To God's Beloved At Cloverdale Baptist Church:
It would seem that all around us there is confusion, frustration and anger. It is getting harder to hear those who disagree with you, and sadly for you to hear them. Politics and religion are supposed to be topics that you should never discuss, and given the current climate of the world...I can sure see why.
So how should we as Christians respond?
The profound answer of 1 Peter 2 is CLEAR. We are to be IN THE WORLD, BUT NOT OF THE WORLD.
1. BE HOLY: Called Out:
We are called to live like Jesus, to be pure and loving. The key ingredient to holiness for us is LOVE. This love is to be pure, set apart, undefiled. If we live this way in our world, we will be noticed, unsoiled (or at least growing to be more pure) by sexual sin and selfishness, and uninhibited in our Christ like love for one another and the lost world around us.
This holiness is strange to those who don't know Jesus, so we will be accused of doing wrong, but we will be noticed, and when we get false accusations our way, we continue to love and live for Jesus.
2. Be Ambassadors: Sent In:
This is the call to share the good news of Jesus as we live IN THE WORLD BUT NOT OF THE WORLD. This is the call to help our neighbours hear the good news of the Gospel, in a way that is gracious and clear.
Each of us is called to be holy, and each of us is called to be an ambassador for our King.
This means we must talk about Jesus with those who see the hope in us, and that we might get rejected for believing in the God of the Bible. So, in love, with gentleness, choose this week to share the Gospel with someone, knowing that God is with you, and regardless of their response, you are being obedient.
So my encouragement for all of us this week is to WAKE UP to the reality that our lives matter, and RECOGNIZE that God has placed us where we are so that we can live our lives as a display of the beauty of the love and purity of Jesus and delight in every opportunity to share about His love for us while we were still sinners.
Today, God has good works He prepared in advance for us to do. Today in a pandemic that seems to be getting worse, and dividing people on how to respond, show that your calling is from God, for God, and live in such a way that His holiness and love are reflected by you, and His Gospel shared from your lips, and the unity of His family increased.
If each of us takes this seriously today, and beyond, then this pandemic will become an opportunity in the midst of its pains to display the purity of God, and His passionate love.
TAKE THE CHALLENGE AND KNOW AND LIVE AS ONE CALLED OUT AND SENT IN.
Remembrance Day is here and it is important for us to reflect on the richness of our heritage and freedoms. I am so thankful for those who have fought and died for Canada, and the world. Please take the time tomorrow to thank a veteran, remember the cost of life that many paid, and pray for continued freedom in this country so we can be those who are effective as Ambassadors for Jesus.
Sunday Is Coming:
Title: From Head, To Heart, To Hands: True Community
Text: Romans 12:1-8
Living for Jesus means full devotion to Him, and it means being faithful to those who He has called you to live with in the local church.
- Read Romans 12:1-10.
- What does it mean to have right thoughts about yourself?
- How can we think rightly about others? What does this even mean?
- Why is it so important to have these two things overflow from a sacrificial commitment to Jesus?
- Why is serving in the local church so central to the teachings of the Bible?
- What is your spiritual gift, and how are you using it to build up His family at Cloverdale Baptist Church?
It is a privilege to serve with you, this family that God has placed us in, and blessed us with,
With JOY and in HIS LOVE,
Pastor Rob
Sign up for service here: https://www.
Some Helpful Announcements:
COVID RESPONSE: We are continuing with Sunday services, please sign up and join us, we would love to have you there!
All other live ministries have been cancelled for two weeks.
How do we make these decisions during this time? PRAYER, GOD'S WORD, WISE COUNSEL, and then we have a number of teams making recomendations that are synthesized before the decision is made. Our primary concern is God's glory, and following His Word. We also consider COVID restrictions given by the PHO, needs of our own congregants, unity in the body of Christ, ministries, protection of the vulnerable, love for our neighbours, witness in our neighbourhood and I suppose this list could go on. Please pray for our teams as they make recomendations, and the continued protection of God's people at CBC, spiritually most importantly, but also emotionally and physically. We don't always agree on the best road forward, but we do agree on the path to get there, and the unity God demands us to have once these difficult decisions are made.
Please check out our online bulletin that is updated every week: Keep Informed
cloverdalebaptistchurch.ca/
ZOOMIN on Sunday mornings for Sunday School
We are continuing our Sunday School: Zooming In on the Christian Life. It is taught by Pastor Ray and Pastor Thomas.
How does this work? You go to the link below to watch the teaching time (about 15 mins), then join the Zoom conversation on Sunday morning from 9:30am - 10:00am. Please email Pastor Thomas to get the zoom link: pastorthomas@
Teaching Video Link:
https://www.
Join us for our ONLINE connection Cafe
Stay informed and stay connected and choose to be an encourager, the people God brings to your mind that need His love through you will miss it if you choose to ignore those promptings (and this one).
Privileged to serve you, delighted to know you love God, His Word, and His church,
R