Pastor Deric's Blog

Perfect Peace

Posted on Jan 21, 2022 in Pastor Deric's Blog |

I woke up at 4 a.m. and heard these words in my head, “Be anxious for nothing.” I knew immediately that it was God. The day before had been super stressful, and I had called a girlfriend to whine about everything. I believe God was reminding me to turn to Him and not let life get overwhelming.

Life can feel overwhelming, and peaceful moments can be fleeting. That is not how God intended life for those who know and follow Him. He is our Father, friend and source of peace.

When Jesus was getting ready to leave this world, He told his disciples, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).

In the last hours of His life, Jesus reminded us that peace is a gift of God, not a feeling or an emotion. It is not something I can strive for or stir up myself. Peace is provided when we fix our hearts and minds on God.

Peace is available when:

Our circumstances feel overwhelming and hopeless
Our sleep is interrupted as we are shackled with concerns
We experience fear of failure as a parent, friend, or co-worker
Our mind is under siege with negative or self-centered thoughts
We throw ourselves into the activities that distract us from anxiety
We find ourselves calling a family member, friend or co-worker to overcome depression

The apostle Paul also talked about peace in 2 Thessalonians 3:16, “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way.”

Wait a minute; God is the Lord of peace and gives peace? We can have it “at all times”?

In Colossians 3:15 Paul addresses the Christians at Colossae with, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts…” So, God gives peace, but we have to allow the peace of Christ to rule our lives.

In Jude 1:2 it says, “May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.” The mercy, peace and love I have can be multiplied…but how?

My favourite scripture about peace is Isaiah 26:3, “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.”

Allow me to share The Passion Translation version of that same verse, “Perfect, absolute peace surrounds those whose imaginations are consumed with you; they confidently trust in you.”

I want to be consumed and obsessed with who God is and trust that He has things under control.

These scriptures make it clear:

God gives peace
We have to let peace rule our hearts
Peace can be multiplied
Perfect peace is available if we consistently focus on and trust our Lord

Reflect on the many times God has been faithful. God was faithful in the Bible and has been faithful in our lives. Journal about the milestones in your past when God clearly was present…possibly only in retrospect.

Write Psalm 46:1 on an index card to remind yourself, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Also add 1 John 4:4, “Great is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”

God can provide peace that surpasses all understanding. He is always present and always good.

Choose childlike faith. Surrender to God and draw closer to Him.

God wants us to expect and experience perfect peace in eternity and on earth.

Guest Contributor,

Laura Harris

(Laura Harris and her husband, Peter Pastras, began attending CCBC in 2017 and are both serving in the Guest Services Ministry. Laura also serves in the Prayer Gathering Ministry. Laura is originally from Texas and works in insurance. Peter works with air traffic control at Pearson Airport.)

Your TRUE Identity

Posted on Jan 14, 2022 in Pastor Deric's Blog |

Think of the Bible as the picture frame in which God stores the images He wants you to see. How you view yourself, others, and the world are all captured in God’s picture frame of the Bible. Now imagine that God has a big house where He hangs His favourite pictures. YOU are one of the portraits He has hanging in His house. He sees you as He created you to be and as He redeemed you to be through Christ our Lord. Faith is the journey of bringing your daily self into alignment with His perfect picture of you.

Your true self is not the person you see yourself to be. The ancient prophet told Israel that we can’t trust our hearts to tell us the truth (Jeremiah 17:9). The real you, as you were meant to be, is the person who was created in God’s image and then re-created in the likeness of Jesus Christ, the one and only source of personal transformation. Your true self is not what others have told you to be. Good or bad, or most likely a combination of the two. You are not defined by either the tragedies or triumphs of your life. You are not your dreams of who you want to be.

You are a man or woman created in the image of God. You are also a person made in the image of God who is lost, confused, and lonely. You were born physically alive but spiritually dead because of your sin. And your sin has separated you from God and thus from the source of your true self as you were designed to be. Only in repentance and faith can you begin the journey of piecing yourself back together as prescribed in the Bible.

One of the reasons that Jesus came to live among us was to show us what life was meant to be in God’s original design. Of course, He came to be the sacrificial Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. When you come to Him as your Saviour, He makes you a new creation. As I like to quote, “the saving of a soul is the miracle of a moment but the making of a saint is the work of a lifetime.” The forgiveness of our transgressions takes place in an instant by the mercy of God. But turning us into fully matured sons and daughters of God, takes much longer time.

For me it’s a simple formula to find my way to the person I was created to be by the Mighty God of the universe. I have to learn from Jesus while living in relationship with Jesus (my definition for discipleship). His Word, the Bible, is the source of renewing my mind, and the Holy Spirit is the source of transforming my heart. The new you, the real you and the only you that will experience abundant life, is the person that follows after Jesus.

The Bible promises personal transformation into the whole and healthy person you were meant to be. But it takes faith, work, and time to see the results that are promised so that the life you now live in the flesh you live by faith in the Son of God. It is no longer you but Him.

This Sunday I will continue the series I started last week. I can’t wait to show you the personality anchors in the life of Jesus that made Him the perfect example of God’s new humanity. Join us at 9AM or 11AM.

Praying with you and for you church family,

Pastor Deric