tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42731421244518388782024-02-07T05:11:42.607-07:00Mike's MindGod is good all the time.
All the time God is good.Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05042889934000950178noreply@blogger.comBlogger184125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4273142124451838878.post-25111470781867353362020-10-27T06:52:00.000-07:002020-10-27T06:52:05.661-07:00<p> <b><span style="font-size: large;">How can you not believe in God - Part I</span></b></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0S4o3EE1UDmfI_yVsBgSqB4ubHSNxlMUFtMDLxrnIQuJ-5TFzgk7Q0QQoizNkjtu52PSe7qRR6gDhKZzpBKb_lJb-8Udh28KqMC-hJvuP32rZ0HcE4_EGhXyJOHu3jQPgt5YeHrV1deE/s782/bed5882fe616548285c8c5e37ff31417.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="782" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0S4o3EE1UDmfI_yVsBgSqB4ubHSNxlMUFtMDLxrnIQuJ-5TFzgk7Q0QQoizNkjtu52PSe7qRR6gDhKZzpBKb_lJb-8Udh28KqMC-hJvuP32rZ0HcE4_EGhXyJOHu3jQPgt5YeHrV1deE/s320/bed5882fe616548285c8c5e37ff31417.gif" /></a></b></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>I have heard that many believe the universe just happened out of a great explosion (Big Bang Theory). Have you ever looked closely at how the human body is made up. With all the veins, and organs that have been specifically placed within you. </b></span><b style="font-size: large;">We are born with a brain with which man can use to split an atom and at the same time make himself to be an idiot. You can look at your hand and even as your brain tells your fingers to type, we don't give it any thought because it is what we have just taken for granted, rather than to marvel at God's creation. How when we are born, and born with everything we need for the rest of our lives. We learn to walk, and talk, we cry and laugh. and experience anger and joy, hatred and love (for food or things or people). Even our very existence, our beginnings. A drop of sperm from the man into the egg of a woman and just like that we are formed and born. God is a God of order, not chaos (Big Bang) where randomly the universe is formed. Next time you go for a walk or listen to someone speak or think of some experience you have lived through, stop and think about how God has made you. None of us are exactly the same, we have many similarities but vastly different. That is how God made you and me. He not only made us, he gave us free will which was used in the garden of Eden and we blew it. Inspite of that, God still loved us, and loved us enough that He sent His one and only Son Jesus Christ, to die for us and for our sins, if only we would believe in Him.</b><p></p>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05042889934000950178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4273142124451838878.post-48432221925804046212020-10-22T08:26:00.001-07:002020-10-22T08:26:55.835-07:00COVID: Faith over Fear<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT5XdEbe3LiF0VMTNxbbdWVRdOgVykw3tekZoRXJV2mrZ5EpK0ZdZb8qMnqdysbGbQbfVj9tYtahx2cBt_mD-6Zj1gOwUCXI54Aqo7TIDaH96rzfNAtiq4XxU7VLWM0KGZ_tTGmY71yZY/s1116/faith-over-fear-face-mask.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="729" data-original-width="1116" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT5XdEbe3LiF0VMTNxbbdWVRdOgVykw3tekZoRXJV2mrZ5EpK0ZdZb8qMnqdysbGbQbfVj9tYtahx2cBt_mD-6Zj1gOwUCXI54Aqo7TIDaH96rzfNAtiq4XxU7VLWM0KGZ_tTGmY71yZY/s320/faith-over-fear-face-mask.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> I found this devotional online by Destiny Gonzalez. I found this devotional online about COVID and responding with faith rather than fear. Maybe you find that people you work with or hang out with how worried and concerned they are about COVID or the next restrictions that will take place. We need to know and believe that our faith in God and in Jesus Christ is more than enough to carry us through not only COVID but any situation that comes our way.<p></p><p>It is a great reminder of where our faith is at. Is Jesus in control of your life or do you see him as a slot machine hoping to hit the jackpot. Living with Christ is a daily choice and a daily walk. There is no relationship with Him when you only come to him when it benefits you. Marriage isn't like that and the Christian walk is not like that either. It's all in or all out.</p><p>Here is the original devotional</p><p>On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” Mark 4:35-41</p><p>This story holds a profound lesson challenging our response to fear. It is important to recognize that the fear in this story was valid. This is not a story about irrational anxiety. Notice the language in the text describing “a great windstorm,” “the waves beat[ing] the boat” and “that the boat was already being swamped.” This was real. The disciples were lifelong fishermen who knew the sea and could recognize genuine danger, and they were convinced they’d die. This makes the contrast with Jesus all the more remarkable. Look at how Jesus acted: “He was in the stern, asleep on a cushion.” Mark paints a picture of serenity, but one surrounded by chaos. I wonder how the disciples viewed Jesus at this moment. He was one of the few in the boat who was not a trained fisherman. Perhaps they viewed his nonchalant attitude as a symptom of ignorance rather than an enduring sign of faith. They faced real danger, one they expertly understood, while their teacher seemed oblivious and out of touch. It was at that moment Jesus awoke. I like to picture Him slowly sitting up, maybe stretching for a moment and then stepping out to command the waves to “be still!” Instantly, the wind died and seas calmed. At His word. The very word that spoke the sea into existence.</p><p>His question is one we must all answer, “Why are you afraid?”</p><p>Take a moment and ask yourself. Fear can be a symptom of a lack of faith. It is human to imagine a worst-case scenario occurring in the future—whether a pandemic, economic collapse or something else entirely. But, do we remember that God will be with us in that future? Do we see only waves or is our attention fixed on Jesus who still rests in the boat? Fear is a form of thinking in which when we imagine a future in which God will not be present. Even in a “worst-case scenario,” Jesus has a funny habit of showing up and transforming into something else entirely.</p><p>This does not negate the reality of human suffering and grief. Jesus repeatedly demonstrates His compassion for those suffering. Furthermore, we should not feel condemned for the fear we feel. It’s natural to worry and, no matter how strong your faith, you’ll probably still deal with it to some extent. But this does challenge us to lift our perspective so we are not defined by fear. No matter what occurs in this life, Jesus—the very Word of God—is still with us. He still has authority over the storm, and He has conquered death itself. We may go through trials, but we live in hope. It is all-too-easy and all-too-human to let fear grow bigger than God. Like the disciples, we follow Jesus during everyday life, but what happens when a storm appears out of nowhere and threatens to swamp us? How do we view Jesus? As a man who doesn’t understand the danger of the situation? Or as a God who reigns over all the earth? Our perspective changes everything.