Penhold Church of Hope: Recent Episodes
Penhold Church of Hope
Taking a more systematic look at 2 Samuel 12, we find the power of stories to get to the heart of the matter, the dangers of forgetting God's provision amidst our affluence, and the duality of God's justice and mercy.
God's response to David's repentance is not what we would expect, seemingly letting David go unpunished. Wrestling with this response forces us to consider who is at the center of the universe.
2 Samuel 11 is one of the most shocking and disappointing chapters in Scripture. The moral collapse of David is hard to read but provides important warnings about the power of temptation and the depth of sin while hinting at God's redemptive power when we take a peek into the future of David's lineage.
A chapter of kings and commanders offers lessons about wise counsel, boldness, and doing what you're meant to do.
David's treatment of his defeated enemies and loyalty to his promises shows that the idea of valor is more than we find in superhero movies.
In 2 Samuel 8, we find David conquering the land promised by God to Abram 900 years ago, as he demonstrates himself to be a man after God's heart.
There is no shortage of voices offering opinions about who you are. But there is only one voice that offers the true and life-giving answer to this important question.
Instead of David building a house for God, God promises David a dynasty that has eternal implications.
Hear several testimonies about how Camp Little Red has impacted lives for Christ and message from camp director Gord Russell.
As David starts to bring the Ark of the Lord into his new capital of Jerusalem, we are reminded that we approach a holy God according to His terms, not our own.
With his pact with David, Jonathan recognized a man who, like himself, was ready to follow God no matter what. Even as it became clear that David was going to become the next king of Israel, Jonathan showed his loyalty to God and whatever God had planned.
In 2 Samuel 4, we continue to see David patiently trusting in God's promises in His timing even when others try to bring about those promises according to own plans and schemes.
As the record of 2 Samuel 3 continues, a vengeful Joab makes his move on a foolish Abner. Both men are cautionary examples of how sin and pride affect our decisions.
Amid a civil war in Israel, Saul's cousin and former commander positions himself to be kingmaker over the nation. As we follow the story in 2 Samuel 3, we are reminded of the natural consequences of not following God's design.
As the Penhold Church of Hope celebrates its first service in a new-to-us church building, we must remember that the church isn't the building or an event. It is the people joined together as brothers and sisters in God's family.
As Penhold Church of Hope begins its next chapter, we remind one another of God's guidance and goodness in bringing us to this point.
Using example for the life of Elijah, church member Jonathan Reimer shows that God is enough for all our circumstances even if it is not in the way we might expect or desire.
After Saul's death, the nation of Israel moves toward civil war spurred on by the sins of Abner reminding us that our sins can have a much wider effect that we expect.
The way forward may seem clear and obvious, but as David demonstrates in the opening chapters of 2 Samuel, it is important that we bring everything to God and wait on His timing and direction.
2 Samuel opens with David's discovery of the deaths of Saul and Jonathan. His response teaches us about what it looks like to love our enemies.
Discover more about the Bible Project at bibleproject.com. The video by the Bible Project "Book of 1 Samuel Summary: A Complete Animated Overview" is available here: https://youtu.be/QJOju5Dw0V0?feature=shared
The world continues to become busier and noisier. Through Isaiah, God reminds us how we find His strength amid the chaos.
Christmas is based a hopeful myth but rather, as Luke's writing make clear, the historical event of the Messiah's arrival at a real place and time.
Matthew's selection by Jesus to be His disciple was shocking given his occupation as an Israelite working as a Roman tax collector. Yet, Matthew is exactly the kind of person Jesus came to save, a fact that Matthew highlights in his perspective of Christmas.
Several names are used to refer to Jesus, each teaching us something new about God's Son.
Christmas according to John brings our attention to the eternal nature of the infant born in Bethlehem.
Christ's arrival on earth wasn't witnessed just by those who were there. Witnesses to the Christmas story are found throughout the Bible offering their unique glimpse into this history-altering event. This advent season we'll see Christmas according to several Biblical authors, beginning with Isaiah.
We have the greatest calling on our lives from the greatest life to have ever lived with the greatest gift to have ever been given! Shouldn’t that inspire the greatest response of all time?
