SPRING IN BAKER CITY 2008

Wow! What a beautiful place to live on this earth, in Baker City. The Baker Valley has a beauty all it's own; surrounded by beautiful, snow capped mountain peaks, reaching up to and above 9,000 feet on two sides, it is a sight to behold. These pictures are views from our backyard as the sun was coming up the other day.It is awfully dry here, and the vegitation stays kind of brown or sage green throughout most of the year. The spring season is a bit of a disappointment with it's incessant winds and usually very cold temperatures. This year has been exceptionally cold, AND snowy, but in reality it has only added to the beauty.As I stand in our backyard taking in this beautiful scene the words of scripture come to mind;

"Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His love endures forever!" (Psalm 118:1).

"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--His eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." (Romans 1:20).

Why do we know that God is real? Why can we have confidence that God is who He said He is? Because of the awesome nature of all creation. The stars in the sky, the universe, the granduer ofthe mountains, the amazing work of creation in the birth of a new child; everything about God's wonderful creation shouts out loud, "Give thanks to the Lord for He is good! And He is real."

I think that is what riles up Christians so much about the theory of evolution, and the whole thing with Darwin's theories of creation. It suggests that everything happened by natural selection, and had nothing to do with a Creator, God. You tell me how DNA happened by accident. You tell me how each and every person that walks the face of the earth has their own distinct finger print, heart beat, voice pattern, and DNA structure. Tell me how that can all happen by "accident."

I'll tell you how it really did happened..."You, O God, created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place." (Psalm 139:13-15).

Did you know that you are wonderful? Not because you and I are so great, but because we are the wonderful creation of God Almighty Himself. We are wonderful, because we have such a wonderful God. I was wonderfully made! Now isn't that encouraging?And Ephesians 2:10 also says that when we are saved by the hand of God that "We are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." Isn't that great news. You are not only wonderful, you are an actual "masterpiece" of God. He created you originally, and when you put your faith in Him he recreates you into a "work of art," for accomplishing His will in this earth, and for all eternity.

Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Have You Heard?

Have you heard the talk flying around lately about the new best seller in Christian books? It is called "The Shack." And I'm here to tell you it is worth the read. It is a fictional story, but it is life changing, or at least it will change your whole perspective on "religion" and what it means to be a Christian in relationship with God. As a matter of fact, many people who aren't ready to "let go" of their religious perceptions are very troubled by this book. There is, no doubt ,some very troubling (and at the same time very inspiring) images in this book. It really challenges you at the very deepest core of your "spiritual" life.

If you have been bothered by Christians, and church, and are even troubled by your own perceptions of God, there is no better book for you to read than "The Shack." Let me give you a little insight into what you will be getting into by sharing with you the description of the book from the back cover...

Mackenzie Allen Philips'' youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted during a family vacation and evidence that she may have been brutally murdered is found in an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness. Four years later in the midst of his Great Sadness, Mack receives a suspicious note, apparently from God, inviting him back to the shack for a weekend.

Against his better judgment he arrives at the shack on a wintry afternoon and walks back into his darkest nightmare. What he finds there will change Mack's world forever.

In a world where religion seems to grow increasingly irrelevant "The Shack" wrestles with the timeless question, "Where is God in a world so filled with unspeakable pain?" The answeres Mack gets will astound you and perhaps transform you as much as it did him. You'll want everyone you know to read this book!

After having read it I have to say, "This book is powerful in helping you look more deeply into your own relationship with God." It addresses many questions that many of us have about how in the world there can be so much pain and tragedy in the world, and what is God doing in the midst of it all?

Keep in mind, there are many "nay sayers" out there warning you that this book is theologically dangerous. It certainly challenges us in some of our most deep seated beliefs or perceptions about God. I guess the question is: "Is it bad to challenge our perceptions about God? Especially if they just may be wrong!"

Find it, borrow it, pick it up, and read it, and let me know what you think.

HOME AGAIN!

We traveled to the Willamette Valley this past week to spend a few days with our kids and grandkids. What a joy they are. Before we went we got to go sledding with three of our grandkids up by Anthony Lakes. A very good time was had there as you can see.

In the Valley we assisted our daughter, Danielle, who was directing an auction fund-raiser to raise money for the Christian school that their kids attend.

We also got to see the two new grandsons, Blaze and Griffin, who are both doing very well. As well as our son and daughter from Albany, OR and their two kids. So all in all it was a very good trip, and we got to spend quality time with most of our kids families.

Family is so important. I have recently began a series of messages talking about the importance of marriage and family called "Desperate Households." I am calling it "desperate" because the state of marriage and families are in a desperate situation today.

God established the institution of marriage and family from the very beginning of time. Marriage and family are the very bedrock of society and culture. Without strong marriages and strong, healthy families, all of society begins to fall apart.

Over the next few weeks I will be talking about Desperate Housewives, Desperate Husbands, and other very important topics regarding how to keep our own families strong and healthy. But in order to do that we need to look to the Bible. Strong marriages and families don't just happen by accident. No it takes hard work, real commitment, and a desire to live according to God's will and direction. When we ignore God's direction and plan for marriage and family, that is when we have problems and become dysfunctional.

I pray for you and your marriage and family today. I hope that you are experiencing all the joy and fulfillment in your marriage that God has planned for you. I pray that your kids and grandkids are learning to look to God for guidance and direction for their life. When we learn to trust the Lord in ALL things, that is when we experience the abundant life that Jesus promised when he said, "I have come that they [you and I] may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly" (John 10:10).

God wants us to enjoy this life to the fullest, to know all the joy that can be had from this life, and the life beyond into eternal life. Unless we know Jesus (and I mean really know him personally, not just know "about" him) we will never experience the fullness of life as God has designed it for us. May you know Jesus today, and know him personally as your Lord and Savior.

May God bless you with an abundant life!