God – Page 5 – Peter Gowesky

In Faith in Real Life

Me Interrupted

December 2, 2008 2 Comments

I’ll tell you what, I’m not good with interruptions. Interruptions bother me. It goes against protocol. It goes against productivity. It slows down results. When I’m in a train of thought, or if I’m focused on a project and I’ve got my mind wrapped diligently around something, interruptions are not the thing that I am looking forward to!

There are few times when I love to be interrupted. #1. I love when my wife comes through my office door. It is always good to see her. #2. I love when my kids barge through the door dragging their cups/blankies/stuffed animals/etc. Those are interruptions that make me feel warm and fuzzy inside.

So, here’s another Thanksgiving picture. This one is classic. Tiffany and I were trying to get a picture of Noah and Grace on this bench and it just wasn’t working. Their minds were tracking after a bird flying around. For the life of us, they were unable to sit still; focus/smile/say CHEESE, and take a perfect picture. They were distracted, I was interrupted. What was going on in that given situation was being interrupted.

Life is like that, isn’t it? All kinds of interruptions come our way. Have you learned to discern interruptions from God given opportunities? Here’s what I mean. Sometimes we can be working away at whatever it is that we are giving ourselves too, and God brings along someone that really needs us. This person has a real need. Maybe it’s food, maybe it’s emotional, maybe it’s physical of some sort. How do we respond? What is your first response?

Tough isn’t it? It’s about setting ourselves aside, and putting others in place of us! Whew… That is not easy!

We have been going through a teaching series lately in our Youth Ministry called, It’s not about YOU! We are learning together how to live life with it being more about other people and less about ME.

Can you say that you welcome the interruptions? Do you have any examples?

Take time today to look around, pause for a while, and listen. Let God “ruin” your day with interruptions. If we practiced this we may find out that we get more done. At least things that actually matter.

~Peter

In Faith in Real Life

What do you want?

November 12, 2008 3 Comments

So many times I’ve asked the question, what? What do you want? I’ve asked my parents, I’ve asked friends, I’ve asked my wife… I’ve asked my kids… Sometimes with more patience than others… But I’ve been down that road before. WHAT DO YOU WANT?

This morning I have the opportunity to lead our devotional time in our staff meeting. I am going to ask one question… “What does God want to do with you here at this church?”

Check out the disciples story… What did God want to do with those knuckleheads? So, here’s my question for you this morning, What does God want to do with you in your church?

As this guy would say, it’s an all skate. Come on, jump in and leave a comment… what do you think?

~Peter

In Uncategorized

Hero to zero- FEAR

October 21, 2008 No Comments

Okay, so what truly scares you? I hate spiders… They creep me out, scare me, and just all around bother me like nothing else. Several months ago, I hear my name being yelled from the basement of our townhouse and Tiffany says, get down here now! So, of course like any good husband would do, I bolt down there to aid my damsel in distress. I get down there to see a monster spider just chillin’ in the middle of our carpet, hanging out like I wanted him there or something. So, upon seeing the sight, I said, what do you want me to do about it? You kill it! Talk about manly, knight in shinning armor momments, this was not one of mine. I hate spiders… Did I mention that? I think I threw a stack of magazines in that general direction in hopes that my shot gun approach would in fact disable the spider to the point of death. I was successful.

So, we are back to Acts today. Acts 9:10-19… Check it out here…

Here is this guy Ananias who gets a call from God to go and do the scariest thing possible. Go and visit Saul. Saul (later Paul) had permission from the High Priest to take out any of the believers that were following “the way”. Ananias says, “God, I’ve heard the bad things this guy can do to me… Like for real? You want me to do that?” God replies yes! I have called you to this… This is for you. Face your fear, and be obedient to me.

Ananias, a normal guy, we have no idea where he comes from, or where he goes after this, but God has called him to this task. To face his fear and obey God.

What scares you? What do you think God is asking you to do that just terrifies you? Let’s hear em…

~Peter (still scared of spiders)

In Uncategorized

My Hearts Desires…

October 18, 2008 No Comments

I’ve been reading in Acts, and I’ve come up to the conversion of Saul of Tarsus. It’s actually Acts 9:1-9. Check it out here.

