My notes from Rev. Anema's speach "Looking unto Jesus"

We must look unto Jesus...



As the Author of our faith--(For full salvation!)
- for safety in this awful world
-when doubting(when persecuted, must not give in to the world or give up but look to Jesus!)

As the Finisher of our faith-(being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ)
-for hope
-when in distress(For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. Heb.12:3)

As the King for faith--
-for glory(because of His authority, He alone has the power and right to order this world, our lives, and our salvation.)
-when distinguished (when we are given a place of honor, we must not be tempted to think we are the most important, but look unto Him.)
-when dissatisfied (there are many things that could make us dissatisfied, maybe we don't like the car we drive, the food we eat, clothes we wear, or maybe the fact that we don't have a boy/girl friend, the list could go on and on...But the reason we feel this way is because we are not understanding what is best for us, that is Jesus. Only in Him will we be eternally satisfied.


At the end Rev. Anema gave an example of one who despite all, continued to look to Jesus. The story really touched me, I will share it with you here:

There was a young Scottish man, a christian, who developed cancer on his tongue. Of course, if nothing was done about it, the cancer would spread all over his body, and eventually take his life. The doctors suggested a surgery, but even that might not save him. "There is a great possibility the surgery will be unsuccessful," the doctors told him, "and even if everything goes how we hope and you live, you will never be able to speak again for the rest of your life!" The man made the decision to go through with the surgery. When the day came and everything was ready, the doctor asked him if there was one thing he wished to say yet before he could never speak again. So he sang these words:
There is a fountain filled with blood
Drawn from Immanuel's veins
And sinners plunged beneath that flood
Lose all their guilty stains

The dying thief rejoiced to see
That fountain in his day
And there may I though vile as he
Wash all my sins away

Dear dying Lamb Thy precious blood
Shall never lose it's power
Till all the ransomed church of God
Be saved to sin no more!

E'er since by faith I saw the stream
Thy flowing wounds supply
Redeeming love has been my theme
And shall be till I die

When this poor lisping stammering tongue
Lies silent in the grave
Then in a nobler sweeter song
I'll sing Thy power to save!
The surgery was unsuccessful. A few hours after giving this testimony, the man went to His eternal Home.

Typical Northern Ontario scenes...

Lovebirds... :)

Scott and Jen

Dan and Joyce

Amy and Steve

Brad and Jacinda

My notes from "The Pusuit of Holiness - Heb.12:14" by Dr. Pipa

• Sanctification is often missunderstood, yet it is a cardinal truth to the christian because of the cross. To look unto Jesus we must persue sanctification. He Himself is our example.


• God sends us trials b/c He loves us and wants us to be holy as He is holy. He does this by dicilplining us like parents dicipline children - something we must not be a wimp about! Even though we are week and feeble we must keep on in the race.


• Sanctification is not following man made rules but being Christ-like in your character, to conform to Christ. We must love God's holiness to love Him and realize that He cannot look on sin with any favour.


• Chararistics of holiness - supernatural, purchased by Christ, a work of the Holy Spirit, (God planted the seed and the Spirit hovered over it to protect and perfect, it's a work that begins from the inside out.),progressive work (God works in us this way wisely, He works with each one of us differently - therefore we must not compare our spiritual growth to others, negativly or positivly! That means not looking down on those who have not matured as far as we have, or wishing we could be like those who are more spiritually matured than we are. It involves humility, and the more we grow, the more we'll realize our sin.) Finally, santification is beautiful! (That is because it comes from God, and by it, we will become beautiful from the inside out! We must also remember that holiness and happiness go together - it is a lie of Satan that if you are holy you won't be happy.


• Holiness should be the consuming passion of a christian. We must persue it with purpose, with faith (looking to Jesus), through the use of the means of grace, (word and sacriments) through prayer, christian fellowship, and through excersise, (putting off the old man and putting on the new.)


• Although sanctification won't get us to heaven, we won't get there with out it. If you have no desire for holiness than you are most likely unconverted.


• We must esteme holiness like God does.