This Christmas I've found myself doing nothing more than longing for it to be over. Maybe it's because I now have two young kids and they are just tiring right now, or maybe because my new job gets really crazy busy this time of year. I don't know, but I usually love this season and now I can't wait for it to be over so life can settle down again!
I hate how in this society and culture that we live in the emphasis of Christmas (or "the holiday's" which is another thing that I despise!) is shopping and presents. It never really dawned on me that I was wrapped up in it too until I was wrapping my kids Christmas presents and realized that we spent way too much on them!! We started shopping back in Sept. just buying little things that we thought they would like and before you know it you've spent hundreds of dollars on stuff that they don't really need. I would love one Christmas not to have any more than one small present under the tree for each of my kids and no presents for myself, just so I can really focus and teach my kids what the true meaning of Christmas is.
We always say, "Jesus is the reason for the season" but that seems to have unintentionally taken the backseat to the hussle and bussle of the Christmas season. This Christmas I encourage all of you to really take the time to reflect on the amazing gift that God gave us over 2000 years ago in the baby Jesus. He is the greatest gift that our Loving God could ever give us. Thank you Lord!!
I am off tomorrow to see my parents in Port Alberni. Have a Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year!!
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Tell the world
As I was listening to the song, "Tell the World" by Hillsong United, I was thinking about what an awesome responsibility God has given to us who believe. He has entrusted us to declare to the nations about Jesus. WOW! When you really sit and think about it, it is an amazing responsibility. I think back to the days of how God spoke to Saul (Paul) and out of that incident came one of the most influential teachers of Christ in history. Just like Paul was told to go and tell, so are we. We are to be the salt and light in this very dark and sinful world.
It is our privelege to go and tell the world that Jesus lives!! Amen.
It is our privelege to go and tell the world that Jesus lives!! Amen.
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
Here am I, send me!
I was in the boiler room (24 hour prayer room) and the first thing on my agenda to pray for was that my oldest son (Nathan) would start to sit on the potty. He has been wearing underwear for a few days now but refuses to sit on the potty. Anyway, I got into the prayer room at about 12:05 and started praying about this issue. My wife has just informed me that at about the same time, he decided to sit on the potty. PRAISE GOD!! This is definately a step in the right direction. Please pray that this will continue as it has been a bit of a challenge every step of the way.
During my time in the prayer room, I did a lectio divina exercise. The scripture was from Isaiah 6:1-8 which talks about Isaiahs vision of God when King Uzziah died. It is a very detailed description of what he saw and what was said to him. After Isaiah saw the vision, he said in verse 5, "Woe to me, I am ruined for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among people of unclean lips and my eyes have seen the king, the LORD Almighty." He was in fear of God because he knew of God's glory and the power that God has. Then one of the seraphs flew to him with a burning coal and touched it on his lips and said that his guilt is taken away and his sins atoned for. How amazing is the reality of this statement!! Christ has taken away all of the guilt and sins that we have ever committed if we are willing to follow Him. In Isaiah's vision, the LORD asks, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" To which Isaiah replied, "Here am I, send me." These words really spoke to me. God revealed Himself to me through these words. I really felt Him saying that because Christ has come and saved me, I must be willing to follow Him no matter where He wants me to go.
I don't have a clue where it is that God wants to take me, but I know that I am willing to do whatever it is. Everyday I have to wake up and say, "Here I am Lord, send me, use me, and work through me today."
If we as Christians really take the time to seek God in everything, even something like asking Him to help your son go pee on the potty, we will see amazing things happen because He can do imeasuably more than we can even fatham!! Praise Him!!
During my time in the prayer room, I did a lectio divina exercise. The scripture was from Isaiah 6:1-8 which talks about Isaiahs vision of God when King Uzziah died. It is a very detailed description of what he saw and what was said to him. After Isaiah saw the vision, he said in verse 5, "Woe to me, I am ruined for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among people of unclean lips and my eyes have seen the king, the LORD Almighty." He was in fear of God because he knew of God's glory and the power that God has. Then one of the seraphs flew to him with a burning coal and touched it on his lips and said that his guilt is taken away and his sins atoned for. How amazing is the reality of this statement!! Christ has taken away all of the guilt and sins that we have ever committed if we are willing to follow Him. In Isaiah's vision, the LORD asks, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" To which Isaiah replied, "Here am I, send me." These words really spoke to me. God revealed Himself to me through these words. I really felt Him saying that because Christ has come and saved me, I must be willing to follow Him no matter where He wants me to go.
I don't have a clue where it is that God wants to take me, but I know that I am willing to do whatever it is. Everyday I have to wake up and say, "Here I am Lord, send me, use me, and work through me today."
If we as Christians really take the time to seek God in everything, even something like asking Him to help your son go pee on the potty, we will see amazing things happen because He can do imeasuably more than we can even fatham!! Praise Him!!
Thursday, December 01, 2005
Response to yesterday's blog
This blog is in response to my father's comment on the blog I posted yesterday.
I completely agree with you dad, and I want to apologize for seemingly attacking the average working class. This was not my intent, because I think that the working class who make about 5% of total wealth in Canada should be treated well by the rich owners of these companies they work for. I used a bad example in my blog. Maybe a better example would have been instead of the CEO's and such getting a $10,000 bonus at Christmas, maybe they should pay for their employee's equipment. That was more at what I was trying to get at. I guess I just found myself ranting and typing before I thought it through. I apologize to anyone who took offence to that statement and it was in no way intended to take things away from the average working class people who are the most generous with what they do have.
If there are any grammatical errors here, I'm sorry. I was up a lot last night with my kids and I am very tired!!
Blessings,
Neil
I completely agree with you dad, and I want to apologize for seemingly attacking the average working class. This was not my intent, because I think that the working class who make about 5% of total wealth in Canada should be treated well by the rich owners of these companies they work for. I used a bad example in my blog. Maybe a better example would have been instead of the CEO's and such getting a $10,000 bonus at Christmas, maybe they should pay for their employee's equipment. That was more at what I was trying to get at. I guess I just found myself ranting and typing before I thought it through. I apologize to anyone who took offence to that statement and it was in no way intended to take things away from the average working class people who are the most generous with what they do have.
If there are any grammatical errors here, I'm sorry. I was up a lot last night with my kids and I am very tired!!
Blessings,
Neil
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