One - U2 in Winnipeg May 29, 2011

We get to carry each other

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U2 - 360

50,000 coming in to the biggest concert in MB history!

U2 360

Stage going up for Sunday Night!

May 29, 2011 at DCC

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

What is Grace?
Is grace God saying that He is going to help us to be holy so that He doesn’t have to punish us?
Is grace God empowering us to live holy lives that enable Him to save us?
Is grace God lowering His standards so that we can sin without worrying about judgment?
Is grace “the power God gives you to do what pleases Him, the provision He supplies you to carry out His will”?
Is grace unmerited favor, a gift rather than a wage?

Where does grace come from?
Who is the originator of salvation by grace through faith and what does the recipient of grace bring to the equation?
What motivates legalistic leaders to add requirements to the gospel’s justification by grace through faith alone?

What does grace do?
Grace Transforms!
 
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Go Jets Go

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Beautiful evening in Winnipeg

Sunday Night at the Forks

Love my Winnipeg!

Where Were You in 1984?

Guess Who? Can you name this guitar weilding DCCer?



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Rejecting Grace for D.I.Y. Justification

Jesus Christ erased all our sins and shouldered all our sorrows. Already now we have a solid relationship with our heavenly Father; there’s no need to fret about it. That relationship doesn’t depend on our love for Him, but on His love for us. It hinges on the Gospel of God, not the Law of God…Again, the Old Adam betrays us. Our sinful nature would much rather hear Law than Gospel. The sinful nature is a seasoned do-it-yourselfer. We’d rather know what we should do, yet God insists on telling us who we are. The best way to tell you what to do as a Christian is to tell you who you are in Christ. The sinful nature likes to think it can earn (and keep) God’s favor. Our Old Adam prefers to base security with God the Father on His Law rather than His Gospel.
 (Dr. Harold Senkbeil in  "Dying to Live: The Power of Forgiveness")

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May 22, 2011 at DCC

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

We have been saved by grace and specifically “not by works” so that no one can boast and I have to tell you that there are few things that can get my blood boiling like seeing people I love lured into taking up the unbearably heavy burden of salvation by human effort under the guise of “fearing God”. This week I listened to a supposedly Christian Pastor BOASTING that he had confidence on the day of judgment because he had been “doing right” over the course of his life. - Wow! - don’t walk; run to the nearest exit if this is what is being preached in your church.

Come expecting a hot time this week as I am fired up about covering some immensely important Christian fundamentals:

Does God expect perfection from us, and if not then how good is good enough; and who decides that standard?

Are we free to “redefine” what perfection is?

Are there going to be Christians going to hell?

How do believers become more Christ like and is it possible to just coast along on the coat-tails of grace?

Will Christians face judgment for their sins on the “Day of Wrath”? If not - why not?

What is grace, where does it come from, and what does it do in the life of one who receives it?

See you Sunday!

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New Terminal YWG

Getting ready welcome jets!

Some Thoughts On Prayer by Margaret Swan

We read books on prayer to help us grow as Christians and to learn from others, and so we should.* But the simplest form of prayer is to remember that God is our Father and we can go to Him as children, bringing ourselves and our concerns, knowing that He hears.
As long as we live we shall never exhaust the possibilities of prayer, it is, after all, communion between the human and the Divine. Communication is two-way. It would be a strange telephone conversation if only one person talked. Yet that is often how our prayer times are – we do all the talking.

Robert C. Savage says prayer is “practising the presence of Jesus” (echoes of Brother Lawrence). So I imagined Jesus standing right in front of me. What would I say to Him if I could actually see Him – what would I ask? Then I realized I would not want to talk at all but just listen. Like Mary I would want to drink in His every word. Wouldn’t you? Then after a while I might ask, “What do You want for so and so?” rather than asking that He give certain blessings to that person. The things that the Lord would bring to mind would probably not be material at all but some of His spiritual gifts of inner peace and assurance. Or perhaps He would want that person to be bolder in taking a stand for Him or to step out into a new sphere of service.

Psalm 46:10 NIV says, “Be still and know that I am God” and Jesus warns against “babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words” (or “much speaking” KJV). He reminds us in the same passage (Matthew 6:7, 8) “...your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.”

