After the Suffering

After that ye have suffered awhile, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

1 Peter 5:10

You have seen the arch of heaven as it spans the plain: glorious are its colours, and rare its hues. It is beautiful, but, alas, it passes away, and lo, it is not. The fair colours give way to the fleecy clouds, and the sky is no longer brilliant with the tints of heaven. It is not established. How can it be? A glorious show made up of transitory sun-beams and passing rain-drops, how can it abide? The graces of the Christian character must not resemble the rainbow in its transitory beauty, but, on the contrary, must be stablished, settled, abiding. Seek, O believer, that every good thing you have may be an abiding thing. May your character not be a writing upon the sand, but an inscription upon the rock! May your faith be no baseless fabric of a vision, but may it be builded of material able to endure that awful fire which shall consume the wood, hay, and stubble of the hypocrite. May you be rooted and grounded in love. May your convictions be deep, your love real, your desires earnest. May your whole life be so settled and established, that all the blasts of hell, and all the storms of earth shall never be able to remove you. But notice how this blessing of being stablished in the faith is gained. The apostle's words point us to suffering as the means employed-After that ye have suffered awhile. It is of no use to hope that we shall be well rooted if no rough winds pass over us. Those old gnarlings on the root of the oak tree, and those strange twistings of the branches, all tell of the many storms that have swept over it, and they are also indicators of the depth into which the roots have forced their way. So the Christian is made strong, and firmly rooted by all the trials and storms of life. Shrink not then from the tempestuous winds of trial, but take comfort, believing that by their rough discipline God is fulfilling this benediction to you. 

  Sent from the Morning and Evening Devotional, by Charles Spurgeon. For devotionals like this one for your iPhone, visit us at 43rdElement.com

Sent from my iPhone

This Summer at Dakota Community Church

Please join us!

Welcome - July 7, 2013

Welcome to Dakota Community Church

Grace, Freedom, Laughter

This morning we launch our 2013 Summer Series on Building Community with a sermon entitled; “Affirming One Another’s Strengths and Gifts”.

Enjoy the service and please follow along in the scriptures using the links below.

Scripture for today’s sermon:

1 Peter 2:9-10; 1 Corinthians 12:12-15; Matthew 5:13-16; Hebrews 10:19-25; Romans 12:9-10; James 5:9-11; Romans 12:3-8             

 

Sunday Morning Preview - July 7, 2013

This Sunday at Dakota Community Church we will kick off our exciting, and much needed summer 2013 series; “Building Community” with Week One’s sermon entitled - “Affirming One Another’s Strengths and Gifts.” 

As the DCC Book Club was going through the “Gospel in Life” DVD and Study Guide by Tim Keller last summer, everyone agreed that this material was something that desperately needed to be shared with the whole Dakota congregation and the plan was put in place then to do just that this year!

I hope you will be in prayer for our church body and plan to attend as many of the next nine Sundays as possible (or catch up on-line); as this series has the potential to be pivotal in the life of DCC.

Hope to see you Sunday when the saints gather

Welcome June 30, 2013

Welcome to Dakota Community Church

Grace, Freedom, Laughter

Thank-you for joining us on this Canada Day long weekend!

This morning We welcome, all the way from Halifax Nova Scotia; award winning singer/songwriter Elizabeth Deveau.

Enjoy the service.

 

Sunday Morning Preview - June 30, 2013

This Sunday at DCC we welcome Christian singer/songwriter and recording artist Elizabeth Deveau. Elizabeth is a multi-award winning Christian songwriter and recording artist from Halifax, NS and a very active member of City Church (The Church where I was Youth Pastor for 7 years before the move to Winnipeg) under the direction of Pastor Gerry Kendrick.

My sermon this week is an exposition of Ephesians 4:29-30. 

• What exactly is meant by the phrase “corrupting talk”? 
• Is Paul saying that Christians should never speak words of rebuke or correction? What if someone’s feelings get hurt or if they are offended?
• What is positive confession theology and what if anything is wrong with it?

I hope to see you at Church this Sunday at 10:30!

A Cake Not Turned

Ephraim is a cake not turned.

Hosea 7:8

A cake not turned is uncooked on one side; and so Ephraim was, in many respects, untouched by divine grace: though there was some partial obedience, there was very much rebellion left. My soul, I charge thee, see whether this be thy case. Art thou thorough in the things of God? Has grace gone through the very centre of thy being so as to be felt in its divine operations in all thy powers, thy actions, thy words, and thy thoughts? To be sanctified, spirit, soul, and body, should be thine aim and prayer; and although sanctification may not be perfect in thee anywhere in degree, yet it must be universal in its action; there must not be the appearance of holiness in one place and reigning sin in another, else thou, too, wilt be a cake not turned.

