Category: Faith

This article is being delayed in its release today deliberately. It has not happen very often over 45 years, but on this the 112^th anniversary service of our congregation, I have struggled with health challenges the last two weeks and even more so with the content of what would make up the message. Everything I attempted to put together did not seem to come close to my expectations of what I was desiring to do. Having printed my sermon before beginning to write this article I must say I am not particularly happy with what is printed on the paper. I do know in the past when such a situation has arisen, the Holy Spirit has taken my efforts and greatly blessed and used them to touch the hearts and lives of people in that moment. Sometimes some aspects of the sermon changed on the fly, at other times, little changed, but God intervened. That is what I am praying again will happen. The rest of this article will be written after the service has been completed. I will report what happens.

After a very busy morning of preparation for the BBQ and corn boil, the service and the fellowship time there was the tear down and a short nap before I arrived to finish this article. I am thankful and grateful for the Holy Spirit’s help and strength through the service. I leave the results of how people will actually respond to God. Time will tell on the impact on lives. I was able to get through the fellowship time before physically crashing, thus the nap. I am going back to finish it when this is posted. Sometimes all you can do, is do your best and leave the rest with God!

Have you ever been deceived by someone who wasn’t who they pretended to be, or acted like they said they would? There are many high profile examples in our world and the media is quick to take advantage of the opportunity to exploit the moment. The event is used to create a mindset that not only attacks the perpetrator, but is designed to make the victim look bad and promote a specific agenda. Therefore, people who had nothing to do with the situation at hand are blamed for what took place.

The end result is increased fear and mistrust in the minds and hearts of the general public. People become more isolated and insulated from faith in one another. This is true even within families. Those who are alone have little to no support mechanisms in place and are more vulnerable to thought manipulation and external intimidation. The pressure towards passive acceptance and compliance grows, reducing the levels of true freedom in individual lives and in society in general.

Do not let the actions of someone change your thinking, beliefs, words, intentions, or actions. Be the best version of you possible by God’s grace and help. “Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all his demands and moves towards the goal of true maturity” (Romans 12:2 – J.B. Phillips New Testament). Don’t allow deception to ruin your or anyone else’s life!

I was listening earlier this week to the Global Information Network Membership Development audio in which my dear departed friend, Mary Miller was speaking about the importance of keeping our first line of defence against illness, our energy field, healthy. The next morning I opened Annette Capps’ book, “Reverse The Curse In Your Body and Emotions” to the next chapter I was reading. She quoted Proverbs 18:14 which declares, “A man’s spirit sustains him in sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear?” (NIV). She went on to write, “You may be physically weak, but if your spirit is strong, eventually your body will get well. But when your spirit is broken, and hopeless, hurt, disappointment, and rejection take over, you can be destroyed not only emotionally, but physically.”

I immediately thought of my dear friend and mentor, Fred Van Liew. A couple of weeks ago Fred posted a wonderful picture of himself on Face Book. It was his birthday. I commented to my daughter about how healthy and well Fred looked. Later that day Fred collapsed on the floor and died. He had to be resuscitated five times before he was stabilized. Then he underwent triple bypass surgery and now should be released from hospital about the time you read this article.

For those who can read energy and spiritual auras, it is obvious from his birthday picture Fred’s spirit and faith were strong to have survived what he went through. Before his surgery he wrote to a friend declaring his commitment to attend an event schedule to begin in late October. By God’s grace and mercy he will be able to keep that commitment.

God’s Word tells us we get what we say, because it reflects what we believe. I have another long term friend who recently has been placed in palliative care and is in her last days. She has been declaring this outcome for many months and now it is her reality.

Protect your energy field. Protect your spirit. Be mindful what you release into the world through what you say! This is important in more ways than most people realize.

Life is a journey, live it with passion and purpose. Your next step will always be a step of faith as you trust God to lead you a day at a time. Knowing your destination is important, remember to define your dream and get a burning desire for its achievement. At the same time it would be advisable to consider, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” It takes time. Enjoy the now!

Maturity will allow you understand, repeatedly asking the question, “Are we there yet?” is not helpful. This is causing you to focus on the lack of arrival and you will continue to get more of lacking arrival.

Perhaps an illustration may be helpful. Think of your life’s journey as a trip in the dark. The world is currently under the rule of the prince of darkness, but when you say YES to the relationship with God, through His Son, Jesus, the Light of the world, you have His light in you. If you were to drive from Los Angeles to New York City only at night, you would negotiate this journey a few hundred feet at a time. You have a source of light with you revealing the path through the darkness as you went along. God’s Word is such a source in light in our lives. Psalm 119:105 declares, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (ESV).

To travel from one coast to the other in North America would take some time to accomplish. Yet doing it in the dark you would still have sufficient light to achieve your goal. You would need to decide to take the next step towards your goal along the way along. There may be detours and delays that come up from time to time to test your commitment to your dream and goals, but the only guarantee of failure is, if you quit. Choose to stay the course and get to the finish line successfully. You will be glad you did.