Shows
Wilderness WanderingsThe World was Not Worthy of ThemWomen received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated—the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground. (Hebrews 11:35-38) Pastor Michael referred to the...2025-02-0705 minWilderness WanderingsThe Disobedient and the Faithful By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient. (Hebrews 11:31) As pastor Michael pointed out yesterday, we’ve skipped over 40 years in the wilderness between the Red Sea and Jericho. Or at least—that section of time is skipped over here in chapter 11’s litany of faith. But the time of wilderness testing did figure earlier in the book of Hebrews, quite prominently in fact. So why doesn’t it show up here? Because the writer considers the wilderness to have been a time not of faith, but of...2025-02-0505 minWilderness WanderingsEnoch and RestBy faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:5-6) Enoch is someone we know next to nothing about. His life is covered in a couple short verses in Genesis. However, we do know a few thi...2025-01-1606 min
Wilderness WanderingsAbove & BeyondMeanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate and sat down there just as the guardian-redeemer he had mentioned came along. Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend, and sit down.” So he went over and sat down. Boaz took ten of the elders of the town and said, “Sit here,” and they did so. Then he said to the guardian-redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelek. I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these s...2024-12-1807 minWilderness WanderingsBehold the KingYour throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom. (Psalm 45:6) Today’s psalm picks up almost directly on the heels of yesterday’s. A question looms in psalm 44 about the suffering God’s people have faced. They’ve done nothing wrong, and yet have been crushed. Their God and King has decreed victory, and yet they have faced defeat. As Pastor Michael noted yesterday, no answers are given to the concerns stirred up in psalm 44, just a prayer for God to rise up and rescue his p...2024-08-1605 minWilderness WanderingsGrowing UpA different angle on growing and fruit today... Three days later Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam, as the king had said, “Come back to me in three days.” The king answered the people harshly. Rejecting the advice given him by the elders, he followed the advice of the young men and said, “My father made your yoke heavy; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.” So the king did not listen to the people, for this turn of events was from the Lord, to fulfi...2024-06-2506 minWilderness WanderingsWho's Farming? “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me” (John 15:1-5). For many Christians, growing spiritual fruit is unnerving. Its uncomfortable partly beca...2024-06-2404 minWilderness WanderingsSeek First An extended Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings! The texts come from Matthew 6:1-4, from the New International Version of the Bible. Dive In discussion questions are below for further reflection! To see this sermon in the context of the worship service it comes from, find it here on YouTube. Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanuel CRC: immanuelministries.ca DIVE IN QUESTIONS 1. What stands out to you from hearing these verses? Is God offering an invitation or a challenge to you through those words? Take time to pray...2024-06-2320 minWilderness WanderingsRejoice TodayThe stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. The Lord has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad. (Psalm 118:22-24) Anyone familiar with the New Testament will know that these verses from Psalm 118 about Jesus being the cornerstone show up all over. Verse 24 is where our song “This is the Day that the Lord has Made” comes from. The Palm Sunday shout of “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD” also comes from this Psalm. So...2024-06-2104 minWilderness WanderingsRemain in Me “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me” (John 15:1-5). What is your vision for your life? We can ask this diff...2024-06-2004 minWilderness WanderingsI Will Praise the LordPraise the LORD. Praise the LORD, my soul. I will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing. Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD their God. (Psalm 146:1-5) As followers of the victorious Lord Jesus Christ, we use divine strategies for navigating our way in the...2024-06-1905 minWilderness WanderingsPruning Pain “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you” (John 15:1-3). One of the counter intuitive elements of fruit growing is pruning. It appears logical that the more branches on a tree or vine, the more fruit that will be produced. However, fruit growers have learned that most of the branches need to be prun...2024-06-1804 minWilderness WanderingsGod is LoveGod is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and s...2024-06-1706 minWilderness WanderingsNo Two-TimingA Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings! The text of Matthew 6:19-24. Dive In discussion questions are below for further reflection! To see this sermon in the context of the worship service it comes from, find it here on YouTube. Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanuel CRC: immanuelministries.ca Money is not the primary theme of Matthew 6. What is? How much does this occupy your thoughts? Why are possessions so enticing? What do you do to get noticed? Giving to the poor gets noticed by God, it is a way o...2024-06-1628 minWilderness WanderingsJudge for YourselfSaul therefore said, “Come here, all you who are leaders of the army, and let us find out what sin has been committed today. As surely as the Lord who rescues Israel lives, even if the guilt lies with my son [the gift of God], he must die.” But not one of them said a word. … Saul said, “Cast the lot between me and [the gift of God] my son.” And [the gift of God] was taken. Then Saul said to [the gift of God], “Tell me what you have done.” So [the gift of God] told him, “I tasted a little...2024-06-1406 minWilderness WanderingsThe Gardener “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful” (John 15:1-2). On Tuesday, we reflected on Jesus as our spiritual food. As much as our bodies need care and nourishment, so do our souls. However, soul care is more complicated than physical care. We know how to care for our bodies, even, if do not do it very well. There are professionals we can turn to for advi...2024-06-1305 minWilderness WanderingsHoreshDavid stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God did not give David into his hands. While David was at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph, he [was afraid because] Saul had come out to take his life. And Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my fath...2024-06-1206 minWilderness WanderingsSoul Food “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful” (John 15:1-2). In John 15, Jesus offers us some keen insights into being His disciples. The Bible uses a variety of phrases to fill out our understanding of faith in God. In 2 Peter we had the phrase, “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). Yesterday, we heard two Old Testament phrases, “the way of the...2024-06-1105 minWilderness WanderingsIrrigated by the WatersBlessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers. Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the...2024-06-1006 minWilderness WanderingsSunday Sermon - Fasting An extended Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings! The texts come from Matthew 6:16-18, from the New International Version of the Bible. To see this sermon in the context of the worship service it comes from, find it here on YouTube. Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanuel CRC: immanuelministries.ca2024-06-0927 minWilderness WanderingsVaccines & GrowthTherefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. (2 Peter 3:17-18) It would be fair to say that the book of 2 Peter is a vaccine. Vaccines are there to inform our immune system, catalogue new threats for it to respond to, and simply reinforce good, healthy immune responses. As...2024-06-0705 minWilderness WanderingsLooking ForwardSo then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. (2 Peter 3:14-16) Our faculties of pe...2024-06-0605 minWilderness WanderingsSurprise, Sanctification, SteadfastnessBut the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his...2024-06-0506 minWilderness WanderingsDid God Really...? Yes. He did.Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for t...2024-06-0406 minWilderness WanderingsRemember Again!Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles. (2 Peter 3:1-2) Remember what Peter said in chapter 1 about the importance of remembering? Peter isn’t so sure you do—so here come those memory words again! Over the course of this chapter, more encouragements are given to shore up our memory and stave off our fo...2024-06-0305 minWilderness WanderingsAt HomeA Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings! The text of Matthew 6:5-15. Dive In discussion questions are below for further reflection! To see this sermon in the context of the worship service it comes from, find it here on YouTube. Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanuel CRC: immanuelministries.ca DIVE IN QUESTIONS: 1. How does “At Home” describe our praying? 2. There are two things Jesus tells us not to do when we pray. What are they? Can you name examples in which the Christian community disregards thes...2024-06-0235 minWilderness WanderingsOf Dogs & Sows These people are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for “people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.” If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end th...2024-05-3105 minWilderness WanderingsDon't be an AnimalBut these people blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like unreasoning animals, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like animals they too will perish. They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you. With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed—an accursed brood! They have left the straight way and wandered off to...2024-05-3006 minWilderness WanderingsOn Evil & Judgement For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment; if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others; if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless...2024-05-2905 minWilderness WanderingsFalse TeachersBut there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping. (2 Peter 2:1-3) As we turn to chapter 2, we find Peter switching from defence to offence. Previously he was def...2024-05-2805 minWilderness WanderingsAs the Day Dawns For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain. We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it...2024-05-2705 minWilderness WanderingsEat Your Veggies! A Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings! The text is Daniel 1.2024-05-2635 minWilderness WanderingsRemember, RememberBut whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I...2024-05-2406 min
MHX Music, is dit alles...?S2-A5 "Is dit alles...? Gast: Gerben Bootsma"In deze aflevering is zanger Gerben Bootsma te gast. Een boeiend gesprek met de Friese Hagenees (of is het Haagse Fries?) over roots, liedjes schrijven en rock and roll!