Perhaps when we come before the Lord to pray we ought to be silent, realize the God of glory is there with us and wait for Him to speak. Perhaps I should remember to be quieter in my Quiet Times.


*Books on Prayer:
Approaching God by Steve Brown
Talking With My Father by Ray C Stedman
Pocket Prayers by Robert C Savage
Can You Hear Me? By Brad Jersak

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The Bible is not About You

True & Better from Peter Artemenko on Vimeo.

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Bible Study

Gathering around the Word of God, enjoying the fellowship that can only be found in Christ. So good!

Environmentally Safe Weed Control

Hmmmmm

Truth About Grace!

Please do not have confidence on the day of judgment because you have been "doing right" - You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. (Gal. 5:4)

Rock of Ages

Nothing in my hand I bring, Simply to Your Cross I cling;
Naked, come to You for dress, Helpless, look to You for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly, - Wash me, Savior, or I die.

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For Me

O Most loving Saviour, who was “wounded for our transgressions,” and “bruised for our iniquities” I adore and bless your infinite love and compassion, which brought you to such unutterable sufferings for me the chief of sinners. For me you suffered agony in the garden, when your soul was exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death, and your sweat was as great drops of blood falling down to the ground. For me you did bear the cruel kiss of the traitor, and the forsaking of your chosen disciples. For me you were falsely accused, and unjustly condemned. For me you were mocked, and struck, and spit upon. For me you did wear the sharp crown of piercing thorns. For me was your sacred flesh mangled with the scourges. For me you went forth bearing the cross until you did sink under the load. For me you hung in mortal agony upon the cross, the nails rending your holy hands and feet. For me you prayed “Father forgive them;” for I too have crucified you by my sins. For me you endured the terrible hiding of your Father’s face, and the awful death struggle, and the parting asunder of soul and body. O infinite Love, kindle in my cold heart, the flame of love for you! Touch my dry and stony heart with the rod of your power that the stream of love may flow forth! And “by your agony and bloody sweat; by your cross and passion; by your precious death and burial; Good Lord deliver me. Amen. (W. Walsham How, D.D.)

May 15, 2011 at DCC

And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:6-9)

We talk about it, we sing about it, we rejoice in its power in our lives; but do any of us really know the fullness of its meaning?
“GRACE” is so woven throughout the fabric of the New Testament that to try to remove it from its content would be to cause the whole clothe to fall to pieces. It fills the text in the same way that salt permeates seawater, and yet it is one of the least understood of all the wonderful words recorded therein.

The Greek word translated “grace” in our New Testament is “Charis”, it appears more than 150 times and its importance to sinful man is beyond measure!
I hope you will join me this Sunday morning at DCC when we will be trying to gain a little bit deeper understanding of this important word and the ramifications of its meaning.

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iPhone App

If you don't have an iPhone ... Well ... You can't get the new (free) Dakota Community Church iPhone App. BUT - If you do have an iPhone then please go to the App Store and search "Dakota Community Church" - Install it and let us know what you think.

We hope to add a few more blogs to the App and our goal is to keep them fresh using mobile posting (Which I am testing here now) and guest contributors. You can also join the conversation on Twitter using #dakotacc and on Facebook on our group page.

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Human Rights Museum

Winnipeg's changing skyline

May 8, 2011 at Dakota

The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt. (Exodus 12:13)

I hope you will be able to join me this Sunday morning at DCC as we celebrate what God has done for us in Christ, and continue to grow in grace - by feasting on His Holy Word.

Pre-Service prayer begins at 9:45 followed by a wonderful time of praise and worship beginning at 10:30.

“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! (Isaiah 49:15)

This week we will also share Communion and mark Mother’s day with a word of exhortation and a small gift for all the moms who are present!

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. (Ephesians 2:4-5)
 My message will be the conclusion of “The Gospel of His Great Mercy” which I started way back on March 27th. I want to look further at an apparent contradiction in God’s character as He has revealed Himself in scripture. Is He the condemning judge of sin and wickedness or the merciful, forgiving prodigal’s Father? Topics to be discussed include: - The “Prosperity Gospel” explanation, - The problem with making the text subjective, - The problem of reasoning with post-modern thinkers, and - The orthodox solution.

Hope to see you there!

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