I grew up in Ontario. Admittedly, it was North Western Ontario and we lived closer to Regina than Toronto, but I did grow up in Ontario. I'm back for a week visiting my sister, preaching for a friend and then speaking at our National Pastor's Conference.
On Monday, I visited Queens Park otherwise known as the Ontario Legislature. I had looked forward to this part of my visit. I absolutely believe that the MPP's in Ontario need the same kind of pastoral ministry that we are establishing in BC. I went to pray, observe and quite literally to put my feet on the ground as a prophetic and symbolic act.
Serving and reaching the MPP's in Ontario is critical to our vision. While it might be hard to take for those of us in other parts of Canada, the reality is that Ontario and Toronto really shape so much of our national culture that it's critical that the key spheres of influence in this province be reached with the love, life and transforming grace of Jesus Christ.
My hotel room was on the 18th floor and I had a fantastic view of the Skydome and the CN Tower. As I was getting ready I found myself praying and making proclamations regarding this city. I'm convinced that God has a plan for Toronto and Ontario and that as His purposes and plans for Toronto are fulfilled, He will redeem the media, commerce, entertainment, the arts and government and then use them as a catalyst to transform our nation at every level.
For some of you, this might be an enormous stretch, but the bible is clear that God loves cities and that He loves to transform them. Canada cannot be transformed without Toronto and Toronto can only be transformed as we reach it's leaders and influencers.
I have a dream...
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Monday, May 05, 2008
From Toronto
Hi Everyone - greetings from the 18th floor of the Hilton in Toronto. (Relax, I got a screaming deal on www.hotwire.com that cost me less than staying at Super 8) I'm in Toronto attending a conference for a few days. Yesterday I preached for someone I really admire. His name is Murray Lincoln. Murray is an amazing person who I see as a real trail blazer and pioneer. In addition to being a fantastic pastor and leader, he's also a carver, handyman and writer. I'm posting a link to his latest blog post. I hope you enjoy it.
http://northviewchurch.blogspot.com/2008/05/48-hours-of-victories-and-five-victors.html
http://northviewchurch.blogspot.com/2008/05/48-hours-of-victories-and-five-victors.html
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Quick Update
Well - it's the night before the MLA Breakfast. It's going to be a great morning and we are all looking forward to enjoying it. We've had an excellent response from friends and MLA's so I'm very pleased. My hope is to do a follow up post after the fact with some photos as well so watch for that over the next few days.
It's been a while since an update so here's the latest for those of you that long for family details but don't bother with my spiritual insights...
We went to Kamloops on the weekend. I was speaking in Logan Lake on Sunday morning so I brought the boys with me and they had a dental visit on Friday afternoon. Tyler was done in about 3 minutes as his ortho work is going very well. Zack is making amazing progress but has required more work. He spent 3 hours in the dentists chair, most of it waiting. He had 7 (yup 7) needles as he had to have some gum surgery. I'm really proud of him! It will be worth it later on when he has movie star teeth.
We stayed with our friends in Kamloops and the boys had a ton of fun seeing their buddies. They were up until 1 AM and awake before 6 to play their computer games and just laugh and talk. We are always treated like gold by this family and this time had the added bonus of grandparents there as well. It was a full house, but we had an awesome time.
Sunday morning I was in Logan Lake with the boys. This church has been so good to us and very supportive and generous. The pastor took me over and showed me the most amazing missions table I've ever seen, and what really made it special was it was all about what I'm doing. It was really pretty cool.
We made a pitstop in Abbotsford for gas and quick break. On the way to the ferry I really began to feel very tired. I love to drive and even on a very long trip, it's very rare that Barb does more than a very little bit of driving, but I would have gladly let her drive home from the ferry. On Monday morning, it was apparent that we had some kind of bug and Barb, Tyler and I were all under the weather. I worked from home a bit but took about 3 naps just to make it through the day. Monday night Zack had a baseball game but it was pouring rain. I was on for field prep so with a lot of help from some other parents we got the field dragged, raked, lined and ready, only to be told that we had to move to another field. After we moved, that one was prepped and then the game was called.... I was home by 6:20, asleep by 6:30 and didn't wake up until 7 AM on Tuesday.
So there you go BD (and everyone else...) I've given you the scoop on the Kamloops weekend... :-)
It's been a while since an update so here's the latest for those of you that long for family details but don't bother with my spiritual insights...
We went to Kamloops on the weekend. I was speaking in Logan Lake on Sunday morning so I brought the boys with me and they had a dental visit on Friday afternoon. Tyler was done in about 3 minutes as his ortho work is going very well. Zack is making amazing progress but has required more work. He spent 3 hours in the dentists chair, most of it waiting. He had 7 (yup 7) needles as he had to have some gum surgery. I'm really proud of him! It will be worth it later on when he has movie star teeth.
We stayed with our friends in Kamloops and the boys had a ton of fun seeing their buddies. They were up until 1 AM and awake before 6 to play their computer games and just laugh and talk. We are always treated like gold by this family and this time had the added bonus of grandparents there as well. It was a full house, but we had an awesome time.
Sunday morning I was in Logan Lake with the boys. This church has been so good to us and very supportive and generous. The pastor took me over and showed me the most amazing missions table I've ever seen, and what really made it special was it was all about what I'm doing. It was really pretty cool.
We made a pitstop in Abbotsford for gas and quick break. On the way to the ferry I really began to feel very tired. I love to drive and even on a very long trip, it's very rare that Barb does more than a very little bit of driving, but I would have gladly let her drive home from the ferry. On Monday morning, it was apparent that we had some kind of bug and Barb, Tyler and I were all under the weather. I worked from home a bit but took about 3 naps just to make it through the day. Monday night Zack had a baseball game but it was pouring rain. I was on for field prep so with a lot of help from some other parents we got the field dragged, raked, lined and ready, only to be told that we had to move to another field. After we moved, that one was prepped and then the game was called.... I was home by 6:20, asleep by 6:30 and didn't wake up until 7 AM on Tuesday.
So there you go BD (and everyone else...) I've given you the scoop on the Kamloops weekend... :-)
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Catching Up
Well - here' s the latest from the past few days. After about 14 days without a real break, I took Friday and Saturday off. Day 1 was okay (although I did sneak a bit of work in when Barb wasn't looking...) Saturday was a different story. The problem on running on adrenaline and caffeine is that when you slow down, you crash. Crashing for me usually involves being grumpy and negative. None of this is a good thing for anyone around me so Barb gently suggested that I take a nap in the afternoon. After about 10 minutes she came upstairs and told me (ever so sweetly and yet so very pointedly...) that I needed to get it together and that being grumpy wasn't fair to anyone around me.
The thing with Barb is that she has a wonderful way of getting her message through to me without raising her voice or making a scene. This time was no exception and after about an hour of solitude and rest, I was a much happier boy.
I read a book a few years ago. It was called 'The Contemplative Pastor'. I didn't like it at all but it was exactly what I needed. The author talked about 'the rythmn of the Sabbath'. The idea is that we are made to need a rest every 6 days. When we fail to honor the Sabbath in our lives, we begin to 'wobble' physically, emotionally and spiritually. While it' possible to keep going, our creativity, productivity and general effectiveness starts to decline dramatically and continues to do so the longer we go without a rest. Relationships begin to suffer and we make poor choices all because we fail to rest and be refreshed. These are the consequences of sin, as we fail to honor the Sabbath in our lives. Given enough neglect, we crash and burn and God often provides us with an 'enforced Sabbath' to give us time to properly recover be renewed.
It feels funny to be thinking like this and yet I know that failing to permit myself a Sabbath rest, caused me to be spinning my wheels for most of last week, not to mention the fact that I took out my fatigue on those who are closest to me. Needless to say, I've been making ammends today and it's been much better for everyone around me.
So... while I'm not about to start taking an obligatory nap on Sunday afternoons, I'm learning my lesson about the need to take care of myself while I seek to care for other people.
The thing with Barb is that she has a wonderful way of getting her message through to me without raising her voice or making a scene. This time was no exception and after about an hour of solitude and rest, I was a much happier boy.
I read a book a few years ago. It was called 'The Contemplative Pastor'. I didn't like it at all but it was exactly what I needed. The author talked about 'the rythmn of the Sabbath'. The idea is that we are made to need a rest every 6 days. When we fail to honor the Sabbath in our lives, we begin to 'wobble' physically, emotionally and spiritually. While it' possible to keep going, our creativity, productivity and general effectiveness starts to decline dramatically and continues to do so the longer we go without a rest. Relationships begin to suffer and we make poor choices all because we fail to rest and be refreshed. These are the consequences of sin, as we fail to honor the Sabbath in our lives. Given enough neglect, we crash and burn and God often provides us with an 'enforced Sabbath' to give us time to properly recover be renewed.
It feels funny to be thinking like this and yet I know that failing to permit myself a Sabbath rest, caused me to be spinning my wheels for most of last week, not to mention the fact that I took out my fatigue on those who are closest to me. Needless to say, I've been making ammends today and it's been much better for everyone around me.
So... while I'm not about to start taking an obligatory nap on Sunday afternoons, I'm learning my lesson about the need to take care of myself while I seek to care for other people.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
The Long and Winding Road
Last night after baseball, Zack and I took the scenic way home and explored a new road. We didn't know where it would take us. It was long, windy and narrow. So windy and narrow in fact that I began to feel a bit queasy on the return trip. I asked Zack how he was feeling and he said he was fine.
We continued to drive. I even slowed down and when we finally came back to the wider and straighter road, I thought all would be well. It was, until we went down the winding road that is our street. As we got closer to our house, I thought I'd be able to make it and as soon as I got out of the car my stomach would settle down.
When I pulled up in front of our house, it was apparent that things were not going to settle down until there was a general 'evacuation' of my swirling stomach. I took 3 steps, believing that this too shall pass when all of a sudden things began to pass. Zack ran to the house to get Barb while I continued the process of 'evacuation'.
I'm sure there is a spiritual lesson in here somewhere, but for now, I don't think I've ever met anyone who has made themselves carsick before...
We continued to drive. I even slowed down and when we finally came back to the wider and straighter road, I thought all would be well. It was, until we went down the winding road that is our street. As we got closer to our house, I thought I'd be able to make it and as soon as I got out of the car my stomach would settle down.
When I pulled up in front of our house, it was apparent that things were not going to settle down until there was a general 'evacuation' of my swirling stomach. I took 3 steps, believing that this too shall pass when all of a sudden things began to pass. Zack ran to the house to get Barb while I continued the process of 'evacuation'.
I'm sure there is a spiritual lesson in here somewhere, but for now, I don't think I've ever met anyone who has made themselves carsick before...
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Tony Blair Does God...
From Reuters:
Tony Blair's spokesman once said "We don't do God." He certainly does now.
The former British prime minister has gone public over his beliefs in a major speech on faith, saying religion had to be rescued from extremism in an era of growing globalization.
Speaking in Westminster Cathedral recently against a noisy backdrop of anti-Iraq war protesters, Blair launched an impassioned defence of religion.
Blair, who converted to Catholicism last year after stepping down as prime minister, rejected the notion that religion was divisive, irrational and harmful, and argued "faith can transform and humanize the impersonal forces of globalization."
"For religion to be a positive force for good, it must be rescued not simply from extremism -- faith as a means of exclusion -- but also from irrelevance," he added. Politicians in the United States speak openly about religious faith but Blair has admitted that if you do so in Britain "frankly people do think you are a nutter (crazy)."
