Christ Followers

2011-12-28T11:05:00.001-08:00

Ask not what your church can do for you...

Two years ago, my wife and I resigned from a pastoral position in a neighboring community to return to my job as an educator in our own city. I had taken a leave of absence from my education post, and although very thankful for the opportunity to learn and grow in new ways at the church, I was thrilled to return to the world of education. We could easily have returned to the church I had grown up in or shopped around to the numerous churches nearby, but we made the decision to simply attend our neighborhood church. Our kids were already attending the neighborhood school, and this seemed to fit for us. Having gone through the 'Private vs. Public' debate (ARTICLE), we believed strongly that our place as a Christian family was to be in the mix... in public schools with our neighbours.

Our thinking was this: let's get involved in our community by simply serving wherever we are. So my wife began to help with the women's ministry, we hosted a life group, our kids were fully engaged in the children's program, and I began to help with worship ministry as much as I was needed. Was our new church perfect? No. Was it the 'best' and most sought after church in our city? Should it really matter?

I look back on the past two years, with a thankful heart, and can say that we have had some of the best church experiences ever! The reason? We made the decision to serve. We have seen some very exciting connections made between our community and our church, namely, in friends attending church with us. Praise the Lord!

I encourage you, Christfollowers, to get involved in your community and church this coming year! Serving the church of Christ as a family is the most rewarding part of our lives, and I'm sure it will be yours as well.

2011-08-01T07:19:00.000-07:00

Abortion

See Speech by 12-year-old on Abortion

Canada has little to no laws on abortion. An unborn child may be aborted up to the moment of birth. The most common method of abortion is a 'partial birth abortion' in which the baby is delivered, all but the head, and then killed before the head is finally delievered. If you have the stomach for it, a more detailed pictoral explanation of the procedure can be found here. For a demonstration with a model baby, click here. In Canada, over 75, 000 abortions were performed in 2005; 30 abortions for every 100 live births. That means if you are an unborn child in Canada, you have a 23% chance of not making it into your mother's arms... because she has chosen to end your life.

Sound harsh? Anytime someone makes mention of abortion in terms that include 'killing', 'death' or 'murder', most people are offended. As a society, we prefer terminated or ended. Let me say that if you've had an abortion and are suffering because of it, there is no intent to cause you more pain. Please seek help for what you are going through.

Let's continue. As a Christfollower, it's important to understand the way God sees an unborn child. God spoke to Jeremiah, His prophet, and told him that even before He formed Jeremiah in his mother's womb, God knew him and had a purpose and a plan for his life. The Psalmist tells us that we were knit together in our mother's womb by God himself. The Apostle Paul also teaches that he had been set apart since being in his mother's womb to be a servant of the Lord. God loves and cares for each unborn child; each one is special, wonderful, and a miracle.

When my wife and I learned that we would become parents, we were thrilled because our child was there, in the womb, already. I used to speak to the child, sing to him, pray for him, and pray with him. Although he was still being formed in his mother's womb, my son was a person! He responded to my voice by kicking and moving; an absolutely wonderful experience. The formation didn't stop at birth, of course. Even now, God continues to form his physical appearance, his personality, and his character. He was a work in progress from the day of conception, and that continues today.

The challenges around abortion are not easy ones. Because we live in a time when sexual deviation (deviation being another offensive term) is accepted, celebrated, and almost encouraged, the consequences resulting from such behaviour are seemingly unavoidable. Nonetheless, it's hard to believe that we, as a people, allow our unborn to be killed. How can this be? I believe that God's heart aches for the unborn and as followers of Christ, there is no excuse for us to behave as if it isn't happening all around us. We too must hunger and thirst for righteousness in our land.

How should we respond? Firstly, know what the Bible's position is on life and, as a result, what you believe on this issue. Second, don't be mute on the subject; stand up for what is right, even if you're standing alone! Third, pray for the unborn in your city; they are alone, vulnerable, and 23% of them are unknowingly awaiting a brutal death. Despite being created in God's image, they are being treated worse than animals; I suspect that canine abortions would probably cause an uproar in our society, more so that human abortions.

May God grant us all wisdom on this very difficult and divisive issue. Please watch this 5-minute speech by a 12-year-old girl on the topic of abortion. CLICK HERE

2011-07-13T09:10:00.000-07:00

Marriage and Family

We've begun exploring the Top 5 Topics that Christfollowers must be ready to speak about with knowledge and wisdom. The second in the series is marriage and family.

Marriage was designed by God to be between a man and a woman. The idea is that a man and woman would give themselves to each other with a commitment for life. This bond, secured with the marriage vows, would last until one or both partners would die here on earth. If one partner dies, the other is freed from the commitment and may marry again, if they so choose. On resurrection day, when Christ returns, the church is to become complete as the bride of Christ; there wouldn't be husbands and wives after that day.

The commitment made by each one on the wedding day is designed to secure the relationship from outside interference. Each marriage partner shouldn't have to worry about infidelity, because the vow was made before God, family, and friends; a vow that in North America usually includes: 'for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, until death do us part'.

God's idea of a healthy marriage is one in which there are two partners working together to build a home, possibly raise a family, and ultimately work together to follow the Holy Spirit's leading and bring glory to God through their lives together. The objective was never to become wealthy and 'successful' as the world deems success to be. Instead, there is to be a healthy respect of each other, teamwork, and an over-riding desire to hear God's voice together and obey it.

This sounds pretty crazy today. On average, marriage is at its best a total mockery of what God had initially intended. The far right, particularly in the United States, would all be nodding their heads and pointing to the gay marriage fight taking place around the globe. Unfortunately, that is not the start of the mockery of God's plan for marriage. It starts with 'Christian' marriages that are abusive, adulterous, selfish instead of selfless, unholy... many of which end in divorce. It continues with other heterosexual relationships that cross the line of purity before marriage, a pattern of partners in series that ultimately make the 'commitment until death do us part' an impossibility because of the habits and routines that have been established before the wedding day. The mockery goes further with the sex within a marriage that crosses the line of being respectful, pure, and innocent as God has intended it to be. Husbands who feel it is okay to joke around about other beautiful women with their friends and co-workers to husbands who believe that pornography isn't a big deal. Wives who are willing to betray all marital confidences with their friends and who are more interested in having more things and getting more stuff than working towards a godly, Proverbs 31 type of work ethic, which is driven by the wisdom that only God provides.

Christfollowers, it's time to give our heads a shake and to clear off the cobwebs of what God intended marriage to be. Husbands and wives ought to pray together, be saturated in the Word of God, talk about godly things, strive to sense the nudging of the Holy Spirit, and obey whatever God puts on their hearts to do. As parents, if God allows that blessing, Christfollowers ought to be committed to raising young men and women who will hunger for God and His Word more than anything else because it is the example set before them on a daily basis in the home. Fathers ought to invest more time in their kids than their jobs, businesses, and in their career mobility. Daughters should learn how to serve the Lord with their skills and talents and understand that true beauty is based on what is on the inside, and not on the outward appearance.

In this age when marriages are crumbling around us, children are often ignored by their parents, husbands and wives treat each other with disrespect, and everyone is given a free pass to leave or move on whenever that time seems to come, we who claim Christ must be clear on what God is expecting of each one of us and each of us has to pass that truth on to our children, our families, and to whomever will listen.

2011-07-12T10:48:00.001-07:00

Homosexuality

We'll be exploring the Top 5 Topics that Christfollowers must be ready to speak about with knowledge and wisdom. The first in the series is homosexuality.

We live in a time when homosexuality has crossed over from being viewed as a chosen behaviour to being a right for people who believe they were created to live this way. It is no longer up to individuals to decide how they want to live, we are all expected to accept the lifestyle as being natural and healthy for our friends and relatives. Further, we are to embrace the notion that the gay agenda is equivalent to the civil rights movement of the 60s and 70s; you can't choose being black, afterall.

Here are the problems with this position for any true Christfollower. First of all, the Bible clearly teaches that homosexuality is a sin along with a many others. Second, the Bible teaches that sin is a deception and we ought to run from it. Third, if we are to help those who are caught in the deception, we must present the truth.

Christfollowers, in this time, there are very few who will have the courage to take a stand against the popular teaching on this subject which is so prevalent today. If a leader fails to show support for the movement, he or she can expect to be 'crucified' in the media. Look no further than Toronto, Canada for an example. Article: "Mayor Ford mocked but not missed at pride parade"

Beyond that, if anyone suggests that homosexuality is unhealthy, a sin, or that it could be 'fixed' through prayer, they will be branded a bigot. View this article which underlies the firestorm that Michele Bachmann, U.S. Presidential Candidate, has now found herself to be in the middle of. Article: "Bachmann and husband face allegations of trying to pray the gay away..." This despite the fact that there are proven cases of young men and women having been freed of homosexual desire: "Homosexuality is a sin (Adam Hood is a straight man who was gay)"

So how do we take a stand? First of all, we must be willing to speak the truth on the subject. Each of us ought to know what the Bible teaches: be able to quote & reference it; yes it is a sin, but it is not the only one; Jesus came to offer forgiveness and freedom from each sin we may find entangling us. Second, we must understand that there is a difference between the very strong political agenda at work in society (humans aren't actually behind this) and the individual living in a homosexual lifestyle. Be prepared to graciously love, care for, and befriend the individual, but be ready to stand up against the movement before it claims more lives.

Please have a look at this powerful video which interviews a number of former gays and lesbians.

"How can we help? Ex-gay leaders speak out"

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A few previous posts to consider:

Isn't God All About Love?

The Gay Agenda

2011-07-12T10:36:00.001-07:00

Top 5 Topics Christ Followers must be ready to speak about with knowledge & wisdom (most 'Christians' are mute on each of these):

1. Homosexuality

2. Abortion

3. The Family & Marriage

4. Being An Overt Christ Follower

5. Evolution

I will begin exploring each category over the summer. Stay tuned!

2011-04-13T20:18:00.000-07:00

Grab Hold of the Mission

Jesus called us to 'Go and make disciples' & 'Go and bear fruit that will last'. We are further taught that we ought to 'Live good lives among the pagans' and to 'Love our neighbors'.

Here's one way that the church of Christ could accomplish this call with a little effort from everyone who is part of the team.

1. Use your gifts to bless the 3, 4, 5 homes around where you live

2. Consider your schools, work place, local grocery store, etc. your mission field

3. Serve your church

4. Start a small group for people in your neighborhood

5. Avoid the temptation to go after the big, and be faithful to the small (your neighborhood)

If you're a musician, offer lessons for the people around you. If you are a baker, bake for the people in each of the groups listed above. If you are a teacher, offer some tutoring for your next door families. If you're a writer, begin a blog where you can write relevant articles for your local community. If you're a carpenter, help your neighbors with their projects. If you are an accountant, offer a tax-preparation service for your neighborhood......

And above all else, be prepared to share the good news of Jesus when the door opens. Has the Lord done anything for you? Be ready to tell someone about it!

If every Christian took up this call, the world would be a completely different place: people would feel loved & many would give their lives to Jesus. Will you take up the call?

2011-03-25T10:31:00.000-07:00

Sing, Christians, Sing!

Psalm 66

I really believe that Christians ought to sing. If you've ever led worship or looked around in a worship service during the singing portion... not everyone is singing. In fact, there are often very few people singing and of those moving their lips, few are singing 'with all their hearts'. It is God that determines the state of one's heart and whether or not the person is worshiping Him, because that can't be determined by the outward appearance of the singer. But... we all ought to sing with joy to the Lord! Seriously.

Where did the idea come from that men don't sing? It's out there, and it's wrong. David was a mighty warrior, as in, he killed people with his sword and was brutal in battle when it was required of him... not a sissy, but he also sang to God and worshiped him with all he had. It's not cool, in my opinion, to say: I can't sing. We can all sing. We may not be amazing singers or soloists, but we all have been given a voice and we ought to raise it in praise to God through singing! If you need to work on it, then devote some time to improving your singing skills!

How would this look today? Construction workers, teachers, city workers, lawyers, doctors, pastors, plumbers....... would work hard and do their jobs as if they're working for God, and not for man. Then, they would all come to church and, in David's words, Shout for joy to God; sing the glory of his name; say to God: 'How awesome are your deeds!'

Each of us would be ready to say: Come and hear, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me!

The next time you are in church, sing to God! Sing out loud, unashamed, and with joy! Lift your hands, humble your hearts, and sing! I have a feeling it will be required of us when the King returns!

2011-03-21T09:33:00.000-07:00

Missionary in Town?

Interesting to think that there are 'missionaries' in cities that already have a large Christian presence in their populations. For example, there are people working for para-church organizations in North American cities that are being called missionaries, allowing them to raise funds for the work they are doing. Many of these jobs are office jobs which operate in a 9-5 type of setting. These folks live in their neighbourhoods with very few of those living around them even aware that they are working in the mission field.

I have at times felt that we are all missionaries, in one sense or another, but does that perspective take away from what true missionaries have done and are doing around the world?

One definition of a missionary: 'a person sent by a church into an area to carry on evangelism or other activities, as educational or hospital work'.

A traditional picture of what a missionary is and does may include the following: a person that is called by God to go into unreached parts of the world to share the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ. They have a call upon their lives and fullfill it by giving their lives to the mission. It's not a career option or a temporary call, but something that one is called to doing with their lives. They will often have a trade or a skill that can be useful to the people whom they will be reaching including medical or educational training.

I remember meeting one 'retired' missionary couple who were in their 80s. They were so in love with Jesus and with the people whom they served for dozens of years in another part of the world. It was then, and continues to be today, an inspiration to me in my walk with Christ.

A more modern definition of a missionary may look something like this: a person who has chosen the career of 'missionary' that works for a para-church organization in heavily 'Christian' parts of the world with little or no training beyond the decision to become a missionary. They are nearly indistinguishable from other Christians living in the area other than to their Christian neighbours whom they approach for support on a yearly basis.

Are we all called to preach the gospel? Yes. Are we all called to make disciples? Yes. Are we all called to live good lives among our neighbours & friends that they will praise our Father in heaven? Yes. So why should some of us call ourselves missionaries in the land we grew up in and ask people for money to support our mission work? Is this an example of lazy Christianity? Perhaps.

Another good question: why do Christians support this kind of work? Perhaps it eases the guilty conscience of not having done their part to reach their neighbours & friends with the gospel? This way, my life can continue to be all about professional sports, entertainment, personal ambition, etc., and yet, I'm doing my part in the kingdom of God by supporting people in my neighbourhood who are doing the work to which I am called?

Throwing around the term missionary lightly takes away from the men & women of God from a different time that gave... yes, gave of themselves to further the kingdom of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ. Those humble men and women served in some very difficult situations and as a result, many peoples around the world now know about Jesus and the hope He brings.

If you are a follower of Christ, God has called you to be a light in the world in which you live. That doesn't make you a missionary; it makes you a follower of Christ. If you hear God's voice calling you to go the unreached parts of the world to give... yes, give of yourself to the furthering of the gospel of Christ, then you are a missionary, and may God bless you and the work you will do for Him. Note that much, if not all of it will not be recognized by people. God will know and He will help you & bless you.

2011-02-20T11:13:00.000-08:00

Is It Possible to be a Lazy Christian?

Yes, unfortunately it is. It is, however, nearly impossible to tell who is saved or not, and thus deserving the title of 'Christian'. Many horrible things have been done in the name of Christ in the past by 'Christians' who had very little to do with Christ. In the end it will be God who determines the state of our hearts and not our fellow man.

If you claim Christ as your Saviour & Lord, one of the most powerful testimonies you can have in the secular world is your work ethic. Imagine a Christian who has the boldness to share his faith, yet is the one who cuts corners in his work, is lazy, and not willing to go the extra mile when needed. Is that a powerful testimony to those he works with? What about a Christian who shares her belief & dedication to Christ openly, and is also the one who works the hardest, ethically, and is willing to help wherever and whenever it is needed. Does she also have a powerful testimony among her co-workers as a Christian?

Both examples are powerful testimonies; the first is one that takes away respect from the One we represent as Christ followers and the latter adds credibility to the message.

When we work in the world, at church, or at home, we ought to be the ones who will go above and beyond because we are not working for men, but for the glory of God (Col. 3:23)! In fact, we have been instructed to 'live such good lives' among those we work with in the world that they will end up praising God because of what they see in the way in which we live (1 Pet. 2:11-25).

Friends, if you are a follower of Christ, live, work, & play in such a way that it will bring glory and honour to the One you represent. Work hard; play lots; rest when needed.

2010-12-18T05:38:00.000-08:00

It's Another Day For You & Me In Paradise - Phil Collins

She calls out to the man on the street
"Sir can you help me?
It's cold and I've nowhere to sleep
Is there somewhere you can tell me?"

Powerful song with an powerful messsage by Phil Collins.

Jesus cared deeply for the poor. He came to help those who were in need... physical, emotional, social, spiritual... need. He cares so much for those in need and wants so desperately to see his followers help them that he has actually equated helping the needy with helping Jesus, himself. If you want to be seen as a person of greatness in the kingdom of heaven, you have to be willing to humble yourself to be like a child while on earth. You see, according to Jesus, earthly wealth can be the the biggest barrier to gaining eternal life in heaven with God. It's as if we have to choose between two masters: God or money. Having money is okay, I think, but the use for it must largely include helping others.

Yesterday my young son overheard me telling my wife that I needed to pay the mecahnic $100 for some work on my truck. He came over to me with essentially his life savings (a $100 bill) in his hand and offered it to me to pay for my truck repair. Jesus wants us to be humble like small children and to use what we have been given to help others.

The question is: Does anyone care?

There is a strong but often missed connection between Jesus' message of helping those in need and Christmas, the celebration of Jesus' birth.

My wife & I are attempting to re-focus ourselves & to teach our children that their birthdays are a time to celebrate them, and so we will give gifts & parties for them (as we always have) to celebrate their lives! If Christmas is a time to celebrate Jesus, shouldn't we give a gift to Him? From his own teachings it would make sense that the only way to do that is to help someone in need because Jesus said: "...whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me" (Matthew 25:40).

