The human cell is so complex that it cannot be explained to a audience of doctors, lawyers, and so on. Only those who spend their lives devoted to this field of science can only partially understand it. Here is a simplistic explanation of the cell. It contains more information on a microscopic level than man, with all his technology, can condense. Man cannot condense information like the human cell can. The cell then transcribes that information. It writes it down like someone who copies a book. Then the cell translates the information, like someone translates one language into another. After this, the cell builds, or constructs the information. The results of this process are eyes, which are better than a camera, ears which are better than a tape recorder, and a brain that is far more complex than a wall of super computers.

It is clear that this system was designed. Only a willfully blind person would deny this. They deny this, not because of scientific reasons, but because of fear. If they understood the Gospel of Jesus, they would not be afraid. Instead, they would be happy there is a God. They would realize that God is not against them.

The mystery of godliness is great. God appeared in a body. He was seen by angels. He lived the only perfect life, and then laid down that life for the world. He bore our sins in His body on the tree, and rose from the dead on the third day. He ascended to Heaven. He will return one day. If someone simply believes this story, he is saved. If you, my reader, will admit that you’ve done wrong, believe that Jesus washes away your sins, and trust Him to take care of you, you can rest assured that one day you will stand with Jesus in glory. If you reject this happy news, if you would rather not be with God in the here and now, then don’t expect to be with Him in the there and then.

Lord willing, I'll be giving my best shot at singing Bebo Norman's Christmas song Born To Die next month at my home church, Fox Valley Church here in northern Illinois. 

There are many phrases in the Bible that cause a wrestling for the sincere reader, and those who are hungry for the truth.  In order for us to know real living as God intended it, we are to die to ourselves.  This is precisely what Christ did countless times while He walked on this earth 2000 years ago. 

"Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it cannot
(bear fruit)."

I just got news today from my promoter that KTWG, 800 AM in Asan, Guam has picked up two of my songs "Keep Christ In Christmas" & "Dancin' On The Clouds" for radio airplay. This is my first time for int'l radio airplay since I released my first project last November. Praise, be to God!!!  If you know anyone who lives in this part of Guam tell them to listen to this station for my songs. God is so awesome & I'm really excited about this open door!  All glory goes to him!!!  I'm excited to see what doors the Lord opens next...

Hope for the Broken – Brian Doerksen - by Jo Brazier

As the writer of some of the most popular worship standards of the last twenty years, BRIAN DOERKSEN is one of the most influential voices in worship today.  But the man behind such familiar and memorable songs as ‘Faithful One’, ‘Hallelujah (Your Love is Amazing)’ and ‘Light the Fire Again’ is more interested in staying faithful to the message than celebrating his success.

Called to Worship

The call to ministry came when Brian was just fifteen, at a time when he was wrestling against his parents’ strong Christian beliefs.  “The presence of God just visited me one night.  There was like an electrical current flowing through my body, it basically forced me to my knees and I gave my life to God in a very deeply personal way.”  Replacing his love of basketball was an immediate desire to play music for God, and by his mid-twenties, Brian’s songs were being sung in congregations around the world.

During his career, though, Brian’s courage and commitment have been tested several times.  “I think the calling has to be renewed, you know.  There’s been several tragedies in our family’s life, and at each of those crossroad points you have to renew the call, otherwise you simply can’t sustain it.”

Staying the Course

In 1996, Brian’s family lost their house after the collapse of a musical he had written.  At the same time, they found that their son Ben was disabled.  Brian willingly admits that continuing was hard.  “I remember distinctly, there were times I was leading worship and I wasn’t even sure I believed in the existence of God.  The weight of suffering, the weight of confusion was so pressing in on me that I wasn’t sure… yeah, I wasn’t sure.”

Rather than giving up, Brian persevered.  “I don’t believe that questioning God or even doubting God is the end of the road.  Even in the Psalms there are a lot of laments, and the psalmist brings his honest wrestling into the presence of God.  I think the problem often is people, they have those feelings but they run away from God.  David knew that life was all about the heart and about that faithfulness and that intimacy and that brutal honesty with God.”

