God is the Commander and Chief

Every once in a while, a song will hit me just between the eyes. The other day I was listening to to a song that I had recently purchased on iTunes, and, while I had listened to the song before, as I stopped to reflect on the words, I actually heard what this song was trying to say. The song is called “king of the world” my Natalie Grant. Please read the words:

"King Of The World"

I tried to fit you in the walls inside my mind

I try to keep you safely in between the lines

I try to put you in the box that I've designed

I try to pull you down so we are eye to eye

When did I forget that you've always been the king of the world?

I try to take life back right out of the hands of the king of the world

How could I make you so small

When you're the one who holds it all

When did I forget that you've always been the king of the world

Just a whisper of your voice can tame the seas

So who am I to try to take the lead

Still I run ahead and think I'm strong enough

When you're the one who made me from the dust

When did I forget that you've always been the king of the world?

I try to take life back right out of the hands of the king of the world

How could I make you so small

When you're the one who holds it all

When did I forget that you've always been the king of the world

Ohhhh, you set it all in motion

Every single moment

You brought it all to be

And you're holding on to me

When did I forget that you've always been the king of the world?

I try to take life back right out of the hands of the king of the world

How could I make you so small

When you're the one who holds it all

When did I forget you've always been the king of the world

You will always be the king of the world.

Such a powerful song. 

I admit, most of the time I forget that God is in control of everything. Read these words from Paul:

“Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.

    He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,

16  for through him God created everything

    in the heavenly realms and on earth.

He made the things we can see

    and the things we can’t see—

such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.

    Everything was created through him and for him.

17  He existed before anything else,

    and he holds all creation together.

18 Christ is also the head of the church,

    which is his body.

He is the beginning,

    supreme over all who rise from the dead.

    So he is first in everything.

19 For God in all his fullness

    was pleased to live in Christ,

20 and through him God reconciled

    everything to himself.

He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth

    by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.” (Col. 1:15-20)

What I need to remember is that Jesus is running the Show. He controls all things.. all things hold together because of Jesus. 

yes, the world is in shambles right now, but it would be more so if Jesus would withdraw His hand from the world. 

So, today, when you feel like you are in over your head— which for me is most of the time, TBH, let’s remember that God is in control; God is the King of the world, and God has not left or abandoned us!

Hi, My name is Pastor Nick and I am a scrooge.

So, I have a bit of a confession to make. I am some what of a scrooge. I don’t like the Christmas Season. I should rephrase that, but I’m not going to. I don’t want to lie. I don’t like the Christmas movies that my kids have been watching since November 1st, I don’t like the Christmas songs that have been playing on the radio since November 11th, I don’t even like the Christmas commercials on CTV; the ones where companies wish their customers a merry holiday and a happy and prosperous new year. 

I do, however like all the Christmas lights and getting— and giving gifts— that part is ok— but the rest I could do without. 

I recognized that this could be a problem, so at the start of December, I asked the Lord to prepare my heart to experience Christmas in a new way. I asked the Lord for me to see Him more closely. I chose an Advent bible devotional plan on www.youversion.com, I found a Christmas themed book by one of my favourite authors, and I even allowed myself to watch National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. (Ok, that’s not religious one bit….)

I guess where I am going with this is that Christmas isn’t about the Hallmark movies. Christmas isn’t about the malls being so full of everyone tying to find that last minute gift for that person who really doesn’t need anything. Christmas is, all about Jesus. Always has always will be. 

There are a few verses in Matthew chapter 1 that i have been thinking about over and over these past few days… 

“ And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:

23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” (NLT)

A few quick comments on this verse

1. The reason we celebrate Christmas is because God is with us. He is our Immanuel— no longer do we have to dance around, make sacrifices or even wonder where God is. He is with us.
2. He has been given to us to forgive us our sins. Joseph and Mary were to name their son Jesus— which means the Lord Saves… He has come to save us from sin and shame and regret and destructive lifestyle choices. He has come to save us from us. 

