Stress Relief

Physicians and psychologists say that stress can be a killer. I am no expert on this, but I do believe that an overload of stress does indeed profoundly affect us. It certainly changes our actions, responses, demeanor, and general outlook on life.
On Friday afternoon, Pastor Jan and I experienced some “stress relief” by taking advantage of an ideal Fall day. We took a short motorcycle ride on the rural roads near our home. The cool air was exhilarating and the brilliantly coloured foliage was breathtaking. We then finished the trip with dinner at our favourite little “Fish ‘n Chips” restaurant. We returned home somewhat refreshed and renewed.
But we know the best stress relief is, and always will be, coming to the Lord in the place of prayer. Jesus invites us to “cast all our cares” on Him. He invites us to come boldly into His Presence and find help in our time of need. And He is always there. He is ready, willing, and He is able to strengthen and sustain us.
The words of the old hymn are still true ... “All your anxiety, all your care, bring to the Mercy Seat, leave it there. Never a burden that He cannot bear. Never a Friend like Jesus.”

How Goes The Battle?

Instead of using the familiar greeting “How are you doing?”, my dad frequently asked, “How goes the battle?” That question certainly draws attention to the reality that we are all, most certainly, in a battle.
The Bible teaches that every child of God is the prime prey of the enemy of our souls. Satan is constantly employing various methods of attack in his efforts to devour our joy, hope, peace, faith, and even our lives. Various fronts of attack open and then close in this continuous devilish onslaught. Satan focuses on the things that are of greatest value and importance to us. He especially attacks our relationship with family, the focus of our thoughts, and our physical health. Satan is constantly probing to discover and storm places that are weak and invade places that are unattended. He boldly enters through doors that are left open, even slightly.
So ... “How goes the battle?” What is your answer? The momentary answer may be “rough” or “tough.” But the transcending response should always be, “I’m winning!”
The Lord is on your side. The Bible says if you resist the devil, he will retreat. The key word is “resist.” Don’t give up. Don’t quit. Pick up the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of the Lord and resist in the world you cannot see and then expect victories in the world you can see.

Thanksgiving

Through Him let us offer sacrifices of praise always to God,
which is the fruit of the lips giving thanks to his name.
Hebrews 13:15

Every season has its own flavour. You can taste Autumn in the flamboyant colours of leaves that once were a quiet shade of green; in the crisp air that now greets you as you start your morning commute; in the grocer's glossy posters of perfect pumpkin pies and busy aisles that offer the ingredients and spices that help in their making; in the increased flyovers of squadrons of Canada Geese heading to places where seasons have less seasoning; and in the Mall tenant’s ramped up sales pitches reminding you of your need for new warm clothing and to begin your Halloween (and even Christmas) purchases.

I think the best flavour of Autumn is Thanksgiving! I look forward to the time of the year when we intentionally plan, prepare, and celebrate our opportunity to offer words and songs of thanks to God for His unfailing grace. I certainly believe that thanksgiving should be a lifestyle, but I also believe it does us well to gather for a focused corporate expression of gratitude.
Regardless of your background, culture, or traditions, be sure to take advantage of this day by presenting your joyful and sincere words and songs of thanksgiving to the Lord Jesus. And, if possible, have a piece of pumpkin pie ... with real whip cream on the top!

Gain and Fame

The world’s idea of success is “gain and fame.” Sadly, the gain us usually at someone else’s expense and the fame means someone else is ignored. But the blessings of the Lord enrich the follower of Jesus without adding any suffering or loss to others.
Man’s limited resources and responses are not the source of my blessings! I am blessed by Christ Jesus according to His unlimitless riches in glory!

My Calling!

God has called me to serve Him by leading a congregation of His people.
My leading must not be simply investigating, analyzing, tweaking, and applying various methodologies and philosophies for Church growth.
My leading must not be motivated by a determination to convince or coerce the Church to embrace contemporary trends or to maintain classic traditions.
My leading must not be to simply chart a course according to polls, surveys, points of consensus, demands, opportunities, or even needs.
My calling is to wait on the Lord for His direction and be patient until I hear the voice of the Spirit say,
“This is the way, take it!”
“This is the place, claim it!”
“This is the field, harvest it!”
“This is the vision, share it!”
“This is the plan, implement it!”
“This is the opportunity, take it!”
“This is the time, start it!”
“This is your promise, believe it!”
“This is your word, speak it!”
“This is your weapon, use it!”
“This is your battle, win it!”
“This is your victory, celebrate it!”
My calling is to be the “Trumpet of the Lord” giving a certain sound that alerts the people of God that the Spirit of God is moving, and the Glory of the Lord is rising!

