisone and scan after scan. They couldn't determine what caused the high levels of cardio enzymes, so they sent her home.... 

Needless to say, I'm devastated. 

Endometrial cancer is usually easily treatable if surgery happens early. 
Now it's costing our health care system far more money than it would have if they had sent her to a US hospital.

A slow response to cancer drags the system down, and responses get even slower and more expensive. 
But the worst of it is the needless suffering the patient and her family has to endure. 

Governments should send patients out of province for treatment when our system is overloaded until the backlog is cleared.

IMHO what the British government is doing is the right thing with the TWO WEEK RULE

Thank you for your prayers. 

BLESSINGS!
Raymond Dueck
204-782-2112 

Wednesday, September 06, 2023

Health Care or Sick Care?

In June 2022, Martha sought medical help for suspected endometrial cancer. It took until December to get surgery in Winnipeg. By that time, it had metastasized. She developed excruciating pain in her right knee. Eventually, they gave her radiation to reduce the pain. Now, she is scheduled for surgery in October 2023 to restore the leg bones. 

Now, she spends time at Cancer Care 2 or 3 times a week and continues to suffer a great deal of pain. The only treatment they can offer her now is addictive pain control and chemo until it no longer works. The cancer has become terminal.

There was hope that the new immunotherapy and targeted therapy to stimulate her immune system to fight the cancer would help. After weeks of painful side-effects, she developed immune related myocarditis. That required emergency care and hospitalization to administer prednisone to suppress her immune system. 

Now we are between a rock and a hard place. 

She's already spent a week in hospital getting prednisone and scan after scan. Don't know when she'll be able to go home. 

Needless to say, I'm devastated. 

Endometrial cancer is usually easily treatable if surgery happens early. 
Now it's costing our health care system far more money than it would have if they had sent her to a US hospital.

A slow response to cancer drags the system down, and responses get even slower and more expensive. 
But the worst of it is the needless suffering the patient and her family has to endure. 

Governments should send patients out of province for treatment when our system is overloaded until the backlog is cleared.

What the British government is doing is the right thing with the TWO WEEK RULE

Wednesday, August 31, 2022

Go into your community and all the world

Referencing Alan Kreider's The Patient Ferment of the Early Church, Paul Doerksen suggests the early Christians never did "outreach" at all, but "attracted people" to the faith by how they lived and cared for each other.
Added Gordon Matties, who formerly taught theology at CMU: "There is one main verb, an aorist active imperative, which is 'make disciples.' All the others are participles."
The context also helps us understand the verse better, he said, since it's clear from earlier texts in Matthew that the disciples will be harassed and will be forced to move.
"It's possible the 'going' isn't something they've chosen to do," he said. "It's something that is simply their way of life. So the translation 'as you go' makes sense, but it doesn't convey the passive very well. Perhaps it should be, 'as you're being made to go, make disciples," he said.
In his book The Rise of Christianity: How the Obscure, Marginal Jesus Movement Became the Dominant Religious Force in the Western World in a Few Centuries, sociologist Rodney Stark suggested the Christian church grew because of how its members cared for each other - especially during epidemics that ravaged the Roman world.
Said Stark: "To cities filled with
the homeless and the impoverished, Christianity offered charity as well
as hope. To cities filled with newcomers and strangers, Christianity offered an immediate basis for attachments. To cities filled with orphans and widows, Christianity provided a new and expanded sense of family. To cities torn by violent ethnic strife, Christianity offered a new basis for social solidarity. And to cities faced with epidemics, fires, and earthquakes, Christianity offered effective nursing services."
Maybe all Christians need to do
today is live in such a way others want to join them. After all, it seemed to work for the early church.

Sunday, August 28, 2022

All your wildest dreams will come true

The game of LIFE
To win the game you need to have the most money
Pastor John Neufeld www.EasTview.org 
Say hello to someone
Proverbs by Solomon. Is he a model or a cautionary tale?
Why don't the kids follow the parent's dreams? Their values are not our values. 
The king must not take many wives. He needs to make a copy of law and follow it all his life. 
He had more than 3 kids. Rehoboam did not follow Solomon. 
1. What are you teaching?
2. What are you modeling?
3,000 teens were interviewed twice and their parents by Smith and Denton 
Moralistic therapeutic deism (MTD) is a term that was first introduced in the 2005 book Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers by the sociologist Christian Smith[1] with Melinda Lundquist Denton.[2] The term is used to describe what they consider to be the common beliefs among U.S. youths.[3][4][5] The book is the result of the research project the National Study of Youth and Religion.[6]

1. God exists
2. God is not active in the world
3. God wants us to be nice
4. The goal in life is to be happy
5. Good people go to heaven

What does the Bible teach? 
9 priorities
1. Fear God
2. Honour God 
3. Discipline
4. Appreciate correction 
5. Pursue a godly wife
6. Learn self control
7. Tell the truth
8. Work hard
9. Show mercy to the poor

How we worship is a primary parenting responsibility. 
Men are not singing in church and the kids quit singing
What's more important to you. The kids will follow the example. 

Did you appreciate discipline? Disciple with care and love. I always got spanked 3 slaps and then we talked. Dad had boundaries. 

Godly wife is a crown. Did Solomon have many crowns or many rotten bones?
Find a follower of Jesus. 
Consider your choice. 

He who Lacks of Self control is like a city with the walls broken down. 

Tell the truth. David repented deeply and God restored him. Don't hide your brokenness. Joseph's descendents became slaves in Isreal. 

