Speaking4Him Podcast #44 Finding The Pieces with Erica Lynn



"I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee." Job 42:5

Erica Lynn

Erica Lynn sat down with us to talk about her Christian Walk and her upcoming semester abroad at Oxford in England.  Be encouraged that God can help YOU find the pieces!  Listen to the Podcast Here!

•  Check out Erica's Vlog Here!
•  Check out Her blog Finding The Pieces Here!
•  If you want to help Erica get to Oxford Click Here!

If would like to leave Feedback Join us on our Facebook Page!  There is always something going on!  Contests and good conversation are a click away!!! You also leave a voicemail by clicking the Microphone on the Right Hand side of the Page!

Keep Serving the Best of Masters,

Andrew Gommesen  

Speaking4Him Podcast #43 Insights on India With John Hodge

John Hodge

Today on the Podcast, John Hodge joins us to talk about his passion for the Gospel and his trip to India.  I was blessed, and I pray you will be too!  Listen Here!

Notes:

• For the following verse    "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." the proper reference is Phillippians 2:13 not Ephesians as stated in the podcast.
• If you want to know more about praying for and helping the people of India check out Mission India! Click Here!

If you want to leave feedback connect with us on Facebook  leave a Voicemail by clicking the microphone on the right hand side of the page!

Keep Serving The Best of Masters,

Andrew Gommesen  

Wisdom on Wheels: Relationships

Dear Friends,

I feel I must apologize for taking so long to write this.  I have been very excited and yet hesitant to share this entry.  Oh well, here goes nothing.  My parents have raised me to be marriage minded.  As I have grown up we have returned to the topic many times.  Unlike most guys, I’ve often thought about my wedding and also taken metal notes for future use as the Lord Wills.

My Dad always told me to get my education and establish my life direction before pursuing romance and marriage.  I always wanted to marry young like my parents, so waiting was hard.  In my early twenties I once asked my Mom when I would know it was a good time to start seriously thinking about marriage.  Her response?  “When all your friends start getting married.” This is not by any means a sole factor, but interestingly enough, it seems that these days my friends younger siblings are getting married in droves.

Before I go any further, let me be clear.  I’m not saying it is a bad thing to wait on God or that it is a bad thing to be single.  I firmly believe that we should seek God in ALL we do, this area being not only included, but perhaps most important. “House and riches are the inheritance of fathers: and a prudent wife is from the Lord.” (Proverbs 19:10)  I simply believe that I (along with the majority of men) was created to need a helpmeet

I have many friends who are girls and to put it quite simply, without their presence my life would be boring and colorless.  I am so thankful for many young ladies in my life.  It seems to me however that whenever I express interest in a young lady an interest that goes beyond friendship, she turns and runs the other way as fast as she can.  Now perhaps I am overstating things ever so slightly, but quite frankly, it hurts.

I know that marrying will be a challenge for me and my bride, but nothing in my life has come easy.  I often feel like a good motto for my life would be “Working twice as hard to prove that I am just as good,” I feel much the same way in my quest for a life partner.  I just want a chance to prove myself in this area as with so many others.

I am not perfect.  I have flaws.  But I am also a godly man seeking righteousness.  I have been taught by my father what it means to be a Family Shepherd.  I have by word and example been taught to value children and the truth “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.” (Ephesians 5:25-26)  I look forward to having a godly young lady to love and cherish for life! :)  I believe she will be an amazing asset to Speaking4Him.

This issue transcends romantic relationships though.  I’ve also faced challenges in regular day to day interactions with friends and co-workers as well.  It is never easy and it is hard and down right frustrating at times.  So why is this?, and (perhaps more importantly) what can we do about it?

I believe the main reason for this is fear of the unknown.  I believe that some may think it is easier to distance themselves from me than to be honest with me about their discomforts relating to my disability.  Sadly I have experienced at least one definite case of this in a work setting and it was heartbreaking.  Honesty is a much better option.  Plus I am as open about my challenges as anyone you’ll ever meet. 

So if you have a question or something about my disability makes you uncomfortable, be honest with me.  Honest questions will always result in honest answers.  What’s more, we’ll both be better for it and we might be lifelong friends!

I am very thankful for those who have been faithful friends and family and seen beyond my wheelchair to the man that God is molding in His time.  God is so good!  He knows what He is doing and I can trust Him.  In closing, just know that my accomplishments in life have not come about because I ignored the “Brick Walls” my challenges created.  That would have just led to a bloody nose. Rather my accomplishments have come because for every “Brick Wall” I have faced I have found sufficient “Rope” to climb over each one and overcome to the Glory of God.                    

   

Speaking4Him,

Andrew Gommesen

Wisdom on Wheels: Employment

As a man, one of my greatest desires is to be a provider.  I know this is a God-given desire because He says in His Word “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” (I Timothy 5:8)  So many in society today are failing in this area, and I long to be example of a godly man in this area.