So, anyhow, I was thinking about this today, and I have been pairing my reading with a great book by a huge thinker in our day, N.T. Wright. He writes a book called Acts for Everyone. It makes for an excellent study aid. Here is something I never knew before… So, back in the day, the Jews used to meditate on certain scriptures, chapters, and such. One such meditation is from Ezekiel 1:26-28. They would actually look to see God in the sky, coming in on a chariot. They would meditate on this.

Can you imagine Saul’s surprise to find out that he is literally looking upon the very God of the universe with his own two eyes?

It made me think… What are the meditations of MY heart. What am I longing to see God do? What do I set before my mind at all times waiting to see what God will do with it?

So, here’s the deal, Saul, got what he was meditating on, with an added twist. “Saul, why do you persecute me?” That must have been a shocker, eh? Here is a guy thinking He is doing the right thing, seeking after the right and God honoring thing. Then, BAM! He is asked that question… Why do you persecute Me?

So… This made me think about the things that I am seeking after, meditating after, longing for, and yearning for. Are these things that would please God?

What do you think? Respond, lets start the coversation…

~Peter

In Faith in Real Life

Questions for my soul…

August 8, 2008 1 Comment

For the last two days I have spent hours watching pixels of light reflecting on a simple white screen. I spent a good portion of the last 48 hours listening to sound waves resonate in my ears. This may sound like a lazy summer day for some of our teenagers here in our ministry, watching the TV, and listening to the Ipod.

The last two days I was apart of The Leadership Summit. This is a leadership conference that Willow Creek puts on every year. It was a very powerful conference. I was challenged by many of the speakers. We heard from several key leaders making huge strides in the Church of today. I truly believe that God has been working in my life these last few weeks. These last two days are no different.

I was challenged to think in stretching ways. I really began to think about who God has made me and what does He want me to do? Here are some of the questions that I am wrestling with:

1. What am I pursuing?

2. What price am I willing to pay?

3. How is God rocking my world?

4. How do we get “IT”

5. How do I provide Leadership that actually matters?

6. What is it that God is showing me about myself?

7. What am I afraid of?

I need to give big props and many congratulations to my friend Jason over at LCBC. They received the courageous leadership award from Willow Creek. You can jump over to his blog to read about what happened. I am certainly proud of him and his church. LCBC inspires me. You should check them out.

~Peter

In Faith in Real Life

Continue the Conversation

August 3, 2008 2 Comments

Today I was teaching in our college aged young adults class, Encounters. I have been teaching this summer in that class using Rob Bell’s Nooma video series. Today we are on video #6, Kickball. (Click here to watch a brief clip from the video) In this video we came across several deep theological questions. At least I felt like we did. One question we came across was, is God a good God? At God’s very core, is He good? We also touched on the idea of total depravity, meaning that you and I don’t do any good, anything that we do that is good is from God.

Well, I was particularly struck with the whole question of is God a good God? Now, let me clarify and say absolutely I believe that God, the God of Israel, the God of Abraham Issac and Jacob, the God who created the universe and the contents within is absolutely a good God. Here’s the dilemma: I don’t always think that everything He chooses to do is good. Maybe it would be better to say that I don’t always like what God chooses to do. I’ll even take it a step further and admit that sometimes it makes me angry.

Does this make God inherently good or bad??? I mean, because we don’t like what God chooses to do, does that make God a bad/angry/evil/unjust God? These and others are the types of questions that people outside of the church ask. How do we respond to those types of questions?

I absolutely hate the fact that my Dad has a form of Alzheimer’s. That drives me crazy, and disturbs me to no end. I can’t see what God is doing through this. I don’t have the answers.

However, I also can’t say that God is an evil God because He didn’t run His agenda by me before He set things into motion. Jeremiah 29:11-14 has always been a verse that I have turned to when things get crazy. Today was the first time that I have read the Message Paraphrase version of it. It goes like this:

“I know what I am doing. I have it all planned out- plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. When you call on Me, when you come and pray to Me, I’ll listen. When you come looking for Me, you’ll find Me. Yes, when you get serious about finding Me, and want it more than anything else, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed.”

