Consider Christ’s Rest 4 Your Soul

Matthew 11:25-30
"25 At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. 26 Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.

27 “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.""

Jesus washed the feet of His disciples because HE knew that they were walking through the dust and impurities of this world which impoverish people’s soul. He knew that being clean is a better way to get rest and to enjoy the taste of their food when they had to touch it with their hands. He knew that getting knowledge of the Father and of Himself is more than words, it’s experience and rest, by being released, restored, unburdened, renewed, empowered and strengthened. People aren't satisfied by words when they are thirsty or hungry but they need food and water.  Therefore, it is those people who need to experience God for their Life.  They do not need interpretations and nice words because they are looking for God to be experienced and for God to manifest himself in their hopes and needs.

         John the Baptist was not a theologian, nor a scribe, neither an ordained minister but he was the greatest servant ever born from a woman, and his message was: prepare a straight way to the Lord to come and visit you. Jesus referred to the signs and wonders that were performed in different places as evidence that God is at work and people should pay attention to Christ's visits, towards them.  When people awakened and figured out about God's visitations through Jesus, the priests and the leaders deliberately hindered them to approach Jesus through deception and deceit.  People became weary and impoverished, although God's incarnated peace, rest and freedom was present in the "Person" of Jesus Christ.

        I cannot decipher what it means to die of thirst living by a stream of water or to starve when your Father is the owner of a Foodland, Company. Although Jesus – the Almighty God and the Prince of peace - was there, many people were still impoverished and oppressed because they were deceived by others not to go to Jesus but to stay with their high spoken and devious words which kept them down in spirit and in doubt. Because Jesus loved them so much He took the risk and He did appeal to those people to come to know the Father. Jesus told them that He was the Only one who can reveal the Father and by coming to Him they will have the opportunity to experience the Father's love and grace for their souls. But they had to decide "who's" words they would listen: to those who would keep them away from God's blessings or from Jesus, whom spoke from God?

        The people’s souls were impoverished and weary with rules, regulations, commandments, religiosities and envies while God’s Love, Freedom, Salvation and Blessings were there waiting for them.

        Jesus is still here today for everyone who fell weary and overburdened. He is here waiting for you to come to him (as you are), to be released, healed, restored, empowered and strengthened to get rest for your soul. Jesus is calling you today to get rid of those words, thoughts, emotions and things of your Life that create internal chaos that dampen your soul.

        Jesus invites you to come to Him to be released, to follow Him by paying attention to His way of Living: to be kind and humble of heart. Through all of these Jesus is giving us today the keys of our peace and rest. So, “come” says Jesus “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Come says Jesus and take it “For my yoke is easy and my burden is light,” because he partners with us in everything that comes from Him for the Father’s glory.

         Jesus’ yoke is not a set of rules, regulations, traditions and prides which keep people away from God the Father. His yoke is love, compassion, grace, divine teachings and a call of dedication to God’s will. Jesus’ yoke can be set on the shoulders of those who acknowledge that the only way to approach God through Jesus is with gentle and humble heart.

  

         In others words, those who are gentle and humble hearts Jesus are ready for Jesus to reveal them the experience of the Father’s peace and rest for their souls.

So, come and approach Jesus in the way He can set His Father’ yoke of love, peace, and grace on your shoulder that we may follow and serve Him enjoying His company!

by Rev. Nick Pavel

Testimony by Henry Heindinga

I want to tell you a story. I need you to close your eyes please and keep them closed until I ask you to open the back up please. Relax. Think back to a time you went camping. It's late at night. It's quiet and still, except for some crickets in the distance. Some people are sitting in lawn chairs around a fire pit. The kids have wandered off, some chairs are empty. In that pit,  are the remains of an earlier fire. You can see the embers. They glow, with dark reds, purples, and a lot of gray. The people are quietly commenting on what a beautiful fire it had been, enjoying the left over heat and the slowly darkening color show from the embers. About this time someone reaches over adds a stick up against a charred log. People watch the stick. It slowly begins to turn dark and even smolders a bit. Some of the people look at each other and whisper: "that will never catch...why would you add a stick now? We're enjoying the remains and you might ruin it." 


Well fire as you know needs three things to burn.....heat, air, and fuel.  So suddenly the stick catches in a small flame. There is a bit of a fire going again. It's not quite so dark around the fire pit. A kid walks up, sits down, and tosses in some more fresh wood. One of the adults leans over and says " why would you do that to our nicely built embers, we were enjoying the afterglow". The kid looks up and says " Hi, I'm S.W." the adult says " S.W.? What kind of name is that?" "Oh it stands for Second wave. You paid for me to Come here., I brought a few of my friends, I call them community"
So now I like you to open your eyes again. Look around you. You can see people where before, with your eyes closed, you could only imagine and remember. That is kind of the story of Knox Palmerston this past year.


