Be Patient! ~ by Guillermo Peña

Posted on June 27, 2014 by Mark Cole

This post is for all of those who have aging parents… it’s the call to be loving and patient.

My dear girl, the day you see I’m getting old, I ask you to please be patient, but most of all, try to understand what I’m going through. If when we talk, I repeat the same thing a thousand times, don’t interrupt to say: “You said the same thing a minute ago”… Just listen, please. Try to remember the times when you were little and I would read the same story night after night until you would fall asleep.

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When I don’t want to take a bath, don’t be mad and don’t embarrass me. Remember when I had to run after you making excuses and trying to get you to take a shower when you were just a girl?

When you see how ignorant I am when it comes to new technology, give me the time to learn and don’t look at me that way … remember, honey, I patiently taught you how to do many things like eating appropriately, getting dressed, combing your hair and dealing with life’s issues every day… the day you see I’m getting old, I ask you to please be patient, but most of all, try to understand what I’m going through.

If I occasionally lose track of what we’re talking about, give me the time to remember, and if I can’t, don’t be nervous, impatient or arrogant. Just know in your heart that the most important thing for me is to be with you.

And when my old, tired legs don’t let me move as quickly as before, give me your hand the same way that I offered mine to you when you first walked. When those days come, don’t feel sad… just be with me, and understand me while I get to the end of my life with love. I’ll cherish and thank you for the gift of time and joy we shared. With a big smile and the huge love I’ve always had for you, I just want to say, I love you … my darling daughter.

Original text in Spanish and photo by Guillermo Peña.
Translation to English by Sergio Cadena

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Celebrating Generosity

Posted on June 25, 2014 by Mark Cole

I am trying to learn how to be more generous. I have been blessed to be surrounded by generous people. My wife is generous. She has blessed me and our family with her servant’s heart. She loves to provide a great home and meals for our family and friends. She is a generous person.

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My father-in-law was a generous person. Dad Foti built our first home and put $25.000 of his own money into it. He loved to bring us vegetables and meat from his house. He was always thinking about ways to bless his children.

I have a generous family. I have been blessed by my kids, siblings and parents. Their homes have been open to us. They have cooked us great meals. They have offered words of encouragement and supported us in so many ways.

I have generous friends. They have shared their homes and vacation homes with us. They have shared awesome meals with us. They have been encouraging and supportive. I recently asked for support on a mission that I did to India.. they’re support was amazing! Great friends! Generous friends!

God has been generous with me. He has opened amazing doors and experiences for me. He has given me purpose, direction, forgiveness, peace, love, hope and security. God is so generous!

Generosity is important. Jesus said “Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”

Generosity has a way of coming back to you. It can be financial, it can be encouragement. It can be small acts of kindness. Generosity makes our world a better place.

I want to be a generous person.

Check out my new book: “Leading Worship ~ Notes from a Grand Adventure’. It is now available in Kindle or Soft Cover Editions.  This is a great gift for the musician or worshipper in your life.

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Does Evil Exist? ~ A Modern Parable

Posted on June 20, 2014 by Mark Cole

One day, a professor of a university decided to challenge his students. He asked, “Did God create everything that exists?” A student answered bravely, “Yes, He did.”

“Everything?” asked the teacher. “Yes, everything,” was the answer of the student. “In that case, God also created evil, correct? Because evil exists.” said the teacher.

To that, the student had no answer and remained silent.

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The teacher was delighted at the opportunity to prove one more time that God was only a myth.

Suddenly, another student raised his hand and asked: “May I ask you a question, professor?” “Of course,” was the answer. “Does cold exist?” “Of course,” answered the professor. “Did you never feel cold?” 

“Actually, sir, cold does not exist. According to studies in Physics, cold is the total and complete absence of heat. An object can only be studied if it has and transmits energy and it is the heat of an object that transmits it’s energy. Without heat, the objects are inert, incapable to react. But cold does not exist. We created the term ‘cold’ to explain the lack of heat.”