God knows what He is doing. Yes God doesn’t always give us the things that we want. In fact I am glad that God doesn’t do that. I can remember a time when I was little asking my parents for a toy at Andy’s store at the north end of LBI. My dad told me no that I couldn’t get it. I was really upset by that. I was annoyed, and maybe even a little angry. Now what I wanted was some cheap plastic toy gun that shot suction cup darts. It is the kind of toy that any self respecting adult knows is going to break in about 5 minutes. So, the obvious answer would be to say “No, do yourself a favor and save your money.” But I couldn’t wrap my mind around it as a kid. I also didn’t believe that it was going to break.

So, here’s the deal, I am sure that it is like that sometimes with God. I can’t understand God’s mind. Just in the same way that as a little kid I couldn’t understand my dad saying no to the toy gun.

I am so glad that God doesn’t give me what I deserve. I am so glad that God gives me good gifts. (James 1:17, Luke 11:11-13)

What do you think? Continue the conversation…

~Peter

In Faith in Real Life

I’ve got the golden ticket!

July 27, 2008 5 Comments

Yeah, that’s right. You heard it hear. I’ve got the golden ticket. The golden ticket came back yesterday. What’s the golden ticket you ask? A pretty sweet golden Chrysler town and country, that’s what.

3 weeks ago, the transmission went out on the van. We had it towed to one shop, and then towed to another shop. Finally after 3 weeks of frustration, (and many thanks to the Millers, and the Atkins for loaning us their cars) we got the golden ticket back.

So here is the most frustrating part. 2 years ago, we replaced the transmission in this car. So, just about 730 days later we were in need of another transmission. Unbelievable. Anyhow, yesterday when I went to pick up the van, I recieved a very detailed report of what happened, what went wrong, and all this other technical jargon. Here’s the synopsis. The computer that controls the transmission went bad, and told the car to shift into some other gear it wasn’t supposed to shift into and it threw the trans into the wrong gear. This is what it did. It took a part that is supposed to look like this:

And made it look like this now:

It sheared off this whole hunk of metal due to the fact that it was going in the wrong direction or it was the wrong downshift, or who knows exactly what the scenario was. Either way, we ended up with a bum transmission. This is the close up.

So, here’s the problem. Two years ago, when I had the transmission replaced with a rebuilt one, why didn’t they replace the transmission controller at the same time? The part is seriously only $150. That’s a lot of money to me. However, I would gladly have paid $150 bucks initially to protect against ruining another transmission! I mean, that was basically $2,500 dollars down the drain because someone didn’t really fix the whole problem the first time. Yes, they got the van running again; but fixed? I’m not sure…

So, here’s where this hits me in real life. Have you ever had some sort of sin that you just couldn’t kick? The kind of thing that you don’t want to do, but end up doing anyway? It isn’t fun. The way I see it, it’s kind of like that transmission. If we don’t ever get to the root of the sin/problem in our life, we may find ourselves going through the same pain, the same sin issues time and time again. When we see that something is going on in our life, or when God shows us something that needs to be removed/fixed/changed, we better do something before our transmissions blows up, and shears something off of our life. I was recently hanging with a friend of ours who was expressing a time in their life when they were living with serious depression. They said that they stand here today completely healed and changed because they prayed and prayed, and asked for God’s wisdom, and sought counsel, and got to the very root of the issue. They went to the core and corrected it. They didn’t just mask it or wait for it to kind of go away for a while only to see it come back stronger and more intense. There is wisdom in that.

What do you think?

~Peter

P.S. My man Jesse has just started blogging over here, why not stop by and give him some love. Jesse is one of our Youth Leaders and is a great guy who really has a heart for the Lord.

In Faith in Real Life

careful what you wish for…

July 9, 2008 No Comments

It’s been a while… I’ve been praying for a while. I have been praying that God would use me and make me into a man of integrity, give me wisdom, and patience. I’m serious. I want nothing more than to be a man of God who has integrity.

