DAD - He Committed His Way To The Lord

My Dad, Rev. Mervin K. Peterson, went home to be the Lord on Monday, November 1st, 2010. He was a loving husband to my mother, a wonderful father to me and my brothers, a great father-in-law to our wives, and a terrific grandfather to our children. My sons referred to him as "Papa Merv", and his big voice and crazy sense of humor would always brighten up our holidays together. My Dad was my mentor, confidant, and best friend - one of a kind. He had just completed 50 years of ministry, serving as a pastor, missionary, evangelist, and teacher - always willing to answer the call of God. Never before had I experienced the profound sense of grief and loss as I have over the past two weeks, and yet through it all I have rested in the peace and assurance that my Dad is in Heaven with God, enjoying his rest and reward. The Bible tells us in 1st Thessalonians chapter 4, "We do not mourn as those who have no hope . . . we shall be caught up with the Lord in the air". In the gospel of John chapter 14 Jesus promised us that he has gone to prepare a place for us (his followers), so we can one day live with him there for eternity. This gives us tremendous peace and joy as believers in Jesus Christ, knowing that we will be reunited with our loved ones who died knowing Christ as their Saviour, as we receive our inheritance in Heaven. This is in stark contrast to those who don't know God, and have no hope of eternal life in glory.

My Dad's life was dedicated to loving God, loving people, and making disciples of Jesus Christ. He lived each day to the full, for the glory of God. His favorite passage of scripture is found in Psalm 37:5-6, which states, "Commit your way unto the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and make the justice of your cause like the noon-day sun." Through a committed life of faith and trust in the Lord, my Dad was used in a powerful way to impact many lives for the kingdom of God. Surely the justice of his cause continues to shine bright! I'll always love you Dad, and I'm looking forward to seeing you soon.

~ Scott

THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH

I'll never forget the winter that my car radiator blew. I had landed my first position as a young associate pastor; barely making enough to live on, yet excited to be serving nonetheless. God had gifted me with certain abilities which I was utilizing in ministry; unfortunately auto-mechanics was not one of them! My car started acting strange, and sure enough my radiator was broken. I had enough money to buy the replacement, but little extra necessary to pay for the expensive shop time for repair. Thankfully, a dear brother in the church congregation offered to help me install the new radiator, which translated into him doing the work and me holding the wrench! I will always remember his sacrifice of time and energy, working out-doors in the cold in order to fix my car.

Isn't this an an example of the New Testament Church, of which every Christian believer today is a part? In Acts chapter 2 the model is given through which people came to Christ every day. It states that believers broke bread together, prayed together, studied God's Word, and made sure that everyone's financial needs were met. Especially in today's troubled times and economic uncertainty, the Lord is calling us to help take care of each other. Jesus said, "they will know you are Christians by your love". The greatest thing which will draw people to God is true agape love in action, sacrificial and unconditional. Are you showing God's love through the things you say and do? Remember, witness all the time - use words if necessary!

WHY WORRY?

We certainly have a lot of cares and concerns as North Americans. Like pins tumbling down in a bowling alley, we worry about our lives falling apart. Naturally we get concerned about financial challenges, health issues, family problems and the like, but there is a difference between concern and worry. Worrying is our indulgence into fear, continually wondering "what if?" Add to these typical struggles in life a difficult economic environment where families are simply trying to make ends meet, and you are left with a perfect storm of fear and worry. I recall years ago when after four years of service, we felt God moving us on from the congregation we were serving. We put in our resignation and stepped out in faith, waiting for God to open up our next door of opportunity. The only problem was we had a house we couldn't sell, and significant medical bills left over from the birth of our son. It certainly seemed like an opportune time to worry, and honestly I won't say that we didn't dip our feet into that pond! However, true to his promise and character, God directed us to a great new ministry position, and all of our needs were met.

Our heavenly Father doesn't want his children to succumb to fear and worry. In fact, Jesus challenged us in Matthew 6 with this question, "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" He goes on to say, "So do not worry . . . but seek first his (God's) kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things (that you need) will be given to you as well." He goes on to tell us in chapter 21, verse 21-22 that we will receive answers to our prayers when we have faith and do not doubt. Faith is the opposite of fear. We must make a conscious decision and choose to put our faith in God and his Word. For the believer in Jesus Christ there is instruction in Philippians 4, as it tells us; "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." The same chapter goes on to provide this promise; "my God will supply all of your needs, according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." The key is to present your needs to God, rejoice, and believe that he will fulfill the promises of his Word! The Lord always has and always will be faithful, so what are you worrying about?

MERCY RAIN - By Scott Peterson