“And darkness?” continues the student. “It exists”, replied the professor. “Again, you’re wrong, sir. Darkness is in reality the absence of light. Light we can study, but not darkness. In fact, we can use Newton’s prism to show the variety of different colors in which the light can be decomposed according to the longitude of the waves. Darkness is the term we created to explain the total absence of light.”

And finally, the student asked: “And evil, sir, does evil exist?”

Now uncertain, the professor responded, “Of course as I have already said. We see it every day. It is in the daily example of man’s inhumanity to man. It is in the crime and violence we see everywhere in the world. These manifestations are nothing else but evil.” 

To this the student replied, “Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness and cold, it is a word that man has created to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God’s love present in his heart. It’s like the cold that comes when there is no heat, or the darkness that comes when there is no light. Evil is the absence of God.”

Now it was the professor’s turn to remain silent..

Check out my new book: “Leading Worship ~ Notes from a Grand Adventure’. It is now available in Kindle or Soft Cover Editions.  This is a great gift for the musician or worshipper in your life.

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4 Reasons Not To Worry

Posted on June 19, 2014 by Mark Cole

Mary Fairchild ~ I’ve spent an awful lot of time in my life worrying. I’ve worried about grades in school, job interviews, approaching deadlines and shrinking budgets. I’ve worried about bills and expenses, rising gas prices, insurance costs and endless taxes. I’ve even worried about having my home in perfect condition for “company,” and within seconds of their arrival, the house is turned upside down and no one even notices.

I’ve worried about first impressions, political correctness, identity theft and contagious infections. In spite of all the worrying, I’m still alive and well, and all my bills are paid.

Over the span of my lifetime, worrying accounts for hours and hours of invaluable time that I’ll never get back. So, I have decided that I’d like to spend my time more wisely and more enjoyably. If you’re not convinced yet to give up your worrying, here are four biblical reasons not to worry.

1. Worrying Accomplishes Absolutely Nothing.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t have any time to waste these days. And worrying is a waste of very precious time. Worrying won’t help you solve a problem or bring about a solution, so why waste your time and energy on it?

Jesus ~ Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. ~ Matthew 6:27-29 NLT

2. Worrying is Not Good for You.
Worrying is destructive to us in many ways. It becomes a mental burden that can even cause us to grow physically sick.

Solomon ~ Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up. ~ Proverbs 12:25 (NLT)

3. Worrying is the Opposite of Trusting God.
The energy that we spend worrying can be put to much better use in prayer. Here’s a little formula to remember: Worry replaced by Prayer equals Trust.

Jesus ~ And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, He will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? ~ Matthew 6:30 NLT

Paul ~ Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:6-7 NLT

4. Worrying Puts Your Focus in the Wrong Direction.
When we keep our eyes focused on God, we remember His love for us and we realize we truly have nothing to worry about. God has a wonderful plan for our lives, and part of that plan includes taking care of us. Even in the difficult times, when it seems like God doesn’t care, we can put our trust in the Lord and focus on His kingdom. God will take care of our every need.

Jesus ~ That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life-whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing?  Matthew 6:25 NLT

Jesus ~ So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need. Matthew 6:31-33 NLT

Paul ~ Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you. 1 Peter 5:7 NLT

~ Mary Fairchild has worked full time in Christian ministry since 1988 serving in several capacities, including missionary, assistant to the pastoral staff, administrative assistant and office manager for a large church. Since 2005, Mary has authored numerous articles on biblical topics and edited several Christian books.

Web link: http://christianity.about.com/od/whatdoesthebiblesay/qt/reasonnot2worry.htm

Check out my new book: “Leading Worship ~ Notes from a Grand Adventure’. It is now available in Kindle or Soft Cover Editions.  This is a great gift for the musician or worshipper in your life.

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The Silence of God

Posted on June 17, 2014 by Mark Cole

“But without faith it is impossible to please God!” – (Hebrews 11:6)… When I hear those words it takes me back to when I was twenty years old and I was travelling around the world in a Christian band.

