Update on Mom: It keeps comin!

After her last tests this past Thursday, you can probably guess the results: Clean!! The cancer is completely gone! Like yesterday. Like Elvis and his mom.

The only other thing is she has double pneumonia. That's not the best news, but God and antibiotics should help that. Cancer is gone and we are praising God. The God who still does miracles, as the doctor said.

It's amazing how this can reflect in one's life. This past Sunday I lead the music in the worship service. And I have never believed the words more than this week!

"Stronger, you are stronger! Sin is broken, you have saved us. It is written, 'Christ is Risen.' Jesus, you alone are God!"

"I am free to run, I am free to Dance, I am free to live for you." "Through you the bling will see. Through you the mute will sing. Through you the dead will rise. Through you all hearts will praise. Through you the Darkness flees. Through you my heart screams, 'I AM FREE.'

"You are the source of life"

He is exalted, the King is exalted on High, I will praise him!"

When God works in your life to this magnitude, there is nothing to do but praise him. Never have I found more hope!

Mom Update: A Miracle Bigger than Green Lantern

Here's how last Thursday went down:

Mom had to be in the hospital at 6:30 for her biopsy. Open rib cage kinda deal. After a preliminary test, they did it again, and again, and again. After the four preliminary scans they left the room for a half hour. My Mom thought something was terribly wrong. The doctor came back and said, "There was a tumor, but it's gone. This doesn't happen." He exclaimed! "This is a miracle," Finished the doctor, "you can go home."

Praise God that he still heals and that he still works. Through all the doubt and pain and sorrow, God pulls through. Is is greater, stronger, bigger than anything we can imagine. Green Lantern is a superhero from DC who, in whatever he imagines, can make appear through the power of Green Lantern's light. Even the Green Lantern can not imagine bigger things than God. I wish I could express an illustration or an anecdote to tell the greatness of God, but I fail, the world fails.

In the end all I can pray is this: God show me more of you that I may stare at your abyss of greatness!

This thursday Mom has one more test to check her whole body for more cancer. Pray saints of God, Pray!

Is Prayer a Copout? Praying for Slave Lake

In a recent prayer event there was a speaker who was talked about and celebrated. The prayer breakfast, which was a huge community event for the Mayor and Reeve, was poorly attended. I believe the speaker came to draw more of a crowd. Well, I'm not sure it worked. But in the midst of this a very important question came out; Is prayer not enough?

Today I ponder that question in light of the destruction of Slave Lake, Alberta (Click title to see story). This town of 6700 people went under fire early today. In an interview (of a man in charge I think), this man spoke of how many people were coming to help this ill fated town. My heart pounds with desire to make a difference in these types of situations. So what can I do?

At the end of the interview, the man asked if the reporter would say a prayer for Slave Lake today. I could not help but think, YES! I will pray. Often prayer is a tag on to "actual" help, but for the this man prayer was not an add on, but an emphasis. Prayer is not a copout. Its effective. But, until we realize that we are not simply praying to the ceiling or the sky our prayers are few and far in between. I dare you to believe. Believe in the God that cares for his people. Believe in the God who created and sustains the universe. Col 1:15-17; James 5:16.

The Gospel: Broken People in Communion with God

As I studied John 3 for the first time for a sermon this past Sunday, I felt the heaviness of God. I was excited and discovered many things in this popular passage that I never expected and never heard preached from this passage before.

One of the first things I noticed was the ridiculous analogy of life in Christ as being "born again." Like Nicodemus, I reflected on the practicalities of being born and even one day having my own baby being born. Naturally I ventured to Wikipedia as my reliable source of all knowledge. I discovered the intense process of giving birth with all the turns of the child and dilation and the fainting of the husband (I think that was in there). Through all of that I noticed a section on my job as a calm husband. Apparently I can reduce the pain and chance of a c-section.

Anyway. I then reflected on learning all over again. Walking, talking, eating, morals, lifestyles, relationships. Nope. I am sure that I don't want to do that all again. But, unless we are born again in the Spirit, then we cannot even see the Kingdom of God. Ok. Fine. I need to be born of the Spirit.

The next thing I noticed was the blindness of Nicodemus

, this teacher and ruler of Israel and how we are often blind like him. In verses 10-13 Jesus asks him how he doesn't get this to then tell him that the Son of Man was standing in front of Him. If only the Son of Man has descended to heaven, who else can tell us of heaven but the Son of Man? Of Course! What causes us to not see and believe God for what he says?

Pride.... Just like the Pharisees. Pride, but we call it truth. That's what the Pharisees did. They had "truth" and held it over people. We do the same thing. In arrogance and pride we take truth, say we know it, and lord it over people, condemning others for not having the truth. I am guilty of being this way and have battled with it.

Is being wrong so wrong? Romans says, "For all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God." We are all wrong and sinful. If being wrong is the wrong place to be in then we miss the next part in this chapter. God sent His Son for the wrong and evil ones.

Next, Jesus tells Nicodemus and us that the Messiah's first job on this earth was to save men, not judge them. This is what the Pharisees miss. Jesus' mission was focused the first time. Salvation of those who are already condemned.

Here's the last thing I noticed. Verse 21 is GOLDEN! When our life is exposed to God like spilled water is exposed to a clothe, he soaks it up through His Son and uses His mighty hands to squeeze it out. All our deeds are wrought, or carried through God. Whether good or bad, our deeds go through God. A healthy christian walk is one in full communication with God, even while we sin. Then God can purify us. We are broken people attempting communion with God.

So let's lose our pride (we hide as truth) and allow each other to be broken people in communion with God together.

Mistaken Power

The whole earth is full of His glory. God's power and might maybe seen most in nature. On a recent trip to Jasper I encountered my first avalanche. Ok, so it didn't make it all the way down the mountain, but Edith Cavell made a stark and crisp rumble that startled most. As our eyes changed directions in an instant, snow was tumbling from the top of the mountain to a level below. The glacier caught it and stopped its rampage before taking its final leap onto a crowd of watching people.

Think about it. One can say that it is simply snow build up that gives way, but when taking in the roaring sound, the stunning optics, the adrenalin that filled each persons veins the only thing I can think of is this: God spoke and we all listened. He said, "Look at my power and my might."