My work career started at 18 with J.C. Penney.  It was a tough three months, but it prepared me for the next step on my employment journey.  I was very blessed to begin working at Right to Life of Michigan in August 1998.  For the next 10.5 years I had the privilege of working with some of the most dedicated, caring, individuals I have ever met.  The only reason I left RTL was because try as I might, I couldn’t move up in the company.

I applied for 4 different better positions with RTL that would have moved me out of the telemarketing department.  While I don’t believe that RTL was guilty of overt discrimination I do believe that there was a subconscious mindset that caused them to doubt my abilities.

I moved on to Guiding Light Mission.  Unfortunately I ran into a similar issue with GLM.  I was doing a job that in most cases would be full time but when the full-time opportunity was never offered, I felt God’s leading to move on.

Where does this leave me?  I’m not sure.  Speaking4Him is keeping me pretty busy and God is faithful, but I still long for a steady income stream.  I am willing to preach full-time or work full-time and preach part-time or any combination of the above.  Please pray for me.                

I do know that I would be an asset to any company that would choose to hire me.  God has gifted me in many ways.  I don’t know what God’s plans hold for me, but I the words of Paul are true “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” (Philippians 1:6)  

Praise the Lord!  Even as I type this, another love gift came in the mail.  God’s Almighty hand is always at work and I am safe within its grasp! 

   

Speaking4Him,

Andrew Gommesen

Wisdom on Wheels: School

I am very blessed to have been homeschooled throughout my educational journey, but I didn't start out that way. The first couple of years of my formal education took place in public school in a special Ed program. Well it is not my intention to totally trash them or to purposely make them look bad; it is certainly not an understatement to say that they drastically undermined my potential.
They said things to my parents such as "we can't teach him to read," or "he needs speech therapy." (Those who know me and have watched me grow up know how crazy that is!) When my school wanted to bring me back for a second year of first grade, my parents made the bold move to begin homeschooling me.

Again, I do not want to be mean-spirited about this, but considering that the thing that most sticks out in my mind about that school year is the three times we changed classrooms, it is evident that there was a problem and I will always be grateful to my parents for having the courage and conviction to pull me out of that environment. Although the school was never easy, I never failed another grade again and now hold a bachelors degree in communications.

I think that it is important for people to realize that just because someone is physically disabled does not mean they are mentally incompetent. I was capable of a lot more than what my early teachers believed. I just needed individual attention and parents (especially a father) who would not allow me to quit. I received my college degree in 2006 largely because my father pushed me to excel. While I was not happy about it at the time, I will always be grateful that he didn't let me quit.

When I got done with high school, the last thing I wanted to do was think about more school. I firmly believe that if I could have worked manual labor I would've chosen not to go to college. My father's wisdom prevailed upon me though. He told me that with all my other challenges lack of an education should not be one of them.

College was indeed a major challenge for me. After all, it takes talent to squeeze four years of college into seven!! :) I took 2 to 3 classes a semester and learned that slow and steady does indeed win the race. (Incidentally that amounted to what I was able to afford financially, so I was able to pay cash for my degree) I dealt with some difficult situations including a teacher who said that I should cut back on the number of classes I was taking because I was struggling in a class, but I persevered.

Because of a recommitment that I had made to God following high school my GPA went from 3.0 to 3.9. God gets all the glory because to this day I am not academic. God helped me complete every class and I can truly say that completing my degree in the manner in which I did was a living example of the fact that I serve a God who can do "is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,” Ephesians 3:20

I want to encourage you that if God can do this in my life he can certainly work mightily in yours. Seek him and he will direct you. Every person's journey is different, but God's promises are the same "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” Philippians 1:6

Speaking4Him,
Andrew Gommesen

Wisdom on Wheels: Intro

“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

John 10:10

Greetings Readers,

For quite awhile, my wise father has told me that more of my writing should focus on my disability.  I have shied away from this, not because I have a problem discussing this (those who know me will tell you that the opposite is true) but because I don’t want my disability to define me.  As was said of Elijah, in the book of James, I am simply a man with like passions as many of you, my faithful readers.

Most of the burdens God has placed on my heart have little or nothing to do with being a disabled individual.   A recent event in the news has led me to realize that God is calling me to do a series of blog posts on dealing with my disability.  Over the next few weeks I will I address my struggles in the following areas: education, employment, relationships, and personal care.

You are probably wondering by now what might be prompting this series.  Blogger Christina Symanski was injured in a swimming accident on June 5, 2005.  Six years and many blog posts later, she died in December 2011 after starving herself to death.  To me, one of the saddest parts of the story is that her boyfriend (whom she wanted to “liberate”) was committed to her and today says he can’t see himself with someone else.

I hope over the next few weeks to look at the biblical perspective on facing the challenges of life.  Hopefully, you will be encouraged to embrace life and pass on that encouragement to others.  I am also hoping this will help jumpstart my autobiography project.