When Blair was once pressed in an interview about his beliefs, his press spokesman Alastair Campbell interrupted and said, 'We don't do God.' But Blair, now working as a Middle East peace envoy and seeking international consensus on global warming, did concede religion and politics could be uncomfortable bedfellows as leaders who talk about their faith "may be considered weird."
The worst danger, he said in his speech, was that "you are somehow messianically trying to co-opt God to bestow a divine legitimacy on your politics."
Tim here: - Don't you just love it when a former world leader suddenly discovers that there's room for the King of Kings in his own life and work?
Tony Blair's spokesman once said "We don't do God." He certainly does now.
The former British prime minister has gone public over his beliefs in a major speech on faith, saying religion had to be rescued from extremism in an era of growing globalization.
Speaking in Westminster Cathedral recently against a noisy backdrop of anti-Iraq war protesters, Blair launched an impassioned defence of religion.
Blair, who converted to Catholicism last year after stepping down as prime minister, rejected the notion that religion was divisive, irrational and harmful, and argued "faith can transform and humanize the impersonal forces of globalization."
"For religion to be a positive force for good, it must be rescued not simply from extremism -- faith as a means of exclusion -- but also from irrelevance," he added. Politicians in the United States speak openly about religious faith but Blair has admitted that if you do so in Britain "frankly people do think you are a nutter (crazy)."
When Blair was once pressed in an interview about his beliefs, his press spokesman Alastair Campbell interrupted and said, 'We don't do God.' But Blair, now working as a Middle East peace envoy and seeking international consensus on global warming, did concede religion and politics could be uncomfortable bedfellows as leaders who talk about their faith "may be considered weird."
The worst danger, he said in his speech, was that "you are somehow messianically trying to co-opt God to bestow a divine legitimacy on your politics."
Tim here: - Don't you just love it when a former world leader suddenly discovers that there's room for the King of Kings in his own life and work?
Thursday, April 03, 2008
It starts when???
I left my office yesterday afternoon and went straight to the airport to catch my flight to Victoria. I was on a mission. I was going to a conference and could hardly wait to get there. Everything went smoothly. My WestJet flight had satellite TV and I watched TSN most of the way to Calgary. I got my car rental and headed north to Red Deer. I hadn't eaten since breakfast so I decided to get something to eat and then go to the evening meeting. I had a fantastic dinner, watched a bit of the Blue Jays game and then decided I should get going.
When I found Word of Life Church, I thought it was kind of strange that the parking lot wasn't very full, but then again, I'd never been there before so I wasn't sure what to expect. When I got inside, it seemed pretty quiet for a conference and the people who were in the foyer were just kind of standing around. I actually met a guy that I've known for a few years. When I asked him when the conference was starting (because I thought maybe I was early...) he told me it started... are you ready for this... NEXT week.
I kind of hoped that 'Prank Patrol' or one of those other TV shows was doing this to me as a practical joke, but no... this was all my doing. What do you do when you show up a week early to a conference?
I didn't know yesterday, but I do today. You turn around and find a hotel close to the airport.
My next step was to call Barb and tell her. She laughed, her sister laughed and all of my kids laughed. Are you laughing too?
When I found Word of Life Church, I thought it was kind of strange that the parking lot wasn't very full, but then again, I'd never been there before so I wasn't sure what to expect. When I got inside, it seemed pretty quiet for a conference and the people who were in the foyer were just kind of standing around. I actually met a guy that I've known for a few years. When I asked him when the conference was starting (because I thought maybe I was early...) he told me it started... are you ready for this... NEXT week.
I kind of hoped that 'Prank Patrol' or one of those other TV shows was doing this to me as a practical joke, but no... this was all my doing. What do you do when you show up a week early to a conference?
I didn't know yesterday, but I do today. You turn around and find a hotel close to the airport.
My next step was to call Barb and tell her. She laughed, her sister laughed and all of my kids laughed. Are you laughing too?
Prayer Bulletin
John Les resigned as Solicitor General last Friday afternoon. He is the subject of a police investigation dating back to his time as the Mayor of Chilliwack. In a media scrum, he admitted that being investigated by the police isn't any fun. It probably isn't which is why we need to pray for him. He apparently heard the news of the investigation when he came into his house after doing some yard work on Friday afternoon and in that brief instant, a nightmare began.
Politics aside, Mr. Les remains a person and in spite of a very brave front, this must be very hard on him and his family both personally and professionally. I'm asking our prayer partners from across the province to remember him as they pray.
Additionally, the Hon. John van Dongen has assumed the role of acting Solicitor General as of Tuesday. This is a huge responsibility and one with high expectations. Within an hour of his appointment, he was being asked questions in Question Period about the actions of a Crown Corporation that falls under his jurisdiction.
Please make it a point to pray for Mr. van Dongen as he assumes his new role.
Politics aside, Mr. Les remains a person and in spite of a very brave front, this must be very hard on him and his family both personally and professionally. I'm asking our prayer partners from across the province to remember him as they pray.
Additionally, the Hon. John van Dongen has assumed the role of acting Solicitor General as of Tuesday. This is a huge responsibility and one with high expectations. Within an hour of his appointment, he was being asked questions in Question Period about the actions of a Crown Corporation that falls under his jurisdiction.
Please make it a point to pray for Mr. van Dongen as he assumes his new role.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Around our house...
Here are some lighter moments from life at our house in the past few weeks...
Barb is babysitting our niece. Her name is Avery, she's 2 and we are so glad we can help Rona and Mat out and at the same time get to enjoy Avery. Avery loves to play with buttons. Yesterday, she got up on the chair by the computer and began to play with the mouse. (We just got a new computer that runs on VISTA which just makes the story that much more interesting...) In just a matter of a few unsupervised minutes, she managed to change the orientation of the screen so that everything was turned on it's side. (Some call it landscape, but my mom reads this blog and so for her everything is just 'sideways'.) Barb didn't want to call and break the news over the phone so she waited until I walked into the house and let me discover this little surprise all by myself.
Here's the amazing thing about VISTA. A 2 year old can change the orientation of the display with a few clicks of the mouse, but it takes an adult who spends most of his day on a computer the better part of an hour to undo it. Actually it took Zack holding the monitor on it's side while I did 3 google searches to find the fix. Not surprisingly, you don't actually change the orientation through the monitor icon in control panel. You access it through sounds and something. Ahhh yes.... VISTA. Makes me wonder why I didn't buy a Mac....
Anyway, back to Avery. This morning we were giving a friend a ride to work. We went to her house to pick her up and then drove back past our house on the way into town. Our car is parked on the street and we noticed that the headlights were flashing. This caught my attention so I called Barb to ask her if she could see what was going on. My call went to voice mail and so I waited, knowing Barb would call back. Apparently Avery found more buttons, this time on the key fob for the car and she had pushed the panic button. Barb was hearing a horn sounding and couldn't figure out why someone's alarm was going off, until she realized that it was our car! When I called, she was looking for the keys...
Enough about Avery.... we were finishing off the painting project in our stairwell earlier this week when we ran out of paint. I picked up an old bucket with the code on top and went to the paint store. When I came back, the guy asked me why there was brown paint and green paint in the can. This was a good question because I had only painted with one color, which was supposed to be the color code on the lid of the can. He then broke the news to me that I had just finished painting my house with a 'mis-tint'. The color was supposed to be brown, but the tint was green.
The can that I took in was one that came from a friend who helped us choose our color. We used it for a first coat on a small wall. After the can was empty, we simply poured paint out of our contractor size pail into the small pail to make life easier. Hence the green paint in the brown paint can. The funny thing in all of this is that our friend who helped choose the color kept saying 'I'm surprised at how green it is...' and my mom who visited for a few days kept asking if we 'liked the color'. Now it may be that they were just commenting on the color or it may be that they were making subtle suggestions.
Either way, I was too busy painting to notice...
Barb is babysitting our niece. Her name is Avery, she's 2 and we are so glad we can help Rona and Mat out and at the same time get to enjoy Avery. Avery loves to play with buttons. Yesterday, she got up on the chair by the computer and began to play with the mouse. (We just got a new computer that runs on VISTA which just makes the story that much more interesting...) In just a matter of a few unsupervised minutes, she managed to change the orientation of the screen so that everything was turned on it's side. (Some call it landscape, but my mom reads this blog and so for her everything is just 'sideways'.) Barb didn't want to call and break the news over the phone so she waited until I walked into the house and let me discover this little surprise all by myself.
Here's the amazing thing about VISTA. A 2 year old can change the orientation of the display with a few clicks of the mouse, but it takes an adult who spends most of his day on a computer the better part of an hour to undo it. Actually it took Zack holding the monitor on it's side while I did 3 google searches to find the fix. Not surprisingly, you don't actually change the orientation through the monitor icon in control panel. You access it through sounds and something. Ahhh yes.... VISTA. Makes me wonder why I didn't buy a Mac....
Anyway, back to Avery. This morning we were giving a friend a ride to work. We went to her house to pick her up and then drove back past our house on the way into town. Our car is parked on the street and we noticed that the headlights were flashing. This caught my attention so I called Barb to ask her if she could see what was going on. My call went to voice mail and so I waited, knowing Barb would call back. Apparently Avery found more buttons, this time on the key fob for the car and she had pushed the panic button. Barb was hearing a horn sounding and couldn't figure out why someone's alarm was going off, until she realized that it was our car! When I called, she was looking for the keys...
Enough about Avery.... we were finishing off the painting project in our stairwell earlier this week when we ran out of paint. I picked up an old bucket with the code on top and went to the paint store. When I came back, the guy asked me why there was brown paint and green paint in the can. This was a good question because I had only painted with one color, which was supposed to be the color code on the lid of the can. He then broke the news to me that I had just finished painting my house with a 'mis-tint'. The color was supposed to be brown, but the tint was green.
The can that I took in was one that came from a friend who helped us choose our color. We used it for a first coat on a small wall. After the can was empty, we simply poured paint out of our contractor size pail into the small pail to make life easier. Hence the green paint in the brown paint can. The funny thing in all of this is that our friend who helped choose the color kept saying 'I'm surprised at how green it is...' and my mom who visited for a few days kept asking if we 'liked the color'. Now it may be that they were just commenting on the color or it may be that they were making subtle suggestions.
Either way, I was too busy painting to notice...
Sunday, March 23, 2008
He is Risen!
Easter is amazing. It reminds me that in what feels like our darkest moment, God is up to something behind the scenes that goes beyond what we would dare to think, ask or imagine. I've been thinking about something for most of the day today. It seems to me that the devil has no choice but to concede Easter, after all, how do you argue with an empty tomb? There's no doubt that he is working to distract people with the Easter Bunny and probably a thousand other things, but that's just way too obvious. (Besides, I had neighbours who had bunnies and never once did they leave anything shiny and bright in their cage.)
It seems to me that the Easter is all about the BIG WIN. If we were kids, it was the play for all the marbles. The one battle that determined WHO would win it all. If you know me, even a little bit, you'll figure out that I'm pretty competitive and while I'm more mellow than I used to be, I'm still convinced that winning is more fun than losing. If Easter is all about the 'BIG WIN' then I want every benefit that comes from it. I want to know the power of that WIN in every part of my life. I want to know that it works in my relationships, finances, body, and for every part of my past, present and future. I understand that Easter sets me up to live victoriously in every area of my life. I don't have to be arrogant or pompous about this. All I need is to grasp it, believe it and then begin to speak and live towards it.