As we enjoy another day in paradise this Christmas, will any of us who claim to be followers of Christ actually do anything for the poor, desperate, hurting people all around us (the hungry, thirsty, strangers, needing clothes, sick, in prison), or will we be like the man in Phil Collin's song who sees her on the street:

He walks on, doesn't look back
He pretends he can't hear her
Starts to whistle as he crosses the street
Seems embarrassed to be there

Let's show our love for Jesus by actually, literally, physically... helping those in need around us. Find a need in your neighbourhood, city, school, etc. and lovingly fill it. Take a morning or afternoon, make a strategic plan with your family to go out and do something for someone else, pool some of your resources, and the most important part: give all the glory to God!

2010-12-13T14:56:00.000-08:00

Is Your Church Entertaining You?

If your church feels the need to entertain those in attendance, perhaps it's partly our own faults.

Church isn't a place to be entertained; movie theatres are. Neither is church a place where the 'program' should be sculpted to draw the highest ratings; awards shows do that!

So what is the church intended to be? Simply put, church is a place where followers of Jesus Christ can gather to worship God, pray together, study scripture, and encourage one another. It's a wonderful place to serve. The moment we cross over to the place of needing the message to be un-boring, the music to be really 'good', and the people to be perfect... we're heading in the wrong direction. The problem for the North American church is that we've been heading there for so long now, that it's a part of the 'norm' of what church is. We're actually breeding church leaders to be sensitive to the entertainment needs of the masses to the point that they believe that they have a good time of worship if the auditorium is full... that's pretty much it... it needs to be full. If it's not full, then the service was a failure and the focus becomes: "What can we do to correct this?"... better music?... better preaching?... more media?... the latest...something?

Have you ever heard someone say that they feel God is calling them to another church? Well, it's rarely a case of God almighty reaching down to call someone from one church building to another. More often, it's people looking for something new or fresh. If you really are wondering if God is calling you, ask what He's calling you to do... How will you serve? What do they need that you can bring? It's okay to want a change, I think. It's not okay, however, to pretend that the change you desire has been mandated from on high, if it hasn't.

Because of the general consumer-driven mentality so prevalent in society and even in the church, your pastor feels some pressure to perform for you. He wonders if you'll keep coming and continue giving if he preaches the truth about divorce, helping the poor, abortion, homosexuality, giving, service, materialism, etc. Your worship/music pastor wonders if she is still 'current' enough to attract new people to the building on Sunday mornings, and feels some anxiety if someone else leading worship is 'better' than she is. It goes on and on.

Will you join me in trying to change the way we look at church? Here are a few perspective shifters:

1) My church is not perfect & never will be.
2) My pastor will never be able to teach me all I can & should learn about God & the Bible through 45-minute sermons once/week. That responsibility rests with me.
3) 'Good' worship depends more on my decision to humble myself &, well, worship than on the skills of the musicians on stage or the choice of songs.
4) If I am a follower of Christ, I am a part of His church, and I must get involved by serving in some way.
5) The church's job is not to entertain me, so I refuse to evaluate them as if they're a tv show or something that I can simply change channels to find something better.

Friends, it's time to look at the church through a different set of lenses. Be the church of Christ by worshiping & serving!

2010-11-23T10:29:00.000-08:00

A Word...

I saw dozens of us at the front of the worship centre bowing before the Lord in humility, repentance, worship...

I've been reading Chronicles... when King Josiah re-discovered the Book of the Law and it was read to him, he tore his robes and led the people in repentance. There wasn't a question of who was the worst or who had sinned the least... as a people, they returned to the Lord. The 2nd part of what I was thinking after the picture related to Prov. 21:2... the idea that we all need to seek the Lord weekly, daily, hourly? on our projects, goals, etc... why we do what we do will always seem right to us, but God weighs the heart; he understands what we're really after. It's so important to walk humbly before our God, allowing Him to show us what to do & how to do it for His glory. The Kings who did what was 'good & right before the Lord' went to Him first before they moved their armies, etc.

2010-07-21T18:38:00.000-07:00

Leadership In The Church

Leadership is not a magnetic personality - that can just as well be a glib tongue. It is not "making friends and influencing people" - that is flattery. Leadership is lifting a person's vision to high sights, the raising of a person's performance to a higher standard, the building of a personality beyond its normal limitations (Peter Drucker)

The church of Jesus Christ needs leaders. Masquerading as leaders we often find performers and entertainers. These people are gifted when it comes to the Sunday morning show and play the role of 'leader' wonderfully in front of the necessary groups: board members, politicians, wealthy congregation members or attenders, etc. When it comes to real leadership, however, they are found to be wanting. Here's the problem: although key people know the leadership void is there, they are hesitant to do anything about it because they know if the 'show' stops, the people who are hungry for Sunday morning entertainment will stop coming, and thus, stop giving, and then the church will be unable to pay for the programs it offers and take care of any debts that it has.

Further complicating things, a performer-in-place-of-a-leader type knows that he is lacking in the skills to actually lead, and will compensate for those skills by trying to please the various stake-holders that he deems to be important to his survival. What you end up with is someone who is a master politician in place of a humble, strong, courageous, skilled, worshipping man of God. You have to understand that they will all look like a worshipping man of God, but if you break the surface and dig deeper, what you find will be disappointing.

I realize this sounds grim, but the critical point I'm trying to get across is coming next. The church of Jesus Christ needs you! If you love Jesus and have committed your life to living for Him and serving Him, then the church needs you to lead and exercise your God-given gifts in it. If you are carrying a 'them & us' mentality, leave it behind. This way of thinking says: "I don't know what they are doing in our church..." Surprise, surprise, if you are a follower of Jesus Christ and a part of a church body, then you are doing whatever they are doing. If you don't like it, take your place in the body of Christ and begin to do something! Many Christians have fallen into the default position of let's hire someone to do it: lead, serve, pray, dream, think... You may never find the right paid person to do those things because the one God has called is you!

Christ has called us to be a part of His amazing church! Take your place and let's see what amazing things can be accomplished for the glory of God!

2010-07-16T08:47:00.000-07:00

Worship & The Church

There is something wrong, in my opinion, in the way the whole worship scene has developed and grown over the past decade.

First of all, what is worship? Is it music? We have made music in church and worship synonymous by constantly referring to the music portion as 'worship', when in fact, the whole service and perhaps even our lives should be considered to be worship.

Secondly, in the Bible, musicians were highly valued in the battles that were fought. They were often in front of the army procession as they moved toward war. The musicians were a part of the battle! They weren't pompous, soft-handed, weaklings, but a powerhouse in God's army that led the army to proclaim God's power and strength!

Today, are we breeding a new type of worship leader? Does today's professional worship leader desire the following things: the stage, a crowd, a CD-release, the next big song, a sub-culture that feeds its own desire for importance (see Top 10 Pet Peeves About Worship Leaders)? Aren't real worship leaders those who are actually in the battle? Aren't they the ones who are leading people to the Lord in their neighbourhoods and opening their homes to the families in their children's schools? Instead of a battle-hungry worshipper, we are left with a hybrid between the secular music scene and a new 'Christian' music/worship scene.

Of course we all feed this problem by coming to church and evaluating the 'worship' instead of simply giving our hearts to God in worship. Have you ever heard or said this after a worship service: 'The worship was pretty good today' or 'The worship was okay'... ? In doing this type of evaluation, we're actually perpetuating the notion that our worship leaders are performers who are on stage to entertain us.

I would argue that we all need to make an attitude shift when it comes to worship. Worship is my choice. When the king walks into a room, the king's subjects have the option to either bow down and worship him... or not; I shouldn't need a certain style of music to get me in the mood. If we truly believe that the Holy Spirit is present whenever two or three are gathered in Jesus' name, then we simply need to make the decision to humble our hearts, and to worship the King!

When you go to church, make the decision to give praise to God and to worship Him despite who is standing on the stage. If you are a worship leader in your church, resist the temptation to perform, in Jesus name, and offer your life to Him in worship. If your life isn't reflective of a worshipper who is in the battle, perhaps you should get off the worship-stage and pursue a career in music. On the other hand, you may want to reevaluate what worship is, and once God has shown you how to worship and not perform, to serve again in your church.

The church needs an attitude change in regards to worship. We all must make the decision to worship God every day, have our lives become more and more like Jesus as we study His Word, and by the power of the Holy Spirit see many people in our own neighbourhoods come to know Jesus as their personal Saviour.

2010-07-16T08:37:00.001-07:00

Homosexuality Is A Sin?!

Check out this video of a man who was involved in homosexuality until being radically saved following an encounter with God. CLICK HERE

2010-04-27T12:28:00.000-07:00

Richard Dawkins Speech

I watched a speech by evolutionist and atheist Richard Dawkins recently. His speech was calling on atheists to take a militant position when it comes to their belief ? that there isn't a deity in existence anywhere.

Some of the points of interest for me included his premise that intelligence and faith in God were inversely proportional, meaning that the more intelligent an individual, the less likely they would be to believe in God. He refers to the 'academia' (who he cited as the top scientists of our day) being atheist at the same proportion as the rest of the American population being theists. The problem with this, according to Dawkins, is that the truly intelligent minds will never lead our countries, at least politically, because they essentially have to win the votes of idiots who believe in God. You are then stuck with atheists who lie and say they are theists, losing credibility with their own atheists like-minds.

My thought: Why does Richard Dawkins care what anyone thinks about God... or anything else? If it's true that the earth as we know it and all life on it have evolved over millions of years, does it really matter what anyone thinks about it? Wouldn't we continue to evolve and nature would select for those belief-patterns that would be beneficial to the species? Dawkins describes his death-state as saying that he won't feel or hear anything when he's dead, but if he did... Again, why bother? If one subscribes to the notion that we will simply turn to dust when we die, why should that person care what he would feel or think when he's dead? According to his own beliefs, we are very lucky to have been born, survived, and lived, and then we die, hopefully having reproduced our genetic code in the process. It's a wonder there's any order at all in our society if there's no real reason for the order, morality, ethics, etc.

If you listen to any of the atheist arguments, one ends up feeling preached at. We are expected?; required? to believe in their theories, and if we don't, we're basically unintelligent morons, something that is proven by the very fact that we don't believe. Sounds a bit like Dawkins' complaints about religion.

Richard, preach on. I'm not ready to convert.

2010-04-08T08:27:00.000-07:00

Thank God

Thank God - every morning when you get up - that you have something to do which must be done, whether you like it or not. Being forced to work, and forced to do your best, will breed in you a hundred virtues which those who do nothing will never know.

--Charles Kinglsey

2010-03-27T11:27:00.000-07:00

Trust. Do. Delight.

Trust in the Lord.

Do good.

Delight in the Lord!

God will do His part of the promise: to "give you the delights of your heart" (Psalm 37:3-4).

Have you ever noticed that as we put our trust in God and begin to follow the Holy Spirit's promptings in our lives, the things we desire begin to change? A friend and I were discussing our thoughts on what is important for the church to do in these last days. We came to something very simple: help the people we meet everyday. This ought to be our first focus as followers of Jesus Christ. As we leave our homes in the morning following some time in God's presence in worship & prayer, we ought to ask this question: "Lord, who can I help for your glory today?"

Jesus has called us to be the first line of assistance for our friends, neighbours, co-workers, strangers... In fact, he said that when we help others, we are directly helping Him. Imagine a so-called 'Christian' who knows this call, but simply doesn't do anything about it. Perhaps Jesus doesn't know them at all? (Read Matthew 25:31-46).

2010-03-21T14:50:00.000-07:00

Keep Clean. Live Good.

1 Peter 2:11-12
Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

I was reminded this week that I am not going to live on the earth forever. In fact, I may not be here a long time. The reality is that in comparison with eternity, my time remaining on this earth is a mere fraction of the time I will spend with God in His presence. I was also reminded that the hope I look forward to is not an eternity with my family or friends, but with God. My wife and kids are not my own, but God's. It is my responsibility, which I embrace with total joy, to provide for them and protect them, but they belong to our Father in Heaven, as do I.

My time on this earth, however long God determines that to be, must be invested in God's work. It's SO easy to fall into the cyclical life-trap that the majority of people are wrapped up in. It goes something like this: 1) Work hard, 2) Get stuff, 3) Work harder and/or smarter, 4) Get more stuff, 5) Work harder, smarter, or cheat, 6) Get even more stuff, 7) Realize that you've wasted the majority of your life on earth pursuing useless things (this doesn't happen for everyone on earth), 8) Tell people, although no one listens because they're too busy trying to get more stuff, 9) Die and face God.

In place of the pattern described above which is being repeated all over the world with new people filling the shoes, homes, and jobs of those who have recently departed, we have the opportunity to live a life of meaning and purpose. Truly. You can't assume that religious leaders of our day are living that life. Some of them, dare I be so bold, are actors in place of true worshipers. They have the 'stuff' for Sunday mornings; stuff to entertain the masses, but lack the true substance of strong character. This is not evidenced in sermons or on a platform, but in life.

Having said that, there are men and women who are truly living for God, but you will have to look for the proof in the fruit from their lives. You see, they aren't necessarily well-known, writing books, or being asked to speak at conferences. Instead, they are the ones who are quietly, humbly, and with a Christ-life servant-attitude learning to be more like Jesus in their everyday lives which are being lived among the people in their communities. They may not have massive memorials when they leave this earth, but they will be received with a warm embrace from our Heavenly Father who will thank them for the work they did for Him.

So let's keep it simple, Christfollowers.

1. Keep as far away from sin as you possibly can. Live a pure life; one that could be played on a tv screen when you're gone and it would be given a G rating because you stayed away from gossip, slander, envy, jealousy, hatred, bitterness, and all the other heinous sins you can think of (turn on your tv and watch for about 5 minutes).

2. Live a good life among the people in your community. Mix with them, be kind to them, love them; be a friend to the people you meet. Share. Help people when they are in need. Keep your schedule open so you can be spontaneous with your neighbours and have a pizza evening on the spur of the moment. When you realize that you're wrong, apologize (this will blow them away and give you much freedom in your life). If you do sin, confess it to the Lord right away, receive the forgiveness that was made possible by Jesus our Saviour, and get back to the work of the Kingdom! In short, live a life of character among them.

You are God's chosen instrument to reach the 5 - 8 homes living near you. You. Not someone else. You. May God bless you and make you a blessing for many today!!!

2010-02-17T09:05:00.001-08:00

Keep Me Safe O God

Psalm 16:1-2
Keep me safe, O God, for in You I take refuge. I said to the Lord, 'You are my Lord' apart from you I have no good thing'.

When one has been blessed with so much, there is so much to lose. That is definitely one of the enemy's objectives: that we would lose everything in front of as many people as possible so that the world sees us as hypocrites and believes that our God is powerless to protect us. Our God can and will protect us in every circumstance! No one can stand up to Him!

When you are facing temptation from the enemy in any form, turn to Jesus and say: "Keep me safe, O God, for in You I take refuge!"

2010-02-02T20:19:00.000-08:00

Integrity

Definition: Soundness of moral character.

Our world could use people who have some soundness of moral character. I love this quote by John C. Maxwell:

"You build trust with others each time you choose integrity over image, truth over convenience, or honor over personal gain" (John C. Maxwell).

It's so much easier to do what serves how we look in front of others, or what is easiest, or something that helps us move ahead. It's so important that we choose to do the right thing no matter what! Jesus was that kind of man and we too ought to live as he lived. If Jesus was about image, convenience, or personal gain, he would have been the king of the world for a moment in time in an earthly sense instead of the king of the universe and of our hearts in a heavenly/eternal sense.

You'd be surprised (or maybe not) to know some of the God-given places of leadership where men and women abandon this simple yet critical concept: 'Sound moral character'.

Today, choose to do the morally right thing regardless of where it leads you. Trust God to take care of the rest!!!

2010-01-01T00:20:00.000-08:00

Let's make a commitment, as Christ Followers, to tell the truth always in 2010. There can be few (or no) exceptions. Whether it leads to success or failure, let us be the ones who will tell the truth!

Psalm 15
LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary?
Who may live on your holy hill?

He whose walk is blameless
and who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from his heart

And has no slander on his tongue,
who does his neighbor no wrong
and casts no slur on his fellowman,

Who despises a vile man
but honors those who fear the LORD,
who keeps his oath
even when it hurts,

Who lends his money without usury
and does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
will never be shaken.

God bless you in 2010!!

2009-12-21T21:08:00.000-08:00

Santa Is A Jesus Rip-Off

Have you ever noticed that Santa is trying to be Jesus? He is actually attempting to emulate the power of God almighty!? Check out these lyrics:

You better watch out
You better not cry
Better not pout
I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town

He's making a list
And checking it twice;
Gonna find out Who's naughty and nice
Santa Claus is coming to town

He sees you when you're sleeping
He knows when you're awake
He knows if you've been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake!

I'm not sure how I feel about a somewhat overweight stranger who knows when I'm sleeping or awake...

Here are a few questions.
1. Is Santa really the one who's watching us... all of us, all the time? Nope; that's God (Psalm 121:5-8).
2. Is Santa the one keeping a record (list, if you will) of all of our 'goodness' and 'badness'? Nope; again; God (Revelation 20:11-15)!!

In fact, it's Jesus who we need to watch out for, because He truly is coming to town (Matthew 24:36-51). Jesus will be the One who separates those who have obeyed and loved Him from those who have not (Matthew 25:31-46).

Modern-day Santa is a nice concept, but Jesus is the real deal!!!!! Merry Christmas everyone!

2009-12-11T06:29:00.000-08:00

Full of Grace and Truth

John 1:14
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

It's the most wonderful time of the year! The air is crisp, festive lights are up around the town, nostalgic music fills the airwaves, we're thinking of others as we plan for Christmas, many are involved with helping the needy... it's wonderful!! I love the Christmas season!