By the world's standards, a leader should be strong and powerful. However, the leaders we find in the Scripture acknowledge their flaws and sinfulness, understanding that through their brokenness God's power and strength is revealed.
Malik Hjøllund from Clearwater College reminds us that though we are deserving of God's righteous anger, He has shown us His abounding forgiveness and mercy, just as we are to show to others.
Find more information about Clearwater College at clearwatercollege.com
So much of who we are as a person, good and bad, comes from the family we grew up in. But it is our adoption into God's family that enables us to become that person that God wants us to be.
Do you consider yourself spiritually mature? In answering that question, it is critical that we use the right measurement in our evaluation.
Life is filled with losses and difficulties of all sizes. Instead of ignoring feelings of grief and sadness, we should use those times to discover the riches found in the God who comforts those who mourn.
Much of our culture encourages us to overcome any limitations. However, as we learn in the third mark of healthy discipleship, our limits and weaknesses help us to trust in a limitless God and reveal His power.
Like Peter before us, we may find ourselves following Jesus thinking He will fulfill our dreams. Instead, we have to remember we serve the Messiah who commands that we take up our cross.
While we continue the good works for God, we cannot forget the importance of being with God. The pressure to always be busy can easily result in forgetting to take time to rest in God's presence. After all, it is only through abiding in Christ that we can produce fruit.
In themselves, emotions are neither good nor bad but this doesn't mean they are insignificant. Paying attention to our emotions can show us the condition of our heart and is the start of becoming emotionally healthy disciples.
Jim Cottrill, missionary in Mexico with Avant Ministries, shares seven timeless steps as to how the truth is suppressed based on Romans 1.
Instead of seeing our limitations as a negative attribute or a consequence of sin, our finitude should cause us to look toward and rely upon He who is infinite.
In order to enter the Promised Land, the Israelites had to follow God through a humanly impossible task: walking through the flooded Jordan River. Are we prepared to step into the river and trust God's leading?
Often we are asked to pray for a fellow believer. Beyond simply bringing that person's physical needs to God, Paul's instructions to the Colossians provide an example of how we can also pray for one another's spiritual growth and well-being.
Russell and Anita Wolf have been missionaries in South Sudan. They return to provide an update on their next chapter with Serving In Mission and encourage the church to step out in faith to fulfill the work God has given all of us.
As one continues to be transformed, the believer seeks to become what God created him to be: a fruit-producing Christian constantly connected to and empowered by the Source of life.
As we mature into spiritual adulthood, we become more kingdom-focused, looking for ways we can serve and work toward God's purposes. Often, however, such actions are motivated by a desire to earn or feel deserving of God's love, instead of simply accepting what God has freely and unconditionally already promised.
In the process of transformational discipleship, while we learn important lessons during spiritual childhood, we also must grow up, leaving behind our childish self-centeredness.
It is not just new believers who are spiritual infants. Pastor Dave lays out the biblical indicators of someone who has some growing up to do and how to take those first steps toward spiritual maturity.
We begin a new sermon series asking the question: Have you experienced the tweaking power or the transforming power of Christ in your life? Over the summer, we will consider what may be impeding you from letting God take control of your whole life and hear from others on that same journey.
The books of Acts concludes with Paul finally arriving in Rome but that is not the end of the story. We are the continuation of the story, the story of God's work through us, reaching to the ends of the world.
Through Paul's experience in a literal storm, we find God's anchors in the midst of life's storms and His providence that we can trust in.
Beaten, imprisoned and with a mob wanting Paul killed, "the Lord stood by him" offering encouragement has He still does today.
As Jesus matured, Luke tells us that he "grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man," a goal and reputation we should all strive to achieve.
In the midst of the predicted persecution as he returned to Jerusalem, Paul demonstrates his love for his fellow Jews and the peace of God as violence and chaos surrounds him.
We read through the historical account of the first Easter, remembering that our faith is grounded in the person of Jesus Christ and the historicity of his death and resurrection.
Enjoy this special service presented by Clearwater College and the message about finding God's goodness when circumstances are not good.
