East Vancouver Update

Hey, the name of the band our own worship leader sounded like for a few seconds is . . . Wait, were you able to guess correctly from the last post?

Adam sounded Like the Portland Band . . . (oh yes, you'll have to go to my blog to find out - juvenile? Of course - LINK) . . .

THIS SAT. is our 2nd Saturday Service day. Nearly 800 Living Hope attendees will meet at the Main Campus and join several other churches in the community to do a number of different projects. Bring your smile and plan on arriving at 9 a.m. We will eat lunch at 1p.m. For more details visit our Living Hope web site (Here) or call 360-944-3905.

Two more things:

1) Laura and I have a date set for snowshoeing - if you want to go, please go to Pastor Bruce's personal blog (HERE).

2) Bruce just finished two amazing books this month and is almost done with two more (one from his favorite living author and the other a new one recommended by Diana Brownlee). Check it out at Bruce's blog (HERE).

"True" vs "Truth" - Living Free

Our current sermon series is "Pirates: What steals your heart?"

This week we looked at the story of Elijah in I Kings 18-19 (LINK). Here are the words I want to highlight from our study: hope, lies, true, truth, and worship.

Hope: Without hope our desire dies and we become like a walking-dead-person. Lies can destroy our hope. We can be lied to in various ways, but one of the most common is through words.

Satan is the father, creator of lies (His first lie was told in Genesis 3 and it was the biggest lie ever told.). What makes a lie dangerous is buying into it without the slightest question of its truthfulness. Believing a lie always harms our relationships – all of them! Question: What's the chance I'm believing even one lie, and don't have a clue it's harming me?

A Lie: To purposely deceive, with disregard (apathy) for the well-being of others. It’s ultimate selfishness – it means I care about ME first and foremost!

True vs. Truth: Words can be true; facts can be too (e.g. The earth rotates around the sun.). But only “truth” can set us free! Truth, at times, comes to us in words. But in its purist form, it comes in the form of a person (Check out this amazing passage in the Bible – LINK.).

Truth IS Jesus and His “alive presence” IN our lives. Question: How aware am I of Jesus’ presence in my life? Is Jesus, the living WORD, “front and center” in my life? The forcefulness of my “yes” will push down the lies Satan whispers to me.

Before I reflect on the word “worship” I want to remind you to check back for the name of the 46-year-old poem I mentioned this last Sunday (It will be fun - and very inspiring). It’s a powerful poem that so reflects the Purest Truth Jesus will pour into your life if you want it.

Worship: that which is most “valuable” in our life – what’s “worth” the most to us. What “counts” most is what we worship. Our thoughts, resources (time and money), and life is poured into what we believe counts the most!

Question: How many times a day do you hear Satan whisper a lie to you? How often do you buy into it? What is the greatest TRUTH Jesus wants to speak into you this very moment?

Our choice: Will I act out, live out, truth today? What’s the next “truth step” from me to take right now? What words prayed in my heart this very moment will I pray?

Check back later this week for the “Incredible poem?”

Check out Bruce’s personal blog (CLICK) - Snowshoeing dates & . . . the Portland Band my friend Adam sounded like this week :)

Snow shoeing this Saturday! March 6

Bruce is taking a group up to Mt. Hood Saturday a.m. to snow shoe! You don't have to have done it before or even have snowshoes and boots. If you're interested you can check for details on Bruce's personal blog (LINK) and email him - bruce.lhceast@gmail.com

Love to have you join us!

How to pray for one of God's kids who lives in India

Bruce's personal blog (At the end of this blog :)

First, for the record: I was wrong about some of the details regarding the 8 year old from India who stole water from a well of a higher caste. The "Water boy" doesn't have cancer and I don't know his age. It was another little boy that Dr. Kumar had emailed me about earlier that was sick (Wow, am I mixed up or what? Don't answer that question, please.) So, here's the story:

This little boy, who is from a lower caste, drank from a village well that belonged to "higher caste" people. He got caught and was kicked out of the village, along with his family. I'm uncertain what all of this means except that these people are at such poverty levels to begin with that to lose what they have is very devastating.

Dr. Kumar sent me a picture of another little boy pumping water at the same well. Sometimes when someone from an "Untouchable Caste," again, the lowest caste in India, gets caught the results can be very deadly -murder!

Here's where we can help. Dr. Kumar sent a picture of a rain water pond that the Untouchables must walk about 6 Kilometers to for drinking water. The water is very polluted. In a couple of months the summer heat will begin to dry out these ponds (it sometimes reaches 118 degrees in the summer). The people often get sick from this water and many get so dehydrated that they die. When I preach during their Summer they have to distribute fluids while I preach so they don't faint or die during the service.

Pastor Kumar has 50 churches in villages that have no well available for the Untouchables. Each well drilled costs approximately $500.

Pastor John's words have long been one of my motivators -We can't do EVERYTHING, but we have to do SOMETHING. Pray about it and then share with friends and co-workers the possibilities. None of these churches belong to any denomination. People can specify what they want their investments to go towards (wells, orphans, teachers, pastors) and Only God International will send them a record for their tax deductions and also a picture and details of the well they sponsored. Think about this; show this picture (I can send you more) and decide with a group of people to adopt a village - drill a well, pay the $30 a month for a teacher, and $75 for a pastor for the Palm Hut Church. That's about $1,760 for one year. You will save the lives of hundreds of people every year for years by drilling this well. Even better, you will be raising up a generation of girls and boys who can transform their village because they will know their value, they will feel empowered, and some will move on to jobs that can save the lives of half the untouchables in their village. The pastors will lead people out of religions that are fear-based and keep the people enslaved. If even 10 people took on such a project (some are less or more), their daily investment would be 49 cents per day (Perhaps indulge in one less latte every third day).

