A Lesson from a Snowball

Yesterday was a different day. After a big dump of heavy snow on Sunday night, the first day of school for the new year was cancelled and everybody worked to have access to the roads. However, after starting to drive around, I quickly found out the roads were only a haven to get hung up on mounds of snow and test the grip of my 2 winter tires.

So, I decided to stay around the house and join in the camraderie of shovelling with my neighbors. After finishing shovelling, and resting my weary back, I headed outside with my kids again.

After Hannah and Sam begged me to build a snowman, a family trudged by in the snow. The mother questioned Hannah, "What are you going to do with that snowball?" Hannah quickly replied, "It's not a snowball, it's part of a SNOWMAN!"

Hannah and Sam continued to play. When inside, I addressed Hannah's remark by saying, "Hannah, you when that lady talked to you about the snowball, you don't have to correct her, that's not your job." As these words came out of my mouth, I could sense God teaching me a lot more than I was ever going to teach Hannah.

I knew God was saying to me, "Quit trying to play God by telling others what to do, it's not your job Paul." It was his gentle voice urging me to let the Holy Spirit convict people of their sin, and not for me to jump on people.

I have to admit, even after God spoke so loudly, I still struggle with judging quickly (sure my heart may be right) but it doesn't excuse my actions. Yes, I too am a sinner. Thankfully God in his grace taught me something through a snowman/ or snowball.

Does God teach you through children? Through snowpeople :)

...Always learning,

Paul

Imagine

As 2009 has begun, God is stirring in me to pray for what God could do. Do you ever daydream? Imagine what could be....in your family, marriage, work, vacation??? Ah...wouldn't be good if our kids never fought. Imagine getting out of the snow to holiday in Maui?

Now, will you imagine with me continued evidence of people becoming more like Jesus by yielding their own will and desires to the direction of the almighty God? What a picture!!

Reading in the first Life Journal passage for the year yesterday, in Genesis 1 & 2, God struck me with how much freedom that Adam & Eve had in the garden that God created. God tells Adam that he can eat of any of the trees, except one. Following Jesus isn't about rules and staunch religion, Jesus is offering freedom!! Imagine as each of us experience true freedom that overshadows material possessions, trips & family, and other ways Satan tempts us to find our identity.

Imagine... with me a church, the body of Christ, stirred to serve each other, to love each other with the love that Christ showed the church. Imagine with me as Gateway becomes a group of people who are committed to each other --praying for each other, pouring our lives into each other and having a deep desire to celebrate and share together what God is doing in their lives. Imagine people who deeply desire to share their lives with each other in a small group context, realizing we need each other.

Imagine... in 2009 as Gateway Community Church, in Port Alberni, realizes their potential to live as ambassadors for Jesus. Imagine as we embrace the fact we are the hands and feet of Jesus, serving those in need because of what Jesus has done for us. Imagine as we link an amazing message from Jesus with everyday problems (such as anger, bitterness, marital problems), so our dialogue brings life and hope. Imagine as people place visible markers, through baptism & membership, to show their family, friends, God and Satan that they belong to Jesus.

Imagine...how we are consumed in worship of God. Picture more than angels bowing down, like in Revelation, but our hearts every minute giving attention and glory to God. Imagine our relationship with God being so vital that we long to be in prayer. Men gather together to pray on mountaintops. Ladies are brought to their knees to call on God's power.
We hunger for God to speak to us and are fed daily as we make time for His words of life.

Can you imagine?? Can you see the Kingdom of God coming in our lives? Do we want Him more in 2009?

I have sensed a need that we need to help people see God's potential of God's kingdom in their lives. In January, we are going to take 4 weeks to "Imagine" together what "Worship, Identity, Mission & Community," could look like. This Sunday, Jan. 4th, we'll start with "Mission" and we'll hear how the 10 families used the $50 seed money to invest in their community.

*In addition as we start this year, our Potluck & Prayer groups have an amazing potential to help people practically grow in their relationship with God and other people. Imagine if God brings those who are hurting, or need encouragement to see visible support.

I hope your imagination for what God is able to do in and through you is amazing. May God blow your mind as you dream for him!

Dreaming of what God will do in 2009!
Paul

Dive into that water!

Ok...I'll be honest...I'm a little pumped about the upcoming baptism service on Sunday, December 7th, at Gateway Community Church. Why?? What's the big deal?

As I've been explaining to everyone who has two legs (I haven't seen too many people without 2 legs - but I'd tell them too), this is one of the most exciting services a church can host.
This act of getting fully immersed (baptized) in water, is a powerful and dramatic spiritual act that shows a person has decided to follow Jesus.
*Jesus told his disciples in Matthew 28:18-20 "Go and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit." There is no question, the church is supposed to baptize people who are following him. Once they believe, they should be baptized!

So often, we are willing to wear the colors of our favourite team, or designer, but here's an public display where someone is identifying themself with Jesus. Going down under the water, represents how they are dying to their sins, just as Christ died for our sins, and the coming out of the water, reveals how they are going to be raised from the dead (because God raised Jesus from the dead).

It will be very moving to hear adults share why they decided to follow Jesus. I'm sure we have all heard of the show, "Biggest Loser." These people enter a work-out program and diet plan to see their life change. Throughout the show, they share what they used to look like, feel like, and now....what they weight, act like and feel.

