God's Valentine's Day Gift

1 Thes 1:4 Today's sermon went so well with yesterday's blog, that I had to share my sermon notes with you.

Last week Recap:
The reason Paul went to the Thessalonians was because God prevented him from going somewhere else! We need to let God lead us! In just 3 short weeks many came to Christ and became strong Christians! Even some prominent women! Only true conversion brings change that is lasting.

1. What does true conversion mean? How does it happen? It always begins with God and His love for us.

John 3:16--God loves everyone He made and He loves you and is reaching out to you!

Many do not respond to this, or even believe He is Creator! To have
this love, we must respond to this love, to bring us into relationship
with Our Creator.

Just like a human relationship--love must be a two way street and must be responded to! When you love someone, you choose them.

Jesus is God's valentine to you. It was a very dramatic gift and you
must accept it by loving Him back.

2. Witnessing about that love.
The most powerful message in the world is that of redemption! It is
deep conviction in our heart that leads us to sharing God's Message of
Love! Our filling of the Holy Spirit makes us bold and loving about
our faith--not fearful and shy.

If the person receiving your words must also have deep convictions, it
will be a true conversion!! The Bible says it is through our HEART
that we are saved! It is emotional!

3. True conversion is always DRAMATIC. It is a dramatic life change.
The LifeChange program of Souls Harbour RESCUE Mission, of which this church is a part, has some of you in it. And those that want change and are on the program work hard and graduate from LifeChange with much flair and drama! It's a huge cost to them, and takes a lot of work, but the change for those that do it is permanent and lasting.

Those who accept this valentine are filled with love and joy and
peace. If you, as a Christian, lose your joy, it often comes from sin.
If you find yourself lacking these things, you can restore the joy of
your salvation by turning around and repenting of your mistakes--those idols of the heart: pursuit of pleasure, money, or addictions. When we turn from those things to serve God, it is going to get noticed!!

When you are truly converted, you are not just saved. You are
changed! You love Him because He loved you first. And you eagerly
await to see Him in Heaven.

Sent from Michelle's iPhone

Be Wary of Spiritual Disciplines

Today Ken preached from the book of Matthew, focussing on spiritual disciplines of reading the Bible, fasting, and prayer, and the fact that we are promised rewards for doing this. He encouraged us to join the "Chapter a Day" club, because even reading one small chapter a day from the Bible will have huge payoffs in our lives.

One thing that caught my attention is how Ken focussed in on three main disciplines. As we walked in the park later today, he suggested that our temptation to add disciplines in our lives is similar to buying the latest gadgets and machines to exercise. Perhaps you've heard that Richard Foster's books on discipline have been surrounded by controversy?

My concern with Foster is that he promotes as disciplines, things which may or may not be good ideas, but are man's ideas, not God's. Take journalling, for instance. I personally have had a journal for years. However, it is a form of praying, and is not in and of itself one of the disciplines Jesus exhorted us to practise. Foster has some other good ideas, including simplicity and solitude. But, while these are examples Christ set for us, they are not commands Christ called us to.

Jesus said, "This is how you should pray." He said, "When you fast." He never once said, "Live in simplicity."

I know that Jesus wants us to read our Bible and pray every day, and to fast in order to loose the hold the flesh has upon us, and to give more power to our prayer life.

It is important to us at the Good News Chapel to maintain a purely Biblical perspective on our worship and fellowship. Man made ideas, while good and helpful, often lead to rifts and traditions which do not belong in His House.

Two Tickets to Paradise

It was sooooooooooooooo good to be back home today at our Good News Chapel. There was a warmth and comfort about the morning that reminded me why this inner city church plant in the heart of Regina's North Central is essential. It is nourishing to the soul, challenging to live out our faith, and affectionate as family should be.

Did you know that Jesus encouraged us to treat the body... that is, our church family, as a priority over others? For instance, when you are in a situation where you may offend either your Christian brother, or the host of a gathering, you are to choose what is right before your brother's eyes... and let the chips fall where they may!

That familial feeling was an arrow in my heart this morning. Ken and I were greeted with hugs and "alohas" and encouraged to talk all about our trip. We followed up with our usual potluck, and had a great time reconnecting after our month away in paradise.

Ken incorporated much of our experience into his sermon this morning, "Two Tickets to Paradise." He wore a fancy "preachers lei" Paula made for him and showed slides of Hawai'i in the background as he spoke of the TRUE PARADISE to which we have been waiting for since Adam and Eve got themselves kicked out of Eden. Derrick even played a Hawaiian drum as we sang about our future home in Heaven.