</p>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05042889934000950178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4273142124451838878.post-32222703952999851182020-09-19T14:30:00.002-07:002020-09-19T14:30:57.717-07:00Have you felt the shoulder taps from the Holy Spirit<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4OAAJwnMNRQ" width="320" youtube-src-id="4OAAJwnMNRQ"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>Very often in life the Holy Spirit nudges me and you (if you are a follower of Jesus Christ to do something, to go and speak to someone, to pray for someone, to give something to someone. My prayer is that when you feel that nudging that you will act on it.</div><div><br /></div>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05042889934000950178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4273142124451838878.post-31674769162999083872016-02-21T03:50:00.000-07:002016-02-21T03:50:13.934-07:00Praying! Two "different" ways?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><b>A few weeks ago I had a discussion with someone on prayer, and based on Matthew 18:19 which says, "Again, truly i tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven." While I don't like to put labels on certain bible verses I remember from more than 25 years ago someone referring to this as "name it claim it prayer". I am not saying I disagree with the idea of ask for it and it shall be given to you, but I would add, "if it is God's will for me", then he will give it to me. I do believe that God gives us the desires of our heart, but I also believe that what we desire is not necessarily what God wants for us, simply because our desires are not always God based, but selfish based. Maybe I lack the faith to pray the "Name it, Claim it" prayer. I tend to be more like the persistent widow in Luke 18:1-8 which says, " And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><b>To me I see two quite different ways to pray. Neither one wrong, but more of where my prayer life fits in. I would love to hear comments from anyone on what they see in the New Testament regarding prayer."</b></span></span></div>
Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05042889934000950178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4273142124451838878.post-50239577358469258162016-02-07T04:53:00.002-07:002016-02-07T04:53:50.646-07:00Do you remember when you first became a Christian? I remember being "on fire" when it came to reading the Bible. I would read it on the bus on my way to work. Then as time went on there was a mere flicker of a flame left of that fire, and over time it burned out. It would occasionally flare up a little but not to the extent it was more than 30 years ago. We do not need to look beyond anything other than Jesus... there is nothing else out there. It is Christ alone. Let's get back to preaching the word of God rather than implementing new programs in the church (the idea behind these seems to be, "Let's see if this will work?"). We are so worried about offending people, and yet they need to know the Gospel. I am the first to admit, that evangelism is my weakest gift...but I do have other gifts that I can use in the church, and so do all the other Christians in the pews as well as those on the stage. As a leadership, it is important to know the gifts of the people and to let them be used in building up and edifying the church. <br />
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Another thing that has been on my mind is the older I get the more I think about death. When I see others much older than me (people in their 70's and 80's) who do not know the Lord, I often wonder if they think about the after life...what happens when I die...where do I go? There is one couple who comes to mind every morning in my prayers and I know they are not living for the Lord. When I talk to them and ask them what is new, the reply is always the same, " Nothing is new, it is the same old every day, eat sleep and once in awhile coffee with the gang". What a sad life. It makes me wonder what they are living for, and holding on to. I guess the only way to know is to ask them next time we get together. Pray for me that I would have the courage and boldness to speak to them about the Lord.Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05042889934000950178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4273142124451838878.post-29343584856769312082016-01-23T07:55:00.000-07:002016-01-23T07:55:01.987-07:00Family and Friends Without God.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I often think as you get older, say 75 plus, and don't know the Lord. What do you think about? When you are 40 you might be thinking about buying a new home or car and even a change in career, but at 75, 80, 90 what is going through the mind of the non christian? For most, there is nothing material they need anymore, physically you would be in the declining years of life, mentally you would also be declining. Think about spiritually? What have you believed all these years? What has kept you from the creator? A dispute with the church? Pride? Something else? Luke 12:20 says, "God said to him, You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you". These same words apply to any one of any age.<br />
That should be the scariest phrase for any non christian. Therefore, for us as Christians, we should be telling people the Gospel, especially family. We can't make them believe, that is up to God. We can only share it with them and pray that what we have said sinks in and they respond. Lifestyle evangelism is not enough. I have seen people who live very upright and moral lives, but without God in that it is nothing.I think of my son and others like him who made a decision to accept Christ into their heart at a young age, but now no longer believes that. I have a list of people I pray for to come to know the Lord in my family and friends. I am amazed at how many people there are who do not know the Lord. Certainly more in this list than in the list of those who do know Him. That should be more than enough reason for us to share the Gospel with them.Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05042889934000950178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4273142124451838878.post-58701336801896166022016-01-19T04:06:00.002-07:002016-01-19T04:06:26.988-07:00Obituary, Funeral and Humour<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPon7LkbJDA0kGi8aYrv39s7QveVu6AKrPSm0Gv66b3reMsFKtbJRdAsXnrIlvQRaVgnexjUKoqZgW137N9SL445DJYMIk8v2W8rLp4wcZE0hJCkr3ejm2KZOngXAYZMh5bcQdMzQsdRk/s1600/953.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPon7LkbJDA0kGi8aYrv39s7QveVu6AKrPSm0Gv66b3reMsFKtbJRdAsXnrIlvQRaVgnexjUKoqZgW137N9SL445DJYMIk8v2W8rLp4wcZE0hJCkr3ejm2KZOngXAYZMh5bcQdMzQsdRk/s320/953.gif" width="320" /></a>Now that I have your attention, I do not plan on dying anytime soon, but I know full well that it certainly could happen at anytime.I have talked about writing my own obituary, but still have not done so yet. I think a good reason to write one is so that others will not have to when I am gone...not that they would not be accurate about what they say. However, I have been to enough funerals and read many obituaries that I know what I do and do not want to say or have said either at my funeral or in my obituary. I do not want written in my obit that I liked to travel, or play golf, or loved going to work (this one is really not true at all (Just seeing if you are paying attention) - I would love to be retired and not go at all). It is always good to add humour (with 2 U's) in spite of all the sadness that takes place at the time of a passing of a loved one. What I would rather have written is I prayed for family and friends that they would experience Jesus Christ to the fullest as their Lord and Saviour. I also hope that if people speak at my funeral that they would simply say He loved the Lord and lived a life that backed it up. (I am not there yet, but I am working on it). I do want my funeral to be mostly upbeat. I should record a video and it can be shown at a certain time during the service and I can take roll call and see who is present....just to break the ice. I suppose at some point then I could call out my name, and just to see if people are paying attention, and then answer for me. I could tell a couple of jokes after all I always wished I had enough talent to be a comedian. Then I would conclude with a real upbeat song,... don't worry I won't be singing it.<br />
