The Gathering Place of the High Desert

“Back to the Basics”

thegathe — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 08:52:01 +0000

This week we launched our ministry Facebook page. This is one more way to share the good news of Jesus Christ. As I was praying and preparing to do the first posting for Facebook, the Lord spoke to me a simple phrase. He said to me, “Back to the Basics”. I am calling my people to go back to basics.

Matthew 4:18-22 (New International Version)

The Calling of the First Disciples

¹⁸As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ¹⁹“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” ²⁰At once they left their nets and followed him.

²¹Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, ²²and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

So I immediately went back to prayer. The Lord took me to Matthew 4:18-22. This scriptures is when Jesus calling His disciples. First note Jesus sought them out. Like us, He searched for the disciples to follow him. When He found them and He extended the invite to “come and follow”. This is the same invite He gives to each person. At a point in everyone’s lives they must decide what they will do about Jesus. Will they make Him Lord and Savior or will they die in their sin. Will they choose a Savior or will they choose sin?

But let me get back to the word the Lord spoke, “Back to Basics”. How does this passage draw us back to basics? When we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior we have answer the first part of the call to follow Jesus. As all believers have done, this is the greatest invite a person can receive.

Next He calls us to follow Him. This means action and movement. The Christian life does not end at salvation. Jesus calls us to “follow” Him, so what does this mean? The answer is, we need to become Christ like. We are to grow in our Christianity. Paul writes in I Corinthians 3:1-2 that we are to get off milk and learn to eat meat. -

1 Corinthians 3:1-2 (New International Version)

¹Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ. ²I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.

We need to know what it means to grow in Christ. People should see Christ in us and in our lives. Believers need to stop lying, cheating, gossiping and other sins. Let people look at us and ask what is different with us.

Lastly, we are to be fisher of men. This means it is time to get our hands dirty. Our Lord calls us to be around other people. We are called to share love, true love that can only come from the heart of God. Instead of judging and putting people down, we can love, encourage and build them up. More Christians are won for God with a person to person relationship.

So let us go back to the basics and answer His call. Pray and ask the Lord to grow each of us from milk to solid food.

What happen to My Christmas?

thegathe — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 22:43:20 +0000

WHAT HAPPENED TO MY CHRISTMAS

It seems each year that goes by, we in America lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas. This goes for both Christians and the non believer also. It seems that the retailers start to put out Christmas decorations and gear their sales earlier in the year then the prior year. I remember back when I was a child, the retail stores did not decorate or have “Santa” arrive till Thanksgiving weekend. Then as years have gone by, the retailers started having the decoration up and sales starting on the 1^st of November. Now it is a race to see if Halloween or Christmas will shows up first.

Over the last several years, we have seen the same business instruct their employees to wish the customers Happy Holidays, as not to offend anyone. After all there are at least three holidays celebrated in December. I find it exciting to see that people are addressing this one, diminishing of Christmas. I have seen in stores, heard on talk radio and seen on the news that people are corrected with this politically correct saying. I myself have been more intentional to wish these workers a Merry Christmas.

Sadly, a few retailers have even asked the Salvation Army not to be in front of their stores to collect loose change. This is an organization that does so much to help the community that they are in with food, clothing and other support. These retailers don’t want to appear to be supporting a Christian ministry; after all it might offend someone.

As I walk through stores and listen to others talk about what they need to pick (as gifts) for others, I become aware that Christmas has been reduced to the day that we might be lucky to get the latest electronic or fad item. As I look at these people and the stress to conquer the list of people that they feel they have to buy for. I ask the question…

Could this really be what God intended for it to become or has man got in the way of God’s plan. How can we bring Christ back into Christmas?

What happen to Christmas?

It is time to pray

thegathe — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 04:28:18 +0000

Nov. 4, 2009

Tonight our nation is facing a time of mourning as we remember the 12 killed soldiers and 31 injured soldiers. It is time likes this that Christians need to be in prayer. First, we need to pray for the families of the twelve soldiers that were killed. These were soldiers who dedicated their lives to protect this country and the freedom for which it stands. The tragedy of a nation to lose these men and women is a mark on the history of this great land. Then to have the over whelming grief and stain that there death was caused by one of our own military leaders.

Next we need to pray for those who were injured in the attack. We need to pray for their physical healing and then for their emotional healing. May God strengthen them and their families in this difficult time.