Proverbs is Wisdom and counsel. Not promises

Sunday, August 21, 2022

EasTview mission day

Team going to Thailand to see the work that we are doing with Dave and Louise. Being a witness and being present with them and the believers in Thailand and Burma. 
Johnny Beatrice Rick Julie....

Pastor John Neufeld
Need volunteers to help with movie night and also with helping the refugee family. Need life group leaders. No need to be passive. 

Dave Sinclair-Peters
Great to be here today. Thankful. We are both from Manitoba. Happy to be here in summer. 
This is so different from the worship spaces in SE Asia. 
"I make disciples who make disciples." Can you say that? When people do that, they grow in faith. Clusters of churches are getting together to form the Mennonite Brethren conference. We share resources with other churches. 
MBs are spread around the world making disciples who make disciples. 
Our kids are in Toronto. We have our first grandchild coming. Exciting. 
We recently went back to the country we worked in. After 2 years we have 12 churches. Tripled in size in 2 years. 
One pastor couple moved into a hostile village and kept loving them. In time they were able to share Jesus with them. Now they have a small group meeting in their house. 

I'm excited to be part of MB and Anabaptist group. 
If you didn't grow up in that ethnicity you are welcome at EasTview. 

We don't talk about the ethnic stuff to the believers in Thailand. 

A pastor is in jail because he's a Christian. What do we do? Jesus said do not resist an evil doer. I want to push back on Micro aggressors. How do we respond? Roll over? Jesus makes it incredibly difficult. The earliest Anabaptists were persecuted for adult baptism. Authorities started to round up the leaders and baptize them again by throwing them in the river to die. They chained up the women and eventually started killing them because they kept sharing Jesus. They didn't resist the evil doers. They were completely free to love the people who hated them. 
They were radical disciples of Jesus. Not passive. 
Love your enemies in a way that will blow your minds. You are a new creation. No need to fight back. 
We gladly give them love instead of hate. 
We lay hands on leaders. Jane became a Jesus follower. One day she woke up with extreme incapacitated pain. One day she prayed for healing and worshipped and praised God. 
In the morning she had no pain. She got up and walked. Every week they now go out to tell others of what Jesus has done. She has family anger to deal with.
Pray for boldness to love people and an opportunity to tell someone about Jesus. 

Sunday, August 14, 2022

EasTview service

Bruce and Lisa Enns 
General Director of Multiply.net 
They have 4 adult daughters not married
Parenting by suggesting

The world is coming to us. 
David and Louise will be here next weekend

Proverbs
God have us wisdom. Apply knowledge of how to live in this world. The wisdom of the world vs the wisdom of God
General statements of how things will generally work out
Job and Ecclesiastes fill in some details
That changes things a around us
I'm talking about money today. Proverbs teaches us. 13:11, 16:8, 21:26, 22:1
Greed is hard to see. Relationships matter. 
We don't think we're wealthy because we always look at others who are wealthier. We are in fact wealthy in the eyes of the world. Much of the world can't choose which clothes they will wear. $54,000 a year puts you in the top. $90,000 assets puts you in the top 10% of the world's wealth. 
Imagine a Costco cart full of stuff you don't need. 
Heart condition. That's what God is after. We have joyless prosperity. 
Incomplete joy. Timothy Keller 
Jesus talked about the kingdom of God. 
Parable of the seed and the sower. The deceitfulness of wealth choke the Word. 
Where your treasure is your heart will be also. 
Ezekiel says the leaders have set up idols in their hearts. 
Money is not evil. It's neural. Unless we get enslaved by it. 
Prov 4:23
We take the good things that God has given us and making them ultimate things. 
Matthew 6 you can't serve God and be enslaved to money
1. Settle the ownership, it belongs to God
2. Honest assessment. How has Greed crept in. 
3. How we handle money is a discipleship issue
4. Practice JGSP Giving Joyfully Generously Sacrificially Proportionally. Jesus calls us to go beyond the tithe. Start at the local church
5. Prov 3.  Set your heart on things above. Colossians 3:1-5
Put God back on the throne. Lord we give you thanks. 

Sunday, July 31, 2022

An inheritance in Jesus

Charles Price
https://www.ccln.ca/podcast/episode57

Glorious inheritance
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.
Ephesians 1:3‭-‬4 NLT


A man in Portugal owned a lot of properties. One day he invited his lawyer and some witnesses to pick a random 70 people from the phone book to inherit his fortune. Only 2 people responded to collect the inheritance. Everyone else thought it was a scam. 

We are like that. Many people don't believe we have an inheritance from God. 

There is a list of things that are already done. Jesus death. Now we need to supply that to work, marriage, work, family

God did
God said
God revealed
God created
God......

Let us enter the rest
When Adam sinned God said sweat
Or rest in Jesus
He wrote a book:
Stop Trying To Live For Jesus book
42% of pastors are considering quitting because they are burning out because they are not resting in Jesus. 

By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.
2 Peter 1:3 NLT

Suppose you get a new car. You like the shape but I need an engine, seats, steering wheel....
God has given us everything we need. He is my strength. 
The fruit of the Spirit is LOVE....
is the Spirit in you? Thank him for God's love living in me and love the unlovable. Consider others more important than me. 
Thank God for the fruit of the Spirit. 

I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.
Ephesians 1:16‭-‬18 NLT


You have everything you need... just trust God. 
There is no one here that can live the Christian life. It doesn't work. It's like pushing a bus up the hill. There is an engine. Enjoy the ride!
Only Jesus can. 

Moses said I can't. God said I'm with you. Isaiah said it. So many others...

The resources of the Christian Life is Jesus only. 

We need to appropriate Jesus. 
Your car engine is doing nothing. It needs a driver... a transmission...

Thank you Jesus for your sufficiency. 

