Saturday, December 31, 2011

Final Thoughts for 2011

Wow, 2011, it almost done and here I sit wondering what did I do.  Well for one thing I became the new morning man for AM 930 the Light and now am speaking to thousands.  God is good.  I write a daily blog talking about the things that God has laid on my heart but more significant is that God still loves me and has given both eternal and abundant life.  My wishes for you this day is that you would not look at the last year with any regrets.  For one thing you cannot change or go back what happened this year whether good or bad.  Learn from this year and determine to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Determine this year to encourage, inspire and enlighten people.  Be a positive influence to your world.  Sounds like lofty goals but it begins with making Jesus Lord of every area of your life.  Saying God, whatever you want, I will do, say and become. My time, talents and treasures belong to you and are at your disposal.  Let my thoughts, words, deeds and attitudes reflect you this year and daily let me be a blessing.  At least that is what I will be saying.  What you do is up to you.  Have a great day.    

Friday, December 30, 2011

New Year Resolution

As each New Year approaches I do actually make resolutions and they look relatively the same every year.  They are as follows.

1.  I promised to love the Lord my God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength and to love my neighbor as myself.
2.  I resolve that everyday, I will do, say, think and live the way God wants me to live.
3.  I resolve the pray, read my Bible, go to God's house and reach as many people for Christ as I can.
4.  I resolve to spend time with my spouse, family and those in my sphere of influence and each time I am with them to leave them better than when we last met.
5.  I resolve to make each moment count and maximize my impact on others in the minimum of time.
6.  I resolve to love, unconditionally, accept others with prejudice and forgive without reservation.
7.  I resolve to live my life to the fullest without regrets because I am doing what God wants, when He wants, where He wants, with who He wants, why He wants, how He wants.  For His praise and glory.

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Promises for the future.

As we approach a brand new year there is always a hope and change for the future.  I believe 2012 will be a year of dynamic change.  This change however must be done by each of us.  We must change our apathy into action.  We must change our indifference into love for our fellow man.  Our love for materialism, gadgets and the latest thing must be changed to using our resources wisely for the Kingdom of God.  The debt that we has amassed must be slowly and wisely removed so we can breathe financially again.  The way we view ourselves and others must changed.  We spend so much on ourselves and so little on others.  If you do not believe me, just check your receipts at the end of the month and see where your money was spent.  What must change is the belief that we deserve what we get.  You have been given grace and mercy from the Lord, something you did not deserve.  We must change the amount of time we spend with God.  The few minutes you give Him through the day and yet claim to have a real relationship with Him.  We must change the time we spend with our spouses and loved ones, they are worth so much more than the job we seem to spend so much time with.  What must change is our greed, love for the world and general lack of concern for the souls of others, 95% of Christians will never lead a soul to Christ or invite someone to church.  This selfishness must change.  So as 2012, approaches I pray for change.  If is doesn't, heaven help us because who wants more of the same. 

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Getting ready for a new Year

The week between Christmas and New Year is always a down time for the Steel family.  We have just finished our big push for Christmas and this year was especially busy with the big Christmas dinner so wonderfully lead by Cara Parateau and her cousin and friend Kim.  This week I have been focusing on the radio program I host on Am 930 the Light.  New week I will be working on things for the church for 2012.  To the point of what I writing on this day.  As we approach 2012, what should we be looking for?  We do we think 2012 holds for us?  Like any new year we hope better things personally.  This year I believe we will see more economic problems, more climate change, greater trouble on the world stage, higher rates of crime, higher personal debt and greater moral failures.  Why so pessimistic you ask?  Because the world has not changed and neither have the majority of people.  True reformation only comes through Jesus Christ.  Until we have a great revival in Canada and the Western world, greed, poverty, crime, inequality and social ills will rule the day.  My prayer is this year we would see a break through for God's glory.  This can start on a small scale when it happens to us and we decide to effect our world's for Christ.  Gypsy Smith was asked once how to have a revival.  His answer went like this, "Draw a circle around yourself and don't leave the circle until God has changed your heart."  Good advice.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

What in the world are we doing?

   What in the world are we doing?  That is an excellent question for what is happening today.  Climate change, dirty oil, pcp's, economic chaos and so much more.  It seems we are heading towards the brink of disaster.  A couple of weeks ago, the European leaders got together to avert an economic meltdown.  The only thing that the meeting produced was a delay.  As the the world teeters on the edge men are still not willing to make common sense choices.  Greek civil servants so use to having the government take care of them are rioting in the streets because the government cannot afford these perks any more. In the U.S. unemployment is still hovering above 10% and millions are still looking for jobs with Republicans and Democrats fighting over who is to blame when in reality they  both are. 
   Now this blog is not an economic, social or political expose.  It is a simply asking the question, how did we get here?  Man's greed, indifference, apathy and lack of common sense brought us here.  Simple economics says you cannot spend what you do not have. Sooner or later the gravy train leaves the tracks.  Another fact, you cannot continue pumping billions of tons of fossil fuels into the atmosphere without something happening.  Another fact, greed will always lead to exploitation, the rich, the poor and human woes.  Is there a solution?
   All solutions to the world condition are complex except one.  Jesus Christ came to save mankind.  He reforms men from the inside out and in turn they lead others out of chaos.  For example, 18th England was a dangerous place.  John Wesley saw what was happening in France with the Revolution and saw many of those ideas coming to England.  Democracy is not a bad thing but never when it comes with murder and beheading.  Wesley believe that the only way to reform England was to reform individuasl through the power of Jesus Christ.  He would spend 50 years of his life doing just that and at the end of his time England was totally different.  Reformation and common sense begin in the heart.  What the West needs is a revival and the reformation it brings.  Today let it begin with you.  Let Jesus change your heart.

Monday, December 26, 2011

Boxing Days blues

I am sitting here at my desk wondering what happened.  Christmas this year was a blur and now it is one day after and I wondered what was all the hype.  My son and I were sitting at home this year after the Christmas Eve service and we realized that we were the only ones to watch the Grinch who stole Christmas a family tradition until this year.  We decided not to watch it because we already knew who would win the contest for the best face.  Ryan as always.  There is nothing sadder to see a tradition laid aside or seeing Christmas change for a loved one.  Now that our children have grown they are starting and building their own traditions.  Our lives have changed and we have to focus on new realities.  The first reality is that Christmas is for the kids in us.  We must never lose and this year I did a little.  Fortunately as I write this I have decided to not grow up.  Being an adult is over rated.  I do not want to lose my child like faith.  I still believe that God can do all things.  That He loves us and that He wants the best for us.  I also still believe that people who love the Lord are good because of Christ despite the fact I see the opposite.  I have notice the decline in the priorities of the people of God but I still believe it is not the end of our story.  So enough of the blues and onto the message of Christmas.  Christ came to give us new life and let us embrace this and continue writing a great story of life.