2012 ANVIL Retreat Pictures

Rev John Howson Speaking @ ANVIL this Thursday.

Traditionally, storm clouds visit Israel only in the winter months.  But this year, storm clouds of war, conflict, and threats are brewing—and they may reach Israel and the region anytime.

Men! ... we will be having a special speaker at ANVIL this Thursday, May 24/2012.  

Rev. John Howson will be speaking to our group on this Thursday. Briefly as an intro, John has just retired from his position as the Canadian national director for Bridges For Peace Intl., a christian organization that blesses Israel. John has held that position for 17 years.  Prior to that he has worked with 100 Huntley Street as their Winnipeg manager and before that as a pastor for many years.  He is just returning from living in Israel for the past 3 months, and brings us an interesting christian perspective from the middle east.  

Website:                   BRIDGES for PEACE
BFP eMagazine:        DISPATCH from JERUSALEM Online Magazine

Men, you won't want to miss this evening!

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Other Links about this speaker: 
 jewishpostandnews
BFP Director Moving On

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"...I will show them my BACK and not my FACE" - the "IF" clause!

Lessons At the Potter's House (continued):
-from Jeremiah 18

FOCUS:  The Lord retains the right of limiting his own absolute sovereignty on the basis of human response to his offers of pardon and restoration and his threats of judgment and destruction !!! Depending on how we respond, we will see God's FACE or his BACK.

"If...If...If...If..." :  The "IF" clause of God's sovereignty:


Jeremiah 18:  (Selectively)
Verse 7If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, 8and If that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned.9And If at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted, 10and If it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it.  11 ‘This is what the Lord says: Look! I am preparing a disaster for you and devising a plan against you. So turn from your evil ways, each one of you, and reform your ways and your actions.’12But they will reply, ‘It’s no use. We will continue with our own plans; each of us will follow the stubbornness of his evil heart.’”

13Therefore this is what the Lord says: . . .

15 . . .  my people have forgotten me  . . . 17 . . .I will show them my back and not my face in the day of their disaster.”

Here in Jeremiah 18, we can clearly see how God's promises and threats are conditioned on man's actions. Whether in nationhood or at a personal level,  God, who himself does not change, nevertheless will change his preannounced response to man, depending on what man does.  

I John 1:9-10 says:

9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.

The man who asks forgiveness, and turns from the wrong way he is going, "reforms his ways and actions"  is promised here to receive his FACE.  His face symbolizes his gracious blessing and favour.

I want much more of God's gracious blessing and favour in my life, far more than his back.  Oh God it's your FACE I seek !  Keep me Oh God from your back - It's your FACE, your grace and favour that I want more and more and more !!!  May I live my live daily before you, more conscious of each word and deed before You and the others you've placed in my life!  

I ask that your Holy Spirit will convict me of the sin in my life daily.  May I get past my own flesh and be a blessing to others around me.  I'm starting to understand Lord, that ...IT's NOT ABOUT ME!

"Men of the Hour"

“Men of The Hour”

– by Aris Metaxukis, (April 26, 2010 - ANVIL Guest Speaker)

Luke 12:37 "...It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching   
                      when he comes."

Aris's Background:

As a young boy, Aris grew up on the northern part of the island of Cyprus, which was later invaded by Turkey.  Although Greek was his native tongue, he lost much of it when he moved with his family to Guelph, Ontario.  Growing up as a teen in Canada, he recalls living a troubled teen life, getting into trouble and using some of the readily available “soft” drugs.  He knew he was going in the wrong direction and somehow he sensed God working in his life.  Without being assisted or influenced by another person, Aris started to pray on his own.

Aris began working in the food service industry, and in his travels in downtown Toronto in the 1980’s, he attended a ministry coffee shop called "Evergreen"  on Young Street in downtown Toronto.  There he met “Arnold” who was apx 65 years old and a Christian.  He was drawn by his joyful persona and they began a conversation on the walk home.  The conversation lasted two and a half hours, during which time Arnold explained salvation using Romans 10: 9&10.  Arnold asked Aris if he was saved, and then after he explained what being "saved" meant, Arnold asked Aris to bow in prayer.  Aris decided to pray in Greek to hide his embarrassment of asking for forgiveness for his sin. Arnold then surprised him by asking him to repeat the same prayer in English.  Aris prayed earnestly, and meant every word of his prayer. He became a child of God that night!  Surprisingly, although seemingly in good health, Arnold died a few months later.

Aris began to grow ever deeper in his faith, and soon began to take bible college courses.  God has blessed his life in so many ways; a very close Prescence with God, a Christian wife, a son and a granddaughter are some of the many things he is so thankful for.  Aris was an encouragement to our ANVIL men as he gave us his testimony and encouraged us to be “Men of the Hour”.  Here are several highlights of his speaking points Thursday, April 26, 2012 for the benefit of the men who weren’t able to make it out.