Monday, July 25, 2022

All Peoples Church

Erna and her husband were in Nashville

Bill Ehlers pastor

Musician Jamie Giesbrecht formerly at Radio Southern Manitoba
Now at Eden Mental Health fund raising
Songs:
Leaning in the Everlasting Arms
Worthy of every song we could ever sing
Firm Foundation
Had a break-in last year, she got hit in the face, ran away screaming and broke her foot. Real trauma.
Keep me Safe till the Storm passes by

Bill Ehlers & Betty pastors
Offeratory
Sometimes I Feel Discouraged 

Bill pastor
Life on the side. Day job. Roofing company started by his son Above All https://aboveall.net/testimonials/ doing sales and general manger. Getting to know lots of people including contractors. One of them was a home builder that went the extra mile with foundations and roofing. Lost out to the competition. 
Gave up on residential. Went commercial. 
A story of Jesus. An earthly story with a heavenly meaning. At the end of the sermon on the mount. 
Matthew
"Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won't collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn't obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash." When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real authority—quite unlike their teachers of religious law.
Matthew 7:24‭-‬29 NLT


The difference is what they're built on. On the outside they look the same. One's got his house done in no time. The other one keeps digging and digging. His wife gets anxious. Why is it taking so long? 
Finally he found rock. 
In the meantime the other guy had already moved in. When the wadi filled his house crashed.
Jesus talked about appearances. The Pharisees. Jesus said you look good and people honor you. Jesus called them whitewashed tombs full of dead man's bones. 
Appearances are deceiving. Some people base their lives on passion. 
Some are building on eternal things. 
Storms will come. Not always sunshine and no wind. We all have to face temptation. Someone Bill knows had access to company funds. A woman got romantically involved with a younger man.
Warned about robbers in Hadashville. He was told to get a gun. 
A lady has long term Covid with loss of taste. Some have lost investments. 
Storms like loss of loved ones. Healthy man just died of Covid last Sunday. His children have a strong foundation. Let's pray that the children will survive the impact. 
There are also storms of prosperity. Wealth danger is that you become independent from God. You become a self made person. 
More people get knocked off their spiritual foundations by wealth than by hardship. 
The biggest storm coming up is the day we all have to stand before the Great Judgement Throne. 
We need to build carefully. 
It's possible to know about Jesus. It's another thing to do. 
You like sermons to make you feel good. Beware. You don't know when your life will end. 
4 months ago John 51 and Sharon had a happy family. 

V28,29 Jesus finished the sermon. The people were gobsmacked. Jesus had authority. They'd never heard speakers like that. The Pharisees reiterated opinions of scholars before them. 
"Thus says the Lord" is found 3,000 times in the old Testament. Jesus never used that phrase because he is the Lord. He spoke the matter and in the manner of the Lord. 
Jesus didn't teach religion. He taught that God knows what's in you. He knows your heart. 
Jesus talked about relationships with authority. He was 30 years old and came from a 5th rate town. 
Jesus was the ultimate radical. 
The crowd was 😯 astonished! 
Build on that foundation and you will stand strong.
Leaning tower of Piza was leaning 15 feet and they fixed it so it won't fall. The foundation was built on sand. 

Sunday, July 17, 2022

The Game of Life

Pastor John www.EasTview.org 

Wife of noble character
Rose flew out to help the sister in law who brook her foot
Noble wife

In The GAME OF LIFE you must add a spouse so you can win! Is the game real? Utilitarian to win the game. 
What does it take to have the wisdom of Proverbs? They tend to male centered. They can be applied to both men and women. 
They all got married. Intergenerational house holds. 
Happiness index is usually won by Sweden or Denmark. 
Cohabitation is what needs to be discussed.
"Good news about marriage" by shaunti feldhahn the divorce rate is less that 20%
72% are intact first marriage
Be encouraged
80% are happy
What are the things that bring you joy in marriage? Talk about it. 
If your unhappy in your marriage and you work on it 80% are happy in 5 years
We will talk about, how we will talk about it. 
Communication matters. 
Those who attend church and sit together have higher success. Lower divorce rate 25%-50% rate. 
Most marriages can be fixed by small changes. 
Marriage requires hard work but marriage isn't hard.
Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas
Cohabitation 23% 77% married
20-35 year old 47% cohabitation 
The person with the least commitment has the most power. 
Do some of the work on how to be married well. 
Find a wife (husband) and you find a good thing; it shows that the Lord is good to you.
Proverbs 18:22 GNT


Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praise. 
A man can inherit a house and money from his parents, but only the Lord can give him a sensible wife.
Proverbs 19:14 GNT


Advice to his son. Honor her. Speak well of her. 31:31

Character is what matters. Gal 5 love joy peace... what character are you cultivating? How are you cultivating character in your children? 
Quarrelsome is like constant dripping. 
Conflict comes in many forms
10 on his list
Sometimes kids are brought into the conflict. Speak well of each other. Honor each other. 
Money and job related conflict
External family issues

Proverbs about marriage
Look for conduct. It's likely to continue. 
The Wise listen to advice. Prudent overlook insult.

What does love look like? Look to a single guy named Jesus. 
Prov 3 trust in the Lord 

Thursday, July 14, 2022

The Lion the Lamb and the Throne

Guelph church

The SOLUTION 
The four living creatures sing songs of glory and honor and thanks to the one who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever. When they do so, the twenty-four elders fall down before the one who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives forever and ever. They throw their crowns down in front of the throne and say, "Our Lord and God! You are worthy to receive glory, honor, and power. For you created all things, and by your will they were given existence and life."
Revelation 4:9‭-‬11 GNT

https://bible.com/bible/68/rev.4.9-11.GNT
Tozer says the first problem is the church losing the fundamentals 

32 ft scroll written on both sides was unusual. Sealed with 7 deals. Who is worthy? 