A cake not turned is soon burnt on the side nearest the fire, and although no man can have too much religion, there are some who seem burnt black with bigoted zeal for that part of truth which they have received, or are charred to a cinder with a vainglorious Pharisaic ostentation of those religious performances which suit their humour. The assumed appearance of superior sanctity frequently accompanies a total absence of all vital godliness. The saint in public is a devil in private. He deals in flour by day and in soot by night. The cake which is burned on one side, is dough on the other.

If it be so with me, O Lord, turn me! Turn my unsanctified nature to the fire of thy love and let it feel the sacred glow, and let my burnt side cool a little while I learn my own weakness and want of heat when I am removed from thy heavenly flame. Let me not be found a double-minded man, but one entirely under the powerful influence of reigning grace; for well I know if I am left like a cake unturned, and am not on both sides the subject of thy grace, I must be consumed for ever amid everlasting burnings. 

  Sent from the Morning and Evening Devotional, by Charles Spurgeon. For devotionals like this one for your iPhone, visit us at 43rdElement.com

Grace, Freedom, Laughter! 

Welcome to DCC - June 23, 2013

Welcome to Dakota Community Church

Grace, Freedom, Laughter

This morning’s sermon is Part 3 of “No Longer Steal, Rather Work & Contribute”.

Enjoy the service and please follow along in the scriptures using the links below.

Scripture for today’s sermon:

Ephesians 4:25-5:4; 1 Corinthians 7:21; Matthew 7:17-20; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; 1 Timothy 6:1-21; John 18:36; 1Timothy 6:7-8

 

Sunday Morning Preview - June 23, 2013

Besides all the usual great reasons to attend Sunday morning at Dakota Community Church, this week we will also have a huge blow-out give away of accumulated Operation Sunshine supplies. 

Items up for grabs include: various types of lawn fertilizer, weed controller, and grass seed, indoor and outdoor christmas lights, a beautiful room heater, some craft supplies, and a wide assortment of the usual other goodies.

As far as teaching in the word goes, the plan is to wrap up our study of Ephesians 4:28 with a few concluding thoughts re: “The Doctrine of Vocation” and then to move on to an in depth look at the call upon all of us to prefer others above ourselves by having enough to share with any who have need.

I hope to see you all at Church this Sunday at 10:30!

Doctrine of Vocation

Here is the link to the "Doctrine of Vocation" Sermon preached Sunday June 9, 2013 at:
  Dakota Community Church

Welcome - June 9, 2013

Welcome to Dakota Community Church

Grace, Freedom, Laughter

This morning’s sermon is Part 2 of “No Longer Steal, Rather Work & Contribute”.

Enjoy the service and please follow along in the scriptures using the links below.

Scripture for today’s sermon:

Ephesians 4:25-5:4; 1 Corinthians 7:17-24; Isaiah 64:6; Hebrews 11:6; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 3:20-22; Colossians 3:18-25; 1 Corinthians 7:21        

 

Sunday Morning Preview - June 9, 2013

This Sunday morning as we continue our study of Ephesians 4:28 we will be taking a deeper look at what has been known in times past as the “Doctrine of Vocation.” 

This important biblical teaching has been largely lost to much of the church in recent decades as we have been swept up in the belief that only church jobs are “callings” and that in order to really glorify God every believer must be a leader of some sort and demonstrate this by stepping out into some type of church related “ministry” in order to use their God given gifts.

A few of the ideas I am excited to discuss include: Loving and serving our neighbours through regular jobs, eliminating the need for hokey “Christian” versions of everything, work as worship that is glorifying to God, loving your job no matter what it is; and the sacred vocation of family responsibility.

Hope to see you Sunday at 10:30

Welcome - June 2, 2013

Welcome to Dakota Community Church

Grace, Freedom, Laughter

This morning’s sermon is entitled “No Longer Steal, Rather Work & Contribute”

Enjoy the service and please follow along in the scriptures using the links below.

Scripture for today’s sermon:

Ephesians 4:25-5:4; Genesis 3:17-19; Ecclesiastes 5:18-19; Exodus 20:15; 1 Corinthians 6:7-11; 1 Timothy 3:8-9; James 5:1-8; 1 Corinthians 7:17-24            

 

Sunday Morning Preview - June 2, 2013

How many times have you been reading a book or watching a film about a great bank heist or some other elaborate theft and found yourself hoping that the lovable bad guys will manage to get away with it? What is it that is so appealing to us when the crew reassembles “six months later” on some Caribbean beach to divvy up the ill-gotten gains and to embark on their happy lives of leisure and indulgence?

