Three Cord Ministries - Blog

From 2009 to 2010 - all in the day in the life of a retiree

2010-01-01T19:04:00.002-05:00

Probably everyone who blogs has their take on 2009 and the New Year 2010 that is upon us. I am no exception. Last night (New Year's Eve) my wife and I went out to dinner and then down to our church (Harvest Bible Chapel - Oakville) for a movie, food and fellowship and to bring in the New Year.

Because of the big change in my life in August (I was let go by my employer after 21 years), I found myself a little at a loss of what to do with the rest of my life.

And, although I pray I have much more life to live, life after a 42 year career is something I have been thinking about a lot. I feel so blessed that at this time I am able to persue my oil painting and web designs and am seeking ways to serve God in this special time of my life.

It is always challenging to separate my efforts in my Christian walk between my local church and our Three Cord Ministries ministry. I am asking for prayer in this matter from friends in the faith.

It is wonderful and a yet a bit scary in some respects that we do not know what is 'around the corner' in life. We can always look back though and see God's hand in our affairs. I am so blessed to be at this time in my life with my wife and family and friends.

I want to thank all who have encouraged me and wish everyone a blessed and prosperous New Year.

Another Great Message at Harvest Bible Chapel Oakville

2009-12-27T17:37:00.012-05:00

Faith, Hope and Love .. but not from 1 Corinthians 13.

Today Craig Turnbull of Harvest Bible Chapel in Oakville, gave a wonderful sermon on Hebrews 10:19-25. This is another New Testament passage that calls us to Faith, Hope and Love (community) similar to what Paul wrote about in 1 Corinthians 13. But in this case, the writer had been building us up by showing us just how much better Jesus is.

Jesus is described in the earlier chapters of Hebrews as being better than Moses (ch 3) and much better than Melchizedek (ch 5) and much better than Abraham (ch 7). Now the writer is telling us what we need to do with these revelations about the 'high priesthood' of Jesus that takes us into the holy of Holies by His blood - once and for all.

Since all the above is true, we need to take into us the understanding of the confidence we have in this 'high priest' by drawing near to him in Faith, by holding fast to Him in Hope and by stirring up each other to good deeds in Love and fellowship (assembling together).

The Why of the Good Samaritan

2009-12-13T19:40:00.007-05:00

It has been a while since I put up any entries.

We were at both services today at Harvest Bible Chapel. It is good to hear Pastor Robbie's mesages twice. He does make a few subtle changes in each service and the impact is always fresh and new in each message. The message was basically on the "Good Samaritan" but the focus was on the why instead of the what.

Luke 10:25-37

Why did two stop and look and not help and why did one stop and look and help even though they were sworn enemies?

It all has to do with loving God first and then our neighbours. Jesus was first approached by an expert in the law (lawyer) who tried testing Him with the question 'What shall I do to inherit eternal life' (be saved). Jesus answered with a question to see if the lawyer knew his stuff - and he did. (Love your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength and with all your mind and your neighbour as yourself.) [Deut 6:5]

But Jesus, after telling the lawyer about the good Samaritan and after the lawyer had said that the Samaritan would be the one who loved his neighbour the most, said to him "Go and do the same".

Thus the order of loving has to be God first then our neighbour - it cannot be the other way around. If we love our neighbour and not God we are the same as the world and the love is not based on compassion and grace as is God's love for us. He first loved us, the unlovable, before we loved him.

Neat stuff!

It is the why and not the what of the Good Samaritan story that is important!

Why does time (seem to) go by so fast?

2009-04-26T08:12:00.009-04:00

God and time are constant - we are not.

Have you ever asked the question - "My life is going by so fast - how do I slow it down? I think I said on another entry a few weeks ago that something like 10 days had gone by between my blog entries. I guess blogs are something new to many of us and perhaps don't have the priority that other events in life have. As a matter of fact I am sure of it!

Back to the question though - why does time seem to go by so fast and indeed seems to vary depending on where we are in life and in what activities we find ourselves involved?

I once heard a joke by someone that went somethig like: 'Life is like a toilet paper roll ... the closer to the end it gets, the faster it goes'."