We are starting the Second Wave project. Reaching out to youth with programs, investing in youth. 
We are beginning to engage the community with programs here in the church and outside in the community. We are starting to see a small fire, and we are carefully adding sticks....sticks, like Sunday School and VBS -that haven't been here in at least ten years.  We now have youth nights where kids can come and hang out at a church instead of on the streets. We recently had international children's day at the park in the middle of town, with games, face painting, and Christian music from loud speakers. ..in a public park.....Sticks are being added to the fire.
The time for sitting around remembering the glow of past fire is over. We are not talking about Elijah pouring barrels of water on before God lit the fire, we need to feed the fire God gave us. We need to gather sticks from the darkness. 


There are many churches in Canada where the kids have drifted away and people are left sitting, watching the remains of the fire. The pleasant afterglow doesn't last long. Then the fire goes out, the stones grow cold and the campsite is left empty.

Don't sit around.

Don't let your church fire slowly go out.

Nurture it.

Welcome the flame.     

Pilate’s Words on Jesus’ Cross

   Those (Pilate – the governor  and Caiaphas - the high priest) who concurred with the condemnation  of Jesus were people with authority and power to influence others. Unfortunately their own interest and personal plans prevailed people’s interest to have Jesus as King, and God’s plan to bring back His own people into righteousness’ obedience.

     The roman governor added on Jesus cross words which revealed his own understanding and his own belief about the One he sentenced to death. If you were in Pilate’s shoes what would you do or state about Jesus or about someone who walks in righteousness and does God’s will, as Jesus did?

When God sent Jesus on the cross He did send a message to everyone   

   -   “For God so loved the world that He gave the only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish , but have eternal life.”   (John 3:16)

   -    “Behold the Lamb of God who take away the sin of the world!”     (John 1:29)

Although Pilate grasped priests’ wicked plan and although he figured out that Jesus was innocent he used his authority and position to fulfill the wishes of wicked ones. When Pilate sent Jesus to Golgotha he did send a message to the world that the injustice of the wicked just took place.

 “Give someone power and soon he/she will reveal his/her true character… and if his character is not clear. Look at his/her friends.”         (Unknown author)

       To experience God’s incarnated loving Word hanged at Golgotha, people need to  believe and to accept God’s words expressed by Pilate on Golgotha’s cross.

      Not Golgotha was crated for Christ’ cross, neither the cross was made for Golgotha, but Jesus use them to fulfill God’s will of saving the world and to express His unlimited love.  So, it’s not about me, nor about you but about Jesus Who brought us together at the feet of Golgotha’s cross to receive God’s salvation and to enjoy God’s love. If you don’t know where is Golgotha, don’t worry. It’s not an issue if you can’t see the cross.

COME TO JESUS; then Golgotha and the cross will be “useful” for you, too.

Golgotha’s Cross

When we talk about the cross we relate to the truth of God and how His Son was treated by the world for which He came to save it.

The Cross:

It’s Christ’ trade mark and of His believers.

It’s the “vacuum” of everyone’s sin and the heavenly river of life set on earth.

It’s the preferable place of sinners who wants to be forgiven and from  where the christian journey starts.

It’s Christ way to conquer the world, to defeat sin and to call those who want to follow Him.

It’s not an object to be worshiped but a lifestyle of true believers.

If true or false believers are recognized by their fruits, then those who live for Christ are recognized by hanging and giving up their lives on Christ’ cross.  

First, Christ’ cross brings sacrifice, then the manifestation of His glory. (Probably that’s why in our days we don’t see  so much of Christ glory.)

When we refer to Christ’ cross we also have to consider Golgotha.

Golgotha:

It’s the paramount  of sin “gathered” on Earth and the most sacred place on this planet. refer

It’s the place from where people can get (for free) one way ticket to heaven.

It’s the place where someone saved looked the first time for Jesus, in His eyes.

It’s the place where Mary, the mother of Jesus, started the river of tears which continue to flow through everyone who gets salvation and comfort.

It’s the place where people experience deliverance from pain and sorrows enjoying heavenly peace and happiness.   

It’s the place where you can find Jesus hanged for you; where people walk on their knees in humbleness and exaltation, and where the cross walk started first towards all the corners of the Earth.

