Wilderness Wanderings

It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:7-8) Yesterday, we heard about Paul's joyful, thankful attitude in prayer for the Philippians. Now, it appears that...

"I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1:3-6). As Pastor Michael mentioned in yesterday's reflection, it was common for letters wr...

" Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all God's holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:1-2). Daily editions of Wilderness Wanderings are back for the months of June and July. At Immanuel, we have hired Kyra Schat to work as a pastoral intern for these months, a...

A Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings!  The text is ACts 1:1-14. 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 Does it matter that Jesus ascended? What did you know ab...

A Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings!  The text is John 20:24-29.  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 How should we read this passage? Has there been a tim...

A Sunday edition of Wilderness Wanderings!  The text is Matthew 9:1-8.  Today's service was lead by our Friendship Ministry. It is best to very the whole sevvice. Here is the link:  here on YouTube .  Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanuel CRC:  immanuelministries.ca

A Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings!  The text is John 20:24-29.  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 How is this passage often preached?...

A Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings!  The text is John 20:24-29.  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

A Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings!  The text is John 20:1-23.  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 do you want people to be like? Do you want to be...

A Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings!  The text is John 20:1-23. 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

A Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings!  The text is John 19:28-37.  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

A Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings!  The text is Luke 23:44-49. 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 darkness mean to you? What does darkness rep...

A Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings!  The text is John 19:28-37.  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 Why is valuable that Jesus is physically thirsty? How...

A Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings!  The text is Mark 15:33-41.  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? What do you see when you look at c...

A Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings!  The text is Luke 23:32-43.  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 In this word from the cross, was Jesus just being a g...

A Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings!  The text is Luke 23:32-43.  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 Paradise mean to you? How did the sermon in...

A Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings!  The text is Luke 23:26-34.  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 Where do we pick of the story of Jesus on the cross?...

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)     Doxology is a fitting place to end this season of Wilderness Wanderings.   This will be the last of the devotions for a while—and certainly the last...

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:17b-19). What roots and establishes us in love? As was said yesterday, it is Christ dwelli...

This is the final sermon in our 2 Samuel series, and also Pastor Anthony's final message as a pastor at Immanuel.   The text is 2 Samuel 7 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 farewell worship service it comes from, find it here on YouTube .   Or, head to our website to connect w...

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith (Ephesians 3:16-17).   The letter to the Ephesians is steeped in prayer. Paul begins with prayer, ends by calling the church to join him in prayer, and here in the middle, prays. As we discovered yesterday, Paul is on his knees in thi...

For this reason, I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name (Ephesians 3:14-15). Concerning prayer, there are two questions or complaints that come my way regularly: "I don't know what to pray for" and "My prayers are short, I think they should be longer." My response to the second complaint is to shrug my shoulders saying, "Don't worry about it." The...

In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory. (Ephesians 3:12-13)   Today we come back to earth from the cosmic scope of the heavenly realms.    We are to understand that God's power is both displayed and is sovereign over the heavenly realms.   That is enough.   T...

His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord (Ephesians 3:10-11). For many of us, when we think of Christ's work of salvation, we think of individual souls being saved. We think of personal conversion stories. But when...

I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of his power. Although I am less than the least of all the Lord's people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things (Ephesians 3:7-9).  ...