God is Faithful

Hello All.
 Forgive me for such a long spell between posts, but as I grow spiritually I still fall short as a human. The last 10 months have been AMAZING!!!

 As the title reveals, God is Faithful! His love, mercy & grace have been pouring like a river into my life. As January came to an end, my contractor work continued at a snails pace. I was remodeling a home, (new windows, interior trim, new stucco exterior), but cash flow was limited. I kept searching for more work or even different work.
 Having been a Facilities Manager for a camp in Canada, I was looking for a similar positions in our new area. A position became available for a facilities person with a local city municipality. I applied and waited the 5 ~ 6 weeks for a response. To my surprise I didn't get the usual, "Thank you for your interest in ....however....we regret to inform you...", but an interview was scheduled.
 I did the interview and was asked back for a second interview 2 days later. The 2nd interview revealed that the city was actually going to hire 2 persons, 1 full time permanent & 1 full time temporary. Of course the permanent position paid more & had benefits too so I patiently moved forward. Well the next day I received a phone call offering me the temporary position. My heart sunk a bit but I accepted the position. My start date would be early March. Yeah! I had full time work.

 I continued my remodel project and started employment with the City. M-F, 7-4. It turned out to be a good position, but I still had inner battles with not getting the permanent position.
 As the weeks rolled by I worked as unto to Lord and began to feel comfortable. Rumors were spreading of budget shortfalls with the city and my time there may be limited.
 Holly & I had been house shopping since October and the search was dragging on as we would put bids in to purchase and something would happen and the home was no longer available. We kept plugging away house shopping, me working 2 jobs and also preparing for my sister's soon arrival.
 Our mother had passed away last September and my sister wanted to relocate closer to me, so she had her house on the market and would be moving in with us until she got settled into a newer home here. The first week of April I drove the 8 hours to her house, we loaded up my truck & trailer, and ta-da!! She is here with us in AZ.
 A week later one of our home offers went thru and we were now in escrow to purchase a home. A lovely place, 200 SF larger, larger lot, 2 car garage and a real fixer-upper. God really knew what we needed and we couldn't agree more. Our escrow closing date was May 15th.

 The city job was great but my temporary position look very temporary.

But God is in control, remember!!

 Well, May 15th rolled around. Escrow closing day, a Friday, and a busy weekend of demo work laid ahead as we had scheduled to depart the rental house May 31st. We had a lot of work to do to the newer home to make it "move in ready." I arrived at work that day and got ready to start when I was given the news that the Permanent position guy had decided to quit that very day and I was now offered the Full Time Permanent position. WOW!! Pay raise, benefits and escrow closing on the same day.

 God is Faithful!!

 Side note here: The departing friend and I went out to lunch that day, (hotdogs at a local cart outside a lumber yard), and the lumber store was having a "Spring Building Expo" with all sorts of samples and hardware salesman on hand to introduce their new products. There was a BBQ raffle too, and guess who won? Yup, Me!   A new job, a new house and a new $300 BBQ too! WOW.

God is faithful!!!

 We worked on the home throughout the summer as we settled in. (new fences for birddog, new deck steps out back, new interior paint throughout, new flooring in guest bedroom, new flooring & tile in guest bathroom, new Alder interior doors, etc.)

 My sister bought a brand new home 20 minutes away and moved in October 31st.

 And now we 're continuing the house remodel by redoing the master bedroom & bath.

 Oh, the house I was remodeling as contractor is moving forward too. I am starting the painting of the exterior in a few weeks.


 As you can see a busy and blessed year it has been!! I've been enjoying life from the mountaintop, knowing that many valley's are around me and I must go thru them on this journey

 Again, forgive me for the long delay between posts.

Thanks for stopping by.

A bit of Quail hunting too!

Still Living; "By Faith"

Living by faith! There is a lot said about it in scripture, but what does it really involve?

Mostly waiting!
Waiting for something you don't know.
Waiting for something you can't see.
Waiting for something you never thought of.
It is probably one of the hardest parts of life. (It's hard to wait for a computer program to load, like I'm doing now.)

John 15:2 says,
 "Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit."

This verse really gets me to thinking. So if I bear no fruit, no signs of growth in Christ, He will take me away. But when I do bear fruit, He will prune me, cut me down to size, so that I can bear more fruit. As I understand this verse, the person bearing no fruit is an unsaved person. They will be taken away to be burned, see John 15:6. This is in contrast with the saved person who DOES bear fruit. Obviously, God wants His children to bear lots of fruit.
 Have you ever pruned a tree, bush or any plant. It happens quickly, but then you must wait, (there's that word again), for the plant to grow to see the results. It may take years for the full effects to be seen. That is where I am at. I've been pruned before but having to wait this long is new to me.