The Silence of God

The leader of that band was Terry Law. Terry had a sermon entitled ‘The Silence of God’ where he told the story of putting the original Living Sound team together. A group of young men and women joined him, travelled around for months raising money and then heading overseas to do what God had called them to do. But the next thing that happened was rejection by the country they were headed to, sitting in another foreign country with no money, forlorn and dejected with no concerts and a lot of questions. God was silent.

I have been there. Rejection and sitting there with little or no money and lots of questions. Sometimes God is silent. God has a way of testing your faith. He has tested the faith of men and woman for thousands of years. God tested Noah. He tested Abraham and Sarah. God tested David and Daniel and so many more. When God is silent, He is often waiting to see if you really believe the other part of that verse… “because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him.” 

Do you believe that God exists and that He rewards you when you seek Him? I believe that, I have spent my life living that out. I have seen God come through time after time.

At this moment, I am in the ‘faith’ part of the experience. A time when God is silent. He is not letting me know what lies ahead. But, my faith is not in faith. My faith is in God, who time and time again has proved that He is faithful. My faith is in God, who has always supplied my needs. My faith is in the One who has done beyond what I could ask or think. My faith is in the Creator, the Mighty One, the Lord of heaven and earth!

The ‘faith’ waiting room can be scary at times. Because frankly, we are human, and humans have doubts. We often have fear of the unknown. We do not know what lies beyond the next bend.

But God does see what is ahead. He has walked with me and lead me my whole life. He has proved Himself, time and time again, to be a loving, faithful God. He has constantly directed my paths in amazing ways. So God…. my faith is in You! I trust You, Lord… with all of my heart!

P.S. At the end of Terry’s story, God opened up some amazing doors and used that team to minister to hundreds of thousands. But it all starts with faith that “He exists and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him.” 

Check out my new book: “Leading Worship ~ Notes from a Grand Adventure’. It is now available in Kindle or Soft Cover Editions.  This is a great gift for the musician or worshipper in your life.

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God Inspires Me Through The Life And Death Of A Godly Man

Posted on June 16, 2014 by Mark Cole

In March 1999, I was on a missions trip to Malaysia with my wife, Anna, and our children, Josh & Stephanie. Anna and I were leading a team of students from Pacific Academy on a short-term missions trip, when we got a phone call that no one ever wants to get. Anna’s father, Giuseppe (Joe) Foti had just suddenly died. We were in shock. Within a few hours we were on an airplane home with more questions than answers.

Joe 'Dad' Foti

Dad Foti was one of the most godly and inspirational people I had ever known. He was a loving father, great husband and probably the best one-on-one witness for Jesus that I have met. Dad Foti had heard a call from God when he was living in Montreal and brought his family out to Vancouver with a thousand dollars in his pocket and a burning desire to plant an Italian church.

This last spring, I was honoured to attend a forty-year reunion of young people who had grown up and met the Lord in his church. We got to hear stories of his genuine love for the Italian families that he lead to the Lord. We also heard stories of how he pursued young people to tell them of Jesus love. He loved many people into the kingdom.

When I did the eulogy for his funeral, at the church he founded, there were hundreds on hand that he had personally lead to the Lord. Joe was an evangelist. You couldn’t stop him from telling people about Jesus. Even as I write this, I am deeply moved by his passion and love for Jesus. He would work as a dry-waller and ask the other trades people in his thick Italian accent.. ‘Do you love my Jesus?’ Joe was in love with Jesus.

Men on the job would throw food at him for talking about Jesus. This did not stop Joe. He was willing to lay down his life for Jesus. He was even willing to be a martyr for Jesus. Because of his boldness and passion for the Lord, Joe personally lead many to know Jesus. Dad Foti is a man who I deeply admire.

Lately I’ve been challenged anew to renew my passion for telling the story of Jesus. The Good News is not something we should keep to ourselves. One day, when God calls me home, I want to be known as a follower of Jesus who impacted people. I want to be known as a man who wasn’t afraid to share the Good News of Jesus.

Question: Who inspires you? What lessons have you learned from them?

Check out my new book: “Leading Worship ~ Notes from a Grand Adventure’. It is now available in Kindle or Soft Cover Editions.  This is a great gift for the musician or worshipper in your life.