We sang this song in church today. One of the lines was 'I know that my Redeemer lives and now I stand on what He did.' The key to this life is knowing what He did and then standing upon it no matter what I see around me.
I mentioned earlier that the devil has no choice but to concede Easter. At the same time, he's not about to go away without sowing the seeds of doubt and deception about what Easter is really all about. In the last little while, I've been hearing something that troubles me. It's the idea that Christ and Christianity is all about 'helping me' with my issues and pain. It's almost as though all I need is a spiritual/psychological elixer that will help me along until I breathe my final breath. This is the great deception. Jesus did not come to help me. He came to TRANSFORM me. The power of the gospel is not some mystical 'panacea' that will help me 'get by' with a little help from Jesus. Rather the power of the gospel absolutely revolutionizes my life so that I am forever changed. As I yield myself to His power at work within me, I will experience transformation at a measure and level that goes beyond what I can accomplish or achieve on my own.
I think the real lie is that I have to settle for some things, that there are parts of my life that cannot and will not change. It's as though I must embrace my lot in life and forget about hoping, believing, expecting and preparing for a better day.
As I write this, I am thinking of a friend. When I met her, she had huge issues in her life that were connected to her childhood. As we were getting to know each other, she crashed emotionally. It was a tough time for her and her husband. She is a case study in what I am talking about today. As she has yielded her life to the power of the gospel at work within her, she has been completely changed. She has become a visionary, leader and best of all is completely at peace with herself and the world around her. I'm proud of her, but I'm more proud of what God has done in her life and it's all because He has Risen!
It seems to me that the Easter is all about the BIG WIN. If we were kids, it was the play for all the marbles. The one battle that determined WHO would win it all. If you know me, even a little bit, you'll figure out that I'm pretty competitive and while I'm more mellow than I used to be, I'm still convinced that winning is more fun than losing. If Easter is all about the 'BIG WIN' then I want every benefit that comes from it. I want to know the power of that WIN in every part of my life. I want to know that it works in my relationships, finances, body, and for every part of my past, present and future. I understand that Easter sets me up to live victoriously in every area of my life. I don't have to be arrogant or pompous about this. All I need is to grasp it, believe it and then begin to speak and live towards it.
We sang this song in church today. One of the lines was 'I know that my Redeemer lives and now I stand on what He did.' The key to this life is knowing what He did and then standing upon it no matter what I see around me.
I mentioned earlier that the devil has no choice but to concede Easter. At the same time, he's not about to go away without sowing the seeds of doubt and deception about what Easter is really all about. In the last little while, I've been hearing something that troubles me. It's the idea that Christ and Christianity is all about 'helping me' with my issues and pain. It's almost as though all I need is a spiritual/psychological elixer that will help me along until I breathe my final breath. This is the great deception. Jesus did not come to help me. He came to TRANSFORM me. The power of the gospel is not some mystical 'panacea' that will help me 'get by' with a little help from Jesus. Rather the power of the gospel absolutely revolutionizes my life so that I am forever changed. As I yield myself to His power at work within me, I will experience transformation at a measure and level that goes beyond what I can accomplish or achieve on my own.
I think the real lie is that I have to settle for some things, that there are parts of my life that cannot and will not change. It's as though I must embrace my lot in life and forget about hoping, believing, expecting and preparing for a better day.
As I write this, I am thinking of a friend. When I met her, she had huge issues in her life that were connected to her childhood. As we were getting to know each other, she crashed emotionally. It was a tough time for her and her husband. She is a case study in what I am talking about today. As she has yielded her life to the power of the gospel at work within her, she has been completely changed. She has become a visionary, leader and best of all is completely at peace with herself and the world around her. I'm proud of her, but I'm more proud of what God has done in her life and it's all because He has Risen!
Friday, March 21, 2008
Night and Day
We attended the Good Friday Service at our church this evening. The service was simple. It was really just portions of scripture combined with worship and communion. As the passage about Jesus death was being read, I saw something I'd never noticed before. After Jesus died, Joseph of Arimethea (a secret disciple who was intimidated by the Jews) went to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body. Nicodemus helped with the embalming of Jesus body by bringing 75 pounds of spice. The story mentioned, seemingly in passing that it was the same Nicodemus that came to Jesus by night (Jn 3) who now came in the day. I couldn't help but notice the contrast between Joseph and Nicodemus. Joseph was a secret disciple and only Jesus and perhaps a handful of others knew of his faith.
Nicodemus on the other hand had come to Jesus by night, but now came to minister to him by day. It seems to me that we all come to Jesus by night in the sense that we come to the realization of our need to him at a dark point in our lives. We may not be in a crisis as such but the realization of our need underlines our own personal darkness and confirms our need of the Saviour. Something obviously shifted in Nicodemus's life that moved him from seeking and following under cover of darkness to stepping out to serve in the light of day. Admittedly, his particular service in this context was to bring 75 pounds of spices that would be used to embalm the body of Jesus, but the Lord had need of those spices for the next 3 days and so someone had to bring them. I expect that he might have felt funny, perhaps even at risk, as he delivered the sack of spices to the tomb that Joseph had provided, but God knew what he was doing with Nicodemus.
The world needs more Nicodemus like disciples who move from being night seekers to day followers. We need 'spice carriers' who will deliver a sweet fragrance into places of darkness and death while God does an unseen work on behalf of many lives that are invisible at the time. We need followers who will risk ridicule and rejection for the sake of obedience.
Are you up to the task?
Nicodemus on the other hand had come to Jesus by night, but now came to minister to him by day. It seems to me that we all come to Jesus by night in the sense that we come to the realization of our need to him at a dark point in our lives. We may not be in a crisis as such but the realization of our need underlines our own personal darkness and confirms our need of the Saviour. Something obviously shifted in Nicodemus's life that moved him from seeking and following under cover of darkness to stepping out to serve in the light of day. Admittedly, his particular service in this context was to bring 75 pounds of spices that would be used to embalm the body of Jesus, but the Lord had need of those spices for the next 3 days and so someone had to bring them. I expect that he might have felt funny, perhaps even at risk, as he delivered the sack of spices to the tomb that Joseph had provided, but God knew what he was doing with Nicodemus.
The world needs more Nicodemus like disciples who move from being night seekers to day followers. We need 'spice carriers' who will deliver a sweet fragrance into places of darkness and death while God does an unseen work on behalf of many lives that are invisible at the time. We need followers who will risk ridicule and rejection for the sake of obedience.
Are you up to the task?
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
On Eliot Spitzer
Like many of you I've watched the tragic story involving New York Govenor Eliot Spitzer unfold this week. In fact as I write this, a news story featuring his resignation is playing on the TV. Once again, those things which are done in secret are being shouted from the rooftops. I can't (and don't) condone his actions in any way but at the same time I am saddened for him. He believed a lie that somehow he could get away with his actions. Believing the lie cost him his job, reputation and did untold damage to his family and friendships.
Integrity is a word that is often tossed around in leadership circles. We expect our leaders to be people of integrity, to live up to standards that they say they will and that they will keep their word. Integrity really speaks of 'wholeness' and 'oneness' in our lives. We want to separate public lives from private lives but in the end it really can't be done. When Mr. Spitzer's private life became public there was a tremendous deficit between what he portrayed he was all about and what he was actually doing.
Integrity is much easier to talk about than it is to achieve. Integrity requires more than a commitment to truthfulness and a connection between my words and my actions. Integrity requires humility and the ever present readiness to admit that we are subject to failure. Walking in this way keeps us from the kind of failure that Eliot Spitzer is currently experiencing.
My hope for Mr. Spitzer is that this nightmare will result in something amazing happening in his life and that he (with his family intact) will come out of this valley stronger and with a great sense of God's grace and restoration in his life.
My hope for you is that you will recognize the lie that says 'you can get away with it' and understand that integrity comes only through honesty and humility.
Have a fantastic day!
Integrity is a word that is often tossed around in leadership circles. We expect our leaders to be people of integrity, to live up to standards that they say they will and that they will keep their word. Integrity really speaks of 'wholeness' and 'oneness' in our lives. We want to separate public lives from private lives but in the end it really can't be done. When Mr. Spitzer's private life became public there was a tremendous deficit between what he portrayed he was all about and what he was actually doing.
Integrity is much easier to talk about than it is to achieve. Integrity requires more than a commitment to truthfulness and a connection between my words and my actions. Integrity requires humility and the ever present readiness to admit that we are subject to failure. Walking in this way keeps us from the kind of failure that Eliot Spitzer is currently experiencing.
My hope for Mr. Spitzer is that this nightmare will result in something amazing happening in his life and that he (with his family intact) will come out of this valley stronger and with a great sense of God's grace and restoration in his life.
My hope for you is that you will recognize the lie that says 'you can get away with it' and understand that integrity comes only through honesty and humility.
Have a fantastic day!
Friday, February 29, 2008
Taking Possession
We took possession of our new house a few weeks ago. It's been an exciting time as we watched God make a way for us. I've been thinking about the number of times 'asking' was involved in the process. We asked God to give us a house that would meet our needs and that we could afford. We asked a realtor to help us. We asked the owner to accept our offer. We asked a lender to provide the funding. We asked a lawyer to handle the transaction. We asked friends for their help as we chose colors, laid flooring, built cabinets, packed and then loaded and unloaded the truck. Thankfully, everyone along the way said yes and we spent our first night in our new house last night. (I'll post some pictures after the counter tops arrive and the boxes are emptied.)
I've started reading through the Psalms this past week. I found these words in Ps. 2. 'Ask of Me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for your possession.' These are not new words for me, but this time they took on a fresh significance especially as I reflected on our house transaction. There were no guarantees that anyone would say 'YES' to us. At any point along the way, someone could have said 'no' to our request and we would have had to find a new way or another way to make that happen.
What I find most amazing in Ps. 2 is that God invites us to ask. 'Ask of Me' and then He gives us a guaranteed response. (... and I will give you the nations for your inheritance and the ends of the earth for your possession.) Any of God's promises are amazing but the scope of this promise is astounding to me. The idea of God granting nations to His people who have the faith to ask and the courage to follow through on taking possession of that nation by His Spirit rather than by petition and protest is simply amazing to me.
Sometimes we dream about 'what if' scenarios. 'What if God were to give us the nation, our province, our city, our school or our town?' The possibilities are amazing. Sadly we too often stop there, rather than pressing through to possess the promise that God has made to us. Sometimes the message of the naysayers who tell us that it can't be done overtakes God's promise that says He will do it. James tells us that 'faith without works is dead'. Possessing the nation takes more than praying and making prophetic declarations. It requires going and serving within the spheres of influence that shape our province and communities. As we move forward with humility and grace, our nation will be changed and we will see the fulfillment of the promise.
I've started reading through the Psalms this past week. I found these words in Ps. 2. 'Ask of Me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for your possession.' These are not new words for me, but this time they took on a fresh significance especially as I reflected on our house transaction. There were no guarantees that anyone would say 'YES' to us. At any point along the way, someone could have said 'no' to our request and we would have had to find a new way or another way to make that happen.
What I find most amazing in Ps. 2 is that God invites us to ask. 'Ask of Me' and then He gives us a guaranteed response. (... and I will give you the nations for your inheritance and the ends of the earth for your possession.) Any of God's promises are amazing but the scope of this promise is astounding to me. The idea of God granting nations to His people who have the faith to ask and the courage to follow through on taking possession of that nation by His Spirit rather than by petition and protest is simply amazing to me.