 I have to remind myself of the "others" in Hebrews 11:36. This group, very large group, are the ones who rarely see any blessing's in their lifetime. They suffered greatly and still do today. I don't feel the need to drone on about all the suffering in the world, you know about it already as a child of God. Yet it can overcome me with discouragement at times if I remain focused on it. So I pull back on my "tuning in to the world events" and spend more time studying His Word. It really does help me to understand and answer many of my current questions.

 Life is moving forward for me, (like a glacier). We are looking to buy a home, put down some roots. I guess I need some solid roots for my pruned plant to grow. My work is stagnant, but shows signs of being able to take off, (no where to go but up). So I am thankful for each day. Each breath. Each victory I receive by trusting in Him!


Thank you Lord for this day!!!


Meanwhile, the world spirals on downward as I watch and wait.

No Hope in Emotions!

 There is no hope in emotions or being emotional. The recent death of Robin Williams, RW, has left the world with an open jaw of unbelief. How could a man so funny be depressed? How could a man of such talent be pushed to the edge? How could a man so loved take his own life?
 It is said that suicide is a call for help. If it is, it is a call that is never placed. When I was 16, my cousin age 19, took his own life. 37 years later I still wonder "Why?"

 Let's face facts; This world is a mess! Murders, rapes, robberies, kidnappings and now a group of religious freaks, (the Islamic State or "IS" as it's known this week), is moving across northern Irag, hacking men, women & children in half with swords and guns if they do not convert to their satanic religion! The world is seeing  "wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet." Matt 24:6 coming true before our eyes.

 Many people live life following their emotions. They are like a ship at sea with no sail, being blown around by the winds of the world, (Ephesians 4:14) There is no hope for people who follow their emotions. Jesus says to follow Him. He has a path for you where you will not stumble, (Proverbs 4:12-19). You will become a child of God, part of His eternal family, (1 John 3:2).

 That is hope. 

 Knowing our future, assured of the promises of God, safety in His hands. God does not promise a trouble free life, He tells us that trials will come our way, (James 1:2-4). But He will give us the strength and a way through all those trials, to overcome them. Yes, it may be difficult, horrible and painful but it will only last a short time. Afterwards we will be with Him forever!


 Stop being part of this crazy world, become a child of God. Know your future. Discern the evil presence in this world. Ask God for wisdom, (James 1:5). Be a light in this dark world, (John 11:9). Resist depression - be thankful for all God has given you. Throw off the emotions that can choke the life out of this world!!!

Sitting with Job!

Hello All,
 No, I don't have steady income yet. The title reflects a Bible character not an employee's desire. Each day is new for us all, God intends it that way. But also each day gives us time to reflect on the previous day or days of our life.
 As I great each day I start with prayer & time in The Word. This puts everything in perspective, then I check out the news. Oh My Goodness!! I want to crawl back into bed. This world is on a steeper decline each day. The words of Paul in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 ring true everyday! Perilous times are here! Men, meaning all mankind, does love themselves over anything else. They love money! Their boasters! Their proud! Their blasphemers! Their disobedient to their parents! Unthankful! Unholy! Unloving! Unforgiving! Slanders! Without self-control! Brutal! Despisers of good! Traitors! Headstrong! Haughty! Lovers of pleasure rather than God! And the world just can't see it. I see many of those qualities in myself, I hate my flesh and cannot get away from it. It is a second-by-second, minute-by-minute battle that rages every day! Every new day! And yet I sit quietly, trying not to burst wide open with rage!
 The reason I can sit quietly is due to The Helper, The Holy Spirit. He guides me, calms me, directs my path each day. How do people cope without knowing God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit? (well, "alcohol & drug abuse" is now understood). Trying to find comfort without The Comforter? I could do a lot of extra work and "copy / paste" web links to point out the troubles in this world, but I don't want to be another "news website". That's really all they do, post links to what someone else is reporting. Yet the decline is out there for all to see.
 The best path for me is to focus on the 190 lb. mass that I have been given. Take care of that first and don't concern myself with everything else. That's a tall order. I have a difficult time with Paul's list inside myself, much less trying to change the world, ("impossible" is now defined too). So I sit like Job did.
 Granted, I continue on with life. Seeking income with abilities I have been given. Encouraging other's to stay the course. Praying for the needs of others. Reading & studying The Word, (always some new fact / truth pops off the page and smacks me!). Knowing that in eternity, all this will seem so trivial and short lived. Knowing that one fact is a tremendous comfort.

That's how I cope!!!!

Stay the course that you are on! It will get worse before it gets any better, but the trials will be short compared to eternity in Heaven and on the New Earth!!! Chew on that today!!!!

