The Father’s Heart – Part 6

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{Notes from Sunday, April 1st, 2012}

“If you get the Father’s heart, you will get to understand the Father & why He’s doing certain things. …What is maturity?  It’s choosing to live by principle rather than by feelings; choosing to live by what is right rather than what is convenient.”
-Pastor Wayne Boersma

The purpose of the maturing process: “Is is a harness to draw out the maximum potential in your life.”

  • We are all born with potential, but will every person realize that potential?

Q. Are you willing to walk through the maturing process to see your God-potential reached in your lifetime?

Success (to the world) = fame & fortune
Success (to God) = CHARACTER

“As Christ followers we should be the first to recognize our potential since it’s God who put it there in the first place. …Success in life does not always mean that you’re mature.  Maturity has more to do with character then with what you physically attain …Success only brings out what’s already in your heart. …The best way to become successful is to work on your character.  Your character is the best way to hold yourself together.”
-Pastor Wayne Boersma

Psalm 1:1-6

  • This Psalm’s success is all about character & morality
  • How do you build character & allow God to mature you?  A lot of times it comes down to allowing God to take a flashlight (the Bible) & to look into the deep parts of your heart.
  • To develop yourself, help to develop others

“The Father’s heart for his children is: ‘For us to choose to live by principle rather than by feelings, to choose to live by what is right rather than by what is convenient, so that our maximum potential may be realized.’ ”
-Pastor Wayne Boersma

Luke 15:11-32

“If you can identify with one of the sons from the parable of the Prodigal Son, ask God to touch your heart. …For the sons to become like the father, it just wasn’t about skill, it was also about character, though the two go hand in hand.“
-Pastor Wayne Boersma

  • Dad was grooming them constantly so that they would be able to handle his farm when he was gone (Luke 12:30-32)
  • The Father was building Character & Skill
  • The mind battle came against their potential future (success)

1. Be careful in making life changing decisions when you are ticked off/hurt
2. How did those decisions work out?

  • Younger boy (Overt way; vs. 12-24)
    - Attitude (would not listen to dad – God’s Word)
    - Ran far away (but never from himself)
    - Utter ruin, he lost everything (Psalm 1:6)
    - Came to his senses, repented (vs. 17-19)
  • Older boy (Covert way; vs. 25-32)
    - Attitude (would listen, but the words had no life, viewed them only as rules)
    - Stayed home (Relational disconnect started happening)
    - Disconnect turned into anger and then into bitterness
    - Relational ruin (touched all his relationships)

3. Father’s response to both boys?
Note: He is grooming them both

  • Does not reject either boy
  • He is full of compassion towards both
  • He gives them both more chances to grow & succeed

To order a CD copy of this message:
E-mail: mail@dgcchurch.ca OR
Phone: 403.394.7707

The Invisible Leash

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We pulled into the parking lot of the church, the pavement still bare of snow, but instead of leaving the vehicle, we sat and watched as a man on a bicycle, accompanied by his dog, crossed from the alley towards 13th  Street . The cyclist and the Great Dane seemed to move as one entity, the dog trotting close beside the bicycle. As they approached the street, the cyclist came to a stop to check for traffic, and the dog immediately stopped right beside him. That’s when I noticed that the dog was not on a leash. He waited, motionless, beside his owner, who reached over and patted the dog’s head. I could only imagine the look of adoration as the dog raised his head to gaze at his master. When there was a break in the traffic, cyclist and dog again moved in unity as they crossed the street and disappeared into the residential area. Then I heard the whisper of God’s Spirit – “This is how I want you to be.”

The Scripture came to mind that Jesus said He only did what He saw the Father doing. (Jn 5:19) The dog had a choice – he was free and could have scurried around the parking lot, checking out the doggy scents left behind by others, or darted into the street without waiting for his master to make that decision. I think the two must have spent a lot of time together as the puppy grew into an obedient, affectionate dog, learning to live in a place of commitment to the will of the master – and in that place of safety. He wore an invisible but protective leash.

Too often, we can become distracted from our Master’s side; too often we form our own plans and run ahead or lag behind. God desires us to draw close to Him, to live in the shelter of the Most High. Matt. 11:28 says in The Message (emphasis mine): “Walk with Me and work with Me…Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.”

