Are You Courageous?

“Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest.” Joshua 1:7

Courageous follows the lives of 4 Police officers in the Albany Sheriff’s Department and their unemployed friend.  Adam Mitchell, Shane Fuller, Nathan Hayes, David Thomson, and Javier Martinez, are (for the most part) all trying to be good fathers to their children. I think the thing that I like the most about this movie is that it is about average ordinary men making a decision to make their families a greater priority.

Adam Mitchell is a guy who thinks he is doing a "good enough" job as a husband and a father. He works hard all day to keep Albany safe and to provide for his family. He has a hard time relating to his son Dylan, and though his daughter Emily is clearly his princess, he fails to see the importance of doing the "little things" she asks him to do (i.e. dancing in the parking lot of a bank) until it's too late.

When his daughter is killed by a drunk driver, Adam realizes that being "good enough" is aiming too low. Convicted that he must do better with his son Dylan in the future, he set out to study God's Word and purposes to sign a declaration of commitment to his wife and family which is the direct result of this study. When he goes to his buddies simply to ask them for accountability, they decide to join him and make declarations of their own.

The next part of the movie shows the men striving to put their commitment into practice. Adam commits to join his son Dylan in a 5K race. Nathan realizes the great responsibility he has can make sure that his daughter realizes her true value so he takes her out to dinner and asks her to commit to sending any interested suitors to him first. David seeks reconciliation with his family (after committing his life to Jesus Christ) which includes a cheerleader that he got pregnant several years before and just left in his four-year-old daughter. Javier turns down a promotion he only recently received when they ask him to be dishonest. He is later rewarded when it turns out that it was a test from his employer.

Shane (though he made the same commitment) clearly has the most struggles with it. Short on cash, he begins stealing drugs from evidence so that he can sell them. He is found out and then arrested. While this is not a happy ending it underscores the need for accountability and the true commitment that it takes to be a man of integrity.

The movie ends with the following challenge "Where are you men of courage?” I was so excited when I heard about the theme for this movie because this is the very question I have been convicted to ask over the last seven or eight years as well as a major reason I started the Ministry Speaking4Him.

As a single young man this movie has bolstered my commitment to continue my journey to become a man of courage that young lady can rely on to be a godly husband and my future children can look to as an example of their Father in Heaven. This is sobering task for any man. We all have our faults and this side of glory we always will, but that does not negate our responsibility to continue to strive for excellence. The family is in chaos and it is long past time for action! We must as the apostle Paul says forget those things which are behind and "press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:14

I would encourage any man regardless of the stage that you are at in life to see this film. Even if you are fairly young it is never too early to set your sights on being a man of courage. For the women among my readers, I encourage you to see this film so that you will know the kind of man God would desire for you. Don't settle! I believe you are God's greatest gift to mankind and that you should be treated as such! You are extremely valuable and any man who does not think so is not worth your time or attention!

In closing I just want to ask that question once again. "Where are you men of courage?" Are you ready to step up and embrace the challenge that God has clearly outlined for you in His Word? Remember he will not ask you to do anything for which He will not adequately equip you!!!

            

Speaking4him,

Andrew           

Earth Needs Moms!

“Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.”

(Proverbs 23:22)

EARTH NEEDS MOMS

A few weeks ago I had the privilege of going to a movie on the lawn at my local library with my mom and my sisters. It was a great time with my family and I had fun. The movie was Disney’s “Mars Needs Moms.” I am naturally skeptical of the depth of animated films and Disney films in particular, but I was very impressed with this film.

The film centers on 9-year-old Milo and his mom. Milo is annoyed with his Mom because she makes him do things he doesn’t want to do. (She makes him eat Broccoli!) When he feeds it to the dog (and the dog subsequently vomits) she sends him to bed with no TV. He then retorts that he doesn’t need her and wishes she wasn’t his mom. Within a few moments Milo regrets what he says and as he goes to apologize, he sees his mom being kidnapped by Martians.