John Milton Paradise Lost is hard to read. Read the first 30 pages and got hooked on his story. Read it all. 
The mighty angel reminds me of one of John Milton's angels. 

The angel asks who is worthy? Not intelligent? 

No one could face Goliath. 

John wept and wept. Something terrible is happening? What is in the scroll? Tension in the air. The scroll contains God's purposes for the future. The scroll must be opened for God's purposes to be realized. 

Behold the Lion of Judah is here. At the end of Genesis Jacob blessed Judah. Lion's cub. There is authority in Judah. The prophesy was fulfilled here. 

He saw a Lamb that had recently been slain but it's not dead. Standing in the centre of the throne. 

Nations chose violent creatures to represent them. Apocalyptic literature has all kinds of symbols. 

7 horns represent complete authority. 7 eyes see everything. Don't try to paint that. 

Is this a lion or a Lamb? Both! 

When I saw him, I fell down at his feet like a dead man. He placed his right hand on me and said, "Don't be afraid! I am the first and the last. I am the living one! I was dead, but now I am alive forever and ever. I have authority over death and the world of the dead.
Revelation 1:17‭-‬18 GNT


V7 he took the scroll. It is at the right hand of all power and he has no difficulty taking it. The restrained Christ was in the manger for our sake. In his public ministry he was mostly restrained. 

He's arrested, hands tied, condemned, but restrained. He is still restrained today. 

There is coming a day that will reveal Jesus in power. A terrible day if you're on the wrong side and a wonderful day for his followers. The Lord will execute perfect justice. 

We dumb down God as irrelevant. Angels are reduced to babies with wings. Left to ourselves we reduce God to manageable size. Tozer

People in hell will recognize that everything they did had meaning. 

3. All through Scripture there is the theme of the Lamb. Abraham and Isaac. The passover Lamb. John the Baptist behold the Lamb. 

Have confidence in Scripture. 
Notice the presence of central gospel truths in the Bible. 

People are removing the cross. Be here next week. 
The cross is bloody because sin is so terrible. 

Monday, June 20, 2022

Show me your friends and I'll show you your future

Pastor John Neufeld www.EasTview.org 

Dan Penna bought a castle in Scotland 
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Pe%C3%B1a
His manager ripped him off and he forgave him
Show me your friends and I'll show you your future

Luke 5:17
One day when Jesus was teaching, some Pharisees and teachers of the Law were sitting there who had come from every town in Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. The power of the Lord was present for Jesus to heal the sick. Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a bed, and they tried to carry him into the house and put him in front of Jesus. Because of the crowd, however, they could find no way to take him in. So they carried him up on the roof, made an opening in the tiles, and let him down on his bed into the middle of the group in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw how much faith they had, he said to the man, "Your sins are forgiven, my friend."
Luke 5:17‭-‬20 GNT


Think hammock. 4 friends hauling a guy up the roof on a very narrow set of stairs, dig a big hole in the roof and lower him. 

What kind of friend are you? 
1.Compassionate? Listen deeply? Are you that kind of friend? 
2. Faithful friend
3. Encouraging friend. The Holy Spirit
4. Determined friend who makes good things happen. To experience Jesus. 

Show me your friends and I'll show you your future video. You're sculpting yourself by the friends you keep. 

God is there for the paralyzed 

Sin is at the core of all brokenness
Forgiveness is the core of all of our restoration

Forgiveness is pulling the hook out. They never apologized. Why should I forgive? Jesus takes the hook out. 

What kind of helpless are you? 
1. If it's too crowded near Jesus we don't feel like bothering
2. Many of our best moments with Jesus because of our friends
Mom and dad bear our burdens. They pray for them
3. We begrudge our friends as they are taking us to Jesus
Maybe I'm too proud to accept help
4. We still carry our mat. We don't walk with the sleeping bag around all the time. Some do. Advertise our pain.
We need friends to help us in our helplessness. Jesus wants to help. 

3 questions
1. How do you remove a bad influence friend? Gently carefully. Be more powerfully connected to Jesus. Fill your life with good friends 
2. How do you take the hook out? Examine the wound. Take out the pain. Give the hook back. I don't want your pain in my life anymore

Thursday, June 09, 2022

The woman caught in adultery

June 5, 22
Pastor John www.EasTview.org 
https://youtu.be/mb62Xv5YGt8
John 7.53 - 8.11
Deuteronomy 22.22 both shall die
John 8 there is no man. Where is the adulterer?
Jesus is full of grace and truth. 
Grace is forgiveness oriented
Truth is justice oriented. 
Most of us are flamingos standing on one foot
Neither is right or wrong
They thought Jesus was so grace oriented they would catch him
The Lord is merciful
The Pharisees (self-righteous ones) were setting a trap for Jesus with lots of holes. 
Don't contribute to the problem by malicious accusations. Where is the guy? They caught the prostitute but not the John. They let him off. 
What did Jesus write? Don't be a party to an injustice? 
Don't cast the first stone unless you are without sin?
Maybe he listed sins, the secret ones. 
Jesus stands up. 
Are you judging others? Are you forgiving?
The oldest one stepped away first because they would be accountable for being unjust. 
She said sir, not Lord. There is no indication of confession or repentance. 
Jesus just said go. Sin no more. 
We forego the gift of forgiveness by not asking for it. 
The temple court is 4 football fields size. Lots of witnesses to the event. 
Jesus gives this woman another chance at life. 
Jesus wants you to get past your sin and be restored. He gives you a second chance. What do his words say to you? Read the Bible and see what he said. 