Quiet Times!

 It has been awhile since I last posted, so here is an update.

 Having relocated to AZ and starting up in the private sector again, we've had our share of set backs.
 To start with, we weren't aware of "rejection Tuesday" or "rejection Thursday" or even "rejection Friday", but we are now. These are special days when we are informed "thank you for your recent application to our company, however....." It can really get you discouraged fast. But not to worry. My wife is writing a children's summer "Day Camp Program" and she will be flying back to east to train the staff at a camp. So her being hired now would not be a good thing. God knows better than we do.
 My return to Contracting is finally taking off. After passing the need Trade Exam & AZ Business Exam I am now filing my application for my KB2, (Residential & Small Commercial) Contractor's License. Should have it within 45 days.
 Finding a new church has been interesting. After visiting 3 area churches we have started attending one on a regular basis. I've gotten into a men's study group and also have been helping out at the weekly men's prayer meeting. A solid, Bible teaching church with uplifting worship too.
 So what is really happening? Well, not having a steady income after 4 months can be discouraging, but I know that God is in control. Hence, the title of this post! I am doing much more Bible reading than usual, more Bible study than usual and more time in prayer than usual. All good things. Being quiet and letting God speak to me.
 How am I sure it is Him speaking to me?
 I've learned that God does not use a lot of words. He speaks clearly. He speaks precisely. He speaks directly to the heart. So even though I don't understand the wait, I continue to wait on Him.
 I know that soon I will be busy working and won't have the extra time to spend with my wife, enjoying the house, the backyard, going out to practice shooting my bows & guns, exploring the area around us. So I also continue enjoy the slow time I have. It really is a gift from God!

 Downtown

Road trip to Sedona

God IS Real!!!

 Well it is official, I am back in USA. We, (my wife & I), with the help of 20+ young people from summer staff, (a blessing for sure), loaded up a Uhaul truck & Trailer in 5F temps on January 3rd and departed Canada on January 4th. For a recap of that journey, visit pete n hollys world for the details.
 Arriving in a new area and a new city can be a daunting task. We really don't know anyone here, but we decided on this area because of economy, weather, opportunities, proximity to family and interests. So we started our first day unloading the truck with the help of In-laws, (my in-laws & my brother-in-laws in-laws). A great amount of work was done, the truck was emptied and returned and unpacking and settling in began.
 Neighbors Glenn & Sally came by on Friday to say hello and invited us to go to their church on Sunday morning. We accepted and had a wonderful time and received a timely message on why worry is sin.
 Monday came and we set off to the Motor Vehicle Division, MVD, to obtain driver licenses and also import and register our two vehicles. Well, after 3 hours we only completed 25% of those tasks. I had taken the written test and gotten my DL, but the truck had an incomplete VIN sticker on the door panel so we would have to return on Tuesday for a "level II" inspection. We also needed to have our car inspected and so we returned Tuesday with both vehicles.
 Now to be honest, I start each day with prayer and some of my prayers are for God to give me some connections here and also remove obstacles from our path each day. So we arrived at 8 am to the inspection center and were second in line behind another couple who had been waiting since 7 am, (they were incorrectly told that inspections started and 7 am). As we waited for the MVD Official to arrive a conversation started and we discovered that we  are "brother-in-Christ" so "Mark" gave me a short list of good churches in the area to check out. The inspections started and we went our separate ways through the gov't maze. Fifteen minutes later Mark came to me and gave me his business card and stated that if I ever need some help, questions answered or assistance of any kind, don't hesitate to call. Guess what? He is a Contractor in the area, same field that I am going back into. We made small talk and parted. A connection had been made.
 While I was getting the truck inspected, Holly went and stood in line to start the process on our car. My name is on the title so she was praying that the truck inspection would end before our number was called. Her prayer was answered as I entered the waiting area with a "Passed Inspection" form in my hand. Moments later our number was called and we arrived at "John's" window. Now "Richard" had dealt with us the day before and had gone through ~ 1 hour of instruction on "How-to import a Canadian registered vehicle 101" so we were a bit disappointed that we had a different person. But remember, God's ways are not our ways.
 John began with many questions and sought assistance from his supervisor, who also needed assistance from her supervisor. John had been hired at the MVD just 8 months ago so this was new territory for him too. As time ticked on, we talked with John and discovered that another "brother-in-Christ" had been placed before us. He asked us where we were attending church and, (wait for it), the church Glenn & Sally took us to was the same church where John attended.

At this point I knew that God's hand was guiding the sequence of events before us.