Paul returns to Jerusalem and reports to the church how successful his missionary journeys had been because of what God had done. Yet rumours are spreading about what Paul is teaching to Jewish believers and his sincerity to the Law.
Following the leading of the Holy Spirit, Paul heads to Rome. Yet along the way, other believers believe the Spirit telling Paul not to go. We find a resolution to this tension in a careful reading of Acts 21 and a reminder to live with an eternal perspective.
In Acts 20, we find Paul giving his farewell address to the churches and elders as he travels back to Jerusalem. His words reveals his love for God's people and the important role of elders in care for Christ's church.
The city of Ephesus was being transformed over the two years that Paul was teaching there. This did not sit well with local craftsmen who profited from the worship of Artemis in the city that was now in decline. They riotously defended their business and god to point of threatening Paul's life. Amid the chaos or upheaval around us, to whom or what will we cling to?
In his extended stay in Ephesus on his third missionary journey, we find God's transforming power at work through Paul's teachings and confirmed through miracles leading to a wave of repentance in the prominent city of Ephesus, a power that still works in lives and cities today.
In the conclusion to Paul's second missionary journey, we see God at work in the lives of three individuals: the Roman governor Gallio, the synagogue leader Sosthenes, and the powerful preacher Apollos.
Moving on to Corinth, Paul partnered with fellow tent-makers, Aquila and Priscilla, to support himself while continuing to share the Gospel. Through an encouraging vision from God, Paul remained in the city for a year and half, being a spiritual watchman despite the ongoing opposition.
After his customary preaching in the synagogues, Paul debates with philosophers of Athens. In doing so, we discover some insights into how we can share the Good News to a modern audience who are not that different from the ancient Athenians.
Escaping from Thessalonica, Paul finds an eager audience in Berea ready to examine Paul's words, setting an example and challenging us to remain engaged in God's Word.
As Paul continues his second missionary journey, we find him using and explaining God's Word to point his listeners to Jesus the Messiah. For this, they are accused of turning the world upside down and serving another king, King Jesus. Would anyone accuse us of the same thing?
Paul and his companions arrive in the town of Philippi. Despite the lack of a synagogue, being hounded by a demon-possess woman, and getting thrown in jail, we see God work out all these things for good, as He continues to do today.
Knowing God's will can be a tricky exercise as Paul experienced on his second missionary journey. It is more than simply doing what is good or arriving at a particular destination. It is about allowing God to continuously move you in the right direction.
When Paul returns to Lystra on his second missionary journey, he visits a young disciple name Timothy. In Paul's visit and Timothy's willingness to join Paul on his journey, we see the need for intentionality and sacrifice in order to share the good news of Christ.
With the lighting of the candle of peace, we are reminded that Christ's arrival ushered in a reign of peace that is offered to anyone who accepts the invitation into His kingdom.
Celebrating the third Sunday of Advent and the lighting of the candle of joy, we discover true joy is neither found in nor hindered by our circumstances. Rather, joy comes from the hearing and understanding of God's word.
The angel Gabriel, having delivered the message of the promised Messiah to Mary, assured her of the truth of his words: "For the word of God will never fail." This same promise that grounded the faith of Mary remains the source of our faith and trust in God today. His words never fail.
As Advent season begins, we recall the fulfillment of God's past promises and look ahead with hope at what is yet to come.
The opening verses remind us that worship rightly begins by recognizing God's glory and the dangers of misplaced worship.
Just after the church in Jerusalem arrived at a united resolution regarding Gentile Christians, we find Paul and Barnabas in "sharp disagreement" over John Mark. A careful reading of this passage in Acts reveals a clash of priorities and personalities but also the possibility of disagreeing while remaining united in Christ.
Controversy and disagreement has been part of the church from the beginning as we find in Acts 15. The way it was handled back then still helps us today to work the many issues affecting the church.
As Paul and his companions make their first missionary journey, we see the power of God's Word to change lives even in the face of opposition.
In Paul's first sermon recorded in Acts, he shows us exactly how he should see the unfolding of history and reality: God is the God of everything.
In Acts 13, the book begins to focus on the commissioning and ministry of Paul and his companions and reveals some truths we can apply to our own commissioning, beginning right in our own homes and hometowns.