Speaking4Him,

Andrew Gommesen   

PS: Here is the story to which I am referring.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2101334/Christina-Symanski-24-starved-death-paralysed-boyfriend-on.html

The Hills Are Alive...

Master Arts Theater is one of my favorite places in the world!  I love theater and the fact that I can enjoy the arts in an environment dedicated to honoring Jesus Christ is a blessing.  I love to act, but since there are a limited amount of roles for a good looking guy on four wheels, I started to explore opportunities “behind the curtain.”

This led me to the wonderful opportunity to Assistant Direct “The Sound of Music.”  Little did I know on that third Saturday of September when I reported for auditions this would be a life-changing experience for me!!!  I loved every part of the process.  I was so thankful to assist in every step along the way.

One of my favorite parts of this journey was the casting process.  It was a real challenge because we needed people who could sing, dance, and act.  Because of the popularity of this show, we had 96 people try out.  Most of them were little girls with big dreams.  It took two or three weeks to finalize the cast.  I was very gratified that three of my top choices made the cut!

I had the great privilege of calling those who made it with the good news!!  It was so much fun to be the messenger of such excitement, especially to the kids and their parents!  The two months that followed were filled with about four days of rehearsal a week, each night focusing on a different part of the cast (for example Wednesday was spent in the Abby with the Nuns and quickly became my favorite day of the week! :) ) and then we all came together for “Crazy Saturday.”

This is where the magic really began to happen!!! 36 cast members, plus about half a dozen crew members, (many of whom had never worked together before) came together to bring one of the best loved musicals of all time to the Master Arts stage.  Over the next two months and six weekends we took audiences to Austria and back 21 times and along the way bonded in a way few if any of us anticipated! 

Some of the highlights included post practice chats with my new friends, talking and laughing (and getting in trouble for it) in the green room during performances, watching the “dressing nuns” assist the children through 11 (yes you read that right!) wardrobe changes, debating where to eat Friday nights, and spending Saturday afternoons at the theater eating potluck dinners with the cast between shows….:) 

One of our more veteran actors commented “I hope everyone realizes how special this cast is because it doesn’t happen all the time.”  I could not agree more!  The friendships I forged during this production mean so much to me.  Many of those involved now have a permanent place in my heart!  I hope we are friends for life! 

As one of our audience members put it “I just wish I could push the rewind button.”  I am so blessed that God would allow me to be able to enjoy this amazing experience!  It was like a smile from God to me!!!!

Blessings,

Andrew                

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

Should we be "Seeker Friendly?"

I have become alarmed at the modern trend of the "seeker friendly" church. One quote I ran across recently went so far as to say "We should be a church that always exists more for the people who are not yet saved than for the people who are.” (Mark Driscoll). The person who said this is no doubt a well-intentioned and godly man who has a burden for the lost. But we must be careful at all times not to pull Scriptural truth out of balance.

The Church universal does not exist for Christians or non-Christians, but rather for God. Christ "gave himself for it." (Eph. 5:25). He desires that it be “a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” (v. 27). Every mention of the church in Scripture refers to those who are saved. God gives differing gifts to each member of the church primarily for the “perfecting of the Saints.” (Eph. 4:12) People are only added to the church after they are saved. “And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” (Acts 2:47)

I would like to briefly discuss two dangers which I believe a seeker friendly church is exposed to. The first one is the temptation to water down the truth of Scripture. One prominent speaker (who I will not name) spends a lot of his time talking about the love of Christ. In a sense, this is great. There is perhaps no greater truth than the understanding that the God of the universe wants to have a personal, vibrant relationship with us his creation. But he gives sin and judgment only a passing glance.

It is impossible to fully understand and embrace the love of God without first understanding the judgment of God. Consider the following passage:

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:23-24)

You can't truly appreciate verse 24 unless you understand the implications of verse 23. We need to make sure that we consistently share the truth in love that "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jer. 17:9). Once this truth is understood the message of God's love and forgiveness will be more fully appreciated, understood, and ultimately applied.

We must realize that it is not we who are responsible to save souls but the Spirit of God. While it is true that God gives us new and exciting ways to minister (i.e. film, multimedia etc.) we must realize that sharing the truth is more important than making someone comfortable. There really is nothing comforting about knowing that we are guilty sinners, but it is only through the understanding and admission of such that we have peace with God. Only "godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation” (2 Cor. 7:10)

The second danger is that those who are already believers will have difficulty growing in their faith because the line between being "seeker friendly" and "seeker focused" can be very thin. It is God's desire that we would progress from the "milk" of the word to “strong meat [which] belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” (Heb. 5:14). This will increase our ability to reach our world with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ!