Ears That Hear!

I believe there great numbers of people who want to hear a true Word from the Lord. I arrived at that conclusion as I reviewed the activity reports from our Church website and mobile app.
Here are some examples:
In the last 30 days, sermons preached at Evangel have been accessed online over 1,700 times!
The top media items for the last 30 days are:
Faith in the Face of Lions - 404 plays
Your Are the Man - 202 plays
His Generation - 187 plays
A Straight Shot - 172 plays
A Future and a Hope - 99 plays
We announced the release of our Evangel Temple Church App on February 27th. To date, nearly 400 persons have installed the App on their mobile devices. And they are using the App to listen to the Word of the Lord!

Heart Songs

“I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever!”
Some of the most beautiful, meaningful, and expressive songs are never heard by human ears. These muted refrains ascend from a worshiping heart directly into the Throne Room of the Sovereign of all Creation. No critic judges them, no editor, changes them, no performer interprets them. They are perfect, just as they are. These heart songs are the true and pure expressions of a heart’s gratitude and love.
The extravagant mercy of the Lord is the recurring theme of these melodies. Because His mercies are new every morning, so are the songs. Each day inspires a new song. Sometimes the song is brief - maybe only one word. It could even be a simple quiet sigh, or even an excited release of an audible note of victory - maybe a “Yes!”
Sometimes the song may last longer. It may be offered during those lingering minutes of time between sleep and consciousness when the heart releases a spontaneous song of praise to our Heavenly Father.
“Deep calls out to deep” through songs that never find words in any language. They come from the deepest parts of the heart and reach into the depths of the Father’s heart. He loves these songs. And He understands them.
“With my mouth will I make known ...” A few of these heart songs may find audible expression. They become the added verses to the glorious Anthem of the Ages.
So let you heart sing always. And let your mouth make known to your generation the greatness of the Lord.
Sing!

Respecting the Lines

In Proverbs 22:28, the wisdom of the Lord instructs us not to remove “the ancient landmarks that our fathers have set.”
God set the markers that allocated property allotments to the families of Israel. The text in Proverbs instructs Israel to remain obedient to those established territorial boundaries. However, there is another level at which we may apply these words of wisdom.
It is wise to respect the boundaries within which God has established our place of ministry and service. We do well to stay within our calling. We should recognize that our measure of Divine equipping and provision is commensurate to the fulfillment of our God-given mandate. The abundance of grace and protection is available when we operate within the lines God has established as our place of ministry.

The Living Dead

I know of two fine Christian men who entered Heaven on Thursday. One was Don Feltmate. He was a long-time pastor and close friend of the Beesley family. The other was Percy Boore who was my stepfather.
During the latter days of their full and long lives they reflected the Bible verse that reads,“Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.” (2 Cor 4.16) Each of these true Christian gentlemen lived and died strong.
I must confess that I hate sickness and I especially hate aging and death. I hate the reality that our bodies are dying. However, I am comforted by the opposing reality that the spirit part of us has the opportunity to become stronger and more alive every day.
The example and legacy of these great men rises far above what is offered by the majority of our world. Sadly, of many it could be said, “Though our bodies are being renewed every day, our spirits are dying.”
Eventually, even the most active and healthy body must submit to the process of death. The soul will then stand naked before God. Only the soul that is alive, that has the life of Christ will experience the glory of Heaven.
Look into the mirror of the Word of God today and check the pulse of your soul!

Becoming Bold

I am instructed by the Holy Spirit to tell the Church that we must become aggressive in our approach to God. The Scriptures direct us to come boldly.
The enemy of our souls is winning battles because of our passivity and hesitancy. The Lord says that we have misunderstood what it means to “wait on the Lord.” To “wait on the Lord” has nothing to do with passive patience and everything to do with passionate pursuit. The Kingdom of God is available to the aggressive ones who take it with energy.
What do you need the Lord Jesus to do in your life? What are you doing about it? My challenge to you today is to be determined, even desperate, to claim the blessing you need. The “I will not let you go until you bless me” attitude of Jacob is what we must have. Jesus commended the person who was persistent in prayer. We cannot depend on others to feel what we feel, to know what we know, or to respond as we wish they would respond. We must take the initiative and declare that, with or without the assistance and agreement of others, we are going to gain and maintain our victory!
Let’s passionately pursue our personal path into the place of Power and Victory! Let’s declare the things that are yet to be manifested to be clearly seen. Let’s take hold of what has been unreachable and not let go until it is ours.