Back to the Bible Canada with Dr. John Neufeld

This may sound harsh - but it is better to have cancer and know it, than to have it and pretend that you don't. Both situations are life threatening, but the first has the hope of treatment. In today's message, Dr. John echoes Jesus' words against hypocrisy. Hypocrisy is worse than ignorance or heresay. Those can be treated with truth. But hypocrites knowingly put on a pretense of heal...

Jesus consistently extended a free and full invitation to the Kingdom of God. In a word He said, "Come!" It may surprise some that His harshest words were directed to those who put barriers in front of the door to the Kingdom. In today's message, Dr. John walks through the "woes" Jesus proclaimed against those who were hindrances to the Father's offer of grace. The warning...

There may be sins that we are less prone to commit. Not many of you reading this will rob a bank. There are other sins so common that we fail to recognize them in ourselves. Pride is one. In this message, Dr. John echoes the words of Jesus about pride - especially religious pride. It is the way of God to strip us of our self orientation, and in that empty space, grow faith. God blesses humble live...

There are 613 commands in the Law of Moses. Trying to obey each one daily could become overwhelming. So we understand why a lawyer would ask Jesus, "What is the greatest command?" Listen as Dr. John teaches on the Greatest Commandment. We will find that reducing the commands down to a primary expectation doesn't eliminate all the others. In fact, knowing the primacy of love informs and...

What happens when we die? You have wondered about it and talked about it. Our imaginations try to satisfy our curiousity. While God doesn't answer every one of our questions, there is enough to give hope and goosebumps. Today, Dr. John teaches on Jesus correcting misconceptions about the afterlife. We will find that there is a continuation of this life and the next. There are changes between t...

What is the relationship of Christians to the state? That is not a theoretical question. We face the implications of it in our day. It was the same in Jesus' time. In today's message, Dr. John uses Christ, Ceaser and a coin to demonstrate the response of faith in culture. We will find that the alligance of faith is to Jesus and the expression of that faith honours the state.  The Beginning...

Have you ever received a wedding invitation and thought, "Do I have to go?" But if the invitation came from royalty for a party of the year, you might think differently. Dr. John teaches on Jesus' parable of the final wedding banquet. Many reject the invitation, but that doesn't extinguish the generosity of the King. The invite is extended to everyone found in the streets. Listen t...

A cornerstone is the marker which sets the rest of the building aright. Everything is alinged to the cornerstone. In this message of Dr. John, we hear Jesus speak a parable which describes the rejection of Jesus as God's Son. But Jesus is the One against whom all things are measured. While He is the Rock which is rejected, He is also the Stone by which we are judged. The Beginning of Jesus&#39...

Jesus has caused a stir in Jeruslem. He entered the city as messiah and the crowds praised Him. He threw over tables in the temple and cast out buyers and sellers. Now He is afronted with a signifcant question, "What gives you the authority to do these things?" In this message, Dr. John addresses the authority of Jesus. He has the rights to rule and to command us to repent. The Beginning o...

There are places thought to be too holy to demolish. For the Jews, the Jerusalem temple was such a place. But Jesus demonstrated otherwise. Listen as Dr. John shows Jesus claiming the temple as His House of prayer and chasing the corruption out. But this was not merely a cleansing. Matthew writes of Jesus cursing the fig tree, a prophetic voice speaking of God's judgement upon the temple. The...

When you imagine the entrance of a great warior, you might picture him in a chariot or riding a stallion. What we wouldn't do is imagine Him on a donkey. A donkey doesn't communicate the power and majesty we expect. But that is what Jesus did. He purposely rides into Jerusalem on a foal. Listen as Dr. John shows Jesus purposely fulfilling Old Testament prophecy. Jesus was declaring Himself...

The passion of Jesus refers to the intense emotional experience of suffering He endured for us. Matthew traces that experience as he recounts the final week of Jesus' earthly life in chapters 21-25 of his gospel. Listen as Dr. John introduces that week to us, for our King, the Kingdom was foremost in His mind.  The Beginning of Jesus' passion : "Passion" is defined as a compelling...