What was that prompted the church to pray for Peter in jail even though the apostle James had been killed and allowed Peter, locked in chains and awaiting his trial, to sleep so soundly? Trust in the sovereignty of God.
Upon hearing the surprising news of God's outpouring of His saving Spirit on the Gentiles, the church in Jerusalem sent Barnabas to Antioch to see this for himself. What we witnessed was the unmistakable work of God's grace and a reminder that we need to be looking out for and rejoicing in God's ongoing work all around us.
In the healing miracles of Aeneas and Dorcas, we find Peter acting like Jesus, His Teacher. Yet, it took an divinely arranged encounter with the gentile Cornelius to change his mind to thinking like Jesus.
While most conversions to Christianity are not as dramatic or world-changing as Saul's, nonetheless, we can likely see the same elements in our own conversion and live according to the same Spirit that empowered the apostle we know now as Paul.
Sent by the Spirit down a desert road, Philip's obedience demonstrates the impact of fulfilling His divine appointments.
In contrast to Simon the magician who wanted to pay for the Spirit, many Samaritans in Acts 8 chose to freely receive him. Yet the peculiar nature of the Spirit's arrival among the Samaritans prompts a deeper discussion into how we should understand the Holy Spirit and his interaction with believers today.
Simon the magician "believed and was baptized" yet he stands as a warning when our belief and focus is on signs, and not in the One to whom the signs point.
In whatever way persecution comes upon the church, we find God using it in various ways to stir up His people and spread His Good News.
The longest speech in the book of Acts is not by Paul or any other apostle. Rather, filled with wisdom and power through the Spirit, God used Stephen, a deacon selected to run a food distribution program in the early church, to deliver the gospel in the most trying circumstances.
Roy Mitton, co-founder of Your Thriving Family, shares the progress made in ten years of ministry and the important elements necessary to make marriages thrive. Visit www.yourthrivingfamily.ca for more info.
Local farmers turned missionaries to South Sudan, Russell and Anita Wolf share with us how God is using their team in the world's newest country and how He can and does use anyone to fulfill His great commission. Find out more about Serving in Mission at sim.ca
While there is a lot of good things one can do, the church functions best when everyone does the good that God has gifted him or her to do.
Despite the best efforts of the Sanhedrin to stop Peter and John from preaching the good news about Jesus Christ, God's intention prevailed and continue to do so.
The early church was "united in heart and mind" and their care for each other was seen through the example of Barnabas, the son of encouragement. In contrast, the example of Ananias and Saphira continues to produce fearful reverence and obedience among all who follow God.
Brought before the powerful Sanhedrin, the once cowardly Peter along with John again demonstrate the confidence found in Spirit-filled witnesses to Jesus Christ.
Alex pastors an AGC church in Saskatchewan and visits us with his wife to share his background and their upcoming plans to become missionaries to Mexico.
On an ordinary day as Peter and John went to the temple for prayer, a lame beggar experienced the healing power of Jesus. In doing so, we find God's sovereignty in the midst of suffering and healing through faith in Jesus Christ.
The description of the early church provides us with a prescription: the need to work out our love for God and each other is central to the life of the church at any time.
Whereas the Holy Spirit had previously only been given in limited situations, he was and is poured out on all who believe in Jesus as messiah. This was the message of the Spirit-empowered Peter as he addressed a diverse audience in Jerusalem, a message that has not lost its power or significance.
In both the betrayal and death of Judas and the selection of Matthias, we see the Spirit's invincible purpose and unwavering zeal for the will and glory of God in all things from the opening chapter of Acts.
At Pentecost, all disciples received the awaited Holy Spirit. Still today, we are called to live lives that are filled and empowered by the same Spirit.
Jesus' disciples obediently returned to Jerusalem to await the arrival of the Holy Spirit but they did not just sitting around doing nothing. In what would become a hallmark of the early church, "they all met together and were constantly united in prayer." (Acts 1:14)
Jesus' resurrection was not the end of his work on earth. We find his disciples commissioned and empowered through the Holy Spirit to be Christ's witnesses as we begin to work through the book of Acts.