Milo hitches a ride on the spaceship and when he lands on Mars and sets off on an action packed adventure with new friends (A young man named Gribble and a teenage Martian girl name Ki) and rescues his Mom. As the movie progressed, a few thing things stuck out to me:

1) Mars is run by women. This is the reason they need moms. They use the moms to program the “NANNY BOTS” in motherhood. They are robots required to raise the girl babies because the women are busy running the planet.
2) The men are relegated to second class citizenship and raise the boys in the Martian Underground.
3) Milo and his friends find out that on Mars of old, families had two parent raising the children and when the Martians find out, they unite to depose the Evil Matriarch leader. The Martians are then shown enjoying family life as it was meant to be.
4) Milo (unlike so many kids today) had two parents that cared for him and loved each other!

As I watched this movie I couldn’t help but notice some real parallels between life on Mars and life on earth. Like Mars, Earth (particularly Western Culture) we no longer value motherhood (or fatherhood for that matter) as essential to raising well rounded children of high character. If we look at the Bible, we see the God put Adam and Eve together and told them to “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” (Genesis 1:28) Thus the institution of the family!

This movie was fun and I laughed a lot, but I was gratified that it laid out (though maybe not on purpose) God’s plan for the family. I don’t know about Mars, but Earth does indeed need moms!

4/5 Stars

Speaking4him,

Andrew

The Corruptible: A Dud

The Corruptible by Mark Mynheir

I am always up for a great mystery.  I also specifically appreciate books of this genre that are free of objectionable content.  Because of this, I was somewhat intrigued by The Corruptible.  I was mainly disappointed.

Ray Quinn is a retired police officer who became a private detective.  He has a severe injury which he tries to ignore by drowning the pain in the bottle.  The main characters are rounded out by an office assistant named Pam and a brash young sidekick named Crevis.

This story gets an A+ for being a clean read, but that’s about it. Ray is a bitter man and though the reasons are hinted at, the details of why are not laid out.  Pam loves God, and Jesus is mentioned, but God’s wonderful plan of Redemption is never laid out.  Crevis is supposedly trying to get into the police academy.  He is presented however almost as a dimwitted high school dropout!

The case begins with a stolen satchel and hard drive.  The clues seemed to come together way too easily.  The author gave the impression the Crevis (and the reader) were incapable of figuring anything out themselves.  There were way too many clichés and it went too many directions.

1/5 stars  

            

Speaking4him,

Andrew


Waterbrook Press gave me this book for my honest review

Heaven on Earth!

“Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;” Eph 5:19

So I just got back from a week of vacation at the best place on earth!  Though there is without a doubt some bias in that statement, I challenge anyone to experience Family Camp at Ao-Wa-Kiya and not agree with me!  It has everything a good vacation should.  Food, Fellowship, and Fun, centered around a schedule (or should I say non-schedule) that allows people to spend their days as they wish.

Every family has their turn working in the kitchen, but many hands make light work, and most families actually enjoy their turn to help make things enjoyable for the other families.  Plus the food is sooo good that it is worth it!

Long conversations and afternoons watching shuffleboard by the lake are my highlights.  I am so thankful to God for this oasis.  It reminds me of the heavenly future for all who trust Christ as their savior!  The curse of sin will be gone, but work came before sin, work will still be a part of the perfect experience!  Consider the following verses:

“And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.” (Genesis 2:15)

“And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” (Revelation 1:5-6)

“And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.” Revelation 5:9-10

God will have work for us to do, but because of the perfect environment of heaven and the The New Heavens and The New Earth, it will be a pleasure to serve the King.  Oh, and did you notice what these verses say about singing?  The singing is going to be great! 

That’s another of those simple pleasures that I enjoyed at camp.  Twice with Mrs. Z and once with Bert, I sat with a godly sister in Christ in the presence of God and gave Him Praise!  I look foreword to heaven, but until than, spending a week with my “family” at Ao-Wa-Kiya will Lord willing, be my “Heaven on Earth” for years to come!  Miss you camp family! ;)

Speaking4him,

Andrew           

Thank You!!!

“But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain;…”

                                      I Corinthians 15:10

Dear Friends,

I want to thank you so very much for reading this blog, supporting my ministry, and praying for me. I am so grateful for all of you! I want to thank a few of you by name:

My Dad, Michael Gommesen is my hero. He taught me to love Jesus Christ, The Word of God, and God’s blessing of children. He encouraged me to surrender to ministry. I love you, Dad

Jay Harnish is my webmaster. The website truly is a gift! Thanks Bro!

