About Me

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Roger has been the Worship and Creative Arts Pastor at Bethel Church at Vista Pointe since 2003. Through his 15 years of full time music ministry, Roger has written many songs for worship and various musicals. He has also written or co-written more than 20 dramatic musicals during his ministry. He has a passion to see artistic people thrive in their God given creativity, and that all people may know Jesus Christ, in a deep, personal way.

Monday, August 23, 2010

Fool's Gold

I read a book about a boy who was 12 years old and temporarily died in an auto accident, then was in a coma. During his time in a coma he went to heaven and spent time with Jesus. When he awoke, he knew a lot of scripture and lots of simple messages from Jesus and what He wants for our lives. The book is entitled, "A Message from God" by Retha Mcpherson. (Mother)

The one thing I want to share about this book is that it focuses so wonderfully on God's desire that we have a relationship with Him, and that is the only way we will have true joy in our lives. We fill our world up with little pleasures that give us temporary good feelings. If we think this will make us happy and joyful people, then we are in for a big letdown. It really is only Fool's Gold.

It's like the lady who is stressed out by work and goes shopping to buy things she doesn't need, only to get a brief shopper's high and let down the moment she gets home. Or the man who watches sports constantly to get his mind off the fact that his marriage is falling apart and he's not the person he wishes he was.

This world can be full of heartache. We were never meant to try to live it on our own.The real Gold is found surrendering our will and lives to the Lord, and accepting the fact that He has all things we need in this life. He is our source. He is the answer. If you want to know the real "Secret", that's what it is.

Jesus said in the book of John that "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you." Abiding in Him means to live your life according to His will, what He wants, and "enjoying God."

Oh...so much more to say...but I know He's calling your name for true riches and not...."Fools' Gold".

Roger

Thursday, August 5, 2010

The great chasm

I have been on a renewed journey in recent weeks, all beginning when my wife showed me a video of a woman experiencing a miracle by God that saw her son come back from a coma. I do a lot of media advertising as part of my job as Worship and Creative Arts Pastor at Bethel Church in Medford, Or, and during my viewing, I found myself silently mocking the production of the reenactment, and linking the testimony along with it.

I was immediately convicted of my arrogance, and realized somehow I had allowed life's experiences to "jade" my outlook on God's miracles and those who would testify of them.

Since that moment, and my subsequent repentance to Christ, God has given me a renewed hunger to see and experience His Spirit at work in my life and others. I'm not trying to be weird or strange, I just love God with all my heart as He has done so much for me, and know the possibilities with Him are endless.

In John 11:39, 40 Jesus was about to raise Lazarus from the dead (One of His most incredible miracles!), and asked those at the tomb to "Remove the Stone". He then said to Martha, who had been giving Him the obvious information that Lazarus would be stinking after 4 days, "Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?"

He then proceeds to raise Lazarus from the grave. Wow.

The key is..."If you believe", then you will see God's glory. Actual belief and faith in God is a step forward from where we are. It says, "I don't care what people think or say, I am believing what God says." That is where we begin to experience the reality of Christ and what He is willing to do in and through us.

The difference between casual agreement with the Bible and the things of God, and actively pursuing Him, is like a huge chasm, because God does something supernatural when we get serious with Him. He takes us from a natural place where we only see with earthly vision, to seeing everything clearly from His viewpoint. That's when life really begins. And something else automatically happens when we have an encounter with God....Sweet, uninhibited worship.