North Ontario Methodist Church - Brick Church

09/07/2026

Proverbs 3:11
“My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor detest His correction” NKJV

Devotional (Christian Cross Ministries)

Scientists tell us that the seeds of certain types of desert bushes must be damaged by a storm before they will germinate. Covered by hard shells that keep out water, these seeds can lie dormant on the sand for seasons until conditions are proper for growth. When heavy rains bring flash floods, these seeds are banged against sand, gravel, and rocks as they rush down slopes into streams and rivers.

Eventually they settle in a depression where the soil is several feet deep and damp. Here they absorb water through the nicks and scratches they acquired on their downhill plunge finally beginning to grow.

Jesus challenged Christians are like those tumbling seeds. They need bad weather to stimulate spiritual development. They do not take life seriously until something drastic challenges them.

Our Heavenly Father never allows His children to struggle needlessly, sometimes He lets us experience nicks and scratches that let the water of His Word seep in and soften our hearts.

An unexpected stay in the hospital, challenging bills, or family disruptions can quickly awaken a sleeping saint.

Such difficulties hurt for a while, but if we yield to the Lord, we will find that life's bruises can mark the beginning of explosive spiritual advances. Occasionally Jesus will allow us to be roughed up to grow up. We may prefer to remain seeds, but Jesus wants us to become beautiful fruit bearing trees.

Prayer:
Father, thank you for bumps and bruises that teach me and show me how to become all You want me to be. In The Name of The Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

09/06/2026

09/06/2026

…This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast. ~Exodus 12:14

Devotional (edited from an article written by Darryl Dash)

If you asked me what Christianity is all about, I could take you to one of the four gospels in the New Testament. The four gospels tell us, from a number of different perspectives, about the life of Jesus. It’s a good place to start to learn about Jesus and what his life, death, and resurrection mean to us.

But I could also turn to other places in Scripture. One of them would be the fifth gospel. You have the gospel according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. This is often referred to as the four gospels. But some have suggested that you also have a fifth gospel: the gospel according to Moses. They’re referring to the book of Exodus. Exodus and the gospels both describe a mediator chosen by God to save the people. Both involve a covenant where God establishes a new way for His people to relate to Him.

If you want to know what Christianity is all about, Exodus is a great place to look. In fact, you can look in a single, surprising chapter of the Bible: Exodus 12. This chapter provides us with essential insights about ourselves and God. It’s enough to change your life. It’s enough to help you grasp the overarching story line of the Bible. It gives you a rich understanding of who you are and what God wants from you and has done from you. This chapter on the Passover tells us what we need to know about God and about ourselves.

When Exodus was written, cultures varied in how they organized their calendars. Some started the new year in the Spring. It was more common, though, to organize the year around the harvest. The end of harvest in the Fall would mark the end of the year and the beginning of a new one. Why? Because when your whole life is organized around farming, then that becomes the thing that shapes your life and your time.

In this passage, though, God changes all of that. In this passage God gives his people a new beginning. He’s redefining their whole calendar, giving them a new reference point that becomes more important than anything else. Their whole reality is redefined around his event. The event being Passover.

Here’s what he’s saying: We need a new beginning that must never be forgotten. We need our reality redefined by a single, decisive event that becomes the most important thing about us. From now on, this will be the thing that defines your year. It will be the most important thing about you.

What is this date for the Christian? We don’t need to guess. The night before Jesus died, he celebrated Passover with his friends. As he celebrated Passover, he took some bread and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” He then took the cup, and said, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood” (Luke 22:19-20). At this Passover meal, Jesus told us that he was offering us a new beginning.

We need a new beginning. The gospel according to Moses tells us that God has given us that new beginning, a fresh start in which he has delivered us, and nothing will ever be the same. As one of my friends says, “Christianity isn’t about making nice people. It’s about making new people.”

I wonder if you have experienced this new beginning? I wonder if you’ve experienced what Christian, the main character in John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress experienced?

He ran till he came to a small hill, at the top of which stood a cross and at the bottom of which was a tomb. I saw in my dream that when Christian walked up the hill to the cross, his burden came loose from his shoulders and fell off his back, tumbling down the hill until it came to the mouth of the tomb, where it fell in to be seen no more.
He continued looking at the cross until tears began streaming down his cheeks. As he stood looking and weeping, three Shining Ones came to him and greeted him with, “Peace be with you.” Then the first said to him, “Your sins are forgiven.” The second stripped him of his rags and dressed him with new clothing. The third put a mark on his forehead and gave him a scroll with a seal on it. He told Christian to review it often as he went on his way and at the end of his journey to turn it in at the Celestial Gate. After this they went their way.