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I will admit that death is on my mind a lot as I think of the family who have died before me and think that there is little time to do what God wants of me, so I need to be available and obedient all the time even unto death. Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05042889934000950178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4273142124451838878.post-20239352541034967412016-01-17T03:46:00.001-07:002016-01-17T03:46:26.780-07:00Hell is forever!<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/_fmI2ar0RRE/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_fmI2ar0RRE?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>As I watched this video it made me think just how short life is. For many of us, life is that red line on the rope. For some, however it is not even that full length (if we think in terms of the average life span of about 80 years). Many of us know people who have lived only half or even a quarter of that time, and some who have never even made it to the first strand of red, having died at birth, never getting the opportunity to make their mark for Christ.<br />
Think of someone you know now who does not know Jesus Christ as savior and Lord, someone who is say 80, and then think of someone who is maybe 25. For me, more of my prayers tend to go toward that person who is 80, because there is not much time left for them on earth. We believe there will be so much more time for that person who is 25 to turn their life around. Life does not work that way. We are not promised tomorrow, let alone tonight. That goes equally for the 80 year old as well as the 25 year old. My prayer for myself is to be bold with my faith and share the Gospel with them. I may be the only one they hear it from. I think of Matthew 28:19 that says "Go and make disciples of all nations". Unfortunately. with my personality I read it and say Go (and think about) making disciples of all nations". I need to overcome the fear of rejection (which is difficult for this people pleaser personality in me), and share my faith in any circumstance. While evangelism is at the bottom of my gift list, it does not mean I can leave it for someone else. God, give me boldness!!!<br />
<br />Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05042889934000950178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4273142124451838878.post-66808193206967171952016-01-14T04:54:00.003-07:002016-01-14T04:54:57.676-07:00What's next? <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Like I said earlier, we are so far removed from what the church should be.<br />
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Can you imagine going to church on Sunday and your pastor gets up in the pulpit and says I don't believe in God, by the way, I am still going to keep preaching. My first thoughts of course would be to tell them to get off the stage, well maybe that would be my second thought!<br />
How someone can go from believing in God to all of a sudden being an atheist is one thing, but to have your pastor do that and then want to continue as the pastor is beyond ludicrous. <br />
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In the article Vosper (I will not dignify her title with Rev.) says she does not believe in a deity, but has faith in a different concept than the traditional view of God. Her understanding of God is relationships of trust, love and forgiveness between people. Without God, there is no Love or Forgiveness, at least not true love. There might be a worldly love or forgiveness that can exist, but without God it is meaningless. You can live as "good" of a life as you know how, but without God it is for nothing. <br />
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That church might as well have Ellen or Oprah preaching or even Dr. Phil, if nothing else we will be entertained. As I blogged earlier about the above three and listening to the wisdom of fools, how much more foolish to listen to an atheist from the pulpit.<br />
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<br />Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05042889934000950178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4273142124451838878.post-41590745637439994472016-01-12T04:08:00.002-07:002016-01-12T04:08:37.110-07:00Are we doing church all wrong?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The more I listen to Francis Chan the more I see we are so far removed from where the early church was. We have lost the gift of evangelism. Instead of sharing our faith with others we hope that people will get involved in our church through our programs and ministries because it is easier than talking to them personally about the fact they are lost without Jesus.</div>
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Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05042889934000950178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4273142124451838878.post-91762716535230845752016-01-11T09:33:00.001-07:002016-01-11T09:33:06.531-07:00What Matters To You!?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhohSx_aw8bGkIRapHfw-_rT1BIZxqVlqUdbUPOlaTu3o5SRji0BdBtGht6mCyZ_7IyECQH5Fg6qulMUcckbntkI665oJGr425yY6zH5RtCCX9rj4R1fmI6y_D0sw1qiZTU03H6uOENTY8/s1600/relationship.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhohSx_aw8bGkIRapHfw-_rT1BIZxqVlqUdbUPOlaTu3o5SRji0BdBtGht6mCyZ_7IyECQH5Fg6qulMUcckbntkI665oJGr425yY6zH5RtCCX9rj4R1fmI6y_D0sw1qiZTU03H6uOENTY8/s320/relationship.jpg" width="212" /></a>Speaking in terms of God, the Bible, and relationships....what matters most to you? Reading your Bible?, Prayer?, time with God?, being a "good" person? This list could have hundreds of answers to pick from. For me, it is the time I spend with God and everything else will flow out of that relationship. It is not just spending 5 minutes reading His word and 5 minutes of prayer but it is a continual seeking of Him and talking and praying to him throughout the day. I am a slow learner, and it only took some 57 years to learn this, but I am learning. In order for me to be an effective person for God, I need to turn my thoughts and actions toward him constantly. For the last several months I have wanted to have an effective prayer life. I really do not like to pray in groups, so for now I want to focus on just praying alone to God, (the rest will come later). God has been showing me that through prayer, and reading His word, and time with Him and listening to sermon podcasts the things that I should be praying about and for. Think of your family or friends or co-workers, etc. Those who do not know Him and are going to hell. Should that not motivate us to pray for them and tell them about God, especially those who are older because more than likely they will die first. <br />