BLESSINGS!

Sunday, May 29, 2022

Baptism at EasTview.org

Pastor John Neufeld 
Find a mentor, be a mentor. 
Jesus said:
Go. Baptize. 
Baptism is a sign of washing away. Take your clothes off and put on new clothes. Public declaration of realignment of social priorities. 
It's a starting line, not a finishing line. 
Not because you are good enough but because Jesus believes in you more than you believe in yourself. 
You can't be good enough. All you can do is say I'm sorry. Jesus died for your deep sins. 
Membership. CAA membership is different. Church membership is being part of a body. Fingers, nose etc are all part of your body. Each becomes part of the body. Opportunity to bless others. 
1 Corinthians 12:12 many parts. Individually members of the body. 
Jesus believes in you more than you believe in yourself.
We baptize on confession of faith. Obedience to Jesus. Infants can't confess. 
Jesus believes in you more than you believe in yourself.
Russ and Lisa Enns. Russ won the lottery by growing up in a Christian home. Jesus was always there. Got married to a beautiful Christian woman. That was not boring.
God gave me a special gift of Christian family. 
Church broke up and really hurt. The church is a gift from God. God's power becomes real. 
Looking forward to being part of the church. 
Lisa. Won the lottery of growing up in a Christian home. 
Thankful for sons Marcus and Simon. Had some miscarriages. 
Be still and know. McIvor church broke. 
We came to EasTview. The boys were invited to join the music group.

Christine Schmidt did not grow up with faith. Dad developed cancer in the first year of marriage. Got to know Rick and Sandy.
Attended Alpha course. 
Why why? My son passed away. Why? Alex my husband helped. 
God has been patient with me. 
Christine had become a leader of a life group. Baptized. 
Sing now. 

Wednesday, December 29, 2021

FAITH IS SPELLED "R-I-S-K"

Renee wrote this in Dec 1999

FAITH IS SPELLED "R-I-S-K"
"These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised." Hebrews 11:39 NIV

It always amazes me how many
believers are hesitant to claim God's
promises because they're afraid they'll be disappointed. Perhaps they feel that if they don't expect too much from God, they can avoid the pain of being let down. 

I've heard it said that real faith is spelled "R-I-S-K". I think there's a lot of truth in that. It takes a lot of courage to trust God to come through for us when our senses aren't giving us any support.

But that's exactly what the Lord
expects from us. If you look at the
eleventh chapter of Hebrews, you see that God approves of those who put their faith in His promises, whether or not they come to pass. The verse above confirms this. And so does Hebrews 11:13: "All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance." 

The Scriptures reveal that God holds in high esteem those who live by faith and continue to hold on to God's promises, even through long periods of waiting. The fact is, if we really want to please God and reap the rewards He has in store for us, we're going to have to risk putting our faith and trust in Him, even when it looks like the odds are against us. Hebrews 11:6 tells us that "Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."

The first verse of Hebrews gives us a Biblical definition of faith: "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." And the next verse reveals that it's this kind of faith that God esteems: "This is what the ancients were commended for." (Hebrews 11:1-2) The words "sure" and "certain" make it clear that faith is a confidence in God and His Word, even when we don't see any tangible evidence to justify that faith. And the verse that follows reveals why our believing in what we don't see isn't just "pie in the sky:" "By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible." (Hebrews 11:3)

The Creator of the universe isn't the least bit hindered when our circumstances look "impossible". Making something out of nothing is what our God does best.

Now you need to ask yourself how
serious you are about pleasing God. If you're really serious, you aren't going to be able to avoid taking risks with your faith. Yes, you're going to
experience some disappointments you might have escaped. But I guarantee you this- -you're going to witness some miracles in your life that you would have missed otherwise. Hebrews 11:33 tells us that "through faith" some of God's people "gained what was promised." 

The bottom line is this -- whether or not we receive all the promises we believe God for isn't the issue; the issue is whether or not we are living by faith, trusting God with all our hearts in every circumstance every day of our lives. When we do, along with God's hearty approval, we'll have a peace and joy in our hearts that will enable us to live the abundant life that Jesus came to give us. Today, my heartfelt prayer for you is that you'll dare to believe!

Check out her website from her mid teens

Sunday, November 21, 2021

EasTview today

Watch the service at www.EasTview.org
Testimony by Darrel
Grew up in a Christian home. Mom died on Mother's Day. A few years later wife left. Recently lost his job. 
Now some heart attacks. More pressure. 
Got professional help for depression and nutrition. Daily Scripture reading. Subscribe to Daily Audio Bible with Brian. https://dailyaudiobible.com
How to cope with depression. 
Nature is amazing. Birds, deer, pets.
Get a hobby. Find a creative activity that you're passionate about.
Not one solution. A combination of things. The alone Mother's Day is a good time to weep into the garden. Youngest daughter helps me plant the garden in memory of her grandmother. 
What is God teaching you? Passion for living gave motivation to sing. Hard to come to practice some weeks. Then someone said you touched me. No, you were touched by God. But God uses imperfect people. 

That's my story too! 
All my Delight is in You Lord! 

Ryan sends e bulletin each week. Sign up and read it! 
Support Dignity House
Seniors Coffee 
Advent boxes are ready to share Jesus with our community. 
19th Christmas in the Neighbourhood
Dec 24 5 and 7 pm Christmas program
Need firepits and decoration
Need double the volunteers to get it all done. 