When we experience the joy of the Holy Spirit, we taste the joy that is at the core of ultimate reality, which is God and His glory.
Christ's death and resurrection is an historical event and we read the historical account from the source material in this Easter tradition.
With His identity and authority grounded in the Father, Jesus was able to assume the role of a foot-washing servant to show His disciples what self-sacrificing love really looks like.
While Jesus' entry in Jerusalem seated upon a donkey's colt fulfilled prophecy, it also highlighted how different a messiah he was compared to what the people expected. In fact, while looking for one type of messiah, Jerusalem failed to "recognize it when God visited [them]" (Luke 19:44)
The death of Lazarus revealed Jesus as the messiah who grieves with us while being the Resurrection and the Life.
In a world of wants and worries, this request in the Lord's Prayer focuses on our need to daily depend on God.
The Lord's Prayer begins, not with a statement, but a petition: "Hallowed be Your name". It is a rich request packed with meaning and relevance for each individual and the world.
God has always desired to be the Good Shepherd to his people Israel; to care for their needs, to provide good things for them, to bandage the wounded and strengthen the weak, to give them a place to rest in safety and peace (Eze. 34:11-16a). This is exactly what we see Jesus doing throughout his earthly ministry, even to the point of sacrificing his own life for them. And He did all that for us as well (John 10).
From the rich and powerful to the poor and outcast, healing and salvation only comes through faith and trust in Jesus Christ.
Just as he did for the Israelites in the desert, Jesus miraculously fed over 5000 along the Sea of Galilee. Now it is through his own broken body that He became the bread of life for the whole world.
In the account of Jesus' calling of Peter, we find the attraction and power of the word of God displayed and shown to be supremely trustworthy.
As Jesus begins his public ministry, John the Baptist continues to point his followers to the Lamb of God and Jesus offers a glimpse of his glory with his first miracle at Cana.
Through suffering and testing, not only did Jesus learn obedience and become our High Priest (Heb 4:15; 5:8), we showed us how we can confront and overcome the temptation of the devil today.
Jesus' identification with sinners through his baptism invites us now to identify with His redeeming death and resurrection in our baptism.
In taking on human nature, Jesus had to grow in wisdom and stature. If Jesus needed to spend time listening and learning in His Father's house, we ought to do likewise.
Talk of repentance often depressingly brings our sins to the forefront of our attention. But that is the wrong focus of repentance. David shows us that through our sin and brokenness we gain access to the mercy and joy of the Lord.
Despite the many unknowns and unanswered questions, the main point is clear: wisemen from the east were divinely guided through celestial signs and Herod's evil intentions to worship the newborn king. Will we do the same?
The angels' appearance to the lowly and despised shepherds reminds us that Jesus came to save sinners, not those who think they are righteous.
No matter your age, the immediate obedience of the young teenager, Mary, in submitting to God stands to convict and encourage us to act in the same way, trusting God's leading even when he takes us in life-altering directions.
Through he appears only briefly in the pages of the Gospels, the character of Joseph as Mary's betrothed and Jesus's earthly father gives us an example to follow.
When Mary looked upon Jesus, she was beholding God incarnate, the eternal Creator of the universe.
The ideas of fear and worship at first seem contradictory. Yet, as we find in Scripture, the fear of God is the proper starting point for worshipping the Lord Almighty.
After a curious absence of God in David's story during his time with the Philistines, David turns to God and finds both strength and abundance.
Through God's providence, David and his men escape from having to fight with the Philistines against the Israelites only to find their hometown raided and families kidnapped. With everything lost and his men turning on him, David looks to his one source of unending strength.
Lyric video available here: https://youtu.be/7wCfHXgJbdg
Song: Rescuer(Good News)
Artist: Rend Collective
Album: Rescuer (Good News)
Copyright held by UMG (on behalf of Rend Collective)
Instead of waiting on God, Saul, the man once full of promise, violates God's commands to consult a medium and does not receive the answer he was wanting to hear.
Could you be content in a heaven without Christ? Heaven is not the absence of sorrow, suffering and death; it is found in God's all-encompassing presence.
