Pastor Dave Koop

While abiding keeps us connected to Christ, His command to “go” ensures that we do not stagnate in our faith. When we are deeply rooted in Him, the natural result is the desire to share the gospel and bear the fruit of the Spirit that Paul talks about in Galatians 5:22,23. Abiding is not passive; it produces action. In John 15:5, Jesus says: “Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit.”

Remembrance Day is a day as Canadians we stop and reflect on the incredible price that was paid for the freedom and peace we enjoy. May we never take for granted the wonderful land we are privileged to call Remembrance Day is a day as Canadians we stop and reflect on the incredible price that was paid for the freedom and peace we enjoy. May we never take for granted the wonderful land we are privileged to call home.
A few years ago I stood on the steps of our church and looked across the street at a landmark high rise building where a group of protestors shouted, ”no justice, no peace”.

The call to “GO!” is not a passive suggestion; it is a mandate for the church to actively be salt and light in the world. By flavoring the world with God’s love, preserving moral standards, and shining the light of Christ in the darkest corners, believers fulfill the purpose of the church – to bring the message of God’s love to a world in desperate need of hope and redemption.

Jesus made it clear that in this life we would face opposition and perhaps, even persecution. As the world continues to polarize around divisive issues, we can expect to find others at odds with our belief in God’s word as final authority. So we should not be surprised if we find there are times we have to deal with those who are enemies.

In my search for answers on how our church might not be such a statistic, I was brought back to an old book by Charles Finney called Revivals of Religion written in 1868. When Finney wrote this, the USA had experienced a revival with thousands coming to faith in Christ in a short time. In his book he listed several reasons a work of God can be stopped. This article outlines ten that stood out to me.

In Mark 9:35 we read, “He (Jesus) sat down, called the twelve disciples over to Him, and said, ‘Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.’” Today, in our busy 2022 world, Jesus is calling us over to Himself and giving us the same message. Let’s be willing to serve as He taught us and this all begins with listening.

Our identity determines our destiny. It determines how we act. It determines what we do. How many times have you seen people sacrifice their destiny for a moment of pleasure because they forgot WHO they are? James addresses this important issue in James 1:23,24, For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.