Month: September 2006

Posted by Gary on March 19, 2006

The LORD is the God of knowledge; and by Him actions are weighed.
1 Sam 2:3 NKJV

Where I am going ultimately is that faith operating through love is the most important thing but I don’t want to diminish our actions. Actions definitely matter.

One of my favorite proverbs is:
An empty stable stays clean-but there is no income from an empty stable. Prov 14:4 TLB

We can gain all knowledge and understanding, and that is ok, but ministry demands that our stables get dirty. If your carpet has mud on it and there are fingerprints on your stuff then you know you’re doing the work of the ministry. We must “do”.

I believe that our doing is an outgrowth of our being which is a whole topic unto itself consider Luke 10:28-42. So if your doing out of religious duty or obligation; don’t stop what your doing, change your reason for doing it.

Posted by Gary on January 18, 2005

This wekend while traveling with John I got a cool revelation.

John 14:15 says; “If you love Me, (you will) keep My commandments. NKJV

We could have a whole discussion on the difference between being restrained by the law and being liberated by the law and maybe we will do that sometime but for this entry I want to make a different point.

John 15:14 says this; You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. NKJV

The word “commandments” in 14:15 in the greek means “precepts” Websters defines it this way; a principle intended especially as a general rule of action. In other words things that are known because they have been stated or written down. We’ll say God’s Word.

The word “command” in 15:14 in the greek means “to give charge” Websters says to give instruction.

So Jesus is saying that we need to obey God’s word as well as God’s voice. What is God asking you to do today? Now be careful. God is more concerned with who we are than what we do. He does not “need” us to “do” anything. He wants relationship above all else. So this is not about earning anything. This is about friendship with God.

The first thing we need to know is that God is a good God and worhty of our trust. When we understand that and read everything in that context. We will happily live according to the word of God and respond immediately when He speaks to us.

Psalm 25:14 in the NLT says Friendship with the Lord is reserved for those who fear Him. Fear in this case means to honor and respect. We show that by keeping His commands and by responding when He speaks.

We serve an amazing God who wants the best for us, John 10:10, as well as many others. So take the time to listen to His voice and learn to trust Him. You will not be dissapointed.

See you soon.

Posted by Gary on September 11, 2004

Have you ever been in a place where one day you felt like finally everything was falling into place and the next day you felt like everything was falling apart?

Sometimes when we are walking by faith and trusting in the promises of God we begin to try to work out all of the details and the way things should look. God however has His own ways and His own time frame. He is always more interested in our character than our comfort. I know this is very cliched but also very true.

We find ourselves in that place where we thought everything was set and know we sit here wondering what hit us and what to do next.

Psalm 89 talks about the heavens worshiping God for His miracles and the angels worshipping God for His faithfulness.

We have walked in and experienced Gods undieing faithfulness and we will not be shaken. We are still human and sometimes we get weak but we will stand on the promises of God’s word and trust in His faithfulness confident that He wants good things for us more than we want good things for us.

There are no hands that I want to be in except Gods. He is my creator and my intimate friend. I will trust and follow and obey no matter what the cost because I am confident that He who began a good work in me will bring it to completion.

He is faithful!

Posted by Gary on May 31, 2004

Things are back on track, for the most part, and life is hectic again. We are now 6 months away from finishing our time here unless God calls us to do a third year. Which at this point is not likely at all.

We are very excited about what the future holds for us and we are earnestly seeking what God has next for us. My approach at this point in college is much different than I expected it to be. I thought I would be putting together my very impressive resume’ and looking for a “job”. Having been immersed in the Hillsong culture for a year and a half I have learned that staff jobs and ministry is birthed out of serving. So we are in search of the church that we want to serve and submit to. Dave Koenigsberg told me once a long time ago that people should first choose the church they want to serve and then move to that place and look for a job in that area. That advice is lived out here on a daily basis. Staff Jobs and ministry is birthed through people giving thier lives for the cause of christ in a local church. Soon those people are asked to join the team on a fulltime basis because they have proven themselves faithful and there motives have been tested through serving.

Before we decided to come here I missed a year of what God had for us because when I felt that it was time to pursue the call on my life I went looking for a job instead of asking “what does God have for us?”. So this time we are asking that question.

Last weekend we went to the genolan caves and deep inside the cave they turned off all the lights. What we experienced was pure darkness. Later Kim said “the only thing I knew to do was stand still” That’s how we feel. Until God luminates our next step we are not moving. Don’t panic. That doesn’t mean we are staying in Australia. It just means we are not going to plant until God illuminates our next step.

That’s where learning to die comes in. Gal 2:20 says that It is no longer I that live but Christ who lives in me. We are not giving up the dreams that we believe God has placed in our hearts but we are laying them down knowing that God gave them to us and wants them to be fulfilled more than we do. So we have chosen to pursue God and let Him work out the details of our future, our calling, and our hopes and dreams. Isaiah 49:1-4 My reward is surely with my God.

Gotta go to work
I’ll add more later
Gary