Easter Presentation - please watch.

This is a special Easter Presentation I did based on the song "New Again" from Brad Paisley and Sarah Evans of the album "Songs Inspired by The Passion of the Christ." Video footage from The Passion of the Christ, The Nativity Story, and The Gospel of John. I did this same video a number of years back with image stills, but this year decided to upgrade the video to using clips.

This was a labour of love for our Lord Jesus Christ. It is designed to be a tool that can be used by churches - not for profit of any kind.

I put this together to really remind us visually about what Good Friday and Easter is really all about. The video speaks for itself. God bless and have a great Easter weekend. May your Good Friday service be inspiring as we remember the crucifixion and death of Jesus, and may your Easter Sunday service be filled with joy and celebration as we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord! 

Palm Sunday - are we for Him?

So tomorrow is Palm Sunday...

John 12:13

They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the king of Israel!”

Hard to believe our human nature at times. One week, we're screaming out the praises of Jesus as the human race, the next we betray, arrest, beat, deny, whip, give a crown of thorns, and crucify Him. It'd be nice to say "We'd be different!" Really? Would we really be different in the circumstances? I would like to think we would. Sometimes I wonder if our actions on a day to day basis scream at one moment that we're followers of Jesus, and the next that we're against Him? That's a tough thought isn't it? 

Tomorrow as we celebrate Jesus triumphal entry into Jerusalem, remember one thing before He came to the city, He wept over it because He knew their real nature and what was coming. 

This week is holy week... Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Easter. Let's make sure we take time to evaluate ourselves and see if there is anything that needs to be purged - I'm sure we can all find something as no one is perfect.

Just some thoughts as we begin the holiest week of the calendar for us as believers in Jesus Christ. God bless and have a great week!

No excuses!

Exodus 3:11

But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

Moses had his reasons for why he couldn't be used, and many would have agreed with him. Look at the list above. So many examples of people that the world would look at and say, "No, God can't use them... look at what they did" or "who they are." Peter denied Jesus 3 times and he thought things were over. He went back to fishing, but Jesus wasn't done with him. He restored Peter publicly in front of the other disciples at a breakfast on the beach. The apostle Paul was one who had killed Christians for their faith and Jesus shook him to the core and he became a mighty apostle who wrote half the New Testament and had an incredible missionary journey - and he suffered greatly for Christ, the same person he had persecuted before when he went after the church. Mary Magdelene was a prostitute and had been demon possessed and was delivered and followed Jesus to the cross when the disciples had fled - except John.

So who can God use? Anyone who is willing to be used, no matter their "station" in life, male or female, old or young, and no matter their race. As long as they bow the knee and declare Jesus as Lord, they can be used to do mighty things in His name.

I know, some people think, "Bu that person fell away from the faith and did so  many terrible things! Now that they're back, shouldn't they just sit back? They can't be used! They did so many wrong things. They don't deserve to be used now." Is that what God said? No. He forgives us, and is ready to use us again as long as we let Him. He won't force us. So are we ready to be used today?

No excuses! Just look at our list above! No excuses! :)

To Turn or Not To Turn The Other Cheek

Luke 6:29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Many take this verse to mean that they can't stand up for themselves ever, and many use this to try and put Christians down. In process many believers have become spiritual doormats from the wrong use of this verse. What it means is to not resist or to not retaliate in a physical way, but by no means does it mean you are to let people walk all over you. We see too many teaching that this verse means Jesus was teaching to let people use you like a rag. Not so. Jesus stood His ground without retaliating. We see this even when He was on "trial" then night He was arrested and eventually crucified. John 18:23

“If I said something wrong,” Jesus replied, “testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?” See? He didn't strike back with violence, He simply asked a question as to why the soldier did what he did.

I think too many times Christians have been taught the wrong interpretation and have been subjected to harsh treatment as a result. If we are calm in our response, there is no harm in asking the question WHY the person who is attacking us is doing so. It just brings clarity to a tense situation. Hopefully it can open a dialogue so that restoration can be reached between us.

So think twice when someone attacks you the next time, remember it does not mean you have to sit there and be a literal "whipping boy," you can ask them why they felt the need to do what they're doing in a calm way. Not accusing. That would only stir the pot! God bless!

Dealing With Loss

My wife and I just found out this week that we were having a miscarriage, She was only about 4 -5 weeks in and yet the loss is still felt. We have two boys who are healthy and are 10 and 7, yet we have also had 3 other miscarriages over the years. How do you take comfort when you lose a child? I take comfort knowing that I will see them in heaven. I see the example given from...
 
2 Samuel 12:16 - 23 
¹⁶ David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and spent the nights lying in sackcloth on the ground. ¹⁷ The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them.
¹⁸ On the seventh day the child died. David’s attendants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, “While the child was still living, he wouldn’t listen to us when we spoke to him. How can we now tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate.”
¹⁹ David noticed that his attendants were whispering among themselves, and he realized the child was dead. “Is the child dead?” he asked.
“Yes,” they replied, “he is dead.”
²⁰ Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate.
²¹ His attendants asked him, “Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!”
²² He answered, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, ‘Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live.’ ²³ But now that he is dead, why should I go on fasting? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.”

So yes, I will see my unborn child one day, and I will know them. We have privately chosen a name for each child we have lost that way. We can take comfort from the passage yes, but as a good friend and pastor that I work with said, "It doesn't mean it doesn't suck." In times like these it can be easy to start to get angry, bitter, and start resenting asking why the child didn't make it. I found out the news just before going to do Ask The Pastor Monday night. So there I was driving into the studio and having an intense discussion with God over what had happened, and then I was to be happy on the air and minister to others. How did I get through that intense moment and night? By the grace of God is all I can say. Lots of prayer. Being a pastor doesn't mean I don't struggle with loss or other things, I just have to decide like others how to deal with it. 

I think of how if all our kids had been born, we would have 6 now (including the most recent miscarriage). I look forward to seeing them someday and embracing them for the first time as a dad. I thank the
Lord for the time we had with them. Thank you Jesus for Your strength that only You can give in times like these.

In Christ,

Pastor Andrew Robertson