Light & Life Programming (2024)

15/11/2024

The gift of God’s grace is one of the most freeing truths that you can experience.

You see, at one time you may have boasted before God of all the good that you had done. You may have boasted about your generosity, or the many prayer meetings that you have attended, or the fact that you haven’t cheated on your income tax. Whatever the reason, you told God that he should accept you because of some good that you had done.

But what happens when you aren’t as generous as you once where. What happens if you begin to skip prayer meetings? What happens when your level of goodness slips? Your standing before God seems very shaky if you build your acceptance with him on your goodness.

But when you understand that you are made right with God through the perfect life and sacrifice of Jesus Christ he becomes your reason for acceptance before God. And that is as solid as a rock. You don’t have to worry any more about failing before God because Christ has succeeded upon the cross. You don’t have to worry about living up to the standard because Christ has lived up to the standard for you.
Do you see how freeing this is? You don’t have worry if you’re in with God or out with God. Jesus Christ has won your acceptance through his death and resurrection.

You’re free to serve him with abandon knowing that you aren’t being marked for your level of holiness. It is no longer about trying harder to please God, it is simply resting in his goodness and saying, “Thank you God for your gift in Jesus Christ!”

New life with God is all because of his grace.

Uplifting music and a Biblical message is what you'll hear as you tune into this weeks' edition of Hope Today on YouTube through this link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjtGlvahZPM

14/11/2024

New life with God is a free gift through faith in Jesus Christ. It is all of grace.

One of the most memorable pictures of grace I ever saw - happened at a local auction barn in Uxbridge. I was watching the auctioneer sell off two Lego starfighter sets. One young boy obviously wanted the set and began the bidding at 5 dollars, but he had some hard competition from the crowd, in particular a 30 something year old man standing beside him.

As the bidding went up, up, up, you could see the young boy’s enthusiasm go down, down, down. And in the end it was the man who won the coveted sets.

The next moments roll in my mind like slow motion. I saw the man pick up his two starfighter sets and turn to the boy whom he did not know and say, “Which one would you like?”

The boy was a bit shocked and said, “But you out bid me.”

“I know”, said the man, “which one would you like?”

The boy was experiencing grace and he did something that we all try to do when offered grace, he tried to pay for it. He reached for his wallet and said, “All I have is 20 dollars.”

The man persisted, “No, I’m giving you a set. Which one would you like?

The boy couldn’t believe it and hesitantly pointed at one, I’m sure he was still wondering if there were some strings attached. The man handed him the star fighter and walked away leaving the boy standing there with the coveted box in his hand for which he didn’t pay a cent. I later heard him sobbing, telling his mother the story, saying “He just gave me the set to me mom, he just gave it to me.”

The boy had experienced grace and received a starfighter set.

When you believe in Jesus Christ you experience grace and receive forgiveness, a right standing before God, life – life to the full – and there’s nothing to pay. It’s all of grace. (Ephesians 2:8)

You're week will be that much better if you tune into this week's edition of Hope Today on YouTube through this link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjtGlvahZPM

13/11/2024

We have a problem. We haven’t met God’s standard of holiness and we are subject to God’s wrath. What’s the solution? What has God done?

In his grace, God has given us his Son, Jesus – and he did two things. First, Jesus met God’s standard of holiness. He was perfect, there was no sin in him. (2 Corinthians 5:21) He obeyed God fully to the very end, even death on the cross. And when we believe in him we receive his perfect life (Romans 3:21-24). It could be said that we are born again … we are given a new life. Our old life of sin that didn’t meet God’s standard of holiness is exchanged for the perfect life of Christ and we are made new.

The second thing that Jesus Christ did, was offer his life as a sacrifice on the cross for our sin – he took on the wrath of God. (Romans 3:25) He endured the penalty of our sin and satisfied the wrath of God. He died for us and instead of us.