Could it be the same thing that drives many people to buy lottery tickets - even though they know the terrible odds? “Everybody's got a dream” after all. - Right? 

This Sunday morning in the Word we will face the reality that although WORK IS HARD, it is nonetheless a big part of God’s plan for us. I hope to see you all when the saints gather!

No Service at Dakota Today

Hello All,

Just a quick reminder that there is no service at Dakota this morning, instead please join us at One Heart Winnipeg 2013 at Investors Group Stadium 

Gates open at 11:30, “Family Fun Kick-off” at 12pm, Celebration Service at 1pm.

Hope to see you all there!

Pastor Dan

Welcome - May 19, 2013

Welcome to Dakota Community Church

Grace, Freedom, Laughter

This morning’s sermon is entitled “Be Angry and Do Not Sin - 2.“

Enjoy the service and please follow along in the scriptures using the links below.

Scripture for today’s sermon:

Ephesians 4:25-5:4; Deuteronomy 24:10-15; Matthew 6:34; Hebrews 12:14-15; Romans 12:19; John 17:22-23; 2 Corinthians 2:5-11

 

Sunday Morning Preview - May 19, 2013

This Sunday morning at Dakota the plan is to wrap up our study of Ephesians 4:26-27.

If you missed last weeks sermon it is available here. {dakotacommunitychurch.com/Sermons.html}

Thus far we have studied the two kinds of anger {sinful and righteous} and now we will begin to examine the problems that arise when we indulge our flesh, disobey God, and stew in our anger rather than repenting of it and forgiving those who have caused offense. According to the text our enemy the devil is an opportunist who is able to take advantage of us under these circumstances.

I hope you will join me for what is sure to be a rich time in the Word of God!

Welcome May 12, 2013

Welcome to Dakota Community Church

Grace, Freedom, Laughter

This morning’s sermon is entitled “Be Angry and Do Not Sin.“

Enjoy the service and please follow along in the scriptures using the links below.

Scripture for today’s sermon:

Ephesians 4:25-5:4; Psalm 4:2-5; Jonah 3 & 4; Exodus 17:6; Numbers 20:8-12; 1 Corinthians 10:4; John 2:13-22; Mark 3:1-6; 1 Samuel 11:1-6; Deuteronomy 24:10-15; Matthew 6:34; Hebrews 12:14-15; Romans 12:19; John 17:22-23; 2 Corinthians 2:5-11

 

Warning - HIGHLY OFFENSIVE Sunday Morning Preview

You have no idea how angry I am going to be if you are not in church this Sunday morning. I mean what could possibly be more important than obeying the biblical directive to “Not forsake the assembling of ourselves together”? (Hebrews 10:25) Do you have any idea what goes into preparing and serving spiritual food for God’s flock Sunday after Sunday only to have so many of you just not show up for no good reason?

Just sitting here and thinking about it has my blood literally boiling... my head feels like it is about to explode with rage!... And I can hear the same old lame excuses already, “Oh, I was too tired, Pastor Dan.” “So sorry but we stayed up too late watching a movie, Pastor Dan.” Or how about my personal favorite... “We were going to come, Pastor Dan, but it was so warm and sunny outside we decided to have church by ourselves in the park.” GIVE ME A BREAK ALREADY!!

For those of you who are still reading; the question I want to address this Sunday is whether or not this little rant or the reaction you are having to it, are examples of righteous anger or of the sinful variety we are instructed not to allow in this weeks text. 

I hope you will join me Sunday morning at DCC - (Seriously!)

Welcome to Dakota - May 5, 2013

Welcome to Dakota Community Church

Grace, Freedom, Laughter

Good morning!

Today we continue with the book of Ephesians looking at the call to holy living.

Paul now gives us six behaviors we are to discontinue because they destroy unity and six replacement behaviors that will foster and protect unity.

Enjoy the service and please follow along in the scriptures using the links below.

Scripture for today’s sermon:

Ephesians 4:25-5:4; John 8:44-47; Exodus 20:16; Proverbs 6:16-19; Proverbs 12:22; Joshua 2:3-7; Psalm 4:2-5

Sunday Morning Preview - May 5, 2013

Holy living does not occur in a spiritual bubble and the gospel is not being properly understood if it is only embraced on the level of relationship between God and man. When properly grasped the good news works its way into all of our dealings with each other as well. 
In the next passage of Ephesians Paul reveals six behaviors we are to discontinue - because they destroy unity, and six replacement behaviors which will foster and protect unity.

Please join me this Sunday morning as we begin to work our way through these holy behaviors starting with the instruction to “put away falsehood” and instead to “speak the truth” because we are members one of another. The plan is to tackle the question, “Is it ever permissible to tell a lie?”