 With calmer, assured attitudes we worked through the system and $68.75 later, both vehicles now have AZ plates on them. (side note; we had to pay over $500 to Canada to register our vehicles there!).
 Needless to say, I walked out of the MVD with great encouragement and hope for our future here in AZ.

What a morning!

What a great God we have!

Moving, forward!!!

 Well, the answer has come!

 NO!!

 After 10 months & 4 attempts the CIC have held their ground to keeping Foreign Workers to a minimum. We had set out 4 various circumstances to use as indicators of God's will for us and these have played out to lead us to return to America. So let the planning begin!

 Trying to get housing in a different state, with no job is proving to be difficult. We may just have to put everything in storage and stay with family a few weeks to get settled. OR God will answer prayer and prepare a place for us to land. We continue to pray for the latter!

 Telling this news has been rough. Our Church family is very sad but understandable. Our camp family is really sad but understandable. Our family family is quite happy for our return. We really have been blessed during our time here. Much love & growth has occurred and we don't regret coming here at all. It's a wonderful journey we're on and God has asked us to do some amazing things while we were here; teaching, leading, speaking engagements, mentoring, encouraging, listening, exploring, and serving to others.

 Our plan at the moment is to travel back to the Southwest region. With Holly's love of art and my passion for the out-of-doors, the Southwest has both of these interests in abundance. And beautiful scenery too. With the skills God has given me in building and carpentry I know that employment should be available.

 In other news: Holly took a 3 day art workshop and had an amazing time. She feels that she learned enough to keep her busy for at least a year! My Deer hunting season ended on Oct 21st. My second time in the woods, on a drizzly afternoon, proved successful as I arrowed a 8 point Whitetail, stopping him in his tracks. My first deer in 3 years. Then on the next 2 Mondays Tess & I went Pheasant hunting and got a total of 5 birds. She really enjoyed the time afield as did I. The Alpha Course I've been teaching concluded just last night. With 12+ people each week, we helped 6 newer Christians learn about the faith and the Love of Jesus. Rewarding indeed.

 That's all for now. Please pray for us as we plan, pack and prepare to exit this country.

kNO Jesus, kNOw peace!!!!

Waiting on the LORD!

 Well, I'm still here. My work permit has not been renewed, YET, and I will be applying for a fourth time. Having been here over 2 years now, living & serving in a foreign country has been ?????????? I can see many blessings but also some disappointments. But waiting on the Lord to see what He would have us do is nerve stretching.

 You see, my permit expired in late July. We had applied back in January to renew it, but the government has tighten the rules on hiring of foreign workers. It seems the banking industry was taking advantage of paying foreign workers 15% less than its own citizens. So people with deep pockets started complaining to Parliament about it. So the rules were changed and tightened to slow down the hiring of foreign workers. I am caught in the middle.
 While the paperwork process is moving I have been given "implied status" to stay in the country. But each refusal means starting over again. So as I wait I also am looking at my options come 2014. Will I be here or do I have to return to America and find employment there? Where do I go? Where shall I live? What will I do? Thankfully the Lord has provided for us the resources to return to wherever we choose. But seeking the Lords will for us, that is the question!

Waiting!

Waiting!

Waiting!

 Oh! that will build character in me!


How do you seek the Lords will in your life? I would enjoy your input.

2013 Summer Camps Completed

 Well here at the Bible Camp, we just finished the run of weekly Bible camps. Our summer starts off with a Seniors group, (65+ years old); Then a Church group in the second week, (again mostly 65+ years old).
 Our third week starts the kids camp with the 14-18 year old group. Week four has the 6-10 year old. Then week five, 11-13 year old. Week six is a Day Camp sponsored by a local church, kids 6-12 years old. That week is when we get a slight rest as that camp runs from 8:30 - 5 pm each day, no overnight guests.

 Then the Family Camps in weeks 7, 8 & 9. Each of these camps starts Sunday @ 2 pm and run thru Saturday @ 10 am. With a morning & evening teaching time, multiple swimming pool times, climbing wall, archery, volleyball, mini-golf, basketball, soccer, tennis & evening campfires, the guest go home exhausted each week.

 Our staff is also weary by the end. We have 4 full time adult staff, then we have young people who come for 3 weeks at a time, (a block) and stay at the camp facilities. Some of the kids stayed all summer long. It is a good time as we all work together to make the camp run smoothly.
 We know of several campers who made a declaration to follow Jesus and many others who learned more about Him and asked questions. To me, that is what is really important, getting to know Jesus!!

Know Jesus, Know Peace!

No Jesus, No Peace!

 Now it's time for me to rest a bit, but coming in 1 week AWANA starts up again. Then Tuesday night Bible Studies resume and this year I am running a "Alpha" course for 7 weeks on Sunday evenings. For details go to www.alphacanada.org. Plus hunting season starts October 1st. Yeah, a busy Fall.