I think of my in-laws who while they say they believe in Jesus, their life shows otherwise. Scripture says we will know them by the fruit they bear. It is very difficult to tell someone who says they know Jesus but are not living like they, and<br />
that the Christian life is not just about accepting Jesus as Saviour but as Lord as well. When I pray, I pray for all my family and friends etc who do not know Jesus. I myself need to be more bold when I speak to them, in love, about eternity. There is nothing sadder than attending the funeral of a non Christian. There is no hope. People talk about the things the person liked to do, which are so hollow and meaningless. I pray that when I die and people speak about me that they speak about my relationship with God and not say yeah, he liked to golf and travel and other meaningless things that I may enjoy. <br />
I Thessalonians 1:4 says ..."we urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live in a way that pleases God..."Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05042889934000950178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4273142124451838878.post-37274902912759935852016-01-10T04:38:00.001-07:002016-01-10T04:38:51.753-07:00The Church is changing?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsvhAXUEEL9yybNKgv_OetT1-Or1T0to0_GCm3-KTp-kwwoJcb4hE51lCzztKEdX56G9Nv-WXpS_qWVTU9ztuG4RX3vegMFH8Lre44U7HiVZhl0FSqkK5OJHWp-RUEBjNKL0uHy3JC-HM/s1600/15376-if-you-spend-no-personal-time-with-god-you-cannot-say-you.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsvhAXUEEL9yybNKgv_OetT1-Or1T0to0_GCm3-KTp-kwwoJcb4hE51lCzztKEdX56G9Nv-WXpS_qWVTU9ztuG4RX3vegMFH8Lre44U7HiVZhl0FSqkK5OJHWp-RUEBjNKL0uHy3JC-HM/s320/15376-if-you-spend-no-personal-time-with-god-you-cannot-say-you.png" width="320" /></a>How things have changed since the church of the apostles 2000 years ago. I tend to believe that things usually improve as time goes on (technology, health care, etc). However as I look at how the early church started out, we have come a long way, but in the wrong direction. I believe the early church was so Christ and God centered, and nowadays, it is more focused on being politically correct, or I have a new strategy that will work. We are moving away from what the Bible teaches, and more worried about getting people in the pews rather than their personal relationship with God. If we have that close personal relationship with Him, everything will flow out of that. I am NOT saying that because of our relationship with God that everything will be well, and that we will be rich, and have the best job...on the contrary, Christ never promised us that stuff. I am getting to the point where I despise the prosperity Gospel. Read Mark 10:17-27. The story of the rich young ruler.<br />
For me, even in the past year, I am closer to God than I have ever been. It is amazing how God speaks when I listen. The last few months I wondered, where are you God....and then as I look back at even where I was in September to where He has brought me now...He has shown me things where change in my life has happened. I want to spend more time with God. I Peter 1:3ff says, "His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires." Then in verse 5 he says "For this very reason, <b>make every effort</b> to add to your faith goodness..... I challenge you to read the rest of I Peter. Above, I have made in bold print for us to <b>make every effort</b>. Keep praying even when the answer is no, keep rejoicing when you are suffering or persecuted, keep spending time with God praying and reading His word rather than....I heard a sermon where the preacher said...."..watch Oprah or Phil or even Ellen tomorrow and you will be listening to the wisdom of fools". Stop getting your "good feelings" from watching these people and spend time with God. He alone will give you what you need and what matters. Time with God is never wasted... it is a lifetime commitment, not a here today gone tomorrow relationship.<br />
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<br />Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05042889934000950178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4273142124451838878.post-60001358521002921242016-01-01T04:43:00.003-07:002016-01-01T04:43:51.012-07:00Quantum Leap<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I often wonder about the different ways God has worked in my life. I feel at times like the TV show Quantum Leap, where after I have been somewhere for so long and accomplished what God brought me there for, God moves me to another place. He does that (I think) by giving me a new desire to be somewhere else and at times in a place where I know that several years ago I would have NEVER had a desire to move to. God changes my mind or renews it. He changes my thinking, that what I used to think was foolish or selfish and shows me a much better plan. He also does it by taking away the desire I had when I first came to the place I am now at. There are many reasons I guess..... Circumstances change, people change, you don't enjoy what you are doing anymore at the place you are at, you get into a rut (I think every new place I have been too, this is always the case after a short while). I also believe God is in charge...ALWAYS...and I believe that is how he speaks to me at times. I believe that God gives us the desires of our heart (and I am speaking about those things that are in line with His will). A sermon I heard last summer talked about hearing God's will and to make it short and sweet the 3 point sermon was Desire, Opportunity and Balaams donkey. God will give me/us such a great desire for His will that we can't miss it. "God will not let you miss His will without knowing it. Secondly, He will also give opportunity for that to happen. Balaams donkey is that final key to make sure that we are listening to and obeying God's will. In other words He has given us the desire, then the opportunity, and then to be on the lookout for Balaams donkey. Sometimes we try and "force" God's will, saying to ourselves we have the desire and the opportunity but God sends Balaams donkey to let us know that what we are doing is not His will but our own. I believe that God has given me a new desire at this time, but rather than jump at it like I would have 5 years ago, I will wait for opportunity, and be on the lookout for Balaams donkey. As I think about all that would need to take placefor it to happen<br />
, if it does, I know God will have called me/us to that desire He had planted in my heart.Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05042889934000950178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4273142124451838878.post-26413011339457010572015-12-15T05:54:00.001-07:002015-12-15T05:54:29.423-07:00Thoughts this month and some scripture thoughts.<br />