So...what does this TV show have to do with Baptism....on Sunday, people will share the changes Jesus has made in their life! They'll share what their life was like before (ie. worried about life, unsure about their purpose, scared about their marriage, and after meeting Jesus --- they have peace, their is hope about their future, they can trust God to lead them in raising their children).

*So watch out Satan....God is moving people to stand up for him. It's going to be a celebration in heaven and in Port Alberni on Sunday!!

Come out....everyone is invited!

The toughest prayer...what could it be

As the title says...yes, I'm still preaching on prayer. As we go through the Lord's Prayer, this series has really challenged me to do a number of things:
1. Prayer is a really tough practice - but over and over Jesus encourages us, the Bible shares stories of why to do it and the difference it makes on our perspective.

2. When we pray, we need to believe we aren't coming to the back door of a grocery store to see what scraps are thrown out, but we are approaching the king of kings. This is the King of the Universe who is able to give us much more than we "ask or imagine."

3. Prayer is certainly mysterious in when God gives us what we want, but more often he is pleased that we are communicating with him and desire to understand and live out his will more fully.

4. I like to pray, but often I have many excuses why I don't pray (ie. tired, doubt, unsure if God cares).

5. God's will and kingdom is for us to discover through prayer and reading His Word.

What do you think of prayer?
Do you have any big questions that you think I really need to discuss as we end this series in the next couple weeks. (Please realize there are some questions I don't know the answer to).

....have a great weekend and believe that God can hear you!

Prayer...what's up...or just do it

So hear's the deal....with Thanksgiving approaching (Oct. 13), I begin to wonder - What am I thankful for? And even beyond that, who will I direct my thanksgiving to? Very often I am not content with the status quo. But I should be examining, am I thankful to God for what he gives me?

Reading this story this past week from Luke 17:15-18 - where Jesus heals 10 men with leprosy, but only one comes back and thanks Jesus for the healing he receives. What audacity to forget to thank the one who had healed them! Do you ever get that way? I can say my kids forget to thank me when I give them a snack or buy them a new toy, but do I forget to thank God for all the great things (house, job, wife, children, clothes, car) he has given me?

In the next 2 months at Gateway Community Church, we are going to be looking at the tough questions surrounding prayer. Topics like - "Why do we thank God? Why do we talk to him? Does he hear us? Why doesn't he always answer the way we want?

I think for some of us - we know the power of prayer, but forget to utilize this incredible gift God has given us. On the other hand, perhaps we have seen prayers go "unanswered" (when a family member dies or we lose our job or our marriage falls apart) so our belief in prayer is shaken.

Will you join us in a journey as we look at what Jesus says about prayer. Why pray the Lord's prayer? Does it have any significance today? Strap on your seat belts and be prepared to see God come alive!

Search for Truth

Another weekly installment as I prepare my sermon. God is sure providing some unique connections to the search for truth. Check out this excerpt from this article below as scientists in Switzerland try to duplicate the “Big Bang.” You can read more on the link below or search “Particle Accelerator Switzerland”
“GENEVA (AP) Whatever the case, the most powerful atom-smasher ever built comes online Wednesday, eagerly anticipated by scientists worldwide who have awaited this moment for two decades.The multibillion-dollar Large Hadron Collider will explore the tiniest particles and come ever closer to re-enacting the big bang, the theory that a colossal explosion created the universe.The machine at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, promises scientists a closer look at the makeup of matter, filling in gaps in knowledge or possibly reshaping theories.The first beams of protons will be fired around the 17-mile tunnel to test the controlling strength of the world's largest superconducting magnets. It will still be about a month before beams traveling in opposite directions are brought together in collisions that some skeptics fear could create micro "black holes" and endanger the planet.The project has attracted researchers of 80 nationalities, some 1,200 of them from the United States, which contributed $531 million of the project's price tag of nearly $4 billion.”
http://www.2news.tv/news/tech/27972319.html

What does this have to do with Gateway Community Church or Port Alberni…a lot! This Sunday, we investigate how there could be only one truth (the way to be saved). He said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Isn’t it interesting, some 2000 years after Jesus was around, people are still trying to simulate what only God could do – create life? 4 Billion dollars has been spent on this machine in Switzerland – what will happen – perhaps Switzerland and the earth is sucked into a black hole?? I don’t know – but what I do know is people want to know the truth!

How does your faith in Jesus give you hope? Why?
What do you think about these scientists attempts?
How hard do you search for truth?

Post a response...I dare you!

Enjoying Creation

I thought I needed to share about our kayaking trip to the Broken Islands. Now being a

pastor (for those of you who didn't know) at Gateway Community Church - it's great to have some experiences that can be used as learning times (ie. times to really pray).

Let me explain, our trip was supposed to be pretty laid back, but it ended up being quite an adventure. On the second day of kayaking we arrived back to our camp at Hand Island, but soon after, the wind and heavy rain picked up. Now a little rain, anyone can handle, but winds over 40km/hr is a bit different - especially when our tent was leaking for some reason. After eating supper under a tarp that was flapping in the wind like a sail, it was time to hunker down in a more "protected" area. Unfortunately when you lie in a tent and trees are flinging their limbs around in gusts of winds, you really start to pray.

I have to admit I prayed quite a bit that night...and thankfully God answered my prayers and no trees fell on our tent.

Overall our trip was fun. Sure we came home a day early, but I would certainly paddle out there again. The area is spectacular. There is so much to see and I really like what God has done with the place :)