Tuesday, February 27, 2007

God is in the Intersections of Life

I've learned (or maybe more accurately, I am continuing to learn...) that God is in the intersections of life. If you're from Gateway City Church in Kamloops, you'll know that this is the slogan associated with the church. Even though I've been gone for a while, the phrase still holds tremendous meaning to me.

I enjoyed a great weekend with some friends and Evangel Chapel in Ft. St. John. Tony and Sara Warriner along with Phil and Cynthia Hamar are doing a great job leading a thriving church in a very exciting community. I was blessed to be their guest for the weekend. We all shared ministry together in Kamloops so it was great to be with them again. The church was very receptive and supportive of the ministry so that was exciting too.

The trip home was where God showed up the intersections of life. I arrived in Vancouver late and for only the second time in a year missed a connecting flight. After getting booked onto the next flight (3 hrs. later...) I turned around to see two MLA's waiting for their flight to Victoria. Knowing that there are no "accidents", I wandered over, said hello and enjoyed a nice visit with them. I love how God orders our days and our steps so that His plans can be perfectly fulfilled.

The plan for today was to go to Victoria for the day. (NOTE: "was" is the key word!) I arrived at the airport 23 minutes before my flight left and there was NO ONE at the Air Canada counter. After the flight was loaded, the agent came back to tell me that the flight had left. I thought that he must be kidding but he told me that he did things "by the book" and that I needed to be there 30 minutes before the flight left in order to be guaranteed my spot. Silly me... I thought BUYING A TICKET guaranteed my spot. Small wonder people in Kamloops keep hoping Westjet will fly here...

So... between being disappointed, bewildered and frustrated, Barb thought that the best solution to my muttering and moping was an afternoon at Sun Peaks. It seemed like a reasonable antidote to me too so the boys and I had a "dad day" on the hill and had a blast. Lots of snow, fun and fresh air all of which made for a fantastic day. Sometimes, you've just got to stop and smell the roses, or in this case the cajun cheese stick at the Sunburst Lodge on a sunny day.

Life is good!!

Tim






Wednesday, February 21, 2007

I have set before you an open door that no one can shut...

I am a believer. In some ways I’ve always been a believer, but this is something new. I have come to believe that there when God is in something, then the unusual and the extraordinary become the norm. I had another one of “those” days again today. One marked with miracles and a general “is this really happening to me?” combined with a generous dose of “Wow God, this is amazing…”

I can’t tell you everything that happened today because I want to respect the privacy of the people I was with today, but I do want to share some things with you in general terms because it is just so exciting to see how God is opening doors into the lives and world of the MLA’s of our province.

I was invited to lunch today with a friend of the ministry who is really going out of his way to help us get going in terms of making introductions to the right people in Victoria. Shortly after arriving, I discovered that our lunch was actually a private affair and that we would be dining with 5 other MLA’s. They were very gracious, kind and welcoming. After lunch was over, I was able to speak privately with several of them about why I was there and what I felt God had called me to do. Again they were encouraging and receptive commenting that they felt there would be real value in having a non-partisan ministry presence in their midst. This is all very encouraging, exciting and rewarding to say the least.

While I was waiting for Question Period to begin today, I was reflecting on what God has done over the last 8 days. In reality He’s been doing it for much longer than 8 days, I’ve only seen the fruit of it over the past 8 days. He has been arranging all of this from before the foundations of the earth were laid, just as He has in your life. When these things begin to happen, it feels like a whirlwind, but it makes me wonder, what surprises He has in store and what doors He may open next.

Stay tuned…

Tim





Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Did this really just happen??

I attended the Speech from the Throne in Victoria today as the guest of a local MLA/Cabinet Minister who is a friend of the ministry. I arrived in plenty of time to people watch, chit chat with those who were sitting around me and just get the feel of the place. I noticed my MLA friend come out onto the floor about 10 minutes before things were to begin. He greeted a few people and then began to scan the public galleries greeting a few people he recognized. When he looked my way, I waved and smiled to catch his attention hoping that he would see me up in the "cheap seats". Upon recognizing me, he motioned for me to come down to the main floor and meet him at the door to the Chamber. When I arrived, he introduced me to the Sergeant at Arms who explained that the minister that had agreed to open the session in prayer had cancelled and could I/would I be willing to open in prayer. When I agreed (which took all of about .5 seconds, I was wisked to the Speaker's office (who is a Christian...) and was asked again if I would be willing to serve in this way. Again, I told him I would and he directed me to go with the Sergeant where I was led through the door behind the Speaker's throne and shown my seat where I was to wait until I was called upon to pray. After that he asked if I'd like to see their prayer book or just pray one of my one. I looked at the book and opted to pray my own... :-)

I spent most of the speech just trying to get my head around what had just happened... I'm going back next week for the Budget speech. As I was walking to the Speaker's office, my MLA friend turned to me and said "we know who's really in charge here don't we Tim!" He was as excited as I was!!

I have to tell you that I am absolutely amazed at how God orders our lives and our days. I had absolutely no expectation to do anything more than attend the speech and perhaps have a moment to visit with my friend. God had set up an entirely different day that allowed me to meet virtually every Cabinet minister in the province and to publicly intercede for the MLA's and ask His blessing on this session. I was even on TV! (Okay, it was BC Leg TV and only political junkies watch it, but still it was pretty amazing!)