Hope to see you Sunday

Welcome - April 28, 2013

Welcome to Dakota Community Church

Grace, Freedom, Laughter

Good morning!

Today we continue with the book of Ephesians looking at the call to purity.

We will see the remaining four characteristics of fallen man that are not to be true of those who are in Christ noting that the fingerprints of these characteristics remain on us as sanctification occurs over time.

Enjoy the service and please follow along in the scriptures using the links below.

Scripture for today’s sermon:

Ephesians 4:17-19; John 3:16-21; Luke 17:7-10; Ezekiel 16:1-34; 

Sunday Morning Preview - April 28, 2013

I hope you will join me this Sunday morning as we continue our journey through the book of Ephesians by digging deeper into the call of God upon Christians to live lives of purity that glorify Him.

We are looking at five characteristics of fallen man - (hardness of heart, love of darkness, blind ignorance, wickedness, and alienation from God) - that are not to be true of those who are in Christ, noting however that the fingerprints of these characteristics remain on us as sanctification occurs over time.

What is the correct way to handle this reality? 

Do we put off the “old man” and put on the “new man” by speaking positively and denying that these characteristics still exist in us? On the contrary, I want to prove that it is essential to Christian development that these dark traits be acknowledged, confessed, and repented of as often as they arise. Find out why Sunday!

April 21, 2013 - Welcome!

Welcome to Dakota Community Church

Grace, Freedom, Laughter

Good morning!

Today we continue with the book of Ephesians looking at the call to purity.

We will see five characteristics of fallen man that are not to be true of those who are in Christ noting that the fingerprints of these characteristics remain on us as sanctification occurs over time.

Enjoy the service and please follow along in the scriptures using the links below.

Scripture for today’s sermon:

Ephesians 4:17-19; Ezekiel 36:26-27; Hebrews 3:12-15; John 3:16-21; Luke 17:7-10; Ezekiel 16:1-34; 

 

Sunday Morning Preview - April 21, 2013

Most of us have heard of or even tried a few of the popular self-improvement techniques available on the market now-a-days.

Perhaps you went in for “the secret” or the “power of positive thinking”. Maybe you went through a period of time diligently making faith-filled “declarations and decrees” about a better future you. If so then, like me; you will have discovered that real life change does not come about with the implementation of superficial strategies of man. 

Until we clearly see and admit that we are not “mostly good” or even “neutral” in the holiness department, we will continue to wonder why our external clean up operations so consistently fail.

I hope you will join me this Sunday morning as we dig deeper into the call to purity, our difficulties with it; and the solution that God offers on our behalf.

Welcome - April 14, 2013

Welcome to Dakota Community Church

Grace, Freedom, Laughter

Good morning!

Today we continue on  into the next phase of the “Grace at Work” sub-series of Ephesians with a look at the call to purity..

Enjoy the service and please follow along in the scriptures using the links below.

Scripture for today’s sermon:

Ephesians 4:17-5:21; Leviticus 11:44-45; Isaiah 6:1-5; 1 Peter 1:13-25; Philippians 2:13; Ephesians 4:17-19; Ezekiel 36:26-27; Hebrews 3:12-15; John 3:16-21        

 

Sunday Morning Preview - April 14, 2013

I hope you will be able to join me this Sunday at DCC as we continue on  into the next phase of the “Grace at Work” sub-series of Ephesians.

In light of this glorious gospel, in light of this astounding message of grace, how do we then live? What does the gospel look like when the believer faces the reality of life on a fallen planet - where the rubber meets the road?  - What does the gospel look like - at work - so to speak.

In part one we saw that the Church (our new society) is called to be “one people” and so then we are to grow together in unity.

Now we discover that the next characteristic of this new society is that the Church is called to be “holy”. As God’s family we are to be ever growing in purity. 

We will begin to discover what that looks like and how it is accomplished this Sunday!

Lighthouse Mission - Everyone Matters

April 7, 2013 - Welcome

Welcome to Dakota Community Church

Grace, Freedom, Laughter

Good morning!

Today we are continuing our journey through the Book of Ephesians looking at true and false teachers and teachings in “Unmasked 2”.

Enjoy the service and please follow along in the scriptures using the links below.

Scripture for today’s sermon:

Ephesians 4:1-16; 2 Timothy 4:1-6; 2 Peter 2:1-3; Matthew 7:15; Matthew 24:4-5; Ephesians 4:14; Galatians 1:6-9; Romans 16:17–20

 

Sunday Morning Preview - April 7, 2013

This Sunday the plan is to finish the message I began on March 17th about unmasking false teachers and teachings. 