And that invisible leash? I think it was love.

By Johan Siggelkow

The Father’s Heart – Part 5

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{Notes from Sunday, March 25th, 2012}

Simply put, today we’re talking about the growth barriers we push thru that bring us into maturity daily, not in a day.  Maturity is needed for us to handle God’s Kingdom.  God grooms us constantly so more of His Kingdom can be unleashed into our lives.  Maturity is an essential part of the grooming process.”
-Pastor Wayne Boersma

When we look at our own lives we see & experience a lot that we think isn’t supposed to happen.  There’s a lot of things that aren’t supposed to happen, but that’s in our own minds.  We create circumstantial theology based upon our own emotions as a result. …Maturity comes daily, not in a day.  It takes time & it’s a process. …Are you further along in your relationship with God today then you were this time last year?  If not, maybe there are some things you need to reconsider.  Where is your theology coming from?  It’s holding you back, maybe it’s time to reconsider …If you stop focusing on the pain, you’ll experience some breakthrough.”
-Pastor Wayne Boersma

Luke 12:32 – “So don’t be afraid, little flock.  For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.”

“The issue is often times your own heart.  There are times when it seems God withholds things from us because we’re immature.  We have a worldview that revolves around ourselves.”
-Pastor Wayne Boersma

Romans 8:13-14 – For if you live by its dictates, you will die.  But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live.  For all who are lead by the Spirit of God are children of God.

“Maturity is a process & there are growth barriers you have to push through to get there. …As we mature & as we grow we need to allow the death process to happen in our lives.”
-Pastor Wayne Boersma

Philippians 3:8-12

“Maturity isn’t about “doing,” it’s about “being.” …We need to have breakthroughs in our lives so what we say isn’t just hearsay, it needs to be experiential. …When we misunderstand the heart of the father we will miss the essence of family.”
-Pastor Wayne Boersma

Luke 15:11-32 “Prodigal Son(s)”

  • The dad was grooming them constantly so that they would be able to handle his farm when we was gone (Luke 12:32)
  • The boys did not get the heart
  • The younger reacted by leaving & attempting to prove something
  • The older reacted by his duty to the farm & following the rules
  • Both suffered in their hearts which were closed, full of hurt, judgement & pain

1. Be careful in making life changing decisions (theology) when you are hurt
Look at the boys judgments & results (inner vows)

  • Young boy (overt decisions) did not consider Dad’s advice (the Word of God)
  • Left in his heart & physically, which caused major destruction
  • Many people in the church have done this (left)
  • Older boy (covert decisions) left in his heart, but stayed physically – there is no joy or fulfilment in this!
  • On the outside he seemed to be good, but he was dying on the inside – spiritually (vs. 28)
  • Many people in the body have left, but stayed

Q. Is there a prodigal heart in you?
Q. Are you living out of circumstantial theology?
i. Ask God to forgive you.
ii. Allow your Father in heaven to heal your heart today.

To order a CD copy of this message:
E-mail: mail@dgcchurch.ca OR
Phone: 403.394.7707

The Father’s Heart – Part 4

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{Notes from Sunday, March 11, 2012}

“The greatest computer in the world can’t fathom all the information that God posses.”
-Pastor Wayne Boersma

Simply put, this is the Father’s heart:
1. To draw men unto Himself (adopt) so to save them from His wrath to come on sin.
2. To mature His sons & daughters.
3. To move through His sons and daughters like He moved through His Son Jesus Christ.

“You don’t have to be a Christian for Biblical principle’s to work in your life.  They’re principle’s not laws.  When we begin to look at Biblical principle’s as laws we miss the heart.  It’s not about doing what the Bible says because God’s going to get mad at you.  It’s all about the heart. …If God put the world in order, wouldn’t it be wise to go to the architect to find out how to live life?”
-Pastor Wayne Boersma

Romans 8:13-17
“You will experience transformational and reformational growing pains.  And yet Jesus, our forerunner went through the same things.”
-Pastor Wayne Boermsa