We need a new beginning. Let us start with remembering who God is, what God has and is doing, and celebrate who Christ is and all that Christ continues to do for us.

Prayer
Thank you, Lord, for our beginnings, middles, and endings as they are all wrapped in you. Amen

09/05/2026

Matthew 8:13
13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour.
NKJV

Devotional (Christian Cross Ministries)

The exercise room in the hotel in India had a tv that was showing a movie that looked familiar. It was playing the movie Rocky IV. The classic film is about the boxer Rocky Balboa taking on the super-sized Russian fighter Drago to avenge the death of his friend Apollo Creed. It was a movie with little Oscar potential, but most left the theater with the desire to take on the world.

What was strange about this Rocky movie on this tv was that it was a remake. A recreation with all local actors using the same poses, lines, boxing scenes and camera angles. Only the actors were different. And of course, the Rocky character had an Indian-colored flag shorts instead of the USA Stars and Stripes. The editors even added the "Cut me, Mick" scene even though that was from a previous Rocky movie.

It was a cheap imitation of the original real thing which starred Syvester Stanone. It was just wrong. There is an original, genuine movie out there and some people only know and accept the imitation.

Visiting a Hindu Temple in India exposes anyone to more than 300 million+ gods and goddesses. Confusing at best! For example, a young boy with a crippled leg looking for and wanting a healing hopping on one leg to get to the temple over a cumbersome mountain of steps. His determination and ability to keep up with his friends as they navigated the steps was amazing. Only problem was He is going to do all that work to get to the top and there would be nothing for him there.

If that tender young boy was looking for something or someone who heals of the 300 million+ gods, he would find Absolutely Nothing at the top of those stairs!

Jesus says in John 14:6, "I am the Way, the Truth, the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me," NKJV Jesus means He is the only One. Not one of 300,000,000+.

Just saying and pointing out the truth and who Jesus said He was. You will not be disappointed when you seek Jesus. You will find Him.

Anything less is just an imitation that will leave you empty and wanting for the Real Thing: The Lord Jesus Christ.

Need healing in your life? Look at no other.

The Lord Jesus Christ awaits your request.


Prayer:
Father Thank You for such a time as this for those who need Your touch of healing. Make it so. In The Name of The Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!

09/04/2026

Matthew 6:34
“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." NKJV

Devotional (Christian Cross Ministries)

Worry can attack at anytime, anyplace or anywhere. Worry if stuff will work out like health, finances, relationships, heights, spiders, snakes, flying, water, enclosed spaces, storms, and the future and social rejection.

Worry about how you feel causing fear, or unease about actual or potential problems. Or a troubled state of mind or a cause for trouble.
Or maybe worries visited at 2:00 a.m. as a group. They didn't even bother to knock at the front door, but let themselves right in. They marched right into the bedroom and woke you up.

One by one, they began to scream. "What are you going to do about this and that? Isn't it terrible? There's no way out. You're surely done for, aren't you? Have you thought about this?"

It is at this moment one of four options pops up.
1. I could continue in my bed and entertain these intruders feeding them with my imagination which will only build their strength.
2. I could dream away my present circumstances.
3. I could pretend that they don’t exist and never did.
4. I could seek the Lord allowing Him to undertake my circumstances.

Ding, Ding, Ding - it was then that the Heavenly exchange took place. I gave Jesus my every challenge and took upon myself His delightful efforts on my behalf.

Jesus is at work.
Jesus understands me.
Jesus hears my prayers.

Jesus does not condemn me.
Jesus delights to answer my prayer.
Jesus is good and does good for me.
Jesus is for me who can be against me.

Jesus will perfect that which concerns me.
Jesus loves me and I am His beloved and He is mine.
Jesus is with me and will NEVER leave me nor forsake me.
Jesus sees everything and nothing is hidden from His sight.

Jesus supplies my every need according to His riches in glory.
Jesus will deal with the evildoer, reviler, slanderer and gossips.
When I contemplate all these Jesus qualities applying to my life and how.

He delights answering my prayers - then all worries dissipate. And sweet sleep follows.