Keep reading The Word!

Get involved at Church!

Go public about your faith!

Lost Thoughts

 Well, it's official. At least in my eyes it is. America is lost, it isn't coming back, and history will be rewritten so that "America" will be remembered as a failed experiment in self government. Really, "a failed experiment in self government"? So does that mean that every other government has been a success? Hardly.....

 So what has happened that America is lost? Well, when you have Billion dollar legislation being passed (which no one reads), corruption at the voting booth to elect corrupt leaders, redistribution of wealth & property to people who don't work and immorality legalized for all to enjoy, America, as founded, is no more.

 I shouldn't be surprised. Paul gave us a "heads up" two thousand years ago.

2 Timothy 3:1-5 states;

"1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self- control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people." ESV.

 Paul says, "Avoid such people". These "people" are the ones running the country! These "people" are voted into office by a democracy of other "people" who don't know who God or Jesus are! These "people" are changing the laws, charging fees and collecting our tax dollars to pay for immorality to occur. It can be quite discouraging!!!

 But praise the Lord that God has a plan in place. And it has always been His plan. God never has a plan "B" ready, "just in case". He knows what is going on and we must be patient. If you are "saved" you are already in eternity and this life will be soon forgotten. We must be obedient and do the work He has asked us to do. Tell others of His plan! Join me in praying, daily, for our leaders, family members and friends to be given Spiritual eyesight. At that point the choice is left to them.
 It's funny, odd really,  that I write these blog post to encourage myself. But each day I must remind myself of these truth's from the Apostle John.
(I learned these from James MacDonald's teaching's)

Love deeply
Obey Faithfully
Live Authentically
Know Completely
Believe Confidently

 Over the next 8 weeks I will be training, teaching and encouraging young adults to follow Jesus, not the world. I was greatly encouraged by the comments I received after last summer. But encouragement is like adrenalin, it can run out too quickly and you can't bottle it up for later. Each day is a new battle.

 Thankfully the battle belongs to the Lord!

 Stay strong, read your Bible each day, Pray continually!!!

Truth over Love

Hello all,
 It is almost mid May and warmer temps are helping Spring along. I have been helping my Church with their Tuesday night Bible Study & Prayer Meeting. We have been going through 1, 2 & 3 John. Very encouraging letters of what marks we have as Christians, warnings of false teachers outside the church and cautions on false brethren in the church. It helps bring to light to current affairs in North America too.
 Today we have "leaders" who are more dishonest than Satan. In Job 1:7, Satan is asked, by God, what he is up to. He replies that he is going to & fro on the earth seeking whom he may devour. An honest statement if you ask me. But here in 2013, elected leaders are lying to their citizens, covering up murders they are responsible for, using Government agencies to harass private citizens who oppose them, spending money we don't have and, well I could go on for a long time. But it comes down to truth.
 After some discussion at prayer meeting, we agreed that truth comes before love. John even told us to use discernment when meeting brothers we don't know. And not to help out those who are false teachers or who follow a false doctrine about Christ. If we assist these people, we are guilty of spreading their false lies.
 Times haven't changed a bit in 2000 years. More proof that we aren't evolving at all. Just sinners doing what we do best.
 Do continue to read & study your Bible. It's the greatest thing in our world today. And many ignore it daily. How sad!

Only 2 Paths!

 Hows your core family doing? I'm talking about you, your mother & father and your brother's & sister's? The family you grew up with. Mine is scattered all over North America. That's not a bad thing. We keep in touch over the phone & internet, but visits are years apart. And when we do talk, mostly it's about our health, weather, jobs, etc. I can have those conversations on a public bus with strangers! I know I am part of the problem too. I just don't get to the core subject;
     
         Where will YOU be in a 100 years?

 Since turning to God 10+ years ago, I have been an avid Bible reader and studier. I'm still trying to throw off the "Old Me" lifestyle, but I do see a new creation coming forth. God says that He can only accept "perfect" people in His Kingdom and this side of Heaven I will never be perfect. And neither will you. That's a tough pill for many to swallow. But through faith in Jesus Christ, He is my advocate and I can stand before God on judgement day and He will accept me. His question to me will be;

      "What did you do with your salvation?"

 I'm still building that answer and will continue to add to it in the years to come.
 This world is getting worse. Everyone sees it happening. And as it get tougher to make a living, buy food, get a roof over our heads, we see no end in sight. Well that's not really true. Believer's & follower's of Jesus see the end in sight. A glorious Kingdom with no sin, no pain, no tears. Something so wonderful that the cares and troubles of this world will be forgotten. And that's the only two paths in this life.

