Pastor Marc Bertrand

  He's got the whole world in his hands. The Bible verse that conveys the idea of God holding the whole world in His hands is Psalm 24:1-2: “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.” This imagery emphasizes God's control and sovereignty over creation. The title of this week’s devotion may have inspired you start singing. You probably know the song. It’s quite simple really and It goes like this: “He’s got the whole world in His hands; He’s got the whole wide world in His hands; He’s got the whole world in His hands; He’s got the whole world in His hands. Simple but powerful. Think for a moment about the reality of that declaration. He really does have the whole world in His hands. Even when it doesn’t feel like it, we can remind ourselves from scripture that God is in control. He can be trusted with both today and tomorrow because he holds both of them in his hand. There...

  Does a person have to attend church to be saved? Salvation is found in Christ. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). God gave His Son so that we may have eternal life, thus destroying our need to perform good works, including going to church, to go to heaven. Eternal life is attained by faith alone in Christ alone. “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:12). Those who believe in Christ, who have accepted His sacrifice in payment of their sins, will spend eternity in heaven. Those who reject Him will not. The church is of great importance, yet the Bible is clear that the way to heaven is by faith in Christ alone. Ephesians 2:8-9 notes there are no works involved in earning our way to heaven: "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so...

  Choose which direction. To "choose which direction" implies that there are multiple options or paths presented, and you must select one of them. This could be in a physical sense (like deciding which way to turn on a road) or in a more metaphorical sense (like choosing which career path to pursue). Without more context about what choices are available, it's difficult to provide a specific direction. For example, are you looking to go north, south, east, or west? Or are you trying to choose between different career options or life paths? Once you have a better understanding of these factors, you can start to evaluate your options and choose the one that best aligns with your needs and goals. In the Bible, the concepts of heaven and hell are often discussed in terms of eternal destinations for the righteous and the wicked, respectively, but with varying interpretations and theological perspectives. While some interpretations emphasize a literal, physical location for both...

  How Many Times Did Jesus Go To Jerusalem? Jerusalem was a significant location in Jesus’s life and ministry. As the center of Jewish religious life, Jesus traveled there on several important occasions recorded in the gospels. If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: according to the four gospels, Jesus went to Jerusalem at least 5 times. Jesus’s First Visit to Jerusalem as a Boy. Jesus at the Temple at Age 12. When Jesus was 12 years old, he traveled with his parents from Nazareth to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover feast (Luke 2:41-52). This was likely Jesus’ first visit to Jerusalem since his family’s return from Egypt when he was a young child. According to Jewish custom, Jesus had reached the age where he was expected to make this annual pilgrimage with his family. After the feast, Jesus’ parents headed home, unaware that Jesus had stayed behind in Jerusalem. After a day’s journey, they realized Jesus was missing and returned to Jerusalem to look fo...