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Dads Are Awesome!

Posted on June 15, 2014 by Mark Cole

I have been blessed to have had four great fathers in my life. My first dad, ‘Bud’ Cole, was a hard-working taxi cab driver and woodworker. Dad Cole taught me how to water ski and swim. I can remember many great Saturdays going to Deep Cove in North Vancouver and skiing with the family. 

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Dad Cole was killed in an industrial accident when I was twelve, but before that I can remember sitting on Dad’s knee as he drove to church. I can also remember Dad singing in the choir. I got my love of playing instruments from Dad Cole. Our house was filled with musical instruments. Dad Cole was not a great musician but he did love music. I can remember Dad taking all of us kids to all-night quartet sings with him. Dad loved music!

I can also remember helping my dad, in his woodworking shop behind the church, make the wooden church pews for Glad Tiding Church. I can also remember working alongside my Dad digging ditches for the new house we were building in Coquitlam. Dad Cole started me off well in life.

My second father was, and still is, Ron Preston. Ron became my dad around a year after Dad Cole passed away when my mom remarried. That was over fifty years ago. Some of my favourite memories of Dad Preston are how he loved to arm wrestle, how he loved to play crokinole, how he loved to tell us the new joke that he heard at work, how he faithfully served at our church and how we worked together at the family Dairy Queen every Saturday. So many great memories!

My third father was Giuseppe (Joe) Foti. My wife’s dad, Joe Foti, was an amazing example. He built and financed our first home. He showed me the power of being a fearless witness for Jesus. He loved gardening and raising sheep and cattle and I can remember him bringing us vegetables and meat to our house on a regular basis. I can also remember spending many meals with him discussing the Bible and the things of God. What a great man! I miss him!

My fourth father is my Heavenly Father. I personally met Him when I was seven years old, although He knew me in my mother’s womb. I specifically remember Him coming into my life when I received His love and forgiveness as a child. He has never left me over these fifty plus years. He was there when I mourned the death of Dad Cole and Dad Foti. He was there when I travelled to over sixty countries in often strange situations. He was there through all my triumphs and failures. What an amazing Father!

Now I am a father and a grandfather. I am so blessed to have two great kids, an awesome son-in-law, talented daughter-in-law and three incredible grandkids. I hope that I can be half the example that my four father’s were and are to me. So here’s to all the fathers out there! May you be filled with all the joy and blessings that fatherhood brings. Dads are awesome!

Check out my new book: ‘Leading Worship ~ Notes from a Grand Adventure‘. It is now available in Kindle or Soft Cover Editions.  This is a great gift for the musician or worshipper in your life.

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Revealing Facts On The Importance Of Fathers

Posted on June 14, 2014 by Mark Cole

In the Bible, the word “father” is found more than 1,100 times. Increasing father involvement in their children’s live is one of the most important ways to address material and spiritual poverty. So fathers, you are important! Almost every study conducted in the social sciences confirms what the Bible teaches — fathers matter.

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Here are 12 significant facts from social science research on the effects of having a father in the home:

  1. Children living with fathers in the home tend to fare better on cognitive achievement and behavioral outcomes.
  2. Among urban fathers, those who frequently attend religious services tend to be more engaged with their children.
  3. Individuals whose fathers showed more involvement in their lives early on tend to attain higher levels of education.
  4. Fathers’ religiosity is linked to higher quality of parent-child relationships.
  5. Fathers’ engagement in their children’s activities was linked to higher academic performance.
  6. Close father-adolescent bonds protect against the negative influence of peer drug use.
  7. Adolescent girls whose fathers were present during their childhood are less likely to become pregnant.
  8. Adolescent males who report a close relationship with their fathers are more likely to anticipate having a stable marriage in the future.
  9. Children raised in intact families by happily married parents tend to be more religious in adulthood.
  10. Children raised in intact families are more likely to have stable and healthy romantic relationships as adults.
  11. Girls who experienced a parental separation during childhood are more likely to engage in early sexual activity.
  12. Children in father-absent homes are almost four times more likely to be poor.