Despite experiencing and trusting in God's providence as he was pursued by Saul, David now falls prey to despair and the trap of his own deception as he listens only to his own advice.
Saul's worldly sorrow is on display as he returns to hunting down David who shows us how a true child of God acts toward his enemies.
Abigail courageously and graciously confronts David rushing toward a murderous mistake.
From 1 Samuel 25, one man acts according to his reputation and the other man acts against his. Both have lessons for us today.
Guest speaker Bruce McCaskell shares his work with Northern Canada Evangelical Mission and Pine Ridge Bible Camp while reminding us to serve as imitators of God.
Just as in the days of Noah, so people now are living life as usual even as the day of Christ's return approaches.
With Saul rounding the hill and closing in, David comes to know that place, and God, as the Rock of Escape.
The fugitive David acts more like a king than the king that is pursuing him and in the process reveals God's nature and expectations.
Just like our strengths and talents, our weaknesses are given for the purpose of perfecting God's power.
As Saul loses his sanity, the fugitive David finds himself caring for a group of misfits.
Forced to flee from Saul's murderous intentions, David has been separated from his wife, best friend, and everything familiar. But will he also give up his trust in God?
The jealousy-fueled duplicity and villainy of Saul holds a mirror to our own lives and our need for a Saviour.
Saul's response to the adoration of David continues to teach us today about the soul-damaging dangers of jealousy.
The selfless love between David and Jonathan demonstrates that there is a bond stronger than the many things that pull us apart.
We must not simply affirm the authority of Scripture, but make it active in our lives and in how we see reality.
God's calling is not limited to a prestigious vocation or world-changing task. His calling applies to our entire life.
Learning from the life of David, we walk through the opening of Psalm 103 to discover how David and we can bless God.
God warns the lukewarm church that He is about to spit them out, but He extends his grace inviting them to return before its too late.
Song: "Light the Fire Again"
Artist: Brian Doerksen
Album: Live Vineyard Worship: Winds of Worship - Come Now Is the Time
© 2004 Vineyard Music
All copyright belongs to the respective owners.
Anxiety presses upon all of us for many different reasons. Instead of dwelling in that anxiety, God's word shows us how to battle it and its underlying root cause of unbelief.
There are many situations in life that can cause us to feel like all is lost. But we find in the example of Jesus the way to fight back against hopelessness.
Our sin reflects an unbelief in the promises of God. Our task is to daily battle against unbelief with a productive, future-orientated faith.
The state may be established by God but it operates with delegated and limited authority.
Sermon by Brian Constantine
Though it is often presented as an example of human hubris and disobedience, there are also some positive lessons that can be gleaned from the tower of Babel.
Sermon by John Evenson
Through a seemingly unqualified young man serving in faith and through his unique abilities, God delivered victory.
Saul was so focused on the giant in front of him that he failed to see the God who defends.
In Samuel 16, we find God bringing about events that will put David right where he needs to be, just as He continues to do in our lives today.
The Christian faith is grounded in a historical event and here is that event as found in Matthew 26 and 27 and Luke 24.
When Jesus set his face to walk the Calvary road, he was not merely taking our place; he was setting our pattern. He is our substitute and pacesetter.
"The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." - 1 Samuel 16:7
Neither arrogance nor good intentions justify disobedience to the commands of God as Saul demonstrates in 1 Samuel 15.
Jonathan shows us what it means to live by faith in a God who is not hinder by anything.
Rituals can help grow our relationship with God. But they can also become empty actions performed out of habit. We need to ask ourselves: are we seeking God's own heart with our rituals or simply going through the motions?
There is only One whose dominion is everlasting and neither kings nor pandemics can overcome it.
Samuel provides his final exhortations to the nation of Israel has he hands over leadership to King Saul.
Saul was not ready to be king. But through God's spirit, Saul was transformed and equipped to take on the position to which he was called.
The flashes of Saul's humility would shine most fully in the humbleness of our true King.
Continuing through 1 Samuel, Saul encounters the Holy Spirit and is transformed to accomplish the task God has given him as God continues to do today.
Saul finds that the ordinary events of life, arranged by God, have led him to the prophet Samuel and the verge of kingship in Israel.