One side effect of the recent explosion in the field of information technology is a common awareness which in turn has birthed a surging unity that calls for the abandoning of our differences and for  the embracing of a kind of church wide “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy where any argument might arise.

Recognizing that unity is very important, Jesus makes this clear in His famous high priestly prayer in John 17 -  one must still ask the question: “Is what we are seeing in the church today the unity that Jesus had in mind?” 

What of truth? What good is a unity that is based on avoiding essential fundamentals of the faith, - is that unity at all? If you missed the first installment of this message you may review it here.

Please join me this Sunday for “Unmasked 2 -Distinguishing Between True and False Teaching/teachers” 

Easter Sunday 2013 - Welcome

Welcome to Dakota Community Church

Grace, Freedom, Laughter

Good morning and Happy Easter!

Enjoy the service and please follow along in the scriptures using the links below.

Scripture for today’s sermon:

Matthew 21:1-5; Isaiah 53:3; John 19:30; John 19:38-42; Matthew 28:1-8; John 15:13; Mark 8:31-32; Job 2:3-5; Ezekiel 37:1-10    

 

Easter Weekend 2013 at Dakota

I am hoping to see many of you twice this weekend as we celebrate the saving work of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection on our behalf.

Our annual Good Friday Inter-church Communion service is being held at St. Vital EMC church at 2005 St. Mary’s Road, just north of Warde Ave. This years speaker will be Ralph Unger of Morrow Gospel and a team from Sterling Mennonite will lead us in worship. The service will begin at 10:30 am.

On Easter Sunday morning I invite you to journey, via the pages of scripture, to that first resurrection morning so many years ago. What do the sights and sounds as described by the eye witnesses have to say to us after all this time? Did Jesus really rise from the dead or have we fallen for the greatest hoax ever perpetrated? If not, why was he buried in a rich man’s tomb and what if any lessons are to be learned from this empty sepulcher? 

Please join me for this special Easter sermon which I have entitled: “Meet Me At The Tomb”.

Welcome - Palm Sunday 2013

Welcome to Dakota Community Church

Grace, Freedom, Laughter

Good morning!

Enjoy the service and please follow along in the scriptures using the links below.

Scripture for today’s sermon:

Matthew 21:1-5; Zechariah 9:9; Luke 19:37-40; John 6:13-15; John 15:18-21; John 16:33; Matthew 21:5; Isaiah 53:3; Acts 1:10-11; Revelation 19:11-16

 

Palm Sunday 2013 at Dakota

Those of you who were present last Sunday, or who listened to the message on-line, may be surprised to see that rather than wrapping up the “Unmasked” teaching as I had stated was my plan, I have decided to go with a Palm Sunday sermon instead.

Christ’s work on the cross on our behalf is beyond a doubt the most significant event in human history and yet compared to the amount of energy expended during the Christmas season, one might be lead to believe that the manger is of greater significance than the cross or the empty tomb. 

In His triumphal entry into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey, Jesus was making a bold proclamation that sparked no little controversy at the time and that is loaded with rich meaning for us. 

Please join me this week for a Palm Sunday sermon which I have entitled: “Celebrate the King”.

Welcome March 17, 2013

Welcome to Dakota Community Church

Grace, Freedom, Laughter

Good morning!

Today we are continuing our journey through the Book of Ephesians looking at true and false teachers and teachings.

Enjoy the service and please follow along in the scriptures using the links below.

Scripture for today's sermon:

Ephesians 4:1-16; 2 Timothy 4:1-6; 2 Peter 2:1-3; Matthew 7:15; Matthew 24:4-5; Ephesians 4:14; Galatians 1:6-9; Romans 16:17–20

 

Sunday Morning Preview - March 17, 2013

Living as we do in the age of information technology, the average Christian is exposed to a far wider array of teaching and teachers than any other generation that came before. Regardless of denominational affiliation or faith tradition, ideas and “doctrines” are being exchanged via books, blogs, podcasts, and various digital sound bites ranging from Twitter to Instagram to Youtube video. The resulting common awareness has birthed a surging unity that calls strongly for the abandoning of our differences and for  the embracing of a kind of church wide "don’t ask, don’t tell” policy where any argument might arise.

Of coarse we recognize that unity is a great and important thing, Jesus makes clear his desire that we "all be one" in His famous high priestly prayer in John 17; but is what we are seeing, what Jesus had in mind? 
What of truth? 
What good is a unity that is based on avoiding essential fundamentals of the faith, - is that unity at all?

I hope you will join me this Sunday for “Unmasked -Distinguishing Between True and False Teaching/teachers”