BOLDNESS in Christ

And the special gift of ministry you received when I laid hands on you and prayed - keep that ablaze! God doesn't want us to be shy with his gifts, but bold and loving and sensible.
So don't be embarrassed to speak up for our master or for me, his prisoner. Take your share of suffering for the Message along with the rest of us.

02 Timothy 1 :6-8 (The Message)

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life, —not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace.

02 Timothy 1:6-9a (NIV)

So, this passage spoke to me last night. Particularly the part about being BOLD and that we have not been given a spirit of timidity, but of boldness. What an amazing statement. God is calling us to be bold, to stand and speak the truth. So often I find it easy, comfortable, safe, to not boldly stand for what I believe, to not boldly stand for the ultimate truth. So often I am worried about upsetting someone or offending them that I slink away and not outwardly tell them what God wants them to hear.

And here's my revelation. We are called to be God's messengers. The vessels in which the Word of God is spread. I don't think messengers are allowed to be timid. Think of medieval times where the king would send a mesage to an opposing force. That message has to be delivered. The declaration of war has to be delivered to the opposing force for them to know that this is their last chance before being utterly annihilated. This messenger must covey the message at all costs. I wonder are we, am I, truely committed to being that messenger? Are we willing to convey God's message no matter the consequence? I know that this is something that speaks closely to my heart. Am I willing to convey the message no matter the cost? Hmm...food for thought.

Decisions...

I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay. You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Psalm 16:8-11 (TNIV)

This was an interesting passage to read, largely because of the part in bold. You make known to me the path of life. Interesting to think of, God does make known to us the path of life that we need to be taking. The question is, are we (a) listening and (b) willing to walk the path that God is telling us. I know that this is something that I certainly struggle with. Greatly because it requires ME to make the initial step, to step out in faith that this is the path that God wants me to take. Certainly not easy. My biggest struggle is with stepping out and making the decision to follow the path that is before me. I have been so conditioned to allow others to make the decisions for me. Sure I have made decisions for myself. But in many ways these seem like pseudodecisions. Now obviously not all decisions fall under the 'pseudodecision' category...choosing to follow Christ is definitely NOT a pseudodecision. But many others have been. Take for example my choice to attend (and graduate) university. Did I really have much of a choice in the matter? Not really with both societal pressure and parental pressures to attend.

The times that I have made a decision have always seemed to be followed with a deluge of doubt, fears and uncertainty as to whether it was the right decision...whether it was what God truely wanted me to do. And often I have no clue as to whether the decision is what God would have wanted me to make. At the end of the day I guess that I have to trust that the path that I am following does have an ultimate purpose in the grand painting that God has begun in me. Still doesn't make it any easier.

Am I willing to listen? Am I willing to put into practice that in which I've heard? I'd like to say confidently 'yes' to each of these questions, but the reality of it is, often I may not say yes, or I may drag my feet ressiting the will to say yes to God and no to my own personal ambitions and desires. I understand that my ambitions, my desires are important but I have a hard time recognising that the desires and ambitions that God has in store for me far outweigh anything that I could ever dream of. What I think is amazing now, will be so much more amazing in the future if I could just allow God to do his will. Ack! Throw away my brain, I'd do so much better!

The World's Fastest Indian

Ok, what a cool movie. 'The World's Fastest Indian'. I had heard some good things about this movie, but had never had the opportunity to see it. Well I'm glad that I have. So yes, at times it was a little cheesy, but put speed and motorcycles together...what guy can resist?

Spiritual ADD

I have a disease, I suffer from spiritual ADD. Now I don't literally have a disease, nor do I suffer from any sort of ADD, but none-the-less I feel that many times that my spiritual focus take on the characteristics of ADD. Simply put, its frustrating! My heart wants to do all things right, wants to desperately pursue God, listen, be obedient and yet I have the hardest time keeping focused on the goal. There are so many thing that are distracting. So many GOOD things that are distracting.

I think that the 'medicine' for this is simply prayer, meditation, seeking God...and yet this is probably the most difficult thing. Its allowing/requiring myself to be disciplined enough to do all of this. Ahh! So bloody frustrating!

I think many times I allow my situations to dictate where I sit spiritually, and I don't often allow God to dictate where I should be spiritually. In many ways, it seems incredibly weak. And I know that this is certainly something that needs to be addressed, needs to be improved on, otherwise I think that there will be so much unnecessary strife.

In the words of Brenton Brown..."my strength will rise as I wait upon the Lord" I hate waiting...but I know that this is the only option if I do truely desire to become more like Christ.

My missing letter to the editor

Ah, if only the Vernon Morning Star would print my letter. Needless to say, I think Vernon has some work on their hands.

Recent BC Statistics data shows Vernon at an annual growth rate of 1.2% compare this to Vancouver proper (0.95%) and it is clear that the Okanagan is BC’s growth hot spot. Within this strong growth of Vernon, decision-makers have become a little development happy; and why not? Every lot sold, or developed increases the tax base of Vernon, and there is little cost to Vernon. Or is there? I don’t think I’m alone in saying that the development in Vernon is getting a little out of hand.

Recently, I talked to a technician from a local engineering firm, who grimly told me that the consumption of water in Vernon has exceeded water consumption projection by ten years, in other words we are consuming water at a rate that was projected to be consumed by 2016! So not only are we developing at a fevered pace, but we are also consuming water at an alarming rate. This inability to maintain a sustained urban growth means that there will be increased water-related issues in the future. Brown grass and boil water advisories will be the least of our concerns.

Beyond this humanistic viewpoint there is much more to be concerned about with the uncontrolled growth of Vernon. A quick search through the BC Conservation Data Centre listed 350 red or blue listed species or flora and fauna within the Bunchgrass, Ponderosa Pine, and Interior Douglas-Fir Biogeoclimatic Ecosystem Classification zones; all of which occur in the Vernon area. 66 of these 350 were listed by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC – federal listing) as endangered, threatened, of special concern, or extinct. If a quick search brings up this many hits for species of concern, should we not be concerned? 350 species is something to be concerned about!

According to the consolidated version of Vernon’s Official Community Plan “Every effort shall be made to maintain in a largely natural state, those areas indicated as having environmental sensitivity…” (Plan Vernon s. F1). Sounds nice, perfectly written to make someone feel all warm and fuzzy, but is this really practically being applied? Is every effort being made to maintain a natural state of the environment? Is the fragmentation of habitat and land conversion maintaining a natural state? I think not. A look towards the horizon clearly demonstrates that due diligence is not being maintained.

Inevitably all of this development and lack of concern for the local environment will lead to the loss of many of the characteristics that have defined Vernon as such an amazing city to live in. Lets all think back to why we live in the Okanagan; the pristine lakes, the opportunity for outdoor recreation, the stunning views, and the diverse ecology. Let’s not be complacent when it comes to the integrity of our ecosystems and the services that it provides!