In giving up the kingship of God to be like the other nations, the Israelites would become slaves of their chosen king.
We say that Jesus is the reason for the season, but what is that reason?
Sermon by Mike Doerksen
Christ has come and will come again. This future hope both encourages and challenges us today.
God's promise of hope continues to be passed down through Israel's history as we move closer to the arrival of the Prince of Peace.
Christmas is the season for hope but God has shown hints at the ultimate hope throughout history.
Christmas celebrates the coming of the Messiah, but the need for a Messiah began long ago.
Guest speaker Roy Mitton from Your Thriving Family ministry addresses the power of words and the effects of the messages we tell ourselves.
Encountering God and His glory is a fearful thing, and yet, for the believer, it is the thing that is most desired.
Learning from the deadly consequences of approaching God carelessly, the Israelites demonstrate the humble and confessional way of getting right with God. Sermon from 1 Samuel 6 and 7.
Which will you chose: the safe and manageable false gods or the powerful but uncontrollable true God?
Just as the Israelites discovered by trying to use the Ark of the Covenant in battle like a secret weapon in 1 Samuel 4, God will not be manipulated to serve our desires.
The young Samuel provides a model for eager and attentive listening to the voice of God.
The instructive contrast between the contemptible Eli and his sons and the young faithful Samuel as found in 1 Samuel 2.
A look at Paul's prayer that the church would act with confident hope in the immense riches and overwhelming power of God (Ephesians 1:15-20)
Sermon by Mike Doerksen
Hannah prayed and God answered. Do we come to God frequently and expectantly in prayer?
Sermon by Pastor Dave Trenholm
Even when confronted by evil and suffering, we can still hold to a God who is loving, powerful, and good.
Part IV of the Ekklesia sermon series. You can find the first two sermons on the church YouTube page
Part III of the Ekklesia series. First two parts are available on the Penhold Church of Hope YouTube page.
Regardless of what decisions Balaam made, regardless of his motivations, God was going to bless the Israelites no matter what - and through them, all the nations on earth would be blessed - just as God said. God had decreed it and that is exactly what would come to pass. In fact, you and I can experience Salvation and the hope of eternal life today because God’s good plan and purpose was not thwarted by Balaam or Balak or any other person or nation. And I think that should be a great encouragement to us. Regardless of what is going on in the world, regardless of what foolish decisions we (or others) make or what evil motivations we have in our heart from time to time... God can always use any of that to carry out His good will. His promises will always come to pass.
Investing in relationships is always a worthwhile investment. It’s what we were created for. In fact, it’s the only thing that we’ll take with us into eternity - our relationship with God, and our relationship with others. Sermon by Dave Trenholm (April 26, 2020)
While it is easy to lose our joy in difficult circumstances - it’s certainly not a requirement. We don’t have to lose our joy when facing challenging situations. Our joy-tanks can be full and overflowing no matter what we’re going through. Sermon by Dave Trenholm (April 19, 2020)
On this Palm Sunday, we remember that even as He made his way into Jerusalem on that donkey, He knew that He was heading to the cross. And He did so willingly, because He knew He was on His way to save you and I. Greater love hath no man than this. Sermon by Pastor Dave Trenholm (April 5, 2020)
With all the recent changes in all our lives, it's helpful to remember the things that will last forever: faith, hope, and love. In this sermon, the faith of three young men under the threat of death remains as an example for us today. Sermon by Pastor Dave Trenholm (March 29, 2020)
Despite the chaos and uncertainty, evil and suffering, our God is still sovereign. Our God is still good. And all He asks of us is to trust Him and to continue doing the good things He’s called us to do.
In his continued instruction on submission, Peter teaches on the relationship between slave and master. They are to submit to their master's authority, even in suffering under a cruel master. In suffering while doing good, we find ourselves following steps of our Saviour.
Nahum's book closes with the certainty of Nineveh's downfall as God's vengeance is meted out on the cruel and corrupt people.
Despite a murderous emperor, Peter still instructed his readers to submit to human authorities. In our faithful witness, we continue to serve as ambassadors for the Lord's sake and "silence those ignorant people who make foolish accusations against you." Sermon by Dave Trenholm
The final chapter opens with a graphic description of Nineveh's wickedness and violent images of God's wrath that should unsettle every reader.
