Thought of the Week

Take Courage

Posted on by Shannon

Jesus and PilateWe welcome our speaker today, Kevin Cleary from Meaford. He’s chosen to teach us about faithful living when we face the world’s pressures – and Christians do grapple with some peculiar kinds.

Jesus was no stranger to “tribulation,” which is another word for the pressures that come at us from the world. He spoke of it in John 16:33 shortly before he was arrested and killed. These events weighed heavily on him, yet he did not shrink back in fear. He faced them with confidence. He expected pressure from the world, and he taught his disciples to expect the same. But he gave them a reason to have courage: “I have overcome the world.” Soon he would rise again from the dead and be victorious over all that the world did to him. Continue reading →

When Prayer Knocks at Your Door

Posted on by Shannon

Things didn’t Peter and Rhodalook too good for Peter. Herod arrested him and put him in a Jerusalem prison. There he was secured with two chains and surrounded by 16 soldiers (Acts 12:4-6). Everyone expected him to be executed. How hopeless can things get?! But there was a power at work that would surprise everybody.

The church called an emergency meeting and they prayed well into the night. God promptly dispatched an angel to guide him safely out into the streets, and freedom. He immediately went to see the brethren – still praying – to present himself alive and well. Their concentration, sorrow and anxiety prevented them from believing it was really Peter knocking on their door! How many times have answered prayers come knocking at your door and you didn’t recognize it?

The results of prayer can often be startling. Jesus said, “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it shall be opened” (Mt.7:8). Prayer opens the door to God, but do we spot his answers when they come knocking on ours? Even Peter himself didn’t understand God’s rescue at first; but soon he woke up and said, “Now I know for sure that the Lord has sent for His angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod” (v11). Later on in life Peter would say, “Watch and pray” (1 Peter 4:7).

Prayer is an amazing thing. God works in our lives when we ask Him to. Watch His answer. Then pray again with humble thanks.

– Tim Johnson

Loyalty

Posted on by Shannon

A hundred years ago, thousands volunteered to ship out to England to fight Germany. Canada was strongly loyal to Britain, and this motivated many. Loyalty motivates people to do noble things.

One characteristic of loyalty today is its absence. Marriages suffer without it; communities crumble when industry goes elsewhere; the church weakens when it is absent. But friendships thrive when loyalty exists, and dedicated families are secure and happy. Continue reading →

Elusive Peace

Posted on by Shannon

Peace seems impossible these days. We see a world without it on the news every night. Hatred and violence seem to rule in so many places. One conflict settles down and then another flares up overnight. Even in “peaceful” countries, people can feel a lack of it inside themselves.

Yet the New Testament speaks of peace and claims that anyone can have it. This elusive quality is not so elusive after all. Romans 5:1-4 tells us “we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” then goes on to talk about experiencing tribulations. This means we can have peace even when we experience troubles. How is this possible? We find the answer in Philippians 4:6-7. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Continue reading →