In conclusion, although we are called to reach out to those who do not yet believe we must make sure that we do not neglect the truth. To do so is to forget the whole point of our outreach. We must realize that only as strong believers can the church maximize its impact in the world. It is also worth noting that in any area of life in which we wish to excel, the best way is to spend time with those who are at a more advanced stage than we are. The Christian life is no exception!

Speaking4Him,
Andrew Gommesen

Pray, Pray, Pray!

Dear Friends,

I want to thank you for reading this blog. I know I haven’t written in awhile. I would like to say it is just because I have gotten busy but it is more related to discouragement. So rather than trying to expound some great truth, I simply want to ask for prayer. I feel like I’ve been though the ringer lately. I often wonder why God would allow me to go through so much, but perhaps the correct question should be “Why not?

I would ask that you would pray that I would continue steadfast with this blog and other aspects of this ministry. Please pray that God provide me with funds and/or a job to continue this ministry, as well as the perseverance to continue even in the absence of visible fruit.

Please also join me in praying for a helpmeet. I know she is out there somewhere. Pray that I will prepare adequately for this adventure! If you have input on any aspect of my ministry, please feel free to share it with me…

Lord willing my regular blogposts will continue next week.

Thanks,

Andrew Gommesen

The Man I Need to Be!

The Man I Need To Be
By Andrew Gommesen

I want to thank the Lord for the dad he gave to me,
The man God chose to show me the man I need to be.
My Dad he isn’t perfect, he never claimed to be,
But he set a good example for my siblings and for me.

My Father taught me many things to get me through this life,
How to raise a family, and how to love a wife.
But most of all he told me of the Man of Galilee,
Who is the best example of the man I need to be.

He loved the little children, treated women with respect,
And still today He’s faithful, never guilty of neglect.
He walked with purpose toward the cross, he face set like a flint,
Never did he waver, not a single hint.

Still today He prays for us at the Father’s hand,
His the only Merit by which we now can stand.
He gives us everything we need and a great deal beside,
There is great joy for those who in Him now abide.

My father’s learned a lot from this Man of Galilee,
And I’m so glad that with great care, he passed it on to me.
Because of his example, and the One Who died for me,
I know one day that I will be the man I need to be!

Speaking4Him,

Andrew

Peter IV

“Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.” (John 19:41-42)

The next three days seemed to pass as slowly as the previous three years. The events of those years and the miracles I had witnessed ran though my mind in vivid color. I couldn’t believe that after all I’d seen—all Jesus had done for me—I had denied even knowing Him!

That Sunday morning, I was up early. I hadn’t been sleeping well. I asked forgiveness more times then I could count. I felt so hopeless and full of despair. I couldn’t shake the memory of those tender eyes looking into my soul.

Then Mary came with the news that was alive. John and I ran to the tomb to check it out. Sure enough, He wasn’t there, but I don’t think I believed he was alive until I saw him in the upper room. I can remember being both excited and fearful when I saw Him.

He put my fears to rest when he said “Peace be unto you.” Later, Jesus gave me the opportunity to affirm my love for him three times, the same number of times I had previously denied him. From that point on with the help of the Holy Spirit, I have preached the Gospel boldly. I still make mistakes, but our Lord is faithful.

I write to you from a dark jail cell. Tomorrow I will put off this earthly tent for the sake of the Gospel. Be encouraged, for our Master once said “He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.” (Matthew 10:39)

Keep Serving the Best of Masters,

Brother Peter

Speaking4Him,

Andrew Gommesen

Peter Part III...

“Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16)

I will never forget that day. Jesus asked “Whom do men say that I am.” We talked about Elijah and the prophets. Then he said “What about you?” Jesus was good at that. He didn’t want us to focus on what others thought; He wanted us to focus on what we thought. What we do with Jesus is a decision we all need to make for ourselves. I answered that He was the Christ.

Life is full of high points and low points. I still wonder at how I could have gone from such a high point to having Jesus say to me “Get thee behind me Satan.” If only I had understood what was going to transpire in the next few days—or more importantly—why. Thanks be to God that I understand now and that Jesus was patient with me until I did!

Remember earlier when I talked about Jonah? Well, at one point Jesus said to the Pharisees “An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” As we approached Jerusalem, we still didn’t understand all that that Passover week would hold.

The week started with Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. We as his disciples got excited at that. When he cast the money changers from the temple, it only added fuel to our fire! We enjoyed Passover together until Jesus started talk about leaving us again. He said things like “Where I go, you cannot come…But I will come again.” I told him I would go with him to death. He told me I would deny him three times.

It’s sad that I was so brash at super, because in the Garden—in my Master’s greatest hour of need—He repeatedly found me wiping sleep from my eyes. The events in that Garden passed in a blur. Judas’s betrayal, Jesus arrested, me cutting of Malchus’s ear, Jesus healing him.

I remember following behind Jesus with John to the court yard of the temple. What happened there I will never forget. Three questions—three answers—the tender eyes of my Master. Those things are stuck in my mind like they happened yesterday.

