Discovery Church of Ridge Meadows

Looking Down from Heaven!

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 15:35:00 +0000

"The LORD looks down from heaven; He sees all humankind. From where He sits enthroned He watches all the inhabitants of the earth..." -Psalm 33:13 NRSV

EL ROI... "The God who sees"... sees all... according to this anonymous psalmist. He sees all... nothing is hidden from his sight... nothing goes unnoticed in the lives of all the inhabitants of the earth.

You know... I have to admit when I read this psalm that these verses bring up some challenging and perplexing thoughts and images to my mind... and I know that they do for many of us because I have had the conversations with people over my years of ministry.

You see... for many years the thought of some eternal being looking down on my life and the lives of everyone on this planet simply struck me with fear and anguish. The idea of some cosmic kill-joy looking down from the clouds... watching... seeing... searching to find me doing something wrong was a real challenge to me. The concept that this "God" was just waiting to smite me when I disobeyed some law or order that I might not have even known just seemed like a terrible joke thought up by someone wanting to keep me in line!

That was my impression for many years as i lived outside of a relationship with God. The impression I had during that time was that God was simply a cosmic cop... seeking to keep me in line... seeking to keep us all in line and marching to the same beat... to the same life-less melancholy existence.

BUT... that is so not the reality... listen to what the author of this psalm continues to write...

"Truly the eye of the LORD is on those who fear (have reverence... respect... and relationship) him, on those whose hope in his steadfast LOVE, to deliver their soul from death (both in the present and for eternity), and to keep them alive..." -Psalm 33:18-19 NRSV

The GOD who SEES... sees ALL... and is truly looking down in order to search the entire earth for those who are earnestly and honestly seeking Him and His kingdom plans and purposes!

He searches and seeks the earth to DELIVER them... to KEEP them... and to PROSPER them... as they live for Him and with Him in this world that He created... and still cares about!

Seeking the ONE who SEES all...

Rev Trev

"The Hardest Verse in the Bible to TRUST!"

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 16:35:00 +0000

One of the most challenging verses in all of Scripture for many of us to believe is not the one about creation, the virgin birth, or the resurrection. It's the one that says: "And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." -1 Corinthians 10:13

This morning I read this statement above in a devotional reading from a book written by author Ann Spangler and I can only say that I have to admit that this statement certainly resonates with me and my life!

You see... personally over the years I have walked with Christ... which are quickly gaining on the years that I have not... I have struggled with TRUSTING God's ability or maybe even His desire to help me when life is tough. When life has been a struggle, when ministry has been tough slugging, when relationships have been going sideways, I have struggled to believe and TRUST that God is willing or capable of intervening... of getting involved!

More often in these moments of the journey of life I have been tempted to turn to myself... to my own personal strength, power, or wisdom to make my way through whatever it is I might be facing along the way.

But how crazy is that!

How simple crazy is it for me to believe some how that my strength and power exceeds that of "El Shadday" (Translates "God Almighty")! The reality is simply this... and that is... this PROMISE found in Paul's letter to a struggling church community in Corinth is also a PROMISE for you and me! And what I need to learn to do in these moments is to TRUST this simple PROMISE and the ONE who is behind the PROMISE!

So... the next time temptation comes your way... or the next time a challenge or struggle comes your way (not "IF" but when) the best thing any of us can possibly do is to call on the name of the ONE who is more than willing to help us make our way through whatever it is we're facing! We need to TRUST in the ONE who is more than capable and who truly desires to see us through the challenges, circumstances, and situations we come across in the journey we are all on together! We need to TRUST God... "El Shadday" to see us through to the other side in a way that grows our character and honours Him along the way!

Trusting in "God Almighty" today...

Rev Trev

Who is in Your Corner?

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 23:20:00 +0000

Some days it seems we are surrounded by people who care and are there for us in this thing called the journey of life!

Other days it seems quite the opposite!

In this section of his letter to Timothy, Paul was having one of the second kind of days in the extreme. Everyone had abandoned him because he was warned not to continued preaching the Truth about Jesus to the people he encountered in his journeys.

However there was someone who never left him... and that was God!

"But the Lord stood with me and gave me strength so that I might preach the Good News in its entirety for all the Gentiles to hear. And he rescued me from certain death. (2 Timothy 4:17 NLT)

Life is challenging and following God sometimes calls us to places in life that are not popular! And when that happens we need to remember that we are NEVER alone... God us with us... He has not abandoned us... He is still in our corner!

Blessings...

