Quench not the Spirit

I am old enough to remember the Jesus People movement and I believe that it was in a large part a genuine work of the Holy Spirit. Young people who were disillusioned with the empty formality of the older generation’s religion and disappointed by the empty promises of the hippie movement found what their hearts … Continue reading Quench not the Spirit

Further thoughts on praying in Jesus’ name

I have heard individuals from a number of denominations end their prayers with “in thy name, Amen.” None of those denominations teach that this is an acceptable way of ending a prayer, so where does this phrase come from? I have not found a clear answer to this question, but have come across the thought … Continue reading Further thoughts on praying in Jesus’ name

In the Name of Jesus Christ

Me? Prejudiced? How is that possible?

Fady Dagher was born in Lebanon, grew up in Cote d'Ivoire and came to Canada as a young man. He was a police officer in the city of Montreal for many years and a few years ago was hired as chief of police for the city of Longueil. A couple of months ago he became … Continue reading Me? Prejudiced? How is that possible?

A story about the devil

Chicken Little had finished her breakfast, poured herself a coffee and opened her laptop to check the news. Soon her eyes lit on a frightening headline: THE SKY IS FALLING! The story cited a number of scientific research papers, explained by important scientists. Chicken Little's anxiety increased as she read. Finally she could sit no … Continue reading A story about the devil

Why do I fear to speak the name of Jesus?

Am I a soldier of the cross,A follower of the Lamb?And shall I fear to own His cause,Or blush to speak His name? Isaac Watts, 1674-1748 There must have been people even 300 years ago who considered themselves followers of Jesus but were very circumspect about mentioning His name. Why are we like that? Are … Continue reading Why do I fear to speak the name of Jesus?

The Call to Follow – Book Review

Richard Langer and Joanne J. Jung have put their finger on one of the major causes of the ineffectiveness of Christian outreach and Christian organizations: everybody believes they are called to be a leader. They show how this belief is unbiblical and ineffective and urge us to replace it with the desire to be followers … Continue reading The Call to Follow – Book Review

The dark side of beauty

Image by Petra from Pixabay  There is nothing more beautiful than a sunny winter morning when every tree branch, every weed and every wire is coated with sparling, dazzling diamonds. No man-made beauty comes close to matching such a display. Last week we had mild days with fog and hardly a breeze. In the night, the fog would … Continue reading The dark side of beauty

Hope for a better world

In order to survive and prosper, a society needs the vitality and idealism of youth and the wisdom and experience of the elderly. What we are experiencing today is a sprit of nihilism in both young and old: a belief that the old ideas about religion, morals, law and government have failed and need to … Continue reading Hope for a better world

How come our mothers didn’t know about bay spinach?

Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay  My mother grew spinach in the garden, picked and boiled the mature leaves and served them with dinner. They were wonderfully nutritious, she said, but I thought they tasted awful. She also grew iceberg lettuce and served it in salads. Now, iceberg lettuce has approximately the same nutritious value as a paper towel, … Continue reading How come our mothers didn’t know about bay spinach?