Is it that we panic about our life if we are past a certain age whether it be "40" or "50" or "60" but when we are of lesser age we sense there is so much more to go that we don't even consider the end?

Or, is it that as we get older, we (as Christians) get more excited about 'the end'?

That would theologically be the best explanation. I don't think though may of us want the fleshly life to end until we have done all that we want to do. We know in our spirits as Christians that there is a lot more after our 'tents' are folded but find it hard to wish the end on faster.

I believe the reason that time seems to speed up the further we have walked our journey is that we have more milestones and stepping stones (see my first blog entry) to measure it's passage.

Indeed if we were to reflect upon and even record those major milestones in our life, we would probably see that life in pretty linear overall ... meaning the major events in our lives have fairly regular time gaps and spans.

But we have more of them to look at and so there are more steps or data points to see and it seems like so much more has happened way-back-when than is presently happening - thus the apparent non-linearity of the passage of time in our lives.

We sense this non-linearity because the accumulation of these events adds more clarity to the passing of our time in the immediate past as compared to the older past - not of course that time actually speeds up.

So how do we 'slow' this sense of the sppeed up of time? WE DON'T ... and we can't and we are not called to do that.

We are called to obedience to God through His word and His word clearly says "to everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven." [Ecclesiastes 3:1].

Elsewhere God says in His Word; "For all men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall." [1 Peter 1:23-24]

We cannot do anything about the real time but we can 'slow down' the perceived passage of time by daily asking God to 'help us live THIS DAY for this day's sake, to reflect on yesterday only as He directs and to think of tomorrow only as a new gift to be opened ON THAT DAY!'

Another thought on this is not to not think of all that we can or cannot do or all that we have or have not done, but to think of HOW WE DID what we did and HOW WE WILL DO what we still have to do for Him.

It was a very good, Good Friday

2009-04-10T21:01:00.015-04:00

"What an awesome eternal deal"

I can't believe that it has been nearly two weeks since I made any comments or shared anything on the blog!

Today has been a very good, Good Friday. I wondered early this morning while having breakfast with my wife - why do they call it Good Friday? I thought that would be an excellent question to ask someone who you didn't know but wanted to share the Gospel with during this time.

A little later it came to me ... it is called Good Friday (as far as I am concerned) because of the good (actually awesome) thing that Christ did for us on this day.

He as a sinless man was given a death sentance and was piled on with our sins from His Father but He gave us His righteousness in their place - and we gave Him nothing!

That has to be the best deal we have ever or will ever have! Check it out in 2 Corinthians 5:21!

We attended a wonderful Good Friday service at Harvest - probably the best and most heart-felt Good Friday service we have ever attended. After lunch we had a blessed opportunity to share the Good Friday message and sing a couple of 'Cross' songs with the seniors and retirees at Martindale Retirement home just across from us. That was a blessing for sure.

Directly afterwards we went over to New Life Church and watched their Easter Play with many other folks. It was great to see so many of our old friends and meet some new ones. A coworker and his wife were also there and really enjoyed the event.

In my opinion the fifteen-minute presentation that involved 10 people and that focussed only on the cross did more in my heart than the hour long stage presentation involving many dozens of people. The Lord can speak with very few words!

Tonight we are just relaxing and savouring the day - the good day - the very good, Good Friday!

A Great Message by Pastor Robbie

2009-03-29T14:02:00.004-04:00

"Bring on my Purpose Please!"

This is a message that I needed to hear today. It was taken from Acts 26:12-29. Knowing our purpose in Christ has to be the most important thing we can know in our Christian walk. How can we can be a purpose-driven chuch or even a purpose-driven people unless we know that our paramount purpose is to glorify God by putting into practice the Great Commission.

It is our Highest Calling to proclaim the Gospel. Just take a look at Romans 1:16, 1 Corinthians 2:2, Galatians 6:14 or Acts 20:24.

In every case Paul knew his purpose - not to be ashamed of the Gospel - to know nothing but Christ crucified - to boast in nothing but the cross and to testify solemnly of the Gospel of the Grace of God. Everyone of these points to proclaiming the Gopsel.