Prayer:
Father Thank You for my relationship with Jesus that elevates my life when I need Him most. In The Name of The Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

09/03/2026

"For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Corinthians 5:21

Devotional (Christian Cross Ministries)

Many years ago, in one of our southern states there was a young boy who was caught stealing food. He was a frail boy and struggled with almost constant colds and flu. He was thrown into jail and waited for his day in court. Finally, the day arrived. After the case was presented, the judge declared that the boy would receive forty lashes and be placed in jail for two weeks.

The boy’s mother cried out, "My boy is too sick. Please have mercy on him. I’m not sure he can survive a severe beating."

In the courtroom that day was a man who had befriended this sickly child. He had come to witness the trial. He approached the front of the court and said, "Honorable judge, I will take the boy’s place. Give me the lashes, and I’ll serve the time too. Let him go home with his mother." The judge granted this request. The penalty had to be paid. The little boy was released but the price was paid in full.

Jesus took our penalty of death rather than making us suffer because of our iniquity, just as this loving man did for the sickly boy. So when you sin by accident, or human nature, Jesus has it covered.

Something to think on today is that when you deliberately do something you know is against God’s will, it is as if you are giving our Lord, a few of the 40 lashes He endured the day He was crucified for you.

Prayer:
Jesus thank you for taking my place on the Cross for my sins. Help me eradicate the sin in my life and deal with it on my way to meeting You in glory! In The Name Of The Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!

09/02/2026

1 Thessalonians 5:18
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” NKJV

Devotional (Christian Cross Ministries)

In the first half of the 17th century, Germany was in the midst of wars, famine and pestilence. In the city of Eilenburg lived a pastor by the name of Martin Rinkart.

During one especially oppressive period, Rinkart conducted up to 50 funerals a day as a plague swept through the town and as the Thirty Years' War wreaked its own terror on the people. Among those whom Rinkart buried were members of his own family.

Yet during those years of darkness and despair, when death and destruction greeted each new day, Pastor Rinkart wrote 66 sacred songs and hymns. Among them was the song "Now Thank We All Our God."

As sorrow crouched all around him, Rinkart wrote:

Now thank we all our God
With hearts and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things hath done,
In whom His world rejoices;

Who, from our mothers' arms,
Hath blessed us on our way
With countless gifts of love,
And still is ours today.

Rinkart demonstrated a valuable lesson for us all: Thankfulness does not have to wait for prosperity and peace. It's always a good time to praise God for the "wondrous things" He has done.

Thankfulness was initially designed to be directed toward God. Therefore, we give thanks for what He has done.

Biblical thankfulness is remembering what God has done producing gratitude.

How simple for us to show gratitude and bring our needs to God while simultaneously remembering what He has already done.

Thankfulness is part of worship when we exhibit praise to our Lord.
Our Bible often presents thanksgiving alongside praise and worship:

This becomes our way of approaching God.

Thankfulness can characterize everything we say and do.

Give thanks even when the available provision seems remarkably small.

Give Thanks while:
Praising God for who He is.
Recognizing God’s blessings
Remembering Gods goodness
Worshiping God through words
Worshiping God through actions
Celebrating God with our gratitude
Approaching God with our requests
Living with an awareness of His grace
Trusting God when situations are tricky

A helpful way to put it is:

Biblical thankfulness is the deliberate recognition of God's goodness and faithfulness, expressed through praise, prayer, worship, trust and a grateful way of living.

All prepared for us to Give God Glory!

Payer:
Father Thank You for opportunities to Worship, Respect and Love You for all eternity. In The Name of The Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!

09/01/2026

Hebrews 13:2
Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels. NKJV

Devotional (Christian Cross Ministries)

Angels in the Bible are clearly special Spiritual Beings created by God. They are engaged as:

Messengers
Working as a special servant
Activated when time is of the essence
Special couriers imparting a divine message
Often times found Worshiping and Glorifying God
Gabriel is undeniable known as God’s personal Angel
Michael is The Warrior Angel carrying out major actions
Angels are seen in our Bible continually praising and serving God for specific duties such as:

Helping others
Guarding groups
Protecting people
Witnessing God's work
Ministering to individuals
Participating in God's judgment
Assigned to deal with evil forces
Angels are seen at major Biblical events

The Birth of Jesus
Resurrection of Jesus
Angels were created to serve
Humans were created to live eternally with God

We all have Angel Access
Learning to communicate takes patience, reverence and perseverance.