This is what Christmas is all about, and because this is true, I have been asking for this God who is with us to open up my heart and do a new work in me. Something He promises to do. Something He will do in your life too if you would only ask. Read Isaiah 55:6-7. 

Sure  I will still gripe about the Christmas movies on TV or the Christmas songs on the radio; (even though they mostly proclaim the birth of Jesus) But I would like to be filled wth the Gift of God with us today, tomorrow and every day in 2018. 

Who knows, this might make me a little less scrooge-ie next year. But maybe not.

God is Faithful.

I’ve been thinking of the verse found in 1 Corinthians 13 the last few days. specifically 4 words contained in this verse. Let’s read the verse and then I’ll let you know what ones I’m thinking about “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” (NLT2)

While there are so many truths in this verse, the words that I have been thinking about are the words: “ And God is faithful.” God is faithful. 

Even as I think back over the last few years of my life, of being in the hospital, over needing money for life, over needing a house to stay in- due to me resignation, I had to vacate the church owned house— God has been faithful. right down the minute. Not even did I have to think Did God do that? I knew/Know God did that. He showed up in our lives more than ever before, and He is faithful. 

as we head in to unknown days, He will continue be faithful. It is a part of Who God is. Faithful. Just like He is love, God is faithful. So, I thank Him for “pulling the strings” in my life, in the life of my family, for taking good care of us to see that we are looked after. God is faithful. Always has been, always will be.

The Lost has been found!!!

Have you ever lost something? Being who I am, I have lost things quite a bit. Because I am married, when I lose something, I just have to say a few words: Beth: do you know where this thing that I lost went..” and normally she is able to find what has been lost. 

however, there was a time before I was married, that I had lost something I deemed very important. It was given to me at a Pastor’s function, actually my first pastors function, and I held on to this for quite some time.. until I lost it. When I lost it, I was devastated. I looked everywhere for this lost item, I looked high and I looked low. I looked for the item in the hands of other people I knew. I had come to the point where I would ever see this item again. It was lost. 

Then, all of a sudden, one day, I noticed that one of my friends had found my lost item. not only had he found it, He was actually using it! I immediately told him, HEY: THAT’S MINE! He told me to hang on and he would give it to me when he was done. 

Losing something is not very fun, or nice. When people go missing for long periods of time, we send out a search party and scour the woods and try to find them. 

The problem is we are all lost. We are lost in sin, and shame and regret and failure. Thankfully, God knows this, and He sent out a search party out to look for is a long time ago. 

Jesus Himself said: “For the Son of Man came see and to save the lost.”(Luke 18)

You could almost describe this as His mission statement. This is the sole reason He came to this earth. to find what was lost. Rather, find WHO was lost. You and me. This is great news; the lost has been found and we can be with Him.

for the record, I still have that lost item. (it doesn't work anymore, but I still have it!) (Posted December 15/2017)

Update

So, hey. I've been slacking in the blog updates. Sorry. Life has been.... well interesting.

I dont want to bore you to death with details, but I have most recently been in hospital with an infection that required two weeks of IV antibiotics, and then I came home and came up with an idea that I would like to have a study downstairs, so I did what any normal husband would do: I asked Beth and she graciously moved a ton of stuff around in her office and presto: I have a space where I can do some studying and reading.. but more importantly I have a space where I can pray.... Oh I've prayed before in my chair, but something about having a room where I can close the door and pray to my Father in heaven... Seems to me that I read that somewhere... anyway, the point of this post is if you have something you'd like me to pray for/about, let me know and I will add you to the list. Doesn't much matter what it is, I just want to pray for you. you can also reach me by email. or twitter. or snail mail.
if you need any of my contact information, please reply to this post and I'll get back to you.

Remember: Jesus said When you pray, not IF you pray.... It never crossed Jesus' mind that His followers would not pray, so let me know how I can pray for you.