Satan is a defeated villian. Whatever power or influence he holds has an expiry date. In this final message on spiritual warfare, Dr. John lays out the four stages of the Devil's defeat. From the Incarnation though Jesus' resurrection, to the great tribulation and Satan's ultimate demise, we see the Rule of God unshaken. God is seen as the power and glory of all creation. He proves to...

It was C.S. Lewis who said that some see demons everywhere or some see them nowhere. The Devil is pleased with either conclusion. Dr. John reminds us that what is needed is a spirit of discernment. In this message he offers key insights into understanding the work and presence of light or darkness. The Invisible War: We live in a world with both physical and spiritual realities. The first is easil...

We know that victory is assured by Jesus in the conflict between light and darkness - but the battle rages. We know that believers are not immune to the pains of this warfare. But what of our soul? Can a Christian be lost in spiritual battle? In this message Dr. John assures believers of their security in Christ. The grip of Christ upoon us is unbreakable. We may plunder the Devil's realm, but...

We can make too much of the Devil. By doing so, we inflate Satan and can be wrapped in fear and worry. In this message, Dr. John teaches that it is not possible for a believer to be possessed by Satan. We may be vulnerable to the Devil's exploitation of our sins, but there is good news. Satan will run from those who surrender to God.  The Invisible War: We live in a world with both physical an...

Demon possession is a topic of interest and discussion in our day. Not all of that discourse is accurate or helpful. In today's message, Dr. John teaches what demon posession is and what it does. Once again we see that Jesus is Lord of creation and demons submit to His command. The Invisible War: We live in a world with both physical and spiritual realities. The first is easily perceived. The...

In this message, Dr. John traces the history of spiritual warfare from Genesis to Revelation. He points to the cross of Jesus as the pivot of this battle. We are assured of victory by the death and resurrection of our Lord. The accuser of the saints has been cast out of Heaven and now patrols the Earth like a hungry lion. We exalt in the victory of the Lion of Judah. We live with eyes wide open fo...

It is possible for us to become too enamoured by angels or absorbed by demons. We should be informed, but only to the limits of the Scriptures and not speculation. In this message, Dr. John teaches about demons  and guides us through the Biblical instruction about the origin and state of demonic powers.  The Invisible War : We live in a world with both physical and spiritual realities. The first i...

In this third message, Dr. John continues teaching about angels. Why does God employ angelic agents to do what could be done by a word from His mouth? Clearly angels are not necessary to God, but they have a role to play in creation. Listen as Dr. john explains six things that angels do for God and for us.  The Invisible War : We live in a world with both physical and spiritual realities. The firs...

Any discussion of the spirit world has to account for angels. In our culture, they are reduced to harmless chubby-cheeked cherubs which hang on Christmas trees. The Bible presents a different picture. In this second message, Dr. John focuses on the nature of angels. What are they and where do they come from? Set the childhood images aside and consider what powerful creatures God has made them to b...

There is an unseen world, just as real as anything we can discern by our five senses. The Scriptures point to this world and the battle within. Light battles darkness. Angels wrestle with demons. We too are engaged and affected by this spiritual warfare. In this message, Dr. John will address a redacted world view which is blind to the supernatural realities around us. Listen and consider the unse...

At times we are cautioned not to burn any bridges behind us. It is thought to be wisdom to leave a back door option for returning. Dr. John points to Israel at the Red Sea and teaches that the crossing was like a burning bridge. God was closing any option for Israel to return to Egypt. The way of faith is forward. We must not use fear as a reason to return to what was. In His mercy, God may burn o...

Trust is not our default position. There has been much in life to teach us suspicion and cynicism. God calls us to abandon our self-protective ways and trust Him. Dr. John demonstrates the faithfulness of our God. The pattern of His power and provision for our lives becomes the platform on which faith stands. We may waiver and disappoint, but God never does. God's Rescue Plan : We tend to thin...

"The just shall live by faith!" Faith is not only the gate to redemption, it is the path of redemption as well. Dr. John teaches from Exodus 13 and demonstrates how God both requires and grows trust within Israel. God led them away from battles because they were not ready. God commanded generosity to develop trust along the way. We can all be encouraged that God not only commands faith fro...