Lessons From Your Childhood

“Lessons from the three little pigs”

Do you remember the story about the big bad wolf? Sure you do, who could forget that villain? We all have all heard those famous words, “I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow your house down.”
This week our studies took us to the book of Nehemiah, the cup bearer, who soon became the wall builder, and eventually the governor of the city. In his book we read about God placing a burden on his heart. Have you had the experience of God placing something on your heart and wondered what am I suppose to do with such a burden? When you get involved in the Lord’s service, just like those three little pigs, you are going to face that big bad wolf. When he comes knocking on your door, you can let him in – you can allow him to blow down your house, or you can learn to build your house with the right bricks!
Stop! Don’t do it! Prevent your mind from thinking that this wall was going to be an easy assignment. When God comes tapping you on your shoulder, the work might be hard, dirty, long, and even frightening, but what are we to do when we hear God’s voice speaking to us? Nehemiah said, “And, I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; neither told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do!” Building a wall that is going to stand against your big bad wolf is going to require this:

1) You need to stay Connected: If you study the book of Nehemiah you can see that he was a man of prayer. From his life, we learn that we need to be magnets. Attach yourself to God and don’t let go! A question that we all must ask ourselves is, “Is it easier for me to do the work of God or the will of God?”

2) You must stay Concerned: When Nehemiah heard of the walls it became his burden until he finished the project. When God lays a concern on your heart, what are you going to do about it?

3) You need to stay Committed: This project was going to take a long time to finish. When you do no not see immediate results, are you willing to continue to pursue the burden that God lays on our heart? When the hard times come, are you going to give up or keep battling?

4) You need to stay Courageous: Nehemiah faced all kinds of opposition. It would have been so easy to just give up and allow the opposition to change his heart. Your voice of opposition may sound something like this: “It’s never been done before,” “I just don’t think we can do it,” or “why not let someone else it.” We may face opposition, but when we do what are we willing to do about it?

5) You need to stay Confident: From the beginning to the end, it was all about God. Nehemiah was confident that God placed that burden on his heart. When God lays a burden on your heart do you remain confident that the burden was from God?

When your big bad wolf comes, remember to stay connected, concerned, committed, courageous, and confident. Then when all the walls around you begin to fall you can rest assured that your wall will stand the final blow!


“Lessons from mother goose”

Exodus 20:12 “Honour they father and thy mother: that the days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.” “

Ephesians 6:2 “Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise.”

Do you remember the stories and values mother goose tried to communicate to young children? It is from those morals that I have given my mother the nick name “Goose.”
Recently, I found an email that I am sure many of us can relate to. It is filled with words of wisdom that our mothers have tried to install in our lives.
My Mother taught me about ANTICIPATION... "Just wait until your father gets home.’
My Mother taught me about RECEIVING...."You are going to get it when we get home!"
My Mother taught me to MEET A CHALLENGE…"What were you thinking? Answer me when I talk to you! Don't talk back to me!”
And my all time favorite... JUSTICE...“One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you....Then you'll see what it's like.”
The last couple of weeks have been filled with emotional highs and lows. The low, watching my mother walk inside the air plane terminal knowing that it would be awhile before I saw her again. The high, I celebrated my birthday with my loving wife and my beautiful baby girl. I took time to reflect on the years gone bye. Instantly my mind was back to a specific day, where after fighting with the Lord for many years, I surrendered my life to His will. There were days when I could do nothing to escape His voice, days in which in every direction I turned I knew, like Jonah, I was running from the Lord. Until the Lord used one of the most significant people in my life, my mother. After her countless prayers that I would stop fighting with the Lord and surrender my life to His will, she looked at me and said the words that would change my life, “I have prayed for you, but now I am giving you totally over to the Lord.” I believe with all my heart that God was using her voice to touch my heart. I believe God gave my mother the insight into what my future would hold. Looking back, I see where God used my mother to lead me into the Pastoral position. I thank God for that one specific day.
If you traced the value of mothers throughout the Scriptures, your mind would explode with all the wonderful words of love, encouragement, and the importance of mothers. We read about the faith of Moses’ mother when putting him the basket to spare his life, we read about “the mother of all living things,” Eve, created in the image of God. We read about the faith of Sarah who constantly prayed for a son, and about God delivering in a big way. We read about the virgin Mary, the mother of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Who could ever underestimate her importance?
This may go against modern society but thank God for your mother, take time to spend with your mother, and tell your mother just how much she means to you. You may get never another chance.

This week at the church promises to be a very fun and exciting week!

Tuesday at 7 is the Ladies Bible Study
Wednesday at 6:30 is our AWANA club
Saturday the youth group will be meeting again
Sunday at 10:00 is Sunday School
Sunday at 11:00 we will meet for our morning worship service

We can be contacted at (780) 657-2284 or (587)280-0789

We have been given the privilege and opportunity to worship our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in a free country. As the Psalmist said, “Let us worship His name together”. I invite you to come and worship the Lamb of God. This Sunday morning we will be meeting for Sunday School at 10:00, followed by the morning service beginning at 11:00. Come worship our Savior with us! Like never before, the words of the book of Hebrews should be on the minds and hearts of all of those who belong to Jesus Christ: “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together; as in the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see that Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24, 25.

Pastor Paul

May God richly bless your life as you continue to serve and remain faithful to Him!