“Then saith the damsel that kept the door Art not thou also one of this man's disciples? I am not.”

“Art not thou also one of his disciples? I am not.”

“Did not I see thee in the garden with him? No!”

After Jesus looked at me, I went out and wept bitterly. While He was beaten, I hid. While he died I wept and wept some more. All my hope was gone!

But Sunday was coming!...

To Be Continued…

Peter...Part II

“And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles; Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes, And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor.”(Luke 6:13-16)

Yes Jesus put together quite the group of fellows. Some I knew well, others I did not. We all had two things in common. We were all pretty average, not a stellar education among the lot. I often wondered what Jesus saw in us, but I guess that’s one of my favorite things about the Master. He looks at us on the basis of what we CAN be through Him rather then what we ARE.

No one is more thankful for this than I am. It seemed I was always saying something wrong. In those early days, I definitely leaned too far to my own understanding. Without the love and mercy of our Lord, I would be lost in more ways than one.

I just want to tell you about a few experiences I had with the Master. I could never run out of stories to share, but my time is short. I will soon see my Lord face to face once again!

I’ll never forget the day Jesus healed my mother-in-law. She was so feverish she couldn’t even lift her head off of the pillow. For someone as given to hospitality as she is, this was very difficult. As a matter of fact, Matthew recorded in his Gospel “And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.” She got up and cooked us a delicious meal! The food and the fact that she was able to cook it were both amazing!

One day we got in a boat and head to the other side of the lake while Jesus stayed behind to pray. A huge storm came up and we were very afraid. Jesus came to us on the water and said “Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.” I (ever the impulsive one) asked Jesus to let me come to him. He bid me come, so I did! Before I knew it, I was walking on the water! Then I looked down and started to sink. He grabbed my hand, pulled me to safety and once again challenged me with his words "O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” The storm ceased, and we worshiped Him for we knew He was (and is) the Son of God!

To Be Continued…

Speaking4Him,

Andrew Gommesen

Peter...Part I

“One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messiah, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.” (John 1:40-41)

My name is Simon son of Jonah. I never did quite figure out if we were related to God’s great prophet, but growing up I liked to think so. I never ceased to enjoy hearing my Father tell the story of how this man of God (whose name he shared) ran away from God and His plan, and God used a storm and a whale to bring him back to his senses. Interesting isn’t it, how one can find mercy even in the whales belly.

I don’t mean to ramble. I am getting to a point. As a young lad, I had no idea the impact this story would have on me—and all mankind. I was simply focused on becoming the best fishermen I could be so that I could take over the family business. I was bold and brash. I carried myself in a way that told everyone I was in control. Until one day, a Jewish Carpenter changed everything…

I remember the day I met Jesus like it was yesterday. I can still see Andrew running toward me, the sand on the Galilean shoreline leaving great clouds of dust in his wake “Simon,” he said breathlessly, “We have found the Messiah!”

What could I say to that? I didn’t want to dampen his enthusiasm, but we had been waiting for God’s Chosen One for centuries. How could he be so sure? I’ve always been the practical one in the family, so I followed Andrew. I had to see for myself.

Two things spring to mind about my early days with the Master. First, he knew me immediately. He said to me “Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas.” If you’ve read the Gospels, you know me as Peter. He called me a rock. Though that probably makes sense to you now, it didn’t to me at the time. I was just a simple fisherman trying to make a living.

That leads me to my second observation. One day when Jesus was preaching he asked to use my boat. I did, but I felt uncomfortable the whole time. Usually when meeting someone new it is a human tendency for us to put our best foot forward and hide our flaws. With Jesus, I instinctively knew this was impossible. One look in His eyes, and I knew he could tell me more about me than even I knew—and that was bad enough.

He knew about the argument I had with my wife that morning…
He knew the pride in my heart…
He even knew my inner thoughts which often strayed to things unspeakable
He knew everything about me!

Perhaps that’s why I momentarily resisted Jesus’ call to follow Him! I’ll never forget the miracle catch of fish that day or my words to the Master “Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” Far more significant, were Jesus words to me “Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.” Little did I know where those words would lead me…

To Be Continued…

Speaking4Him,

Andrew Gommesen

Waiting...

“Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him:…” (Psalm 37:7)

I really don’t like waiting. Even when I seek after patience I want it now. Whether it’s in my ministry or other aspects of my life, it is a very difficult discipline to master. It is good to know though that we are not alone in this struggle.
The main Scriptural example that springs to mind for me at this point in time is that of the disciples of our Lord.
• As Jews, they were waiting for the Messiah. I can almost feel Andrew’s excitement as he said to Peter “We have found the Messiah,” (John 1:41)
• As his followers they were waiting for his kingdom. Unfortunately, they (not unlike us) sometimes missed the point “Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest.” (Luke 9:46)
• After Jesus died, the three days before his resurrection had to be the longest of their lives. They must have been overjoyed to see Jesus! “Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.” (John 20:19)
• They waited for the Holy Spirit. “And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.” (Acts 1:4)
All their waiting makes me feel better about the things I’m waiting for. Oh, I’m still excited about the future (and some things I’m waiting for have me on pins and needles), but I know that God has things under control. And think of this. The most exciting thing of all is that Jesus is coming back! “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13)

Jesus is quickly coming;
’Twill not be very long
Ere we shall hail our Bridegroom
With all the bright, angelic throng.
Coming, coming, Coming again for me;
Soon I shall see my Savior, Like Him I then shall be.
--Thoro Harris

Speaking4Him,
Andrew Gommesen

Spring is just around the corner!