Edited from “25 Facts On The Importance Of Fathers”

Check out my new book: “Leading Worship ~ Notes from a Grand Adventure’. It is now available in Kindle or Soft Cover Editions.  This is a great gift for the musician or worshipper in your life.

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How To Deal With Difficult People

Posted on June 13, 2014 by Mark Cole

There will be times in life when we will have conflict. This happens to all of us. God made all of us with different gifts and personalities. We will look at life and situations from different perspectives. We will come at life from different angles. Sometimes that will cause conflict. And frankly, some people are just difficult to deal with.

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Dealing with conflicts and dealing with offences properly is one of the tougher things to do in life. Thankfully, Jesus gives a pattern for believers to deal with these situations. If you want to be a true follower of Jesus, then learn to deal with offences the ‘Jesus Way’!

Jesus ~ “If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offence. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.” ~ Matthew 18:15-17 NLT

So based on what Jesus said, this is the ‘Jesus Way’ to deal with offences:

  1. This is the process you use when dealing with other believers. Dealing with non-believers will sometimes involve different strategies.
  2. Meet with the other believer alone and talk through the problem.
  3. Next, if the problem remains unresolved, take one or two with you as witnesses and judges so that the truth of the matter can be determined… “that every word may be established.”
  4. The integrity of witnesses and judges is important. Objective persons will either seek to bring the offender to repentance or even possibly to advise you that you were wrong, or possibly overly sensitive to offence.
  5. Always remember that the goal is not for you to get retribution or get justice, but to “win your brother back”, by reconciling the relationship.
  6. If the matter is still unresolved, take it to the church. When the offence is of such a nature that it requires this serious measure, we must remember that the goal is to “win the person” back to appropriate fellowship. Telling it to the church would involve taking the matter to spiritual leadership.

If you follow the “Jesus Way’ a huge percentage of conflicts and offences will be resolved. And isn’t that the goal? To have good relationships within the family of God! So, learn to do life the ‘Jesus Way’. Learn to deal with conflicts the way Jesus commands us to.

Jesus ~ “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” ~ John 13:35 NIV

Question: How do you deal with difficult people? How are you dealing with conflict?

Check out my new book.. “Leading Worship ~ Notes from a Grand Adventure’ available in Kindle or Soft Cover Editions.  This is a great gift for the musician or worshipper in your life.

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Is God Your Only Hope?

Posted on June 11, 2014 by Mark Cole

I was reading the Psalms and came across a familiar theme: putting your hope in the Lord! The psalmist put it this way:

O Lord, You alone are my hope.
I’ve trusted You, O Lord,  from childhood.
Yes, You have been with me from birth;
from my mother’s womb You have cared for me.
No wonder I am always praising You! 
~ Psalm 71:5-6 NLT

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‘You alone are my hope’. I like that. I can relate to that. Early on in my life, I set my heart on following God’s path for my life. My goal wasn’t to build a business or follow a proven career path. My goal was just to follow God. To put all my hopes and dreams in God’s hands.

When you start, you really do not know where and how God is going to use you. You have no idea what paths God will take you down. You simply trust God. Solomon said it this way:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek His will in all you do,
and He will show you which path to take. 
~ Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT

It has been an awesome journey so far. I have been involved with two national revivals. God has sent me to over sixty countries. I have seen hundreds of thousands of people make a commitment to receive Jesus as their Saviour. I have gotten to mentor dozens of young men and woman into full and part-time ministry. I have been able to work in great churches and train hundreds of musicians. I have seen hundreds of miracles and healings. I have experienced God’s supernatural supply countless times. God has blessed me with a great wife and family. Life has never been dull! I feel like my life has been a grand adventure!

Now I am waiting to see what God does next!…. ‘O Lord, You alone are my hope’.

Question: What are you waiting on God for?

Check out my new book.. “Leading Worship ~ Notes from a Grand Adventure’ available in Kindle or Soft Cover Editions.  This is a great gift for the musician or worshipper in your life.

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