Continuing through his first epistle, Peter encourages believers to continue to shine God's light while alerting his readers to avoid a couple worldly threats to their light.
Nahum provides a vivid poetic and prophetic description of the fall of Nineveh as God comes against the Assyrians.
Paul set the example in what it means and what it costs to follow God. In the difficulties that come in imitating Christ, God provides his strength amid our weakness. Sermon by youth pastor Greg Waddy.
Nahum describes God in two ways. He is a God who protects those who take shelter in Him. He is also a God who fights for his people defeating the evil that comes against them.
Peter sets out the form and function of the church, a spiritual house built with living stones all resting upon on the chosen and honoured Cornerstone.
Nahum wastes no time laying the groundwork to his book in the jealousy and vengeance of God. Nineveh has oppressed and corrupted God's covenant people and He will not let the guilty go unpunished any longer.
Having experienced the power of the gospel by being born again, Peter instructs his readers to continue to crave the "pure milk of the word" as they grow into their salvation.
Having surveyed the lengthy history of Assyria, the focus narrows to the kings and events of Judah during the 7th century BC to better understand Nahum's original audience.
Having been cleansed of our sin and adopted into God's family, Peter encourages believers to show God's love to their fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Sermon by Pastor Dave Trenholm.
The prophet Nahum brings a jarring message of God's righteous wrath, not against Judah, but the pagan nation of Assyria. In this introduction, we survey Assyrian history and their interaction with Israel and Judah so as to place Nahum in his historical context. Teaching by Brian Constantine.
Micah begins by lamenting the depraved state of Judah but concludes with his focus on God and the hope of salvation.
As Jesus was passing by, the Light of the world gave sight to a blind man. The varied responses to this miracle provide a mirror to our reactions when God works in our lives. Sermon by Mike Doerksen.
Micah returns to pronounce judgment in chapter 6 as God brings a lawsuit against his people
Having directed our attention to the hope that awaits us, Peter calls us to live in holiness today.
Micah provides one of the more specific prophetic predictions in the Old Testament while encouraging his audience to stand strong in the strength of the God who will defeat all his enemies.
Beginning a series through Peter's first letter, Peter provides his fellow believers with a heavenly perspective on our present suffering and hardships.
Despite the near-term suffering and judgment, Micah offers an extended vision of hope under God's reign that will take place "in the last days."
Everyone from our mom to the cable company have expectations of us. But in the end, only God's expectations of us really matter. So what does He expect? Sermon by Dave Trenholm (Jan. 5, 2020)
In chapter 3, Micah boldly confronts the corrupt leadership in Judah. Micah compares Judah's unjust civil rulers to cannibals in their treatment of their fellow Judahites while the spiritual leadership prophesies for profit. The true prophet Micah demonstrates the need for courageous churches and Christians today.
Micah condemns Judah for its premeditated and oppressive evil. Their wickedness has eroded their God-mandated responsibilities to each other and warranted their judgment.
Micah, God's messenger during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah in the latter half of the 8th century, opens his book by calling the world to attention as God comes down from his heavenly temple. In mountain-melting fashion, He comes as a witness, not against the world, but his own people. Israel and Judah, either in faithfulness or judgment, will serve as an example to the nations.
In continuing to set Micah in his historical context, we survey the three reigns of the three kings of Judah during the ministry of Micah. Teaching by Brian Constantine (Dec. 1, 2019)
Everyone is emotional. Fortunately, truth is not determined by our subjective and circumstantial feelings, but rests in the unchanging nature of the Eternal Rock. Sermon by Youth Pastor Greg Waddy (Dec. 29, 2019)
The reason we should make a big deal about Christmas comes down to four words - God is with us. Sermon by Pastor Dave Trenholm (Dec. 22, 2019)
Before studying the book of Micah, we first put it in its historical context by surveying the kings and events of the southern kingdom of Judah subsequent to the split of the Israelite nation in 922BC. Teaching by Brian Constantine (Nov. 24, 2019)