   1. Headed toward God's Kingdom and eternal life with Him. or

   2. Headed toward a lake of fire and eternal torment without Him.

 Those aren't my words or thinking. That is what God's word clearly explains over and over and over. So as I complete this thought and prepare to attend church service, I ask you:


                   "What path are you on?"

Good vs. Evil

“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil;"

Isaiah 5:20. 

 It has been happening for a long time, but it seems to get worse everyday. The world is doing a complete 180 degree turn when it comes to morals and living a godly life.

 We see it everyday, elected officials ignoring their oaths of office, people being imprisoned for their belief's, God forbidden lifestyles being glorified and evil deeds given a pass from the Judges. Everywhere you look it is getting worse. I know that God see's it and He is permitting it for now, but soon a day of judgement is coming. I hope for that day to come soon!!!

 I have been a part of Awana this year and helping young boys to learn about God and His word. It has been encouraging to see a good number of these boys are headed down the right path in life. A remnant if you please. But just like the world, there are some boys who just keep walking down the wide path of the world. I pray for them the most as I see their evil deeds and the hurt it causes their fellow clubbers.  

 We have a reward system in place to encourage the clubbers to complete their handbooks & memorize scripture, but even that is in jeopardy. Each week we award a special prize to a clubber who has shown good behavior; ( the clubber gets a key to our prize box and he can choose his award himself, from a variety of gifts). But during game time the key was stolen by someone and later found in a trash can. One of the boys must have been jealous of the award and couldn't contain himself, so he took the key. Evil came forth!

 Now all the boys will be affected because we are going to discontinue the special award until the guilty person comes forward and confesses. Just like in the real world, one bad apple spoils the whole basket. A sad case indeed! Even at 10 years old sin is reigning in a person's life.

 So how do we deal with a corrupt world? 

Jesus said,

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33.

 Jesus also said, 

 "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first." John 15:18.

 It's hard to do, but have patience, pray for those who are spiritually blind, and continue to look for the Lord's return. It will only get worse as we draw nearer to that glorious day.


 

Today!!!

 If Jesus came today, would you be ready?

 That's a question Christians ask themselves a lot these days. But is it true.
 We just finished the Christmas season and the new year is upon us. I spent some time with family and friends over the past few weeks and the discussion kept going back to the decline of America. We have watched as the American leaders have done foolish things to our economy and the rights of the American people. The leaders will not admit that the country is broke financially and headed toward collapse. When that happens the people may revolt, there will be fighting among each other to survive and protecting our families will be necessary. 
 As I discussed the possibilities with others, I discovered that those who, "don't put their trust in God", have no hope at all. Each scenario led them to realize that their guns, skills and or personal strength would not be enough to defend against an angry mob or the government.

 Let me be clear; 
Will times get tough? Yes! 
Will survival get to be near impossible? Yes, for a short time! 
Will it be wonderful when God raptures us OR allows us to physically die to be with Him? YES!

Those without God will not experience this hope. I am secure that He will deliver me, take care of me, bless me with what ever His will is, when "times get tough". Am I planning for the tough times? Yes, I need to be faithful with what God has already given me and also to prepare for the future.

 I find it difficult to make plans while I live in a foreign country. I say that because God asked me to come here and do His work, but I don't know how long I will be here. The Bible Camp where I work is feeling the effects of a downward economy too. We see the group numbers getting smaller and this effects the camps operating budget. I realize that at any moment the Camp Board of Directors may decide that I am no longer needed and they could let me go! Am I worried? No, not at all, but I must remain diligent to what God has for me next. Being able to hear God's voice does not just happen. I have had to grow, to train myself to hear Him. Only by reading and studying His word has this happened. 
 While all that is going on, I need to continue to serve Him each day. I need to continue to bless others with what He has given me. I need to continue to encourage others to "hang in there". I need to continue to humble myself each day. I need to tell others about Gods plan for salvation. Being saved has a stronger meaning these days.

 If the economy collapsed today, if there was no food or fresh water today, if you had no place to live today, would you be ready? If Jesus came today, would you be ready?

Each Day is New!!!

 Wow! It has been a long time since my last post. I had a very busy summer here at the Bible Camp. I had 15 - 20 Summer Staff workers under my command till the first weekend in September. They were employed as Maintenance & Lifeguards for the different camps that attend each year.
 I started each day with a devotional time at 7:30 am. It was a challenge to feed these kids some spiritual food each day, but God gave me many topics and some of the kids gave positive comments and the end of summer. YES!!!!!! We all grew, together, as it should be.
 In August I was approached by my Church's Awana Boys leader to help out as a Listener. I had no idea what was involved. So I said "yes" anyway! I have 5 boys, age 8 & 9 in my group. They work through books, learning Bible verses and truths about God. It is fun & a joy to watch these guys memorize Bible verses. We meet every Wednesday and this will continue until May.....