I will ask Dr. Kumar for updates regarding this little boy. I've personally reached out and touched little boys like this one kid and watched their eyes come alive with hope. They deserve life just as much as me. I didn't choose my parents. I've had so many hundreds of people invest freely in my life (and many are still doing it)! I'm so in love with Jesus. Laura and I are so excited to keep dreaming about more ways to continue to BE the light of the world. The book of James is becoming even more alive in our hearts. Ask me about some of the "world loaning" opportunities for the poorest women in the world - it's a fantastic way to re-give over and over with an investment of less than $50.

Pray, follow your convictions, share with others! Repeat to yourself over and over, "We can't do everything, but we all can do something."

Feel free to email me with questions and ideas (Bruce.lhceast@gmail.com).

Bruce's blog: What to snowshoe with us, climb a tall Mountain, or go cycling, even a movie (we're going this week) - then check in on my personal blog (HERE)

This week UPDATE - Sun Feb. 21 -27

Mark 10:17ff has a story of a "Rich Young Upwardly Mobile" man meeting Jesus and asking him how one makes sure heaven is a "for sure" deal!

The first thing we see is that this young man "runs" to Jesus and kneels before Him:

Run = A Greek word which means "to run quickly." Used to illustrate an "all out effort;" so it's normal that Paul uses it to talk about "running in a race." Hebrews 12:1-2 and I Corinthians 9:24-25 are very cool passages that speak of this race. The word used for describing the man kneelling is "to fall onto one's knees." All through the Eastern world this is a sign of extreme respect.

"What must I do?" This is the normal question for someone who is desperate to have God in their life. Romans 4:4-5 (NLT) puts it this way, "When people work, their wages

are not a gift, but something they have earned. ⁵ But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners."

Jesus often answers us in the way we "expect Him to" - but the longer we listen, the more likely He will speak to us of "strange" things we never imagined. We can choose to "barter" or demand a "business deal." But relationships with God are never for sale!

"Sell everything and give it to the homeless - Then walk with me." Catch this, Jesus knows that when I've got nothing to "add" to His ministry, no reserves which I can use to "do something with" - then I'm a beggar dependent on His grace alone. What makes me wealthy? Family, security in religious knowledge? My safe, "Calculating" lifestyle? Jesus' question is, "What makes you most self-reliant?" Give it up and walk down "My road." Matthew 5 is a snapshot of the kind of people who best serve in God's Kingdom (a re-read is a must).

In this state, all we can say is, "Freely I've received, so freely I'

m going to give." Mark 10:8.

Finally - The words of Solomon so raced through my mind as Pastor John spoke this past weekend; Proverbs 11:24-25 - Read them, then pray through the following questions:

1. What makes me wealthy? My friendships? My family stability? My strong faith because of trials I've endured? My church?

2. How will I share this wealth to someone in need this week?

3. Have I been stingy with my resources (financial and other)?

4. How often will I ask God to show me where HE wants me to invest this wealth I have?

Check back later this week for the story of the eight year old from India

This Week - Sun Feb. 21 -27

Check out Bruce's personal Valentines Report card for 2010 (HERE)! The picture to the right is Laura wearing her new (1.5 hrs old) earrings!

Later this week: The pictures and the story of the little eight year old from India who has cancer and just got exiled from his village this last week (some amazing ways we can make a difference)!

Also, a behind the scenes dig into the Bible - Mark 10 (The Rich Young Ruler).

Here are a couple pictures from Bruce

& Laura's Valentines Get-away

Feb. 14 - "From India with Love" special story

I cried, had goosebumps, in fact I'm still in shock . . . the email I opened from Dr. Kumar this morning has really messed with my head . . . It blows me away! God is up to some "unreal", amazing stuff! Really!

So, here's the deal, we have been planning to show some video clips and tell stories regarding our trip to India (we're two weeks back from our trip). Little did I know how this story of God's mighty power would play with my mind and become front and center of what I will share this Sunday for our Valentine Special.

The story is a modern day "Saul to Paul" event and I still can't believe God used our team to be a small part of it.

No, I'm not going to tell you the story in this blog, but the picture I uploaded is a good hint (I will be telling this amazing story this Sunday). Please join us Feb. 14, this Sunday, for a special 30 min. Valentine love story and video special! Check out the details below, then call, text, and Facebook your friends -invite them to join you for this amazing story.

Date: February 14 (Valentine's Day guys!)

Place: East Vancouver Campus

Times: 8 a.m. and 12:20 p.m. (before the 9 a.m. service and following the 11)

Stuff: Food treats, incredible love stories from India, and a chance to be fantastically inspired by what God is doing!

This Sunday (our services are 9am & 11am) is the 2nd week in our Love Pirates Series - It's a good one! Come at 8 a.m. or 11 and enjoy the Valentine's Special AND the Pirates sermon. This will be one Valentine's weekend you won't forget!