SCRIPTURE: Romans 9 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit–fruit that will last.” [John 15:16] God does what He does for a purpose. Why does God seem to choose the least likely, and overlook the ones who expect to be favoured? Why did Jesus bypass the…
Author: Norm
nothing, no one, nada!
SCRIPTURE: Romans 8 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.” [John 10:28-29] According to Jesus, we are totally secure. No matter what….
the new me, set free
SCRIPTURE: Romans 7 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: Jesus pointed out that in order to change the fruit of a tree, you have to change the tree: “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit.” [Matthew 12:33]. As long a…
set free from sin
SCRIPTURE: Romans 6 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” [John 8:34-36] Am I a slave to sin, or…
a new identity!
SCRIPTURE: Romans 5 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: We have peace with God. Jesus removes the barriers between God and us, and removes the label “condemned” from over us. No condemnation, as far as God is concerned. He does not label us as no-good sinners, but as fully restored, fully loved children. Sure there is still “stuff” in our lives…
downtown Ajax churches
As we prepare to relocate our services to downtown Ajax (Falby Court), it is good to get to know the churches in the neighbourhood, and to begin praying for a spirit of unity and cooperation in Jesus’ Name. 1. Hope Community Church (Salvation Army) 2. St. Paul’s United Church 3. St. Bernadette’s Roman Catholic Church…
sincere, humble faith
SCRIPTURE: Romans 4 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: What is it that God is looking for from us? How good is good enough? What rituals or sacrifices or moral requirements do we have to meet? Is there a list of ‘entrance requirements’ with God? Paul challenges the traditional Jewish approach, which he excelled at [Philippians 3:3-7], and shows that even Abraham…
feedback from Falby
Our church is in the process of relocating. Not just the location of our Sunday morning services, but our whole ministry focus. We are looking at this as an opportunity to build a bridge into South Ajax, and in particular the downtown (South Harwood) corridor. We presented this idea to our community, and they responded…
the only way to be righteous
SCRIPTURE: Romans 3 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: Paul is making the point that the Law does not make the Jews superior because they are now better people, but because it exposes their sin, and reveals their need for divine mercy and help. Across the board, whether Jewish or not, people are guilty of rejecting and offending God. The Jews…
why ‘Follower of Jesus’ is weak
Here is an interesting article, good for me to think about… Think Christian by Steven Koster Until Lisa Miller asked the question, I hadn’t really thought about the relative merits of “Follower of Jesus” vs. “Christian” as a self-description. I appreciate the whole idea of fresh new ways to tell the old, old story. But…