Let's not forget, however, the power of the season! God came to earth in the form of a man and chose to live among us. He was born as the baby Jesus and lived and died so that we may know the full extent of God's grace and truth! Through His life, we have seen and may know, the glory of God the Father. Amazing!

I have come to understand, even more, the importance of grace this past year. Grace = "freely given, unmerited favor and love". I see how much God has given to me, and I also see how much more I must give to others. I thank the Lord for showing this to me... something about myself that I must continue to grow in and develop with His help.

I have also learned the importance of truth. This is one thing I have difficulty compromising on. The truth must be told! In the movie, "The Kingdom of Heaven", Liam Neeson's character passes on his worldly possessions and authority to his son, Orlando Bloom's character. While speaking the knight's creed over his son with his final earthly breaths, Neeson's character says: "Speak the truth, always, even if it leads to your death" (Video Clip). Powerful!

Jesus embodies grace and truth. Let us remember these two powerful words and what they mean as we celebrate the Christmas Season!

2009-12-02T21:48:00.000-08:00

I'm excited to begin posting here again. I plan to start with a few important lessons I have learned while serving as a pastor in a large church over the past 18 months. Stay tuned. Posts will begin to come again in January 2010. Hope someone is still reading?! :)

2008-09-24T22:19:00.000-07:00

I wanted you to know that I won't be posting here for a while. I've begun working as a pastor at a church and will be updating a blog there. I hope some of the posts here will be a blessing to you! Thanks for reading.

2008-07-05T06:46:00.000-07:00

Excess

How did we become a society of such crazy excesses that are mostly selfish and not otherish? It's crazy, but we are being forced to look at ourselves because those extravagant extras have been threatened by the current economical concerns, particularly fuel prices. Here's a few thoughts that have been circulating in my head...

When did it become okay to...
•Spend $5 on a coffee?
•Buy name-brand clothes for our children (from birth)?
•Build 'home theatres' in everyone's homes?
•Build & live in homes that could house dozens in most countries?
•Spend hours on a cell phone & rack up $100+ monthly bills?
•Spend outrageous amounts of money on weddings?
•Devote hours to the golf course and minutes to our families?
•Care more about technology than people?
•Play video games hours at a time (children & adults)?
•Spend hours chatting on the computer and seconds talking to God?
•Never invite your neighbours into your home?
•Stop riding bikes?
•Drive vehicles that are designed for the bush on highways?
(this list could go on and on...)

All the while, there are poor and suffering all around us and in other corners of the world. There is a Gospel of Truth that must be proclaimed... by someone.

I'm not sure how God views us as Christians in this society. Do we remind Him of the people of Noah's time? Does He have compassion on us or wonder why we won't simply listen to Him and obey His commands?

I John 3:17 & 18
If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

2008-04-08T10:13:00.000-07:00

Only the Gospel of Jesus Christ Sets the Captives Free
A commentary on homosexual desire and original sin
by Rev. Jacob Brinkman Reaume (as posted at the NationalPost.com)

Click Here

2008-04-06T06:46:00.000-07:00

Thoughts On Parenting (2.0)
Proud Of Our Children?

It's the craziest thing, but even when our children are small, we parents can brag about them. We begin to feel a sense of pride in who they are and what they can do. Often this sense of pride comes when we compare them to other children of the same age. It can look like this: "He toilet-trained way earlier than...", "She is already talking...", "He can shoot the puck into the net..."

Obviously a parent who loves their child and is proud of them is a beautiful thing. Pride in this context, however, can become negative in a couple of ways if we are not careful. As the child grows, the success of the child in her parents' eyes can become very dependent on how she is doing in comparison to everyone else. Further, a parent can become a jealous if they feel someone else's child is doing much better.

It's so important to remember that our children are not our own. If you are a follower of Christ and have committed your child into God's Hands, then enjoy your child, teach him about God, lovingly give her the strategies and tools to be effective in life, and keep your own eyes on the Lord. Your child is His and is loved by the Lord for being whoever God has designed her to be. If there is one thing we can all teach our children that will guarantee success in life, here's what I think it is:

Teach your children to be sensitive to the voice of God and to obey what they understand with a humble heart.

If you are follower of Christ and are still holding on to your child as if they are your own possession, dedicate them into the Lord's hands daily, hourly, minute-by-minute and trust Him; simply trust Him.

Our children are not ours to take pride in or to experience failure through. Clearly we should be proud of them and their accomplishments. But to take pride in them, as if their successes are because of us, is a different thing; something I want to steer clear of. Let us humbly thank God for the joy He has allowed us in raising one of His most beloved children and let us tenderly return them into His capable and loving Hands.

2008-03-28T06:54:00.001-07:00

Thoughts On Parenting (1.0)
Who Does Your Child Belong To?

How much of your child is yours? As Christian parents, it is our tradition to dedicate our children into God's hands when they are very young. Most protestant churches dedicate whereas Catholic churches baptize their infants. Some churches will infant-baptize and then later give that child an opportunity to affirm their personal decision to follow Jesus.

As parents, what is the purpose of dedicating a child? Essentially, the parents are making it public that their child is not their own, but rather God's. The parents are asking God to take the most important person in their lives and to protect, guide, and care for them.

It is so important that we as parents commit our children into God's hands daily. As they grow, they should be granted more and more freedom, independence, and autonomy so that they are able to seek out God's plan for their lives and then follow it. Too many parents are not willing to let their children 'go' at the small steps of independence and then end up with an adult child that is like a domesticated cat in the wild... lacking all the essential survival skills to make it on her own.

Why would we as parents want to hold on? There are many reasons that we can claim: I love my child, He's not ready, I worry about her, etc. It seems clear to me that among all those noble-sounding reasons, there are a few others mixed in. First, it is clearly a lack of trust in God. If a parent continues to hold on to their child at a stage when the child should be granted more freedom than they have been given, the parent is essentially saying to God: I can't trust You with my child. As difficult as it is to leave something in God's control, leaving someone can be even more difficult.

Second, holding on to your child can be more self-serving than self-less. A parent may feel lonely or isolated and may want to live their social life through their child, for example. For others, it may be a control-issue: she is mine and I'm going to make sure she doesn't screw up. As Christian parents, it is critical that our self-worth is not wrapped up in our children and their successes. God has purposed us to serve Him for His glory. For a time, that service of Him rests almost exclusively in helping to prepare the next generation to love and follow Him. As our children grow, our part of that responsibility begins to change, and when they reach adulthood, we must be prepared to let them fly; for some that may include a push out of the nest. If a healthy relationship has been established between the parent and adult child, each child will return to the nest at times for encouragement and guidance and not out of obligation or with distaste. The return won't be to gain or get something, but to share and enjoy each other.

Jesus sets the example for us in the way He led His disciples. He was with them for a time and poured His life into them, but a time came when they had to learn to live and serve God without Him and in total dependence on God's Holy Spirit. Let us as Christian parents pour ourselves into our children's lives so they too learn from us to depend totally on God's Spirit... and not on us.

2008-03-01T06:14:00.000-08:00

It's Okay To Be Funny

The entertainment industry has been working hard to make connections between positive human characteristics and the homosexual lifestyle.

Take a character that is portrayed in a television sitcom as being 'gay'. The deception being propelled is that homosexuality is okay because the character is funny or lovable. A viewer who is uncertain of her position on the gay lifestyle is left to think: I find that character to be really funny and she is a 'gay' character, therefore I must believe that it's okay for people to participate in homosexual behaviour. Similarly, a 'gay' couple will be portrayed as being committed, loving, wonderful listeners and carrying great fashion sense and intelligence. Again, the viewer is left to think that they must support same-sex marriage or gay adoption because they are great people who love each other.

The two messages are being strategically mixed in order for millions of viewers to make certain associations. Biblically, it's okay for people to love each other; in fact it is expected and encouraged for God's people. Remember that it was God who has created us with a desire for commitment and love; with the ability to listen and care for each other. He has also given us artistic expression and intelligent thought. The homosexual lifestyle, on the other hand, is not of God or from God..

Here's the point. Be careful to keep sin and sinful choices separate from positive human characteristics. Don't allow your television set to condition you otherwise. God has actually called on you, His people, to share His truth with everyone. That truth will offer freedom for those who are caught in the life-destroying net of sin.

Proverbs 7:2
Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.

2008-02-02T06:51:00.000-08:00

Civilized Sin?

We live in an age where it seems the strategy for dealing with sin is to make it seem more civilized, proper, normal, or good. Instead of admitting one's lust for a certain behaviour which is contrary to God's Word, our society works hard to justify the sinful behaviour. Instead of sin being an optional behaviour choice, the Bible clearly describes sin as something that is destructive and damaging to us; even leading to death (Romans 5:12-14). Sin is living in way that is contrary to what we were designed for; a bird wanting to live like a fish in the ocean.

Imagine a child who drinks a bottle of draino, and then tries to convince his parent that the draino is actually good for her and was intended for consumption. To God, the argument of rationalizing our sin would sound as misguided as the draino argument would to any parent.

The world needs clear direction from the voices that represent Jesus Christ. In short, Christian leaders must be ready to stand up for what the Bible teaches. There can't be any movement from the foundation that is the Word of God. The Bible warns us that "the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear" (II Timothy 4:3). It is imperative that our leaders teach the truth, without fear, as it is found in the Bible.

As followers of Jesus Christ, each of us must also lead the way. We must acknowledge before God our own short-comings on a daily, hourly, minute-by-minute basis; a willingness to say: I'm not there yet. We must model for others what it means to "walk humbly with our God" (Micah 6:8), for it is through humble confession and faith that we are saved (I John 1:9, Romans 3:21-26).

The idea of Civilized Sin is a contradiction in terms. We must all acknowledge our sin to God and by His strength, sin no more. The life of freedom we live will force people to ask the question: "How?" That is when we can point to Jesus.

2007-12-26T06:51:00.000-08:00

Vacuum or Wash?
Merry Christmas everyone. I wish you all a fulfilling 2008 as well.

Here's a thought as the new year approaches. Is it time for a good vacuum?

My wife and I almost always disagree on what needs to come first: washing the van or vacuuming the van. For me, the vacuum is the most important part. I would much rather be sitting in a clean car than be seen in a clean car. My wife, on the other hand, wants the car to be washed, particularly on Sundays for our drive to church. Now we both agree that vacuuming and washing are important and that both need to be done, but if we had only time for one, we would disagree on which one.

As human beings, we often spend the majority of our time washing and shining the exterior of our lives. We work hard to mold the perception of who we are by concealing our hurts and disguising our shortcomings. We also take great care to ignore our sin, and yet it is growing within us much like a cancer would. The symptoms are becoming obvious, yet we pretend they are not there or related to the sin we are feeding.

Perhaps as the year comes to a close, it is important for you and I to take careful stock of what is at the core of our character. What is it that is driving you to do and say the things you do and say, what motives are behind your ambitions, and who or what are you are serving? Is there sin within you that is destroying your potential to serve God in whatever circumstance you have found yourself to be in? If so, confess it to the Risen Saviour, Jesus Christ and begin 2008 with a clear conscience. Do you need to apologize to someone? Have you been slow to forgive? Are you in need of an attitude adjustment?

You've probably heard it said that you can't change your circumstances, but you are the only one who can control your reaction to them. Perhaps it is time to get the vacuum cleaner out and do an internal cleaning.

May the Lord bless you this day!

2007-11-11T05:46:00.001-08:00

...or they will cause you to sin against me...

When God was about to send His people into the Promised Land from Egypt, He made them a promise that He would 'establish [their] borders from the Red Sea to the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert to the River' and would 'hand over to [them] the people who live in the land...' (Exodus 23:31). The promise came with a warning: 'Do not make a covenant with them or with their gods. Do not let them live in your land, or they will cause you to sin against me, because the worship of their gods will certainly be a snare to you' (Exodus 23:32-33).

If you look at the world we live in today, wouldn't you agree that the sins of the secular world have clearly become a snare to the Christian world? It seems that the moral compass that guides the church has gone completely haywire. We are not much different than they! I think the enemy of Christ's church has employed an effective strategy to neutralize those who claim to follow Jesus. The strategy is simple: mix a weak morality into the pot and infect everyone.

Take divorce as an example. The Bible tells us that God hates divorce. He views marriage as the joining of two into one flesh and spirit for the purpose of raising godly offspring. He warns us to guard against breaking faith with the wives of our youth (Malachi 2:13-16). Why is it then that the quote-unquote Christian world divorces at the same rate as the secular world? If we love God and are following His son, Jesus Christ, how could we do something that God says that He hates? Is this an indication of a problem with the individual people who have gone through and are dealing with divorce?... or an indication of the whole pot being infected?

If we look at other issues like alcohol abuse, drugs, adultery, pre-marital sex, homosexuality, abortion, gossip, slander, jealousy, selfish ambition, helping the needy, feeding the hungry............... have we all been infected?

There is only one solution, that I know of, for this infection: repentance. In Acts 2, by the power of the Holy Spirit, Peter preached to the people in Jerusalem and encouraged them to repent and to save themselves from the corrupt generation. We must heed this call in order to also see God's Spirit work in miraculous ways. The definition of repentance is: "deep sorrow, compunction, or contrition for a past sin, wrongdoing, or the like / The act or process of repenting". Note that there is nothing in the definition that includes rationalizing one's sin ("defend, explain, clear away, or make excuses for by reasoning"). The problem is that we all can believe that we are not as guilty as the rest... that other Christians have a problem, and that we are exempt.

A Christfollower must live in the realization that we are all infected. The only way we can be effective in our call to know and love God and to make Him known to those around us is if we are walking in a humble attitude of repentance.

Today, join me in asking God to forgive us for the places of compromise in our own attitudes and moral standard, in committing to study God's Word and humbly commit to share the Truth with those we meet today.

2007-11-03T09:07:00.000-07:00

...let your light shine before men...

Followers of Christ need each other. As the world heads deeper and deeper into a tailspin it eventually won't be able to recover from, Christfollowers will need each other. "Christians" will be everywhere, but true followers of Christ will be difficult to find. You see, many folks in the west call themselves... Christian while having very little to do with Christ: His teachings, His example, His sacrifice, His call, His mission, His justice, His passion... They may go to church, read the Bible, and pray, but they lack the one thing that separates a Christfollower from anyone else: The Spirit of God alive and at work in them and through them. God's Spirit can not tolerate sin. In fact, sin and God's Spirit are like water and oil, only supersized. They can not and will not mix. If, then, a person calls herself a Christian yet is living a life contrary to that of a Spirit-filled/led life, they are on their own. God is not at work in them because He can not be. On the other hand, a person who is struggling with sin and is on his knees before God in repentance and is walking humbly with God, they are no longer a slave to sin and are empowered to act on God's behalf here on earth. The two options, when it comes to sin, are to rationalize it or to cleanse oneself of it by the power of Jesus Christ.

Christfollowers will need each other for encouragement, prayer, love, and God-centered fellowship, because the days we live in are evil and are heading further in that direction. There is a but in this thought though... a big but (you know what I mean). Christfollowers, by their very definition, can't be satisfied with a life filled with only other CFs. They are determined and destined to be mixing with the world. They are passionate about telling, sharing, giving, helping, etc. Why? Because they are Christfollowers. Guess what Christ was about?! Hanging out with the 'righteous'? Nope. Well, at times... appropriate times. I'm thinking of the time with those He served with, the times in the temple to worship God and teach others, the time with other leaders to encourage them. But, the majority of His recorded time?... with the sick, the needy, the hungry, the oppressed, the lost, the hurting, those who were mourning. In a nutshell, Jesus loved the love-less and loved them the way we can easily love ourselves, our families, our friends (who are most like us), and those who have status or can help us get something we want.

Don't be confused, followers of Christ. Jesus is our leader. He is our example for how we ought to live. Know Him and emulate Him as God's Spirit fills you with purpose and passion. If the people around us can't get close enough to see God's light in us, how will they know to praise God for what He has done?

Matthew 5:14-16
You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

2007-10-06T12:03:00.001-07:00

Anyone still reading?
I have a few thoughts... again... stay tuned. :o)

2007-06-24T16:55:00.000-07:00

'Murdered' Unborn?
MSNBC is reporting that 26-year-old Jessie Davis has been found in a park near Akron, Ohio in what appears to be a double-murder... a horrific case, to say the least. The reason the suspect has been charged with double murder is because Ms. Davis was nearly 9 months pregnant.

In the United States and Canada it is legal to perform an abortion in nearly all the states and provinces. It is, in fact, legal in the state of Ohio as well. The laws relating to abortion in Ohio are very controlled, however. For example, an unborn child can't be aborted without the consent of the pregnant woman, and partial-birth abortions are banned.

At some level, isn't this... confusing? An unborn baby's planned death by his own mother is 'okay', but if it is done by someone else, it is murder? The questions ringing in my head is: Is it a life or isn't it? Do we value that life or don't we? Are we willing to protect that life or aren't we?

My position on this issue is pretty clear, I think. Anyone who reads this blog can probably predict my next statement. Life is a gift from God and it starts at the moment of conception. God spoke to Jeremiah, the prophet, in the following way:

Jeremiah 1:5
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."

Before I formed you... God is personally involved in the creation process of each of us, and his plans, hopes, and dreams for us begin to take shape while we are still being knit together in our mother's womb (Psalm 139:13).

On a purely technical-level of thought, how can the law, and thus we as a people, accept one act of 'termination' as acceptable, and another as murder?

2007-06-13T20:33:00.000-07:00

Where's the Morality
CNN is reporting that Iran's parliament voted in favor of a bill that could lead people involved in pornography (directors, actors, camera operators) to the death penalty. People involved in pornography are considered "corrupter of the world", a quote taken from the Quran.

Imagine that. In our Christian nations, pornography is... Free speech? Creative expression? Everyone's right? If-you-don't-like-it-don't-buy-it? And in an Islamic state it's corruption. Is something wrong here?

