LOVE

Here are some little known facts about love:

If you google the word "love" the first thing that comes up is the wikipedia definition of love (which features a picture of Romeo and Juliet) the second thing is a "Love Calculator" boasting the tag line "Calculates the chance on a successful relationship between two people" (How that can be determined by a computer is beyond me) and after that, videos by Nat King Cole and John Lennon (how they got paired up, no one will ever know) and finally a fashion blog boasting that you will "love" the new Louis Vuitton and Comme des Garcons fashions (that I don't doubt).

But what struck me as odd was that not once on the first page of "love" being googled did any kind of biblical reference come up. There were obscure pictures and videos, love poetry and finally, to wrap it up, a free love test.But if one were searching google for what love is, I think a true meaning of it would be hard to find. I think Foreigner had it right with their 1984 power ballad "I Want to Know What Love Is". I don't think they ever figured it out.

I think love is well demonstrated in the old testament. Start with Abraham in Genesis 22. Abraham loved God so much that he didn't really question it when God told him to take his only son up to the mountains in Moriah and offer him up to God as a burnt offering. I think that Abraham knew God's love for HIM and trusted him completely that he knew that God was testing him. And that was a test which Abraham passed with flying colors.

Take Jacob next. He served Laban for 7 years just to marry his beautiful daughter Rachel. The bible tells us in Genesis 29 that Jacob "served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her." (verse 20). That's a pretty strong love that Jacob showed.

But the best example is the unconditional love that God has for us, his children. We were created in His image (Genesis 1:27), we were created to BE LIKE GOD. That means that no matter what we do as people of this earth, no matter what kind of mistakes we make or how badly we screw things up, God loves us. God loves you. He sent His only Son to die on the cross because of the love that He has for his children. That's love. And Jesus took the pain and the suffering because He loves us too. He hung on that cross to take away our sins. So why is it that we, as humans, make things so complicated for ourselves?

One of my favorite scriptures in the bible is Psalm 103:12 because it's so plain and makes so much sense. "As far as the east is from the west,So far has He removed our transgressions from us." Think of that for a minute. Do the east and the west ever touch? Never. That means that as soon as we ask for forgiveness, God's love comes into our lives and removes that sin so far from us that we'll never touch it again. That's what that scripture says. But as humans, we start to think about it, and reason things out in our heads... that's where the trouble comes in. If we have faith like children, just believing everything at face value, then we'll take this verse to heart and BELIEVE that God's love will cover everything and anything.

Three Simple Letters can be a big deal

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened." Matthew 7:7-8 (New King James Version)

This is one of the best verses of scripture in the whole bible, if you ask me. It's pretty plain english "Ask and it will be given to you" Ask. Ask. Just ask. Ask and it WILL be given to you. Not it might be given to you. It will be given to you. This is a direct quote from the bible. It's what Jesus is saying to you and to me. If we ask, it will be given to us. There's nothing that you have to do before asking Him. You don't have to pray for 3 hours. You don't have to do some crazy actions to make yourself "holy". You just have to ask. In 2Chronicles 1:7, God is talking to Solomon and He says "Ask! What shall I give you?" That's a pretty clear instruction. God is saying to Solomon to just "ASK". Three simple letters. With no discrimination. With no judgment. With no expectations of something that Solomon has to do. God just says to ask.

Today, I encourage you to just "ask" God. To ask Him for something that will make your heart happy. Whether it be big or little. From healing a broken finger, to getting a new car, to buying a new house, to having food to put on your table. God is NEVER, EVER too busy to care about your needs. All He's asking you to do is ASK.

Be Healed!

Luke 13:10 (The Message)

"Jesus was teaching in one of the meeting places on the Sabbath. There was a woman present, so twisted and bent over with arthritis that she couldn't even look up. She had been afflicted with this for eighteen years. When Jesus saw her, he called her over. "Woman, you're free!" He laid hands on her and suddenly she was standing straight and tall, giving glory to God."

These couple verses in the book of Luke are FULL of power. Don't know what I mean? Imagine if you were that woman. Twisted and bent with arthritis for 18 years. Hunched over so she couldn't even look up. And all it took were 3 words from Jesus and she was healed. Not just a little healed....completely healed. Imagine that. Imagine all the pain and suffering she must have had to deal with over 18 years. Nowadays she would visit doctors, holistic healers, chiropracters and massage therapists looking for one iota of relief for the screaming pain she experiences everyday.

It says that "Jesus saw her" which, to me, means that she wasn't desperate to get to Jesus, she wasn't pushing through the inevitable crowds that surrounded Him, trying to get Him to touch her. She was just there. And Jesus just "saw her" and called to her, just like that she was healed.

This is the kind of power that the name of Jesus holds. You,too, can be healed instantly, just like that. Jesus can and WILL heal you and your body no matter what. If you need healing in your body today, I encourage you to read these verses in Luke chapter 13. Read what Jesus can do for you. Read what Jesus WANTS to do for you.

What does that even mean?