Tara Squires taught me to stop talking about ministry and do it! I am so grateful to her!

David Dalrymple is a true warrior for Christ and he doesn’t back down from the Truth! Thanks for everything Bro!

Tom Neering is a wonderful caring friend and a great D.J.! Thanks Bro!

Robb Munger thanks for the office space!

My Brother B.J. is my best friend and my greatest helper and I wouldn’t be able to do half of what I do without him! Thanks Bro!

Naomi & A.J. Van Harn have been amazing support to my ministry. Thanks guys!

To everyone else, Thanks for all of your support. By God’s grace I will remain faithful to His Calling on my life!

Speaking4Him,

Andrew Gommesen

Thoughts on Tragic Events

There has been quite a buzz around our Nation lately over two horrible tragedies. Rodrick Dantzler gunned down 7 people and killed himself in my back yard Grand Rapids, MI and also Casey Anthony was acquitted in the murder of her young daughter. The common consensus among the American public is that Dantzler and Anthony are guilty parties, and their victims were innocent people in the wrong place at the wrong time. The victim’s families and those supporting them cry out for justice.

This is understandable and I agree with it, but it got me thinking. Did you realize that each victim of these crimes was ushered into eternity at the moment they died? That means they are now faced with God’s judgment. “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” (Hebrews 9:27)

As awful as the above crimes are (and don’t get me wrong they are) there is one place where we all stand guilty. The verdict and penalty are more important than that which is rendered in the Court of Public opinion, or the Court of Law. The place is the Courtroom of Almighty God! The charge is sin and the penalty is death!

The Bible says “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Romans 3:23) “All” is totally inclusive. All of us are deserving of the judgment of God, but Jesus paid our penalty before God and made a way for us to be right with Holy and Righteous God.

“Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.” (I Peter 2:24-25) God is a God of love, and this passage shows us that love does indeed win.

My prayer for you is that today you would consider your mortality and make today the day of your Salvation. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.”(Acts 16:31)

Speaking4Him,
Andrew Gommesen

Soul Surfer Was Good, but It Could've Been Great

I don't typically review movies on this blog. I'm not sure if this particular entry signals the first of many movie reviews, but I feel compelled to share my views on this particular project. I was both pleased and disappointed with this film.

This movie was most definitely inspiring. How could it not be? A young surfer who loses her arm to a shark decides to get back on her board and try again. She has a lot of family support, and she inspires many who watch her triumph over adversity. You leave the theater believing that anything is possible, and you want to go out as soon as possible and reach for your dreams. There is nothing wrong with that, however this film misses the boat in a crucial area. Let me explain.

When I heard this film was coming out I decided to read Bethany Hamilton's autobiography of the same name. I know that it's par for the course for Hollywood to tell stories with events out of order and embellished facts, but this film failed to put credit where Bethany herself believes it goes—her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The film definitely alludes to their family's strong Christian faith, but you can tell the producers tried not to. For instance, at one point the family quotes Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” but they substituted the generic Him for Christ. They did a similar thing with a Christian song that is sung during a church service.

I think that this film will be encouraging to whomever goes to see it, and if it causes people to investigate the real Bethany Hamilton, I believe it can be a tool in the hands of God. One thought that ran through my mind was "What if Sherwood pictures had made this film?” I believe that the Gospel which is evident in this story would have been even more blatantly and gloriously proclaimed.

My hope is that the movie will drive people to read Bethany's book, for there they will discover the true source of her strength. I also hope that Sherwood pictures will consider doing a biopic because there is a certain power in a true story!!!

3.5/5 Stars

Speaking4Him,
Andrew Gommesen

Life Without Limits

Nick Vujicic is an amazing individual. He was born without arms or legs, but by God's grace Nick has learned not to let his limitations limit his opportunities. From scuba diving, to surfing, to acting (including doing his own stunts), to speaking across the country and around the world, Nick has done it all! His courage and can-do attitude will be a blessing to whoever chooses to read this book. If you are struggling and need encouragement, I would definitely encourage you to take the time to read it.