Pastor John Neufeld:
Go to https://mcccanada.ca/stories/mcc-bc-flood-response to help with the flood in BC. Pray for safety. Financing. 
Pray for the family of Abe Hiebert funeral Thursday. 

Confession is good for the soul. 
When our kids were little we had Bible reading and memorize Scripture before bedtime. And pray for people and confess our shortcomings. We don't practice it so much any more. 
Confession is good for the soul. 

Got a call for a meeting at 3pm some time ago. His family was falling apart. 
He said, I'm not confessing to you but you are sitting in Jesus's chair. He confessed everything. 
He began to experience freedom. 

Got another call from someone who called him "Father John" for a Step 5 review.
John reviewed the 4 prior Steps with him. 
The fellow pulled out 4 pieces of paper with 30 lines on each. Jesus is God. That's the first confession. With God who created us. 
Romans 10:9-13 No one who believes in Him will be put to shame. That's why we come to church. 
Confess. I promise agree declare
We gather as followers of Jesus to connect. 
Heart Will Spirit, Mind, Body, Soul.
Confessing that Jesus is Lord is going in the right direction. 
1 John 1:5-10 there is no darkness in God. If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 
Pain is a symptom of a problem. It's a privilege to be forgiven. Some people will not forgive no matter how often you say sorry. 
James 5:13-16 Jesus's brother wrote this. Confess your sins to one another so you may be healed. Renewal and change begins after confession. Go with a mentor. 
You are forgiven. You are free in the name of Jesus. 
What's stopping you from confessing? Jesus died so you can. Forgiveness has happened already. Confess to be free. 

My kids could sleep well because they had confessed and mom and dad had heard them.

Intervarsity developed the 12 steps

Sunday, September 19, 2021

How God Will Change the World Through Church


How God Will Change the World Through Church
Welcome Home: Finding our place in God's plan
We keep being bombarded with lies. That creates destabilizing. We need to learn to trust. 

APPETIZER: LOVE AS WORSHIP
The brutal cycle of loneliness: Loneliness > Hypervigilance/Critique > Suspicion of others and/or preoccupation with self > Others move away > Loneliness

We need communities of patience and perseverance to break the cycle!
North Americans are the loneliest people in the world
Let's begin by normalizing loneliness…

Hey, I'm hungry. Wanna grab dinner together?
Hey, I'm lonely. Wanna grab dinner together? This should be normal

The church is not given God's mission and is not on God's mission – the church is God's mission!

Jesus helps us gather up all of our spiritual intuitions and impulses and channel them into a movement of other-oriented agape love. This will change the world.

1. Jesus binds love of God to love of neighbour into a bi-directional spirituality. Don't even think about one without the other.

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbour as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." -Jesus (Matthew 22:34-40)
God wants to bring us together. Not race but grace. 
The religious impulse is not going away. We are a worshipping creature. 
Jesus says the 2 have to go together. 

2. Jesus reverses the direction of emphasis in our vertical love from love FOR God to love FROM God.

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." -Jesus (John 13:34)
Make sure you know much you're loved and then love others. Share the love. 

3. The Church practices neighbourly love as our worship service.

"For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: 'Love your neighbour as yourself.'" -The apostle Paul (Galatians 5:14)

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters." -The apostle John (1 John 3:16)
He did something for us. We worship God by loving our neighbor. Hug passionately. Welcome to my space. Take the initiative to pull others close. 
Go around and be invitational. 

"Accept/Embrace/Receive/Welcome one another, then, just as Christ accepted/embraced/received/welcomed you, in order to bring praise to God." -The apostle Paul (Romans 15:7)
Love is the one command. Love your neighbor to show you love God. Bring praise to God. 

DINE IN: MIND BLOWING LOVE
Ephesians 3:14-21

About this passage…

All one sentence in Greek
Completing a thought begun in Ephesians 3:1... a prisoner
Thoroughly Trinitarian (Father, Son, and Spirit intertwine)
Exceptionally emotional (prayer posture was normally standing)
Prayer that we TOGETHER might be empowered by God's Spirit to know (experientially) what is unknowable (intellectually) - the extent of God's love for us expressed through Christ
Whatever we can imagine, God's love is greater
Prayer is for this life (all generations) and eternity (for ever and ever)
Paul is praying for the church. 
I pray that you would learn how much God loves you.
V14 Paul recaptured what he was starting to say in verse 1
Getting to know Jesus better and Paul the human. We get mentored by Paul. 
May God strengthen you with God's power in the Spirit. To make wise decisions. 
Power with other saints to grasp how deep is the love of Christ.
Amazing love. Mind blowing. Love that surpasses knowledge. Experience beyond words. 
Imagine how much God loves you and it's beyond that. 
Apart from the church Jesus is theoretical. 
God wants to change the world through the church. 

Jordan asks. Did Jesus change his teaching? A new command I give you love one another. 
Step 1 love God and your neighbour
Step 2 love God by loving your neighbour

Louise how can we convince our neighbor? Not forcing. 

Pray Paul's prayers in your own words. 
We pray for others to give them eyes to see God's love. Change the world. 

TAKE OUT: WHY IS THIS SO IMPORTANT?
John 13:34-35

Matthew 5:13-16

We are surrounded by dark forces that lie to us about our lack of love. When we accept how loved we are, we will love others better and be the light of the world Jesus says we are.

Remember to use these questions like a menu, not a checklist. These questions are not mandated material you have to cover but options to help guide your discussion as much or as little as you like.

HANGOUT [Warming Up to the Topic – in one Large Group]
1. What about the Sunday teaching stood out to you?