Sometimes we dream about 'what if' scenarios. 'What if God were to give us the nation, our province, our city, our school or our town?' The possibilities are amazing. Sadly we too often stop there, rather than pressing through to possess the promise that God has made to us. Sometimes the message of the naysayers who tell us that it can't be done overtakes God's promise that says He will do it. James tells us that 'faith without works is dead'. Possessing the nation takes more than praying and making prophetic declarations. It requires going and serving within the spheres of influence that shape our province and communities. As we move forward with humility and grace, our nation will be changed and we will see the fulfillment of the promise.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Update Coming
For those of you who are wondering if I've dropped off the face of the earth, I am still here. It's been extremely busy between travel, the Legislature and preparing to move to our new house and so there hasn't been a lot of time to blog.
That being said, watch for an email blast coming out tomorrow.
That being said, watch for an email blast coming out tomorrow.
March Chapel Service
I've been asked to lead our second chapel service at the Legislature on March 13. The feedback from our first service was tremendous and it's thrilling to be invited back for a second time. The first service was successful because of the amazing prayer support that we had all across the province as people prayed for us before and during the actual service.
There are several ways that you can participate with us. If you live in the Victoria area, you are welcome to join us at our office space. We will meet to pray between 8:45 and 10:00 AM.
If you live outside the Victoria area, we invite you to join our conference call prayer meeting that will take place from 8:45 to 9:45. You must register for this call . The call is free. If you have a speaker phone, you may want to invite several people to join you in prayer for this service.
There are several ways that you can participate with us. If you live in the Victoria area, you are welcome to join us at our office space. We will meet to pray between 8:45 and 10:00 AM.
If you live outside the Victoria area, we invite you to join our conference call prayer meeting that will take place from 8:45 to 9:45. You must register for this call . The call is free. If you have a speaker phone, you may want to invite several people to join you in prayer for this service.
The View From the Gallery
I was reminded of an important truth yesterday afternoon during Question Period. The questions addressed the usual themes of Education, Health Care, Children, Transportation and the sale of BC Rail. Both the questions and answers were accompanied by the usual thumping of desks and heckling. Both sides recognize that it's not called 'Answer Period' and so the questions and general avoidance of anwers is simply understood as part of the normal routine.
What made yesterday unique was the man who came in and sat down beside me. During one series of questions and answers about the very sad situation of a developmentally challenged young man, he became quite emotional and began to weep. It wasn't hard to see that he was somehow very closely connected to the situation and that the concern and frustration involved was taking it's toll on him. I was (and still am...) moved for this man and the situation. He left before I could speak with him or pray with him, but I spent the rest of the afternoon thinking about him and praying for him and the people involved.
I don't think it's possible to craft the perfect policy that will ensure that no one falls through the cracks or finds themselves outside the guidelines that provide access to benefits. We are dealing with people and the variables are endless. At the same time, we (our society) must care for the weak, challenged and struggling among us.
COMPASSION rather than SMUGNESS over policy successes or political ideology needs to become what matters most. My prayer for members on both sides of the house is that their commitment to public service would extend to a commitment to humility. It seems to me that the price for admitting a policy or strategic mistake needs to be something less than a cry for a ministerial resignation.
What made yesterday unique was the man who came in and sat down beside me. During one series of questions and answers about the very sad situation of a developmentally challenged young man, he became quite emotional and began to weep. It wasn't hard to see that he was somehow very closely connected to the situation and that the concern and frustration involved was taking it's toll on him. I was (and still am...) moved for this man and the situation. He left before I could speak with him or pray with him, but I spent the rest of the afternoon thinking about him and praying for him and the people involved.
I don't think it's possible to craft the perfect policy that will ensure that no one falls through the cracks or finds themselves outside the guidelines that provide access to benefits. We are dealing with people and the variables are endless. At the same time, we (our society) must care for the weak, challenged and struggling among us.
COMPASSION rather than SMUGNESS over policy successes or political ideology needs to become what matters most. My prayer for members on both sides of the house is that their commitment to public service would extend to a commitment to humility. It seems to me that the price for admitting a policy or strategic mistake needs to be something less than a cry for a ministerial resignation.
"He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8 NIV
This situation underlines the incredible challenge involved in leading our province. Those who serve as elected leaders need wisdom, courage,strength, and humility as they make the key decisions that affect millions of people on a daily basis. They need our prayer support as they do their best to serve their constituents.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
A Prayer For Government Leaders
What began as "I wonder if we could..." has quickly become reailty as we have recently released our first CD project. We recognized that many people mean well and intend to pray for those who govern over us but it's not always as easy as it seems. With the help of some friends we've been given access to a prayer outline based on interview responses from elected representatives who shared exactly what their prayer concerns were. The result is an interactive prayer CD that you can use as both a resource and as a source of inspiration.
We wanted to keep it simple so it's only about 25 minutes long which is fantastic if you want to use it in your car on the way to work or as an MP3 file to pray with as you walk, run or work out.
We are making the CD available for a suggested donation of $15 which includes shipping and handling. For more information or to order yours today, click here.
We wanted to keep it simple so it's only about 25 minutes long which is fantastic if you want to use it in your car on the way to work or as an MP3 file to pray with as you walk, run or work out.
We are making the CD available for a suggested donation of $15 which includes shipping and handling. For more information or to order yours today, click here.
God in the Marketplace
I attended a conference in Los Angeles a few weeks ago. While I was there, I went on a bit of a GPS aided tour of some of the early sites of North American Pentecostalism. Our first stop was at Angelus Temple. Angelus Temple was built by Aimee Semple McPherson in the 1920's. It is spectacular. She obviously didn't have any trouble with prosperity, faith and building a beautiful place. The building itself is situated at the edge of a city park and her home (BEAUTIFUL) overlooks the lake there. If you've never seen the church, it has 3 levels and seats over 4000 people. The seats in the upper balcony are still the original wooden ones.
After we left, we crossed 'Bonnie Bray' street. (I knew something had happened there, but couldn't remember why until later.) William Seymour had a room in a boarding house at 214 Bonnie Bray. He also preached from that location until they moved to Azusa St. Azusa itself is nothing more than alley.
It appears that the site of the old mission is now part of the UCLA Japanese extension campus. (Education) There is a sign marking 'the spot' and it was kind of disappointing until I began to look around. It's fascinating to me that LA's tallest skyscrapers (industry and commerce) are across the block. City Hall, (Government) the police station and the Law Courts are down the block. (Justice) The LA Times (media) is between the courts and skyscrapers. Just past the Times you'll find the theatre and arts district.
As I stood there, I couldn't help but reflect on how the outpouring of the Spirit happened in the heart of the marketplace and I began to realize that it was all part of God's plan to parallel what happened in Jerusalem at Pentecost. They left the upper room and went to the streets and proclaimed the gospel in a spirit inspired language that was understood by the people.
This captures my imagination as I ponder it because suddenly 'spirit inspired language' takes on a whole new dimension that allows us the opportunity to declare the mysteries of God to the key pillars of our society and culture in language they understand. We need to research, study and observe but at the same time, we need to understand that without the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in the midst of it, we will fall terribly short of what we are aiming for.
What's remarkable to me is that as I read the history of the church during that period, their impact on their culture was profound. Thousands were added to the church because they heard a message that touched their lives. The result was a spiritual and social transformation that literally affected an entire empire.
Is it unreasonable to believe that God could use us to accomplish that same sort of change in the lives of key leaders and influencers in our world? From a natural perspective, the response could only be 'it's impossible' for list of reasons that are long and impressive. At the same time, those who went into the streets had experienced something powerful that gave them unprecedented confidence and courage as they engaged the people they encountered.
God hasn't turned His back on the marketplace. In fact, I'm convinced that God has begun something so profound and incredible in the marketplace of our day that it will be completely and utterly transformed on every level. He's just looking for people who are ready to go for it in ways that may seem a bit unusual but in the end accomplish His eternal plan.
After we left, we crossed 'Bonnie Bray' street. (I knew something had happened there, but couldn't remember why until later.) William Seymour had a room in a boarding house at 214 Bonnie Bray. He also preached from that location until they moved to Azusa St. Azusa itself is nothing more than alley.
It appears that the site of the old mission is now part of the UCLA Japanese extension campus. (Education) There is a sign marking 'the spot' and it was kind of disappointing until I began to look around. It's fascinating to me that LA's tallest skyscrapers (industry and commerce) are across the block. City Hall, (Government) the police station and the Law Courts are down the block. (Justice) The LA Times (media) is between the courts and skyscrapers. Just past the Times you'll find the theatre and arts district.
As I stood there, I couldn't help but reflect on how the outpouring of the Spirit happened in the heart of the marketplace and I began to realize that it was all part of God's plan to parallel what happened in Jerusalem at Pentecost. They left the upper room and went to the streets and proclaimed the gospel in a spirit inspired language that was understood by the people.
This captures my imagination as I ponder it because suddenly 'spirit inspired language' takes on a whole new dimension that allows us the opportunity to declare the mysteries of God to the key pillars of our society and culture in language they understand. We need to research, study and observe but at the same time, we need to understand that without the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in the midst of it, we will fall terribly short of what we are aiming for.
What's remarkable to me is that as I read the history of the church during that period, their impact on their culture was profound. Thousands were added to the church because they heard a message that touched their lives. The result was a spiritual and social transformation that literally affected an entire empire.
Is it unreasonable to believe that God could use us to accomplish that same sort of change in the lives of key leaders and influencers in our world? From a natural perspective, the response could only be 'it's impossible' for list of reasons that are long and impressive. At the same time, those who went into the streets had experienced something powerful that gave them unprecedented confidence and courage as they engaged the people they encountered.
God hasn't turned His back on the marketplace. In fact, I'm convinced that God has begun something so profound and incredible in the marketplace of our day that it will be completely and utterly transformed on every level. He's just looking for people who are ready to go for it in ways that may seem a bit unusual but in the end accomplish His eternal plan.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Dedication Celebration
After weeks of planning and preparing, we celebrated the dedication and one year anniversary of Leading Influence Ministries on January 24th. We had a great response from our partners and friends here in Victoria and a few guests from out of town. It was an exciting and very moving evening. Here are some pictures and commentary from the evening.
Barb Schindel and Kevin Smith leading worship. It was incredible to sing some of the old hymns in such a beautiful venue. Barb shines as a worship leader at any time but was even better than usual on this night. Kevin led "Amazing Grace" during the offeratory and it was fantastic.
Arne Bryan is a legend. He founded Prayer Canada over 35 years ago and is a pioneer in the area of inspiring the church to pray for government. He has prayed with provincial premiers from across the country as well as countless mayors. Our ministry growth and success thus far has come largely because of the vision and ministry of Prayer Canada. We are grateful to Arne for his support, partnership and constant encouragement.
Barb Schindel and Kevin Smith leading worship. It was incredible to sing some of the old hymns in such a beautiful venue. Barb shines as a worship leader at any time but was even better than usual on this night. Kevin led "Amazing Grace" during the offeratory and it was fantastic.
Arne Bryan, Prayer Canada (left) Dave Hauser (LIM Board Secretary) (right)
Arne Bryan is a legend. He founded Prayer Canada over 35 years ago and is a pioneer in the area of inspiring the church to pray for government. He has prayed with provincial premiers from across the country as well as countless mayors. Our ministry growth and success thus far has come largely because of the vision and ministry of Prayer Canada. We are grateful to Arne for his support, partnership and constant encouragement.