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As one who has dealt with regrets over the past few years, and has observed others in their relationships I feel led to say, "Don't get so used to someone that you no longer appreciate them. It is so easy, after knowing someone for so long, to just take them for granted. You are not guaranteed tomorrow, let alone tonight.<br />
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I Timothy 5:24 says "<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;">The sins of some are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them." I have come to believe that when we die, we do not go directly to our reward, because neither our sin nor our goodness ends when we die, it extends through to the end of eternity.<b> (feel free to ask what I mean in saying this).</b></span>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05042889934000950178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4273142124451838878.post-73078193891397839392015-08-04T04:18:00.000-07:002015-08-04T04:18:00.318-07:00My spiritual journey<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have never been good at keeping a journal, but I have decided to start one today and will use this blog as my notebook to write entries, not likely on a daily basis as I am not that disciplined yet, but as often as I can. As we drove to Winnipeg this past weekend we were talking about God, and how he leads us, and directs our paths, and sometimes we don't see the whole picture until we look back and see what happened. Maybe this way I can look back at my journal and see how God moved to guide and direct me over the next few years.Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05042889934000950178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4273142124451838878.post-65958169006733677312015-06-29T04:22:00.000-07:002015-06-29T04:22:11.526-07:00Supreme courts decision to legalize gay marriageIt is not only amazing how time flies as you get older but also how times change and how quickly they change. It was interesting watching the online news on CNN last week when the early top stories in the morning were three separate terrorist attacks which soon became secondary stories after the supreme courts decision to legalize gay marriage in all 50 states. I was also amazed on Facebook the posts of rainbows or support, etc for the decision. You would think everyone was waiting for the announcement as it seems from all the posts on FB that more than half of the nation came out of the closet as gay. I thought about posting something to the contrary but decided against as all it would do is create arguments. You can't argue with a non Christian about what the Bible says. The Bible is for Christians, not for non Christians, so any argument you have against the decision will not even be seen as relevant to them.<br />
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As I thought more about the supreme courts decision to legalize gay marriage, I thought of Sodom and Gomorrah and how judgment for them will be easier than for us. I also thought, "Why are people so pro-gay". The only answer I could come up with is that now we have permission to sin. The Supreme Court says it is okay, we can do what we want to do, and it is legal.<br />
At some point (and I am sure it will not be too far off) churches and pastors will be going to court because they will refuse to marry these people. There will always be that one person/couple who wants to pursue it right up to the supreme court that "it is their right to be married in a church", if only to make a statement, not that they care anything about God or the church. We are a society run by social media and whatever the majority sees as what should be allowed. The government, wanting the peoples votes, and the church, wanting the people in the pews, will unfortunately bend the rules or water down the Gospel in order for this to happen. What's next?<br />
News flash to the future. July 30th, 2025, CNN reports Polygamy legalized in all 50 states. You can marry multiple partners, male, female or whatever. Next news flash ten years later, 2035, the Supreme Court says it is okay for pet lovers to marry their pets. I know you are thinking, "Now you are getting carried away". Well I guess we will wait and see, after all, look back even 30 years ago and see how far we have fallen to this day.Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05042889934000950178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4273142124451838878.post-35419078941600001872015-05-01T04:22:00.003-07:002015-05-01T04:22:42.207-07:00Time for a change<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I started a new blog recently, an anonymous one, one where I can vent about things I believe in and have been thinking about, but know that if I published on here, I might lose friends because they don't agree with what I think. So for those, if there are any on here who follow this blog, I likely will not be posting here very much, if at all, as I just feel the need to be more open and honest about stuff, (kind of like I was when I first started blogging years ago. <br />
I think what started all this was Facebook and social media in general. Honestly, society today seems to be run more by social media than what is actually deemed as wrong or right. We live in a more popularity society, and if you don't agree with that than we tend to be in the minority and are certainly told about it when we post in disagreement to others. It is a popularity contest.<br />
So thanks for taking the time to read this blog. <br />
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Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05042889934000950178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4273142124451838878.post-74090274276037482312015-03-15T12:59:00.000-07:002015-03-15T12:59:19.495-07:00What you see, is not necessarily what you get!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>As you can see I have posted two pictures in this blog entry, both taken less than 30 seconds apart and the first picture very much included in the second picture. If you look at the first one of the grass you would think that possibly I just took a picture by mistake as the camera was pointed down, however there is a purpose to this picture of grass. As I was in church this am I thought about how we (people in general) portray themselves to everyone else. If I sent you the above picture you would likely assume something like "Wow that is pretty amazing that there is no snow in Saskatchewan in mid March." However if I send you the below picture also you might think, "You were trying to trick me by sending only the first picture". </b><br />
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<b>We tend to be like this....maybe not intentionally tricking someone but only letting people see a small portion of who we really are, because if they saw all of us and what is really inside we might not have many friends. </b><br />
