Check Out the Harvest Muskoka Website!

Since I am swamped with Church plant stuff I am going to take a break from blogging (not that I kept up on it anyway!). If you are actually reading this blog and want to know more about Harvest Muskoka you can check out our website at www.harvestmuskoka.com

I will more than likely get back to blogging in the fall.

Grace and Peace,
Kaj

The Key to Contentment

It has been awhile since I wrote anything here ... no great words of wisdom, just something I came across that was what I needed to hear. One of the books Libby has been reading had something in it that hit me hard. It was something that the author had found in her grandmother's journal. Here it is:

The Key to Contentment

• Never allow yourself to complain about anything – not even the weather.
• Never picture yourself in any other circumstances or someplace else.
• Never compare your lot with another’s.
• Never allow yourself to wish this or that had been otherwise.
• Never dwell on tomorrow – remember that tomorrow is God’s, not ours.

Searching For Treasure

It was just last week that McKinley and I were hanging out in Barnes & Noble … she was playing with the Thomas the Train setup they have there and I was reading (don’t you just love that they have comfy chairs in these big book stores … it’s like a library with all new books … and Thomas the Train … I think I may buy a book one day, just to say thanks). The book I had grabbed was not as good as I had hoped so I was looking for something else to read. Not wanting to leave McKinley I reached up and grabbed one of the kid’s books. It was a really cool picture/activity book about ancient Egypt. One of the pages covered the story of Howard Carter and his search for hidden treasure and artifacts.

My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.

(Prov. 2:1-5, ESV)

We are told to listen, concentrate, cry out and search for God’s wisdom, understanding and insight. We are to look for it like hidden treasure.

Howard Carter had been searching for 6 years in The Valley of the Kings in Egypt; so long that his boss told him that he would be fired because he had found nothing significant in so long. In 1922, after another long day of searching without success, he poked his head through an opening and was in awe of what he saw:

Over 3,000 pieces of treasure, 4 gilded shrines, inside which was a red quartzite coffin containing three nesting coffins. In the innermost coffin, which is made of solid gold and weighs about 250 pounds was a King wrapped in linen with an intricate golden mask … it was King Tutankhamen. For 6 long years he searched and had now found the treasure.

What diligence! Once again, we are told to listen, concentrate, cry out and search for God’s wisdom, understanding and insight. We are to "search for it like hidden treasures." We have the opportunity to be with Christ all the time and I sometimes find it hard to wake up 20 minutes earlier to read my bible … how much are we willing to search in scripture, in prayer, in silence and solitude, in Bible studies, with friends and spouses for an even greater treasure than Carter found… a vibrant, passionate relationship with Christ?

Junior High Retreat

Just a couple of weekends ago I had the opportunity to speak at a Junior High Retreat for Harvest Bible Chapel Davenport. The retreat was about 4 hours south of Chicagoland (that's over 8 hours of American talk radio ... I am a gluten for punishment ... if anyone wants to know what conservative talk radio show hosts think about the US election just give me a shout ... quick answer - they don't like anyone) at Lake Williams Christian Retreat Center ... for those in Muskoka - picture MBC with more money and facilities but far less scenery and beauty.

The theme was "Live the Adventure" with the theme verse, John 10:10. I had never spoken to a group of Junior High kids before ... I wondered if I would need to up my 'toilet humour' quotient. Turns out that Junior Highers (at least these ones) were just super interested in getting a better understanding of God's Word and how to live it out.

It was a great weekend where we saw God speak into the lives of the 40 or so kids there. Two girls made a first time decision to follow Jesus and lots of others made strong commitments to really live the adventure of following Jesus with everything.

My heart now looks forward to March and my next visit home.

A Whirlwind Update ...

Well, a lot has happened since my last post ... so here is a list of some of the highlights:

"Nana & Papa Bear are here!?"

Christmas was great in Chicago although we missed the scenery of Muskoka and our friends and family. My parents (or Nana and Papa Bear as they are known by McKinley and Ellie) came down for a surprise visit. McKinley went nuts (more nuts than she normally is).

Then in the first of January I had the opportunity to preach in Prescott, AZ at a Harvest Bible Chapel. Such a great church with super friendly people. Libby, Ellie and I went and it felt like a mini-vacation. It was also good to get a chance to preach more (2 services) and to get out of the winter cold ... I think I have become more of a wimp since leaving Summit ... yes, even more!

Just a couple of weeks ago we all had a chance to go hear Mark Driscoll speak about preaching. I have been out of the Church loop my whole time at Summit, so I had only recently heard about Driscoll. He is the kind of guy who would have fit in well at Summit as he has a hand grasped tightly around the Word of God and doctrine and yet someone who understands what is truly important is not the way you look, dress, etc. He is someone who doesn't fall into the trap of legalism one one side or relativism on the other. His book, Confessions of a Reformission Rev was encouraging, challenging and also felt like a breath of fresh air as I continue on this journey of planting a church. His talk on preaching was great ... you can check it out here. Just one more word about the guy ... I am not endorsing everything about the dude ... for one thing I am no where nearly as manly as this guy ("I don't cry, I work out" - Starsky and Hutch).

Lastly, Libby, McKinley, Ellie and I were able to get back to Muskoka ... it was a very busy visit but so refreshing at the same time. It was great to connect with everyone and share in the excitement and anticipation of Harvest Muskoka. A few breakfast meetings at Westside Fish and Chips, a lot of Tim Horton's coffee, and a good amount of time talking, dreaming, planning and praying with everyone. It will be no time before we are worshiping together and see "the word of God continue to increase, and the number of the disciples multiply greatly" (Acts 6:7).

I also had the privilege on this visit to preach at an induction service for a new church plant in north Toronto. Rob Cripps (close friend, former student and staff of Summit College, and all around good guy) is the pastor and I am looking forward to seeing where God takes this church plant. It was a sweet time to see lots of old friends. Some of which threw a great birthday party for Libby (the hottest 30 year old I know).

Oh, and McKinley was also excited to see Mya!