This is the good news of Christianity. Everything we needed, a holy life and freedom from God’s wrath is supplied to us freely through faith in Jesus Christ. There is nothing for you to do, there is nothing for you to pay – a new and vibrant life is yours for free by faith in Jesus. This is what grace is – the unmerited favour of God.

We sometimes have a hard time in believing it. We’ve been taught that nothing in life is free, there always seems to be some strings attached to any deal that the world offers us. But that’s not the way it is with God. Scripture says you are saved by grace, through faith in Christ Jesus and not by our own efforts or works. (Ephesians 2:8-10) It seems too good to be true.

And yet there it is – new life with God is a gift to be received through faith in Jesus Christ.

Want to some great music along with an inspiring message? Give this week's program a listen on YouTube through this link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjtGlvahZPM

12/11/2024

We’ve discovered that we need God’s grace because we don’t live up to his standard of holiness and goodness. But if that isn’t bad enough, Scripture also tells us that we are subject to the wrath of God. (Romans 1:18)

I know it’s not what you hear from many pulpits today. You hear that our God is a loving God and it doesn’t matter what you do here on earth. Nor does it matter what your faith is – when you meet him face to face he is going to accept everyone into his heaven.

God is seen to be a doting mother who no matter what her child does refuses to discipline him or her. The child can set the living room furniture on fire but there’s no punishment, no consequence to his actions. And so God is thought to be just love.

But that’s not love at all. That’s simply sentimental mush. The truth is you can’t have love without righteous anger.

Are you aware of the organization MADD - Mothers Against Drunk Driving? It was founded by a woman in California who lost her daughter in a car accident with a drunk driver. The drunk driver had two previous convictions and yet was released and given a very light penalty. As a response she founded MADD to fight against drunk driving. She did this out of love for her daughter. Was she angry against the wrong that was committed? Yes. Was she seeking justice? Yes. But her anger and desire for justice grew out of her love for her daughter.

And so with God’s wrath. If you truly love someone, you will be angry with the things that seek to hurt and destroy and threaten your loved ones. God’s wrath and righteous anger are the expression of the same character of God.

Because of God’s wrath we need God’s grace.

You can listen to this week's program on YouTube through this link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjtGlvahZPM

11/11/2024

Let’s think about God’s grace, his unmerited favour. Some may shrug and say, “Why do I need God’s grace?” Well, we need God’s grace because we don’t have the ability to pass God’s standard of holiness and goodness.

We ask, “Why doesn’t he lower the standard?”

If he did that then it wouldn’t be holiness - would it? It would something less than holiness. So God can’t lower the standard simply because we don’t meet it.
There are other people who claim their good deeds as being good enough to win God’s favour. But scripture says that even our good deeds are like filthy rags. (Isaiah 64:5-9)

Why? Because we do our good deeds out of selfishness. It was comedian Jon Richardson who said, “I don’t do good deeds so that the world gets better. I do good deeds so that people see me do them and they like me more.”

Isn’t it true? No one gives money to a hospital wing and remains anonymous. We have to trumpet our good deeds. So, we can’t even claim our good deeds before God, even these are motivated by self promotion.

We need God’s grace because we don’t have the ability to pass God’s standard of holiness and goodness.

You can listen to this week's program on YouTube through this link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjtGlvahZPM

08/11/2024

We’ve been thinking about common grace, the blessings that God gives to everyone. And that grace is meant to point us to the greater grace that is in the Lord Jesus Christ.

We read in Romans 5:6-8: "At just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

My friends, there is a grace from God that we experience every day and it is meant to point to the greater truth that there is one who interceded for you with his very life. You are like a fig tree without fruit (see Luke 13:1-9). You have not produced any holiness on your own. You deserve to be put to death but God in his grace comes in the person of Jesus Christ and he intercedes for you. He puts himself between the judgement that you and I deserve and takes it on himself, so that you might be forgiven and bear the fruit of holiness.