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<b>Take this as a reminder that what we see in people on the outside is very likely not everything they are on the inside. It is kind of sad that we can be more open with people we have never met than with people we have known a lifetime.</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWYjpZnB79dMNIg8dYvaM5FmPVg5TPdIyhihmq1_7p6eXilQ5PpuO4RHPsAms1PJUz4aHRsgUm2F8riVINhpkQ9YPwWxdJPTOEl0gsNTm4HrD521CW5ua9m9AykQES8HL2Qxf_BSrNDW4/s1600/IMG_2598.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWYjpZnB79dMNIg8dYvaM5FmPVg5TPdIyhihmq1_7p6eXilQ5PpuO4RHPsAms1PJUz4aHRsgUm2F8riVINhpkQ9YPwWxdJPTOEl0gsNTm4HrD521CW5ua9m9AykQES8HL2Qxf_BSrNDW4/s1600/IMG_2598.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05042889934000950178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4273142124451838878.post-45307854991769068592014-11-06T05:36:00.000-07:002014-11-06T05:36:12.348-07:00Really!!! That Matters!!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM6PmTDrs63P0-bthlwPntMp4s535uxgwJAoujKpVlh3meppYZXXsK8Cnxff89IqBKnt7_M0aLL74VOY_UyumAmOBiOdUMb7HTOIMCKFi6P75mvZtMcalU3vmmPQ5KLKRSRzDObEVpPdo/s1600/what-really-matters-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM6PmTDrs63P0-bthlwPntMp4s535uxgwJAoujKpVlh3meppYZXXsK8Cnxff89IqBKnt7_M0aLL74VOY_UyumAmOBiOdUMb7HTOIMCKFi6P75mvZtMcalU3vmmPQ5KLKRSRzDObEVpPdo/s1600/what-really-matters-01.jpg" height="286" width="320" /></a>Lately I have spent a lot of time thinking about the things we do and talk about, that, when you think about it, are so trivial and meaningless it makes me think we are no different than the Old Testament people of Israel who made their own gods to worship instead of God. A few things come to mind, and likely a few more will by the time I have finished this post...such as standing in line to be the first to watch the latest movie (and that gets you what?), or the way we pride ourselves in cheering for our sports team (sports has become such a big part of people's lives that God has been demoted to "when I have time"). We are now afraid to stand up for God for fear of being thought of as a self righteous looney. Christians are no longer respected for what they believe in. While most people are okay that we have an opinion, they do not want to hear us say "the Bible says".</div>
I could state an opinion to someone and say that I think homosexuality is wrong, but if I back it up with the Bible they see you as homophobic or racist. Nowadays, it is better to be seen as a person who saves the dogs or animals (really, its an animal), we don't need people to be saved, as people are seen as capable of saving themselves (not in the spiritual sense) We have moved to the extreme of giving animals more rights than people. I am not an animal hater or lover, to me it is an animal, and in no way even compares to the worst of people.<br />
It is not up to me to save the world, that is God's responsibility, mine is to be obedient. Sometimes it feels I just need to vent, and this blog/journal seems the perfect place for it.Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05042889934000950178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4273142124451838878.post-19950220184267950622014-04-28T17:42:00.001-07:002014-04-28T17:42:39.440-07:00Time with God<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKH6vFpJNHb_rWoQI8Tlplj_OzJppxm_witibIhs8R_p6XOLH5k3xc1JgTK185PnkmMo7XJja5yXKbriHQl9s7T3uO2V6ifp_SLdwYihZgGY8JDmO2u32wTQjMYWMaSvyni104G_cJufo/s1600/GodSpeaks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKH6vFpJNHb_rWoQI8Tlplj_OzJppxm_witibIhs8R_p6XOLH5k3xc1JgTK185PnkmMo7XJja5yXKbriHQl9s7T3uO2V6ifp_SLdwYihZgGY8JDmO2u32wTQjMYWMaSvyni104G_cJufo/s400/GodSpeaks.jpg" /></a></div>
An area where I have wanted to grow in my spiritual life is spending time with God and prayer time. I have never been good in this area, certainly one of my weak points in my walk. It has been only recently that I have felt God's calling me to spend more time with Him. My prayer time with God would often consist of praying for others, or maybe things I needed, but never really "felt" like it was doing anything in my life. It was a rare occasion when I can actually say, "God spoke to me during that prayer time and said...". More often than not I wanted to hear Him say something, but as I look back it was more likely me thinking something that I hoped God was telling me.
There have been a couple of occasions in the last two months where God has spoken to me. In late January I applied for a job that had become available, and thought I would love to work there even though it would involve a move more than 6 hours away. I emailed my son the next day and told him that I had applied for the job. He called that night and told me of their plans to move back to Winnipeg in the spring of 2015. I then thought, "How can I move to take up a job and be 6 hours away from him and his wife and soon to be born baby". The next day I emailed my son back and said I have decided to withdraw my resume from the position, hoping I would find something closer and not have to make the bigger move. I woke early the next morning (nothing new there) with a strong sense of God saying, "Do not withdraw your resume until the date for the job posting comes due". I prayed that God would make me more content with the job that I had, but over the next two weeks I was more and more discontent with my job. I knew then that God wanted me to let my resume stand for the position and knew that if God wanted me to move then I would get the job. By the end of February I was offered the job and received all that I had hoped for that came with it.
This past week God spoke to me again, in the middle of the night. I wake up in bed quite a bit during my sleep, tossing and turning before deciding whether or not to get out of bed, even if it 3:00. I woke up and was thinking about prayer, about when our home here would sell and where we would live next. The thought of fasting came to mind,(something I have not done more than once in the last 30 years) so I brushed it off for a few minutes as I thought about all that needed to happen in the next few days before starting the new job. Again, the thought of fasting came, and this time I paid attention and prayed that "If you want me to fast, let the word fast be in my reading today". I have been reading the Daily Bible, reading the Bible through in one year. Today's reading included Psalm 109, and near the end of today's reading was the word fasting. I have to tell you, I was hoping it was not there, because I enjoying eating. I knew that God wanted me to fast, I did not know why, but I fasted, and prayed, and read that day. The house is still for sale, and there are still lots of family and friends who do not know Christ, but it was that step of obedience I took, moving in the direction God wants me to be.
Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05042889934000950178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4273142124451838878.post-49042005314359379802014-04-27T01:04:00.000-07:002014-04-27T01:05:24.674-07:00Back in Regina again<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkSzlxrVzMtiwLd2t-8fw_N1rteEyklbPR5wlDLAbslpT2lWQX0TKUv3F0DrDD3qn7KQ21QHy-gSAs4NneUDU9-oxOA8zVjnffhkTP4zQe7SsemMTzuHKnB3Kx1zm4l63BROxdtBz30wA/s1600/about.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkSzlxrVzMtiwLd2t-8fw_N1rteEyklbPR5wlDLAbslpT2lWQX0TKUv3F0DrDD3qn7KQ21QHy-gSAs4NneUDU9-oxOA8zVjnffhkTP4zQe7SsemMTzuHKnB3Kx1zm4l63BROxdtBz30wA/s400/about.jpg" /></a></div>
It has been a couple of years since my last blog post, and I thought what better time to start than now. A couple of weeks ago I finished my job at Niverville Collegiate, and while I do not miss the job I do miss many of the staff that I worked with and for, and I will not forget them.