"No man need stay the way he is."
Harry Emerson Fosdick

Every year it happens. I always hope it doesn’t, but every year without fail it does. Somewhere around early November (give or take a few weeks, I live Michigan after all) the first winds of winter begin to blow across the Great Lakes and straight into my bones. I do my best to deny it, but it does no good. Soon winter is here with all its fury. Snow covers everything, and you wonder (if only for brief moment) whether God will ever turn up the thermostat again.

I know I should be grateful for all things, but for a guy who has never found a running shoe to his liking and couldn’t do a jumping jack to save his life, (not to mention driving down a busy street in the street because he almost got stuck on the sidewalk) winter can be a challenge! I enjoy hot chocolate, candy corn, (not mint or chocolate) and Christmas or New Years gatherings with family and friends. For the most part though, the best part of winter is that spring is around the corner!

Isn’t that a great promise? Spring follows winter every time. Go ahead, think back, you won’t be able to remember a single time when this didn’t happen. Why? Because God is faithful! The same God who said to Thomas, “Be not faithless, but believing” says to you today “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” (John 5:24)

Consider also these words “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Hebrews 13:8 No matter what struggles you are facing God is faithful! Believe me I know struggles. Some days wheelchairs are a pain, and cold feet that don’t work are well…cold feet that don’t work. 

On days like that, I try to remember that that spring is right around the corner—not just in this life, but also in the next! “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. (Revelation 21:1, 4)
Friends, I’m in a win-win situation. No matter where I am, spring is right around the corner! Someday I’ll throw my wheelchair away and be ready to run! My running shoes are on order. Will you be there when I try them on? I hope so. I’m going to need some competition!

Let us then be true and faithful,
Trusting, serving every day;
Just one glimpse of Him in glory
Will the toils of life repay.

When we all get to Heaven,
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
We’ll sing and shout the victory!

Onward to the prize before us!
Soon His beauty we’ll behold;
Soon the pearly gates will open;
We shall tread the streets of gold.

--Eliza Hewitt

Speaking4Him,

Andrew Gommesen

Grace and Mercy

“Jonathan son of Saul had a son who was lame in both feet…His name was Mephibosheth.” (2 Samuel 4:4)

Mephibosheth…The name doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue does it? Last time I checked, it has never made the top ten baby names. I’ve had friends half-jokingly suggest they would give that name to their son, but I have yet to meet someone who followed through.

Perhaps it is because the name itself is strange. I mean how many people have first names that have four syllables and seem to contain the whole alphabet? It’s a good thing they didn’t have last names in bible times or they would have run out of parchment for the birth certificate! Yet for all of it’s peculiarity that name (and the story God laid out about the man who wore it) proclaim loudly two things every believer receives freely and would be lost without—the grace and mercy of God.

I would encourage you to read the story for yourself but let me just give you a brief synopsis. Jonathon and David were best friends, despite the fact that God had removed his blessing from Saul’s royal line. David would be king. Saul was very angry and tried to kill David because logically Jonathon should be the next king.

Jonathon feared God and accepted His Will. Jonathon and David made an oath before God that they would care for each others families no matter what happened. When Jonathon died, David set out to keep His promise. “And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet.” (2 Samuel 9:3)

That son was Mephibosheth. As he was brought before the king, Mephibosheth had at least two strikes against him. First he was lame in both feet. In that day, the lame could do little more then beg. Second, as a relative of Saul, David would have been justified (at least culturally) in killing him. The exchange that follows shows that Mephibosheth was all too aware of this. It is a wonderful picture grace and mercy.

“And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually. And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?” (2 Samuel 9:7-8)

David could have killed him, yet he spared his life and gave him all the land of his grandfather. No only that, but since he was lame, David sent his servants to take care of the land! Amazing! Not only did he spare him from what he did deserve, he also gave him what he didn’t deserve!

Jesus offers us an ever greater gift—eternal life when we deserve death. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) We are all sinners. After all, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9) In some ways this should be enough, but it’s only the beginning of the blessings God offers us.