Rob Parker is the Director of the National House of Prayer. The NHOP facilitates a 24/7 prayer meeting for the government of Canada. While Parlaiment is in session they ensure that there are people praying in the public galleries that the Lord's will is done on behalf of our nation in the decisions that are made. He travels nationally and internationally supporting and encouraging those who are called to stand in the gap on behalf of the leaders of our nations. It was an honor to have Rob with us for this event as his schedule is extremely hectic. He brought a powerful word of encouragement for us and graciously shared his time with us over the two days that he was with us.
Here are some close up family shots that were taken during the prayer of dedication. Barb is in the centre and has been brave, courageous and bold through this ministry transition. She's also been a constant source of encouragement and blessing. Brittany is our daughter. As Arne prayed over us that night, he singled her out as representing the generations that will follow. She has made some huge adjustments during the past year and has done remarkably well. We are very proud of her.
This shot was taken during Arne's prayer over us. Arne reminds me of Caleb in the Old Testament. He is focused on what God has called him to do is determined to fulfill it. It was an honor to have him pray over us as we dedicated ourselves and the ministry to the Lord's purposes.
This is a gift that was given to us by Rob Parker on behalf of the NHOP. It's a print of a painting done by Steve Stanczyk titled "For God and Country". Donna Pechie (on the left) coordinates the Prayer component of the ministry and also serves on our ministry board. The event would not have happened without Donna's leadership and involvement.
Here's a picture of our desert tables and Jordan Pechie who was the official cake cutter for the evening. We had a great party with perfectly cut pieces of cheese cake. Thanks for your excellent ! work Jordan!
Some candid shots with friends and partners.
This was an exciting and rewarding day that marked an important step in our journey. While we've made some great progress, I remain humbled at the size of the task that is before us. Unless the Lord goes with us, it will be impossible to fulfill what He has put in my heart. But with God, all things are possible and so we carry on, believing that He is able and will continue to open doors and go before us every step of the way. Thanks for believing, praying and standing with us!
Friday, January 25, 2008
Dedication Celebration
Last night we celebrated the dedication/1 year anniversary of the ministry. I'm hoping to have some pictures available over the next day or so, but it was a spectacular night. We had a great response from our friends and partners on a local level and had guests join us from as far away as Ottawa, Seattle and the BC Interior.
We made an exciting anouncement regarding a new resource that we've just released to enhance the prayer ministry. Watch for more details by early next week.
Events like this remind me of the bigness of what God has called us to do, the importance of people who make the vision a reality and the love of people closest to us who serve, work and give so that serving and reaching the leaders of our province and nation can happen.
Today, we are off to MissionFest in Vancouver for a few days. I've never been there, but am looking forward to it. I'm sharing booth space with our friends at Prayer Canada so if you're around, stop by and say hello.
We made an exciting anouncement regarding a new resource that we've just released to enhance the prayer ministry. Watch for more details by early next week.
Events like this remind me of the bigness of what God has called us to do, the importance of people who make the vision a reality and the love of people closest to us who serve, work and give so that serving and reaching the leaders of our province and nation can happen.
Today, we are off to MissionFest in Vancouver for a few days. I've never been there, but am looking forward to it. I'm sharing booth space with our friends at Prayer Canada so if you're around, stop by and say hello.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
My trip to LA...
I'm in LA at a conference for a few days. I visited some of the historical sites of North American Pentecostal History yesterday. I went to Angelus Temple and toured the building that Aimee Semple McPhereson built in the early 20's. It is spectacular. She obviously didn't have any trouble with prosperity, faith and building a beautiful place. The building itself is situated at the edge of a city park and her home (BEAUTIFUL) overlooks the lake there. If you've never seen the church, it has 3 levels and seats over 4000 people. The seats in the upper balcony are still the original wooden ones.
After we left, we crossed 'Bonnie Bray' street. (I knew something had happpened there, but couldn't remember why until later.) William Seymour had a room in a boarding house at 214 Bonnie Bray. He also preached from that location until they moved to Azusa St.
Azusa itself is nothing more than alley. It appears that the site of the old mission is now part of the UCLA Japanese extension campus. (Education) There is a sign marking 'the spot' and it was kind of disappointing until I began to look around. It's fascinating to me that LA's tallest skyscrapers (industry and commerce) are across the block. City Hall, (Government) the police station (where they took OJ after his arrest) and the Law Courts are all down the block. (Justice) The LA Times (media) is between the courts and skyscrapers. Just past the Times you'll find the theatre and arts district. As I stood there, I couldn't help but reflect on how the outpouring of the Spirit happened in the heart of the marketplace and I began to realize that it was all part of God's plan to parallel what happened in Jerusalem at Pentecost. They left the upper room and went to the streets and proclaimed the gospel in a spirit inspired language that was understood by the people.
This captures my imagination as I ponder it because suddenly 'spirit inspired language' takes on a whole new dimension that allows us the opportunity to declare the mysteries of God to the key pillars of our society and culture in language they understand. We need to research, study and observe but at the same time, we need to understand that without the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in the midst of it, we will fall terribly short of what we are aiming for.
After we left, we crossed 'Bonnie Bray' street. (I knew something had happpened there, but couldn't remember why until later.) William Seymour had a room in a boarding house at 214 Bonnie Bray. He also preached from that location until they moved to Azusa St.
Azusa itself is nothing more than alley. It appears that the site of the old mission is now part of the UCLA Japanese extension campus. (Education) There is a sign marking 'the spot' and it was kind of disappointing until I began to look around. It's fascinating to me that LA's tallest skyscrapers (industry and commerce) are across the block. City Hall, (Government) the police station (where they took OJ after his arrest) and the Law Courts are all down the block. (Justice) The LA Times (media) is between the courts and skyscrapers. Just past the Times you'll find the theatre and arts district. As I stood there, I couldn't help but reflect on how the outpouring of the Spirit happened in the heart of the marketplace and I began to realize that it was all part of God's plan to parallel what happened in Jerusalem at Pentecost. They left the upper room and went to the streets and proclaimed the gospel in a spirit inspired language that was understood by the people.
This captures my imagination as I ponder it because suddenly 'spirit inspired language' takes on a whole new dimension that allows us the opportunity to declare the mysteries of God to the key pillars of our society and culture in language they understand. We need to research, study and observe but at the same time, we need to understand that without the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in the midst of it, we will fall terribly short of what we are aiming for.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Cyclists, Pedestrians and Traffic in Victoria
I've been thinking about this for the past week or so and the longer I wait the more material I get for this post. Victoria is certainly the most pedestrian/cyclist friendly city I've ever lived in. There are bike lanes that are well marked and they are well used. Because tourism is such a large industry, pedestrian crosswalks are plentiful and you don't always have to walk to a corner to use one. Most have overhead lights to ensure people can cross safely and some have traffic islands with flashing lights at a 4 foot level to ensure pedestrians aren't at risk as they cross the street.
While all of this is very good, it's also created a false sense of invincibility for pedestrians and cyclists alike. Here's what I mean. About 6 weeks ago I was driving the kids to school on a rainy and foggy morning. As I'm going down the street a pedestrian wearing a long grey jacket steps out from between two cars in the pouring rain and fog and proceeds to step out in front of me. To complete his ensemble, he's also using an ipod as evidenced by the telltale white earbuds he was wearing. I wavered between swerving and accelerating to miss him vs. putting the car into a 4 wheel skid and sliding into him. There was no time to lay on the horn, not that it would have mattered as the music he was listening to would have drowned out any warning that my horn might have given him.
On Friday afternoon, I watched another pedestrian literally run out into the crosswalk and successfully stop traffic so that she could take a picture looking up Douglas Street. Hello??? Does anyone stop to think that crosswalks are for crossing and not for photoshoots? On Saturday afternoon, I watched a guy cross in the crosswalk while traffic had a green light and proceed to gesture profanely at the driver in front of me who blew his horn and didn't stop because he actually had the right of way.
On Saturday night (at the same location) another young lady chose to create her crosswalk 30 feet from the marked one. This isn't hard people. If you want to jay walk, (not that I am endorsing this...) do it within the flow of traffic so that you aren't creating a problem for drivers. Don't just step out and assume that traffic will part like the Red Sea just because you are there.
This behaviour could only be trumped by the cyclist on Friday morning who chose to swerve out of her lane (without signalling) because her lane was blocked. This may be rocket science to cyclists but the general rule of thumb is that making way for larger and heavier objects (of which I qualify on several counts....) is generally a wise move in light of the basic laws of physics. The heavier object always does greater damage to the lighter one, but if you don't believe me, keep doing what you are doing and I'm sure you will find learn this lesson the hard way.
Finally, when I learned to drive, a yellow light meant 'slow down and prepare to stop'. There are times when you can't stop safely so it's permissible to proceed through the intersection with caution. Apparently in Victoria, a yellow light means proceed immediately with a left turn regardless of oncoming traffic. Intersections are probably not the place to play "I was here first."
In the grand scheme, 'Welcome to the Jungle' would hardly be the best song to describe traffic in Victoria, but 'Here Come the Clowns' might be.
Anyway, I feel better.... Drive safe, look both way and cross at the corners when the light is green...
While all of this is very good, it's also created a false sense of invincibility for pedestrians and cyclists alike. Here's what I mean. About 6 weeks ago I was driving the kids to school on a rainy and foggy morning. As I'm going down the street a pedestrian wearing a long grey jacket steps out from between two cars in the pouring rain and fog and proceeds to step out in front of me. To complete his ensemble, he's also using an ipod as evidenced by the telltale white earbuds he was wearing. I wavered between swerving and accelerating to miss him vs. putting the car into a 4 wheel skid and sliding into him. There was no time to lay on the horn, not that it would have mattered as the music he was listening to would have drowned out any warning that my horn might have given him.
On Friday afternoon, I watched another pedestrian literally run out into the crosswalk and successfully stop traffic so that she could take a picture looking up Douglas Street. Hello??? Does anyone stop to think that crosswalks are for crossing and not for photoshoots? On Saturday afternoon, I watched a guy cross in the crosswalk while traffic had a green light and proceed to gesture profanely at the driver in front of me who blew his horn and didn't stop because he actually had the right of way.
On Saturday night (at the same location) another young lady chose to create her crosswalk 30 feet from the marked one. This isn't hard people. If you want to jay walk, (not that I am endorsing this...) do it within the flow of traffic so that you aren't creating a problem for drivers. Don't just step out and assume that traffic will part like the Red Sea just because you are there.
This behaviour could only be trumped by the cyclist on Friday morning who chose to swerve out of her lane (without signalling) because her lane was blocked. This may be rocket science to cyclists but the general rule of thumb is that making way for larger and heavier objects (of which I qualify on several counts....) is generally a wise move in light of the basic laws of physics. The heavier object always does greater damage to the lighter one, but if you don't believe me, keep doing what you are doing and I'm sure you will find learn this lesson the hard way.
Finally, when I learned to drive, a yellow light meant 'slow down and prepare to stop'. There are times when you can't stop safely so it's permissible to proceed through the intersection with caution. Apparently in Victoria, a yellow light means proceed immediately with a left turn regardless of oncoming traffic. Intersections are probably not the place to play "I was here first."
In the grand scheme, 'Welcome to the Jungle' would hardly be the best song to describe traffic in Victoria, but 'Here Come the Clowns' might be.
Anyway, I feel better.... Drive safe, look both way and cross at the corners when the light is green...
Thursday, January 10, 2008
We Win!
One of the holiday traditions at our house is watching the World Junior Hockey Championships. When Canada is on the ice, not much else happens except for the cheering, groaning and ‘hi-five’s’ when Canada scores. During the gold medal game, the celebration includes dancing by our youngest son. (This is probably THE highlight of the game for us.)