I trust, that if you are not a Christian, you would see the value you have. Common grace defies that stereotype that we often have of God being angry with us, being disappointed with us. Common grace shows you that God loves you, reaches out to you and wants you to know the particular grace he has for you in Jesus Christ. Believe in him, trust him, for he is a God of grace.

If you are a Christian, let the truth of common grace humble you. You haven't won God's favour by your good deeds, and you aren't keeping God's favour by your good deeds. You are standing before him clothed in righteousness because of his grace. (Romans 3:21-22)

You can listen to this week's program on YouTube through this link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yHSdT6SmXc&t=34s

07/11/2024

God’s grace, there is a sense in which we have all benefited from God’s grace no matter what we believe. There is such a thing as common grace, blessings from God that everyone receives. It’s important to understand because it keeps us from false stereotypes we sometimes have of our Lord.

When people think of God they most often think of a God of judgement. I had a woman in our last congregation who would jokingly talk about the thunder-bolt from heaven that would strike down her husband when he began to tell a story that was obviously exaggerated. She was joking, but she was demonstrating this idea in society that sin will result in God sending us calamity. And if we take the idea to its logical conclusion then, we say that all suffering is a result of some sin our life. And it’s not true.

We read of some people in Luke 13:1-9 who thought this very thing and they talk to Jesus about it. He responds, “you have a stereotype of God - that he sends calamity upon you for sin … but let me give you a different picture.” Jesus then tells a parable in which there is one who intercedes for a fig tree that has borne no fruit. It is an act of grace.

The question is, can you see the grace of God that is all around you every day? Do you see that the very fact that you were able to get out of bed today is an act of God’s grace toward you? God is not looking to strike you down or cut you down as a barren fig tree. Look what he is seeking to do in your life, he is looking to intercede for you, to care for you.

The fig tree has done nothing to deserve a second chance. It hasn’t born any fruit what-so-ever (Luke 13:6-7). But the vinedresser steps in and intercedes for the fig tree and showers grace upon it.

You can listen to this week's program on YouTube through this link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yHSdT6SmXc&t=34s

06/11/2024

We’re thinking about God’s grace, in particular, the grace that God gives to all people, his common grace. The truth of God’s grace given to all people is important for us to grasp, because it keeps us from feeling superior to others.

Let me explain. Sometimes we fall into the trap of feeling that we are better than everyone else because of something holy that we have done. And as a result you may feel that you are more deserving of God’s favour than anyone else. But be careful. This attitude will make you miserable as you see others whom you think are not as good as you - prosper.

We see it illustrated in the classic movie from the 80’s entitled Amadeus. Here we witness the life of Mozart, who is totally immoral and completely obnoxious. But he has been blessed with a rare God given musical talent. And then we see Antonio Salieri – a morally up right man, a fine God fearing man – but with little talent. He’s angry and bitter toward God.

What’s the problem? He has failed to understand that God gives good gifts of wisdom, talent, beauty and skill graciously. That is, in completely unmerited ways.
If you are feeling superior to everyone else because of something holy that you have done, be careful. It will not only make you miserable but you have fallen into a huge sin and need to repent.

And the sin is thinking that you can win God’s favour by your good behaviour. You think that God owes you something because of your high morality, and what you’ve done is build your acceptance before God on your performance. When in truth – the only reason you are breathing today is because of God’s grace, his unmerited favour toward you.

You can listen to this week's program on YouTube through this link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yHSdT6SmXc&t=34s

05/11/2024

Grace, is God’s unmerited favour. There is a sense that we all experience God’s grace, whether you believe in Jesus Christ or not. It is the everyday blessings that we all enjoy. Theologians call it common grace, meaning that it’s given to everyone.

It is the gift of life itself. It’s the clean air that we breath, the fresh water that we drink, and the sunshine on a summer’s day. It’s the beauty of a rose, the taste of a field tomato in August, the majesty of a fine symphony, the smile of child, the touch of a lover, and the compassion of a friend. All of it is common grace.