2. Have you tried any of the next steps in the Take Out? Talk about your experience.

HEAR [Listening to God through Scripture – in Discussion Groups]
3. Read Ephesians 3:14-21.

a) What stands out to you in this passage? (If processing your thoughts around this question is all you have time for, this is enough!)

b) Paul sees God as the ultimate family, from which human families derive their identity. In what ways is the idea of "family" indigenous, inherent, intrinsic to God's identity and experience? What are some implications of this?

c) Talk about how verse 18 and John 13:34 relate to and reinforce one other. Describe how this partnership expresses the basis for Christian ethics, Christian worship, and Christian spirituality as a whole. Pretend you are trying to explain this to someone who is not a Christian and has very little working knowledge of Jesus and the Christian faith.

d) Why do you think it is important for us to get a good grasp at how much God loves us in this life? Why not just get by, move ahead, and wait to discover the fullness of God's love after we die? What's the big deal here and now?

e) What are some traits from your immediate and/or extended family (or think of other healthy loving families) that you have been emotionally nourished by? Talk about examples of traits and traditions that have built you up in love over the years. What are some things we could do to make our church experience more like this?

HUDDLE [Making it Personal and Praying Together – in Huddles]
4. What is one thing you can do this week to invest more into your immediate family, extended family, and/or your church family? Talk about what God has been saying to you this week, and/or about how you are doing in your lives, and pray for one another.

Sunday, September 12, 2021

The Lonely Hearts Club

 
The Lonely Hearts Club
Welcome Home: Finding our place in God's plan
APPETIZER: WHAT DO YOU HUNGER AND THIRST FOR?

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." -Jesus (Matthew 5:6)

RIGHTEOUSNESS: Relational rightness, justice, loveliness; being in right relationship, with God and others; a gift of grace declared over us and infused into us by God.

Secular approach: We focus our fight for justice on laws and systems without offering a solution to the human heart.


Religious approach: Creating safety through rule-keeping and rigid boundaries.


Kingdom approach: We focus our desires toward being in right relationship with one another, modelled and taught by Jesus.


THE ROOT PROBLEM: To be human is to be, at some level and at all times, in every moment and in all circumstances and experiences, deeply and disturbingly lonely.


"We live together, we act on, and react to, one another; but always and in all circumstances we are by ourselves. The martyrs go hand in hand into the arena; they are crucified alone. Embraced, the lovers desperately try to fuse their insulated ecstasies into a single self-transcendence; in vain. By its very nature every embodied spirit is doomed to suffer and enjoy in solitude. Sensations, feelings, insights, fancies—all these are private and, except through symbols and at second hand, incommunicable. We can pool information about experiences, but never the experiences themselves. From family to nation, every human group is a society of island universes." -Aldous Huxley, The Doors of Perception
Bruxy's favorite quote 

THE BRUTAL CYCLE OF LONELINESS: Loneliness > Hypervigilance/Critique > Suspicion of others and/or preoccupation with self > Others move away

Loneliness
Hypervigilance criticism self absorbed
Suspicion of others preoccupation with self

We need communities of patience and perseverance to break the cycle!
Let's be family. I'll never run away even when you become difficult

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." -Jesus (Matthew 6:33)

DINE IN: THE CHURCH AS GOD'S MISSION
Ephesians 2:14-22
Bruxy's favorite passage
Masks post at Bruxy.com
No after party
Paul is opening the need to get along between cultures. The Jews were victimized by their enemies. 
Christ himself is our peace. He destroyed the hatred. There is now no dividing wall. 
The purpose the why behind the cross. 
and to reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by which the hostility has been killed. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near,
Ephesians 2:16‭-‬17 NET

A single plurality and a plural singularity.

"You [plural] are the light [singular] of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your [plural] light [singular] shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." Jesus (Matthew 5:14-16)


"We [plural] are the temple [singular] of the living God." -The apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 2 Corinthians 6:16)

"You are like living stones [plural], being built into a spiritual house [singular]." -The apostle Peter (1 Peter 2:5)

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies [plural] as a living sacrifice [singular], holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship." -The apostle Paul (Romans 12:1)

The church is not given God's mission and is not on God's mission – the church is God's mission!

"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." -Luke the Physician & Historian (Acts 2:42-47)
Love is nimble. Law just is. Love can be flexible. 
We love God by loving your neighbor is New Covenant
Adam and Eve didn't need words. Sin means separated. The Holy Spirit connects us. 

Acts 2.42.47 they shared 3 ways. 
Large gatherings Learning
Home groups Living
Communities interacting with all the people GIVE
You ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD AND SHOW THE LOVE OF CHRIST

TAKE OUT: MY NEXT STEP
"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." -Jesus (Matthew 6:33)

How will you do this? Start by pursuing three spaces of grace…

SPACES OF GRACE…

Temple = Central large group [LEARNING]
Homes = Local small groups [LIVING]
Communities = interacting with "all the people" [GIVING]

Next Steps This Week

1. Sign up for Home Church (let's practice what we preach)

2. Take 15 minutes every day to invest in a close relationship (give the gift of your full attention to a family member or friend)

3. Do one thing every day to invest in a distant relationship (be intentional about connecting in some small way with a stranger or neighbour)


Further Study…

Together by Vivek H. Murthy, M.D.
The Search to belong by Joseph R. Myers
What is the Church by David E. Fitch
Anatomy of the Soul by Curt Thompson, M.D.
The Soul of Desire by Curt Thompson, M.D.
Remember to use these questions like a menu, not a checklist. These questions are not mandated material you have to cover, but options to help guide your discussion as much or as little as you like.

HANG OUT | Large Group
1. What about the Sunday teaching stood out to you?