Ephesians 5:1-7
Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them.

2007-05-26T06:25:00.000-07:00

Got Plans?
Well, God has plans for you too. If you're not taking the time to listen to Him, isn't it likely that your plans may be in conflict with God's plans for you? If in time, then, you find that you don't like the results or the direction your life has taken, is it then fair to blame God?

Take the time to listen before you make any moves. The closer you walk with God, the higher the likelihood that your decisions and plans align with His will for your life, and there isn't a better place to be!

Jeremiah 29:11-13
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

2007-05-14T21:15:00.000-07:00

Discouraged? Under Attack?
I have faced new challenges in my faith this year. As I look back on my life, and strangely I find myself doing that a lot lately, there seems to be a common theme of moving ahead without much opposition. There are two possibilities for this: 1) I really didn't face much opposition, or 2) I dealt with opposition in a way that allowed me to see past it. I'm pretty sure that the second option is closer to the reality. Interestingly, today, I find myself in a place where I'm more aware of the oppositions that I face. I believe this is probably due to the fact that I have more at stake in every risk I take... there are more people who will be directly affected. Perhaps this is the problem with becoming adult and 'responsible'... we can easily start to believe that it's up to us if our loved ones are safe, if our careers are successful, if our lives are happy. Isn't all of this in God's hands?

And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? (Matthew 6:28-30)

I think we all must be careful to hold our responsibilites close to our hearts, yet hold them loosely enough to allow God to take them into His hands when He has other things for us to take hold of. Clearly God has a plan for each of us. It is unique to each of us and to be completed by us.

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. (John 15:16)

I am determined to never allow fear, a false sense of responsibility, or frustration to stop me from doing that which God has appointed me to go and do for Him. I believe there is only one way to accomplish this at the current stage of life I find myself in: I must be constantly reminded of my fragility and desperate need for God -- in a word: humility. I am not the one who can do it all; it's Jesus in me. If I truly believe this, I will be able to allow God to take real control of that which is 'mine'... this, in turn, will allow me to take hold of that which God has for me to do for Him.

2007-05-01T10:51:00.000-07:00

I Cannot Do It...
When Joseph was brought before Pharaoh to interpret his dream, the following dialogue took place:

Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it." "I cannot do it," Joseph replied to Pharaoh, "but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires" (Genesis 41:15-16).

Talk about giving God the glory. Instead of saying, YES! I can do -- just don't send me back to prison! Joseph says, "I cannot..." Joseph should have been a bitter, angry young man because of all that he had endured. It seems that God was preparing him for this one moment in time - to stand before Pharaoh and praise His name. Joseph had learned the correct lesson through his various ordeals. In the Dreamworks movie, Joseph King of Dreams, the scene before Joseph is brought before Pharaoh, Joseph sings a song entitled: "You Know Better Than I". It's a powerful statement from a man who was sold into slavery by his brothers, separated from his loving parents, and falsely accused and jailed.

Joseph goes on to interpret Pharaoh's dream and run the Kingdom as his second-in-command. He then forgives his brothers and sees that they are taken care of in Egypt during the famine that had destroyed the land in Canaan.

What can we learn from Joseph? More than can be mentioned. I wish to be a man like Joseph - a man of integrity.

Please read the fascinating and life-changing story of Joesph as recorded in the book of Genesis:

Genesis 37, Genesis 39-50

2007-03-22T19:14:00.000-07:00

Live As If It Were Your Last Day...
It's a cliche, true, but I can't help think about it lately. There's a scene in Troy where Briseis, a Princess of Troy, puts a knife to the neck of the mighty warrior, Achilles, as he sleeps. When Achilles wakes, he says: "Do it...If I die now or in 50 years, what difference will it make?" There's some wisdom to that, isn't there?

While enjoying a nice brunch in a restaurant in the big city near our small city, my wife & I were looking at some of the books on the bookshelves. The one I chose showcased the lives of celebrities in the 80s in photo - particularly at the various posh parties they attended: "Tatum O'Neal at the Elton John Party in NYC", etc. It was strange to think that the people in those pictures were 'on top of the world' for that moment in time, and today find themselves... somewhere else - their thrones long vacated to make room for the next, and the next, and the next... So where are they now and why does it continue to fool us?... the idea that we are so important and that all that we do is so relevant... but to whom?

A life that is spent on pleasing oneself or those around you is a life... wasted? Well, according to the prophet Isaiah, "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall..." (Isaiah 40). As we struggle to make our little names known and our importance broadcast for all to hear, perhaps it ends up being a little disappointing when the realisation sinks in that the people we were trying to impress are simply other... well, people.

Isaiah put it in the right perspective at the end of the quote when he said, "...but the word of the Lord stands forever" (Isaiah 40). God is great - there is no one greater. Serve Him and make His name known and your life will carry true meaning.

Live each day as if you are blessed to have one more instead of with the expectation that you deserve thousands more, and broadcast the Greatness of our God.

2007-03-18T17:30:00.000-07:00

Rule #8 (Spoiling Your Child)
I posted an entry last year entitled: "10 Rules For Spoiling Your Child". Rule #8 was:

Eliminate the consequences of your child’s actions by ‘protecting them’
this will take away your personal integrity & they will believe that they are untouchable

I feel the need to expand on this one. Imagine a 2-year-old who is caught pulling her siblings hair by one parent. The parent who saw this happen (the Father, aka 'Daddy') disciplines the child by making her sit on the stairs. The second parent (the Mother, aka 'Mommy') comes down the stairs and sees that her little 'Angel' has been disciplined and comforts the one on the stairs and allows her to leave the stairs before 'Daddy' can speak to her or worse, discipline her further.

Now imagine that same child who is now a 7-year-old in the 1st grade. When disciplined for her inappropriate behaviour (being naughty) in gym class, the little girl comes home to tell her parents how it was unfair and that she had been picked on. The parents comfort the child and belittle the school teacher: 'It's okay, honey. Don't cry. Daddy will talk to your teacher -- she's being mean to you.' The father meets the teacher after school, already convinced that his little 'Angel' has been treated unfairly, and confronts the teacher.

Fast-forward to the age of 16. Mommy & Daddy's little Angel has, by now, become a master of manipulating her parents. She knows the right things to say and the right ways to say them to ensure that she will get the reaction, and back-up, she needs in a variety of situations. She knows that she will never have to face any real consequences from her actions in the outside world as long as she portrays the right image to her parents and as long as her parents feel that she is, well, their little Angel. As a result, the only consequences she faces are those rare moments when she slips up and crosses her parents, although those can be quickly remedied with some crying and some quality time with her parents which again provides the parents with the comfort that their little Angel is still indeed, theirs.

Let's move to adult life. Although Angel's parents are Christians, because they have never allowed her to face the consequences she has deserved throughout her life, a pattern which began when she was still in diapers, Mommy & Daddy are helpless in dealing with their adult child who is out of control. The only problem is that they don't even realise when they are being manipulated, even though everyone around them can see it. The child also doesn't have a true sense of God or His character because God is truly a God who has given us expecations and consequences. As a result, Angel doesn't know God and perhaps never will because Mommy & Daddy have never given her the opportunity to need God... they have been there throughout her unhealthy development to protect her at every turn from even the consequences she has brought upon herself. Further, the parent loses integrity with the child because they are willing to cover for their child at a variety of levels. What the parent doesn't understand is that the child would respect him more if he did what was right when dealing with the child, instead of what the child thinks she wants.

So here's the moral of the story... well, the proactive moral.

Proverbs 13:24
He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.

For me as a relatively new parent, I've had to struggle through the realisation that if I don't discipline my children, I'm actually hurting them and not helping them. It's not easy because they are 4 & 2 and the cutest little buttons... unfortunately these little buttons will grow up and either be a blessing for those around them or a royal pain. As an educator, I've seen the result of spoiling a child at the other end (in high school primarily). For me, as a parent, the lesson is simple. Children need discipline: clear expectations followed up with consistent consequences and rewards.

I hope these thoughts are helpful for some of you at the beginning of the parenting journey.

2007-03-15T19:01:00.000-07:00

...Isn't God All About Love?...
Yes, but so much more. I have read various articles lately, including a letter to our local newspaper, addressing resistance to the homosexual lifestyle as being anti-Biblical because God is love. The writer in the paper made a sarcastic statement that she hopes that her Bible is the same as everyone else's. My thought in reading the article is that people really ought to know what the Bible says about homosexuality and other forms of sexual perversion before they attribute moral statements/positions to the Bible or to Christ. The truth is that most people don't actually read their Bibles. Why would I make such a claim? Perhaps I should say that most people that I hear using the Bible as a defense for homosexuality clearly haven't read their Bibles. In the most recent letter that I read, the writer said that the Bible is about loving all living things equally. There's really nothing in the Bible that says that, especially in the context of the homosexual lifestyle. Another question you may be asking yourself is: Why call homosexual activities sexual perversion??? Beyond the common sense explanation of, Look at the anatomy, the New Testament refers to homosexual activities as 'shameful', 'unnatural', and 'perversion':

Romans 1:26-27
...God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion...

God is only about love? Not true and not Biblical. In fact, at the beginning of Romans, Paul speaks of the wrath of God? What...wrath? But the God of the Bible is all about loving everyone, everything, and everything everyone does!??! Again, not true. If He was, we would not be warned to be careful of how we invest our lives (Galatians 6:8-9)

Romans 1:18
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

Further, Jesus himself dealt with sinners and the movement of sin differently. When confronted with a sinner who was being chastised by a crowd of hypocrites, Jesus pointed out their hypocrisy, showing compassion on the sinner... but encouraged the sinner to sin no more (John 8:1-11). When dealing with a movement of sinful behaviour, Jesus expressed outrage and physically opposed what was happening (Matthew 21:12-17). I believe that we must deal with individuals involved in sexual perversion differently than we treat the mighty machine of homosexual propaganda. Should we offer compassion and Christ's forgiveness to those who are willing to repent? Of course! Should we stand up for God's righteous standard when faced with a movement that is mocking God's creation and His plan for mankind? Yes.

Today's quote-unquote Christians can say what they want about abortion, adultery, pre-marital sex, pedophilia, bestiality, and homosexuality. God's position on these and other issues has been and will be constant since well before the creation of the earth and certainly after we have all passed on. One need only to actually read the Bible to learn of this God who has extremely high standards for the way we live our lives, and yet has loved us so much that he created a way for us to attain that high standard through the sacrifice of His Son.

2007-02-16T14:10:00.000-08:00

Public or Private?
My wife and I have had to think through this issue recently as our oldest child is about to enter kindergarten. Both she and I are graduates of a private (Christian) high school. We both had incredibly positive experiences at our school and were heavily involved in a variety of areas including athletics, music, and student leadership. My wife went on to Biblical studies and I continued on the road that eventually led me to be a public educator as a teacher and now in administration. A good friend recently asked for a coffee meeting to hear what our decision was in this matter and how we got there. Here's where we stand on this one:

•"...Let your light shine before men..." (Matthew 5:14-16)
Jesus has called us to be a light to the world, so that others would see what we have received through Christ, and "praise [our] Father in heaven" (v.16). I chose to not teach in the private school from which I had graduated when given the opportunity, because of this call. I knew in my heart that God had a place for me in the community at large, and not just for the Christian community. I knew that this call to be a light in the world would happen through our family as we work with others, attend concerts, meet in the grocery stores, etc... For some reason, it didn't fit for me to work in a private setting employing exclusively Christian people and servicing mostly Christian families, and still be able to meet this calling. The decision to send our eldest into the public stream seemed to come pretty easily with this same philosophical position.

•Saturation
The Bible, Christian teaching, worship, prayer can become something you just simply have to do everywhere you go: at church, boys brigade/girls clubs, home... and yes, school. Instead of something that a child is taught strategically and purposefully by his parents and pastors, now teachers join the mix... of course, this doesn't have to be a negative thing, but for many it becomes that, especially if it becomes a tag for every activity at school because it is a Christian school. Instead of teaching it well, it becomes something that is just done... and done... and done.

•Hypocrisy...
In my experience, I have seen how private schools can; please note the use of the word can as opposed to always do; breed hypocrisy. In the public schools I have taught, the students who drink, smoke, do drugs, and are sexually promiscuous do not claim to be Christians. They are what they are, and are not pretending to be anything else at school. Some may hide who they are from friends and families, but that is not because of any pressure from the school in which they attend. Having attended a private Christian high school, the pressure for everyone was to be... Christian. We were forced to take Bible classes, attend chapel and even required to sing the worship songs, and join in prayer whenever that took place... everyone was a Christian at some level. Now, those kids who were 'Christians'..... and drank, smoked, did drugs, etc... forced a great deal of tension into the whole 'Christianity' definition-thing. If we were all Christians, then who were the rest of us to judge those who did this stuff?...

•Prejudice (Note: This section was added on Feb.17th)
I refuse to choose a private school education for my kids because of my own personal fear, dislike, or lack of understanding of other ethnic or religious groups. It is really easy to justify our fears with thoughts of 'a high ESL population' etc, etc... Don't get me wrong, because that should be a consideration in some cases. All I'm trying to say is that it's important to look deep within our hearts to understand what is really at play when we make the decisions we make about our children. Before we had kids, our most important God-given resource that we had to invest was ourselves (talents, passions, ideas, etc). After we've had kids, our most important resource is our families. I know that God knows what my inner-most motivations are, even if I try to avoid recognizing them myself. I also know that He will hold me to account for those motivations and desires.

•If there were no private schools in our community...
...then all those families, many of whom represent stable, godly homes, church attendance, high moral standards, etc... would be involved with and rubbing shoulders with everyone else in the public schools and the community. The church would become an even greater tool and resource for the Christian families who attend public schools and work in the community. I know that the school I work at would be dramatically changed if we added 30 or 40 Christian families from the neighbourhood into our mix... it would add so much to the Christian students who already meet for prayer and are intentional about sharing their faith and love for Christ with their fellow students and teachers.

Is there a purpose for having private Christian schools? Yes, I'm sure there are many good ones. Would I ever send my children to private schools? Yes, depending on the circumstance of each child and the community in which we find ourselves. Would I ever work at a Christian school? Yes, if God called me to do it, I'd be there in a heartbeat. My over-all position on this is clear for the reasons stated above. If you find yourself in a place of having to make a decision on this, I hope some of my thoughts help. Again, we all must do what we feel the Lord calling us to do and where we find peace.

God bless you my friend!

2007-02-12T20:44:00.000-08:00

The Leader of the Home
Many Christian wives desire a husband who leads their home. He is someone who is responsible financially, handles the children with great patience and wisdom, treats his wife with respect and loves her immensely, and is the spiritual leader of the home. In the Spiritual-Leader role, the husband is not only committed to personal Bible study, but also to leading the couple's devotions and the family devotions. His words are an overflow of what is in his heart: the Gospel of Christ and the desire to serve God with everything that he is and has. He is a leader in the church, and instead of suggesting that the family skip church on Superbowl Sunday, he is committed to being there and to contributing as an usher, worship leader, or one of those guys that counts the offerings. When it comes to dates, he carefully plans time together that is uplifting to their souls and encouraging in their walks with God. Instead of coming home from work and playing grown-up video games or watching TV, he plays with the children and finds ways of teaching them about God in everything that they do. As the wife watches him with their kids through the window, she thanks God for this man who is truly a gift from God to her and their children.

Sound too perfect? Perhaps. Perhaps not. What is a woman to do if the man isn't meeting these ideals? Can she play mother and father to the children in his absence? Can she assume the role of being the Spiritual Leader because he isn't doing a good job? Obviously, there are many women who are forced into that position because of the loss of their spouse, divorce, or having a child outside of marriage... a task that I would imagine to be extremely challenging and difficult. But what about the others who have a Christian man in the home who is simply not stepping into his God-given role of being the father and the leader of the home? Can the wife/mother assume that role?

As a child I enjoyed watching Little House on the Prairie a great deal. One of the main couples in the show were Harriet & Nels Oleson who owned the Mercantile in Walnut Grove. Saying that Mrs. Oleson 'wore the pants' in that family would be an understatement. She dominated Nels in every way, stealing his opportunity to be the father to their two children. Nellie and Willie. Did Harriet wish Nels would lead the family? Yes, I think so, yet it was easier for her to control every aspect to ensure that it was done 'right'.

I believe that a husband/father is leading his home, whether he knows it or not. His children are following him and his wife is too. The question is where are they going? A wife can't take over a husband's role any more than a husband can take over his wife's role or God-given place in the home. We can all try to compensate for each other's weaknesses (which is a great thing), but not take over all together. It is for this reason that the time before marriage is so critical. You must evaluate your potential spouse for these types of traits before you choose them as your mate for life. Once you have said your vows before God, family, and friends, they are 'the one' for you... until that moment, you have many choices before you. After that moment, you have one choice before you: your spouse.

Husbands, lead your families to Jesus by seeking Him out yourselves. The church, your community, our world is in desperate need of families that are being led by Christian couples who are desperately seeking after God; families that are authentic in their walk with God; families that openly declare that God is at work and that they love Him and praise Him for every good thing in their lives. I guess I'm calling my fellow Christian men to stand up and take your role seriously before it's too late. Sooner than we think, we will lose that place of influence with our children... teach them about Jesus now. Don't wait, because it'll be too late.

Is the husband the leader in a Christian home? Yes, by God's design he is. Now let us lead our families into a closer walk with God through His Son Jesus Christ.

2007-02-01T15:14:00.000-08:00

What's Worse?
Back in the day, I had friends who refused to cheer for Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls because they were winning so much. They couldn't stand the team or the fact that MJ was breaking all the records and dominating the sport in the manner the rest of us couldn't get enough of. I had a friend who I knew didn't like the Bulls, but he'd always pretend to be a fan when watching games with me. I knew that secretly he wasn't a Jordan fan, and that he was always kinda pleased if the Bulls lost... obviously that rarely happened in those days, but nonetheless, it kinda irked me that he wouldn't just call it as it was: He didn't like the bulls.... so what?! Be honest about it.

