Living Stones Church, Red Deer, Alberta

Genesis 21:1-21, Marriage Series The issue is not whether we will ever experience times of conflict but how we will respond to them. There is a naive sense of what biblical unity is all about. We tend to go from two extremes, where conflict becomes a way of life, or to a state of denial when issues arise. As I was reflecting on a passage of Scripture regarding a story of a domestic dispute, it mad...

Matthew 19, Marriage Series Is marriage becoming obsolete or is it one of the most critical foundations of human existence? Author Gary Thomas shares something of the domestic side of Abraham Lincoln in his book, Sacred Marriage. “...Mary Todd was hardly the type of woman with whom one could enjoy a quiet evening. She was, in fact a woman of intense impulses and tremendous temper, though this, iro...

Ephesians 5, Marriage Series How tragic that in many human relationships, neither party will submit nor back down, resulting in fragmentation. Some marriages are like that. A constant source of conflict and contention. Both parties are striving to have their way. Healthy families are where all the members learn to submit to one another. This attitude of mutual submission is a work of the Holy Spir...

Matthew 11

Luke 1:21-38 At the time of Jesus' birth, the people of Judea looked down with contempt upon those who lived in Galilee. Even though they were all Jews, they felt that the Galileans were 'not kosher,' meaning they were considered unclean. They felt this way because of their proximity and intermingling with the Gentiles in their area. Many cities in Galilee were predominately Gentile in makeup. Not...

Revelation 12 We generally approach the Christmas season focusing on all we have to get done. We know it's about Jesus, and even then, we think of Christmas from its human predicament, of an unplanned pregnancy, a confused groom to be, a hasty trip to Bethlehem, shepherds coming to worship the child and later magi, bringing gifts; it seems so challenging and at times overwhelming. We also discover...

Matthew 25:1-13  

John 3 & 4 Every person who comes to know Jesus personally has a story. When God wanted to communicate who He is, He came to earth and what He left behind is an amazing story that has changed people’s lives through the centuries. In John’s gospel, we have two incredible encounter stories that I believe give us the extent to which God works in reaching out to us as human beings. These two peopl...

Hebrews 10 One of the problems of church life in North America is a misunderstanding of what the bible reveals as true community. We often judge others far more severely and expect others to meet our needs rather than understanding that part of being in community is what we contribute to others. It's all part of the consumerism of our age. I've also been struck by an interesting parallel between o...

Matthew 6:19-24 The measure of a person’s life is not determined by what he acquires in life but by what he gives to it. What we gain from God and pass on to others is the real test of a godly life. In Jesus’ well-known address, known as the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus focuses on the issue of genuine discipleship. There is both a cost and a commitment to following Jesus Christ. In contrast to the h...

Luke 11:1-12

Matthew 6:25-34 For those struggling and worried about the everyday things of life, the intensity of life continues to additional pressures that only make life more difficult, from the threat of wider-scale diseases, military conflicts, and the escalating costs of living. Yet, as we read the words of Jesus, he promises us as believers a way of life that brings peace and joy, even in the most tryin...

Psalms 66

Philippians 4

Ruth

Isaiah 40 Far too many of God’s children feel alone, hurt and wonder where our Father is. Is there a feeling of unrest in your soul and the temptation to give up? We may wonder why God has not seen our plight and rescued us from our prison of pain. The only problem with surrendering to our emotions is that it will not bring the hope and comfort we passionately long for. We often fail to remember t...

Esther

1 Corinthians 4 We are living in an age of emasculation. The need for strong but tender, loving fathers is often neglected as we live in an age of irresponsibility and self-fulfillment. What is true of biological fathers is equally true for spiritual fathers. One of the most profound discoveries I came to as a young pastor was that ’a pastor is a spiritual father.’ However, spiritual fathering is...

Ephesians 1 Within the pages of the Bible, we discover that Christians are the wealthiest people on this planet. I’m not speaking of material wealth, but instead of the great blessings, money cannot buy. Things like a clean conscience, a pure heart, peace of mind, healthy and loving relationships, and the guarantee of a Father’s love and care. Our relationship with God is the key to appropriating...

Judges 6 What’s true about us individually is also magnified collectively. We can bemoan the moral direction of our society. We can cringe as we see national calamities affected by sinful values. But what is the answer to the effects of moral deterioration upon a nation? God begins by addressing each of us as individuals. We want transformation to happen apart from God bringing about real change w...

Luke 9-10

Ephesians 6:16-18

Psalm 16

John 20, Easter Sunday  

John 11 Shattered dreams are difficult to handle. One of the founding members of our church family came to faith in Christ through a very painful experience. She and her husband had just finished building their dream home when he arose from breakfast one morning to tell her that he was leaving her for someone else. She was so traumatized that she fell apart emotionally and became for a season hosp...