 In October I took a trip to North Dakota to tend to some property that we own. I also did some Pheasant & Deer hunting too. I enjoy the hunting, and my Brittany, Tess, enjoys it too!!!!
 After returning home late October, it was time to pick up all the fallen leaves. What a job. 2 weeks of leaf patrol and the camp is now cleaned and ready for winter.

 I had decided to slow down on controlling my life. Just let God guide me. I have found that I am much busier now than ever. But my strength & spirit is high. I enjoy life so much more. That's why I titled this short update, "Each Day is New". Each day IS new. A chance to continue serving Him. I am getting more out of each day too. More time to read, more time to share with others, more chances to impact others, and more life. Jesus promised a more abundant life, and He delivers.
 As America continues it downward spiral, I continue to study God's word more. So many people just refuse to see the truth. Blindness, a good topic for next time.....

 John 2:5b, "What ever Jesus tells you, do it!"

The Bond Servant

What is a "Bond Servant"? The Free Dictionary, an online reference, defines it as "A slave; one who is bound to service without wages." Paul described himself as a bond servant of Jesus Christ and he walk the talk. His life is a great example, 2nd only to Jesus himself, as how to live the Christian life.
 Sadly we think of a slave with negative connotations. But it really is someone who is loved by their master, cared for and provided for by their master. Saul, aka Paul, was climbing the ladder of Priesthood as a young man. He worked as a tent maker to pay his way and for his education to become a Priest. He was even doing things to win the favor of Priests hoping they would help him along the way. He went so far as to volunteer to go to Damascus to round up believers of "The Way" and bring them back to prison. But that all changed when Jesus knocked him off his horse with a bright light and blinded him for 3 days. From that point on, Paul was a bond servant of Jesus.
 He began the same battle we all face today. We want to follow the will of God in our lives. We want to to the tasks set before from God. We want to go where God sends us in life. But we wrestle with out worldly mind deciding if what we are doing is the right choice. Here we can debate for hours on how to handle this issue, but really it is a simple solution.

Is the task, will, or assignment set before me draw me closer to God or further away from Him?

Asking that question will save us a lot of time. Time that we can use to further the gospel of Jesus.
 I enjoy "people watching" as much as the next person, but as of late I find myself "soul watching" instead. Don't get me wrong, I'm not judging them but rather I watch their actions, how they carry themselves, how they react in certain situations. And I also understand that others are watching me! But this "soul watching" can be helpful in correcting a brother or sister in Christ.
 I now work with youths in a Christian setting. Many of them are heading into service for Christ while others have not yet decided the path to take in life. I am quick to talk with them about my past. I took the wrong path at their age and I wasted 28 years of my life not serving Jesus. I look at others my age who traveled the right path and see the difference's in our current lives. I'm careful not to covet what they have or do, but I recognise what I am missing in my own life. How much more maturing I have to do. How little I really know spiritually. And that is what bothers me. Time.
 Time is unchangeable. A minute is always a minute. An hour is always 60 minutes. A day is always 24 hours. A week is always 7 days. You get the picture. We can neither add to or subtract from time. So I began my bond servant hood late in life. I can only accomplish tasks in the allotted time left to me. Someone said that as long as you are doing God's will you cannot die until you are through. I believe that and trust that God will continue to direct my path each day. I have started the race where I did and there is no sense, wasting time, trying to change that fact.

 So I keep moving forward. That's what Paul did!!

May God bless you in all areas of your life.
Read your Bible each day, spending time with Jesus.
Pray for those around you, praise God for the answered prayers.
And continue to encourage others. 1 Peter 5:8

Knowing Jesus

 This past Sunday at my churches "Breaking of Bread" service, (a service where all are welcome to share scripture, thoughts, hymns about our Lord Jesus), a Church Elder, Patrick, concluded the service with this thought:

 "If it wasn't for Jesus, I wouldn't know any of you."

 Let that soak in for a few minutes. As you do, think of all the people you know, the places you have gone, the lives you have touched, and the lives that have touched you, because of Jesus.
 I would not be living and working where I am without Jesus. My current circle of close friends are because of Jesus. I cannot dispute that Jesus has changed my life and the change continues.
 As I write this, I have 6 young men from South Africa visiting our camp. They are on a one year missionary journey around the globe. They are moving from country to country doing volunteer work for a place to sleep and food to eat. You can check out their story at; www.gcex.org. They are Team WYW. We have had good fellowship this past week, all because of Jesus.
 If you are getting dragged down in your spiritual battle, reflect on what Jesus has done in your life. Then ask others to also reflect on how Jesus has changed their lives. I know I owe all to Him.