He also:
• Calls us His sons and daughters (John 1:12)
• Gives us an advocate (I John 2:1-2)
• Gives us richly all things to enjoy (2 Timothy 6:17)
• Wants an intimate relationship with each of us! (Revelation 3:20)

As I close I just want to encourage you! God loves you. He has a place for you at his table, so if you haven’t come to Him yet, make today the day! If you have, spend time with Him! When we think of all He has done for us, how can we do any less?

“No one knew how alone I was feeling,
And the emptiness I tried so hard to hide.
Though I laugh and said my life was fine without you.
I was covering up the secret tears I cried.
Then one day someone told me of your mercies,
And the love you showed on a Hill called Calvary.
There you died and purchased my redemption,
When you broke in spite and set my spirit free.

Chorus
I'm amazed that you love me I'm amazed how you care
Through Your precious blood I've found pardon
And my sins are washed they're all washed away
All my sins are washed away

Yes there've been days when I've failed you.
Lord you know the many times I've gone astray.
Lord I've learned your love is stronger than my weakness,
And your ear is open every time I pray.
No one else has ever cared for me like you Lord.
Other friends could never be as close to me.
I'm not afraid to face the problems of tomorrow,
Knowing you are everything I'll ever need.

Chorus
I'm amazed that you love me I'm amazed how you care
Through your precious blood I've found pardon
And my sins are washed they're all washed away
All my sins are washed away

I'm amazed that you love me I'm amazed how you care
Through your precious blood I've found pardon
And my sins are washed they're all washed away
All my sins are washed away

I'm amazed that you love me I'm amazed how you care
Through your precious blood I've found pardon
And my sins are washed they're all washed away
All my sins are washed away”

—Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir

Speaking4Him,

Andrew Gommesen

The Love of God!

"The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us; just as the roof of a sunhouse does not attract the sun because it is bright, but becomes bright because the son shines on it." C.S. Lewis

Tomorrow is Valentines Day! I hope that each of us will take the time to express thanks to God for the people that we love. GOD has been so good to us! He knows how to give good gifts! This is especially evident when we consider that we are not even worthy of our next breath

“This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.” (Lamentations 3:21-25)

Be encouraged friend! God has given us so much! We deserved death, he gave us life. We deserved Judgment and damnation. He gave us life and took our Judgment upon himself! “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)

As if that were not enough, God gave us many earthly blessings. One of the greatest gifts he ever gave to men is women. They are precious and we as men (whether married or single) have a duty to protect and defend them. Remember that a godly woman has a price that is far above rubies (Proverbs 31:1) For those who are married, love your wives as Christ loved the church. Give yourself for her on a daily basis. If you are not married, take seriously this time God has given you to prepare!

Ladies, be patient with us. We are not perfect. We realize that we have a long way to go, but we also know that we are works in progress! The good news is that HE is faithful to complete his work! (Philippians 1:6)

“Let the wife make the husband glad to come home, and let him make her sorry to see him leave.” Martin Luther

Speaking4Him,
Andrew Gommesen

Once and For All!

"Knowing that Christ being raised

from the dead dieth no more;

death hath no more dominion over him.

For in that he died, he died unto sin once:

but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God."

(Romans 6:9-10)

It's here...Superbowl weekend!! The single biggest weekend in American Sport. Well, at least one of the biggest (I'm not an expert, and I don't play one on TV), but it's pretty big.

• Sports radio hosts have been at the site of the big event for the past two weeks talking it up.
• Commercials during the game fetch multi-million dollars even for 30 second spots. (which begs the question "Why are they most of them so stupid?)
• The whole world watches, and the day after the Super Bowl is one of the biggest "sick days" in the calender year.

Yet for all of the hoopla and fanfare (especially among the fans in the cities represented) the excitement and sense of accomplishment is fleeting. Before the fireworks burn out, and the confetti drops the question on everyone's lips for the winners is "Can you repeat." Sometimes it's even asked during the trophy presentation! All that hard work, and all anyone really cares about is what you can do next!

I am so glad it's not that way with God! When Jesus died on that cruel cross and uttered those glorious words "It is finished," it really was! No one need ask, "Can you repeat." It's done. The Resurrection was God's stamp of approval on the redemption process. He died once for all!

"But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. " (Hebrews 9:11-12)

Rejoice today! Gods gift of Salvation is secure for all time. No one can take it away. So let's rest in him, serve him out of love, and share him with others. Unlike many gifts, there is plenty to go around!

"Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea.
A great high Priest whose Name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart.
I know that while in Heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free.
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me.

Behold Him there the risen Lamb,
My perfect spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
The King of glory and of grace,
One in Himself I cannot die.
My soul is purchased by His blood,
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ my Savior and my God!"

Charitie de Cheney Lees Smith Bancroft 1841-1923

Speaking4Him,

Andrew Gommesen

Preach Always!

"Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words."