2. Have you tried any of the next steps in the Take Out? Talk about your experience.

HEAR | Discussion Groups
3. Read Ephesians 2:14-22.

a) What stands out to you in this passage? (If processing your thoughts around this question is all you have time for, this is enough!)

b) Read God's Grand Plan in Ephesians 1:10. How does this connect with Paul's thoughts in chapter 2?

c) Paul encourages Gentiles to "remember" what life was like apart from Christ. Why encourage anyone to think back over the negative aspects of their life while also considering the newness that Jesus brings? What might be the benefit?

d) Jesus "destroyed" the Law through the cross, yet we can still learn from the Old Testament scriptures (see 2 Timothy 3:15-17). Talk about how we can use the Old Testament today. What are its benefits? It's limitations?

d) Paul saw grace, not race, as defining our identity. Being Jewish or non-Jewish was infinitely secondary in forming one's sense of self. The Christian household, the family of Jesus, the church was a completely new way of being human (also see Paul's language in 1 Corinthians 10:32). So, what are the benefits and dangers of celebrating our particular nationality or ethnic origin today? How can the church do a better job of uniting as one distinct "race" or family?

f) Take time to meditate on verse 22. Then talk about what God might be showing you.

HUDDLE | Huddles
4. Recall question 3c above. What has Jesus helped you "remember" differently?

5. Talk about what God has been saying to you this week, and/or about how you are doing in your lives, and pray for one another.

Sunday, September 05, 2021

The Meeting House September 5


Cheryl Nembhard (Co-Founder at Exousia Media Group)
Maintaining a Posture of Faith
Jesus People
APPETIZER: WE'VE ALL BEEN THROUGH THE RINGER
Joshua 1:6-9
"Be strong and courageous, for you will distribute the land I swore to their ancestors to give them as an inheritance.
Joshua 1:6 CSB

If we're honest, many of us would agree that the past 18 months have served up some of the biggest challenges of our lives:

Global pandemic job losses, losses losses losses
Racial tensions
Natural disasters earthquakes 
Political upheaval Taliban persecuting Christians
Mass job loss
Trying to people in this is hard
So many of us have been deeply changed by the events that we have experienced and are left wondering what life will look like on the other side of this new normal.
How do we navigate from here? Joy? Freedom? Abundance? 
Joshua is encouraging. 40 years they looked for the Promised Land until their beloved leader passed away. Pain. Prayers being answered. 
In the midst of devastation God is still good. God is still leading. 
2020 was hard. 7 people in our family died last year. An Ocean of grief. Wave after wave. Getting crashed against the rocks. Why me? Why another one? 

DINE IN: OUR FUTURE IS STILL BRIGHT
In order to get into the land that God had for them, the people of Israel had to cross the river Jordan. No small feat, and they had already been through so much. But through it all God was faithful. Through it all God was still going before and leading His people.
God is faithful.
Step out of the prison of why. Shift to what? What can I be grateful for. My heart opened up to see the blessings of God in the storm. Some storms clear a path to something new. Speak on social justice. Crossroads See Her Love show. Words for 2020 
Resolute hope
Purposeful. Hope is the glorious holy posture of deviance against the darkness. Hope. Trust. Reconnect. God is calling us to Hope. Trust. Reconnect. God's promises. Trust humanity. Love our neighbor. Step out of the bubbles. 
God is still God. In everything. Still Good. 
Pray for strengthening faith. Plans for the future. 
Ps 42,11 why am I sad? I will hope again. 
Elijah had a posture of faith praying for rain. 6x no. Yes on the 7th.
He had seen the fire of God. God answers prayer. 
Abraham had faith. Willing to sacrifice his son trusting God to raise him from the dead. 
Only God is God. He doesn't want us to understand, just trust HiFree fall into God's hands
Paul and Silas sang in their hardship. 
Daniel's friends stood on faith in God's power. God can. I will trust no matter what. 
Hope is defiance against the darkness. 
and declared: May the name of God be praised forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to him. He changes the times and seasons; he removes kings and establishes kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals the deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with him.
Daniel 2:20‭-‬22 CSB
God is calling us to live open handed. Not pandemic fatigue. Pray. Care. 
Self centredness. God is saying. Turn back. Worship. Trust. Not be apathetic. Ignite faith. 
God is good and faithful. 

TAKE OUT: GOD WANTS TO REIGNITE OUR HOPE
Hope in our God is this glorious holy posture of defiance to the overwhelming darkness that tries to surround us.

He is still God and He will never leave you without hope.

Stand in faith on the promises of God – Jeremiah 29:11
Encourage yourself – Psalms 42:11
Put your hope in the promise keeping God – Isaiah 46:8-10
Worship – Acts 16:26
Stand your ground – Daniel 3:17-18
Remember that we serve a Great God!

Remember to use these questions like a menu, not a checklist. These questions are not mandated material you have to cover, but options to help guide your discussion as much or as little as you like.

HANG OUT | Large Group
1. What about the Sunday teaching stood out to you?

HEAR | Discussion Groups
2. This week, we're going to apply the HEAR method to our Home Church discussion...

H- Highlight key themes in the passage
E- Based on your reading, explain what the passage means in its context
A- Draw application for our own lives
R- Respond back in Prayer (in Huddles)

a) Read Joshua 1:1-9. What are the themes of this text? Highlight the challenges that Joshua and the children of Israel were facing. Explain all the things that God told Joshua, including His promises to him.

b) Read Daniel 3:17-18. In what way does this passage impact your faith?

4. If you were to describe your current posture in this season, what would it be and why?

HUDDLE | Huddles
5. Talk about what God has been saying to you this week, and/or about how you are doing in your lives, and pray for one another.