While there are seldom "easy" answer or solutions in our lives, at least it is encouraging to know there is help.
Luke 4:16-21 (NIV)
16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. 17 The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
18 "The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, 21 and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."
Look over the list and check those things that describe you. Be open and honest enough to allow reflection on your patterns of reacting to life. Most of us have some codependent behavior guiding our responses to life. Maybe it's time for you to consider that Jesus offers some solutions and resources for your life!
1.Think and feel responsible for other people.
2.Feel compelled - almost forced - to help others solve problems, offering advice, suggestions, etc.
3.Anticipate other's needs, even before they ask; wonder why others don't do the same in return.
4.Say yes when I mean no, doing things I really don't want to be doing.
5.Doing more than my fair share of work & doing things other people can do for themselves.
6.Try to please others before seeking to please myself.
7.Feel safest when giving to others and insecure and guilty when others give to me.
8.Feel sad because I spend my whole life giving to others and nobody gives to me.
9.Feel attracted to needy people and attracted to them in dependent ways.
10.Get bored and feel empty when there is not a crisis or a problem to solve or someone to help.
11.Overcommit myself and feel controlled by events and people.
12.Believe deep inside other people are somehow responsible for me.
13.Try to control events & people through helplessness, guilt, coercion, advice, manipulation, etc.
14.Pretend circumstances aren't as bad as they are; "things will be better tomorrow."
15.Stay busy so I don't have to think about things.
16.Get confused, depressed or sick to stop doing things.
17.Become a workaholic.
18.Sometimes think God has abandoned me.
19.Don't feel happy, content or peaceful with myself.
20.Desperately seek love and approval.
21.Equate love with pain and stay in relationships that don't work.
22.Find it difficult to have fun and be spontaneous.
23.Say everything is my fault yet believe nothing is my fault.
24.Spend money compulsively or overeat, abuse drugs or alcohol.
25.Lie to cover up and protect people I love and lie to protect myself.
26.Don't trust myself, my feelings, my decisions or other people.
27.Ask people for what I want and need indirectly - sighing, for example or subtly suggesting.
28.Afraid of my own anger and frightened of other people's anger.
29.Have sex when I would rather be held, nurtured and loved or when I am angry.
30.Extremely responsible, a good martyr, sacrificing my own happiness for others.
31.Don't say what I mean and don't mean what I say. Don't even know what I mean.
32.Can become withdrawn and isolated - afraid of being hurt by others.
33.Give appearance of being depended upon, but are very dependent on others for approval.
"He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed..." Jesus
The Gatekeeper
February 25, 2010
February 06, 2010
Possessions
In Matthew 19, the young ruler comes to Jesus and asks about eternal life. After some discussion about keeping the Law, Jesus tells him to go and sell his possessions and give the proceeds to the poor. The young man went away sorrowfully, because, as Matthew records in the New Living Translation, "he had many possessions." This is an interesting, and I believe a very specifc, choice of words used here. If we are to not have "many possessions," then what DO we have? It made me consider a couple of similar, but vastly different terms.
Possessions Things that I define as MINE! What I have and have control over according to my own desires, wishes and decisions. Our very language gives us away: we say, my car, my family, my job, my money, my church, etc. While I know what is meant, it also is a window into our heart. As long as we continue to reinforce this idea of MY STUFF, we will fall short of the point Jesus is making here in Matthew 19. Is there an alternative?
Commodities What we have is not meant to be kept, but to be used...commodities are consumed and meant to be replenished. You, no doubt, know about the commodities market? They trade things such as pork bellies, soy beans, corn, etc. These are replenishable goods....not meant to be hoarded o saved long term. I want to die with a million bushels of SOYBEANS in my barn, is not the object here. We need, in the spiritual sense, to think more like what we have are commodities, not possessions! It isn't so much about what we possess, but what we have been given to USE....replenished...over and over again...season after season! This is what Jesus was getting at with the young man in the story.
What kind of things do we tend to try and possess?
Our Life Are we spending our lives or trying to hoard our time and energy? It cannot be stored up! Our lives are meant to be spent.
Our Estate Those things that represent monetary or personal value to you. Are you using them?