What's worse? A person who says they're a Christian, but really isn't, or a person who doesn't claim to be a Christian, and isn't? I think the most detrimental factor in spreading the Gospel today is 'Christians' who aren't really followers of Christ. Can you imagine a Chicago Bull's fan that doesn't watch any games, would never buy any paraphernalia (hats, shirts, key chains, whathaveyou), doesn't ever talk about the Bulls players or chew on the latest stats, doesn't track their results online, doesn't sit back and dream about those wonderful glory days of Michael Jordan & Scottie Pippen, and doesn't want everyone else to cheer for the Bulls??? That's not much of a fan... so stop calling yourself one, man! Well, we have 'Christians' today who don't know Jesus at all, don't care too much about what He did in life on earth, don't really want to follow His teachings, don't know his teachings, don't talk about Christ, don't read the Bible, don't pray much (except for dinner), don't live a life honoring to God, engage in various activities which shame the Gospel.... I could go on and on...

I guess for me, I wish people would stop using the term Christian, so I could feel comfortable using it again. A Christian is a follower of Christ. Buy the hats-tshirts-keychains type people. Not ashamed. Not compromising. Living a life of purity to bring honor and glory to His name. Spreading the Good News by simply being in love with Jesus. Living unselfishly so that others would be saved. Not perfect, but humbly trying. Not perfect, but not justifying bad behaviour. Constantly on their knees in repentance. Living by the Spirit...

I guess for me, if you say you love the Bulls, watch a few games and talk about the team, and know the players......... If you say you love Jesus, read about Him, obey His teachings, and worship Him with everything you do...

Ephesians 4:1-6
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

2007-01-22T14:55:00.000-08:00

The Joys...
I spent the weekend with my wife and kids - well, each weekend is with them, but this weekend didn't involve anyone else. My four-year-old son is so excited about contraptions, race tracks, doing secret missions and simply... being with me. Any time together is a good time for him. We don't need to be going anywhere special... rather, every place we go together is special. My two-year-old daughter is definitely the 'card' in the family. She loves to tease and joke, make funny faces and fills any room with joy and laughter. She climbs out of the tub onto her 'ducky-rubber" (a duck bathmat), sings songs, and loves to be tickled.

I had a chance to truly unwind today, and I was left with a few thoughts. First, I am so thankful for the opportunity to enjoy my children in peace at this moment in time. My wife took my son to the doctor to have him checked out for what turned out to be bronchitis, but as they were about to leave, I had a vision of me saying goodbye to him... so many families around the world are forced to do this with their children. It was... eye-opening to see my own child in that way. I praise the Lord that he is fine, but am thankful for the opportunity to not take his health for granted. How do our fellow human-beings in Iraq cope with losing their spouses, children, uncles, parents... in various bombings throughout the country? Oh Lord, have mercy on that land. Apparently 100 people lost their lives in Iraq... today... twenty-five American families were told that they lost a child, father, spouse, friend... on Saturday. Second, I refuse to take the good times for granted. I have a friend who went in for sudden and unexpected open-heart surgery over the Christmas break. He sent an email out encouraging us to tell our children that we love them often. It's easy to treat the best days of our lives as average, only to realize later that they were the best. I'm committed to treat each day as if it is the best, just in case it is! Today is the day that Lord has given us to bring honor and glory to His name... it may be the last chance that we have. Let's not wait to look back on this day, this week, this year, this season of life and think of what we could have done. Let's do it now.

Psalms 39:4-5
Show me, O LORD, my life's end
and the number of my days;
let me know how fleeting is my life.

You have made my days a mere handbreadth;
the span of my years is as nothing before you.
Each man's life is but a breath.

2007-01-01T14:08:00.000-08:00

The Year In Review...
The year has passed, and another begun. Following Y2K, I came to the realization that the end of a year is just another flip of the calendar: the earth spins on its axis and another 'day' is born... another moment of life has been awarded to us. The earth continues to do what it does: trees grow, flowers bloom, clouds swirl around, animals search for food and take care of their young.... and people... well, people continue to do what they do...

What are we to make of the 365 days that have passed? Two days ago, a man was killed in front of a global audience and millions have watched and will continue to watch the morbid display... what does this say about us as a people? Wars rage in various parts of Africa, the Middle East, and in other parts of the world. The United States fights to preserve our way of life... a way of life that includes much that is less than honorable: We have more material possessions than any other parts of the world and yet are somehow are convinced that we need more.. We kill our unborn children at a rate of about 100,000/year in Canada and 1.5 million/year in the U.S.. We live in a place where homosexuallity continues to dominate the media although the behaviour represents about 4% of Americans and 1% of Canadians according to exit polls in the U.S. elections of 2004 and a 2003 report by Statistics Canada... We support pornography to make it a $12-billlion industry including $3-billion in child pornography (more than the combined revenues of ABC, CBS & NBC and professional basketball, baseball and football combined).. Where despite our extremely high standard of living, there are large amounts of poverty.. A place that the world views as "Christian", and yet we must be careful not to say "Merry Christmas".. A place that has the potential to truly solve global hunger, and yet has shamefully done very little to help...

So what can we expect in the next 365 days? If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, please join me in.. Asking God what we need to do for Him in the next 365... It's best to treat each day as if it may be the last... as if we are about to stand before God for what we have done and not done.. In not being mesmerized by the 'celebrities' of the world... as the famous come and go through the media spotlight, why is it that we continue to watch? If we do watch, let's pray that God would save these, His children, from what the world is doing to them... let's pray that they would experience the LIFE that Jesus came to offer. In crying out to God for the souls of those around us and throughout the world: those who are lost, suffering, and dying... In renewing our commitment to seek after God's righteousness and not to fall into the temptation of worry.. In trimming down time spent on movies, video games, television, etc. and increasing time spent in the Word of God...

Followers of Jesus Christ, the world needs authentic examples of Christ. Are you ready to be that for the people you meet? May the Lord be your strength as you serve Him with joy in 2007.

2006-12-23T05:46:00.000-08:00

What About The Little Baby?
I'm in a relaxed state of mind with the Christmas Holidays upon us. It's a time to reflect on the year that has passed and dream about the year that is to come. It is also a time to focus on the Baby that came to earth in such a miraculous way that the world is still talking about Him 2000 years later.

Here's a question for thought: How can we focus on Jesus during the Christmas season with all that goes on around us?

It's an amazing thing how quickly we can fill up our schedule on the 'break' with... stuff. It's like there is a deep-seeded insecurity that if we aren't doing something all the time, we must be less than we could be... in other people's eyes at least. From an eternal perspective, however, quite the opposite is true. It was God who said: Be still... (Psalm 46:10).

I am determined to do the following this Christmas break and encourage you to join me:

•Rest (Psalm 46:10)
•Focus on Jesus and the purpose of His mission to earth (John 1:29, John 10:10)
•Reflect on 2006, and ask God to show me what I can do for Him in 2007
•Not tell everyone that I'm 'busy' over the break...

I don't want to miss the opportunity to truly celebrate Christ because of all the noise that the world throws at me. Jesus is the Prince of Peace, and I claim that for my life this holiday.

May God bless each of you this Christmas season and in the coming new year.

2006-12-13T22:48:00.000-08:00

Blood Diamond
I just saw the movie, Blood Diamond, tonight. The movie takes place in Sierra Leone during the civil war of the 1990s. A diamond smuggler, farmer, and businessman all fight to acquire a rare and priceless diamond.

It sounds like another Bond movie, but it is actually much more. Obviously the movie is appropriate for mature audiences only due to violence. It is absolutely gut-wrenching to gain a small glimpse into what life is like in some parts of Africa and the horrible reasons for the chaos and violence. The viewer is exposed to senseless violence, innocents being slaughtered, and young children being trained to become 'soldiers'. It's too easy for all of us in the Western World to pretend that we don't even know what is going on in other parts of the planet as we ask for iPods, clothes, X-Box, flat-screen tvs, and yes, even diamonds for Christmas. The harsh reality is that much of what we have and expect more of is gained at the expense of someone else...

A thought I had while watching the movie was: What if God cared about each child dying in Africa as he did about the ones that die in North America and how different would the world be if we Christians actually believed that?

Being forced to think about world problems and issues is a good place for us all to be, I think. Yet, it is so... horrible at the same time because for those brief moments of realization that something needs to be done... there is also that knowledge that the feeling will pass... It would be an act of God for all of us to realize that blindness to the sufferings of the world, whether voluntary or involuntary, is not an excuse for having done nothing to help. Yes, it is easier to plead ignorance, but we are required by God, I believe, to know and understand the hurts around us and to act on them. What must God think when we cry out for His help for selfish, insignificant 'issues', when there are people with real problems right next to us? The equivalent would be a person coming to a doctor for help with a splinter in his hand while there is someone sitting right next to him with a bullet wound. Don't get me wrong, the splinter needs to be fixed, but shouldn't the splintered person say to the doctor, please help my friend with the bullet wound first!!...

Jesus came to save the world. We are His instruments. Are we doing enough?

2006-11-11T07:37:00.000-08:00

A Fallen Christian Leader

The Headline:
"Pastor Ted Haggard—the president of the National Association of Evangelicals, the founder of a Colorado Springs mega-church and confidant of the Bush White House—has fallen from grace in a gay sex scandal"...

The media jumped all over this scandal. The world was so shocked to hear that a Christian leader with "ties to the White House" and an anti-gay marriage stand was wrapped up in a scandal involving a gay prostitiute and drugs... shocked?... or pleased? The timing of the exposure was clearly politically motivated with midterm elections about to take place in the United States. All of that garbage aside, let us all be reminded that our leaders are in fact people. Although they speak on behalf of God almighty, they are still vulnerable to sin. We must pray for our leaders. Let us also be reminded that our sins are not done in secret from God. God warning to the people of Israel was: "you may be sure that your sin will find you out" (Number 32:23). Let us all search within ourselves to find if there is any pride, any destructive habit, any evil thought... and if there is, to allow God to cleanse us from it and to do it no more.

The larger issue and part of the media's obvious glee involves the resounding impact this is having and will continue to have for the gay agenda at work in North America today. What's the agenda?... that homosexual activity isn't an action of choice, but rather a biological framework built into some of us by God himself (despite the anatomical strucutures which would argue the contrary). Have a look at some of the exerpts below.

•"Wayne Besen has written extensively on the ex-gay movement. He says, 'Haggard is correct that there is a dark and repulsive part of his life, but it is not his homosexuality; it is his closet and the lies he used to maintain it. He built his empire on the backs of gay people and now he faces an awful comeuppance for his anti-gay sins.
•Even after the downfall of James McGreevey, Mark Foley and now Ted Haggard, the right wing continues to promote the lie that homosexuality is just a temptation that can be changed. But if Haggard couldn’t pray away the gay, who can? It is time Evangelical Christians exchange their anti-gay rhetoric for reality,' says Besen.
•Amy Sullivan, one of four bloggers on Beliefnet, feels 'the story will reverberate further and longer than any of the scandals of the 1980s ( Swaggart, Bakker, etc. ) because it involves not just personal behavior, but an issue that conservative evangelicals have made extremely clear is one of their two top priorities' (Windy City Times).

Pastor Ted Haggard needs the prayer and support of God's people. I'm certain that he is more to God than a headline in a newspaper, and I'm certain that despite his struggles and the sin of his past, that God loves him with an enduring love and wishes to see him restored to health. The church needs to be clear on the Bible's position on homosexuality and sin. We can not be swayed from what God has taught us in His Word. Do you know what God's position on homosexuality is? And if you do, are you willing to hold fast to it? Are you willing to be called a bigot and intolerant in order to uphold God's moral standard? Those days are upon us now.

Let us teach our children that God made man and woman for a purpose beyond sexual pleasure. Let us teach our children that God has a wonderful plan for our lives as we commit to live in purity. Let us teach our children that God created woman and man for each other - to be partners for life and to serve God together. Let us teach our children to love everyone they meet, but to never sway from the standard of our Heavenly Father as long as we live on this earth.

2006-10-27T04:23:00.000-07:00

Easy To Love?
There are always people in our lives who are easy to love for one reason or another. Perhaps it's because we have similar interests or because we are peers in terms of 'social cool', or maybe because of similar socio-economic status. It's always tempting to befriend those who can help us achieve some social goal -- maybe it's totally in our subconscious, but if you evaluate your friendships objectively, maybe its something we all have in us. Jesus resisted this temptation throughout His life, and yet, He has left a lasting impact (understatement of the year) for thousands of years. He was not a part of the social elite, nor was it his mission to become a member of the 'cool'... Instead, Jesus sincerely and genuinely welcomed those in greatest need. He wasn't a 'charity friend', but rather sincerely helped people become so much more than they could have been without Him. Some examples include a prostitute, lowly fishermen, and a despised tax-collector.
To be Christfollowers, I believe there needs to be evidence of this type of passion for those in need evidenced in our lives. Ask God to open your eyes to those around you who are in need of Christ-like friendship, and when you see them, open your heart to them as Jesus would.

2006-10-14T09:09:00.000-07:00

I'm wondering...
...what Jesus really meant when he said: "Apart from me you can do nothing" (John 15:5). Was he meaning in a literal sense that we really need Him all the time to live happy, fulfilled, healthy, & productive lives?

The image is one of total dependence on Christ. God is the gardener and Jesus is the vine. What good is a branch to a vineyard if it is no longer connected to the vine? It's useless because it is physically impossible for that branch to produce any fruit. This is how Jesus describes us when we are no longer connected to Him... useless to God's Kingdom. The alternative is to remain in Him and to see good things coming from our lives; our healthy lives.

Remain connected to Jesus, my friends. Don't lose sight of this fundamental principle of our faith because God has chosen and appointed you to bear fruit of real purpose and value (John 15:16).

Full Text: John 15:1-17

2006-10-01T22:16:00.000-07:00

Human Origins
"After 3.5 billion years of such randomness, a creature emerged that could ponder its own origins -- and revel in a Mozart adagio..." (Time article).

Just to think that all of this is from randomness. I guess we are.. because we got this way (someone said that). It's like a bunch of ants who think they've created the world based on the tiny ant-hill they live on. How arrogant we are.. 'we' being humankind. How does God view us really? I always love it when people quote the various dates like: "3.5 billion years ago..." Wow, are you sure it's not 3.4 billion? Who tells you that it's 3.5 billion? Do you really understand why it's 3.5 billion... or are you simply putting your faith in someone's calculations?... by the way, that someone has lived on this planet for less than 100 years, and yet they can tell us to the billionth of a year some 'fact' on human origins?

Wow.

2006-09-28T15:26:00.000-07:00

Christfollowers & Gambling
I read an article at Crosswalk.com that addresses the gambling question... well, perhaps it's not much of a question to many Christians. Gambling has become so mainstream that I know of Care Groups who get together to have poker nights, etc. Perhaps we should have slot machines in the foyers of our churches... as long as the money is going to a good cause, right? Well, the writer of this article would disagree. Have a read with an open mind.
Article: Should Christians Gamble? by Steve Scalici, Vice President of Treasure Coast Financial

2006-09-27T20:38:00.000-07:00

Who Do You Belong To... Really?
Jesus put it really straight for us. It doesn't require any real 'interpretation' or anything like that... simply hear what Jesus is saying and then look deep within yourself. Are you His friend? Are you a friend of the Gospel of Christ? Are you a partner in Jesus' mission on earth to preach the Gospel and make disciples? Here's what Jesus said in Luke 12:8-9

"I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God. But he who disowns me before men will be disowned before the angels of God."

What does it mean to acknowledge someone? The dictionary.com definition is as follows: "to admit to be real or true; recognize the existence, truth, or fact of"

The world is very quickly dividing itself into a few camps. Ultimately, it will come down to two: those who acknowledge Jesus Christ as the Son of God and Saviour of the world (crucified yet risen again and alive today), and those who don't. Perhaps it's a good time for those of us who call ourselves Christfollowers to begin recognizing the Truth of Christ everywhere we go.

May the Lord guide you and protect you as you take a stand for Him!

2006-09-25T21:21:00.000-07:00

Fear
Is the community you live in safe? Do you ever fear for your life or the lives of your loved ones? I guess it's natural to a certain extent, yet Jesus warned his disciples that they needn't fear anyone who could have harmed their physical bodies. "I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more" (Luke 12:4). I may be alone in this, but when I read this, it was such an awesome reminder that we simply have nothing to fear when it comes to man. People are simply God's creation. Although we glorify each other in movies, music, and on television, in reality, we are all equal in that we came into this world naked and will leave the same way. Although there are a multitude of things we can do differently in between, ultimately, we are nothing more or nothing less than... people.

Isaiah 51:12-13
"Who are you that you fear mortal men, the sons of men, who are but grass, that you forget the LORD your Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth..."

2006-09-23T07:14:00.000-07:00

Are You Convinced?
It's been a while since my last post... Here we go again. I was reminded of the need to cling to the many promises of God yesterday. We become incredibly vulnerable to the enemy's barrage of lies if we aren't convinced of the promises of God. Be sure! Nothing can separate you from the Love of God. Keep your heart pure and continually cleanse yourself of sin. Humility is the key - it takes a humble person to say: "I was wrong". Do it often. Most importantly, trust God. The spiritual battle around us is real and there is an enemy that wants to keep us absorbed in ourselves, our work, our own 'deep thoughts', our 'needs'... for the purpose of keeping us from what God would have us focus on. Be convinced, because if you are not, there will be enough whispers in your mind teaching you that there is no God, and if he's there, he can't love you -- it's a lie.

Romans 8:38-39
"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

2006-08-14T14:27:00.000-07:00

At The Core
What if God didn't care about what we were doing with our lives in terms of professions & possessions? What if he only cared about who we were as people. What if God only cared about what was going on in our hearts & souls, at the core of who we are? What if the rest of our lives was only a sympton of what was at the core? What if God's judgement of us was a simple check of the core values residing in us because that would be enough to tell Him about the job we would choose to pursue, the way we would treat the people around us, what our priorities would be and who we would serve with our lives. Would that make living your life easier or more difficult?

