people who change

I just finished watching the movie 16 Blocks. A movie about a cop (played by Bruce Willis) trying to escort a witness (played by Mos Def) to the courthouse so he can testify. The only problem is, that this witness is set to testify against some crooked cops and Willis and Def's characters have to make it the 16 blocks to the courthouse while being pursued by these crooked cops who are intent on killing the witness.

It turns out that Willis was once in cahoots with the crooked cops and now has decided to do the right thing and protect the witness. Many other times in his life, he would have just turned a blind eye to the injustice and take the easy road. But this time something has made him change. And one of the underlying themes of the movie is that 'People can change'

The movie's premise while not perfect is right, people do change all the time. Some for the better, some for the worse. When someone comes to Jesus, we have an instantaneous change called salvation and an ongoing 'change' called sanctification. Christians are NOT perfect, but they should try and change for the better each day (though the power of Christ).

So as you face today, try and let Jesus guide you as you change.

Friday Blog - Part Deux

I will be away from home most of the weekend. I hope to update this blog, but if I don't, I will resume on Monday.

Sleepless in Marmora

If I labeled myself, I would call myself a night owl. I prefer late night to early mornings. I always have in my adult life. Tonight though it is a bit of an extreme. I am not tired at all and it is 4:15am. So I figured I would write a blog for all you fine folks (all one of you ).

Nothing in particular is keeping me awake. But many people have a hard time sleeping every night because of many different reasons. Worry about finances, Family problems, Worry about their future, death or sickness. The list could go on and on but you get the gist of what I am saying.

Jacob in the Old testament was feeling many of those things. He definitely had family problems as he was running from his brother. He was off to a foreign land to look for a wife, and hopefully a job for a source of income. While he was on his way, he fell asleep and used a rock as a pillow (now that can not be comfortable). In his sleep he dreams a vision of a Stair case coming down from heaven and angels coming down. On top of the staircase was the Lord. And in that moment God tells him

I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you." (Gen 28:15)

So no matter what you are going through today, no matter what is keeping you awake at night, let the words of God to Jacob be a comfort to you. Seek him today, he is waiting.

See you tomorrow.

I remember when...

I never grew up going to church. My family did not get ready and head out together on a Sunday to goto church. My earlies recollection of going to church as a boy always brought the thought of boredom (sometimes today I still feel the same way depending on where I am going :D ) .

When I was about 4 years old, my mother dressed me in some beige dress shorts and matching beige button up shirt and told me to wait outside on the porch for the Sunday School bus that would come and take me to the local baptist church in my hometown of Brockville, Ontario. I immediately began to dread the moment the Sunday School Bus would come, because I felt those people were 'mean' (to be honest I was a rather rambunctious child and I probably irritated them :D ). As I was waiting the thought crossed my mind to hide. Let the bus come but I would be nowhere to be seen. So I did just that. I HID. I crawled under the porch of this old house and hid. The place where I hid used to be used to store coal many many years prior, but it still had the coal dust and plenty of it to get the Beige outfit all nice and black. So as I proceeded to get dirty, I heard the bus pull up and the driver called my name, then my mother came out and called to. After waiting for a few minutes they could not wait any longer and they left. At which point I crawled out of my hiding place, black from head to toe from coal dust and marched into the house.

I guess I wrote all that to give you this moral of the story. Kids are very perceptive about when they are wanted and when they are not. Is your house a welcoming house to your children? Is your church just 'tolerating' them or have you focussed on them?

It is time for the church to not just tolerate the children, but to love them, no matter what problems they come into the church with.

Matthew 19:14 (New International Version)

14Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

Until tomorrow.

Dale

Renovations

Sorry I have not posted in a few days. I promise to keep a daily blog going from now on (well except when I go away on vacation).

Speaking of vacation, this week I am on a week of holidays. Time away from the church, but not time away from God. During this time, I am renovating a room in the basement of my house. It needed a ceiling added and me with my non expertise in the carpentry field is tinkering away at it. I finally finished this morning and if I say so myself, it looks pretty good, not perfect but good nonetheless.

While doing this task, my thoughts went to Jesus and how he wants to not only renovate our lives, but to do a complete overhaul of us the as his temple. Often times we wont allow the resident (Jesus) to do the tasks he needs to do in our lives. We are either stubborn to the change he wants to do, or we like the way our lives run on our own (until we come into a crisis, but that topic is for another day)

Today I reconfirmed to Jesus that he could do whatever rebuilding in my life He needed to do. I know this is a lifetime project and it will not be done next week, next month or next year. It will only be finished when I see Him face to face.

For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)

So as I type this I say (and I hope you do too) bring on the works Lord that you have prepared for me to do.

See you Tommorow

Welcome

It is Thursday May 22,2008 and I welcome you to the first post in this blog.

A friend of mine who pastors in British Colombia is having some amazing things happen at his church. Through God's goodness he is able to parlay some contacts with people into some serious time of witnessing. He has seen (at my count) at least 10 people who have committed their lives to Christ and went into the waters of Baptism. He has seen God heal people. I stand amazed by what God is doing in him and through him. This post is not to glorify what he (the pastor) has done, but rather show God's work though the Church of Christ.

I must admit that sometimes I am envious about what is going on in his church, wanting some of the same to happen in my church. Always thinking that he has a perfect situation. Today, though he emailed me and stressed some concerns that were happening in his church, and while I take no joy in it, I realize that sometimes with Good also comes bad. He spent much of the night out looking for a runaway and his frustration set in.

Well I know that God has been doing wonderful things there in B.C. and will continue to do so. I guess it is best summed up in the words of my friend in B.C. who wrote this in his email to me

"Yes, when God is being God, Satan continues to be Satan.."

So my friends, let me assure you whether you are going through spiritual Highs or spiritual lows, God is still in control.

As 1 John 4:4 says;
"You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world."

So don't be worried, do not faint. Be glad that Jesus is there for you in these times of refreshing or these times of dryness.

Keep your Eyes on the Sky... For He is coming soon