It’s where God’s salvation is at work everyday & night; the cross is not present phisicaly but its power is still fully active.

COME to GOLGOTHA to find rest for your soul at the shadow of Christ’s Cross and of God’s love by receiving forgiveness of your sins, eternal life and divine joyful’ peace.

Faith

“I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.” (Psalm 118:17)

To say that faith is similar with religion is like saying that a penguin is similar with octopus. “ Mr. Penguin” is a bird while “monsieur  Octopus” is a cephalopod mollusk.

Faith gives wings and exalts people on high heights where we can get divine dreams.

Faith comes from above and can dive with us in deep “waters”, and if we stick with it (faith) we will not sink (die) but we’ll experience victory (life) which will enable us to testify about its power.

Faith has in itself the ability not only to save people from deep “waters”, but to make us fly and to surf great “waves”.

If faith’s power and its ability are missing then we’re not talking about penguin but octopus which never knows or experience heights except if a penguin will speak about it. Even so, faith is not what heard from others (that’s a challenge or a testimony) but what we personally experience with God.

That’s why salvation is personal, so is the relationship with God.

Have a blessed week!

Soil, Water and Weather of our Hearts

  “I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.”(Jeremiah 17:10)

Yesterday, I stated that a divine dream can be born in people’s heart through God’s living word. God’s promise is able to be the seed of a dream in people’s heart.  To make that seed fruitful a good soil, water and appropriate weather is needed.

Yesterday, we didn’t have time to find out what is the good soil, water and perfect weather, but today we can meditate upon.

Good Soil is a good heart.

Good soil it’s a good heart which is honest in its thoughts and feelings.

Our actions are results of our hearts’ thoughts & feelings.

Pure water is a clean soul.

Pure water it’s an uncontaminated soul which is pure, uncorrupted & guarded from hidden and miscellaneous plans.

Our actions are the outcomes of those seeds which germinate in our souls days & nights.

Perfect Weather is an open heart for whatever comes from God.

Perfect weather it’s an obedient spirit to God’s Spirit instructions and guidance which direct hearts and souls to walk by faith and to trust in God Almighty.

Our actions are the effects of the inner spirit in us which is either persuaded or rebellious to God’s Word and Spirit.

 “I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.”(Jeremiah 17:10)

Friends*

*Are walking together in similar dreams, visions, goals and activities.

*Share forgiveness for many things that went wrong or were expressed inappropriately.

*Have open and honest relationships while they are targeting the goal to be achieved.

*Help, support and push the other one to get on top, and when he/she does it, he/she will not turn his/her back, nor will cut off the rope. Contrary, he/she will lean towards you, will stretch the hand to you saying: “I reached the top with your help, now hold my hand and get back my support. Come closer to me, we need each other; we can do things together very well. We ought to stay together as friends. Come, let’s continue to walk and to work as friends while the others might figure out the one who did sustain me to reach the top.”

*Make people understand that better are two than one.

*Is the best teaching and proof that the true friend makes good and not bad to the other one.

*Make people see and understand that in times of trouble a true friend is like a brother.

Indeed, this end time of our days (when people are money lovers, greedy and selfish) is recognized as a harsh one for finding and having true friends. But blessed are those who can find and have a true friend. If you found or have a real friend, be wise enjoying your relationship. If you didn’t discover yet the right friend or if you just lost him/her, then it’s a good time for you to consider becoming the true one!

We will always have friends, but JESUS is the BEST FRIEND ever!

Have a blessed week!

A Day with Jesus

“In the beginning…” (John 1:1) “The next day…” (John 1:29) 

“The next day…” (John 1:35) “On the third day… “(John 2:1)

The apostle John is mentioning a few times about the 1^st & 2^nd day, etc. at the beginning of his Gospel. This beginning of days with Jesus was so important for him and had such a great impact that he couldn’t skip these important “details” of those days when he met Jesus or when he saw Jesus performing His first miracle in public. 

We should never forget that John wrote his Gospel being led by God’s Spirit to do so.  This leads us to the conclusion that every day of our life with, for and around Jesus is on God’s Spirit attention. Probably there are not many participants involved in our daily life, and sometimes our lives seem to be a routine and without impact. Probably we get the impression that we are not observed by others and nobody knows your heart and openness for good things to take place in and through your life.  Sometimes it seems that it’s too much “quietness” in our lives and nobody is “willing to disturb” it. Many times only your thoughts and your shadow are your life's journey companions.