1 John 4:18-19
“Fear brings bondage. …Our Father in Heaven is not an abusive parent. …If we know that God loves us we don’t have to fear Him, even when we’ve done things wrong. …We shouldn’t have to fear God.  We should respect Him, but we don’t have to be afraid of Him. It’s hard to love when you’ve not been touched by love.  We have a society that’s full of hurts, pains & disappointments.  In an imperfect world we find imperfect love.  But God’s love is perfect!”
-Pastor Wayne Boersma

Jesus had to go through growing pains (sufferings):
Hebrews 5:7-10
“God’s heart is to protect us.  We may be limited, but our God is unlimited.”
-Pastor Wayne Boersma

Solomon’s wisdom from his father and mother:
Proverbs 1:1, 8:9; 4:1-13, 20-23
“My Son” is used 23x’s in Proverbs = those are endearing, relational words.  They’re words that are close to the heart of the Father to instruct in wisdom for life.

“Just because you read your Bible doesn’t mean you’re hearing God. …ALTAR time will ALTER you. …Most of the glory people will see in the world is through other people’s character, so I need His strength in my life.”
-Pastor Wayne Boersma

To order a CD copy of this message:
Email: mail@dgcchurch.ca OR
Phone: 403.394.7707

The Father’s Heart – Part 3

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{Notes from Sunday, March 3, 2012}

Simply put, this is the Father’s heart:
1. To draw man unto Himself (adopt) so to save them from His wrath to come on sin.
God’s heart is NOT to condemn you, it is to save you!
2. To mature His sons and daughters
3. To move through His sons and daughters like He moved through His Son Jesus Christ.

“Everyone’s anointed & called. …In the kingdom of God not everything is designed to fall on one person. …God is trying to win the hearts of humanity, through His love.  If we don’t get God’s heart, we won’t win the world for Him.”
-Pastor Wayne Boersma

This is what was said of Jesus’ apprentices, these people were not lazy!
Acts 4:14-15 (NLT)
“The members of the council were amazed (marvelled) when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures.  They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.  But since they could see the man who had been healed standing right there among them, there was nothing the council could say.”

Romans 8:14
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the (mature/grown) sons of God.”

“As apprentices of Jesus, we should be living above reproach. …When we do something out of our comfort zone it’s because God is wanting us to grow. …It’s a process.  God can use you right where you’re at, but He doesn’t want to stop there. …Jesus is the expressed heart of the Father.  He showed that heart for 3 years to the disciples.”
-Pastor Wayne Boersma

How did the disciples turn out like Jesus?
Matthew 4:19
Mark 3:13-15

“If we want to be like Jesus we have to learn to be with Him.  And when we are with Him we begin to get the Father’s Heart. …Trusting Jesus is not a one day event. …As you grow there is greater responsibility released.”
-Pastor Wayne Boersma

Paul prayed this for the Ephesians:
Ephesians 3:14-19
“For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grand you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height – to know (AMP practically, through experience for yourself) the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be willed with all the fullness of God.”

To order a CD copy of this message:
E-mail: mail@dgcchurch.ca OR
Phone: 403.394.7707

Better Is One Day

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Psalm 84:10 (The Message Version)
“One day spent in your house, this beautiful place of worship, beats thousands spent on Greek island beaches.  I’d rather scrub floors in the house of my God than be honoured as a guest in the palace of sin.”

So, seriously, if you had the choice to spend just one day on a beach in Greece, or in church, where would you rather be?  How many of us would like to compromise, and try to worship God while on the beach?

As for scrubbing floors vs. visiting a palace…hmmm.  Granted, it does say, “palace of sin,” but it’s just for a visit, right?  And isn’t there somebody else who could scrub the floors?  It’s just for one day, right?  I mean, couldn’t we try to have some sort of ministry opportunity, while we were “an honoured guest”?

To the psalmist, this was a no-brainer.  He was even jealous of the birds that were able to next in the House of God.  And he thought one day there would be better than years at the beach.  As for scrubbing the floors, he knew it was all about Who was in the house of God, rather than the house itself.  Do we?

Pass the scrub brush, please.  The beach can wait.