Geniet ervan!2024-05-231h 01Wilderness WanderingsBuilding Well For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins (2 Peter 1:8-9). My forefathers came from Europe, in part, to escape the devastation of WW2 and build a better life for themselves and their children. Both sets of my grandparents came with eight children in tow. They did not come alone; many were immigrating from the Netherlands because Canada promised a...2024-05-2305 minWilderness WanderingsAgape LoveFor this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. (2 Peter 1:5-7) Here we come to the end of the list of virtues that Peter puts out to us. Yesterday’s word was “Philadelphia,” the word for “brotherly/sisterly love” or “mutual affection” in our translation. Today’s word steps that up a notch by using the word for the highest form of love—that particularly Christian form of “uncondition...2024-05-2206 minWilderness WanderingsPhiladelphia For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection (2 Peter 1:5-7). Since the fall into sin, we have been faced with the question, “Where is your brother?” Intuitively, we know the answer. And yet with Cain, we often reply, “I don’t know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:9). This dark thread of sibling conflict weaves its way through the Old Testament. Consider the decades long feud between Esau and Jacob th...2024-05-2104 minWilderness WanderingsSunday Sermon - Desire More An extended Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings! The texts come from Matthew 6:1-4, from the New International Version of the Bible. Dive In discussion questions are below for further reflection! To see this sermon in the context of the worship service it comes from, find it here on YouTube. Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanuel CRC: immanuelministries.ca DIVE IN QUESTIONS 1. What stands out to you from hearing these verses? Is God offering an invitation or a challenge to you through those words? Take time to pray...2024-05-1924 minWilderness WanderingsGodlinessFor this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness… (2 Peter 1:5-6) Today’s word is “godliness,” and it takes us right back to yesterday’s word of “perseverance.” In particular, it takes us back to the later section of this letter that Pastor Michael quoted yesterday, where Peter writes: “You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming” (2 Peter 3:11b-12a). We have a hope in Chris...2024-05-1706 minWilderness WanderingsPerseverance For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance (2 Peter 1:5,6). Following Jesus is not a good carrier move. Refusing to be involved in shady practices can cost us promotions. When we refuse to gossip around the proverbial water cooler, colleagues do not warm up to us. Refraining from excessive drinking can lead to defriending. Sometimes we are ostracised for mentioning our faith in Jesus. Following Jesus is costly. We make financial donations to the church and to other charities...2024-05-1605 minWilderness WanderingsSelf-ControlFor this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control… (2 Peter 1:5-6a) Self-Control is one of the few virtues in Peter’s list that lines up with Paul’s Fruit of the Spirit. It is undoubtably a good gift of God, but it can be a double-edged sword. Much like our discussion of “knowledge” yesterday, the danger is that self-control can “puff up” our pride and self-righteousness rather than “build up” others in love. If this is the case, then we’ve gone wrong somewhere. This list o...2024-05-1506 minWilderness WanderingsKnowledge Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness… For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge… For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:2,3,5,8). Returning to the list of virtues, we come to know...2024-05-1405 minWilderness WanderingsFaith & LoveFor this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. (2 Peter 1:5-9) At this start of this new week, an overview t...2024-05-1306 minWilderness WanderingsReverse FightingA Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings! The text of Matthew 5:33-48. Dive In discussion questions are below for further reflection! To see this sermon in the context of the worship service it comes from, find it here on YouTube. Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanuel CRC: immanuelministries.ca 1. How does the Ascension of Jesus impact our appreciation of this text? 2. How do you easily white-wash Jesus’ command, “do not swear an oath at all?” What can you do to move closer to keeping it? Does it bother you when th...2024-05-1235 minWilderness WanderingsAdd Goodness For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness… (2 Peter 1:5a). We are saved by grace through faith. Full stop. Read Ephesians 2:1-10 for the most pointed Biblical word on that. But grace does more than save, it also sanctifies. And sanctification requires our partnership. That is the way of God’s economy. We have been given everything we need for it. Not that we will become perfect in this life, but we will make progress, that is, if we put effort into it. As Paul writes about the fruit of the...2024-05-1005 minWilderness WanderingsDivine GivensHis divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. (2 Peter 1:3-4) This set of verses picks up right where we left off yesterday. Gifts, gifts, and more gifts. We are totally overrun by God’s gifts in these opening verses. We are given “everyt...2024-05-0906 minWilderness WanderingsAbundant Gifts Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours: Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord (2 Peter 1:1-2). Today, we begin a journey through 2 Peter, in part, because someone recently asked a question about 1:5. Wilderness Wanderings seems like a good venue to explore the answer. However, after the opening paragraph this letter gets into some wild and confusing content. That is another good reason to spend...2024-05-0805 minWilderness WanderingsHoly KissBrothers and sisters, pray for us. Greet all God’s people with a holy kiss. I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers and sisters. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. (1 Thessalonians 5:25-28) Kissing people who are not my family is not something I do. Or at least, it wasn’t until I met my wife. Now I regularly kiss friends and acquaintances as well. Why the change? Some of you may already know. Americans have no cultural practice of kissing people with whom you are n...2024-05-0706 minWilderness WanderingsDo Not Be Discouraged May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24). Out of baseball’s history comes this story: the game was tied with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning. The batter stepped into the batting box and made the sign of the cross on home plate with his bat. Yogi Berra was behind the plate; he wiped it off with hi...2024-05-0604 minWilderness WanderingsSunday Sermon - Single & Married An extended Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings! The texts come from Matthew 5:27-32, from the New International Version of the Bible. Dive In discussion questions are below for further reflection! To see this sermon in the context of the worship service it comes from, find it here on YouTube. Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanuel CRC: immanuelministries.ca DIVE IN QUESTIONS 1. What stands out to you from hearing these verses? Is God offering an invitation or a challenge to you through those words? Take time to pray...2024-05-0530 minWilderness WanderingsDo Not Quench the SpiritDo not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:19-22) Like the “pray continually” command of yesterday, the “do not quench the Spirit” command of today has had a habit of rattling around in church conversations in a way that usually sounds accusatory and produces a great deal of guilt. In particular, we tend to whip out this command as an accusation against other churches or believers when we feel like they’re not quite keeping step with the times, or w...2024-05-0306 minWilderness WanderingsJoy, Prayer, Thankfulness Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). Yesterday, Pastor Anthony began his devotion by saying that Paul concludes this letter “by gathering up the letter’s contents—repeating them in a flurry of staccato commands that speak very directly and practically to the life of the church”. The material he covered is easily applied to the church as a Christian community, living out the Christian life in full view of the world. Its strange then, that today’s text is suddenly shr...2024-05-0205 minWilderness WanderingsWorking Out God's WorkNow we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. (1 Thessalonians 5:12-15) Paul now...2024-05-0105 minWilderness WanderingsFly the Welcome Banner So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage...2024-04-3005 minWilderness WanderingsPeace & SafetyNow, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to t...2024-04-2905 minWilderness WanderingsRise Up!A Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings! The text of Isaiah 40:21-31. Dive In discussion questions are below for further reflection! To see this sermon in the context of the worship service it comes from, find it here on YouTube. Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanuel CRC: immanuelministries.ca What does Isaiah 40:31 invite us to focus our efforts on – soaring, running, walking? 