There are times that we’ve watched re-broadcasts of the game because we enjoyed the outcome so much. What’s really interesting is that we approach a game we know our team has won with much more confidence than when we don’t know the outcome.
When I read the last few chapters of Revelation I am reminded over and over again that when it’s all said and done, WE WIN!
We win over sickness, we win over death, we win over sin, darkness and evil. We win in spite of the schemes and plans of our enemy.
Revelation reminds me that we win because of our relationship with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Our victory rests on the power of the cross and resurrection.
Revelation also reminds me that we overcome because of His blood AND by the WORD of our testimony. Our testimony of the grace, goodness, blessing, promises and power of God at work in our lives is critical to the fulfillment of His destiny for our lives.
With that in mind, I am approaching 2008 with fresh faith and confidence that the Lord will fulfill His plans for my life, family, our ministry partners and the ministry itself.
I believe that 2008 will be a year of unprecedented opportunity, blessing and growth for the ministry and our partners. My prayer for you this year is that heaven will open over your life, and that you will experience a level of blessing in your body, relationships and finances that will surpass what you are able to contain.
Have an awesome year!
Sunday, January 06, 2008
You might be from Canada if...
If your local Dairy Queen is closed from September through May,you may live in Canada .
If someone in a Home Depot store offers you assistance and they don't work there, you may live in Canada .
If you've worn shorts and a parka at the same time, you may live in Canada
If you've had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number, you may live in Canada
If "Vacation" means going anywhere south of Muncie for the weekend, you may live in Canada .
If you measure distance in hours, you may live in Canada
If you know several people who have hit a deer more than once, you may live in Canada
If you have switched from "heat" to "A/C" in the same day and back again, you may live in Canada
If you can drive 90 kms/hr through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching, you may live in Canada
If you install security lights on your house and garage, but leave both unlocked, you may live in Canada
If you carry jumpers in your car and your wife knows how to use them, you may live in Canada
If you design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit, you may live in Canada
If the speed limit on the highway is 80km -- you're going 90 and everybody is passing you, you may live in Canada
If driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow, you may live in Canada
If you know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter and road construction, you may live in Canada
If you have more miles on your snow blower than your car, you may live in Canada .
If you find 2 degrees "a little chilly", you may live in Canada
If you actually understand these jokes, and forward them to all your Canadian friends & others, you definitely live in Canada
Monday, December 31, 2007
Your Invitation
We are excited to announce the upcoming Dedication/Grand Opening of our office space at 7:00 PM, January 24th at Church of Our Lord, 626 Blanshard St, Victoria, BC. Our keynote speaker for the evening will be Rob Parker from the National House of Prayer. In addition to an exciting evening worship, we will also be sharing some ministry highlights from 2007 as well as our vision for 2008. We will conclude with a time of fellowship in the Community Ministry Centre.
Please come and join us for this very historic event. You can reserve online by clicking here.
Please come and join us for this very historic event. You can reserve online by clicking here.
Filling The Earth
I've mentioned before that we live within a few blocks of the ocean. We've been through a series of significant storms over the past few weeks which has provided some spectacular waves. While it's always fun to watch the waves, I particularly like to watch the waves come in as the tide is rising. There are always large pieces of driftwood that are impossible to move at low tide because of their mass. However, as the tide rises and the waves roll in, those large logs begin to float and are moved to wherever the waves toss them next. What seemed impossible a few hours earlier is now entirely feasibile just because the tide has risen.
I continue to ponder the wonder of these familiar words from Habakkuk 2:14. "For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. " While I am confident that God has been at work in the past, I am approaching 2008 with a fresh expectation that God's heart for our province and nation in 2008 is to accelerate the process of filling the earth with the knowledge of his glory, love, wisdom and presence. Perhaps I feel this way because I see His Spirit at work in the lives of the leaders of our land, or perhaps it is because I see and sense a rising tide of the presence and working of God across our nation.
Perhaps this will be the year that He will have Dominion from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.
I continue to ponder the wonder of these familiar words from Habakkuk 2:14. "For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. " While I am confident that God has been at work in the past, I am approaching 2008 with a fresh expectation that God's heart for our province and nation in 2008 is to accelerate the process of filling the earth with the knowledge of his glory, love, wisdom and presence. Perhaps I feel this way because I see His Spirit at work in the lives of the leaders of our land, or perhaps it is because I see and sense a rising tide of the presence and working of God across our nation.
Perhaps this will be the year that He will have Dominion from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.
Raising the Standard
Canadians for Moral Clarity and the Canadian Prayer Network are inviting local churches across Canada on January 6 & 7 to a National Prayer Initiative:
“Raising the Standard”
The purpose of the National Initiative, “Raising the Standard” is to pray for the raising up of righteous leadership in our government according to Daniel 2:21,22.
Background to “Raising the Standard” Prayer Initiative:
In November 2004 at an Impact Cities-Influence Nations Conference in Montreal, Dr. Cindy Jacobs called national leaders to pray for our government according to Isaiah 22:22 and Daniel 2:21,22. The following day of the conference, after praying that God would expose the “hidden works of darkness”, a leader was removed from the Prime Minister’s cabinet and the following year the scandal in Quebec was brought to light.
In January 2006 before the last national election, 60 different locations from Halifax to Vancouver Island were united to pray for “righteous government”. Believers gathered in local churches and inter-church prayer rallies across the nation from sea to sea. During this intensified 24-hour prayer initiative the polls suddenly changed in Quebec. Weeks after, the elections brought in a minority government. Today on Parliament Hill we believe there are more righteous leaders in government positions because God answered our prayer.
Will you join “Raising the Standard” National Prayer Initiative Sunday, January 6 by including special prayer in your services for the raising up of righteous leaders in our land?
Please understand this is not a prayer initiative to support partisan politics, but to see God raise up a righteous government. Your participation in this prayer initiative is greatly needed to help shape the future of Canada!
If you are able to participate please respond by email to cpn@cpncanada.ca
“Raising the Standard”
The purpose of the National Initiative, “Raising the Standard” is to pray for the raising up of righteous leadership in our government according to Daniel 2:21,22.
Background to “Raising the Standard” Prayer Initiative:
In November 2004 at an Impact Cities-Influence Nations Conference in Montreal, Dr. Cindy Jacobs called national leaders to pray for our government according to Isaiah 22:22 and Daniel 2:21,22. The following day of the conference, after praying that God would expose the “hidden works of darkness”, a leader was removed from the Prime Minister’s cabinet and the following year the scandal in Quebec was brought to light.
In January 2006 before the last national election, 60 different locations from Halifax to Vancouver Island were united to pray for “righteous government”. Believers gathered in local churches and inter-church prayer rallies across the nation from sea to sea. During this intensified 24-hour prayer initiative the polls suddenly changed in Quebec. Weeks after, the elections brought in a minority government. Today on Parliament Hill we believe there are more righteous leaders in government positions because God answered our prayer.
Will you join “Raising the Standard” National Prayer Initiative Sunday, January 6 by including special prayer in your services for the raising up of righteous leaders in our land?
Please understand this is not a prayer initiative to support partisan politics, but to see God raise up a righteous government. Your participation in this prayer initiative is greatly needed to help shape the future of Canada!
If you are able to participate please respond by email to cpn@cpncanada.ca
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Praying Together
As many of you know, our vision includes the goal of building an army of intercessors who will pray for an MLA on a daily basis. Through the use of our online prayer calendar or a downloaded hard copy of our monthly prayer calendar, we continue to work towards the goal of 10,000 Christians praying for a different MLA every day of the year.
One MLA shared with me that he knows the days that people pray for him because of the way his day goes. That’s just the beginning of the tangible results of touching heaven for those who govern over us. Imagine what will happen when we achieve our goal of 10,000 people!
For those of you in the Victoria area, we will be hosting a bi-weekly prayer meeting at our office starting in January. (We’ll have more information on dates and times early in the new year on our website and in our monthly newsletter.)
For those of you that can’t get to a meeting in Victoria, we are also launching a Conference Call Prayer Meeting that will take place over the telephone. The call is free and your participation is welcomed and encouraged. We are excited about the possibilities that this presents to our many partners outside of Victoria and look forward to the praying together with you in the new year.
One MLA shared with me that he knows the days that people pray for him because of the way his day goes. That’s just the beginning of the tangible results of touching heaven for those who govern over us. Imagine what will happen when we achieve our goal of 10,000 people!
For those of you in the Victoria area, we will be hosting a bi-weekly prayer meeting at our office starting in January. (We’ll have more information on dates and times early in the new year on our website and in our monthly newsletter.)
For those of you that can’t get to a meeting in Victoria, we are also launching a Conference Call Prayer Meeting that will take place over the telephone. The call is free and your participation is welcomed and encouraged. We are excited about the possibilities that this presents to our many partners outside of Victoria and look forward to the praying together with you in the new year.
2007 - A Year of Surprises
What a difference a year makes! A year ago we were in Kamloops thinking about Victoria. Today we are in Victoria remembering Kamloops. The last 12 months have been marked with change, divine surprises and miracles. Here’s what I mean…. (The links take you to specific posts about the event. Click anyone that you'd like.)
When I arrived at the Legislature on Feb 13 for the Speech from the Throne, I had no idea that the Lord had established a divine appointment to open the Session in prayer.
When the vision of a Prayer Breakfast for MLA’s came to mind, it was more of ‘I wonder if…” . When 9 MLA’s and 35 pastors joined us for the morning, we knew God was up to something.
When we were asked to pray regarding the threat of an impending flood in the Fraser Valley, we only knew that God was able. We saw the projected flood water stay within its banks as we prayed it would.
When I needed office space, the Lord led us to the perfect spot in all of Victoria. It is a five minute walk from the Legislature, and is located in the oldest church in Victoria. There isn’t a better spot in the entire city.
When we were invited to lead a prayer chapel service for MLA’s who are facing health challenges, we had no idea what to expect, but God did. 30 people met together to pray for their peers and colleagues. It was a moving and inspiring morning.
When the idea of providing ‘Amazing Grace’ DVD’s as a Christmas Gift to every MLA in BC was presented, we took the step of faith and within a few weeks had more than enough to completely cover the cost of purchase and distribution.
When it was time to buy a house, the Lord directed us to a home with plenty of room, a yard and near good schools for our children. That's 7 MIRACLES this year.
In this season of Celebration, we are reminded that ‘every good and perfect gift’ comes from our Father in heaven. I am deeply grateful for the surprises of this past year. I am even more grateful for the perfect gift of His Son. Apart from Him we can do nothing. Glory to God in the highest.
Have a wonderful Christmas.
When I arrived at the Legislature on Feb 13 for the Speech from the Throne, I had no idea that the Lord had established a divine appointment to open the Session in prayer.
When the vision of a Prayer Breakfast for MLA’s came to mind, it was more of ‘I wonder if…” . When 9 MLA’s and 35 pastors joined us for the morning, we knew God was up to something.
When we were asked to pray regarding the threat of an impending flood in the Fraser Valley, we only knew that God was able. We saw the projected flood water stay within its banks as we prayed it would.
When I needed office space, the Lord led us to the perfect spot in all of Victoria. It is a five minute walk from the Legislature, and is located in the oldest church in Victoria. There isn’t a better spot in the entire city.
When we were invited to lead a prayer chapel service for MLA’s who are facing health challenges, we had no idea what to expect, but God did. 30 people met together to pray for their peers and colleagues. It was a moving and inspiring morning.