The fact that you woke from your sleep this morning, is all because of God’s grace.

In the New Testament book of Luke, Jesus shares a story about common grace. He tells us in chapter 13:6-9 about a fig tree that didn’t bear any figs.

It was one of my father’s favourite parables for it tells about a gardener who intercedes on behalf of a fig tree that hasn’t borne any fruit and never likely to. Instead of cutting it down the gardener says, “let me dig around it and fertilize it.”

In other words, “Let me give it a chance, let me give it life.” It’s an act of grace. It is an act of common grace – we are all given life.

Without his grace – his unmerited favour - we would not be able to stand.

You can listen to this week's program on YouTube through this link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yHSdT6SmXc&t=42s

04/11/2024

This week and for the next three, I want us to focus on the amazing truth of God's grace.

Phillip Yancey tells of how once, during a British conference on comparative religions, experts from around the world debated what belief, if any, was unique to the Christian faith.

They began eliminating possibilities. Incarnation? Other religions had different versions of gods appearing in human form.

Resurrection? Again, other religions had accounts of gods returning from death. The debate went on for some time until C.S. Lewis, a man of great faith, wandered into the room. "What's all the commotion about?", he asked. And he heard in reply that his colleagues were discussing Christianity's unique contribution among world religions. Lewis responded, "Oh that's easy. It's grace.” (Philip Yancey, "What's So Amazing About Grace?" (Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, MI, 1997), p. 45)

And don't we know it to be true? The world’s religions all tell us that we must earn God’s favour by our good works. Only Christianity says that we have God’s favour, we have forgiveness of sin and eternal life as a gift – an act of grace.

The Word of God says, "Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." (John 1:17) (NIV) Into our world of bitterness and blame, hatred and hostility, revenge and retaliation, came God's son so that we might be forgiven "in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding." (Ephesians 1:7-8)

God's unmerited favour to us - that is grace - is the hallmark of Christianity, the central theme of our proclamation and the truth that gives life to our service and worship. So we sing with deep emotion, "Amazing Grace how sweet the sound."

You can listen to this week's program on YouTube through this link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=se9uQrCQAe8

01/11/2024

Proverbs 3:5,6 tells us that as we trust God with all our heart “he will make your paths straight, or he will direct your paths.”

This proverb is a promise that is underlined in the rest of Scripture. Psalm 23 tells us that God is like a Shepherd who leads his people to green pastures and quiet streams. And Jesus picks up this shepherd image in John chapter 10 and tells us that he leads his sheep. (John 10:27,28) It’s what he does, it’s his nature, it’s his promise.

Are you unsure about the future? Are you unclear about what decision to make? Know the principle, trust in God with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding and he will direct your paths, he will show you the way to go.

We need to look to him to guide us. We need to look to him to work through us to do what he alone can do. And as we do we can trust that he will direct us in the path to take.

You can listen to this week's program on YouTube through this link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsAcDc5cZNA&t=10s

31/10/2024

We’ve been thinking about what it means to trust God wholeheartedly and have been using Proverbs 3:5,6 as the basis for our study. There we read these words, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your understanding, in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.”

“In all your ways acknowledge him”. This how we know if we are trusting him whole heartedly. It is as we acknowledge him – as we look to him, depend on him, when we turn to him in prayer and ask him to guide us in all our ways - that we are demonstrating our whole hearted trust in him.

Do you trust God whole heartedly in all your ways? Let me spell it out for you plainly,

Do you trust God wholeheartedly to forgive you of your sins through faith in Jesus Christ’s sacrifice? If you do then you won’t be trusting something or someone to put in a good word for you when they get to heaven. God says that there is only one name under heaven by which we may be saved and that is the name of Jesus Christ, his son. (Acts 4:12)

Do you trust God wholeheartedly with your marriage? If you do, then you husbands will be loving your wife as Christ loves the church – how did he love the church? By laying down his life for her. (Ephesians 5:25)

Do you trust God wholeheartedly with your finances? If you do then you will recognize that everything you have belongs to him. (Psalm 24:1) He is the one who directs how his money is spent.

