Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and … Continue reading Defenceless Christians
Faith and life
What do we have inside?
Ravi Zacharias, in one of his books, quotes an African proverb which says: "A man shows what he has inside by what spills out when he is bumped." Much as we might wish to avoid it, we are going to be bumped, by circumstances that we did not foresee and by people who do not … Continue reading What do we have inside?
Where have all the doctrines gone?
There were three churches in the town where I grew up. The doctrinal position of each was well understood and inflexible; none of them would have been considered evangelical. About the time I began high school, an itinerant evangelist held meetings in a rented hall and people’s hearts were sufficiently stirred that a Baptist congregation … Continue reading Where have all the doctrines gone?
Marriage
We have invitations to three weddings posted on our fridge. We would like to be at all of them, but the only one we will for sure attend is the one that takes place tomorrow in our home congregation. This one involves a young man from Mississippi who is marrying a sister of our son-in-law. … Continue reading Marriage
God’s way is still best
“For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind” (Hosea 8:7). Progress and family have never been very compatible. The economic development of the U.S. south depended on capturing large numbers of African people, who knew more about raising cotton than the plantation owners, bringing them to America and treating them as … Continue reading God’s way is still best
True Christianity is neither Protestant nor Roman Catholic
"And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch" (Acts 11:26). Well, they had to call them something, didn't they? Some of them had once been Jews, but that label didn't really fit anymore. Others had been pagans, probably worshippers of Apollo and others of the Greek gods. That label didn't work for them anymore. … Continue reading True Christianity is neither Protestant nor Roman Catholic
All power
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Matthew 28:18 These are bold words, yet coming as they did from the mouth of one who had risen from the dead we must grant their credibility. The question then is, at what point was Jesus … Continue reading All power
Thanksgiving meditations
Today is Thanksgiving Day here in Canada. Members of our congregation will be gathering at church this evening for a big Thanksgiving meal, joined by relatives of some members who have come from a distance, and some of our neighbours. There will be lots of visiting and a time for singing and testimonies after the … Continue reading Thanksgiving meditations
God’s ground crew
About 35 years ago I read a magazine article about a famous (notorious?) Canadian rock musician. Near the end of the article, this musician was quoted as saying, “I love the Lord; but I don’t have much use for his ground crew.” That statement has stuck in my mind, perhaps because it seems that so … Continue reading God’s ground crew
Heaven and hell
Atheists consider the teaching in the Bible about a place called hell to be a conclusive argument against Christianity and its belief in a loving God. As a Christian, I consider hell to be part of the good news. I don't any vindictive feelings against other people, but if heaven is to be a good … Continue reading Heaven and hell
