As another week passed, we want to pause and remember to give God thanks and praise for His mercies throughout this week. Let us rejoice with the Psalmist declaring: “How precious to me are your thoughts oh God! How vast is the sum of them? Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand!” Psalm 139:18.
This week we saw how the world reacted to the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, there is a sense of fear and uncertainty in the air, but we must remember that Jesus is in the midst of the storm. We are reminded that His perfect love casts out all fear, we are reminded that God will never leave us not forsake us, and that He is in the midst of whatever challenges we face. Let us continue to pray for our safety and our community so that Bronte will continue to be a shining beacon of hope. You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in you. Isaiah 26:3
https://brontesda.com/allfiles/2018/01/bronte-new-logo.png00adminhttps://brontesda.com/allfiles/2018/01/bronte-new-logo.pngadmin2020-03-13 12:26:422020-03-13 12:26:42Jesus is in the midst of the storm
How long is a “long” wait? 4 minutes on the drive-thru lane or 10 minutes until the next customer service representative is available? 12 seconds for the YouTube video to play, or 15 minutes until the pizza delivery finally arrives? In today’s society where we’re used to getting notifications in real-time, accustomed to instant gratification, and can find the answers to any question by just invoking Alexa or our friend Google, what could help us to learn how to wait? It’s interesting to remember that even in the same society that we live in, a mother still patiently and happily waits 9 months to meet her new baby; and a farmer still waits 100 days to harvest the corn. Could it be that it’s more about what we’re waiting for than how long the wait is? Just ask the bridegroom who waited two years to have everything ready for the wedding day, or the new professional who just graduated after four years of intensive studies. It is our prayer today that we keep our focus on the “promise” more than the wait. “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” Titus 2:13 (KJV). Let’s sing with Bill and Gloria Gaither:
Teach me Lord to wait down on my knees, till in Your own good time You answer my pleas;
Teach me not to rely on what others do; But to wait in prayer for an answer from You;
They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles;
They shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. Teach me Lord, teach me Lord to wait.
https://brontesda.com/allfiles/2018/01/bronte-new-logo.png00adminhttps://brontesda.com/allfiles/2018/01/bronte-new-logo.pngadmin2020-03-06 13:38:542020-03-06 13:38:54How long is the wait?
As we go through our daily lives may we always take time to reflect on Jesus’ second coming. We know that waiting can be difficult and at times discouraging so we were taught how to be encouraged as we keep the faith and hold on to His promises that have been fulfilled and to those that are soon to take place. We have to wait patiently. We must diligently seek Him and His word, and urgently receive the messages He sends to us through His word and through His response to our prayers. May we continue to watch as end time prophecies are unfolding and believe that it is not the timing of His arrival that matters, but it is His coming that does. May the light of God’s love revive us and bring hope, joy, and peace into each of our lives, bringing us even closer to Him. May the power of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and minds strengthen our lives so that we can continue to feel the need for revival and to feel the weight of the needs of others. Let us cling to Jesus only. It is His power that will help us to overcome daily struggles that threaten to pull us away from Him. He will keep us safe and nothing will ever separate us from Him and His love for us. As we journey together as a church family, may we be restored, refreshed and reawakened as we look toward history’s most anticipated event. May we encourage, support and love each other along the way.
John 14:3 tells of Jesus’ promise to us; “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” Let us hold on to this promise as we continue on with Jesus’ strength to this wonderful day.
As we move into the middle of the winter season we may feel anxious, sad and even under the weather due to the wintertime blues. Despite the lack of sunshine and being cooped up indoors, as Canadians it is okay feel this way. In our humanity, we at times feel weak, weary, and overwhelmed. The good news is we don’t have to stay there because God wants us to experience His presence, love and joy. Jesus, who experienced every human condition comforts us with these words, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). May we come to Jesus, who awaits us with wide-open arms, ready to restore us to a place of health, healing, joy, peace and hope.
