Dan the man!

One thing I've been jealous of over the past few years is how much Jane was learning from her Beth Moore Bible Studies. I would say to her..."How come this great teaching is limited to women?" So we decided to buck the system and have a Beth Moore Study on the book of Daniel with 3 other couples. We just had our first session and I just finished day 2 of my homework assignment. Wow! This is incredible teaching. I'm eating it up.

This first week I am so impressed with Daniel. Here we see a young man between 15-18 years old that is taken into captivity into Babylon under King Nebuchadnezzer and he stands up to the King and says he will not worship their god and will not indulge in their pleasures. He could have had it all. The choicest foods. And he says we'll stick with vegetables and grains. No Filet Mignon, no baked Alaska and probably no Sushi!

Daniel was bent on worshipping only the living God of Israel. He would bow down to no King but the King of Kings. THe question I have is would I have the same resolve? Only by the grace of God. What would I do if my life was at stake and someone said to bow down to another god or idol or loose my life? Only by the grace of God would I be able to make a stand and repeat the words of Jesus that you can take my life physically but you will never take my soul. I hope I would continue to choose Jesus...no matter what the stakes are. I pray that I can be like Daniel and stand up to the Babylonian tendencies in our world today. (Live your life for today. You deserve it. Seek all the pleasure the world has to offer you. It won't hurt you.).

The question for all of us is what is the world luring us into that may have a tragic ending? Can we learn to say "no" and seek God's heart and live in his will, no matter what the cost? Let's choose to be Daniel's today! By the Grace of God!! And all God's people said...Amen!!!

A new start

Ok, Sue. I know I have been tardy in my blogs. I have many excuses. Most of all the Holidays were filled with great family times as Wade was home for Christmas from VCOM in Boise. We cherished every moment we had together. We took a trip to the front range to see family and friends in Denver, C. Spgs and Canon City. It was a whirlwind filled with great fellowship, food and football. (I love watching bowl games and NFL football. It's a vice...God forgive me.) :) One of the blessings we had was going to church at the CC Vineyard. We saw old friends and enjoyed the worship and message from Greg Swearengen. But the greatest thing was the gratification we had to see the church doing so well under the new leadership. We were given the confirmation that God was in the whole transition to GJ and His hand hasn't been lifted from the church in CC. We gave our life to help build that church and it was another step in the process of handing it back to God. Jane especially had a sense of peace that she could now let go and embrace CVVC as her new church. God answered prayer big time in this one.

Yesterday we sent Wade off to Boise again. I had the best gift a dad could ever have. Wade and I went for coffee at Starbucks and we had a wonderful chat. We talked about relationships, ministry and setting goals. It was incredible. To be able to have such a deep talk with your son that is growing to be a young man of God was one of highlights of a dad's life. Thank you Lord! We all sense God has some great things in store for Wade.

Now it's back in the saddle at Canyon View. Overall we (the staff) have a wonderful sense that 08' is going to be a great year for the Kingdom of God for Canyon View Vineyard Church. My focus and prayer is for God to solidify his new vision for CVVC in the next 3 months. Then we will share it with the church at large in the messages in April and then we take off to expand God's Kingdom in the Grand Valley and the world. (The vision will be the focus of our leadership retreat that we will have the beginning of March in Moab).

In summary, I am very excited for 08'. I sense in my Spirit that 08' is going to be a year of great healing and new life in CVVC. Jeremiah 29:11 keeps coming to mind for us..."For I know the plans that I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

I embrace this promise, Lord. May you be glorified and may your Kingdom come...in a huge way in 08'. And everyone said...AMEN!!!