Spring

The air is still unrelenting as we usher in the warm weather.

Temperatures rise for a day only to plummet again. Clouds fill the horizon, and spring rain showers beat upon the window.

The grass is slowly getting greener, and people are anxious to rake and attend flower gardens.

The winter here seemingly long and dragged out with the frigid air still holding on.

Hockey playoffs are on the TV.

Baseball has started another season.

Basketball finals also bidding for their fans.

Garage sales already popping up around the city.

House sales even in this economic climate are slowly rising, because prices are down slightly as with interest rates.

Many people anxious for a change to help ease the tensions over job security.

Department stores carrying sales over with more reductions.

But there are still line ups at the coffee shop drive through, and MacDonald's fighting for some of the Tim Horton crowd.

The world turns, the tides change, the seasons come and go.

We look at our watches and it seems that all is according to the day, the hour, the seconds.

Then we look again and ten years have sped past, zoom!

Amazing.

In our hands we posses nothing to change a thing; except, to change how we think.

We will always have the power to change that process. We have the power to do better. We have the power to make a difference in our life and perhaps at the same time be an example to others.

Time for our minds to be going green.

The only recession that comes to our own mind and heart is the one we allow.

The Kingdom of Heaven is not suffering loss, unless you choose not to be a part of it. That would be a loss.

Jesus is coming, not for those who believe in him, because even the demons believe and they tremble. He will be looking for those who truly know him.

As we enter a new season, why not enter into a new relationship.

Jesus, one of the most incredible people, who showed to us who the Father, creator God really is.

God has a plan and you are included.

It's so simple and absolutely flawless, he's a genius, but of course he is.

He made you, and you are the only one like you. 1 in 69 billion, go figure.

God and His Prophetic Voice

{wind; stained glass, artist: Sylvia Laks}

i just came back from a prophetic teaching conference in Pennsylvania, where we had an awesome time. i went with a friend and we drove there about 8 hrs from where we are in Canada.

i love sitting under the tutelage of those in the know and filling my plate with the food they provide. So we came home with much food for thought and application. We have also met some key people and made some new friends.

i have had this gift in the prophetic for quite a long time. It has grown and matured in me over the years, to where i have been very comfortable in speaking into other peoples lives with words of encouragement and words of freedom.

i would call myself a seer/prophet who also receives dreams/visions, words and impressions. i have also in the past, over 10 years ago been doing prophetic intercession for a season. God had given me words and revelation about a certain church, a year prior to actually being a member there and then released me into prayer for that church.

Since then i have spoken with accuracy into numerous peoples lives and situations and been used to pray for specific release of God's power for people or places. When travelling throughout the US, it was not uncommon for me to pray and prophesy over a city or region i was driving through at the time.

According to the Apostle Paul in, 1 Cor. 14:1 "Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy."

He encouraged this gift, as a necessary part of church life.

The gift has been neglected, shunned, despised and prophetic people have been misunderstood for generations.

According to a number of writers who have studied this gift, they have said that there are varying degrees and differences within the gift and give examples of known prophets of our day and the ways the gift operates within them. Jim Goll has researched and written much on these things.

The entire Bible is built around the prophetic word. The many different dimensions, examples, profoundness and even lots of the weird. But that's just God showing us that you cannot put him into a box.

i think it is so cool when i receive a picture, impression or word about or for someone. Their eyes light up or they begin to cry because of the love of God that touches them very powerfully, through something i have spoken.

He also reveals secrets within the heart so people get set free from wounds and hurts.

There are numerous applications to this whole realm of God knowledge.

i speak out what the heart of God wants to say and that is an awesome privilege.

Why does he use the mouthpiece of a man?

He chose us to carry out his will here on earth by bringing the Kingdom of God into the earth's midst. We have that spiritual dimension because we are spirit, soul and body. He is spirit, and we connect with him in spirit, and we are then able to speak into the spirit of one another.

Be encouraged and go for the gift.

God the Provider

{artwork Erik Hollander}

Passover is almost upon us and my Jewish friends will be remembering what God did for them.

The promises kept.

Abraham takes son Isaac to the mountain, God provides the lamb, this will be remembered.