Do you trust God wholeheartedly with the crises you are facing? If you do then you will face that crises with a calm heart rate and a steady tread for you know that he is bigger than the problem that you face. (Matthew 10:29-31)

You can listen to this week's program on YouTube through this link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsAcDc5cZNA&t=10s

30/10/2024

In Proverbs 3:5,6 we read these words, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your understanding, in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.”

How does the proverb tell us that we are trust God? Wholeheartedly. With all your heart.

Have you ever done anything half heartedly? I would argue that there are some things you can do with limited enthusiasm and the results aren’t affected that much. I find it hard to get excited about household chores – but they still get done regardless of how I feel about them.

But there when it comes to relationships, you can’t be half-hearted. No girl was ever wooed with half commitments and false promises. No child was encouraged by parents absorbed in work. Relationships require whole hearted attention and devotion.

So our relationship with God. We are to trust God wholeheartedly. It demonstrates commitment and allows him to be the center of your life.

And you can trust him wholeheartedly because he knows the future, so will lead you confidently.

You can trust him wholeheartedly because he is bigger than our problems, so he can show you a solution.

You can trust him wholeheartedly because he is faithful, so he will never, ever, ever, let you down.

You can trust him wholeheartedly because he loves you, so he will always do what is best.

You can listen to this week's program on YouTube through this link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsAcDc5cZNA

29/10/2024

In Proverbs 3:5,6 we read these words, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your understanding, in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.” It’s an invitation for you to trust in God.

To trust means to lean your whole weight upon. So, we are invited to put our whole weight upon God.

Now, if you’re wise, before we trust anyone or anything you must ask if that thing is worthy of your trust. When you cross a river on a log you wisely check to see if that log can bear your weight before you take a step. Therefore, when we are given this invitation to trust in the Lord we must ask, “Is he worthy of our trust?”

And Scripture repeatedly responds, “Yes”. You can place your whole weight upon God because he is bigger than you, larger than your problems, stronger than your enemies, and greater than your worries. In fact, scripture says that God’s foolishness is greater than your wisdom and his weakness is greater than your strength. (1 Corinthians 1:25)

So, trust in the Lord with all your heart.

Not only this, but God has proven you can trust him because he came in the person of Jesus Christ and laid down his life for you. Even though you may have slandered him and rebelled against him, he laid down his life for you. That’s remarkable - that one so powerful and so far above us, would lay down his life for the likes of you and me is astounding. But it proves that God can be trusted with the troubles you face, the stress that you bear and the worries that you carry.

You can listen to this weeks program on YouTube through this link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsAcDc5cZNA

28/10/2024

In Proverbs 3:5,6 we read these words, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your understanding, in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.” What a beautiful invitation we’re given in this proverb.

And make no mistake it is an invitation … some people may read it was a warning, picturing God in heaven wagging his finger, saying, “you better trust me.” But I don’t think this is a command but a glorious invitation from our Lord who is beckoning us, calling us to trust in him.

The fact that God is an inviting God, is one of his wonderful characteristics. All through the Bible we see God inviting men and women to come to him to share in the great feast of blessings that he has prepared for them.

He invites Adam and Eve to come out of hiding and into his wonderful presence (Genesis 3:9). He invites the people of God to come and experience his forgiveness even though their “sins are like scarlet” in the book of Isaiah. (Isaiah 1:18).

And God in the flesh, in the person of Jesus Christ, invites the weary to come and find rest in him (Matthew 11:28). He invites the spiritually parched to quench their thirst (John 7:38) and offers eternal life to all who believe in him (John 17:2).

You are invited to know forgiveness of sin through faith in his sacrifice for you on the cross. The good news of scripture is that God invites you to come to him and live in dependence upon him.