Francis of Assisi

I am a preacher of the Gospel. It's what I was born to do. I love to share the Words of eternal life! The obvious reason is:

"How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!" (Romans 10:14-15)

I have been thinking a lot about preaching in these first few months of my formal ministry. It's easy to think about preaching simply in the terms outlined in the passage above. After all, what could be a greater thrill than standing before a crowd and boldly testifying of God's grace? I can tell you nothing gives me a greater thrill!

Last night however, something struck me afresh. We are all to preach the Gospel. Not only that, but some of the most powerful sermons are not preached anywhere near a pulpit.

Consider the following examples:

• The homeschool mom who in addition to teaching English, reading, and math, preaches love and compassion to her little boy as she wipes his tears and bandages his scraped knee.
• The loving granddaughter who waits with her grandfather in the hospital waiting room and joyfully listens to his stories. She keeps his mind (at least somewhat) off grandma's surgery. She gives him one of her most precious resources--her time.
• The Dad who works hard all week then comes home and takes his girls to an all-day rabbit show, so that his wife can fly across the country to care for her granddaughter--and the grandmother who takes great delight in simply holding her sleeping granddaughter.

I am a preacher so I certainly don't want to take away from any who have been called to this work. In fact, I encourage you to do it with all your might! But we would do well to remember that while some may fall asleep during our sermons (I've had it happen to me, and I must admit, I've done it to others) those we know and love would be hard-pressed to forget the sermons of "love in action" we can all preach daily!

"Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works." (James 4:17-18)

So what are you waiting for? Get out there and preach! Your "congregation" is waiting!

"The preaching that this world needs most is the sermons in shoes that are walking with Jesus Christ."

D.L. Moody

Speaking4Him,

Andrew

50,000,000...a big number!

50,000,000

50,000,000 is big number. Consider the following facts:

• 50,000,000 days =137,000 years
• 50,000,000 feet=9,450 miles
• 50,000,000 people=roughly 5 times the population of Michigan (10,045,697)
• 50,000,000=the number of babies aborted since January 22, 1973 when Roe v. Wade legalized abortion in all fifty states, at any time, for any reason!

For the last 37 years we've been killing our future! Who knows how much good all these babies could be doing today? How many expert lawyers, genius doctors, or other revolutionary minds has our society forfeited benefiting from because they didn't have a choice to live? We'll never know...

I know that this a broad issue and I won't try to touch on everything, but I want to talk for a moment on when a baby becomes a baby. Some people try to make the argument that a baby becomes a baby when (or shortly before) the baby is born.

The next question becomes what does "shortly" mean? Is it at 8 months? Seven? Well, I was born at six months along and I was "100%" baby!

The Bible says:

"Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee." (Jeremiah 1:5)

"I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well." (Psalm 139:14)

God ordained life, and we should support life and be willing reach out to women in crises and to share life affirming solutions. For more info go to http://www.rtl.org/

"Abraham Lincoln recognized that we could not survive as a free land when some men could decide that others were not fit to be free and should therefore be slaves. Likewise, we cannot survive as a free nation when some men decide that others are not fit to live and should be abandoned to abortion or infanticide."
~ Ronald Reagan – Abortion and the Conscience of the Nation ~

Speaking4Him,

Andrew Gommesen

God's Man

"And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour." Judges 6:12

What comes to mind when you read these words? Maybe you picture a big burly man armed to the teeth and dressed for battle. He is the oldest in his family and his family is part of the society elite. He is chomping at the bit to undertake whatever it is God may ask. Sounds good, doesn't it? I mean that's the kind of man to whom I would give the above comendation.

A closer look at the passage paints quite a differant picture "And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites." Judges 6:12

This is the story of Gideon. He was in Israel at the time of the Judges. He was hiding in a winepress thrashing wheat so the enemy would not see him and take it--or his life. He knew he wasn't much. "And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house." (v. 15)

God had other plans. He said "Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man." (v. 16) What a promise! To sum up the rest of the story, Gideon and his 300 men defeated the powerful Midionite Army by the hand of the Lord!

This story gives me hope. I am grateful that God looks past what we are to what we can be if we trust Him. When God called Gideon a mighty man a valor, he was anything but. God knew his potential and commended him on that basis.

I am nothing special. I've spent most of my live in a wheelchair. I've never run the mile or bench pressed anything. I'll probably never be rich or famous and beyond my family and friends I won't be remembered after my death. But I cling to the truth of the following passages:

"I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." (John 15:5)

"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Philippians 4:13)

I may never do anything the world considers noteworthy, but if I can love and serve The Lord Jesus Christ and raise a family to do the same, I will be a "mighty man of valor" in God's eyes.

~~God is not looking for brilliant men, is not depending upon eloquent men, is not shut up to the use of talented men in sending His gospel out in the world. God is looking for broken men who have judged themselves in the light of the cross of Christ. When He wants anything done, He takes up men who have come to the end of themselves, whose confidence is not in themselves, but in God. ~~H. A. Ironside

Speaking4Him,

Andrew Gommesen