Rev Trev

Let God do the TALKING!

Fri, 02 Mar 2012 17:50:00 +0000

“When you bow down before the Lord and admit your dependence on him, he will lift you up and give you honour.” ~James 4:10 NLT

In this very practical book in the New Testament on “HOW” to live out a life of faith that is honouring and pleasing to God, the half-brother of Jesus makes a number of bold and challenging statements… and this is one of them!

You see many of us in this world follow the world’s ways even when we claim a faith in Christ because this visible world we live in often pushes and prods us to follow its path in the journey of life. And one of the ways that this seems to show itself in our lives is when we attempt to “Be SOMEBODY” in this world!

Now… let me just say that before I go any further that I am not saying that doing our best and striving to do the best we can in life is a bad thing! It’s not a bad thing, God wants us to do the best we can with the gifts, talents, and abilities that He has given to each and everyone of us!

However… most of our striving is often for one reason… and that is… to bring honour to us… to bring glory to ourselves! We want to be recognized… to be valued… to be SOMEBODY in this world! That is really the way of the world… the constant striving for a goal that is fickle and fleeting. The reality is simply this… the people who are SOMEBODY today… are easily forgotten tomorrow in a world that is constantly changing and constantly seeking the next and greatest among us!

BUT in this verse James gives us another option and its one that erases all the self-doubt… the insecurity… and the challenges that come with all our worldly striving! And that is this… in this verse James tells us to let God do the TALKING for us!

You see… in this verse James tells us to stop striving for our own fame and to stop trying to make ourselves great! Instead as God’s people we’re called to humble ourselves… to put our lives in proper perspective and order before God… and when we do… He will do the talking for us!

When we submit our lives to God’s will and purposes… we don’t have to worry about being significant… about being great… and about tooting our own horns! James tells us that “IF” we bow down (gain proper perspective) and admit our dependence on God that He will lift us up and bring honour to our names!

The reality is… all of our striving in life really brings us nothing more than a fleeting moment in the spotlight of our culture. But when we seek in humility to live according to God’s desire for our lives… we gain significance… honour… not only for today… but also for tomorrow… and eternity!

SO… the next time you find yourself consumed with striving to be someone… remember to take a step back and put things in proper perspective. Remember to take a step back and submit yourself to God’s plans and purposes! Because when you do what you will find is you don’t have to make yourself great... you can let God do the talking for you… and He will… but in His way… and according to His Will!

Seeking to humbly walk before the One who can do that talking for me…

Rev Trev

Faith vs. Fear

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:20:00 +0000

"As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” 36 So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). 37 But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water. 38 Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?” 39 When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. 40 Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” 41 The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!”

~Mark 4:35-41 NLT

In this incredible story in the Gospel of Mark we read about the power of the ministry of Jesus… the authority of Jesus in the created order! And it’s easy in this story to focus on Jesus and the demonstration of his power and authority over the winds and the waves. However, there is another side to this event that I think relates well to our lives and to our faith.

You see… in this story we see the disciples struggling to make their way through a mighty storm… and unexpected tempest that caught them off guard on what was otherwise a journey they most likely had undertaken many, many times!

These guys were fishermen… men of the sea… seasoned veterans of the ups and downs and uncertainty of life on the water! Yet, when the storm blew up and when the waves began to break over the sides of the boat they panicked and began shouting to Jesus about their pending doom!

NOW… I want you to think about this just for a moment!

Jesus is sleeping soundly and the disciples are shouting hysterically! Jesus was un-phased by what assuredly would have been a bouncy bed! The disciples on the other hand to a person (Mark says that “they” were frantically struggling to hold on! Can you picture the scene in your mind? Jesus sleeping… the disciples holding on for dear life! It is a really crazy story IF we simply view it from our human point of view because it seems absolutely absurd that someone could actually sleep through a storm like that! But Mark tells us that Jesus does… that is… until the disciple’s cries for help and assistance wake him up! And when Jesus wakes up he takes a moment to point out his displeasure with the disciples FEAR before he calms the winds and the waves with one simple command!

You know… I think many of us IF we’re really honest with ourselves (which is NOT something we are often prone to be) can identify with the disciples in this situation. The storm is raging… our FEAR is rising… and our cries are ringing out to God and for a period of time it seems as IF God is un-phased… asleep at the prayer wheel… unresponsive to our circumstances and situations! And as our FEAR rises… our FAITH disappears because by all outward appearances we’re sinking fast and God seems indifferent to the storms in our lives!