From the beginning of John’s Gospel we see again that it’s time to count not only the “unimportant, insignificant” and unseen things and events of those days but the fact that those days were part of God’s plan for John’s life journey around Jesus to become His disciple and a strong pillar in the Church. His life and ministry influenced humankind history and has been used by God to transform lives and communities. It is well known for John, that he followed and loved Jesus no matter what. Since then, he is recognized as the apostle of love who was loved by Jesus and who loved others without limits. His letters are filled with love and wisdom. But everything began with the days that counted for him: days with Jesus.

“So, teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12)

Wish you a blessed weak and an everyday “shadowed” by God’s plan and His presence in your life!

Raining, Freezing or Snowing

Rain, freeze and snow belong to winter time. Skaters are praying for freeze but not the drivers. Children are praying for snow, but shovelers are pleased with less snow.

From the beginning (the first 2000 years of human kind on Earth) till the Noah's flood, nobody prayed or complained rain, freeze or snow. Could that be one of the reasons why the people back then used to lived 800 - 956 years??? Of course not!

As I preached last Sunday (@KPC), lots of people are afraid, scared, anxious, restrained about what is new. I'm wondering who was more anxious about the first forecast made by God regarding the first rain: Noah or the people around him? At the time, nobody has experienced rain, so God came with this new prophetic message like a news title of the day "Rain will come". Noah had to spread this news of something unexpected and unseen yet. Nobody had the knowledge or the experience of rain as only "streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground" (Genesis 2:6). It was not easy for him to spread the word because it was an unimaginable method at that time used by God to wipe out the sin's ability of filling the Earth by deceiving mankind and by corrupting the minds and hearts of the people. Does the first rain which fell on ground along with all the following floods lead to the conclusion that rain is not good??? Of course not! The Bible states that rain and snow are God's blessings for our planet. And which farmer can not say "Amen!" to this?

Too much rain, cold and snow can lead to at least 3 different conclusions. 1) We have to be more careful with what we got from God - the Creator of every good thing (our planet). 2) We need to     re-initiate the prayer time in our lives. It is wiser to pray not to have calamities rather then  start to pray and watch for deliverance & safety when the worst is acting already. 3) We  need to face the reality and learn from mistakes. We are living in a Christian community/country and enjoying good, healthy and blessed peaceful life, but what is missing the most is happiness.  Probably it is time to search our hearts and find out if the Source of true happiness was neglected from our daily life, communities events and country values.

We want for us and for the next generations to live in families, communities and countries enjoying the good life. If we want to be healthy (although is raining), to be blessed (even in a frozen season) and to be happy (no matter how much is snowing), we are invited to admit, recognize and honor the Source of a good, healthy, blessed and happy life.

Let's enjoy the new year of 2018 and the winter time along with everything else by considering Him and His good thoughts for our well being! That's why He has sent His word into our world and the rain and the snow upon the face of the earth.

"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven

    and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;

it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it." (Isaiah 55: 10, 11)

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." (Hebrews 13:8)

Weather changes, things around us are changing, even people does it, but

Christ remains the same as He was yesterday, as He is today and the same He'll be forever.

YTT (yesterday, today, tomorrow)

  YESTERDAY,                  GOD OF yesterday - PAST                

Jesus Christ established an eternal covenant between God & us      through His obedience. 

God made promises toward us asking obedience in return.

Our walk in obedience gives us a status of being in Christ &  walking by faith.

If we relay on Jesus then we have promises available that ignite divine hopes within us which never fail!    

"Remember your promise to me; You have given me hope through it."

 "God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?"   (Psalm.119:49;Numbers 23:19)

​

TODAY,                      GOD OF today - NOW

Lord Jesus is asking obedience if we hear His voice; if we don't, we have to continue to "walk" in faith of what we know from Him already.

To whom/what we offer our obedience that will be our god/partner. 

If we obey God today, tomorrow we can have expectation to experience God.  

Wise Words

Nothing is impossible with God, but those who obey Him allow God to make things possible!

 "I tell you the truth, I haven't seen faith like this in all Israel! Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, "Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened."  (Matthew 8:10,13)

TOMORROW,            GOD OF tomorrow - FOREVER

God's promises give us expectations to experience His faithfulness.

The outcome of our today obedience open doors to God to make things happen.

Both yesterday & today can "project" an Almighty God for tomorrow.

Investment and Assets

Yesterday is God's promise, today is our 

obedience & tomorrow is trusting in Him!

"But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint." No one who trusts in you will be ashamed, but disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others." (Isaiah 40:31; Psalm 25:3)

HAVE A BLESSED WEEK !