Catch you later.Tim

Monday, February 12, 2007

The Speech From the Throne

Matthew 16:18 would be among my many favorite verses. I like to think of it as Jesus' "Speech from the Throne" where He defines His agenda, goals and the terms by which it will be fulfilled.

I love the part where He says "I will give you the keys and what you bind on earth will be bound in heaven and what you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. While He is committed to building the Church, He empowers the Church to be the instrument through which He accomplishes His goals.

Our great opportunity is to use the keys He has given us to affect the world around us through the power of prayer. I remain captivated with the possibilities of what could happen as 10,000 people a day touch heaven to change earth on behalf of a single MLA and his/her riding.


As this legislative session gets started, there are some specific themes that I'd like to ask you to pray about.

1. Our MLA's. These are hard working people who make some tremendous sacrifices to serve as decision makers and advocates for their particular ridings. It's largely a thankless job that requires travel, time away from home, long hours and endless criticism. They do it because they believe that public service is a noble undertaking. They need protection as they travel, wisdom as they debate and make decisions, grace to deal with the pressure that comes along with the job and courage to make the right choices. Pray that God would bless them and grant them strength as they serve our province in this way.

2. MLA Staff. Every MLA has at least one office with a group of people who are there to serve the MLA and their constituents. They too need grace and strength as they serve in their roles.

3. Provincial Ridings. Every riding has a unique set of challenges and opportunities. As time goes on, we anticipate providing as much information as possible on our prayer calender. In the meantime, please pray that the Lord would begin to work very powerfully in each riding and that His grace, presence and Spirit would flow to every resident, decision maker and leader there.

Let's ask for God's blessing, outpouring and favor on our leaders and their ridings and watch what God will do.

I'd love to hear from you on this!

Have a MIGHTY week!!

Tim

Friday, February 09, 2007

By faith...

WOW!! A lot has happened since my last post. The MLA prayer list has grown to nearly 100 people and we are well on our way to taking the next giant leap forward there. The timing on this is amazing as the Speech from the Throne happens next Tuesday. I'm looking forward to being there for the start of the legislative session. We've been blessed by a champion of the ministry who has secured tickets to this and the Budget speech that follows a week later.

It's exciting to finally be in the place where this vision is becoming reality. What has seemed so off in the distance is becoming rapidly becoming substance. I've learned some huge lessons in the past year, not the least of which is the power of faith. The bible talks about calling those things that are not as though they are. A year ago, this ministry only existed in terms of a vision that I had shared with very few people. Today, we have prayer and financial partners that are standing with us to make the vision a reality and as of next Tuesday the vision becomes substance as the work of touching and reaching the MLA's of BC with the love, light and life of Jesus becomes reality. I'm under no illusions. This will be hard work and my faith will be stretched again, but I'm starting to really enjoy that and am looking forward to taking the next step forward on the journey.

Here's what else I'm learning about faith. It works in every part of our lives. Sometimes we see this only as a churchy or "religious" tool, but faith works everywhere. Believing it shall be is always the first step towards to seeing it happen. I get what I expect. Nothing more. Nothing less. And when I live expecting a good thing, good things happen. When I live expecting bad things, I get those things too!

So... "ya just gotta believe..." and watch the rest fall into place.

Tim

Thursday, February 01, 2007

Let it Go!!

From T. D. Jakes - Very inspiring!!

There are people who can walk away from you. And hear me when I tell you this! When people can walk away from you: Let them walk. I don't want you to try to talk another person into staying with you, loving you, calling you, caring about you, coming to see you, staying attached to you. I mean hang up the phone. When people can walk away from you let them walk. Your destiny is never tied to anybody that left.

The bible said that, they came out from us that it might be made manifest that they were not for us. For had they been of us, no doubt they would have continued with us. [1 John 2:19]

People leave you because they are not joined to you. And if they are not joined to you, you can't make them stay. Let them go - doesn't mean that they are a bad person it just means that their part in the story is over. And you've got to know when people's part in your story is over so that you don't keep trying to raise the dead. You've got to know when it's dead. You've got to know when it's over.

Let me tell you something. I've got the gift of good-bye. It's the tenth spiritual gift, I believe in good-bye. It's not that I'm hateful, it's that I'm faithful, and I know whatever God means for me to have He'll give It to me. And if it takes too much sweat I don't need it. Stop begging people to stay. Let them go!!

If you are holding on to something that doesn't belong to you and was never intended for your life, then you need to...... LET IT GO!!! If you are holding on to past hurts and pains . LET IT GO! If someone can't treat you right, love you back, And see your worth..... LET IT GO!!!

If someone has angered you.... LET IT GO! If you are holding on to some thoughts of evil and revenge...LET IT GO! If you are involved in a wrong relationship or addiction... LET IT GO!!!

If you are holding on to a job that no longer meets your needs or talents... LET IT GO!!!
If you have a bad attitude... LET IT GO!!! If you keep judging others to make yourself feel better... LET IT GO!!!

If you're stuck in the past and God is trying to take you to a new level in Him... LET IT GO!!! If you are struggling with the healing of a broken relationship... LET IT GO!!! If you keep trying to help someone who won't even try to help themselves...... LET IT GO!!!

If you're feeling depressed and stressed ... LET IT GO!!! If there is a particular situation that you are so used to handling yourself and God is saying "take your hands off of it," then you need to...... LET IT GO!!!

Let the past be the past. Forget the former things. GOD is doing a new thing for 2007!!! LET IT GO!!! Get Right or Get Left .. think about it, and then.... LET IT GO!!!