Amberlea Church

Christian Worship, Contemporary Music, Groups for Kids, Youth, Adults

Member of the Presbyterian Church in Canada
1820 Whites Rd, Pickering, Ontario, L1V 1R8
905-839-1383
Church Office: Tue & Thu 9:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Worship: SUN 11:00 a.m.

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Perfect Peace

July 26, 2023 by Rev. Mona Scrivens

Have you every found yourself wound up about something? Perhaps someone said something to you that had you stewing for days? Or perhaps you looked at your bank account and a sudden rush of panic came over you as you realized that you are faced with another month of figuring out how to make ends meet. And you worry.

Our minds are powerful and the thoughts we think actually can effect our state of being.

Look at what the Prophet Isaiah says in Isaiah 26:3, “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You.”

Peace is something we need desperately right now and the Bible has so much to say about it. Peace is mentioned hundreds of times but nowhere is it found more than in the book of Isaiah. And furthermore, it is the only reference in the bible to perfect peace.

Doesn’t the sound of perfect peace sound brilliant?

So, how do we find it?

Do we find our peace in which politician is voted into office? Or how much money is in our bank account? Or our relationship status? Or is our peace determined by the One who is in control of it all?

This perfect peace is accessible to you and me if our minds and hearts are fixed on God.   

For context, when Isaiah was writing this he was writing it to God’s people who were being severely oppressed by their enemies and yet they were able to tap into this perfect peace because their minds were steadfast —their minds and thoughts were fixed — on God.  We can do that too!

I know it is challenging right now, there is so much going on in our lives and in the world but I want to encourage you that this perfect peace  —not just peace but perfect peace — is available to you and me if we keep our minds and thoughts not fixed on the things of this world but rather fixed on God!

July 26, 2023 /Rev. Mona Scrivens

Have you ever felt anxious? A weight on your heart that feels heavy and cumbersome?

I am not a worrier per se, but every now and again, I am overwhelmed with such feelings.  Let’s face it, there always seems to be something to worry about:  broken relationships, unmet expectations, shaky finances, our children, our jobs, our health. And then add in natural disasters - like what we have just experienced with the wildfires in Quebec and Nova Scotia, wars —and more, so much more. And how many, of the things that we worry about, are largely out of our control?

The reality is we can’t always control what happens to us but we can choose how we respond. We can worry and be anxious which, I find, quickly turns to negativity or, we can choose something different.  We can choose to see the good in people.  We can choose to look for God’s fingerprints, and find things to be grateful for.

I realize that I might sound glib, like some poster saying:  “Hang in there”,  “Keep on the sunny side”, “Keep Calm and Carry on”, “It’s always darkest before the dawn”, “Be positive”… and I apologize if that is how I am coming across.  But have you ever seen a hummingbird?

I have one flying about just outside my window. There is a hanging planter basket full of nectar filled flowers that this hummingbird is feasting on. She is attracted to sweet things.  On the other hand, as I was driving up the road the other day, I saw two large black birds picking away at road kill. I think it is true that we will always find what we are looking for.

Darkness and light both exist in the world, as does good and evil. What will we look for?

What will we spend our time focusing on?

Darkness, and scary things are always happening. We don’t put our head in the sand and pretend its not happening but, do we choose to have it weigh us down to the point that we are consumed by anxiety and fear?

There may be things we can do, if so, do them.  But if the situation is out of our control —maybe, just maybe we should turn to the Light of the world. We can turn to the One who is already carrying the weight of the world — which means we don’t have to.

The hope we have in Jesus isn’t a collection of inspirational quotes on a poster.  It’s not positive vibes or wishful thinking. Our hope in Jesus is based on truth - on facts and faith.

So what can we do?

Proverbs 12:25 says, “Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.”

We can be a kind word for someone. Please don’t ever belittle what your words of encouragement can do for someone. It can change the trajectory of their day, and even their life.

What can we do for ourselves?

Let’s be kind to ourselves and let’s give ourselves a kind word and truth filled encouragement. Let’s fight our anxiousness with hope. Let’s refuse to settle for living afraid. And the next time we feel anxious or fear is weighing us down let’s ask God for help and encouragement. God is closer that we think and only a prayer away.

We always find what we are looking for

July 20, 2023 by Rev. Mona Scrivens
July 20, 2023 /Rev. Mona Scrivens

God's love endures forever!

July 12, 2023 by Rev. Mona Scrivens

Last Sunday we were blessed to have The Chapaliers join us at Amberlea for a fun, unique outdoor worship service.  It was wonderful and the weather was perfect.

The message, predominantly through song, pointed us to God’s enduring love.

As the children (and adults) were blowing bubbles through the service a beautiful perfect bubble floated my way. As I raised my hand to catch it, it popped. The perfect iridescent sphere gone in an instant.

But we are reminded…

For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.  (Psalm 110:5)

I love the Psalms…because the Psalms like no other book in the bible allow us to turn our emotions into prayers.  The Psalms give words to feelings we sometimes don’t know how to express. But the Psalms also speak to our heart. It is so important to remind our heart who God is and what God has done. And that is what this verse does… it reminds us that the Lord is good.

So often in our world, people can’t agree on what is good and what is bad. It’s so important to remember that we don’t impose our view of goodness on God but we receive goodness from God because the Lord is Good.

That means that even when things are confusing, even when things are upsetting, even when we can’t understand why things are happening the way they are, we can trust God because God is good and goodness is part of God’s character.

But also, and this is what I was reminded of during our Sunday morning outside, that God’s love endures forever.  God’s love looks different than it does in the world. It is not a passing emotion,

  • it doesn’t give up on people

  • it’s not here one day and gone the next

  • it doesn’t ebb and flow like the tide

God’s love endures forever and that means that even if we’ve messed up — maybe we’ve have let others down, or let God down or let ourselves down — we can know that God isn’t going to give up on us.

There may be many crisis’ in the world today but God is never going to give up. God’s love endures forever and not just this generation but for future generations.  The Psalmist writes: his faithfulness continues through all generations.

As I write this, I have my little grand baby cradled in my lap. She is sleeping comfortably, so unaware of the craziness of this world. As I reflect on this scripture and look at this little life - I am filled with hope. Great hope. The world that this little one has been born into is still firmly in God’s control - God has not and will not give up on this world or on us - because the Lord is good and his love endures forever!

July 12, 2023 /Rev. Mona Scrivens
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