Something that has been on my mind is what excites me and why? What motivates me to do or not do something in my Christian walk?

Paul was clear when he was in front of Agrippa and Festus by delaring his purpose in verses 16-18 of Acts 26.

His purpose was to witness the Gospel so that the Gentiles would have their eyes opened, turn from darkness to light, be rescued from Satan and come to God, receive forgiveness of their sins and receive their inheritance ... by faith in Christ.

I realize now that much of what I have done in Christ's name was not His real purpose for me, that it required much more obedience on my part that I was willing to give.

Maybe I was unwilling to take opposition and maybe I didn't really believe that God is the only help that I need in proclaiming his Gospel. Maybe I wanted to do what I wanted to do ... I let doubt steal my purpose.

Thank you Pastor Robbie.

Native Conference Report

2009-03-28T12:18:00.018-04:00

Being with Brothers and Sisters of a Different Culture is Good

-----Gary Simple ------Ken Pretty-on-top -----Bruce Brown & Leonard John----

Despite the great weather today - I spent the morning writing my report on the recent Native Life Conference held last weekend in Seattle. I love working on the website and especially love writing about experiences and sharing with others that they may catch a bit of the excitement that I experience in my walk.

The link to the report is: Seattle Native Life Conference.

Happy reading and if you have any comments or questions, you can leave them on the Three Cord Ministries website or here on the blog.

----Tee-pee in Gym------------Native Market-------------Grand Entry-----

Now I can go out and enjoy today's great Sping weather!

A Good Lunch With an Old Buddy

2009-03-26T18:57:00.011-04:00

Always Time for Tim Hortons

There's something nice about getting together for lunch with someone who cares about you and who you care about. No, not my wonderful wife this time - but a good friend and brother in Christ whom I hadn't seen in a while.

It was probably before Christmas the last time I saw RH and it was nice to find out what he's been up to and to be able to talk frankly about our Christian walks. He said he actually reads this blog - didn't know if ANYONE actually did so I had better watch what I write!

Actually he gave me a few things to think about - how I am walking out my faith and that maybe it would be good to go back and press the RESET button on my journey and really ask the Lord (this time) what HE wants me to be and to do.

I sometimes think I am a better 'human-doing' than a 'human-being'.

Anyway - thanks for the time well spent!

It's So Good To Be Back Home Again

2009-03-23T19:14:00.006-04:00

That sounds like a John Denver song!

Wow - it is so good to be back home after 4 days in Seattle. As posted before the First Nation conference in Seattle was great and I met many wonderful people and was hosted by a wonderful couple Chuck and Peggy in Des Moines just south of Seattle. but coming hoke feels so good.

I was to have flown back from Seattle this morning at 7:00am via Washington DC (circuitous route because I was using Aeroplan) and was supposed to arrive in TO at about 5:40pm. But instead, because of strongh headwinds on that route that meant that I would have missed my connection, I was put on the non-stop Air Canada flight that left only one hour later but was to arrive two hours earlier!

BUT ... just as we were taxing out the runway, I noticed the plane turn around and start to head back to the terminal. A message came across the loudspeaker that someone had an oxygen bottle on board and that is a banned cargo and that they would have to unload the bottle.

It was actually the lady sitting right next to me and after showing several documents and explaining that it was NOT an oxygen bottle but an oxygen filter that hooks up to the airplane's supply (she had transported a patient to Seattle earlier and was returning home with the filter).

Once that was cleared up, we turned around and headed back out to take off.

The flight was uneventful and actually shorter than expected because of strong tail winds on that route. I arrived at 3:40pm - sped through customers even though theerewere at least 1,000,000 students returning from March-break trips to Rome and elsewhere and was met by my lovely wife right on time. It was so good to get home early.

So let's see - strong head winds going towards Washington and strong tail winds going towards Toronto - hmmm ... maybe there's a metaphore for something there - blowing in the wind???

Thank you Lord for such wonderful flight changes and journeying mercies!

NATIVE LIFE CELEBRATION CONFERENCE

2009-03-22T18:20:00.008-04:00

Five Days in Federal Way, Washington

As the conference has wound up - I wanted to reflect on some of the highlights. One of the reasons for coming out to Seattle for the conference was to reaquaint with some of the friends that I met in Alaska last year.