Prayer:
Father Thank You for Your Angels and I ask that everyone who wants to be introduced to their Angel experiences such an event as only You can provide. In The Name of The Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

08/31/2026

Psalm 5:12
"Surely, LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield" NKJV

Devotional (Christian Cross Ministries Written in 2019)

In China new religious laws have made it a lot harder for believers to congregate. It is now illegal to share any religious teaching with someone under 18 years old. There is now a list of nine Chinese government rules that are being strictly enforced for all registered, legal churches:

1. No one under 18 years of age is allowed to attend church.

2. Communist Party members are not allowed to attend church, except for work.

3. Without the permission of "The National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China" and "The Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference," no one is allowed to host any overseas preacher.

4. No one is allowed to do any religious activities outside of registered church buildings.

5. No one is allowed to possess illegally spread or sold religious books, magazines or goods.

6. No one is allowed to do any religious activities in any unapproved location.

7. No one is allowed to have illegal religious wordings and pictures on the internet.

8. No one is allowed to have religious signs on the streets or along roads.

9. No one is allowed to have any unapproved religious meeting or seminar.

Many Chinese Christians have experienced police raids, interrogations and imprisonment. In two churches, police broke up Christmas services with 150 people and 80 in another. They were detained by police and threatened against continuing their illegal church activities.

In another incident, 50 policemen raided a secret Bible school. Forty-five elders were detained and questioned. Their Bibles and religious materials confiscated. The school was declared illegal and disbanded.

One outspoken Chinese Christian was arrested four times for his evangelistic activities.

One minister was imprisoned for printing Bibles illegally. He had seen foreigners bringing Bibles into China and thought, "Why don't we print them ourselves?" He secured the needed funds and began printing. The police uncovered the operation and the minister was arrested spending three years in jail. Several of those who helped him were beaten and imprisoned.

Another Christian was arrested for receiving three boxes of Bibles. He received a two-year prison sentence. He has now been free for some time, but is regularly harassed by the police, who monitor his movements and activities.

During one of his harassment interrogations, this Christian told the police, "You can threaten me as much as you like. Yes, you can even take my life, but I will never stop proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is time you learn from history! Opposition and persecution have always caused an increase in the number of Christian believers. Consider the Cultural Revolution. Countless Christians were imprisoned, tortured and killed, while their numbers only increased. You can never force me or anyone else to keep quiet, even if you put me in prison again!"

This is the kind of boldness that is behind China's revival. Of course, our Chinese brothers and sisters are not super-human. They experience fear and anxiety just like you and me. Yet, despite human limitations and very unfavorable conditions, they boldly proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ. New churches are springing up in the countryside of China, in Chinese cities and in the Chinese mega cities. Jesus is truly doing an amazing work in the world's most populous nation.

Confidentiality of original author withheld (Edited) pb

Prayer:
Father thank You that Your church is stronger than the desire of man to erase it. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!

08/30/2026

When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Exodus 3:4

Devotional

- Elena Mikhalkova once shared this story…
My grandmother once gave me a tip:
In difficult times, you move forward in small steps.
Do what you have to do, but little by little.
Don't think about the future, or what may happen tomorrow.
Wash the dishes.
Remove the dust.
Write a letter.
Make a soup.
You see?
You are advancing step by step.
Take a step and stop.
Rest a little.
Praise yourself.
Take another step.
Then another.
You won't notice, but your steps will grow more and more.
And the time will come when you can think about the future without crying.

Moses has had a life! He was hidden from death as an infant, plucked from the Nile as an infant to live in a house away from his mother, thrown our of the palace he called home, rejected by both Pharoah and the Israelites, had to survive the desert to come to a place where he married and became a shepherd. Through all this he just had to put one foot in front of the other and move forward.

Then Moses meets God speaking from a burning bush who calls him to save the Israelite people. Moses tries pleading with every excuse he can think of to get out of it. God will not hear any of it. He tells Moses to move forward. Take a step.

The Israelite people escape Egypt through divine intervention but with much grumbling. Through it all they are asked just to put one foot in front of the other and trust God with it.

Maybe today all the energy you have is to take one step and pause. While you pause ponder God working. Take one step and talk to God. Take one step and praise God. Take one step and trust God. Through it all take one step but take God with you. Amen

Prayer
Today, Lord, all I have in me is one step. Strengthen me in each step today. Help me to recognize you and trust your direction for my life. Help me Lord with each step today. Amen