Brian believes that honesty is the key to authentic worship and something that the modern church often lacks.  Referring to 1 Samuel 13, he compares David’s servant heart to the pride of King Saul, whose impatience led him to try and impress God with an unlawful sacrifice.  “Sometimes I feel like the modern church is a little bit like that,” Brian says. “They want to perform for God, they want to take charge, be in control and put on a spectacle for God – but they don’t really want to let God have his way, they don’t want to surrender, they don’t want to be honest.  So I think the Psalms still have much to teach us.”

Authentic Ministry

Brian aims to follow David’s example by ‘leading with a limp’ and bringing his experiences to the music he writes.  “You know, Jesus didn’t promise us a life free from suffering.  We are heading ultimately for victory, but the reality is we live in a broken, suffering world and if those of us that are leaders in the church aren’t walking through suffering in some way, what do we have to offer the world?”  Speaking of ‘Come, Now is the Time to Worship’, his most famous song, he says, “The culture of the church would have been, ‘Come, give Him your best and praise Him’, but instead, because of the brokenness and the suffering I was going through, I thought, the call of Jesus is, ‘Come, all you who are weary, I will give you rest.  Come, as you are.’  And you know, that’s the call to Biblical worship, I believe.

“The ultimate goal of my ministry is that people would know God, that they would love Him, that they would be encouraged that they’re not alone in their suffering, that there are other people going through similar things.  You know, the ultimate goal is bringing glory to God, so that people notice and remember Him much more than they notice and remember me.”

Nothing can seperate us

So I ask, who shall place room between Christ and the present tense believer? Shall the troubles of life separate us from the love of Jesus? If we trust Jesus, they will not! Shall the outside pressure part us from the love of God? No, it will only draw us closer when we trust Jesus. Can narrowness of room and a feeling of calamity destroy our relationship with Jesus? No way, not if we trust! No outside force can separate us from the love of God. Our final destination is in our control. Can the outside force of persecution put a wedge between God and us? Why would it? It is not God who is persecuting us. Persecutions can only produce the pity and compassion of God upon us. Can a scarcity of food or clothes keep us apart from the love of Jesus? The Word says, "No!" Hunger and nakedness do not show God's displeasure, as the false t.v. preachers say! Can danger separate us? No, it cannot! There is no danger to our spirits when we simply believe the gospel message. Even the sword of man is powerless to separate us from God. On the contrary, all believers go directly to God when they die. If we die, it is for God's sake. If we die because of the gospel, great is our reward in heaven. The world esteems us as sheep to be slaughtered. If the world had it's way, it would butcher every last Christian. Remember, if they hated Jesus, they will hate us also. God does not consider us sheep to be slaughtered. He considers us more than conquerors.

Our victory comes from the love of God in Jesus' cross. We do not merely conquer in all things; we more than conquer. We vanquish beyond, and gain a decisive victory through the love of Jesus. Because of Jesus dying for us, and rising form the dead, we are convinced of something as believers. We are convinced that neither death nor life can separate us from the loving benefits of believing in Jesus. We are persuaded that neither chief angels, nor malicious evil powers can come between God and us. We believe that neither things today, nor things to come can place room between God and us. We believe this truth in the context of the Christian teaching of the gospel.
So, this means that when we believe in God's preserving hand, salvation will happen because of that very trust for God. Let's expect our final salvation, and in doing so, we shall receive final salvation. Let's bring this great expectation into the future with us, and in this way, we shall remain secure. Let us never become foolish and forget all these wonderful truths. That would be believing in vain, trusting for nothing. If we could grasp the truth that nothing in heaven or hell can cause us to be forced from God, if we can believe that no lofty argument or deep satanic mystery can remove our faith, we would be extremely confident people who shine before unbelievers.
Do you want assurance? Then believe in Jesus today! If you assert the gospel to be true, nothing can defeat you. It is impossible for the believer to be kept apart from the affection and care of Jesus Christ. Your tiny trust is the catalyst for God's blessing.
Just think about how it would be if the bible didn't tell us of God's love in Christ. Think how uncertain we'd feel if the Word placed burdens of law, weighty rules, and unattainable requirements on our backs in order to get God's love. Then you would know how legal minded religious people feel. Thank God we do not know how they feel. Thank God that their legalism is far from us. Is it?