However, because of the end of this simple story we KNOW that God is NOT unresponsive… that He is NOT indifferent!

In fact… He is there with us… except the good thing is… He is NOT swept up in the appearances… and He is NOT phased by the storms!

You know… we all face different storms in the journey of life and faith… in fact… I have been known to say that most of us at any particular point in time are facing a storm of one kind or another, or we’re on the tail-end of a storm, or we’re heading for a storm.

The TRUTH is… stuff happens to all of us to varying degrees in this world we live in and what separates those who make it through as compared to those who get stuck in the waves and the winds is the issue of FAITH!

FAITH is the star of the story here in the Gospel of Mark! You see… whatever the difficulty or challenge that you’re facing or about to face… you have really TWO options! You can worry, and fear, and become anxious about it… allowing the storm to overwhelm you! OR you can TRUST that God is with you (as He was with the disciples even though they still didn’t fully understand it) and turn to Him!

The TRUTH is… there really isn’t any in between on this even though we often live like there is! We can either TRUST or TURN AWAY! We can either have FAITH or FEAR! We can either have REST or RESTLESSNESS! The choice is really up to us… we can engage our FAITH and BELIEF that God is with us OR we can falsely believe that God is UNAWARE and UNCARING!

In this story, the disciples may have experienced a momentary lapse of FAITH but in the end they cried out to the ONE who was able to calm the seas… to quiet the storm… to restore the peace that passes all understanding! AND when it comes to our lives… that is exactly what we need to do when circumstances come at us… when situations surface… when troubles touch our lives! In those moments we need to ENGAGE our FAITH by seeking the ONE who is there for us through it all!

Seeking the calmer of my storms…

Rev Trev

Love is!

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 18:00:00 +0000

“We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. 17 And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. 18 Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. 19 We love each other because he loved us first.” ~1 John 4:16-19 NLT

In this section of John's first letter to the early churches he challenges his listeners and readers with a concept that is both challenging and penetrating to the very core of our being... he states that our ability to love comes from God's original desire to love us first!

What a concept to consider!

Today, more than ever, we seem to be focused on the need for acceptance and love. Commercials on the television challenge us with the reality that love moves mountains and breaks down barriers of all kinds! Parents are inundated with seminars, books, and shows on the big screens in their living rooms reminding them to love and nurture each other and the precious gifts God has given them called their children.

Love most definitely is a great thing to focus and to draw people's attention to because in the end it is the one thing that cuts through so many tragedies and injustices here on this sin-filled planet.

However, in order to understand the true perspective of love as it is intended to be we need to understand the author and perfecter and originator of love and that is God himself!

God is LOVE... and we have the potential to express and embrace love because as John reminds us God first loved us!

Love is not some syrupy emotion that is fleeting and fluctuating... it is a gift given to us by the ONE who created us. It is a gift meant for relationship with Him and with others and to be shared with the world around us!

To take God out of the equation of love is something we should never attempt to do because when we remove the originator from the picture we're left with something that is only a mere fabrication of the REAL deal!

Seeking to LOVE God and others because He first loved me...

Rev Trev

Courage according to God!

Sat, 31 Dec 2011 19:20:00 +0000

“Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them.7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do.8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do." ~Joshua 1:6-8 NLT

So... courage is founded in the WORD. At least that is God's instruction to Joshua. He challenges Joshua in a time when he needed God most to commit himself to the WORD... to the teachings of TRUTH!

God challenges Joshua to STUDY it... to MEDITATE on it... to LIVE it and he will find the COURAGE he needed for the humongeous task that he was now facing of leading the people of Israel into the Promised Land. Moses had just died and now Joshua was charged with the role of leader for this mission that God was sending His people on and in order to do that Joshua would need to have COURAGE and STRENGTH because he would face many difficult and challenging situations!

In life many of us face our own difficult and challenging situations and the STRATEGY would be the same as God's prescription to Joshua.

STUDY the WORD... MEDITATE on the WORD day and night... and LIVE the TRUTH revealed!

In other words... LIVE LIFE according to the PROMISES of God and the challenges will look differently than the might without the lens of TRUTH!

Sounds pretty simple to me!

Rev Trev

Nice Chat!

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 07:05:00 +0000

So this morning on my way to a one-day leadership conference at a local post-graduate institution I was met by someone who I recently ran into because I was teaching at a chapel event in another college setting. After the usual pleasantries (Good morning… How are you?) This very nice man said tome something that has been haunting me for some time now… he said…

“Thanks for the talk the other day!”