The Bible tells us that we will all give an account for all that we have done; every word. The Bible also teaches us that what comes out of our mouths is an overflow of what is in our hearts. I wonder if we need to focus on what is at the core of who we are instead of the symptoms that we see. Perhaps a thorough investigation of what is running our motives and inner-most thoughts is needed daily... hourly?... minute-by-minute?

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:1-4).

2006-08-06T13:44:00.000-07:00

What If...
...the way you lived your life was the best example of a Christ Follower in the world today? What if every other follower of Christ was as devoted and faithful to Jesus as you are; if every other follower of Jesus meditated on God's Word, gave to the church, gave to charities, prayed, loved others, listened for God's Spirit, obeyed Christ's teachings, etc... as much as you. Would the world be a better place?

I had this thought the other day and it was motivating for me to keep pursuing my Saviour with all my heart. There is no room for letting up. This is the time for the faithful to stand up. Will you be counted as an example of Christ in your friends' and family's lives?

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize (I Corinthians 9:24).

2006-07-31T19:40:00.000-07:00

Hope
In the midst of all the misery that we see around us, be reminded that Jesus is the hope of the world. Be encouraged in the fact that Jesus knows what is coming and that He is waiting for you and me to say: "Yes, Lord." In other words, He is waiting for us to surrender completely to Him and put all our attention on Him throughout each moment of each day and trust Him.

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me" (Jesus Christ as recorded in John 14:1).

He came to the world so that all the world would be freed from the guilt of sin and know true fulfillment and purpose by knowing God personally.

Jesus was here when the world was created and He Himself created it. He has all authority in Heaven and on Earth. Not only that, but He came to the earth so that all people would see the Light of Life. Please read the following passage carefully and allow God to speak to you through His Word.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it... (John 1:1-5).

Is it possible that God could work a miracle in the world as we see it today? Is it possible that hundreds, thousands, perhaps millions could make decisions to follow Jesus wholeheartedly as a result of the turmoil we see? Is it possible that God can so clearly and easily see through the mess that the world seems to be in and is desiring to use us to change lives for His glory? Do you believe?

2006-07-30T22:00:00.000-07:00

Carnage in the Middle East
Forty-eight hours of peace... well, sort of. Following a disasterous airstrike in Southern Lebanon which has killed around 60 refugees, primarily women and children, the Israeli military has agreed to stop dropping bombs until it has concluded its investigation into what went wrong. Meanwhile, the Hezzbolah has fired another 130+ rockets indiscriminantly into Israeli towns, hoping to kill civilians. Although they've managed to kill only dozens of people in Israel, they may yet hit a well-populated target bringing that death-toll much higher.

What is the world to do? The United Nations has passed a resolution that demands that the Hezzbolah disarm, yet they want Israel to stop their offensive against the Hezzbolah. Israel is pounding Southern Lebanon because that is where the Hezzbolah have entrenched their guerillas with a massive arsenal which has been supplied by Iran and Syria. As a result of an unprovoked attack on their military, Israel began this campaign 19 days ago. Hundreds of rockets have been fired at civilian targets in Israel daily since the start of this war. Iran's president has declared that one of his objectives is to wipe Israel off the face of the Earth while he continues to build a nuclear weapon. Meanwhile, in Iraq, Muslim Sunnis and Shiites are busy killing each other almost daily in what is beginning to look like a civil war (by the way, Hamas are Sunnis and the Hezzbolah are Shiites).

The irony in all of this is that if you go back far enough, the Jew and Muslim are brothers, both offspring of Abraham. The Jews are descendants of Abraham and Sarah's promised son Isaac, and the Muslims of Ishmael, son of the Sarah's concubine Hagar.

What is the Christian position in all of this? Clearly Jesus was sent to the earth to bring peace to all men and women. Would this all just simply go away if people turned their eyes to Jesus and received Him as their Lord? Yes. Can we accomplish this one person at a time. Yes. Does the problem seem insurmountable at this time. Yes. With God's help, can we see miracles happen one person at a time? Yes.

God's people, we have work to do. We need to first be sure of the Hope of Jesus Christ, and next, begin sharing it with the world one person at a time.

2006-07-29T22:35:00.000-07:00

Left Behind Author Weighs In
MSNBC is reporting on what Dr. Tim LaHaye has to say about the current crisis in the Middle East, namely that he believes that this is the start of the end and that Christ will return in our lifetime. I'm not advocating this position, but simply believe we should all be thinking, watching, praying... AWARE of what is going on. Have a read.

Article: "Are These The End Times?" (By Brian Braiker, Newsweek/ Updated: 7:37 p.m. PT July 28, 2006)

2006-07-29T16:38:00.000-07:00

Spilling Into Our Streets
A Muslim-American walked into a Jewish Centre in Seattle, Washington and opened fire killing one woman and wounding another 5 people. Seattle police are protecting temples and mosques as a result of the 'hate killing'. The 31-year-old man was angry about the Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations responded in writing:
"The American Muslim and Jewish communities must do whatever is within their power to prevent the current conflict in the Middle East from being transplanted to this country."

Obviously we all hope that this is an isolated incident.

Please see previous post entitled: Crisis A Middle East Problem?

2006-07-28T13:14:00.000-07:00

The Technology Trap
There's a lot of irony in the fact that I'm commenting on technology in this manner. I've always embraced the newest gadgets that the world has to offer in helping me get things done... and I still do. But here's my thought: How do we benefit from the majority of technological advances in the marketplace today? If you look at iPods, Blackberrys, LCD screens/TVs, mp3-phones, ringtones, laptops, etc., the point of almost everything is to simply connect us to other people. Nothing is designed to connect us better with God.

I watched a girl walk down the street on a beautiful summer afternoon; alone with nature; passing flowers beside her as unique and crazy cloud formations floated by overhead... and guess what she was doing? Yup, you know it - talking on her cell phone. But to whom? Why was that call so important? It didn't look urgent. As she walked with her head down and the world passed her by, my thought was that she will never experience this day again. The moments of walking down that street are forever lost to a phone call to some person who probably wasn't stimulating her mind and senses the way God's creation around her could. Are we all really doomed to wasting every moment of our lives drowning in the latest technology-craze?

Either we spend our precious little time on this planet entranced by our latest ways of connecting to each other, or we spend the best parts of our days enjoying the moment - the hear-and-now; what God has placed in front of us to enjoy. Just a thought. :o)

2006-07-27T13:29:00.000-07:00

What Will Be The Sign Of Your Coming and the End of the Age?

Christ's disciples asked this question over 2000 years ago. Here is Jesus' answer as recorded in the Gospel of Matthew (Chapter 24).

Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ," and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains (Matthew 24:4-8).

2006-07-27T13:21:00.000-07:00

Al Quaida's No. 2 Speaks
Ayman Al-Zawahri issued a call for all Muslims to rise up and fight Israel in a Holy War. The goal: to fight until Islam rules from Spain to Iraq. Al Zawahri addressed the lack of support from various Muslim governments for Hezbollah and Hamas:

"My fellow Muslims, it is obvious that Arab and Islamic governments are not only impotent but also complicit...and you are alone on the battlefield. Rely on God and fight your enemies...make yourselves martyrs" (MSNBC).

Refer to previous post "War In the Middle East".

2006-07-25T07:39:00.000-07:00

Saudi King Issues Warning
Saudi King Abdullah has pledged $1.5 billion to Lebanon to help in reconstruction and in stabalizing the economy. He also issued a warning to Israel and the world: "It must be said that patience can't last forever, and if the brutal Israeli military continues to kill and destroy, no one can foresee what may happen," (MSNBC). Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan, & Egypt have blamed Hezbollah for the current crisis. The fact that Hezbollah guerillas crossed an internationally recognized border and killed 7 Israeli soldiers and kidnapped two others was enough to justify at least some of Israel's response. As Arab casualties continue to mount in the now 14-day-old struggle, perhaps Arab governments will not stand by and watch for too much longer (390 Lebanese have been killed and over 600,000 forced from their homes).

United States Secretary of State is in the region, but has reiterated that the U.S. position on the current conflict is to side with Israel. "...she reiterated the United States’ position that a cessation of hostilities in Lebanon must come with conditions, saying there is no desire on the part of U.S. officials to come back in weeks or months after terrorists find another way to disrupt any potential cease fire..." (MSNBC). Basically, the U.S. has given Israel the green light in the current conflict in the effort to end what the U.S. and her allies consider terrorism in the region.

King Abdullah's comments may indicate a turn in the Arab governments' positions on the current conflict. He continued by saying: "...if the option of peace fails as a result of Israeli arrogance, then the only option remaining will be war, and God alone knows what the region would witness in a conflict that would spare no one" (MSNBC).

2006-07-24T08:16:00.001-07:00

What We Can All Learn From Tiger Woods
There's a scene from the movie "Troy" (Warner Brothers) that has stuck with me. When Hektor, the Trojan Prince and champion warrior is going down to the battle field to face the Greek warrior, Achilles, in a battle to the death, he is hugged and kissed by his father who says: "A father never had a better son". Hektor was a devoted son, husband, and father and the protector of the Trojan way of life. He loved and honoured his father with his words and actions, and received the praise that he was due.

Tiger Woods is the most celebrated athlete of our time. He is believed to be a Buddhist, and yet he has lived by one of Christ's teachings in an exemplary way: "Honour your father and mother..." (Matthew 15:4). The entire golf world has been buzzing with the questions surrounding how Tiger will rebound following the death of his father, Earl Woods (1932 - 2006). Tiger has spoken publicly about his love and adoration for his mother and father on numerous occasions, and has been seen by the world hugging his parents after numerous of his 49 PGA tour wins including 11 major wins.

Most recently, Tiger won his 3rd British Open Championship (July 23rd), his first win and major win following his father's death. The emotions were impossible for Tiger to control following the tap-in par putt as he embraced Steve Williams, his long-time caddy, and then his wife Elin. Why was Tiger crying? He loved and honoured his father and I wonder if that makes God happy, regardless of what 'religion' Tiger belongs to. We can all learn from Tiger's example:

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honor your father and mother"—which is the first commandment with a promise— "that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth" (Ephesians 6:1-3).

2006-07-23T22:45:00.000-07:00

A Parable: "The Ship Builder"
There was a ship builder who had been given the responsibility of building a vessel for a very important mission at sea. Many of the ship builder's colleagues had bid on this particular commission, but he had been chosen because of his outstanding workmanship, and as a result, he felt very honoured to have been selected. As the project began to take shape, many of the ship builder's contemporaries stopped by to admire the fine vessel. Although they could all agree on the beautiful and innovative design chosen for the vessel, many had some questions about the reliability of the craft and often offered suggestions for improving the new design. The ship builder refused to take any help on this project because he knew that he had been chosen to do the work; he didn't want to disappoint his employer. Over the next few weeks and months, many people stopped to see the vessel that was being created, and although they all loved and cared for the ship builder and his project, he refused to take any help because he knew that he had been chosen to build this vessel and he was the most qualified.
The time came for the vessel to be tested at sea, and just in time too because the man who had commissioned the work was coming to the ship yard the following week to take possession of his ship. You see, the vessel was to have a very unique and important purpose. All the people in the ship builder's town came to watch the ship's inaugural voyage and they all marveled at the beautiful ship as it was launched into the sea and sailed around the harbour. What no one could see is that the vessel had numerous leaks in its hull because of the errors and miscalculations that the ship builder's colleagues had pointed out to him during the building process. Although the ship builder's colleagues were all at the dock cheering in support of his work, he didn't tell anyone about the problems and tried to fix them himself, on his own strength, even though all the expertise he needed was at his disposal. One week later, the ship builder's employer came to take possession of his vessel. He paid the ship builder for his work and began to load the ship with all the cargo that was needed for the very important voyage. Once his family and friends were onboard, the vessel set out to sea.
It was less than a week before the small harbour town received the worst news imaginable: the ship builder's vessel had sank in the deep ocean waters and everyone on board had been lost.
(c)2006 Shikina Publishing

What project are you working on for the Lord's glory at this time? Are you working alone? Do you feel as though you are the only one qualified to finish the work correctly? Perhaps God has chosen you to lead the work, but don't forget that God's Spirit is alive and at work... listen to Him and to those whom God places in your path.

2006-07-17T21:23:00.000-07:00

The World At War, and Oprah Is Not Gay
As various regions of the world are at war and innocents are being killed and as Israel debates whether or not to target Syria in their now 6-day war, one of the top 5 stories at CNN.com is that Oprah Winfrey is not gay. Of course, one of the two suspected ladies was clear in saying: "The truth is, if we were gay, we would tell you, because there's nothing wrong with being gay..."
Well, I can tell you that I'm relieved to finally know the truth on this issue... [intended sarcasm].

2006-07-15T12:29:00.000-07:00

Crisis a Middle East Problem?
Arab League Secretary-General, Amr Moussa, said today that the Middle East peace process is dead. Al Jazeera is reporting that Britain has sent to warships to the region with "no specific task". The civilian death toll in Lebanon has reached 100 casualties. Israeli forces have destroyed the Hezbollah headquarters in Beirut as well as the home of Hezbollah chief, Hassan Nasrallah - there is no word on whether he survived the attack. Fifteen civilians, including children, were killed in an Israeli airstrike Saturday in southern lebanon...

I wonder how the Jews and Muslims in North America are reacting to what is happening in their homeland. Is it possible that the crisis in the Middle East could spill into the safe and peaceful North American streets? Perhaps the streets of Vancouver, Seattle, Toronto, and New York aren't as safe as we think.

God's people, please pray for peace and for Christ's face to shine in the midst of this turmoil.

2006-07-13T19:31:00.000-07:00

War in the Middle East
BEIRUT, Lebanon - Israel continued its furious military campaign against LebanonÂ’s main airport, highways, military bases and other targets Friday, retaliating for scores of Hezbollah guerrilla rockets that rained down on Israel and reached as far as Haifa, its third-largest city, for the first time. (MSNBC.com)

This is serious stuff. If Iran, Syria, Egypt, or Jordan get involved in this, the escalation could be very quick. Although this seems very far from our shores, and a battle that the Jews and Muslims continue to engage each other in, when airports, highways, and military bases aretargetedd, it means the start of something potentially very big:

For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. 3. Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. (Zech. 14:1-3)

The Bible prophecies that in the end of time, all the nations of the world will unite against Israel in battle. Is this coming soon? Only God knows. Butdefinitelyy something to watch.

My thought is this: Are you ready for the Lord's return? Are you right with Him? Are you living for Him? Are you walking step by step with God's Holy Spirit?

Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

2006-07-12T09:09:00.000-07:00

The Times...
People. The majority of the world's problems are caused by people. Not nature, not God... people. We have been given the privelege of living on the one planet in the known universe that has abundant life, and we seem determined to destroy each other, the planet, and pretty much anything else we can get our hands on. It's probably easiest to ignore what's going on around the world, but for some reason I can't ignore it. I get the feeling that God grieves over each life lost in Israel, Palestine, Iraq, or India - He cares deeply for them... do we? He also grieves over those who are wrapped up in themselves and their sinful ambitions instead of knowing Him. Here are some of today's headlines:

July 12th Headlines
•Hezbollah killed seven Israeli soldiers and captured two (CNN)
•9 dead as Israel bombs Gaza home (MSNBC)
•Twenty bodies found in Iraq after abductions (CNN)
•Iraq gunmen kill 20 from bus (USA TODAY)
•Eight bombs kill at least 183 people in Mumbai (MSNBC)
•Suspect in RCMP shootings may have been spotted (CBC)
•Saskatoon woman faces charges of child abandonment (CBC)
•Massachusetts gay marriage debate sparks rallies (YAHOO)
•Transgender prof defends female scientists

II Timothy 3:1-6
But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires.

2006-07-09T15:39:00.000-07:00

The Lord Is My Shepherd

The
There is only one. It's like saying: The World Cup or The Eiffel Tower. The one and only.

Lord
Throughout the Bible God is referred to as 'Lord' as is Jesus, God's Son. It's not some random deity that is referred to here. It is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; the God that Moses spoke to through the burning bush; the God of King David, Sampson, Martin Luther King Jr., Billy Graham, and your local Christian pastor.

Is
Not was; not at one time; not maybe in the future again sometime. The Lord is... alive and at work.

My
It's not that you are one of the billions and billions that He has taken care of throughout the ages. It's as if you are the only one. He is your God whether you acknowledge Him or not. Our belief in Him or disbelief doesn't change the fact that He exists, that He created us, and that He loves us to the point of sacrificing everything for us through His only Son Jesus Christ. He is your God.

Shepherd
A shepherd herds, guards, tends, guides. God is our eternal protector, tending to our needs, guiding through the maze of life we find ourselves in. He has only our best interests in mind, and seeks to give us purpose in life. Our lives are to be used for His glory and for a greater purpose that we can see. How will you find that purpose? Follow the shepherd.

The Lord is my Shepherd... (Psalm 23).

2006-06-29T22:31:00.000-07:00

Imagine If Everyone Was Watching
So I've been thinking. It's a crazy thing in North American culture how we care so much about what a few people are doing. It's like we've elevated a few so that everyone else has something to do. If we were to go back a hundred years, people would be working hard to sustain the lives of their families. One of my favorite shows as a kid was "Little House on the Prairie" (I've mentioned this before on this blog). The main family, the Ingalls, work hard to raise their family in a world where Pa built their house with his own two hands -- literally (Ma helped), they planted crops so that they would have food, Pa ventured out into the woods with his shotgun to get some meat in the winter, and Ma worked to keep the house clean and raised the children. She was a phenomenal woman who would do whatever was needed to ensure that her family was safe, fed, clean, clothed, loved, and educated. If someone came by and said that their 'job' was to tell everyone what someone else on the planet was doing.. I'm pretty sure Pa and all the folks in the town would burst into laughter.

