Name Change

I decided to change the name of this blog. Seeing as it basically contains my ramblings from time to time and is not necessarily directly related to our church - Heritage Mountain Community Church, I may as well reflect my thots, not those representing the church :).

We are about to enter a New Year. That can be exciting. Although nothing has changed, except the last digit in our year, we tend to look at life differently. It is a time when we "turn over a new leaf," "start a new page" or whatever we want to call it. It certainly does help us make a fresh start from time to time - and we need that.

We also need a time when we look back and get rid of some baggage. Anywhere from forgiving those who have wronged us, to forgiving ourselves, to seeking forgiviness from others - and God.

I am looking forward to a new year.

God Knows

I wonder who watches the video I posted on Youtube?

I logged on to Youtube this morning and noticed that this video has surpassed the 1,000 times being viewed. I could not help but think of all those who had watched the video. Why do people watch it? What drew them to it? Who are they? What are they going through? What are their joys? Their struggles? What are their hopes for the future? What are their dreams?

Then I thought, God knows the answer to all those questions. He knows exactly who logged on at what time - and why. The Spirit of God is there with them as they watch the video - which is a psalm of praise. God was, is, and will be there as they watch. What an amazing thought. Even more, what an awesome experience.

So today, wherever you are, take comfort and courage from the reality that God is with you wherever you go. He is there to guide you into reality and truth. He is there to bring comfort. He is there to challenge you to grow. You likely cannot SEE him, but if you look around, you wil lfind Him! Enjoy!

Psalm 100 video

Good Gracious!

God is amazing! And surprising!

Many of us think of God as One who draws a line in the sand and you had better not cross it - or else! Crossing that line is called sin. The problem is that we have a hard time differentiating between the line that God draws and the lines that we as people draw. Is something wrong because God said so, or because we say so?

During the time of the Kings in Biblical times, God had laid down some pretty clear and specific rules for the people to follow. Among them were rules for how people were to prepare themselves to enter the "sanctuary." During the time of Hezekiah the people of Israel had been crossing the line God had drawn for them. The people began to return to God but due to the fact that they were unclean - according to the rules - they could not present their lambs as their sacrificial offering before God.

In 2 Chronicles 30:18-20 an unusual thing happens. Hezekiah took a bold step and prayed to God and said "May the LORD, who is good, pardon everyone who sets his heart on seeking God - the LORD, the God of his fathers - even if he is not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary." And Good, Gracious - God "heard Hezekiah and healed the people."

When you have crossed the line, God is still gracious.

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

Meeting God on the Mountain

Watching the sunrise from the top of Mt. Moses (Mt. Sinai) was amazing. Imagine Moses hiking up the mountain alone - to meet with God. Was he afraid? Was he excited? After all, God had summoned Moses to meet with Him and NO ONE else was allowed to join him.

As we watched the sun come up, there were a group of eastern European believers gathered at the edge of the cliff, singing and praying together. At first I felt distracted in the awe of the moment; however, I quickly appreciated the joy of what this group of gathered believers must be experiencing. Imagine an entire group of dedicated followers of God, labouring through the night (old and young) to gather together at that spot to commune with God - together.

Thinking of Moses meeting with God and experiencing the glory of God's presence was stunning. As I stood there, watching the sun come up, I could not help but think of the words to a song written by Paul Baloche which we sing in our worship services at HMCC.

The sun cannot compare to the glory of your love
There is no shadow in your presence
No mortal man would dare to stand before your throne
Before the holy one of heaven
It’s only by your blood
And it’s only through your mercy Lord, I come

I bring an offering of worship to my king
No one on earth deserves the praises that I sing
Jesus, may you receive the honor that You’re due
O Lord I bring an offering to you

© 2003 Integrity’s Hosanna Music

What is a Win?

Do you ever look back at the end of the day and wonder what you have accomplished? Was this a successful day? A successful week? How do we know?

I am presently reading the book, 7 Practices of Effective Ministry. The first practice of successful ministry is clarifying what a win looks like. A baseball team knows that it has won the game when it has scored more runs than the opposing team. During the game there are some smaller wins as players get on base, then advance the bases until they cross home-plate, scoring a run. Using this analogy, the authors identify that in ministry (and I would say in much of life) it is important to identify what a win looks like for us.

This is an amazing exercise. I now find myself asking the question as I enter the day, “What will it mean for me to have a ‘win’ today?” At the end of the day even my wife now asks me if the day was a win.

Try it. For more information pick up the book 7 Practices of Effective Ministry, by Andy Stanley, Reggie Joiner and Lane Jones, ©2004 North Point Ministries, Inc. Published by Multnomah Publishers, Inc.

Thanks Jason!

I would like to give a BIG THANK YOU to Jason Krause for his awesome, enthusiastic and faithful service as Associate Pastor at HMCC. Jason has served with integrity and inspiration, often working behind the scenes – and of course often very publicly.

I will greatly miss Jason in his role as Associate Pastor.