I have to admit something to you. The last week or so haven’t been the easiest. Part of why I blog is to share my life with you. To share who I am. To share what God is doing in my life. To share what it’s like for me as a husband, a dad, a youth pastor, and as a person living this life. There are going to be times in my life when everything is lined up perfectly. Another reason as to why I blog is because I hope that as you read the insights that I have found in my life that I can encourage you. (Pete Wilson has a great explanation as to why Pastor’s should blog. I love it. Here it is.) Recently, things haven’t been that great. Both of our cars went kaputz, and {we are actually still waiting on God to show us what to do with the van} we have had some dissapointments in the last several days, that have made it difficult to be cheery and positive. I was asked by someone who knows me pretty well today, and who also knows what is swirling around the Gowesky family, “how are you doing?” Do you know what I said? I said, “Good.” And I even had a bit of a cheery overtone in my voice. He replied, “don’t lie to me”. Why do I have to pretend to always be alright?

Right now, we are trying to figure out what to do with our vehicle. We are facing some tough realities, and guess what? I asked for it! You almost could say, I got what I asked for. I’ve been asking for wisdom, and for patience, and for integrity. Well, how did I think that God was going to give that to me? Teach me of course. Show me. Bring me through the things that mold me into the man that God has intended for me to be. These are the things… These are the moments that God has planned to use in my life as a coach uses after his player just got creamed on the last play. “Get up, get your head in the game. Quit feeling sorry for yourself, and learn from what just happened to you. Don’t let it happen again!”

Man is it tough. I’m not sure that this is what I would have asked for if I had known. It’s all good though. God will bring us through. As my friend so wisely told me today, “Keep doing what God has called you to do. Rely on Him. Look for Him to provide the answers. Enjoy every moment with your precious wife and kids.”

He is so right. I have the greatest wife a man could ever want. I have two amazing kids, and I am so blessed.

So, careful what you pray for. Because, you might just get it.

~Peter

P.S. Answer these two questions! I am preaching in two weeks, and I wanted to get some feedback on these topics! Thanks!

In Faith in Real Life

Continuation..

July 5, 2008 No Comments

So, the van is in the shop getting fixed. Who knows what that will be. We are still just relying on God that He will provide for our needs here… It is amazing the way that God continues to provide for us. This may be entirely overwhelming, and we have no idea how it is going to come together, but this is such a small thing to God. Two broken cars aren’t even a blip on the screen for Him. So, we will continue to wait and see how He provides.

I’ll keep you posted.

~Peter

In Faith in Real Life

The Bread of Life

June 25, 2008 No Comments

This was a blog post that I published several months ago. However, I’ve been listening to Pete Wilson’s sermon series, SYNC and this came to mind… (If you want to listen too click here) It’s good to have a refresher.

Matthew 6:25-34

“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? ²⁷ Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

²⁸ “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, ²⁹ yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. ³⁰ And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

³¹ “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ ³² These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. ³³ Seek the Kingdom of God^[d^] above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

³⁴ “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

I was sitting and reading this passage at a Panera bread [I must admit that was my second meal at Panera that day. My wife who is an avid Panera Bread lover would be so jealous if she only knew] after having looked at these beautiful loaves of bread all day, I couldn’t help but think about how Jesus, (who calls Himself “the Bread of life” in John 6:35) came down and satisfied my needs.

He seriously came down and met my every need. I was reminded today that Jesus will fulfill our needs, not our greed’s. Boy, that is startling isn’t it? How often do I have greed’s that I feel are needs.

Panera has some really delicious bread. And being a self-proclaimed {starch-a-holic} I know a good loaf when I see one. I don’t even need to say loaf of what. You other starch lovers know what I’m talking about. Nothing like a good loaf of carbohydrates which go right to my ever-expanding waste line. I’m told that carbs in control is the way to go. However, since I can’t seem to get that right, I’m starting a club called Carboholics Anonymous.

What if we had a group so addicted to Christ, The Bread of Life, that we had a Carboholics Anonymous class. Addicted to the bread of life? Well, here’s where you can come and meet others who are equally addicted. Or are our Churches and Youth Groups filled with people who are on the Spiritual Atkins diet. You know, cut the carbs, and never eat those evil carbs again! It could sound something like this, “I like religion, I like Jesus, but I can only have 1 portion of Jesus a day, and I prefer him with jelly. In fact I’ll take some more vegetables please.” Do we forget to learn from the Bread lovers? I pray that God makes me a lover of others more than self. However, what if I was so in tune with relying on the bread of life instead of the bread of strife?