Hmmmmmm… as a preacher and teacher of the gospel I think the last thing that most people in my shoes wants to hear is… “Nice talk today!” OR “That was a nice chat you gave us today!”

REALLY?

To think that I spent the past 20 + hours of my life preparing for a “Nice talk” or a “Nice discussion” is rather disconcerting… disturbing… and just a little unsettling.

You see… as a pastor and teacher of the WORD of God the last thing that I want is give a nice little talk! To give a nice talk… or chat… or speech when handling the most powerful material in the world is almost akin to striking out on three straight pitches with the game on the line! It is equivalent to dropping the ball on the one yard line in overtime! It is the same as coughing up the puck with the Stanley Cup on the line and giving the other team’s best scorer a clear cut breakaway!

SERIOUSLY!

The Bible contains God’s message to a world that truly needs to hear another way of doing life in these challenging and sometimes confusing times! And a sermon is designed to be the vessel that God uses to communicate His desires through those He chooses to speak on His behalf! God’s WORD changes lives… transforms broken people and families… brings LIFE to desperate situations and circumstances!

SO… to hear that all my efforts produce nothing more than a “Nice chat”… or a “Good speech”… or some “Nice thoughts”… is almost like hearing fingernails on a blackboard to me… and to most people in the preaching world.

The author of the New Testament letter of Hebrews reminds us of the TRUTH of the WORD when he writes this in chapter 4… verse 12…

“For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.” ~Hebrews 4:12 NLT

The WORD is alive and powerful… and it has NEVER been meant to be simply words solely for discussion and entertainment… the substance of a nice chat on Sunday morning… or whenever God’s people gather together!

Personally… I appreciate the sentiment behind the words that so many people seem to use in the context of the hearing of God’s WORDS to His people gathered wherever that may be! BUT I gotta say… if all we get out of the preaching of the WORD is simply another piece of information in a world of informational overload then we may want to re-think some things in our lives.

Every time the WORD is shared it is an opportunity to learn of the LOVE of God… His plans and purposes and then to build the TRUTH revealed into our lives!

Eugene Peterson puts it best in his book… “Eat This Book” when he writes…

“Christians feed on Scripture. Holy Scripture nurtures the holy community as food nurtures the human body. Christians don’t simply learn or study or use Scripture; we assimilate it, take it into our lives in such a way that it gets metabolized into acts of love, cups of cold water, missions into all the world, healing and evangelism and justice in Jesus’ name.”

SO… the next time you are tempted to politely say to that pastor who has prayed… lived… and breathed the WORD in order to deliver a message… “Nice chat” may I suggest… just walk on by… just walk on by!

In His Service…

Rev Trev

Proper PERSPECTIVE!

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 16:55:00 +0000

“When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. 42 So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 43 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else.” ~Mark 10:41-44 NLT

This passage in Mark is an incredible passage considering the context of its occurrence. During Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem in the days leading to the Passion Week and His death, burial, and resurrection… James and John and the other disciples were still clamouring for position and power in a Kingdom they had really no true understanding of after their time with Christ.

After 3 years of walking with Him and listening to many sermons and private conversations the two brothers still had no real understanding of what was to come and how that would affect the future.

In the Kingdom of God it is NOT about power, position, prosperity, or privilege… it is about service, sharing, sacrifice, and surrender!

As always, the Kingdom is the ALTERNATIVE REALITY to what we see in the world around us. Jesus tells them that “IF” (and I say this carefully because we really cannot decide by action OR attitude whether we are first in the Kingdom) they want to be first among other believers that they need to take a servant attitude in all aspects of life and faith.

In the Kingdom it is NOT about glory and grandeur BUT grace and giving!

As we continue the privilege of walking with Christ on this earthly journey may we pay attention to this passage and this event recorded for us in the Bible… in the gospel of Mark… so that we can WALK purposefully… today…tomorrow… and for eternity!

Blessings…

Rev Trev

A Little Food For THOT!

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 20:00:00 +0000

A friend of mine had this image on his Facebook page and I have seen it in many forms over the years but every time I see it I am both convicted and inspired!

“Then Jesus' mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. 32 A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.” 33 “Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked. 34 Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother.” ~Mark 3:32-35 NIV

Interesting… I think we sometimes get too static in our faith… we get stuck into thinking that BELIEVING is enough… BUT here once again the ONE who came to set us free and to set an example for us reminds us that those who “DO” the will of God in this world are truly His brothers and sisters in the Kingdom of God!

Hmmm… certainly some food for thot!

Rev Trev