When the idea of providing ‘Amazing Grace’ DVD’s as a Christmas Gift to every MLA in BC was presented, we took the step of faith and within a few weeks had more than enough to completely cover the cost of purchase and distribution.
When it was time to buy a house, the Lord directed us to a home with plenty of room, a yard and near good schools for our children. That's 7 MIRACLES this year.
In this season of Celebration, we are reminded that ‘every good and perfect gift’ comes from our Father in heaven. I am deeply grateful for the surprises of this past year. I am even more grateful for the perfect gift of His Son. Apart from Him we can do nothing. Glory to God in the highest.
Have a wonderful Christmas.
Saturday, December 08, 2007
Finding the Key
Almost a year before we moved here, we were given a promise that the Lord already had the key for a house for us in Victoria. The challenge for us was to find the key. We looked everywhere. What we found was either overpriced, too small, wrong neighborhood or needing more work than what we could handle.
And then... we found an open house that looked interesting. It wasn't what we would have normally considered, but the layout, space, yard, location and neighborhood were perfect for us. So, we put in an offer that was accepted, have arranged our financing and are looking forward to living in our own place again. It has 4 bedrooms a family room/den, a private teaching area for Barb. (I may never hear another piano lesson again...) It has room for a garage, a fenced yard, sunny patio, 2 4 piece baths, STORAGE, attic access with those cool drop down stairs. (Zack says he wants to have 'his space' up there.) It will certainly add to the 'hide and seek' options...
Here are some pictures for you.
From the street
The view from front door looking out toward the yard
The Kitchen
(the yellow paint is going and will be replaced with something warmer)
The Living Room and Dining Room. The DR is where the fireplace is. The patio doors open up onto several large decks.
We are so excited about what the Lord has done for us and look forward to taking possession and making it our our home in the new year. The house is near the church where I was formerly on staff. We have many friends there and look forward to being able to be more involved now that there is some permanence about our where we will be living. An added bonus is that Tyler will have the option of attending a brand new school (with sports teams...) that is about 3 blocks from our house. Zack and Britt will finish the year where they are. Because of the way High School is structured, Brittany will be the only person in our family to start High School 3 times!
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
We Made It!
I'm thrilled to report that based on donations in hand and a few 'the cheque is in the mail' promises, we have been able to purchase the Amazing Grace DVD's. I ordered them yesterday and should have them by Friday. We will distribute them next week.
The owner of the Christian Book store here just grinned at me when I walked in the door yesterday to place the order. He's been a real help to us and I'm very appreciative.
On another note, I was in Kamloops for the weekend and just want to acknowledge Pastor Darrell Helquist and Full Gospel Tabernacle. In addition to allowing me to preach, the church was very generous towards the ministry. I was blessed to be there.
This week, I'm at Victoria Chinese Pentecostal Church. I'm really looking forward to it.
The owner of the Christian Book store here just grinned at me when I walked in the door yesterday to place the order. He's been a real help to us and I'm very appreciative.
On another note, I was in Kamloops for the weekend and just want to acknowledge Pastor Darrell Helquist and Full Gospel Tabernacle. In addition to allowing me to preach, the church was very generous towards the ministry. I was blessed to be there.
This week, I'm at Victoria Chinese Pentecostal Church. I'm really looking forward to it.
Monday, November 26, 2007
The Sounds of Sunday
As I was walking home from church on Sunday afternoon, I couldn't help but enjoy the sounds that I was hearing. The sunshine was the icing on the cake and just added to the entire experience.
I preached at Church of Our Lord yesterday. This is the church where my office is located so it was kind of like preaching at home, even though we've never been there on a Sunday before. Their early service is contemporary and has a coffee house feel to it. The band (The World's Most Dangerous Worship Band) was fantastic and I really enjoyed worshiping with them. Their second service is very liturgical and formal, complete with pipe organ and choir. I've never been a part of a service like that, but I found it rich and satisfying. The sound of an actual pipe organ, combined with the beauty of the stained glass and the majestic singing was very inspiring and pointed me towards heaven. I preached in an elevated pulpit which was also something new for me. It was certainly different than my usual roaming and chatting style, but it was amazing to preach from a pulpit that was 130 years old. I actually sat in 'The Douglas Pew' that was donated and used by Sir James Douglas until his death. James Douglas was the first Governor of the colony of Vancouver Island.
As I walked home, I heard the Carillon begin to play. I didn't recognize the melody, but it was beautiful. As the song finished, a bagpiper began to play the refrain of Amazing Grace. As I rounded the corner of the Legislature, the bagpipes faded from hearing and I overheard a couple discussing whether or not you had to pay for parking. The gentleman was telling the woman that 'It's the Lord's Day and they don't make you pay on the Lord's day.' I'm not sure when I last heard someone say 'The Lord's Day', but I gave thanks that you don't have to pay to park on His day.
After lunch we watched the Grey Cup. The room was full of sound. Mostly cheers and groans as we cheered the Roughriders on to victory. (I realize I should be a Lions fan, but forsaking the Riders would just be wrong. For the record, I am a long suffering fan and I do want emphasize suffering, even though they won it all this year!)
I preached last night at the Victoria Miracle Centre. I had a great time and was reminded that you can't limit God to a particular model of ministry. He was there, live and in person! And it was very good.
The sounds of Sunday were rich and rewarding. I'm glad I heard them and was able to enjoy it.
I preached at Church of Our Lord yesterday. This is the church where my office is located so it was kind of like preaching at home, even though we've never been there on a Sunday before. Their early service is contemporary and has a coffee house feel to it. The band (The World's Most Dangerous Worship Band) was fantastic and I really enjoyed worshiping with them. Their second service is very liturgical and formal, complete with pipe organ and choir. I've never been a part of a service like that, but I found it rich and satisfying. The sound of an actual pipe organ, combined with the beauty of the stained glass and the majestic singing was very inspiring and pointed me towards heaven. I preached in an elevated pulpit which was also something new for me. It was certainly different than my usual roaming and chatting style, but it was amazing to preach from a pulpit that was 130 years old. I actually sat in 'The Douglas Pew' that was donated and used by Sir James Douglas until his death. James Douglas was the first Governor of the colony of Vancouver Island.
As I walked home, I heard the Carillon begin to play. I didn't recognize the melody, but it was beautiful. As the song finished, a bagpiper began to play the refrain of Amazing Grace. As I rounded the corner of the Legislature, the bagpipes faded from hearing and I overheard a couple discussing whether or not you had to pay for parking. The gentleman was telling the woman that 'It's the Lord's Day and they don't make you pay on the Lord's day.' I'm not sure when I last heard someone say 'The Lord's Day', but I gave thanks that you don't have to pay to park on His day.
After lunch we watched the Grey Cup. The room was full of sound. Mostly cheers and groans as we cheered the Roughriders on to victory. (I realize I should be a Lions fan, but forsaking the Riders would just be wrong. For the record, I am a long suffering fan and I do want emphasize suffering, even though they won it all this year!)
I preached last night at the Victoria Miracle Centre. I had a great time and was reminded that you can't limit God to a particular model of ministry. He was there, live and in person! And it was very good.
The sounds of Sunday were rich and rewarding. I'm glad I heard them and was able to enjoy it.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
DVD Project Update
Hi Everyone - We are making great progress on our DVD project. We need $2000 to make it happen and we currently have $900 in hand with approximately $500 pledged for early next week. This is amazing to me, but also speaks volumes about your belief in what we are doing. If you are wondering what's going on, see the comments from my last post.
We need to see the balance for the project come in ASAP so that we can place our order and distribute the DVD's without the additional cost of mailing them. If you'd like to be a participate, a DVD costs approximately $25. You can give by going to http://www.leadinginfluence.com/Donate.html
Thanks again.
We need to see the balance for the project come in ASAP so that we can place our order and distribute the DVD's without the additional cost of mailing them. If you'd like to be a participate, a DVD costs approximately $25. You can give by going to http://www.leadinginfluence.com/Donate.html
Thanks again.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Chapel Report
"To him who is able to do immeasurably more than all you are able to ask or think or imagine..."
I would not have dared to imagine that God would have done something as big and amazing as what He did this morning. At 9:00 AM 30 MLA's and support staff gathered to pray for their peers who are sick and facing enormous medical challenges. One important committee recessed so that the members could participate in this very important time.
I chose to focus on the theme of God's grace for the morning. While we often think of God's grace as being available to help us in our time of need, His grace is also given to empower us to fulfill what He has put in our hearts to do.
I wasn't sure what to expect when we provided an opportunity for people to pray publicly for their peers. It was silent for a moment and then they began to pray. It was exciting to listen to them. One huge lesson is that in spite of political differences, these people really care about each other.
While it's often said, we literally felt the prayers of hundreds of people across the country. Men's, women's, student and special prayer groups lifted us before our Father in Heaven and the result was tangible. I'm told that the conference call was exciting as people prayed collectively and used technology in a very exciting way.
This has been an exhilarting experience and only the beginning of what God has in store for our province and our nation. Thanks for praying and standing with us.
There was a genuine sense of God's presence with us today and we felt the prayers of people across the country. I'll write something more later, but I wanted to get this out to you ASAP.
I would not have dared to imagine that God would have done something as big and amazing as what He did this morning. At 9:00 AM 30 MLA's and support staff gathered to pray for their peers who are sick and facing enormous medical challenges. One important committee recessed so that the members could participate in this very important time.
I chose to focus on the theme of God's grace for the morning. While we often think of God's grace as being available to help us in our time of need, His grace is also given to empower us to fulfill what He has put in our hearts to do.
I wasn't sure what to expect when we provided an opportunity for people to pray publicly for their peers. It was silent for a moment and then they began to pray. It was exciting to listen to them. One huge lesson is that in spite of political differences, these people really care about each other.
While it's often said, we literally felt the prayers of hundreds of people across the country. Men's, women's, student and special prayer groups lifted us before our Father in Heaven and the result was tangible. I'm told that the conference call was exciting as people prayed collectively and used technology in a very exciting way.
This has been an exhilarting experience and only the beginning of what God has in store for our province and our nation. Thanks for praying and standing with us.
There was a genuine sense of God's presence with us today and we felt the prayers of people across the country. I'll write something more later, but I wanted to get this out to you ASAP.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Labor Day in November!
There's a great prairie tradition. It's called the Labor Day Classic and if you've ever lived in Saskatchewan, you'll know what I'm talking about. The LDC happens on the Sunday of the Labor Day weekend when the Winnipeg Blue Bombers visit the Saskatchewan Roughriders. The game is always sold out and is the biggest game of the year in SK. Until this year... because in 2007, Labor Day comes in November in Toronto!
I love the idea that Winnipeg and Saskatchewan are in the Grey Cup. I doubt that it's ever happened before but it will feature one of the best rivalries in the league. It might not be so good for the CFL in terms of a TV audience, but I'm guessing that hundreds of farmers sold a steer or a truckload of something today and started driving east for the big game. It's entirely possible that Saskatchewan's 5th largest city will be at the SkyDome this weekend.
I realize that there are probably more important things to write about today but... THE RIDERS ARE GOING TO THE GREY CUP!! This means nothing to most people in BC or other places, especially since the Lions aren't going, but let me put this in context for you.
