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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2015-07-30, Page 16PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015. By Rev. Mark Royall Huron Chapel Evangelical Missionary Church I was always fascinated with the Berlin Wall. For many years, this wall kept communist East Berliners from escaping to a better life in West Berlin. The wall began to go up on Aug. 13, 1961. People in East Berlin began to panic. Many successfully escaped, while many died trying. Years ago I bought a piece of the Berlin Wall from a demolition company commissioned to tear some of it down in 1989. The piece I bought was number 24 of 50 pieces they could sell. I keep it to remind me how much I value freedom. I wonder if you can think of something you need to be free of in your life. Is there anything holding you back from being all you want to be and all that God would have you to be? Is there a Berlin Wall in your life that looms between you and God’s best for you? Last month I was sitting by the ocean in Cape Cod reading a book I had just bought at one of my favourite used bookstores there. The author, Elton Trueblood, made a statement about freedom that really got my attention. He wrote, “The acceptance of discipline is the price of freedom.” What intrigued me when I first read this statement was what seem to be the irony of it. In talking about experiencing freedom Trueblood mentions two things we don’t usually associate with freedom, “discipline” and “price”. However, he is right. It isn’t until we will accept the price of being disciplined that we are free to accomplish freedom in our life. The Apostle Paul talks about this when he wrote, “Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.” 1 Corinthians 9:24- 27 Paul is saying, as an athlete if you want to be free to excel in the field or in the track, then you will have to be willing to discipline your body by regular exercise and by denying yourself of certain things you may like to eat or drink. Only when you discipline yourself this way can you know the freedom to run the race in such a way as to win the prize. So we need to accept that discipline is the price of freedom. Think about how this is true in your spiritual life. The more disciplined you are in spending time speaking and listening to God in prayer, as you disciplined yourself to spend time in the Bible understanding God’s thoughts and ways, as you become better disciplined in developing and using the spiritual gifts and abilities God has given you, the more free you are to know God and His direction for your life. We all want to be free. The most ultimate place of freedom you could ever experience is when you come to accept and know the eternal life Jesus offers you. When you accept it and follow it, you change the course of your life from heading towards an eternal death to an eternal life. The Bible tells us, “But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive God’s promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ.” Galatians 3:22 This ultimate place of freedom came at the ultimate cost. “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” 2 Corinthians 5:21 Jesus has paid the penalty of our sin so that might be free. He offers you this salvation as His gift but you must receive it and follow it in your life. When you do then you will know and experience what Jesus said regarding Himself, “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:36 THE EDITOR, We would like to send out a heartfelt thank you to all the organizers and volunteers who made the Blyth Vacation Bible School week so wonderful. Our community is truly blessed to have so many opportunities and activities to engage and teach our children. From our family (and I am sure all the families), thank you for caring so much for our children. Sincerely, The Bergsmas. CORNER OF DINSLEY & MILL STREETS MINISTER Rev. Gary Clark, BA, M. Div. All Welcome MUSIC DIRECTOR Floyd Herman, BA, M. Ed.OFFICE: 519-523-4224 Sunday, August 2 Guest Speaker: Susan Barnett Sunday, August 9 Guest Speaker: Brittany Cartwright Worship Service & Sunday School at 10 a.m. MUSIC DIRECTOR Floyd Herman, BA, M. Ed. Children Welcome SPICE UP YOUR Sunday There is always a place for you at Huron Chapel Every Sunday @ 10:30am huronchapel.com SUNDAYS Morning Service 10:00 am Evening Service 7:30 pm Hwy. 4, Blyth www.blythcrc.ca 519-523-4743 Minister: Pastor Gary van Leeuwen You’re Invited To Join Us In Worship BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH BRUSSELS WORSHIP SERVICE AND SUNDAY SCHOOL 10:00 am All Welcome United Church Minister: Rev. Gary Clark, BA, M.Div. Bulletin notices: 519-523-4224 blythunited@tcc.on.ca Church bookings: 519-887-6377 Other concerns: 226-963-1175 MELVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS Rev. Elwin Garland SUNDAY, AUGUST 2 Nursery care available 519-887-9017 Worship & Sunday School - 10 am Coffee & Snacks - 11 am We invite you to join our church family in: Fridays 11:30 am - 1:00 pm ~ Soup & More 2 - a free community meal held in Melville’s basement, and made possible by the Brussels churches working together. Youre Invited to come worship with us Sunday, August 2 Brussels Business & Cultural Centre at 10:30 a.m. and at various homes at 6:30 p.m. from July 5 to Sept. 6 Sunday School for children 4 to 12 years of age at 9:30 a.m. Childcare provided for infants and preschoolers during the sermon. Coffee & cookies after the morning service. For additional details please contact Pastor Andrew Versteeg 519.887.8621 Steve Klumpenhower 519.292.0965 Rick Packer 519.527.0173 getlivingwater.org Living Water Christian Fellowship Pastor: Ernest Dow ~ 519-523-4848 August: VISITATION SUNDAYS Evangelical Missionary Church Worship at a church near you! Make your HOLIday HOLY From the Minister’s Study Break down your life’s walls says Royall A home fit for the birds Birdhouses were the order of the day last Thursday at the Bible Blast to the Past Vacation Bible School hosted by the Brussels Community Bible Chapel at the Brussels Business and Cultural Centre. Shown working on her birdhouse is Sofia Lindsay. (Denny Scott photo) BUY? SELL? TRY CLASSIFIED Family thanks churches