I Don't See a Place for Mardi Gras among the Righteous

I read an article in our local paper today that a church is hosting a Mardi Gras party. It was noted that you had to be 21 to attend. I thought, "what kind of church event requires you to be 21?" I have always been amazed that people celebrate at a wild party and get as much sin in as they can before the start of Lent. Of course, I believe that Christianity is a full time endeavour. We don't observe lent because we believe in self examination daily. Do we really think that giving up some minor indulgence for forty days does us any good or impresses God? I'm not trying to be offensive to those who observe lent seriously. I base my observation on some people I have known personally. It's sad to me that people get caught up in an atmosphere where anything goes and justify it because so many others do the same. I'm not surprised that people who do not have a relationship with God would do so, but I am surprised by those who identify themselves with Jesus Christ. It is troubling to me that a church would sponsor gambling, drinking, and general atmosphere of satisfying the flesh to raise money! My wife and I were in New Orleans some years ago for a church conference. Out of curiosity we went to the French Quarter just to check it out. Thank God it was daytime, and not during Mardi Gras! I would have hated to be there at night. As we walked down the street we came upon a section where unspeakable evil acts were performed. We were naive, we didn't know things went that far. The whole concept of wild partying where people completely abandon their principals and revel in the most sinful behavior should have no association with any church. I hope the churches that put on these events will examine what they are doing through prayer, asking God for direction that will once again make churches shining lights of hope instead of places that put on parties to make money!

Still on Track

My wife, Susan, and I have been on a diet, I mean a new eating lifestyle, now for about 3 weeks. I am happy to say that we have found our groove and are doing well. We have both lost weight and are settling in for a good run. I expect to make significant progress toward my goal by my birthday, two months from now. I will give you all of the stats as I reach milestones. Pray for us to keep our minds right and continue to make progress. You know eating healthy is like living for God. You have to have a made up mind. We discipline ourselves to live lives pleasing to God but food is a failure for many of us. I believe God wants us to discipline our lives in this area also. It is a large part of why I want to get my weight under control and finally keep it there. I know that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. If you struggle in this area, ask for God's help. Ask those close to you to pray with you. Leave a comment and we will pray with you too.

End Time Bible Study Update

We have been in our end time Bible study for two weeks now and it is getting very interesting. We have been studying the beasts of the book of Daniel and contrasting them with the beast of the book of Revelation. The study was about identifying modern nations that will be in existence when Jesus returns and the significance of these nations in the world today. Did the Bible predict the fall of the Berlin wall? Is the European Union a fulfillment of Bible prophecy? What is the role of the United States in Bible Prophecy? Recent history has shed much light on many of the end time scriptures. Next week we will be studying “The Road to Armageddon”. I’m looking forward to what comes next. Join us on Wednesday’s at 7:00 pm for this thought provoking study!

Take a Risk and Enjoy the Blessing!

I told you that I started a diet for the New Year. So far things are going well and I am committed to staying the course. It really hasn't been that hard because I made up my mind and intend to reach my goal. This is one of the things I love about America. We have the freedom to pursue any lofty goal. We can take risks and either learn a lesson or reap a great reward. Over the years my wife and I have been risk takers. I started an engineering business five years ago and learned lessons as well as reaped rewards. It wasn't always easy and sometimes the bank account got thin but it is strong today because of hard work and God's blessing. My son is my partner and we have three other employees. This has all happened in an economic climate that presents difficult challenges. We thank God for our success because we put our trust in Him and believe he has been our greatest help. More importantly, we started Redemption Ministries in an effort to share the gospel with Saginaw. Sometimes it has been hard to go to church with just a few but we believe in the gospel message and believe that we will reap a harvest with God’s help. We have felt God’s presence in our services, enjoyed worshipping, and heard heartfelt preaching. Join us this Sunday!

My New Year's Resolution is in Full Swing

On January 2nd I started a diet!! It isn't really a new year's resolution it's just something that I have needed to do for a while. I'm happy to report nine days in that I am in the groove, have been perfect so far, and am looking forward to a good bit less of me in the future. I am looking for dramatic changes by my birthday in March. We have all probably been on diets numerous times, I know I have but this time I am mentally in the right place. I think that is 90% of the battle. I believe that's the way it is with most things in life. If we make up our mind we can make great accomplishments. So I am looking for great things in 2008 starting with the discipline to create a healthier, happier me! I'll keep you posted.