Several First Nation people from this area went up to Alaska and I had a chance to hang out with them so it was good to meet them here in their own area. But there were over 20 others who came down from Alaska - most of whom I met up there. Re-aquainting with brothers and sisters is soooooo good!

The conference was hosted by the Northwest Foursquare Church in Federal Way (just south of Seattle) Washington. Pastor Steve Schell was most welcoming and he and a team from the Foursquare First Nations organization had meticulously planned out the three days. Jeff Yellow Owl - a Blackfoot Indian - and supervisor of Foursquare First Nations has been a blessing to this ministry for many years. He was the founder of the conference now in its fifth year and was supported by a mighty team of 'warriors' from the church including Corb and Jan Morgan the planners and logisticians.

I will do a formal Conference Report and put it up on the website when I get back but I wanted to highlight a few things that the Lord showed me while at the conference.

- If you are born again and filled with the Holy Spirit, you will not produce 'fruit' immediately because this indwelling is the early rain that starts the growing process. It is the latter rain - that late rain that did the final ripening of the crop that produces the Fruit of the Spirit and comes later after humility and submission.

- There are many attitudes and actions that can stop ministry and many that can help ministry. Those things that stop or limit ministry include ... forgiveness, cynicism, pride and gossip. Things that help ministry are knowing that God is Lord of the Harvest - not us, Not only must the Word be preached but it must be lived, we must have the Word IN us, we must step INTO His calling by stepping OUT in faith and we must repent of sin and wrongs done.

- To be culturally sensitive and useful in a culture we we must know the PROTOCOL of the groups we want to minister in and with. There is much to be learned from coming alongside a contact who knows the culture - no 'Lone Rangers' allowed.

- We cannot walk in the Spirit until we have lived in the Spirit - that is, we must have a firm vertical relationship with God before we can walk our walk horizontally.

- Much more as well!

A Friend's Graduation at Singing Waters

2009-03-18T20:55:00.007-04:00

Celebrating on a Good Day with a Good Friend

I had the priveledge of attending the graduation of a good friend of mine from Nunavik who completed the Isaiah-61 Winter 2009 school held at Singing Waters Ministries near Orangeville.

Paul Lapage from Kuujjuaq in Arctic Quebec and others had been on the course since January 17th. I had picked him an another couple from Qaqtaq (a smaller community in Nunavik) from the airport in mid-January and delivered them to Singing Waters. It was hard to believe that 9 weeks has passed!

To my very pleasant surpise a few others who I know were also there as students or guests. It was great to see David & Joan Ellyatt from London who came up to see the ceremony as well as Paul's wife, Eva, who came down from Nunavik to see her husband graduate.

Dave spends a lot of time in the North through his ministry Arctic Mission Outreach building and overseeing churches in Canada's Arctic.

The graduation was followed by a lovely dinner that gave us guests a chance to share with the graduates.

Paul & Eva leave tomorrow to return North.

A Great Day With Two of the Saints

2009-03-15T21:23:00.008-04:00

Today was not only a good day weather-wise (come on Spring) and a great day at church (Acts 4:14-30 by Pastor Daniel McDougall) but even a greater day because we spent over 6 hours with two wonderful saints from Harvest Bible Chapel.

They came over at 1:30 and had a 'Cooks' tour of our building and even looked at one of the suites that is for sale in the building and then spent four hours at our place talking and sharing and fellowshipping (and eating) in the Lord. It is good to meet with other like-minded people especially when you know the Lord is with them. We so appreciated their sage advice on some questions we had and their heart to minister.

It has been a source of uneasiness for me to know where the line is between what ministry should or can be done within our local church and what can or should be done under the banner of Three Cord Ministries.

I need to remember the words from the song What a Friend We Have in Jesus and "Take it to the Lord in prayer"

The rest of the weekend was filled with the gym (for my wife), laundry (me) and grocery shopping (her) and chilling out in front of the TV (us). It is good to spend time just doin' nuttin'.