“Men of the Hour”:

Introduction:  

“The 'Call to Watchfulness' in this late hour”  (- Luke 12: 35-48)

During Roman times, a watchman (or guard) was kept over a settlement to keep a wary eye on dangers that would occur from enemies wanting to inflict damage on the community, especially during the night.  The guards would work in shifts from 6pm to 6am.  (4 watches x 3 hours each = 12 hours; cf. Mark 13: 32-37). 

Jesus spoke of similar dangers to christian men using the "watchmen" analogy.  We need to be watchful as christians, on guard against our enemy Satan - He is a liar, He is called the "deceiver of the brethern" and so our challenge is to be on guard against his evil schemes, especially for men who are assigned a protective role as head of the home, and "high priest" so to speak, of the family.

The Watchmen's ground-rules were:

1)      No Sleeping on your watch!  ; it is paramount for security

2)      Luke 12:35-48 –

a)      V. 35a -“…let your waist be girded…”  (Eph. 6:14 – Mentally focused, prepared with God’s belt of truth…”)   

b)       V.35b – “…and your lights burning.” Lamp: the presence and power of the Holy Spirit needed today to illuminate, empower us…

c)      V. 37-38 – God expects us to be alert, watching for the day is evil

d)     V. 39-40 – we do not know the hour of His coming, so we need to watch for FAMILIES, MARRIAGES, CHURCHES, NATION, REVIVAL.

3)      V. 42 God expects us to be faithful: “…who then is that faithful and wise steward…?”  this is a challenge to us…!

4)      V. 45-48 – “A warning to not assume anything or take God for granted”

Conclusion:

1)      How are you watching?  ; …Are you God’s “man of the hour”?  You can be!

2)      Where I’d like to be is ….”here I am Lord; I am available and willing.”

Thank you so much Aris, for your insightful thoughts tonight!

More About Change…

   We find the theme of change surfaces again in Jeremiah 18.  God’s absolute sovereignty over his creation is quite evident as we can see during Jeremiah’s visit to the potter’s house.

1This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2“Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.” 3So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. 4But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.

5Then the word of the Lord came to me: 6“O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?” declares the Lord. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand…”.

   God can make of your life whatever he pleases, in fact as painful as it sounds God uses the circumstances in your life to change you.  Are you staying soft, & pliable in His hands….. are you teachable!

An Agent of Change?

9Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “Now, I have put my words in your mouth. 10See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.”  Jeremiah 1:9

   In my bible tour I'm passing through the book of Jeremiah, "the weeping prophet".  It is interesting to read the "marching orders" or "the call" that God gave to this man of God.  It seems God's plan was for Jeremiah to be his "agent-of-change", severely scolding rebellious Israel; to "uproot, tear-down, destroy, overthrow - and then to build and plant".
   Here the "Unchangeable God" is all for change in his people Israel.  They were rebellious and their hearts were wayward.  I am reminded of how God wants to keep changing and making me ever more closer to the image of His Son.  I know of areas in my life that need to change and be placed more firmly in his hands.  
   Jewish legend has Jeremiah as being stoned to death as he faithfully lived out his marching orders for God. Change it seems is often not well-received.  How have you dealt with a recent change in your life?  Do you see it as an opportunity to trust God a bit more?

2012 ANVIL Men's Retreat - May 25 to 27th

It's Friday.... but Sunday's Coming!

   We have just scratched the surface in our mini-study the past few weeks of what God has done at Calvary in providing for us "Our Great Salvation."    There are so many aspects of Salvation we could continue to study, like Forgiveness, Reconciliation, Regeneration, Redemption, Substitution, Adoption and Judgement to name a few more.  However, it is in the application of what we learn that really is the heart of the matter!
   Tony Campolo is gifted with the ability of communicating perspective to the body of Christ.  He may inspire you to find an application of how you can continue to live out your "Great Salvation".
  Here is his classic sermon ....

>>>It's Friday....but Sunday's Coming! -Tony Campolo (Click to Play)


>>>It's Friday ...but Sunday's Coming! -(Long Version) - Tony Campolo (Click to Play)

"...Believe with your head, but let your heart break with the things that break the heart of Christ."  - Tony Campolo

OUR GREAT SALVATION: Sanctification

Focus:      In the Fall, human nature became depraved – passions became unruly, thinking distorted, and spiritual life died.  But in Jesus Christ, we are sanctified; we are changed into His holiness.  We are separated from sin unto God for holy service.

