Pastor Marc Bertrand

  Grasping the Gospel. Your past is forgiven and your future is secure…but how can you face the challenges of life today? Many Christians have grasped that the gospel is about forgiveness for their past sins and security for their eternal future, but they haven’t grasped the power and presence of Christ in their lives today. The message of Galatians is about the sufficiency of Jesus Christ, who died for you on the cross, and lives in you by his Spirit. This post explains the gospel so that Christians may grasp the full joy of their freedom in Christ. Grasping the gospel will change your life. Grasping the Gospel (Ephesians 5:15-21). Many Christians, young and mature alike, have misgivings about the actual source of their salvation. While the Bible is quite clear about the issue, many face a loss of clear direction in their own lives and in their efforts to share their faith with others. But how much of our daily lives are filled with eternal purpose? Where is the excitement of a li...

  Dying to self A central focus of Jesus' teachings and the gospel message is to be reborn as a believer in Christ and a child of God. While the phrase "die to self" is actually not explicitly found in scripture, it is closely related to the idea of being born again and devotion of faith. The closest thing found in the Bible is where Paul writes, “our old self was crucified” (Romans 6:6). Dying to yourself means to forego the selfish, physical, and egotistical desires of this world and wholeheartedly seek the kingdom of God. "Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3). "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." (2 Corinthians 5:17) Galatians 5:24 ESV And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. "What does the Bible mean by 'dying to self'?" The concep...

  Jesus With Mother and Children Is Jesus Welcome at Your House? ONE day when I was a small boy, I came home from Sunday School and told my parents the story of Zacchaeus. I was rather fascinated with that name. By the end of the day, my parents grew a little weary of hearing me say ``Zacchaeus.'' In any case, it's a story that has relevance for us today. In his succinct account, Luke informs us that Zacchaeus is a tax collector -- and a rich man. Zacchaeus wants to catch a glimpse of this itinerant preacher Jesus. Being a short man, Zacchaeus climbs up into a tree. The Master sees him and cries out, ``Zacch8us, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.'' This sets tongues wagging, along the lines of ``Why, the very idea! Jesus has gone to the house of a sinner!'' Then Luke gives us Zacchaeus's words, which are quite moving in their directness: ``Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing f...