Thank you Lord for another weekend - now I am getting ready for a shortened week at work.

More later!

2009-03-08T11:49:00.012-04:00

The Death of Susan Tsvangirai wife of Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai

I am not sure why I am so moved in hearing about the tragic death of Susan Tsvangirai the wife of Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai. I have been following events in Zimbabwe for some years (again I don't know why) and see so many forces of evil in this world working in that country. I guess it could be because that was one of many countries on God's earth in Africa that was created with such beautiful landscapes and people.

Even the beauty of the land has been tarnished with all the constant outbreaks of disease, displacement and destruction. Certainly the leadership under the present dictator has all but snuffed out the hope of the average Zimbabwean.

The tragic death of Mrs. Tsvangirai only highlights this destruction and low value of life in Zimbabe and more importantly has poured a large amount of acid on the hopes of this people ever reclaiming their God-given dignity.

My prayers and thoughts go out to Mr. Tsvangirai as he has yet another of so many tragedies in his life to cope with. I would say to Mr. Tsvangirai what the Bible says about tragedy and adversity in Habakkuk 3:16-19 ...

"I heard and my inward parts trembled,

At the sound my lips quivered

Decay enters my bones,

And in my place I tremble

Because I must wait quietly for the day of distress,

For the people to arise who will invade us.

Though the fig tree should not blossom

And there be no fruit on the vines,

Though the yield of the olive should fail

And the fields produce no food,

Though the flock should be cut off from the fold

And there be no cattle in the stalls,

Yet I will exult in the LORD,

I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.

The Lord GOD is my strength,

And He has made my feet like hinds' feet,

And makes me walk on my high places."

(NASB)

2009-03-07T20:22:00.002-05:00

The Way, the Truth and the Life

What a great sermon tonight at church on John 14:1-14. As Pastor Robbie explained - this is the crescendo of the Book of John when Jesus says exactly who He is. Some of the disciples like Thomas and Philip still didn't get it even though they were with Him for nearly 3 years!

Is it no wonder that sometimes we don't get it either? I am thankful He has a room prepared for me - I don't know what it will be like but who cares?

Has He a room prepared for you?

Nearly time to turn the clocks ahead one hour - glad we go to the Saturday night service at Harvest and we can get that extra hour sleep in tomorrow morning.

2009-03-07T14:14:00.004-05:00

Fireproof - the movie

Last night (Friday) my wife and I and about 200 others watched the movie Fireproof at our church (Harvest Bible Chapel - Oakville). This is one movie that both Christians and non-Christians who are interested in their marriages, must see.

Besides good acting and great visual effects, the main point of the movie was - in marriages, spouses cannot be ignored - the flame goes out and the 'f'ire' barriers go up. This may be OK for a real fire - but in a marriage the 'flame' must always burn and the barriers must always be brought down.

In the movie, a planned 40-day Christian-based program was followed by the husband in order to show his wife that he really wanted to put her and their marriage first and not his own selfish desires (aka $25k motorboat). I think any viewer can see something of his or her own selfishness in this. It doesn't need to be a particular item like a boat, but any number of things including outside activities, clubs, computers - even selfishness in at home time - watching sports, working on the computer with on-line activities etc.

Does it mean a spouse needs to stop living - of course not - but maybe to stop living for themselves.

It is something that I have to think more about. How about you?

Where your mind is, your heart is and where your heart is, your time is spent.

Stepping Stones

2009-03-05T19:16:00.006-05:00

"A journey of a thousand miles starts with the first step"

I guess with any endeavour, there must be a beginning (and therefore there must be an end) and so this is the beginning of my blog.

Life can be measured by the flagstones or stepping stones that we either take or don't take along the way. It is interesting to look back and see definite stepping stones that were placed in our way. We could either step on to the next one in the path or choose to step on another that leads off somewhere else. One thing is for sure ... we can never just stand still and not take a step.

I want to see what stepping stones were in my life and what decisions I made whether to take them or ignore them. As a pre-condition, I now believe all the stepping stones were placed there by God whether at the time I recognized Him (knew Him) or not.

I wonder in your life what were the major stepping stones that you have come across and what made you take one over another?