As exciting as all of Nick’s accomplishments are, perhaps the true beauty of this book is that it does not shy away from the more difficult aspects of his story. Nick is very candid in explaining his parents initial reaction to his birth. He relates how at first his mother did not want to hold them and that it took her a while to work through her fears and trust God that he would give her the ability to care for him.

I was especially touched when he shared about his childhood desire to end it all. He talked about feeling at one point that it would be best if he just left this world. Fortunately he realized the impact that would have on his family and others around him who cared. As a disabled man myself, I resonated with this part of the story as I had similar thoughts at one point.

Today Nick realizes all of the opportunities he would have missed if his life had ended that day. He is now committed to making the most of every day and as he puts it "living a ridiculously good life." I have been blessed to see how God had used Nick, and have been reinvigorated to continue serving God in my own right.

It is obvious to me that Nick loves the Lord. However, my one complaint with this book is that he never clearly explains the gospel. Without a personal, life-changing relationship with the Risen Christ, our best efforts will never be good enough.

I received this book for free from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this honest review.

Speaking4Him,

Andrew Gommesen

Only ONE Life…

“And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,” (Hebrews 9:27)

So a few weeks ago my brothers were playing the XBOX and I needed help with something. I don’t remember the exact conversation, but it went something like this:

ME: Could I get a hand please?

MY BRO: Hang on, I’ve got one life left. Be right there…

This got me thinking about the contrast between real life and video games. In video games you often get multiple lives and the potential to earn more. If the game isn’t going well, you can quit and start over. Real life, however is a one time proposition. While God does give second chances and he will forgive our mistakes, we are only given one life to live and the decisions we make can have a tremendous impact on us now and in eternity.

The most important of these decisions is to answer the question “What will I do with Jesus Christ?” Your chosen answer to this question can mean the difference between eternal life in Heaven or eternal torment in Hell. “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” (Daniel 12:2) “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.” (Matthew 25:45)

Two definitive choices are available to all of us—Heaven and Hell. Some would say that a choice for Heaven can be made even after death. However there is a story Jesus told in Luke 16:19-31 about a Rich Man and a poor beggar named Lazarus. The Rich Man had everything the world had to offer, but died without God. Lazarus was a beggar who trusted God. He was brought to Abram’s bosom. The Rich went to Hell—not because of his wealth, but because his wealth gave him the false idea that he didn’t need God. From the heat of Hell the Rich man asked for a drop of cold water, but he is told there is a “Great Golf Fixed” between Heaven and Hell. After death there is no way to span that Golf!

Heaven and Hell are very real. Jesus Christ is God in the flesh. He spanned the Golf between us as wicked sinners and Righteous Almighty God. He was perfect before time, was born perfect, lived a perfect life, and rose again! HE LIVES and wants a personal relationship with each of you!

“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

I urge you to read the Word for yourself and trust the One who died for you!

Speaking4Him,

Andrew Gommesen

Reflections...

As I sit here three weeks into 2011, I wanted to let my readers know that I appreciate each of you. I hope and pray that God has encouraged your heart by what you have read. My hearts desire is to be His Mouthpiece. I’m not perfect. I make mistakes.

I would like to ask that you would pray for me as I seek God for direction regarding this blog. I want to be writing faithfully, but I don't want to be just spouting off for the sake of seeing my words in print. For this reason, I have a couple of questions for you, the reader. Are there any particular posts that spoke to you in a specific way? Is there any particular topics you would like to see me address in the weeks to come? If you could take the time to seriously consider these questions, I would appreciate it.

I would also ask you to continue to pray for me. This year was full of ups and downs. In some ways it was very difficult. If you're anything like me you have (or have had at some point in your life) the impression that if you do what God asks of you everything will work out the way it's supposed to. While this is very true, it quite often takes a form quite different from what we expect.

Please pray for me as I seek God's will for my job, my ministry, and other important aspects of my life. I don't think God ever intended for a man to minister on his own. Please pray that God will bring the right people into my life to help me continue strong in my ministry and to make it even more vital than it is today, and I would not forget to thank him for those who already are!!

I am trying to rest in the following promises of God “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” (Romans 8:28-29)

Speaking4Him,
Andrew Gommesen