~Sherry Martin-Legault

Wilderness Message

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{Adapted from Sister’s Connect, February, 13th, 2012}

Did you make a New Years Resolution this year? Have you managed to keep your resolution so far? One of my resolutions was to start an online Bible readying plan through YouVersion, which will lead me through he Bible in one year. Truth be told, I’ve read through the Bible before. Second truth, I’ve started this plan before (this is my third time actually) & have failed. Perhaps this time will be different though…
I’ve recently finished the book of Exodus. I don’t know if you’ve ever read Exodus before, but for me, reading it through this time, it was as if every day there was something new for me to ponder or be challenged with.
I’ve been challenged by the courage of Moses’ mother & sister, two amazing women who changed history by protecting & saving Moses’ life.
I’ve been confronted with my feelings of inadequacy, much like Moses, wondering “who am I God, that you would choose to use me?”
I’ve remember past springs & autumns when my house seems to be full of flied & have felt as though I can identify with the Egyptians being faced with the plagues…although I’m sure the handful of flies in my house is nothing compared to what they dealt with.
As I read about the plague of frogs & Pharaoh choosing to wait one more day for the frogs to be gone, I’ve wondered what I’ve been holding onto in my own life until “Tomorrow.”
My thought process & perhaps even my value system on some levels has been reexamined as I’ve read over the laws God gave to His people to try & protect them from following anyone other then Him, in attempts to redeem them.
But something that has really stuck out to me I read in Exodus 7, prior to the first plague of the water turning to blood & its been on my mind ever since…
Exodus 7:16a (NLT) – Then announce to him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to tell you, “Let my people go, so they can worship me in the wilderness.
Wow! Did you catch that…”so they can worship me in the wilderness.” Really, worship in the wilderness? Who in the right mind would choose to worship in the wilderness? I’m not talking that mountain top experience, or standing before the vastness of the ocean, I’m talking wilderness. No thank you, I much prefer my safe, comfy church to the wilderness.
Being someone who really likes words, I thought perhaps there was more to the meaning of wilderness, then my knowledge of wilderness. So here’s the definition:
Wilderness
noun [usu. in sing.]
an uncultivated, uninhabited, and inhospitable region.
  • a neglected or abandoned area of a garden or town.
  • figurative position of disfavor, esp. in a political context
Uh, no, it’s exactly what I thought it was! & the thing is, people are led OUT OF the wilderness, not INTO it!
Perhaps there was a method to God’s madness. Perhaps leading the Hebrew people (& other followers of His over the years) into the wilderness has something to do with some He said earlier in Exodus 6:7 (NLT) – I will claim you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you know that I am the LORD your God who has freed you from your oppression in Egypt.
By being in some place uninhabited, God could truly claim His people as His won. While in Egypt, God’s people were slavs, under the ownership of Pharaoh. They had already been claimed in a sense. By leading His people in the wilderness, the Hebrew people were under no rule & then God could step in & claim them as His won.
When I look at my own life, I can actually identify with being claimed as God’s own in the wilderness.
The wilderness’ I’ve experienced have helped define who I am. The wilderness is without a doubt not a place I’ve enjoyed being, or look forward to going back to, but it’s totally uninhabited & uncultivated, a place where God can truly have His way in our lives.
The wilderness is not a permanent destination, thankfully! It’s merely part of the journey to not so much GET to where we’re supposed to be, but to MAKE us into who we’re supposed to be.

The Father’s Heart – Part 1

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{Notes from Sunday, February 19th, 2012}

“The body of Christ needs father’s in the faith who have a heart like the true Father. …We’re talking about the softness of God’s heart & the strength of God’s hand.  If there’s only softness & there’s no strength involved we become wishy-washy.  Somewhere between the grace & the strong teaching is the balance. …We need to get discernment to know what is truth & what is not truth.”
-Pastor Wayne Boersma

2 Peter 1:2-3
You don’t need to go to other sources to bring light your way because life is in Jesus. (paraphrased)

“You can know the word of God & yet not know The Word. …God’s heart is for us to grow deeper in Him, not weirder. …The question is, do you feel closer to God this year then you did last year. …I believe that God’s heart is to mature His body.  Not to pride ourselves in the knowledge we have, but when it comes to the Word of God, is it really alive?  The Word of God has to come alive in your heart.”
-Pastor Wayne Boersma

Simply put, this is the Father’s heart:

  1. To draw men unto himself (adopt) so to save them from His wrath to come on sin
  2. To mature His sons & daughters
  3. To move through His sons & daughters like He moved through His Son Jesus Christ.