https://brontesda.com/allfiles/2018/01/bronte-new-logo.png00adminhttps://brontesda.com/allfiles/2018/01/bronte-new-logo.pngadmin2020-02-21 12:47:502020-02-21 12:47:50Middle of Winter
This weekend is when people remember the one whom they love, whether their spouse or significant other. Lets us celebrate this love with joy and peace. May our ultimate love be shown to the One who first loved us. Jesus has loved us all with an everlasting Love. Let’s contemplate all that He has done for mankind and is doing for us now. May His love for us move each of us to share Jesus with someone today and may our hearts be given to Him in complete surrender.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16
https://brontesda.com/allfiles/2018/01/bronte-new-logo.png00adminhttps://brontesda.com/allfiles/2018/01/bronte-new-logo.pngadmin2020-02-14 10:46:122020-02-14 10:46:12Love with Joy and Peace
Today’s devotional from My Life Today quotes Ellen G. White’s writings when saying: “The office of the Holy Spirit is distinctly specified in the words of Christ: When He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. It is the Holy Spirit that convicts of sin. If the sinner responds to the quickening influence of the Spirit, he will be brought to repentance and aroused to the importance of obeying the divine requirements” The Acts of the Apostles, 52. She also wrote “It is through the mighty agency of the Holy Spirit that the government of Satan is to be subdued and subjected. It is the Holy Spirit that convinces of sin and expels it from the soul by the consent of the human agent” The Review and Herald, April 25th, 1893. The Bible says “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit”. Gal. 5:22-25. As we come together to praise God, we invite you to allow the Holy Spirit into your life to do the work that only He can do.
https://brontesda.com/allfiles/2018/01/bronte-new-logo.png00adminhttps://brontesda.com/allfiles/2018/01/bronte-new-logo.pngadmin2020-02-07 13:50:372020-02-07 13:50:37My Life Today
I write this post with a heavy heart because this is the last post I write as the pastor of the Bronte Seventh-day Adventist church. My family and I have been so blessed to be a part of your church family! It has been a real privilege to build friendships and to work with such an amazing leadership team. We will miss you all terribly and we know that God will continue to bless you in the future. No doubt you’ve seen the news of basketball legend Kobe and his daughter who died tragically along with seven other people in the helicopter crash this past week. Some of you can identify with the pain of losing someone close to you… I think one of the things people need most when hit with a loss like that is just a little hope. A reason to believe that one day there will be something better to look forward to. Hope can go a long way when faced with deep sadness, a concept known all too well by Jesus’ disciples as they watched their Savior died one Friday afternoon. For today’s message I wanted to explore how even in those darkest moments, Jesus left behind a message of hope, a message of hope that wasn’t only for His disciples but for all His followers who face sadness and grief, a message of hope for you and me when we’re caught between tragedy and triumph.”
https://brontesda.com/allfiles/2018/01/bronte-new-logo.png00adminhttps://brontesda.com/allfiles/2018/01/bronte-new-logo.pngadmin2020-01-31 22:42:592020-01-31 22:42:59A Little Hope
Jesus is in the midst of the storm
/in Bulletins, NewsAs another week passed, we want to pause and remember to give God thanks and praise for His mercies throughout this week. Let us rejoice with the Psalmist declaring: “How precious to me are your thoughts oh God! How vast is the sum of them? Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand!” Psalm 139:18.
This week we saw how the world reacted to the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, there is a sense of fear and uncertainty in the air, but we must remember that Jesus is in the midst of the storm. We are reminded that His perfect love casts out all fear, we are reminded that God will never leave us not forsake us, and that He is in the midst of whatever challenges we face. Let us continue to pray for our safety and our community so that Bronte will continue to be a shining beacon of hope. You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in you. Isaiah 26:3
How long is the wait?
/in Bulletins, NewsHow long is a “long” wait? 4 minutes on the drive-thru lane or 10 minutes until the next customer service representative is available? 12 seconds for the YouTube video to play, or 15 minutes until the pizza delivery finally arrives? In today’s society where we’re used to getting notifications in real-time, accustomed to instant gratification, and can find the answers to any question by just invoking Alexa or our friend Google, what could help us to learn how to wait? It’s interesting to remember that even in the same society that we live in, a mother still patiently and happily waits 9 months to meet her new baby; and a farmer still waits 100 days to harvest the corn. Could it be that it’s more about what we’re waiting for than how long the wait is? Just ask the bridegroom who waited two years to have everything ready for the wedding day, or the new professional who just graduated after four years of intensive studies. It is our prayer today that we keep our focus on the “promise” more than the wait. “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” Titus 2:13 (KJV). Let’s sing with Bill and Gloria Gaither:
Teach me Lord to wait down on my knees, till in Your own good time You answer my pleas;
Teach me not to rely on what others do; But to wait in prayer for an answer from You;
They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles;
They shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. Teach me Lord, teach me Lord to wait.