Lastly, we need to pray for our leaders. This is something that we need to do daily. But at time likes this extra prayers is needed to ask God for wisdom, grace and strength to lead in this time of grief. Our Lord tells us that we are to pray for those in authority over us. May our gracious Lord lead us in this time of grief and healing? May God use events like this to turn us back to Him. Again our Lord says that what the enemy meant for evil God will make it good.

At no time in the history of our nation have our nation needed prayer more. For a nation that was founded for freedom to worship God. How much time do we put into praying for our nation.

Pastor Donald

October 4, 2009

thegathe — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 13:29:29 +0000

Four days a week I am up at 4 a.m. to go to my office. I leave my house by 4:40 a.m. and start my 40 minute drive to my office. I enjoy this time, I use it to pray and start my day with the Lord. While driving I listen to a Christian radio station. This morning was no different than any other morning or so I thought. As I was praying the DJ on the Christian radio started to share an account of a women friend he had talked to the night before. As he started to share I stopped praying and listen with my ears and my heart. He said that the woman had shared how she loved to listen to his radio station. Then she went on to say that she was not sure that she was a Christian. She used to go to church and she was hurt very badly by the church. So since she did not attend church she felt that she had lost her salvation. The radio DJ asked her a series of questions about her belief in Jesus as Savior and Lord and did she share Jesus with others. Her answer was yes to these questions. He then assured her of her salvation. This is when the Lord started to speak to me. As the DJ started to share my heart was breaking over this poor woman and her words that clearly came from her heart. How many people can identify with this woman? How many truly wonder if they are saved. Scripture is very clear in this matter. Jesus tells Nicodemus that in order to have hope in eternal life we must be born again (John 3). Nicodemus question what it means to be born again. To put it in plain English a person must come to the place where he realizes he is a sinner and needs a Savior. I believe each one of us in our lives will have a point where we will face the truth that we are sinful. It is at this point that we must make a decision if we want to stay that way or we want to turn from our sin and call on Jesus as Lord and Savior. My next statement may upset some pastors but I am going to make it any way. Going to church does not make you a Christian any more than you going to an ice cream shop make you a hot fudge sundae. Only Jesus can wash away our sins and put his mark on our hearts and life. A mark that is life changing! But let us not be mislead, scripture is very clear we are not to forsake the assembly of believers. John Wimber said that, “God did not call anyone to be a Long Ranger Christian.” This brings me to the second point that the Holy Spirit brought to my heart. That comes out of the women’s second part of her comment. She stated that she did not go to church because she had been hurt by the church. Ouch! That really hurts that the church can hurt people. I would not be truthful if I said that I did not really know this happens. To be honest I have been hurt by people in the church and I am a pastor. As I thought and waited on the Lord about people that have been hurt by the church, I felt Him say that, “As the Christian and especially those who have been in the church need to repent for their part in hurting others.” This may come as a shock to read. Yet, if we are honest we may have all had a part in hurting others. If we hurt those in the church what do we do to those who are not in the church? Lastly, those who have been hurt and intentally stay away from the assembly of believers need to forgive those who have hurt them, and ask God for healing. God is the one who can release healing in our hearts and life. We need to want to get healed. Let us learn from our mistakes and sin and go to the Lord for forgiveness. If we can be what God has called us to do then we can reach and love those who don’t know the Lord yet. I invite your thoughts.

WWII

thegathe — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 04:28:52 +0000

On 06/05/09 when I woke up and turned on the TV. I was watching Fox news and expected to see the usually morning program. Instead they were airing a special from Normandy France. As you may know this was the 65th anniversary of D-Day in WWII. I listened to some of the special Memorial that was being aired. It really moved my heart, and had me thinking. I had grown up learning of WWII in school and saw old movie clips of this event. But when I watched this special I was impacted by the sheer numbers of that assaults on the Beaches of Normandy. What can us as Christians learn from this historical event?

6/24/09

thegathe — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 04:27:09 +0000

Does the church today walk in the true power and authority of the Lord Jesus Christ or has it bought into the lie that the church is powerless and ineffective in the United States today?

Is the Church Relevant?

thegathe — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 04:22:12 +0000

Recently, the news reported that President Obama made a speech where he stated that the “United States of America was not a Christian, Jewish or Muslim nation, rather we are a nation of citizens.” This same week Newsweek magazine published an article that stated that “the Christian faith is on the decline in America.” Questions I would have to ponder and would welcome your comments on as well. Is the United States no longer a Christian nation formed as one nation under God? Is the church relevant in this country? If not, why?