Grace & Peace,
 Pete

Encouragement

 Last night I had the privilege to share my testimony to a church I have been attending since my arrival in Canada. It was a time for my wife & I to introduce ourselves to the church and share some of our past. I shared my struggle through life and my experience of accepting Jesus. Then I shared some experiences in my Christian walk and those comments seemed to encourage and uplift them the most.
 Letting the members know that a church split, back biting, and false fronts are not just common to them, but to all believers. It is a long, difficult journey we are on and time is better spent building each other up and working together. We all have the same force working against us, so we need to save our energy to fight it together.
 It reminds me of a cartoon described to me by Pastor Leo. The cartoon shows the planet earth with a large fence dividing the earth into two halves. On one side is "the world" and on the other side are "the Christians". The "world" side is picking up rocks and throwing them over the fence at the believers. The Christians then pick up the rocks and throw them at each other. That's how it really is even though we try our hardest to work together.
 Remember, the church is always destroyed from the inside. Read and study Jude for a closer look at the warnings given to us over 1900 years ago.
 Stay strong, stay on your toes, keep reading your Bible everyday and keep praying.

Grace & Peace,
Pete

The Never Ending Battle

 Wow this Christian walk sure is exciting. As my relationship with Jesus grows He shows me more issues I must deal with. Issues I weren't even aware of. But He is. It's all part of growing and sometimes it is a painful process. But I can always look back on parts of my journey and see His hand upon me.
 In John 15:2, Jesus says, "every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit." So let's look at that statement. Have you ever pruned a tree, a bush or any plant. We literally cut off parts of the plant. Then the plant needs time to react, to regroup, to recover from what happened. And over time the plant will be stronger and produce more fruit.
 My life is the same as that plant. As I grow, a process of moving forward, then backwards too, I get pruned; things which are dear to me get cut out, removed, thrown away or burned. Then I feel poorly, dejected, sometimes depressed. But over time I begin to get stronger as that part which was removed is no longer a drag on my walk. It's not slowing me down anymore. I'm free from it and can move more easily. Really, it's the same process as the pruned plant. But it is a constant battle.
 Paul called it Spiritual Warfare. A battle between the flesh and the spirit. And what a battle it can become. One of the first Bible study, audio Cd's I purchased as a new born again Christian was from David Jeremiah. I highly recommend it. Since then I've heard many other talented speakers teach on this topic and all have helped me to stay focused on Christ. I guess it all comes back to the word of God. Knowing what it says and applying it to my life. That is SO important in our lives. I am really saddened by how many people never read their Bible. Reading daily is like exercising our Spirits. And boy do I need to keep exercising....

 Remember to keep it, your relationship with Jesus, God, the Holy Spirit simple...That's how He designed it.

Idol Dangers

Exodus 20:4-5 (NKJV) ⁴ "You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth;
⁵ you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,

This what God's word says to us about idols. Pretty clear, unless your human. Then we start to interpret this commandant to mean all sorts of things.
 I've heard many a sermon on the idols that we worship. From statues and lifestyles to our jobs. Many consider an idol to be anything which takes the place of OR gets between us and God. But look again at the scripture above. God says, " a carved image, or any likeness of anything,". It sounds like a solid, touchable mass of something, not a feeling, habit or hobby.
 A few weeks ago I had a dream. A normal, can't quite understand it, don't really grasp the meaning of it dream. So I wrote down what I remember of it. I remember that the dream was speaking to me about how I spend my time. It pointed out that things like drugs, drinking, Oreo cookies and even golf can become something of an idol in our lives and push God to the sidelines. The dream stressed that I need to be aware of how a addiction or hobby can consume my time and take me away from God.
 So I meditated on this thought until I began to really complicate the issue. That's what we do as humans. We can't help ourselves. We weigh ourselves down with guilt, rules and regulations until we cannot understand what was really stated. Looking back on the dream I realized that satan was at work again. Drugs, heavy drinking, gluttony were a part of the old me and satan was trying to temp me into going back to them. I still struggle each day to fight these demons, but I know that God gives me the strength to resist them. It is His Holy Spirit, a down payment if you will, of our eternal powers that can help me fight off these urges.
 You can look back at your old self as a measurement of where God is taking you. But don't grieve for that old life. It must be crucified on the cross. Let it die there. Resist the urge to take it down and breathe new life into it. Instead, look forward to where God is taking you.
 In summary, I guess I should reread my last post on what to do when tempted with sin...

God Bless, spread the joy you now have, keep it simple....

Pete