2. God is King (Psalm 47:2). List the descriptive words for God in the word KING. Read through the book of Esther and notice that these things do not describe Xe...2024-04-2831 minWilderness WanderingsHe is Coming! This agrees with what the Lord has said. When the Lord comes, many of us will still be alive. We tell you that we will certainly not go up before those who have died. The Lord himself will come down from heaven. We will hear a loud command. We will hear the voice of the leader of the angels. We will hear a blast from God’s trumpet. Many who believe in Christ will have died already. They will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them. We wi...2024-04-2605 minWilderness WanderingsWe Grieve with HopeBrothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14) These are perhaps some of the more well known words from the book of 1 Thessalonians. I know I became aware of them in grade 7 after the death of my uncle. These are go-to words for funerals. S...2024-04-2506 minWilderness WanderingsYour Being Watched And do everything you can to live a quiet life. You should mind your own business. And work with your hands, just as we told you to. Then unbelievers will have respect for your everyday life. And you won’t have to depend on anyone (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12). Yesterday’s text encouraged the church to grow in the discipline of love. Christian charity always includes practical stuff like providing meals and offering transportation. Paul recognizes that this practice could be taken advantage of—some deciding to live off of the largess of others. Folks among the lower social classe...2024-04-2404 minWilderness WanderingsMore and MoreNow about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. And in fact, you do love all of God’s family throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more… (1 Thessalonians 4:9-10) There is a similar pattern here to what Paul said about sexuality in yesterday’s devotion. It goes something like this: “you already do this in response to the teaching you have received—now do so more and more.” What’s different here i...2024-04-2305 minWilderness WanderingsPursue Holiness As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do...2024-04-2205 minWilderness WanderingsSunday Sermon - Law & Reconciliation An extended Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings! The texts come from Matthew 5:17-26, from the New International Version of the Bible. Dive In discussion questions are below for further reflection! To see this sermon in the context of the worship service it comes from, find it here on YouTube. Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanuel CRC: immanuelministries.ca DIVE IN QUESTIONS 1. What stands out to you from hearing these verses? Is God offering an invitation or a challenge to you through those words? Take time to pray...2024-04-2131 minWilderness WanderingsMay God Do ItNow may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones. (1 Thessalonians 3:11-13) Paul more often does this: pauses to pray in the middle of a letter marking a pivot between what came before...2024-04-1905 minWilderness WanderingsPraise the Lord! Our text is 1 Thessalonians 3:6-10 But Timothy has come to us from you just now. He has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have happy memories of us. He has also said that you desire to see us, just as we desire to see you. Brothers and sisters, in all our trouble and suffering your faith encouraged us. Now we really live because you are standing firm in the Lord. How can we thank God enough for you? We thank God because of all the joy we have...2024-04-1805 minWilderness WanderingsAuthority or Relationship?We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority. Instead, we were like young children among you. Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well. Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached...2024-04-1507 minWilderness WanderingsPut us out of a job!You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true...2024-04-1106 minWilderness WanderingsSeek his FaceHear my voice when I call, LORD; be merciful to me and answer me. My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, LORD, I will seek. Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, God my Savior. … I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. (Psalm 27:7-9,13-14) Tomorrow is Ash We...2024-02-1306 minWilderness WanderingsSword of the SpiritTake the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:17) Interestingly, the word at the beginning of this sentence has less the meaning of “take” and more the meaning of “welcome” or “receive,” which is its usual translation. We take the helmet and sword, therefore, as an act of obediently receiving—welcoming—what God is giving to us. Namely, his own armor and gifts. The sword of the Spirit which is the word of God is our focus today. If any of these armaments in Ephesians is an offensive weapon...2024-02-0106 minWilderness WanderingsRighteousnessStand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place… (Ephesians 6:14) In Isaiah 59, an important background to Ephesians 6 emerges. The whole chapter is worth a read (and is, I think, an excellent description of the “powers and principalities” of evil Paul has in mind in this section). Here’s an excerpt—this is Isaiah describing the state of affairs among God’s people: “…justice is driven back, and righteousness stands at a distance; truth has stumbled in the streets, honesty cannot enter. Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoe...2024-01-2607 minWilderness WanderingsNot Against Flesh & BloodFor our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. (Ephesians 6:12-13) As Pastor Michael mentioned yesterday, the command we’re given in the Armor of God passage of Ephesians 6 is not to go marching or retreating, but rather, to st...2024-01-2405 min
Wilderness WanderingsHospitalityAt that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Bl...2023-12-1506 min
Wilderness WanderingsPrayers HeardWhen Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. He will bring back ma...2023-12-0706 min
Wilderness WanderingsLove EmbodiedThis is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. (1 John 4:10-12) One of the most foundational gifts that God has given to us is his love embodied in Jesus Christ, our Lord. Just a few verses before this, John goes so far as t...2023-09-1907 min
Wilderness WanderingsThe Church Doesn't Like to Wait“For,” said Peter, “it is written in the Book of Psalms: “‘May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,’ and, “‘May another take his place of leadership.’ Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.” So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. Then they pra...2023-09-1207 minWilderness WanderingsDaily Faith"Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates." (Deuteronomy 6:4-9).2023-08-1406 minWilderness WanderingsGains to Be LostFor it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh—though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless. But whatever were gains to me I now...2023-05-1706 minWilderness WanderingsShine Like Stars Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. (Philippians 2:14-16) Paul continues on with the “so what” after the hymn to Christ’s humble exaltation. Yesterday, Pastor Michael noted Paul’s invitation that we work out what God has wo...2023-05-0905 minWilderness WanderingsOverruledTherefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11) The Gospel message is full of great, paradoxical reversals. Kings are thrown down and the humble are exulted. The rich go hungry and the poor are lifted up. Those who lose their lives find it. The last become first. And, perhap...2023-05-0506 minWilderness WanderingsHe Made Himself Nothing…rather, [Jesus] made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:7-8) It strikes me that this hymn that Paul quotes doesn’t really say that Jesus humbled himself for us. It just says that Jesus humbled himself. If his humbling was before or for anyone: it was for God the Father, the only other actor mentioned in this set of verses. Jesus responded to the Father by g...2023-05-0306 minWilderness WanderingsBeing Like-MindedTherefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. (Philippians 2:1-2) Today is the completion of yesterday’s phrase. As Pastor Michael noted yesterday, the Philippians have received many gifts from Christ: union with him, comfort from his love, a sharing in the one, single Holy Spirit that he gives, and the tenderness and compassion that...2023-04-2706 min
Wilderness WanderingsWith Us Alive Here Today A special note: next week, during the March Break week, we will have special guest Renita Reed-Thompson lead us in devotions Monday through Friday. Pastor Michael and I will be back into the Ten Commandments the week after. Hear, Israel, the decrees and laws I declare in your hearing today. Learn them and be sure to follow them. The Lord our God made a covenant with us at Horeb. It was not with our ancestors that the Lord made this covenant, but with us, with all of us who are alive here today. (Deuteronomy 5:1-3) 2023-03-1006 min
Leaders Alliance PodcastKeys to Ministry Pioneering with John BootsmaIn this episode, we have a conversation with John Bootsma and explore the keys to ministry pioneering. John Bootsma is a Leaders Alliance Catalyst Group leader, National Outreach Director @ Catch The Fire, and Senior Leader @ Catch The Fire Kansas City. John has a wealth of wisdom and knowledge in leadership and revival.
Visit John's church website @ https://ctfkc.com.