So much has happened in the last 5 years since we moved from Regina to Steinbach. The two life changing events were the passing of my first wife Marlene in 2011 and getting married to Carmen in 2013. I have grown spiritually in these last 5 years and even wiser, although I still can be a pain in the neck at times ;) (another of my endearing qualities) :0
This Monday I am starting at a job I had 5 years ago, working as Custodian at Living Hope Alliance Church, and I am looking forward to it, as I know it will be challenging and I am also looking forward to working with some of the same people that were there when I left.
Today I am feeling the challenge of having a home that is still for sale in Niverville and finding a place where we will likely spend the next ten years. We have one in mind that if all goes well, we hope to have an offer in this week.
While I may not blog daily come along for the ride. Look forward to your comments and questions.
Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05042889934000950178noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4273142124451838878.post-78514630455583354072012-02-12T10:07:00.003-07:002012-02-12T10:10:21.677-07:00The Big Year<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhThaAyTfCgL6rViExZPcwGnT_y0QXOZJTEnoroS8cl1y7or_4KEj5YD8IoUSI06rUBTc75WiHUSVHXj9fnPODyot0MthRU8RXTZ4z0m_Uv_RrRXutyytrx-AF08wk_wNAv1h_FDsLMJGw/s1600/The-Big-Year-2.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 271px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhThaAyTfCgL6rViExZPcwGnT_y0QXOZJTEnoroS8cl1y7or_4KEj5YD8IoUSI06rUBTc75WiHUSVHXj9fnPODyot0MthRU8RXTZ4z0m_Uv_RrRXutyytrx-AF08wk_wNAv1h_FDsLMJGw/s400/The-Big-Year-2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708297547491599186" /></a><br />Did quite a bit of deep thinking or philosophizing (that's a big word for me) during that movie on the plane "The Big Year". As I watched I could not help but think of the meaning behind the movie (relationships). In the movie Steve Martin's character and Jack Black's character have to decide what is more important to them. For Steve it is either to bird watch or be at home more with his wife and new grandson, as well as leave a job that would pay him very well. With Jack's character he needs to decide whether to continue birding or spend time with his new girlfriend, and his parents. During their birding they decide to team up (friendship) and in the end they both choose what is more important (family, friends). While Owen Wilson's character leaves his wife at home to pursue his birding.<br /><br />Now comes the deep *&$^. (that means stuff). In our marriages, probably more often than not, we tend to lean more to ourselves or things we want to do or what we can get, rather than what our spouse wants (usually this comes more after several years of marriage). You get tired of same old and decide to do something you want to do (nothing wrong with that), but then it becomes our passion rather than what we have (marriage). I find it is easier for me to say this stuff because now I am suddenly single and have experienced a very good marriage (not at all perfect, after all she was married to me). So I can look back and say, I should have done this, I could have said that, but I didn't. I cannot change that but it does not mean those times of regret will not come back to remind me what I could or should have done and said. However, it does do two things when I get hit with the shoulda coulda woulda's. <br /><br />1. I need to reconcile in some way to myself when those regrets comes. I need to tell myself that, yes, Marlene would have forgiven me for all those things that come to mind and how I could have made our marriage even better. I can't go back and change what I did or didn't do, but I can move on to #2.<br />2. I can make those differences in future relationships, whether with "my new spouse someday" or with friends and family that I have now. <br /><br />It is not that I want to fix every one's relationship (that is not my forte at all), but my wish/hope is to get people to think about what they have, and do they want it badly enough to work at it to make it great, not bearable, but great. If not, then why do we stay in those relationships. They will not improve on their own, or if just one person is working at it. The older we get the harder it is to change what we have done for so long, and the longer we wait the more things becomes just old habit or "same old shit", and do we really want that?<br /><br />I think of a lot of couple's that Marlene knew and who maybe were touched or in some way impacted by her and then later by her death. I know I was. I think that initially it is a wake up call for how we should wake up because it could have easily been someone else (and yes I wanted so much for it to be me rather than her), but as time passes, we quickly forget that wake up call and go back to doing exactly what we did before it slapped us in the face....maybe thinking," I am going to change ", at first, which later becomes, I can change later, I still have time.Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05042889934000950178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4273142124451838878.post-77157118682792736212012-01-21T17:52:00.001-07:002012-01-21T17:55:23.456-07:00Remembering Marlene<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDNz8EwRO_BpZPcuwDYbJM3F1ad5e1B1oBkornhlPw60s-cWBRL2_ktvfWrVsQpvpYsk61NF7YMW6AQkhW6f5VbGZ42NQ3KWwCfQGJgCP82P89rNcFFAg64hkZ_3ZVsRHaeSehyrFm1Zs/s1600/MomAtBBQHQCropped.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 364px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDNz8EwRO_BpZPcuwDYbJM3F1ad5e1B1oBkornhlPw60s-cWBRL2_ktvfWrVsQpvpYsk61NF7YMW6AQkhW6f5VbGZ42NQ3KWwCfQGJgCP82P89rNcFFAg64hkZ_3ZVsRHaeSehyrFm1Zs/s400/MomAtBBQHQCropped.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5700253462447242658" /></a><br />It has been three months since Marlene passed away, and while I have wanted to journal on what happened and what has happened since I have just not taken the time to do so. I know I will not forget the many memories together over the 30 years that we knew each other. We met in 1980 (at my parents house - she went to school with my sister), she was 16 and just finishing grade 10 and I was 21 working out of town. After dating for just over a year, I proposed to her when she was just 17 and still in school and in March 1983 we were married. In February of 1984 Chris was born, and at that point our lives would never be the same, changed for the better in 1983 when we got married and then changed for the best in 1984. In 1985 our lives would change again when we both accepted Christ as saviour and Lord.