“There has to be some sort of intimate relationship with [Jesus]. …To be used in our society, maturity is the key.  Do not stop growing in the Lord.”
-Pastor Wayne Boersma

Matthew 4:21-22
The process is to be duplicated over & over & over again.

To order a CD copy of this message:
E-mail: mail@dgcchurch.ca OR
Phone: 403.394.7707

The Heart of Generosity – Part 3

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{Notes from Sunday, February 12, 2012}

“Generosity is more then finance, its your gifts, your talents & your treasure.  Those are the commodities you have.”
-Pastor Wayne Boersma

Jesus’ Generous Acts:
i. Had purpose
ii. Came from who He was
iii. Flowed freely
iv. Expression of His Father

Matthew 6:21 “For where your treasure if, there your heart is also.”

“Jesus’ passion was to draw us back to the Father.”
-Pastor Wayne Boersma

Scriptures to look at regarding generosity:

  • Isaiah 32:8 (NLT) “But generous people plan to do what is generous, and they stand firm in their generosity.”
  • Proverbs 11:17 (AMP)  ”The merciful, kind, and generous man benefits himself [for his deeds return to bless him], but he who is cruel and callous [to the wants of others] brings on himself retribution.”
  • Luke 6:38 “Give and it shall be given until you…with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”
Read Psalm 144:1-15 – A Psalm for the Family

“The most extraordinary thing in the world is an ordinary man and an ordinary woman and their ordinary children.
-Gilbert Chesterton (1874-1936)

6 Observations of Generous Relationships:
1. Generosity is the key element of a happy marriage
2. Good things are given freely & abundantly (including forgiveness)
3. Going beyond ordinary expectations with acts of service
4. Give into your spouses’ love like (for example, speaking their Love Language – gifts, acts of service, words of affirmation, physical touch or quality time)
5. Shared housework leads to greater sexual satisfaction
6. Shared housework lead to less divorce-prone marriages

“Generosity means more than giving – it means gladly giving more than what is necessary.  In marriage (families) generosity is more than tolerating our spouse or family; It’s brining out the best in each other and giving each other encouragement to grow.  That means focusing on strengths instead of weaknesses and forgiving mistakes.”
-Anonymous

“When God works on your heart, the fruit begins to change. … The simplified version of this message is be nice to your spouse and you’ll have a happy marriage. … If you want to change a nation, change a family.  If you want to change a family, change yourself. … The heart of it is that we need to have the same heart of Jesus when it comes to our relationships.”
-Pastor Wayne Boersma

To order a CD copy of this message:
E-mail: mail@dgcchurch.ca OR
Phone: 403.394.7707

Happy Valentine’s Day

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It’s Valentine’s Day, the one day out of the year specifically dedicated to love.

For some couples it’s perhaps that one night other then a special anniversary to go “all out” on showing one another just how important, special & cherished the other truly is.

For other couples Valentine’s Day is just another day.  Perhaps for them this day is just another day out of the year to tell the other how much they’re loved & appreciated, but really it’s just like February 13th or 15th.

There are those whose Valentine’s Day has changed drastically as children have been added to the mix & suddenly, this once romantic day has turned into doting the little people in their world.  Little love notes are being left in random places & special little treats are waiting to be opened.

For some, it’s a painful reminder that they are still alone, feeling as though everyone else seems to have someone special in their world.  It’s become “Singles Awareness Day” & is faced bravely, though inside it feels terribly lonely.

February 14th, a simple day that can hold so many emotions & experiences.

This year, I’d like to share with you what I guarantee will be the greatest Valentine you will ever receive.

“God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son.  Anyone who believes in him will not die but will have eternal life.”
John 3:16

For just a moment look at this a bit differently.  Where you see the blanks insert your own name:

“God loved _________________ so much that he gave his one and only Son.  If ______________ believes in him ________________ will not die but have eternal life.”

This statement spoken thousands of years ago, speaks a great truth of a love has stood & will continue to stand the test of time just for YOU.

The greatest act of love you will ever receive was given for you before you ever breathed one breath.

This act of love doesn’t care about what you’ve done, what you look like or who you are.

So Happy Valentine’s Day whoever you are & at whatever stage you find yourself today.  May you know & feel a love so great today & everyday!