Waiting Patiently
/in Bulletins, NewsAs we go through our daily lives may we always take time to reflect on Jesus’ second coming. We know that waiting can be difficult and at times discouraging so we were taught how to be encouraged as we keep the faith and hold on to His promises that have been fulfilled and to those that are soon to take place. We have to wait patiently. We must diligently seek Him and His word, and urgently receive the messages He sends to us through His word and through His response to our prayers. May we continue to watch as end time prophecies are unfolding and believe that it is not the timing of His arrival that matters, but it is His coming that does. May the light of God’s love revive us and bring hope, joy, and peace into each of our lives, bringing us even closer to Him. May the power of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and minds strengthen our lives so that we can continue to feel the need for revival and to feel the weight of the needs of others. Let us cling to Jesus only. It is His power that will help us to overcome daily struggles that threaten to pull us away from Him. He will keep us safe and nothing will ever separate us from Him and His love for us. As we journey together as a church family, may we be restored, refreshed and reawakened as we look toward history’s most anticipated event. May we encourage, support and love each other along the way.
John 14:3 tells of Jesus’ promise to us; “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” Let us hold on to this promise as we continue on with Jesus’ strength to this wonderful day.
Middle of Winter
/in Bulletins, NewsAs we move into the middle of the winter season we may feel anxious, sad and even under the weather due to the wintertime blues. Despite the lack of sunshine and being cooped up indoors, as Canadians it is okay feel this way. In our humanity, we at times feel weak, weary, and overwhelmed. The good news is we don’t have to stay there because God wants us to experience His presence, love and joy. Jesus, who experienced every human condition comforts us with these words, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). May we come to Jesus, who awaits us with wide-open arms, ready to restore us to a place of health, healing, joy, peace and hope.
Love with Joy and Peace
/in Bulletins, NewsThis weekend is when people remember the one whom they love, whether their spouse or significant other. Lets us celebrate this love with joy and peace. May our ultimate love be shown to the One who first loved us. Jesus has loved us all with an everlasting Love. Let’s contemplate all that He has done for mankind and is doing for us now. May His love for us move each of us to share Jesus with someone today and may our hearts be given to Him in complete surrender.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16
My Life Today
/in Bulletins, Events, PastoralToday’s devotional from My Life Today quotes Ellen G. White’s writings when saying: “The office of the Holy Spirit is distinctly specified in the words of Christ: When He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. It is the Holy Spirit that convicts of sin. If the sinner responds to the quickening influence of the Spirit, he will be brought to repentance and aroused to the importance of obeying the divine requirements” The Acts of the Apostles, 52. She also wrote “It is through the mighty agency of the Holy Spirit that the government of Satan is to be subdued and subjected. It is the Holy Spirit that convinces of sin and expels it from the soul by the consent of the human agent” The Review and Herald, April 25th, 1893. The Bible says “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit”. Gal. 5:22-25. As we come together to praise God, we invite you to allow the Holy Spirit into your life to do the work that only He can do.
A Little Hope
/in Bulletins, News, PastoralI write this post with a heavy heart because this is the last post I write as the pastor of the Bronte Seventh-day Adventist church. My family and I have been so blessed to be a part of your church family! It has been a real privilege to build friendships and to work with such an amazing leadership team. We will miss you all terribly and we know that God will continue to bless you in the future. No doubt you’ve seen the news of basketball legend Kobe and his daughter who died tragically along with seven other people in the helicopter crash this past week. Some of you can identify with the pain of losing someone close to you… I think one of the things people need most when hit with a loss like that is just a little hope. A reason to believe that one day there will be something better to look forward to. Hope can go a long way when faced with deep sadness, a concept known all too well by Jesus’ disciples as they watched their Savior died one Friday afternoon. For today’s message I wanted to explore how even in those darkest moments, Jesus left behind a message of hope, a message of hope that wasn’t only for His disciples but for all His followers who face sadness and grief, a message of hope for you and me when we’re caught between tragedy and triumph.”