1 Corinthians 6:11  ...But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

  In this study we have another aspect of salvation being pictured.  Sanctification is a temple scene where men are set apart, dedicated and consecrated for service and ministry in the presence of a holy God. 

   Immediately when a person asks Jesus to be his Savior and Lord, and repents of his sins, he is set aside as a special vessel to accomplish God’s will.  When a man is born again, he is a new creation in Christ Jesus!  This is regeneration, but it is also sanctification.

   Sanctification contains these two ingredients:  service and holiness.  These may also be called dedication and separation.  The meaning of sanctification expresses a separation from wrong and evil and dedication to God and His service.  The Scriptures make clear that sanctification has to do with the turning away from all that is sinful and defiling to both soul and body.  However, it means not only a separation from, but also a separation unto.  In order to be sanctified, a person must be not only separated from sin, but also separated unto holiness.  Whatever is set apart from a profane to a sacred use, whatever is devoted exclusively to the service of God, is sanctified.

   The child of God is not only responsible for coming out and being separate.  He is also responsible for maintaining that separation.  When he is filled with the Holy Ghost, he becomes the temple of the Holy Spirit, holy and sanctified.

Keeping a list of Do’s & Don’ts  does not make you holy.

   Men and women become holy because God makes them holy and sanctifies them by His own presence. Apart from the presence of God, there is no way a person may become holy.  Keeping a list of Do’s & Don’ts does not make you holy.  It is through the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life that you are sanctified.  There is no sin beyond the power of Jesus to erase.  The blood of Jesus Christ, shed on Calvary, cleanses from ALL sin!

   One of the most powerful agents the Lord uses in sanctifying His people is His Word.  The Word has the ability to reveal a man’s true condition to himself, bring him under conviction, and finally to his knees in prayer and true repentance.  The source of faith is in the hearing of God’s Word (Romans 10:17).  God’s Word cleanses, purifies, and sanctifies! (John 15:3, John 17:17, Ephesians 5:26)

   A man who has been sanctified must continue to live according to God’s Word.  If sin is committed, it disturbs the relationship with a holy God and breaks the fellowship.  Sin must be forgiven through confession and repentance.  To be saved, a man must be sanctified; without holiness all men are lost.

Adapted from Word Aflame

OUR GREAT SALVATION – JUSTIFICATION: An Act of God!

FOCUS: Justification is a state of acceptance with God.  When God justifies a man, He takes him from condemnation and brings him into God’s favour! Romans5:1Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, wea have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ

   There is only one plan of salvation from sin.  However, there are various aspects of salvation, and justification is one of those aspects.  Justification pictures a courtroom scene where a condemned man stands guilty.  When the judge declares him innocent and acquitted, he stands justified.

   Justification is entirely an act of God, by faith and faith alone.  When man rebelled by disobeying, sin broke the fellowship between God and His creature.  Nothing man can do can restore that fellowship.  The reconciliation and restoration must be of God and God alone.  For this reason it must be by faith and faith alone.

   It is important that we understand the doctrine of justification.  The main reason for the Reformation was the revelation understood by Martin Luther concerning justification by faith.  If we do not have a clear understanding of this doctrine, we may have many problems concerning our understanding of salvation.  All the truths concerning salvation are built upon this foundation of justification by faith alone.

   Justification is a change in a man’s relation or standing with God.  It has to do with the relations that have been disturbed by sin, and these are personal.  It means “to declare or cause to appear innocent or righteous.”   It is a question of relationship and means that a person is placed in right relation with God.  Justification is the judicial act of God whereby those who put faith in Christ are declared righteous and free from guilt and punishment.  Justification is more than mere acquittal.  It deals with the entire sin question.  It deals with the past as well as the present.  The sins of the past are covered and are as if they had never happened.  Justification is “Just-as-if-I’d-never-sinned.”  It imputes the righteousness of Christ to the sinner!!!   This act of changing a guilty sinner condemned to death to a pardoned, righteous child of God is possibly the greatest miracle of all time.

   Jesus Christ took our long list of committed sins and wrote “PAID IN FULL” right across the page. 

 Romans 8:1 "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus..."

    Just as Jesus died for our sins, the justified man must be dead to his sins.  The sin question is settled forever.  It is a tragic thing for a Christian to disobey and again go back to a life of sin.  When this happens he is no longer justified but again under guilt and condemnation.

   This need never happen, for Jesus provided the means not only to take care of the guilt of past sins, but also to give victory over the bondage of present sinful desires.  There is salvation and victory in Jesus and through Him alone.


Adapted from Word Aflame

E. Dewey Smith sings Southern Style -

 "At the Cross" (Click to Play)  

"...It was there by FAITH, I received my sight".