Where have we come? Today, we have people whose sole purpose is to 'entertain' us by simply living. We wonder what they are doing when they go shopping, how their relationships are working out, if they have gained weight or lost it, and if they drink Starbucks coffee or not. Because we wonder, we also have people whose sole purpose in life is to tell us what those people are doing -- they simply follow the other people around and take pictures of them at the mall, suntanning on the beach, walking their kids, eating at restaurants, etc. Finally, we have the millions of North Americans who snuggle up to their TVs every evening or on their computers to read and watch what the latest is on those same people - very few people actually doing anything - tons of people watching.

Here's my thought: What the heck is wrong with us? No really... Isn't someone going to start to wonder what happened to the life they were given and where it went? Perhaps God had intended SO much more for us than to sit around and read/watch what other people are doing with their time.

I guess I'm at a place where I refuse to be absorbed with Nicole Kidman's upcoming wedding, whether Star Jones Reynolds was fired from the View or not, and why Britney Spears posed nude (or nearly) while being pregnant on an up-coming magazine cover. The crazy thing is that there are actually important things happening in our world, and I'm not referring to the fact that any resemblance of stability is unravelling in the Middle East, or that children are dying everyday from malnutrition in various parts of the world, or that Iran is building a nuclear program that is near completion as we speak, or that North Korea is about to test a nuclear weapon, or that nearly 200,000 people have died in the Sudan since the start of a conflict in 2003 and over 1,000,000 people are homeless as a result. What I'm talking about is what's happening in your neighbour's marriage, and who in your workplace needs an encouraging card and a plate of homemade cookies, and the children who play near your car when you leave in the morning who don't have a loving home to return to and could use someone like you to talk to them and care for them, or the guy in the grocery store in the line in front of you who could really use the $6.00 in your pocket because he can't afford to buy milk for his kids (I guess you could have another coffee instead)...

We are in the midst of some strange times, indeed. What have we become and who are we to become as a people? Why are we believing all the lies that are being whispered in our ears? Someone tells us that we're not good enough, so we go on a diet. Someone else says that we don't have enough, so we borrow more money on our line of credit to buy something we don't really need. Yet another whispers that we aren't cool enough, so we spend all our resources on name-brand clothes instead of sponsoring a child who simply needs food, water, and shelter to be happy...

Here's a few things that God is saying to me, and perhaps it will help you to hear them as well:

•Jesus of Nazareth: This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you. This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends. (John 15:12-13)

•God to Joshua, son of Nun: Don't get off track, either left or right, so as to make sure you get to where you're going. And don't for a minute let this Book of The Revelation be out of mind. Ponder and meditate on it day and night, making sure you practice everything written in it. Then you'll get where you're going; then you'll succeed. Haven't I commanded you? Strength! Courage! Don't be timid; don't get discouraged. God, your God, is with you every step you take." (Joshua 1:8)

•Jesus of Nazareth: "Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. (Matthew 6:34)

•Jesus of Nazareth: "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what's coming to you in this kingdom. It's been ready for you since the world's foundation. And here's why:

I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me.' (Matthew 25:34)

My friends: stay focussed on your calling in God's Kingdom. If you haven't given your life into Jesus' loving and capable hands, then do it now. The mission? 1. Know God, through His Word, and love Him, 2. Acknowledge Jesus Christ as the son of God and the risen Lord, 3. Tell others about Him as God's Holy Spirit guides you, and 4. Give everything you have to serving Jesus by serving others. You will find that your life will be one of purpose and calling and total and complete fullfillment, regardless of whatever comes your way.

May God bless you.

2006-06-10T06:16:00.000-07:00

Turmoil? Christ Is The Solution
I spoke with a person in my office yesterday who was unable to hold in all the problems she was facing. As she placed them all on my metaphorical desk, I listened and asked God, in my heart, to help her. Each issue would be enough to cause any of our lives to turn into a 'tailspin', but she continued on and on... I asked her if there was any religious input in her life, but she said that there was none. I so desperately wanted to tell her about Jesus, but knew that it would not be appropriate in that moment and in that office unless she asked... she didn't ask, so all I could do was listen, give her some coffee gift certificates and write "God bless you" on the package.

Had she asked, I would have referred her to the following passages:
Matthew 6:25-34
•Seek after God with all you are, and He will give you more than you could even need
This one works! I claimed this promise when I was 19 years old and did my best to do my part. It was super clear to me that seeking after God with all my heart meant for me to find a way to be in active service of Him, steer clear of the alcohol/partying scene that was readily available to me at the time, and continually allow God to work on my character so I could become the man He wants me to be (I'm not there yet) :o) No man could have given me the type of wealth I have now. God is faithful. Trust His promises, do your part and God will never fail you.

Proverbs 3:5-6
•Trust Him will all that you are and don't try to figure everything out on your own. Whenever you get the chance, give Him the glory and you can be sure that He'll guide you through the toughest of times.
Here's another wonderful promise. I've done my best to go to the Lord first when I've found myself in a tough spot. It's not easy though. I can so easily go to everyone I know, and don't know; try a bunch of stuff myself, and when that doesn't work.... go to God. That doesn't display much trust, does it?! Trust Him and He will never fail you.

I will be praying for the person I spoke with, and if God opens the door I will speak these truths into her life. On the other hand, perhaps my part was to simply listen, give her the coffee, and pray. Perhaps you will be the one to share the truth with her. As long as we are all living by the Spirit, we'll be working as a team!

2006-06-03T20:38:00.000-07:00

Fearless Evangelism
I attended a secular wedding today. Well, the bride came from a first-generation Christian home and the groom from another religious belief system. Although they had a Christian pastor conduct the ceremony, I thought that I knew what was coming: token, good-will message about some hazy 'god' person out there somewhere who is love and how love can conquer all. As I'm writing, I'm reminded of the Eagles' hit: "Love Will Keep Us Alive"... no it won't - food, water, shelter....

Turns out that I was wrong! I was blown away by the boldness of this man who fearlessly proclaimed the Gospel. He was teaching what Jesus had to say about marriage and declaring the Bible as the Word of God; and it kept coming! I was actually feeling a little uncomfortable about the boldness of his message, even though it was delivered in total kindness and love. I leaned over to my dad, who I know had his eyes closed because he was praying for the pastor, and said: "This is amazing!" He nodded and continued to pray.

May God, the One True God, bless this man for not only proclaiming Jesus today, but also for inspiring me and the other believers there... How many chances will we have to proclaim Jesus boldly and unashamed before our time is up and we must stand before God and give an account of all that we have thought, said, and done?!

Acts 4:29
"...enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness."

2006-06-02T21:41:00.000-07:00

The New Batwoman
CNN is reporting that DC Comics' Batwoman will be reintroduced later this year as a lesbian.... of course she is...

CNN Article

2006-05-24T20:13:00.000-07:00

Thermometer or Thermostat?

I've been reading a book by Dr. Tim Elmore entitled: Habitudes: Images that form leadership habits and attitudes. The book is really challenging me to think about who I am and how I lead. Anyways, one of the pictures that he draws up for the reader is the difference between a thermometer and a thermostat. A thermometer basically tells you what the temperature, whereas a thermostat sets what the temperature will be.

Dr. Elmore says that most people are like thermometers: they reflect the culture around them by buying what others buy, wearing what others wear, thinking how others think, etc. There are slight variations, but on the whole, most people simply reflect the current culture around them. Leaders, on the other hand, set the cultural climate. They are excited about life, they influence rather than merely getting influenced, and are pace setters.

When it comes to your faith, your church, your family, your workplace, your school - are you a thermometer or a thermostat?

2006-05-23T16:08:00.000-07:00

The New Pastor
As a kid one of my favorite shows was Little House on the Prairie. I'm not sure what I've just disclosed about myself... :o) The show centers on the struggles of a little homesteading family of five as they live through the various joys and challenges of life. The main characters are "Pa", played by Michael Landon, and Laura, played by Melissa Gilbert. In the midst of all the various goings-on in the tiny village of Walnut Grove, the church plays a central role. The church building is used for town meetings, school, weddings, funerals, and probably other things I can't remember right now. The Reverend Alden is loved by the people of the town because he is involved in their lives - he plays on the town baseball team, visits people when they are ill, delivers sermons, and is good friends with the men of the village including Doc Baker and Charles Ingalls (Pa). The people all know Reverend Alden and the children all love and trust him - it doesn't really matter if they attend the church or not - he is a part of the fabric of the community.

I believe strongly that we need a "Reverend Alden" model of pastoring in our communities. Today we have churches of thousands (I attend one) in which the business model is followed very closely. It's kind of like the scene in Fun With Dick and Jane where Jim Carrey's character gets called up to the - ooh, ahh - 13th floor to meet the business executives in hopes of getting a promotion. He is shocked to be invited up to meet them because he would never actually see them in his place of work. He would just know that they are up there in their offices. I sometimes feel that way about the pastors of the big churches - the system is set up so that they aren't really there to visit the congregation at their homes or in their jobs. If someone brought the idea up at a staff meeting, the solution would probably be to hire another pastor for visitation. In some way, it would actually be kind of weird to see our pastors visiting the congregation -- showing up at work or at homes. Weird, or maybe cool?!

Obviously not every church is set up to be a mega church with a corporate style pastoral team, but things seem to be going in that direction to the point that the local pastor isn't connected to the people of his community in the way that Reverend Alden was, and that may be a loss not only for our communities, but also for God's Kingdom.

2006-05-04T21:09:00.000-07:00

Calling All Leaders
I think it's critical that Christfollowers begin to adopt a pastoring-mindset. What is that?

My leader in the place I work is a Christian, and he is basically my pastor. When he visits my office, he prays with me; when we run into each other at meetings, he has a spiritual word to encourage me; when he asked me to consider going to a certain conference, he encouraged me to do that which I felt God's Spirit was calling me to do.

Here's the point: YOU are called to be God's LIGHT in your world. YOU are called to be the care-taker of your neighbours - when they become ill, or are grieving, YOU are to be God's gentle, loving hand to them; YOU are called to bring a meal to your non-Christian co-worker when she has a baby; YOU are called to speak God's truth into the lives of the hurting and confused; YOU are called to encourage the souls of everyone you meet with your God-inspired words; YOU are called to help those who are mourning the loss of a family member; YOU are called to visit the elderly; YOU are called to know the Bible; YOU are called to pray without ceasing for those around you....

My friends, essentially, you are the pastors and teachers that the secular world will listen to. Why? Because you are one of them. I have a quote from Oswald Chambers up in my office. It reads: We must be spiritually real... Take your calling to be a pastor-minded Christian to everyone you meet and watch what God will do.

2006-04-30T16:38:00.000-07:00

Character
I was in eastern Canada for a conference on building integrity and character in our communities. The angle that the conference takes is that if the community comes together to educate its young people and involves all the agencies within that community from the mayor down, then we have a chance at changing the type of youth we are graduating from our schools; youth that are people of integrity, honest, hard-working, etc.

I came back inspired in the way that we can make a difference in the future of our community, but also a little discouraged in the fact that God is left out of the picture of hope being painted... Is any long-lasting change really possible in the absence of God?

I guess I am more and more convicted on the importance of being who I am where ever I go - a follower of Christ - someone who has experienced the life-changing touch of Christ - someone who will never be the same again because of God's grace and mercy. When people are obviously hurting, they need to hear about Jesus and HIS message of hope; the life-changing Gospel. Obviously there are going to be limits in the way we present the Gospel, but we must agree as believers to no longer be ashamed of the Gospel of Christ... hiding Christ is equivalent to being ashamed of Him.

Romans 1:16
I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

2006-04-13T20:16:00.000-07:00

Overwhelmed With Sorrow
Matthew 26:36-38
Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me."

Jesus was in agony as he awaited the start of the torture, humiliation, and ultimate death that he knew he had to endure for the sake of humanity. As he goes to a quiet place to talk to His Father, he desperately asks his closest friends to stay near and keep watch with Him. Imagine the Son of God in such a lonely place.. the Creator of the Earth and all that is in it, allowing the creation to put Him in a place of total humility, pleading with God to end the horror before it is to begin.

I am so thankful to Jesus for the sacrifice He made - the sacrifice, I must admit, I can't even fathom to anywhere near the full extent of its meaning. As I determine to commit the coming weekend to honoring God for what He did through His Son, Jesus, I pray that God would open my eyes to what He would have me think about, do, and say.

2006-04-07T13:04:00.000-07:00

The Gospel of Judas?
The secular media is buzzing with something they are sure will ignite the Christian and secular world in a new debate about Jesus of Nazareth, hopefully in the same manner Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ did when it comes to ratings. Interesting timing, don't you think? The news comes one week before Easter - a time when the world celebrates the implausible phenomenon of rabbits that lay chocolate eggs (don't try eating anything a rabbit lays in real life) -- oh yes, and some celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John the Baptist).

Interestingly, the revelation of this new manuscript by the National Geographic Society has been timed with TV specials, books, and probably a "Judas Iscariot" shirt as well.

So what is this really all about? Have you heard what the full story about the documents contents and writers on any CNN, FOX, or MSNBC headline? Probably not. Let me point out that a document that is old is not necessarily more or less believable that a document that is new. However, we are led to believe that anything written in the time period that Jesus lived that has managed to survive to the modern day must be a valid document. Interesting -- yes, definitely, but not necessarily valid.

As it turns out, the anonymous author is thought to be a Gnostic. If you don't know what a Gnostic is, click on the word in this text and check out the definition. In brief, Gnostics were basically cult groups who lived in the early centuries that believed in more than one god, and thought that Jesus' father, the true 'god', is not the evil god who created the universe.

The group eventually died out, although there are some similar groups active today who carry some resemblance to the early Gnostics.

Have you heard enough? Well, there is also the logic of the whole notion. I don't want to get too deep into this, because I think the facts above are enough to discredit the validity of the 'gospel' -- please! Nonetheless, here are a few initial thoughts I had as I listened to some of the coverage on TV:

•Why are they calling this a gospel? (other than for the media-impact-value)
It was not written by Judas...

•Jesus, himself, identified Judas as the betrayer and warned him about the eternal consequences
-In Matthew 26:25, Jesus acknowledges to Judas that he will be the one
-The one eating with me will betray me / It would be better for him to now have been born (Mark 14:17-21)
-Woe to the man who betrays him (the Son of man) (Luke 22:20-23)
-What you are about to do, do it quickly (John 13:21-30)

Now why would Jesus warn Judas about the eternal consequences of his betrayal in front of all the disciples if he had wanted him to do it? Wouldn't this secret conspiracy remain secret , or at least wouldn't the others be involved at some level? Why, also, did Jesus ask God to save Him from the horrible murder he was about endure if he believed himself to be a spirit that had been imprisoned in his body as the Gnostics believed, needing to escape the physical part in order to return to heaven (Globe & Mail)? Why, also, didn't Jesus ask Peter to deny him and the others to scatter to fulfill other prophesies?

It is so critical that the Christfollowers of our day be clear on what the Gospels teach about Christ's death and resurrection. Our faith, hope, righteousness, and salvation hinge on these events. Take note: This is only the beginning of the assault on Christianity and on Christ himself, so be prepared!

Some sources: The Globe & Mail (Article), Wikipedia, The Bible

2006-04-03T20:13:00.000-07:00

Equality Riders
Young gay activists who call themselves "Christian" are traveling throughout the United States visiting university campuses that ban students who choose to engage in homosexual activities. Please note that I purposely did not say 'gay and lesbian', but rather students who choose to engage.... There is a critical difference and one we who follow Christ's teachings should begin to embrace (that'll be another post). Anyways, the 'Equality Riders' website states the purpose of the 7-week crusade: "To make public their case for equality, the young activists on the Equality Ride hold vigils, Bible studies, class discussions, community forums, and press conferences" (Equality Riders Official Website). No, that wasn't a typo: prayer vigils and Bible studies. I'm assuming that the Bible studies don't center on the relevant texts such as Romans 1:26-27 / Full Section. Instead, they will talk about a 'god' who loves unconditionally and only wants us to love each other (please take note that God is so much more than this and expects so much more from us).

It would be one thing for these people to say that they don't care what God's Word says and that they want to do whatever pleases them. That is actually a better starting point in terms of their chances of being saved by the Gospel of forgiveness and love. We must first acknowledge our sin before God in order to be forgiven, not justify it (I John 1:9). It's a completely different thing to try to take the scriptures and justify your sin; to claim to be a follower of Christ while living in total rebellion from God's Holy teachings.

Take this example: I choose to join a high-end golf organization, but instead of using golf clubs (driver, irons, wedges, putter...), I use a hockey stick. Sounds ridiculous. Then I demand that playing golf with a hockey stick should, in fact, be called golf. Finally, I use golf's book of rules and regulations to try to justify why the game of golf is just as good with a hockey stick...

Our quarrel with homosexuality can't be against the individuals who choose to engage in homosexual activities. We should, however, be prepared to give an answer to the questions that the gay agenda/movement is posing across North America -- what does the Bible say about homosexuality? Do you know? Is there any chance that God created some people to engage in homosexual activities?

More to come.

2006-04-03T09:26:00.000-07:00

Pot Decriminalization in Canada
The newly elected Conservative government in Canada announced that it will not be putting forward the previous Liberal government's legislation to decriminalize small amounts of marijuana. Prime Minister Stephen Harper made the announcement today in Ottawa. Apparently the main hub of the $8.5 billion industry is in the Canadian province of British Columbia.
(Read the Full CNN article)

2006-03-30T12:16:00.000-08:00

Prayer Doesn't Affect Heart Patients
CNN is reporting that Temple Foundation has funded research into whether prayer affects heart patients going in for surgery. Three Christian groups prayed for people the night before surgery and then for 2 weeks after. Depending on the control group individuals were place in, some knew they were being prayed for, others knew they might be prayer for (and were), and others knew they might be prayed for (and weren't). The researchers had no control over other family members and friends who may or may not have prayed for any of the three control groups. The Results: prayer had no significant affect. However, it was found that 59% of those who were prayed for developed a complication as opposed to 52% of those who were not prayed for (Complete CNN article)

This one falls in the Only-In-America category. The study has numerous flaws in its design. For example, if researchers aren't able to control the independent variable (prayer), then the study's results aren't valid - how do they know that the no-prayer group didn't receive prayer from other sources? (they admit that they don't and that they didn't even try to control this factor because it would be unethical). So toss the study and don't report on it at CNN!