A challenge was given at the end for any who don't know Christ to commit themselves to getting to know Him and living for Him. We are also looking forward to an inner city Vacation Bible School in August where even more people can commit to that future trip to paradise!

If you are interested in helping out with that, please contact Melanie at the Mission. We need help advertising and at the clubs. This will not be your normal VBS, I can assure you of that! Come ready for a challenge with great reward!

TWO TICKETS TO PARADISE, by Eddie Money

Got a surprise especially for you,
Something that both of us have always wanted to do.
We've waited so long, waited so long.
We've waited so long, waited so long.

I'm gonna take you on a trip so far from here,
I've got two tickets in my pocket, now baby, we're gonna disappear.
We've waited so long, waited so long.
We've waited so long, waited so long.

I've got two tickets to paradise,
Won't you pack your bags, we'll leave tonight,
I've got two tickets to paradise,
I've got two tickets to paradise.

I'm gonna take you on a trip so far from here,
I've got two tickets in my pocket, now baby, we're gonna disappear.
We've waited so long, waited so long.
We've waited so long, waited so long.

I've got two tickets to paradise,
Won't you pack your bags, we'll leave tonight,
I've got two tickets to paradise,
I've got two tickets to paradise.

Good News Chapel Annual Report

Yesterday's service was filled with awe and wonder and celebration over what God has done at the Good News Chapel (a ministry of Souls Harbour RESCUE Mission) since it's opening one year ago.

• Ken prayed and inquired about the church across the street up for sale but it was too expensive.
• Shortly afterwards, and thanks to the three donors, we were able to purchase and pay off the mortgage before our grand opening!
• The first activity was the wedding of Mel and Murray - board member to staff member. Fitting, since Jesus' first activity was a wedding!
• The first service was two weeks later.
• We've grown to 60 regulars.
• We had a potluck every week except Thanksgiving, and Ken said, "Boy did I hear about it!"
• We opened our Women and Family Home, attached to the church, where 9 women and their children can join our LifeChange Program.

We formed a leadership team:
Rev Ken Porter - Senior Chaplain
Dr Jack Katzberg - Associate Chaplain
Harley Porter - Volunteer Chaplain (on loan to another church)
Sherry Mebs - Music & Worship Minister
Murary Hack - Director of Visitation
Melanie Hack - Children's Church Co-ordinator

We were also informed that Ken can no longer fight everyone. If they want to call it a church, go ahead! And if they want to call him and Jack Pastors, that's okay, too!

Continuing the blessing list:

• 1000 homes were visited and personally invited to church at door to door. This will begin again once the snow melts.
• A clothing room was established for those in our congregation who need clothing.
• Children's church has been established.
• $2000 per month is being raised in tithes and offerings! This helps pay our utilities and loads of boiler bills this winter!
• 5 baptisms!!
• Share and Prayer, our mid-week meeting was established. We get about 12 people out for it and have been through 5 books of the Bible this year, verse by verse.
• MasterLife, a deeper life study, was formed, and is attended by about the same amount of people each night.
• An alumni group was formed for those who have graduated from the Mission's LifeChange Program. Jack is turning this into a Change Group, and opening it up to all congregants this upcoming year.

The vision of our chapel, developed by the leadership team, is to be a loving fellowship of believers who reach out to the community with the Good News.

Membership is a-typical. You can call yourself a member if:

1) You have accepted Jesus into your life.
2) You attend Good News Chapel regularly.

The strategy is the "Keep It Simple Strategy" KISS.

Ken then referred to this passage from Acts 2: 42-47--

They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to
the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

He said, church IS simple. A new testament church is going to be active in 4 things: teaching the Bible, (preaching) fellowship (potluck), breaking of bread (communion) and prayer (Share-n-Prayer)

BUT, he said, as for this passage, we are not yet there! We are yet to see God adding to our number daily. Our revival meetings this Spring, combined with our individual growth and working together as a body will serve to give all of us a sense of awe and an awakening.

We were all given fun pencils to keep, with the catch that we had to fill out a yellow card stating what we might be interesting in helping with over the next year. What part of the body did we feel we could serve in? The list ranged from the technical computer and sound stuff, to dishwashing after potluck, to ushering, preaching, reading Scripture, or praying.

We had communion together and then went downstairs to celebrate at our potluck and make your own ice cream Sundaes!

To quote my former resident manager, Jeffrey Thiessen,

God is good. All the time.
All the time. God is good.

If Kryptonite is Sin

We are Superman losing our power.

How do we get it back?