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Good morning. While everything around us is loudly shouting fear and despair, here are a few scripture verses to remind us of what God says to us. "This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s." (2 Chronicles 20:15) "I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord , the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you— the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore." (Psalm 121) "But you, Lord , are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high." (Psalm 3:3) “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." (Colossians 3:1‭-‬2) Take heart. Mike and Daphne

Good morning to you. Paul addresses those who have been persuaded to add religious rituals to Christ's work of salvation and asks them a pertinent question. "Who has bewitched you?" (Galatians 3:1) For some, moving away from religious rituals has lead to a laissez-faire approach to being a Christian. This is a misunderstanding of the grace of God. Paul addresses this in Romans 6:1-2, "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Paul literally says, "No ways!" Christ's work on the cross is complete. It cannot be supplemented. Jesus said, "It is finished." Today, let us take Paul's words to heart. "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1) Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. What an amazing time we had worshipping together yesterday, all be it online. There is nothing like being in His presence and worshipping Him. The question was posed in the sermon yesterday, "Is the cross enough?" Or should we, like some of the people in the Galatian church, add religious acts/works to the work of Christ on the cross? When I, Mike, got saved, I was steeped in sinful ways. The words of the hymn sum up the question that was uppermost in my mind that evening way back in 1967: "Amazing grace, how can it be, that Thou, my God, would die for me?" Surely there must be something that I must do over and above simply praying the "sinner's prayer"? After grappling with this question for a number of years, the light went on for me in the middle of Greek class, translating the book of Romans from Greek to English. "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:1‭-‬2) What freedom flooded over me that day as the truth of Christ's death on the cross, and His resurrection sank deep into my understanding. Paul, in his letter to the Galatians, puts it this way. "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20) Is the cross enough? Absolutely! No religious activity on my part can add to it. With this in your mind, have a great day. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. Jesus Christ, the spotless lamb of God, took upon Himself the sin of the world. It is therefore not necessary for us to religiously offer burnt offerings to atone for our sins. However, that does not let us off the hook. There is something required of us as followers of Christ. Obedience to Gjd and His Word. "But Samuel replied: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord ? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams." (1 Samuel 15:22) The context of this scripture is about Saul trying to justify his actions which were contrary to God's instruction given to him by the Samuel. Like Saul we try to justify our disobedience by going through the motions of religious activities. Today as we join together to worship God, let us come to Him with a pure heart and not out of a weekly religious activity that we do to ease our consciences. Enter His courts with thanksgiving and praise, giving Him glory. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning to you. "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." (Hebrews 4:15‭-‬16) Jesus Christ our High priest identifies with us in every way. The fullness of God dwelt in Him, even when He was earth, fully human, yet sinless. While He is our high priest, He was also the spotless lamb of God sacrificed in our stead, on our behalf. Consequently we can, with confidence, approach the Father and experience His abundant mercy and amazing grace, knowing that we are seen as righteous. Christ's righteousness has been imputed (credited) to us. This makes us feel like getting up and exuberantly dancing before God out of pure joy and delight. Oh, yes, He is worthy of of our praise. He is worth getting excited about. So as we enjoy some welcome rest this weekend let's take some time to express our thanks and gratitude for all our awesome God has done for us. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. Since the atoning work of our Lord, Jesus Christ, is complete and He is now seated at the right hand of the Father, how should we respond? Paul tells us to "set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature:" (Colossians 3:2‭, ‬5) The order of our response Paul puts forward is significant. Focus on things above, then deal with earthly nature. Could this be that when we see the glory of God we will respond in the words of the great hymn "How Great Thou Art". "Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee How great Thou art, how great Thou art Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee How great Thou art, how great Thou art" When the awesomeness of God is seen, we will want to deal with earthly nature by putting it to death. Heading to the weekend we have to habits to learn: • Set your minds on things above • Put to death your earthly nature Have a great day. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. While we are able to grasp the supremacy of Christ when we look at His divine nature (His divinity), we should also see His supremacy in His human nature (His humanity). "But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted." (Hebrews 2:9‭, ‬17‭-‬18) One of the functions of the priest was to, in effect, stand in the gap between man and God by making atonement in presenting the offerings on the altar. Jesus became man in order not just to present the offering, but become the offering - the Lamb that was slain, making atonement once and for all. Jesus Christ became man in order to be tempted like man, yet overcome temptation. In His humanity He suffered, yet without hesitation paid the price on the cross in order that we might experience "at-one-ment" with the Father. Because the fullness of God dwelt in Him in bodily form (Colossians 2:9) and through His obedience to the Father's will, we today, as followers of Christ can come into God's presence with rejoicing and gladness. Our prayer today is that we will understand more fully the supremacy of Christ - both human and divine. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. The writer to the Hebrews begins his letter with these words. "In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven." (Hebrews 1:1‭-‬3) The foundation is laid for what is to follow. Jesus Christ, the Son of the Majesty of heaven, is the focus, the centrality, of all that the writer of the letter has to say. Our prayer for today, is that Jesus Christ would be preeminent in our thoughts, conversations and interactions today. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning to you. Mary: She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). (John 20:16) Thomas: “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28) John, the disciple whom Jesus loved: “It is the Lord!” (John 21:7) You: ??? (fill in the blank) Paul says this about Jesus: "The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross." (Colossians 1:15‭-‬16‭, ‬18‭-‬20) Have thoughtful Tuesday thinking about who Christ is to you. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. Have you noticed that the world sits up and takes notice of the followers of Christ whose lives openly reflect Christ? It is evident that they put into practice what Paul says in Colossians. "Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." (Colossians 3:12‭-‬13) This happens when one has a healthy, close, relationship with God. However, it is also necessary for regular fellowship with other followers of Jesus Christ. This builds us up. "Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts." (Colossians 3:16) The result of this will be evident to all, as my (Mike) friend Paul says, "And so you became a model to all the believers ..." (1 Thessalonians 1:7) Consequently, we encourage you to draw near to God and other followers of Christ. Have a good week. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. What a week we've been through. Record number of new Covid-19 infections. Most of us, if not all of us, know someone who has contracted Covid-19. The question is how are we responding. Peter reminds us to "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7) The second stanza and chorus of the hymn "Be Still My Soul" brings solace. "Be still, my soul, thy God doth undertake To guide the future as He has the past Thy hope, thy confidence, let nothing shake All now mysterious shall be bright at last Be still, my soul, the waves and wind still know His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below" "In You I rest, in You I found my hope In You I trust, You never let me go I place my life within Your hands alone Be still, my soul" We draw comfort from the words of our Lord. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 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." (Matthew 11:28‭-‬29) Our prayer for you in the week ahead is that you will know His peace and comfort. Blessings. Mike and Daphne

Good morning. We as followers of Christ have the privilege of knowing God with us at all times. Whether we are on the mountain top or in the valley, He is with us. The words of Don Moen's songs "Lead Me Through The Night" reminds us of this truth. Lord You are My refuge and my shelter In Your presence I will hide I Will wait for the God of my salvation He will hear me when I cry CHORUS: Though I fall I will rise High above the storm Like an eagle I will fly In the dark You are my light Bright and morning star Come and lead me through the night O lead me through the night Lord You are my help in times of trouble When others leave You will abide (yes, You will) You're a friend that's closer than a brother You will never leave my side Lead me through the night Lead me through the night Jesus tell us "surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20) Blessings. Mike and Daphne