From a Christian perspective, the 'Christian' groups who agreed to participate need to give their heads a shake. What were they thinking? Here's a few thoughts that popped into my head as I read this article:

•Who are we to test God?
Do not put the Lord your God to the test (Jesus: Matthew 4:7)
•Who is praying? It matters!
The prayer offered in faith / The prayer of a righteous man (James 5:15)
•To whom are they praying?
Elijah prayed and the Lord answered (his altar burned) whereas Baal's prophets couldn't light their altar (I Kings 18:22-39)

Jesus said that with even the smallest amount of faith we can do great things, but what faith is there in testing to see if God can do something? No faith = no results.

2006-03-29T12:44:00.000-08:00

Spiritually Real
I haven't posted anything for a while, and I may as well assume that there is nobody reading anymore... but I post nonetheless. :o)

I was encouraged and challenged at the same time in reading My Utmost For His Highest this morning. I arrived at my office and decided to pull out my devotional before doing anything else, and it was an awesome decision. Anyways, here's the excerpt that I posted on my wall:

We must stop using religion
As if it were some kind of lofty lifestyle -
We must be
spiritually real
(Oswald Chambers)

The other day I had a friend ask how I liked my new job. As I reflected on my answer later, I was actually quite disappointed in myself. I felt as though I had let my Lord down -- the One who has given me everything that I have in life. I believe it's critical that we Christfollowers have our faith in Jesus dripping off of us instead of something to be discovered after much prodding.

My answer was something along that lines of: "I'm enjoying it - it really suits my personality and skill set - etc, etc. The truth? The successes that I have seen are due to my constant dependence on Christ. If I could go back in time, I would change my answer, but I feel more ready to be 'spiritually real' and tell it like it is as the opportunities arise in the future. I will not allow my faith to become a lifestyle choice or social experience - this is who I am.

2006-03-15T12:58:00.000-08:00

Online Child Porn Ring
Nine of 27 'people' (I use the term 'people' loosely here) charged with child molestation and other heinous crimes are Canadians (Full CNN front page article). Apparently seven victims have been identified, the youngest having been on the planet for less than 18 months. It's true that we'd all rather not know about this kind of stuff happening, but I have to ask you, who is going to protect the children? Perhaps it must be you and me. There are two disturbing and disgusting trends emerging in pornography today: a demand for molestation and a demand for younger and younger victims.

Please pray for the children of the world - like seriously, let's make it a part of our everyday prayers. They need us to intercede for them. Perhaps there's more we can do, but that is definitely going to be the foundation of anything good to come: prayer.

Links
Helpguide: Child Abuse
Prevent Child Abuse America

2006-03-13T15:21:00.000-08:00

Pedophilia
I watched a special on pedophiles in Canada and the men and women who try to catch them. Many of these individuals use the internet to attract children and coerce them into some sort of sexual interaction with them. The program that I watched showcased one investigation of an individual who was raping children as young as 15 months and broadcasting it over the net. Apparently there are people out there who want to watch this. As a result of the enforcement officer's hard work on the case a man was apprehended in Spain. The 23-year-old student was offering to babysit for the toddler's working parents at very reasonable rates. The parents had no idea what had happened to their 15-month-old boy. Apparently 7 other children had been assaulted by this particular pedophile who was about to start a daycare with some other co-pedophiles.

The day after watching this program, I read the following article online: An Ohio man is in jail, charged with raping and killing his seven-month-old niece... (Full Article).

I can't stress enough how disgusted, distressed, frustrated, etc. this makes me. When I finished watching the program on TV, I began to pray for my children and the children of my friends and family (everyone I could think of). In the program, the reporter asked a Canadian 'specialist' if a pedophile can be cured. His response was to equate pedophilia with homosexuality, suggesting that in the same way that homosexuals can't change because of their biological predetermination for their behaviour, a pedophile also can't be changed. The problem with this man's argument is that his statement that homosexuality is biological has not been scientifically proven; there isn't any good research out there to confirm his position. There also isn't any research to confirm that pedophilia is biological.

Can you see where this is going? Here's where I see it going: If pedophilia is biological, then God must have made the pedophile the way that he is, thus who are you and I to stop him from (gag) loving children? The pedophile that was interviewed on the same show described above defended his behaviour by saying that children are sexual beings and would be sexual if they were allowed to be, and that it's not he that seeks out children, but they who seek him out for sexual encounters. He was also given the opportunity to make his point that children should be allowed to choose for themselves if they want to have sex or not.

In Canada the age of consent is 14 years. That means that a 14-year-old boy or girl can make the decision to have sex with a grown man or woman. The recently-elected Conservative Government in Canada is fighting to raise that age of consent for heterosexual sex to 16 while a gay group is fighting to lower the age of consent for sodomy from 18 to 16. Our children are legal prey for pedophiles in Canada - are you outraged?

I am confident that Jesus is outraged by what is happening to thousands of children in Canada. In Matthew 18:1-9 Jesus is asked who the greatest in His Kingdom will be. Jesus pulls a child close to Him and says that whoever can humble himself and become like a child will be the greatest. He goes on to say the following:

"And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea" (Matthew 18:5-6).

What are we to do with those who hurt children and take advantage of them? What are we doing to help rescue the children around the world that are being stripped of their God-inspired innocence? Is it a biological condition that keeps one re-offending or is it a case of sinful desire that has over-taken a person?

Did you know that once a sheep dog has tasted the blood of a lamb, it must be killed because it will continue to go after the sheep? The very sheep that the dog is trained to protect become the targets of the animal's lust and he is no longer good for anything. The similarities between a sheep-killing dog and a pedophile are eerily similar (Article); man is the protector of children, not the offender. With all the similarities (if you read the article listed above), one major difference remains: we kill dogs that have a taste for sheep.

2006-03-12T09:46:00.000-08:00

Polygamy rights is the next civil-rights battle
Check out the MSNBC article entitled: "Polygamists, Unite!"

2006-03-08T12:29:00.000-08:00

Church Fires Follow-up
One of my previous entries entitled, Hate Crime Against Christianity?, made reference to the church fires in Alabama, U.S.A. I wanted to follow-up with the latest news on the investigation. CNN is reporting that three young men have been arrested in relation to the church fires. They are all students at nearby universities. Click here to read the full CNN Article.

2006-03-07T16:04:00.000-08:00

Oscar Surprise
Brokeback Mountain failed to win the big prize at the Academy Awards this week. Crash won the Best Picture award. It has been called the biggest Oscar upset in history. Although gay activists around the world will be disappointed, they certainly aren't angry.

It's summed up best by Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign, the largest national gay rights group. "I was certainly disappointed," Solmonese said. "But I would trade that Oscar for all the positive conversations that this movie spurred between parents and their gay children, or between employees and their gay co-workers. That impact transcends any accolades" (Taken from "Why Did Brokeback Fall With A Crash?", CNN Article).

Here's my question to you: Where do you stand on the 'Brokeback' issue? Is the morality preached in the movie right or wrong? Where do your convictions lie? If you're a follower of Jesus Christ, you need to be clear on where the Bible stands on this and other morality issues - and once you're clear, stand up for what is right with all your passions. Please take a look at excerpts from a letter written by a retired Baptist minister to his local newspaper. He has some good insights and I believe a message we all need to hear.

--
Fred Moore, guest columnist

It's time for all of us who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ to stand up for our Lord and the truth of the plain teachings of the Bible.

Why is it that if a Christian speaks out about the tenets of his faith, a vocal minority will castigate him or her as a "bigot" or a "hate-monger?" Our society cries out about the shootings, home invasions, pornography, gang crimes, etc., - and yet is not willing to listen when Christians remind them this land of Canada has deliberately turned its back on God. We have forgotten that Canada was founded on Christian principles. In our mad dash for "freedom" from any sort of moral restraint, the tide of promiscuity and "anything goes" is sweeping this great land into chaos.

In the United States, Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed by Jane Clayson on The Early Show, shortly after the horrific shooting at Columbine High School. Clayson asked her: "How could God let something like this happen?" Anne Graham responded with some extremely profound insight: "I believe that God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. "And being the gentleman that He is, I believe that He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand that He leave us alone? ". . . Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates and themselves. "Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with 'We reap what we sow.' "

Someone has written an imaginary prayer:
"Dear God, why didn't you save the little girl killed in her classroom? Sincerely, Concerned Student."
And the reply:
"Dear Concerned Student, I am not allowed in schools. Sincerely, God."....

....I know. You may not agree with Anne Graham, Paul Harvey or me. That is your privilege and I respect that. But I am forever grateful to the person who, years ago, shared with me the wonderful good news that God loves me [and you], and that He has a great plan for my life [and yours]. God's love is a message that all Canadians need, and I pray that someday God will once again have His rightful place in our public life.

Fred Moore is a retired Baptist pastor

2006-03-06T13:33:00.000-08:00

South Dakota Bans Abortion
Doctors in South Dakota, U.S.A will no longer be permitted to terminate the life of an unborn child. The only exception to the ban is in cases where the mother's life is in danger. (Full CNN Article)

2006-03-06T12:21:00.000-08:00

The Soul Winner's Motivation - Article
Here's a straight-up, hard-liner, gut-checking article for each one of us who professes to be a follower of Jesus Christ. Adrian Rogers asks in his opening paragraph if rewards for souls would make a difference. What if a cheque for $10,000 supernaturally appeared everytime someone came to know Jesus through us? What if the cheque was for $100,000? Would it alter our priorities at all? Hmmm... :o)

I've included the article contents below and also have a link to the page at Crosswalk.com (Article).

----
The Soul Winner's Six Mighty Motivations
Adrian Rogers
Love Worth Finding

If you received a thousand dollars for every soul you led to Christ, would it make a difference? Would it increase your motivation? I want to speak to you about the soul winner's motivation.

The mightiest soul winner I know anything about is the Apostle Paul, and in 2 Corinthians we find out what motivated him to be the greatest missionary the world has ever known. People asked Paul, “Why do you work so hard?” And here is his answer:

The Soul Winner's Compulsion
Paul had a compelling motive that drove him. He said in 2 Corinthians 5:9: “Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of Him.” He is simply saying, “I want to be acceptable to God. I want Him to be pleased with me.”

If you're not endeavoring to bring souls to Christ, you are not acceptable to God. I don't care how much money you may give, how faithfully you may attend church, or how faithfully you may live; if you are not endeavoring to bring souls to Jesus Christ, you are not acceptable or pleasing to Him.

The Soul Winner's Compensation
He was also motivated by future rewards. In verse ten he says, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”

One of these days, our lives will be reviewed before the Lord, and our works will be tested by fire (see 1 Cor. 3:11-15). It will be a time of reward for some but a time of regret for others. If you're a soul winner, your life will be gold, silver, and precious stones; and you will receive a crown. If you're not, it will be wood, hay, and stubble; and your works will be destroyed.

The Soul Winner's Conviction
And in verse eleven Paul continues by saying, “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men...” Paul was a soul winner because he knew what it meant for a soul to die unredeemed and go to hell. He called it “the terror of the Lord.”

There is a place of everlasting fire that the Bible calls hell. But when you lead a soul to Jesus Christ, no longer are they facing an eternity in hell or the terror of the Lord. They can know the grace of the Lord. This is a mighty motivation in winning souls.

The Soul Winner's Compassion
Paul was also motivated by an overwhelming compassion that caused some to say he was not mentally stable - that he was “beside himself.” He replied, “For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause. For the love of Christ constraineth us…” (2 Cor. 5:13-14).

He was driven by the love of Christ that was shown to him. And that love caused him to love others. How can we say we love Jesus and not be concerned for souls He died for? Our love for Christ should fill us with compassion for lost souls.

The Soul Winner's Confidence
And in 2 Corinthians 5:16-17 we see another of Paul's motivations: “Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh … Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

Here's his confidence - if I lead a soul to Christ, he will be a new creature. He will become brand new in the Lord Jesus Christ. And he said, “I don't see people ‘after the flesh' - like they're big shots or little shots, rich or poor, educated or uneducated.” We too should not see people, but souls that Jesus died for and wants to transform.

The Soul Winner's Commission
And finally, Paul was motivated by his calling - his commission. Second Corinthians 5:18 and following: “And all things are of God, Who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation.”

We too have been called to the ministry of reconciliation. We have been reconciled. And now Paul says we are appointed ambassadors. We have been appointed; and if we're not interested in winning souls, we are guilty of treason against heaven's King. To refuse is not only to be ineffective, it is to be in revolt.

Do you want to win souls for Christ? What's stopping you? Would you say, “Lord, with Your help I will endeavor to win at least one soul for You this year”?

2006-03-05T07:08:00.000-08:00

Christian Friends
If we are to take Jesus at His Word, then there really is a mission of evangelism that we are all chosen to be a part of. There is a call on our lives to reach out to those who need Jesus the most. Our number one driving passion should be to know and love God with all we are, and next, to make Him known to those around us. If I was a Military General in God's army, I would think that this mission is going to be life-changing and cause everyone involved to have to re-shuffle and re-organize their priorities. In choosing my Lieutenants, I would be looking for individuals/couples who are willing to give of themselves in a huge way -- those who aren't would not be eligible for this mission. The infantry would have to include people who are constantly training for the everyday warfare and on the lookout for the enemy and his tactics. Would I expect my army to spend all their time in training? - absolutely not. Would I expect my army to spend all their time together with each other? - absolutely not. What I would expect of my army is that they come together to encourage each other when needed, and then spend the majority of their time with other families, couples, individuals who need the message of hope that we bring through Jesus Christ.

As followers of Christ, we must look at how much time Jesus spent with those who needed His Gospel (Good News). Once His ministry began, He was with the people. Yes, he definately had support networks in place which included his family and the few He chose to mentor & teach, but Jesus didn't spend his time exclusively with those people.

Imagine a Christian community that interacts among itself on the weekends, week days, evenings, special occasions, holidays, during times of joy, and times of crisis. Perhaps we don't have to imagine at all...

Let us spend our time with those who need it most. We can live our Christian lives selfishly by being only with the people who add something to our reputations and make us feel better about ourselves, or we can use a certain few to strengthen and encourage us so we can invest our lives into what Jesus has clearly called us into: a mission of evangelism.

2006-03-03T19:49:00.000-08:00

Parents & Children
I love my children. There isn't a day that I don't get excited about coming home to be with them. They love to be with me and I absolutely love being with them. There isn't anyone on the planet, other than their mother (my wife), who I'd want to be with as much as with them. When they talk to me, play with me, laugh with me, get grumpy with me, pretty much anything as long as it's with me - I'm happy. I can't think of one thing that I wouldn't be willing to give up for them. I also can't think of anything that I feel more invested into, meaning that I'm so aware that the product that comes out at the 'end' of me raising them is going to be a reflection of me - I want them to be the best people possible for the glory of God.

What could bring a parent-child relationship to the point of total isolation, pain, and the deepest of sorrows? I've seen this in other families recently and I have to tell you that it is absolutely gut-wrenching to watch a family in total distress where a child is behaving as if she hates her parents and a parent is totally confused on where to go next because there is so much turmoil in the relationship (if you can call it that). I look at these children and wonder: "Where is the hope?" I immensely enjoy spending time with my parents. Recently I took my dad out for lunch and we had the nicest of times together. I have trouble taking my mom out for food because I'd way rather spend any meal with her eating her delicious meals. My siblings and I enjoy each others company and are actually a support to each other through the good and bad times. The foundation for who I am rests largely within the family unit that I am a part of. But what of my young friends who could never in a million years even dream of wanting to spend time with their parents? Where is the hope?

The family unit has been under spiritual attack for years now in North America. We live in a world where it's okay for a man to make a promise of everlasting faithfulness to a woman and then shatter it by being unfaithful; where it's okay to kill our young before they are even born; where it's okay for children to go to school hungry; where it's okay for children to live without the attention of their parents...

I don't know where you have grown up and now find yourself, but if you love Jesus, remember to thank him for the healthy marriages and families around you, but also remember to pray for God's hand on those who are in a place where there seems to be no hope in the future. It is only God's hand that can sustain the good, and only His hand that can heal the pain.

2006-03-01T09:18:00.000-08:00

Win Souls!
"Thousands of pastors from around the globe have been challenged to reach one billion people with the gospel. Last month, ministers gathered in Orlando, Florida, during the Global Pastors Network (GPN) Billion Soul Partners Conference," (Crosswalk.com).

This is some of the most encouraging news I have heard lately. According to the published article entitled "Global Pastors Network Conference Urges Ministers: Win Souls" by Allie Martin (Full Article), there are 1.2 billion Christians on the planet and 5.3 billion who don't know Jesus of which 1.8 billion have never heard the Gospel. Imagine for a moment what would happen if every Christian reached one person... When we talk about billions it becomes a very large issue demanding that many committees be formed in order to come up with the best strategy to reach 5.3 billion people. Jesus has a way of keeping things really simple -- all we have to do is obey Him and it'll all 'work'.

Remain in me
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing" (John 15:5).

Appointed you to go
"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last..." (John 15:16).

Therefore go
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit..." (Matthew 28:19).

We are all called to go. Where? Start with where you are and with the people you are already interacting with: at work, in the grocery store, at your bank, at your favorite restaurant or coffee shop. Let's be very aware of the fact that Jesus has appointed us to reach... someone -- who is it for you at this moment in time?