Through an act of kindness about 30 years ago a cousin took me to my first CFL football game. It was at Taylor Field in Regina. I saw the Saskatchewan Roughriders play the Calgary Stampeders. Something happened to me that day. I became (for better or worse) a Rider fan. This has been a long and tearfilled journey. Like most fans, I hoped, believed and was then disappointed. My father in law said that Rider football and farming have a lot in common, they both leave you wanting something more. I'd have to agree.
Yesterday, we did something that I always thought would be fun. We went to the CFL Western Final and as it would happen, Saskatchewan was playing BC. Zack and Tyler (our sons) came along with us. They are Lions fans (being born in BC and all...) I went to the game hoping but fearful. Once I got inside I decided to throw caution to the wind and go for it, regardless of what happened. My decision was quickly rewarded after an early touchdown by Saskatchewan and a sputtering BC offence that couldn't get it going. I was nearly delerious at half time with the Riders still in the lead. Barb and I were smiling and high fiving. The boys were... patient but still holding on to the dream of a Lions win.
As the clock started to wind down in the 4th quarter it was pretty clear that there would be no miracle in BC Place for the Lions. While about 40,000 fans left early, we celebrated a SK win! What's most remarkable is that Tyler somehow became an SK fan (bandwagon only I'm sure...)
Zack says he'll be cheering for Winnipeg. I'm not sure why anyone would cheer for Winnipeg...
I love the idea that Winnipeg and Saskatchewan are in the Grey Cup. I doubt that it's ever happened before but it will feature one of the best rivalries in the league. It might not be so good for the CFL in terms of a TV audience, but I'm guessing that hundreds of farmers sold a steer or a truckload of something today and started driving east for the big game. It's entirely possible that Saskatchewan's 5th largest city will be at the SkyDome this weekend.
I realize that there are probably more important things to write about today but... THE RIDERS ARE GOING TO THE GREY CUP!! This means nothing to most people in BC or other places, especially since the Lions aren't going, but let me put this in context for you.
Through an act of kindness about 30 years ago a cousin took me to my first CFL football game. It was at Taylor Field in Regina. I saw the Saskatchewan Roughriders play the Calgary Stampeders. Something happened to me that day. I became (for better or worse) a Rider fan. This has been a long and tearfilled journey. Like most fans, I hoped, believed and was then disappointed. My father in law said that Rider football and farming have a lot in common, they both leave you wanting something more. I'd have to agree.
Yesterday, we did something that I always thought would be fun. We went to the CFL Western Final and as it would happen, Saskatchewan was playing BC. Zack and Tyler (our sons) came along with us. They are Lions fans (being born in BC and all...) I went to the game hoping but fearful. Once I got inside I decided to throw caution to the wind and go for it, regardless of what happened. My decision was quickly rewarded after an early touchdown by Saskatchewan and a sputtering BC offence that couldn't get it going. I was nearly delerious at half time with the Riders still in the lead. Barb and I were smiling and high fiving. The boys were... patient but still holding on to the dream of a Lions win.
As the clock started to wind down in the 4th quarter it was pretty clear that there would be no miracle in BC Place for the Lions. While about 40,000 fans left early, we celebrated a SK win! What's most remarkable is that Tyler somehow became an SK fan (bandwagon only I'm sure...)
Zack says he'll be cheering for Winnipeg. I'm not sure why anyone would cheer for Winnipeg...
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
When God's People Pray
Twelve people from across Victoria met at our office space to pray for the ministry and the upcoming Chapel service at the Legislature. While we know there are many people who pray for us across the province (and across the country), it was exciting to spend a morning with some who have prayed for me and what God has called us to do for a long time. If this group is any indication, we have an awesome team of people who know how to reach heaven.
There's something fascinating that happens when you align yourself with God's heart and Word. Simpy put, heaven comes down. I've been blessed to be in some great prayer meetings, but this was simply amazing. It was tremendously humbling to hear them pray for Barb and I as we serve God in this very unique area of ministry. It was absolutely thrilling to hear them pray for our MLA's and to know that God was hearing and responding. We prayed for wisdom. We prayed for miracles. We prayed for God's blessing on their lives, just like the bible says we should.
When we prayed for the chapel service, we prayed for something more than just a feel good service. We want people to feel good, but we really want them to experience God at work in their lives because they were there.
I can't wait to see how this will turn out, and I can't wait to tell you...
There's something fascinating that happens when you align yourself with God's heart and Word. Simpy put, heaven comes down. I've been blessed to be in some great prayer meetings, but this was simply amazing. It was tremendously humbling to hear them pray for Barb and I as we serve God in this very unique area of ministry. It was absolutely thrilling to hear them pray for our MLA's and to know that God was hearing and responding. We prayed for wisdom. We prayed for miracles. We prayed for God's blessing on their lives, just like the bible says we should.
"Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, and for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence." 1 Tim 2:1,2 NKJV
When we prayed for the chapel service, we prayed for something more than just a feel good service. We want people to feel good, but we really want them to experience God at work in their lives because they were there.
I can't wait to see how this will turn out, and I can't wait to tell you...
Thursday, November 08, 2007
What do you do when it doesn't rain
Rain, or at least the lack of it won't be a problem here in Victoria over the next few days, but that's a lot different Atlanta. This is from the Yahoo News site.
What to do when the rain won't come? If you're Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue, you pray.
The governor will host a prayer service next week to ask for relief from the drought gripping the Southeast.
"The only solution is rain, and the only place we get that is from a higher power," Perdue spokesman Bert Brantley said on Wednesday. Perdue's office has sent out invitations to leaders from several faiths for the service, set for Tuesday.
Perdue has several times mentioned the need for prayer — along with water conservation — as the state's drought crisis has worsened. Over the summer, he participated in day of prayer for agriculture at a gathering of the Georgia Farm Bureau in Macon, Ga.
Perdue, a Baptist, has enjoyed strong support from Georgia's Christian conservatives.
The Southeast has been suffering from an intense drought in recent months that has threatened supplies of drinking water. Georgia has been locked in a battle with Alabama and Florida over how much water should be sent downstream from the state's dwindling reservoirs.
Governors from the three states reached a temporary agreement after meeting with Bush administration officials in Washington.
The prayer service will be held outside the state Capitol on Tuesday. Unless, of course, it rains.
"Then we'll move it inside, thankfully," Brantley said.
What to do when the rain won't come? If you're Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue, you pray.
The governor will host a prayer service next week to ask for relief from the drought gripping the Southeast.
"The only solution is rain, and the only place we get that is from a higher power," Perdue spokesman Bert Brantley said on Wednesday. Perdue's office has sent out invitations to leaders from several faiths for the service, set for Tuesday.
Perdue has several times mentioned the need for prayer — along with water conservation — as the state's drought crisis has worsened. Over the summer, he participated in day of prayer for agriculture at a gathering of the Georgia Farm Bureau in Macon, Ga.
Perdue, a Baptist, has enjoyed strong support from Georgia's Christian conservatives.
The Southeast has been suffering from an intense drought in recent months that has threatened supplies of drinking water. Georgia has been locked in a battle with Alabama and Florida over how much water should be sent downstream from the state's dwindling reservoirs.
Governors from the three states reached a temporary agreement after meeting with Bush administration officials in Washington.
The prayer service will be held outside the state Capitol on Tuesday. Unless, of course, it rains.
"Then we'll move it inside, thankfully," Brantley said.
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
Another one of THOSE days...
Monday was a fantastic day! Barb and I were hosting the ID School of Ministry class from Bible Truth Church in Kamloops and I spent the morning sharing and teaching a course for them. After lunch we went to the Legislature for Question Period. While there, I made contact (via waving and hand signals) with an MLA. (He was doing the waving, I was just nodding as I grasped what he was saying.)
After the session we went to his office where he told me that he had some work for me. There are currently 4 MLA's encountering significant health challenges and he felt that a prayer meeting would be in order. As a result we scheduled a chapel service to meet together with his colleagues to pray for their peers.
As you might appreciate, I am thrilled about this development as it is what I have been waiting for. Although I am concerned for the MLA's who are encountering sickness and health challenges, I am convinced that God wants to do something spectacular for them as well as for those who care about them. The next few days will be busy making arrangements and plans for that time together.
I'll be sending specifics as to how you can participate via our email list. If you would like to be a part of that group, please use the link to the right to be added to our list.
After the session we went to his office where he told me that he had some work for me. There are currently 4 MLA's encountering significant health challenges and he felt that a prayer meeting would be in order. As a result we scheduled a chapel service to meet together with his colleagues to pray for their peers.
As you might appreciate, I am thrilled about this development as it is what I have been waiting for. Although I am concerned for the MLA's who are encountering sickness and health challenges, I am convinced that God wants to do something spectacular for them as well as for those who care about them. The next few days will be busy making arrangements and plans for that time together.
I'll be sending specifics as to how you can participate via our email list. If you would like to be a part of that group, please use the link to the right to be added to our list.
Saturday, November 03, 2007
A Pittance of Time
In honor of Remembrance Day. Buy a poppy, go to a service, thank a vet (an elderly one appreciates it the most...) take a minute and watch the video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYlrrAWCTRg
Friday, November 02, 2007
Prayer Bulletin
Victoria, BC - November 2, 2007 - From the Vancouver Province
Sindi Hawkins, deputy speaker of the B.C. legislature and Kelowna-Mission MLA, is again battling acute myeloid leukemia. In a brief statement yesterday, Premier Gordon Campbell said Hawkins was admitted to hospital for treatment this week. "Sindi will be on medical leave for the duration of the treatment required, which includes chemotherapy and a subsequent bone-marrow transplant," Campbell said.
Hawkins, 48, was first diagnosed with leukemia in January 2004, and received a life-saving bone-marrow transplant from her younger sister, Seema, a few months later.
She wrote a diary in The Province during her ordeal. Her cancer has been in remission for the past three years. "She has told me she feels fortunate that her sister, Seema, is a perfect match and will be her bone-marrow donor once more," Campbell said. Campbell said Hawkins told him: "I am ready and strong. I fought this thing before and won and I know I can do it again. My medical team and the B.C. Cancer Agency is one of the best in the world and I am confident that I am in good hands. Please keep me in your prayers." Hawkins is requesting privacy, but will try to write weekly updates on her website, www.sindi.ca. "Sindi, and patients like her, require a lot of blood products over the course of their blood-cancer treatments," Campbell said. "She has requested that you consider becoming a blood donor." In 2005, Canadian Blood Services honoured Hawkins for her work in support of blood and marrow donation in B.C.
She wrote a diary in The Province during her ordeal. Her cancer has been in remission for the past three years. "She has told me she feels fortunate that her sister, Seema, is a perfect match and will be her bone-marrow donor once more," Campbell said. Campbell said Hawkins told him: "I am ready and strong. I fought this thing before and won and I know I can do it again. My medical team and the B.C. Cancer Agency is one of the best in the world and I am confident that I am in good hands. Please keep me in your prayers." Hawkins is requesting privacy, but will try to write weekly updates on her website, www.sindi.ca. "Sindi, and patients like her, require a lot of blood products over the course of their blood-cancer treatments," Campbell said. "She has requested that you consider becoming a blood donor." In 2005, Canadian Blood Services honoured Hawkins for her work in support of blood and marrow donation in B.C.
ABOUT THE DISEASE
Acute myeloid leukemia is a potentially fatal cancer that mostly starts in the bone marrow, where new blood cells are made. It can spread to the lymph nodes, liver, spleen, brain and spinal cord. The drop in blood cells can lead to fatigue, shortness of breath, easy bruising and bleeding, and increased risk of infection. It is treated with chemotherapy and bone-marrow transplants.
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