Main Entry: bless·ed
Pronunciation: \ˈble-səd\Variant(s): also blest \ˈblest\Function: adjective
1: held in reverence, honored in worship : hallowed
2 : of or enjoying happiness; specifically : enjoying the bliss of heaven —used as a title for a beatified person
3 : bringing pleasure, contentment, or good fortune
4: used as an intensive

Have you ever heard this word before? I'll bet that you've heard it in a variety of usages, from good (I'm blessed in God!) to questionable (This blessed thing doesn't work!). But do you know what it really means? Here's the definition above from Webster's Dictionary. Something held in reverence, honored in worship, enjoying happiness, SPECIFICALLY enjoying the bliss of Heaven. Let's back it up, what does the bliss of Heaven mean? Let me break it down for you: The bliss of Heaven is enjoying all the GOOD things that Heaven has to offer. The bible says that in Heaven streets are paved with gold. Can you imagine what that would look like? Imagine driving down Wellington Avenue and it's paved in gold. Wouldn't that make you happy? Would your heart rejoice at the sight of it? That's what I'm talking about. Being blessed it about rejoicing (showing your happiness) for ALL the things that God has done for you. Maybe you haven't had the perfect life, maybe you're going through some kind of struggle or challenge right now. But let me tell you that God has something GREAT for you. And by great I mean like Heaven on Earth. Something that will make your heart truly happy, not just a fleeting emotion. Something deep rooted that changes you from the inside out. That's what being "blessed" means and looks like. A deep rooted joy that was put there by God for you to enjoy all things in life.

IS Jesus the "Reason for the Season?"

Wait a minute, you might say to yourself....isn't that saying just for Christmas? You know, the hustle and bustle of Christmas time sometimes overshadows the actual REASON for Christmas. No, it's not just to see Santa and get presents. Christmas is celebrated because Jesus was born, hence the "Reason for the Season" tagline. But what about Easter? Perhaps you weren't aware that Jesus did, in fact, rise from the dead and THAT is the reason Easter is celebrated. Not just for the Easter Bunny and chocolate. But for that amazing fact. Romans 8:6 in the Message Translation reads:

"Could it be any clearer? Our old way of life was nailed to the cross with Christ, a decisive end to that sin-miserable life—no longer at sin's every beck and call! What we believe is this: If we get included in Christ's sin-conquering death, we also get included in his life-saving resurrection. We know that when Jesus was raised from the dead it was a signal of the end of death-as-the-end. Never again will death have the last word. When Jesus died, he took sin down with him, but alive he brings God down to us. From now on, think of it this way: Sin speaks a dead language that means nothing to you; God speaks your mother tongue, and you hang on every word. You are dead to sin and alive to God. That's what Jesus did."

Now this is a pretty long verse so I'll break it down for you. When Jesus died on the cross, He made it so death is not the end. That means that when you die, you don't just get buried in the ground or spread someone picturesque. When you die, you get to join Jesus in Heaven. That's a pretty big thought. The way to get there is to believe in your heart and say with your mouth that Jesus is Lord. When Jesus comes to live in your heart, that gives YOU a safe passage-way to Heaven when you die.

This is the reason that I celebrate Easter. To celebrate the fact that Jesus is no longer dead, but that He rose and went up to Heaven so that we could have eternal life. I rejoice everyday in that fact; that I can know Jesus and have a relationship with Him because HE made it possible. I rejoice in the fact that He is alive and He made ME to have ever-lasting life because He loved me so much.

Something great within us

Just when I thought that living in Chilliwack and surrounding myself with wonderful people couldn't get any better, I visit downtown Chilliwack and am reminded of the beautiful souls that fill this town. Upon a visit to downtown yesterday I saw a lady who was obviously a little down on her luck. She had dirty, baggy clothes on and was pushing a buggy filled with various items, including a large bag of plastic bottles and cans. I walked by her and did my best to make eye contact and smile at her, just as I would anyone else, only to have her avoid my eyes and shuffle past. I watched her cross the street and come face to face (well actually, face to cart) with a teenage girl, probably around 17 or 18. The lady's cart got stuck on the curb and instead of just walking right by, the girl stopped to help her. Even when the cart tipped over and the cans spilled all over the sidewalk, this girl made it clear that she wasn't going to run away or turn a blind eye. She knelt down beside the woman and helped her clean up every last can and bottle. While I stood across the street and watched, my eyes filled with tears and I realized that this single action of the girl, which probably didn't have any significance to her, could possibly be a life changing experience for the woman. Perhaps she's dealt with criticism, hatred or judgement before. Maybe she's had a tough life filled with negative experiences. But this single act of love was enough to make this woman smile and say thank you to the girl.

Have you ever had a single act of love change who you are? Have you ever had that one defining moment where you can look back and know that was the moment that changed your life forever? I have. And it came when I realized for the first time that Jesus died on the cross for ME. To take away my sins. That He wanted to have a personal relationship with me, one where I could come to Him with anything and everything and know that I wouldn't be judged or ridiculed.

I encourage you today to read John 3:14-21. Don't just stop at John 3:16. Read all the verses through and realize the reason that Jesus was sent to this earth. Not to condemn or to judge. But to be THE light of the world.

And off we go.....

Chilliwack. It has been the pun of jokes (Chilli-hicks), the name of a (mediocre) band from the 70's and easily recognizable for the mountains, farms and churches. Being smack in the middle of the "bible belt" of BC, Chilliwack bears distinction of being referred to on Wikipedia as "agricultural regions which has a higher than average level of church attendance." That to me says one thing: We've got a lot of churches and a lot of people attending churches but how many people have an actual REAL relationship with Jesus Christ?

For so long, church and religion have gone hand in hand. To be religious was to go to church. This is proving to be less and less true as more and more of our town is being dragged out of church and into the drug-induced culture that seems to run so rampant in the down town core. Going to church isn't the issue here. Lots of people "go" to church, yet live fairly empty lives. My challenge to you today is to examine yourself and ask what kind of relationship do YOU have with Jesus Christ? Is He someone you know? Don't know? Don't WANT to know?

At Keystone Chilliwack, our mission is to build relationships by training and teaching EVERYONE that comes through our doors. It doesn't matter if you've been going to church for 30 years or you've never stepped foot in a church building before. Jesus Christ died on the cross for YOU.