2023-02-0157 minWilderness WanderingsPraise Among the NationsPraise the Lord. Praise the name of the Lord; praise him, you servants of the Lord, you who minister in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God. Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing praise to his name, for that is pleasant. For the Lord has chosen Jacob to be his own, Israel to be his treasured possession. I know that the Lord is great, that our Lord is greater than all gods. The Lord does whatever pleases him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and...2023-01-1706 min
FHCRC Podcast2022 - 11 - 13 - Pastor Michael Bootsma - Praying in the Dark2022 - 11 - 13 - Pastor Michael Bootsma - Praying in the Dark by FHCRC Podcast2022-11-1329 min
Wilderness WanderingsReconciled & ReconcilingTherefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin...2022-11-0305 min
Wilderness WanderingsChristian ClothingYou are God’s chosen people. You are holy and dearly loved. So put on tender mercy and kindness as if they were your clothes. Don’t be proud. Be gentle and patient. Put up with one another. Forgive one another if you are holding something against someone. Forgive, just as the Lord forgave you. And over all these good things put on love. Love holds them all together perfectly as if they were one (Colossians 3:12-14). Contemporary Testimony: Our World Belongs to God: The church is a gathering of forgiven sinners called to be holy. Saved by t...2022-11-0205 minWilderness WanderingsMightier than the SeasThe Lord reigns, he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength; indeed, the world is established, firm and secure. Your throne was established long ago; you are from all eternity. The seas have lifted up, Lord, the seas have lifted up their voice; the seas have lifted up their pounding waves. Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea—the Lord on high is mighty. Your statutes, Lord, stand firm; holiness adorns your house for endless days. (Psalm 93) What do the sea...2022-09-1307 minWilderness WanderingsRest in the Shadow of the AlmightyWhoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” (Psalm 91:1-2) Pastor Michael talked yesterday about finding a home in God. A place to dwell. It’s the theme of Psalm 90: God is our home. But it is also the theme of Psalm 91, a reflection and promise of what home with God really means. God guards, protects, and saves those who make their home in him. God gives sh...2022-09-0906 minWilderness WanderingsHonest to God“Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again? Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time? Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?” Then I thought, “To this I will appeal: the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand. I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. … Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen. (Psalm 77:7-11, 19) This psalm giv...2022-08-1906 minWilderness WanderingsLifelong WitnessSince my youth, God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds. Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come. (Psalm 71:17-18) We never retire from the Christian life. From our birth and youth, until our senior years and death we are witnesses to the work of God. That happens in two distinct ways. Firstly, we witness what God does across our lifetime. He teaches us th...2022-08-1106 minWilderness WanderingsIn God I TrustWhen I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? (Psalm 56:3-4) This psalm follows similar threads to the last few. Enemies pursue constantly. Prideful, arrogant people twist words, conspire, and lurk all to undercut the life of the of the psalmist. There are many reasons to fear, as pastor Michael talked about yesterday. We can fear the big things like the culture shifts and the rising prices that we feel. We can fea...2022-07-2006 minWilderness WanderingsOur Help and Sustainer1 Save me, O God, by your name; vindicate me by your might. 2 Hear my prayer, O God; listen to the words of my mouth. 3 Arrogant foes are attacking me; ruthless people are trying to kill me— people without regard for God. 4 Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me. 5 Let evil recoil on those who slander me; in your faithfulness destroy them. 6 I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you; I will praise your name, Lord, for it is good. 7 You have delivere...2022-07-1807 minWilderness WanderingsThe Return of the KingYour throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom. (Psalm 45:6) Today’s psalm picks up almost directly on the heels of yesterday’s. A question looms in psalm 44 about the suffering God’s people have faced. They’ve done nothing wrong, and yet have been crushed. Their God and King has decreed victory, and yet they have faced defeat. As Pastor Michael noted yesterday, no answers are given to the concerns stirred up in psalm 44, just a prayer for God to rise up and rescue hi...2022-07-0506 minWilderness WanderingsFrom the Lord Comes Deliverance1 Lord, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! 2 Many are saying of me, “God will not deliver him.” 3 But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high. 4 I call out to the Lord, and he answers me from his holy mountain. 5 I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me. 6 I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side. 7 Arise, Lord! Deliver me, my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teet...2022-05-0506 min
Wilderness WanderingsFollow JesusSome of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, “As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.” “Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?” He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them. When you hear of wa...2022-03-1606 minWilderness WanderingsPeace in HeavenThey brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road. When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” “I tell you,” he replied, “if they k...2022-03-0105 minWilderness WanderingsThe Holy OrdinaryWhen Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him. (Luke 5:8-11) Days pass one into another without much pomp or fanfare. It’s just ordinary life...2022-01-3105 min
Wilderness WanderingsHospitable Human CommunityAt that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Bl...2021-12-1006 min
Wilderness WanderingsYour Prayer has Been HeardWhen Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. He will bring back ma...2021-12-0206 minLeaders Alliance PodcastPersonal Leadership HistoryJoin us with John and Patricia Bootsma, the Church Planting Catalysts for Leaders Alliance. John and Patricia have been on staff with Catch the Fire for many years and are currently planting a Catch the Fire Church in Kansas City. They are also heavily involved in the prayer and worship movement.
2021-10-1549 min