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WHEN YOU FIND YOURSELF OFF COURSE Uncategorized

WHEN YOU FIND YOURSELF OFF COURSE

There are certain messages that serve to get me back on track when I find myself off course. Verses. Vision boards. Inspirational quotes. A personal mission statement. A Manifesto Lately its been a manifesto - a philosophical declaration. Over the past six weeks I've been on a same page initiative with hundreds of other people at North Pointe. All ages and stages. Together. Studying. Praying. Digging deep. Seeking God. All your chips in the middle. All In Mark Batterson gave us a context for study in his book All In. Took him thirteen years to write it. Impressive. Sacred. He reduces his life takeaways from seeking God, to twenty-two declarations. Thanks, Mark. Which one speaks to you? 22 Declarative Ways…
Bob Jones
April 5, 2017
THE ROLE OF PRAYER IN THE FREEDOM OF KEVIN AND JULIA GARRATT Uncategorized

THE ROLE OF PRAYER IN THE FREEDOM OF KEVIN AND JULIA GARRATT

Who better to ask than Kevin and Julia Garratt about the power of prayer. For 775 days people prayed for their release from Chinese imprisonment. Nothing changed. The world watched as Kevin faced isolation, failing health, death threats, and despair. Where was God? Kevin and Julia share their answer. "Prayer is and was our lifeline."  During those 775 long days we turned to God multiple times a day. He heard our cries and answered every time we called. At times it was a verse, a song, or an overwhelming sense of peace that truly surpassed all understanding. You Prayed, God Answered It wasn't the answer we were hoping for - prison doors to open and to walk free - but God…
Bob Jones
April 2, 2017
ARRIVAL: IF YOU KNEW YOUR FUTURE Uncategorized

ARRIVAL: IF YOU KNEW YOUR FUTURE

If you knew your future – all of its pain and happiness - would you choose to live it? I watched the movie Arrival on a near empty flight from YYZ to YEG. It's a sci-fi flick but its much more than that. The plot looked intriguing so I spent two hours of my life for the experience. No regrets. I’m a soft touch for tear-jerkers that make you think and this one didn’t disappoint. A Love Story Arrival is about aliens (Heptapods), an international crisis, fear generated by the unknown and destiny. The action and dialogue are on the shallow side but the storyline will take you deep. All in all, Arrival is a love story about a single…
Bob Jones
March 26, 2017
THE FINAL ESCAPE Uncategorized

THE FINAL ESCAPE

He's known as "Hitch" and "The Master of Suspense." Alfred Hitchcock's story, “Final Escape” is the purest example of the way he blends the phobias inspired by Edgar Allan Poe and the narrative twists of O. Henry. Can you guess the surprise twist before you get to the end of this post? (Don't cheat yourself. Read the story.) A Life Sentence In the October 28th, 1985 TV episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Lena Trent (played by Season Hubley) is convicted of murdering her husband. She’s sentenced to spend the rest of her life in prison. The episode starts turning the audience against Lena from its opening frames, showing Lena in court wearing pretentious sunglasses, an indication of her lack of…
Bob Jones
March 24, 2017
TEENAGERS CAUGHT IN THE ACT Uncategorized

TEENAGERS CAUGHT IN THE ACT

Life can be tough for people at any age, but most would agree that being a teenager is exceptionally difficult. When else can you can wake up with the comforts of childhood, and go to bed with the painful weight of awareness? And who else gets more of a bad rap than teens? These teens were caught in the act. The Quest Four teens set out on a Quest to find buried treasure in Banff. The most incredible things happened as they lead their appreciative audience through a creative script, original songs, laughter and insight to something priceless. Scriptwriter/Producer/Actor - Pastor Jeremy Gifford - summarizes our sentiment in saying, "The amazing team from our youth production this weekend #TheQuest did…
Bob Jones
March 19, 2017
15 SPECTACULAR PICS FROM PETRA Uncategorized

15 SPECTACULAR PICS FROM PETRA

Bob Jones - 2015 Tour "There are no words to describe this place." "This is the most amazing thing I have ever seen." "It was the best money I have ever spent." Literally carved directly into vibrant red, white, pink, and sandstone cliff faces, Petra is one of those places where descriptive superlatives fall far short of the experience of being there.  The Rose City Twice I've been on tours to Petra - one of the seven wonders of the ancient world - and I imagine future trips would not diminish its attraction. On both tours our Jordanian guides noted the “Rose-Red City” is a honeycomb of hand-hewn caves, temples, and tombs carved from blushing pink sandstone in the high…
Bob Jones
March 18, 2017
HACKSAW RIDGE: LIVE LIKE DOSS Uncategorized

HACKSAW RIDGE: LIVE LIKE DOSS

The story behind the movie Hacksaw Ridge, recent winner of two Oscars, involves a young U.S. Army medic during World War II, Desmond T. Doss, whose religious conscience forbid him from killing another human being. More Than A Movie Ironically, director Mel Gibson’s movie projects are not shy about accentuating violence but this one is more than that. It is a story of deep religious conviction of a hero who risked his life to save life. Doss served with the Medical Detachment, 307th Infantry, 77th Infantry Division. It was Doss’s bravery in saving the lives of his fellow soldiers that became legendary. Believe It Or Not If you did not know better, reading the Army’s citation of the events -…
Bob Jones
March 15, 2017
WHAT FLOWRIDER TAUGHT ME ABOUT FAILURE Uncategorized

WHAT FLOWRIDER TAUGHT ME ABOUT FAILURE

My heart told me, “You should try that.” My mind told me, “You'll make a fool of yourself. Plus you could do major damage to your body.” My heart won out. Failure's Meaning Looking foolish in front of people is a fail for me. For most of us, failure comes with baggage – a lot of baggage. From an early age I got the message that: Failure is bad. Failure means you didn’t study or prepare well enough. Failure means you aren’t smart enough. Failure is something to be ashamed of. Failure hurts so avoid it all costs. Flowriders and Failure New experiences that look enjoyable but come with a high risk of failure are to be avoided. Case in…
Bob Jones
March 8, 2017
17 UNFORGETTABLE IMAGES FROM ISRAEL Uncategorized

17 UNFORGETTABLE IMAGES FROM ISRAEL

1. The Valley of Megiddo. Here all the armies of the world will gather for the Battle of Armageddon. Most every major site in Israel's history - David's defeat of Goliath to ongoing warfare with the Philistines to Jesus' birth in Nazareth - can be seen from this vantage point on Mount Carmel. 2. The Jesus Boat. Discovered in 1986 on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee, this fishing boat dates back to 40BC. It was estimated to have had a century of use. Boats like this were used by fisherman in Jesus' time. Brothers, Moshe and Yuval Lufan, themselves fisherman, discovered the boat when drought caused the Sea of Galilee to recede. The boat was carefully extracted…
Bob Jones
March 3, 2017
JESUS AND KELLY AT THE GATES OF HADES Uncategorized

JESUS AND KELLY AT THE GATES OF HADES

In the "region of Caesarea Philippi" Jesus asked his Jewish disciples "Who do men say that I am?" What happened next turned their world upside down. Why Here? Why Now? North Pointe's Israel team visited Caesarea Philippi in February 2017. The ancient city stood in a once lush area near the foot of Mount Hermon. Now, its a unexceptional locale visited primarily by tourists. Caesarea Philippi was like a red-light district in the Jewish world and the devout would have avoided any contact with the despicable acts committed there. It was a city of people eagerly knocking on the doors of hell. Our Jewish guide questioned, "Why would Jesus - a good Jew - bring his Jewish disciples to the…
Bob Jones
March 1, 2017