The Citizen, 2019-04-25, Page 23THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019. PAGE 23.
By Pastor Andrew Versteeg
Brussels Community Bible
Chapel
In times of change, we need to
have something on which to place
ourselves that does not change. We
need to have something that is
secure and trustworthy and that will
hold us up when everything around
us is changing. We need to have
something strong to wrap the roots
of our lives around to keep us from
falling when the winds of change
come.
Life is full of change and we all
experience it. Some change is
planned, some is not but all change
causes us to feel somewhat insecure,
unsteady and often leaves us full of
questions. We wonder how things
will turn out, how we will deal with
the change, if what we hope for will
come to pass and if we should
endeavour to change things at all.
There are some big changes
happening for our family. We are
moving from our home in Brussels
to a new place for us near Owen
Sound. Our plan is to move June 1,
take up residence in our new place
and begin ministry work there at the
end of June. I am writing from the
perspective of the present experience
of my wife and me and our children,
and also, by extension, the
experiences of change that our
leaving will bring to our church here
in Brussels.
First of all then, when we need
something in our lives that we can
rely on which does not change, we
turn to God. God, whom we have
come to know as our Creator,
Sustainer and Saviour, does not
change. He says in Psalm 90:2 –
“Before the mountains were born or
You gave birth to the earth and the
world, even from everlasting to
everlasting, You are God.” Hebrews
13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same
yesterday and today and forever.”
This is a rock solid truth to stand on,
because while everything else does
change, God does not and He is
eternal.
This leads to the second rock solid
truth, that God’s Word does not
change and is also eternal; 1 Peter
1:24 – 25 compares us to God’s
word. We change and fade and
eventually pass away, but not God’s
word. “All flesh is like grass, and all
its glory like the flowers of grass.
The grass withers, and the flowers
fall off, but the word of the Lord
endures forever.” So our stability in
life rests on God who does not
change, and on His word that He has
given to us that also does not change.
From this then we need to hear
what God has said to us in His word.
God’s word is full of promises that
He has made. Things that He has
promised and done, things that He
promised He will do now and is
doing, and things that He promised
He is still going to do. At the centre
of all of God’s promises is the Lord
Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 1:20
says, “for as many as are the
promises of God, in Him (Jesus
Christ) they are wise.” Simply, this
means that God promised to send a
Saviour who would give Himself to
all as a payment for sin. God
promised to rescue/save all those
who trust in Jesus Christ to be their
Saviour. And God promised that He
would keep for Himself all those
who trust in Jesus, and that they will
live with Him forever in His new
creation. All of these promises God
has given to us and He is keeping
them through the Lord Jesus Christ.
God has also promised that Jesus
will come to earth again at the end of
the age. Acts 17:31 says that, “He
has fixed a day in which He will
judge the world in righteousness
through a Man (Jesus) whom He has
appointed, having given proof to all
men by raising Him from the dead.”
Jesus’ second coming will be a time
of judgment, but God’s gracious
promise is that if we have received
Jesus as our Saviour we will not
come into judgement, but will
inherit eternal life.
We, who know Jesus as our
Saviour can also rest assured in
God’s promise that nothing will ever
separate us from His love (Romans
8:35 – 39). So whatever changes
God brings into our lives, we know
that with God as the foundation of
our lives that He will guide us, watch
over us, be with us, and bring us
safely home to heaven to be with
Him forever.
This does not mean that God has
promised everything to be easy and
smooth and without hardships. The
Apostle Paul said in Acts 20:23 that
he knew that trials and difficulties
and even imprisonments lay before
Him as He served the Lord. And we
can expect difficulties and trials in
the days ahead too. But God is with
us and His joy is also our strength.
“Now may the God of peace
Himself sanctify you entirely; and
may your spirit and soul and body be
preserved complete, without blame
at the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ. Faithful is He who calls you,
and He will also bring it to pass” (2
Thessalonians 5:23 – 24).
THE CATHOLIC PARISHES OF NORTH HURON AND NORTH PERTH
CORDIALLY INVITE YOU TO ATTEND HOLY MASS.
OUR SUNDAY LITURGIES ARE AS FOLLOWS:
Brussels:
St. Ambrose
Saturday
6:00 p.m.
17 Flora Street
Wingham:
Sacred Heart
Sunday
9:00 a.m.
220 Carling Terrace
Listowel:
St. Joseph’s
Sunday
11:00 a.m.
1025 Wallace Avenue N.
huronchapel.com huronchapelkids.com huronchapelyouth.com
519-526-1131 ~ 119 John’s Ave., Auburn
Sunday April 28
Rob Campbell preaching
“Show Room: God’s Glory Displayed
Through Us?” (John 15:1-17)
9:30 a.m. Sunday School
10:30 a.m. Worship
SPECIAL CONCERT! Mon. Apr. 29 7 p.m. Tim & the Glory Boys
“BUFFALO ROADSHOW” at Blyth Memorial Hall
Wednesdays 6:30-8:30 p.m. Jr. & Sr. YOUTH (Gr. 7-12)
Evangelical Missionary Church
OFFICE: 519-523-4224
Blyth United Church
Office Hours:
Tuesday & Thursday ~ 9:30 am - 2:00 pm
blythunited@tcc.on.ca
Special Speaker:
Trish McGregor
Accessible
Sunday, April 28
Worship Service at 11:00 am
Facebook: Blyth and Brussels United Churches
Youre Invited
to come worship
with us
Sunday, April 28
at 10:30 a.m. & 6:00 p.m.
650 Alexander St. (former Brussels Public School)
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
Hwy. 4, Blyth www.blythcrc.ca 519-523-4743
Minister: Pastor Gary van Leeuwen
BLYTH CHRISTIAN
REFORMED CHURCH
SUNDAYS
Morning Service 10:00 am
Evening Service 7:30 pm
You’re Invited To Join Us In Worship
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
SUNDAY, APRIL 28
Nursery care available
519-887-6687
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.
Worship & Sunday School - 9:30 am
Coffee & Snacks following the service
We invite you to join our church family in:
The Regional Ministry of Hope
BLYTH BRUSSELS
Trinity St. John’s
9:15 am 11:15 am
COME WORSHIP WITH US!
Rev. JoAnn Todd, Rector
519-357-7781
email: revjoann@hurontel.on.ca
TheRegionalMinistryof Hope
St. Paul’s Trinity
WINGHAM 11:15 am
These Anglican Churches
Welcome You
BRUSSELS
United Church
Worship and Sunday School
Sunday, April 28
at 9:30 am
Worship leader, Trish McGregor
All are Welcome
From the Minister’s Study
In times of change, God keeps you stable: Versteeg
#1 And We
Still Try Harder
Recent circulation figures
show The Citizen has the
highest circulation in the
northern part of
Huron County,
#3 in the entire county.
The Citizen
Proudly Community-Owned
Since 1985
Get information on
Huron County attractions from
Stops Along The Way at
www.stopsalongtheway.ca