Our Influence Relationships! This has little to do with personality types: It is about being created in the image of God, and having an eternal purpose for life! It is about spending your life with and for people....not being withdrawn in the solitude of your own created comfort zone.
Are we willing to be honest enough to do some "rethinking." Can we have a heart shift here? I think Jesus wants us to move in the direction of seeing our lives and resources as commodities, not so much as possessions.
Grace to you!
The Gatekeeper
Possessions Things that I define as MINE! What I have and have control over according to my own desires, wishes and decisions. Our very language gives us away: we say, my car, my family, my job, my money, my church, etc. While I know what is meant, it also is a window into our heart. As long as we continue to reinforce this idea of MY STUFF, we will fall short of the point Jesus is making here in Matthew 19. Is there an alternative?
Commodities What we have is not meant to be kept, but to be used...commodities are consumed and meant to be replenished. You, no doubt, know about the commodities market? They trade things such as pork bellies, soy beans, corn, etc. These are replenishable goods....not meant to be hoarded o saved long term. I want to die with a million bushels of SOYBEANS in my barn, is not the object here. We need, in the spiritual sense, to think more like what we have are commodities, not possessions! It isn't so much about what we possess, but what we have been given to USE....replenished...over and over again...season after season! This is what Jesus was getting at with the young man in the story.
What kind of things do we tend to try and possess?
Our Life Are we spending our lives or trying to hoard our time and energy? It cannot be stored up! Our lives are meant to be spent.
Our Estate Those things that represent monetary or personal value to you. Are you using them?
Our Influence Relationships! This has little to do with personality types: It is about being created in the image of God, and having an eternal purpose for life! It is about spending your life with and for people....not being withdrawn in the solitude of your own created comfort zone.
Are we willing to be honest enough to do some "rethinking." Can we have a heart shift here? I think Jesus wants us to move in the direction of seeing our lives and resources as commodities, not so much as possessions.
Grace to you!
The Gatekeeper
February 03, 2010
December 31, 2009
November 03, 2009
October 29, 2009
We at VCC are leading a ministry, called Heart For The Children, with the Vineyard Churches of India and Nepal. Our focus is to rescue girls from the human trafficking markets. These girls, mostly between the ages of 10 and 14, are often abused, promised jobs, or even taken from their homes and villages in Nepal, and sold into the sex trade markets of India. We are now providing some of these young girls with housing, education, and life skills training within the context of a nurturing local church family.
Please pray daily for…
♦ God’s direction as we continue this new ministry.
♦ this ministry that it would be compassionate, passionate and full of integrity and vision.
♦ God to show us when and how to advance in other areas of human trafficking.
♦ our four “daughters” who are now being educated, trained and discipled by our staff at the Kathmandu Vineyard Church.
October 08, 2009
Chloe Rene Morgan Ocotber 7, 2009
This is Chloe, our brand new little angel. She joins her big sister, Hailey, along with dad and mom, Matt & Stacey. Hailey and Chloe are a whopping 11 months apart in age! Almost like having twins (of which we know a bit about). Welcome to the family, sweetheart!
November 01, 2008
Operation Rescue
Remember To Pray
These are young Nepali girls just like the ones being sold into the sex industry in the city of Mumbai (Bombay), India. We are in the process of establishing a ministry that will rescue some of these young and innocent ones. Hopefully, we will get some before they are sold, and some we will try and rescue off the streets. We are working with the Vineyard church in Kathmandu, Nepal and with some of the Vineyard churches in India. The need is enormous, but we can respond, one girl at a time. As in all ministry, it takes TIME, ENERGY, & MONEY. We are praying for these things as we continue to follow the father heart of God in this area of human need. For more information on this ministry, or how you could be involved, email me at: mark@vineyardaz.com
The Gatekeeper
October 21, 2008
Trip to Kathmandu, Nepal
I actually witnessed a "goat killing" right on the street as I was walking to my morning meetings. You don't want the details, but here are the results...bon apetite! 
Also, I took a flight over the Himalayas. This is Mt. Everest in the background. I'll write more about the actual PURPOSE of the trip a bit later.
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