Jesus goes to the cross for us, it will never be forgotten the grace that is given to us when we did not deserve it.

Justification

Redemption

Santification

Forgiveness

Love

The shedding of innocent blood, all for us

Prophecy and Promise

The Above is an artist's rendition of the cross and Christ upon it.

These types of displays are predominantly Catholic. This picture is from a Monastery and school in Austria, outside of Vienna, where we visited last summer.

The Monks originally came from France in about the 12th century. They were invited by the King at that time, who was a devout believer.

Austria has a strong Catholic influence that has remained for centuries.
i chose this photo only because the Christian church is about to celebrate Easter. Even though we know that this was not the time by calendar of the original happening.

In other denominations when you see a cross you do not see Christ upon it, for the simple reason that they celebrate the Resurrection as the primary importance of the Historical event.

We look at the whole life prior to his death, the introduction of God the Father, as seen through Jesus and the demonstration of his power and authority, and then his willingness to become the sacrifice on our account, demonstrating God's enormous love for us. But finally the power demonstrated by the Resurrection, that is the clincher for us who believe, because no other religion has a savior. Every other religion is based upon personal works, striving and qualifying yourself for an eternal reward.

No other religion hinges on the power of love from God to us and our love demonstrated back to him. God's plan for us through Christ, when you look at it objectively is incredible. It is so simple that it boggles the most sophisticated of minds. It is so simple that most people, even believers themselves miss it.

God set the power of love into motion. It came from his love for his creation. He then came himself in the person of Jesus, who by admission from the scriptures says he was not anything special to look at. He came from a non descript place in Israel at a particular time when the nation was under rule and occupied by Romans. He entered through a young woman, is born, raised with family, of no particular fame or name. Grew and was the perfect son and brought no attention to himself for 33 years.

He has a ministry that extends to within 70 miles (i'm probably too generous) for only three years. He is brought to trial by the local governing church, sentenced to death for no crimes, and a criminal in released instead of him. Hundreds of prophesies written about the messiah are fulfilled the day of his death. God demonstrates his power through the Resurrection and hundreds of witnesses prove it. A powerful occurrence happens 40 days later that has turned the world upside down even up to now.

Then you have a man named Paul, originally Saul, a Jewish teacher and Rabbi, who has an encounter with Jesus in a vision, suddenly stops what he was doing, killing the followers of Christ, and because of this encounter goes into seclusion for a time where God redirects him. He comes out and begins to preach to those outside of the Jewish community, the Gentiles, and sees the power of God affect their lives miraculously. From here comes centuries of the Christian church in all it's differences and form, right up to today, over 2 thousand years of history. The ramifications of the Christian church has had the greatest affect upon the educated world and influenced every walk of life. The standards and morals drawn from this one religion alone has shaped most of the greatest countries across the globe. And yet, "the fool in his heart will say there is no God."

The Apostle Paul who wrote most of the New Testament in his writing to the Ephesian church, says this in chapter 1 and verses 18 - 22

"I pray also that the eyes of your heart might be enlightened in order that you may know the hope in which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion and every title that can be given not only in the present age but the one to come. And God placed everything under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything, for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way."

This was written by a man who underwent incredible odds for the sake of the gospel. I don't think any one has had to endure the things he went through for the sake of sharing the heart of God for others. Oh yes he was writing while being held prisoner also.

The King of Kings comes and for us, he gives up his life, that we might gain our life through him.

What an awesome story that was only possible because of love.

(photo by my wife 07/08)

OLD & NEW

Contrasting images.

We who follow after the heart of God have a wonderful experience that continues to take place within us throughout our whole lives, and that is the chance to be renewed continually. There is a power working within us in the word of God that is rich with life because it is a living word and because we are a part of the living word, agreeing with it, living surrounded by it and having a birthplace in two arenas of life. That of the natural world around us and being born of a woman, and then a new birth of being born from above.

Jesus when talking to a member of the Jewish ruling council, whose name was Nicodemus, said to him you must be born again to enter into heaven. This was a new saying for the Jewish man, and thought, how is that to happen, do I have to reenter my mothers womb, I am old, what are you saying?

Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the Kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit..." (see John 3:1-17)

We are much like the buildings we live in, work in and are surrounded by.

We are like them in this, that we must be built upon a solid foundation, one that no matter what the circumstances happening in the weather, especially where we live in the four seasons with it's multifaceted extremes. The building has to withstand everything according to it's surrounding climate.

You would not take a building design from here and built it the same way in Hawaii.

In the Christian community there are many different denominations but the same foundation. They are built upon the word of God and of Jesus Christ as the chief cornerstone, and we are built as living stones into that foundation. The differences being in doctrine.

When our forefathers, both in Canada and the US, were drafting up the constitutions and separation of church and state were brought into being, it was designed so that there would allow this diversity of religion. They knew that this was necessary to avoid some of the past governments being ruled by the church, an example being when the Catholic church in the early centuries had a strong ruling arm and made sure that they could wield that power at will. This type of power was not a government of the people, that was seen by our fore fathers as the proper way to govern. But at the same time these men, who almost all were believing and practicing Christians of one denomination or another also knew the importance of God being involved in their lives and so prayer and the reading of the Bible was a priority. They knew the importance of a foundation in Christian principles.

We are all the better off because of the decisions made on our behalf only a very short time ago.

The Christian church around the globe is about to celebrate the wonderful event of Easter and the Resurrection of Jesus.

Awesome and ever new with every passing year.

"For God so loved that..."

(photo Down town Toronto, by my wife, who has a keen eye)

Stop This Thing, "i'm Getting Off!"

Life can look and feel like we are just spinning. One place doing the same thing over and over without end.

Stuck in the dark with a little light shining around our little space, while the world seems to go by beneath and around us without giving notice to us at all.

This can be the norm for most people, but within the Christian walk, there is this trap also.

We just finished a book in our small group that was reminding us that, "we are at war!"

There is a war for domination of our hearts. You take out the heart, that life beating desire, energy, spontaneity, likes, wants, needs, dreams, vision, joy, peace, right attitude, love for life and it's good pleasures, and love for God and what do you end up with? A heavy yoke of strain and lifelessness, that will take you to an early grave and keep you from truly experiencing what God wants for you.

It will lead you to become the walking dead.

The heart is at the centre of life, God knows it and so does the destroyer of all that God has for us in Christ. We need to fight for and preserve the life that is intended for us and for those around us.

i would invite you to read John Eldredge's book, "Waking the Dead" and a great follow up to it by the same author is "Walking with God."

Now we are going to follow up this book with "Praying by the Power of the Spirit" by Neil Anderson. i am reading through it now and as a student and person of prayer, i was quite intrigued with some of his insights. There is always more to learn.

i am looking forward to and excited about sharing this book with our group and seeing all our horizons expanded.

(Photo Vienna Austria, giant ferris wheel, 07/08, by my best friend Hella)

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Being laid up with an injury for the past few months has had me contemplating my next move.

Surgery, yes or no? Live with the pain and problem. Sustained nerve and reflex damage that will not be corrected by surgery.

Will not be able to continue life at the pace i was used to and be doing the strenuous work i had been doing.

i'm not interested in living on pain killers for the rest of my life just so i can get around.

So i need to learn how to best manage the pain and move on.

i remember my mother telling me after she was in a car accident shortly after i was born, that the Dr's said she had little chance of walking again due to the injury to her back. She proved them wrong.

i get a lot of my stamina from her, i have a high tolerance to pain that has helped me and a stubbornness that does not bend easily to injury.

God has been awesome in blessing me in my body in the past, so i have a faith that arises also.

There is just too much to say about that, this particular injury and time in my life and his getting my attention, that i know great things are yet to come my way.

i have been taking a more serious interest in furthering my education and getting a degree for ministry, that would fulfill some dreams i have had and let die. (there was an attack on my heart that wanted to kill all of that, God has a better idea.)

So having to stop, literally what i was doing and reevaluate my life has been good.

i am researching an on-line school, with accredited and recognized courses to get my degree and further if i so desire. This is something i have wanted to do for a very long time.

As the saying goes, "good things come to those who wait", but "better things" come to those who love God and put him first!

Yahoo! LOL