<br />We often wondered why we never had another child, could be that God felt that one was all we needed, and he has been all we have asked for. <br />Marlene, if you knew her, was one of the nicest, kindest, caring, loving (I could go on but you get the picture) people in the world (reminds me a lot of what my dad was like - same characteristics). I had hit the jackpot with her, which made it all the harder to lose her last year. I have said since that day, that you really don't know what you have until it is gone. You begin to realize all that person was not only to you but to people she worked with and met her and the impact she had on them even if she had only met them briefly. You wish for one more day with her, knowing full well that life does not work that way. You think of the things you would do, say, or the things you would change, but also aware you won't get that chance. It does make you think though, that with the relationships you have or will have in the future to do and say those things with others and not live with regret afterward. <br />If you are reading this blog and you are married, hug your spouse, love your spouse, tell them you love them. Change things up, don't let life get in a rut where you have dug in so deep that it is too late to get out of. Don't say hurtful things. Love and communication are the keys to a happy marriage. If you don't have them for your spouse, why are you married? I guess that is my pet peeve, not understanding how relationships go so sour where people almost despise the person they are married to, and yet still stay married, and are not willing to make things better. Life is too short, get over yourself. Bitterness never wins friends. I would have made a very poor pastor with counseling like that, but that is how I feel.<br />If you have kids, hug your kids, I don't care how old they are. Let them know you love them in what you say and in how you treat them. There is nothing more disappointing then seeing parents calling their kids names ...and then we wonder why some people turn out like they do. <br /><br />To be continued.....Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05042889934000950178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4273142124451838878.post-31978633462091122812010-04-25T14:31:00.005-07:002010-04-25T15:00:23.467-07:00Highway 20 Ride?Often times when I am driving, whether out on the highway or driving here in Steinbach, I continually observe people as they are driving or walking etc. I find myself looking at them and asking myself "What drives them?" "What do they see as meaningful or purposeful in life?" So often I imagine us all as sheep, wandering around, nowhere to go, (or more likely anywhere that we can go to or even do). There are a million things we can do but we (or me) usually choose the things that either benefit us. It is very difficult to break the habit of what we always have done. I could substitute the word sin for habit, and in some cases it may apply. It is just so much easier to do what I have always do then to venture out and do something totally different....especially something that is right. <br /><br />It seems that when I blog I love to post a video to go along with it. Highway 20 Ride is a Zach Brown Band song that talks about a break up of husband and wife early in their marriage and the father had to drive every other weekend to visit his son down Highway 20. He wishes it did not have to be that way...to make the drive...but there was no other way to work it out. So he drives......<br /><br />I guess there are things in our lives that we have no choice ...but to do some things, in order to achieve what is important to us ... but to make that drive, or to do those things that we need to in order to get or maintain that something that has become so dear to us. In a marriage, there are times we "give in" on an issue because we want to either keep the relationship in good standing or simply don't want to rock the boat. There are some issues that really don't matter or are not worth rocking the boat on .... so we compromise, in order to keep things "happy" in the marriage. It is not just in our marriage that we "give in" in order to keep the things we hold dear...it can apply to anything and all things that we hold in high regard and would not give up for anything. Some of them are irrelevant and some of them are meaningful...<br /><br />It is always easy to judge someone elses irrelevant as meaningful and vice versa until we really look deeply at our own....and that is where I am now.<br />I heard a quote the other day which I remember hearing about 20 years ago about judging others.....The quote goes "For every finger you point at someone else, there are two fingers pointing back at you".<br /><br /> I guess the reason I put videos in my blog is I think that when my time comes and I am standing before God, my life will be there on video. The good the bad and the ugly....hoping that in the end in spite of all I have done and said that He will say...well done good and faithful servant.Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05042889934000950178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4273142124451838878.post-62221213905550811112010-02-06T08:18:00.004-07:002010-02-06T08:39:44.534-07:00The Walk<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqv3wUkPAkapnHVUCcQav0-5hOy12RvnVk_V8Ff1BGCes3tPVZZoq3Xicr2UmtBP0sx2bikFfBXJB_MqEnC625M3FfOCl7F125-Aqxz0jGSIu4whYD9o_PL9lH3Lhgpq47Sy1oq5JRHhc/s1600-h/fork+in+the+road4.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqv3wUkPAkapnHVUCcQav0-5hOy12RvnVk_V8Ff1BGCes3tPVZZoq3Xicr2UmtBP0sx2bikFfBXJB_MqEnC625M3FfOCl7F125-Aqxz0jGSIu4whYD9o_PL9lH3Lhgpq47Sy1oq5JRHhc/s400/fork+in+the+road4.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435155037830645026" /></a><br /><br />In this life we are all on a journey or a walk. Maybe a journey toward a goal, sometimes it is a journey to get away. The video above by Sawyer Brown talks about a walk in the singers life at different stages.......first day of school, turning 18 and then being drafted to serve in the army, and then a time where his father is in need of being in a care home. There are so many other walks that we take in this life including a spiritual walk. A walk with God. I know I can say that my walk with God has changed so much over the last 25 years. A walk at times that seemed so close (especially the first couple of years) to a time where the walk is probably at a point at this time that I would describe like a friendship where you meet someone, and then meet them again.....only it has been 5 years down the road. You start over (to a point) getting to know them again, but before too long it is at the point where it has been awhile since you have seen or heard from them. What happened? I decided I needed some "other friends" that I could spend time with. You may know the ones....the ones that keep us from the friends who keep us on the straight and narrow. The ones that we have a great time with at the time and then regret or perhaps regret what happened. The line in the song "I took this walk you're walking now boy, I've been in your shoes" certainly applies to my life. It is always hard to take the advice of someone, even when you know what they are saying makes perfect sense. You are too busy enjoying the company of the "fun" friends, and the possibility of meeting even more good time friends.Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05042889934000950178noreply@blogger.com2