You can listen to this week's program on YouTube through this link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsAcDc5cZNA

25/10/2024

What is the secret to contentment? Long ago there was a Jewish King who asked that same question. His name was Solomon and he wrote an entire book in the Bible called Ecclesiastes chronicling his search for contentment. He looked for it in laughter and pleasure, in material wealth and accomplishments – but each time he says he came up empty – it was like chasing the wind. (Ecclesiastes 6:9)

Jim Carrey the Canadian comedian, was quoted in Reader’s Digest saying, “I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it’s not the answer.” That’s quite an insight for a man who is usually quite loopy. But he recognized the truth, as King Solomon did all those years ago.

So where do we find contentment? Ultimately it is found through faith in Jesus Christ. It is only as you believe in him that you realize that he gives you everything that you need. (see 2 Peter 1:3) You don’t need to grasp, grab, achieve or accomplish any more – if you believe in Jesus Christ.

Self worth? You have it through faith in the one who loves you so much that he gave his life for you.

Personal gain? What more could you want than to be called a co-heir with Jesus Christ? (Romans 8:17)

A great name? What greater name could you be called than “a child of the king.” (John 1:12)

Truly, in Jesus Christ you are given everything and we can be content.

You can listen to this week's program on YouTube through this link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYiVQl8Rkeg

24/10/2024

What’s the secret to contentment? Here’s a suggestion, if you really want to be content, stop looking up the prosperity ladder.

In truth, the majority of us in our country are fabulously wealthy and we only learn this when we look down the prosperity ladder, not up. This is a spiritual discipline that enables us to have compassion on those with less, rather than envying those with more.

Harold Percy one time pastor of Trinity Anglican church in Streetsville tells of a time when he was visiting Uganda with a team from World Vision. There he met a woman who was raising 18 grandchildren because all of her sons and daughters had died from AIDS. She herself suffered with a cancerous tumor in her mouth so that she was unable to close her jaw. As they met in the woman’s mud hut, she began to tell Rev. Percy how she prays.

And Rev. Percy asked her, “When you pray what do you pray for?”

“I pray that my grandchildren will grow up to be good people.” she said. Then she added, “and I pray for the people who are in need because I hear they are having a hard time in the North where there is a war.” (Rev. Harold Percy in his taped messages entitled, “How to Preach About Money Without Having to Leave Town.” C. 2004 Trinity Anglican Church, Streetsville.)

Rev. Percy was shocked, evidently it never occurred to the woman that she was one of the poor people in the world. Why? Because she is looking down the prosperity ladder. She saw the people in the war ravaged north as being in need.

Want to practice contentment? Try looking down the prosperity ladder, not up.

You can listen to this week's program on YouTube through this link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYiVQl8Rkeg

23/10/2024

What is the secret to contentment? We have to admit, that it’s difficult. There is something in us that wants more and more and more.

But contentment can be achieved as we rest in the love of God and his provision for us.

Richard Swanson in his book entitled Margin, suggests some other attitudes that we can adopt in our search for contentment. He says, try to divorce yourself from the phrase “if only.” We often say, “I would be content if only … If only I had this house, or that office, or that larger barn.” We need to stop saying, “If only.” Recognize the blessings you do have and give thanks to God for them.

Then, Swanson suggests, in your search for contentment, try developing counter cultural habits. For instance, instead of getting - try giving. Christmas will soon be upon us – instead of making up a long list of Christmas gifts people could give you, why not tear that up and make a list of charitable organizations people can support in your name?

Then, in order to develop contentment, instead of replacing that which is broken or old, try preserving what you have. I know it’s difficult to do because many of the products today are designed to break down at a certain point so that you have to purchase the product again. But try your best to be good stewards of things you have. Look after your stuff and instead of replacing try preserving.

Contentment. It is possible, as we make some adjustments in our thinking and being – we can know peace.

You can listen to this week's program on YouTube through this link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYiVQl8Rkeg

Light & Life Programming