My father was a man with high principles and good intentions, but a short fuse. And when he blew up, he would stay angry for days while my mother and I tip-toed around to avoid further aggravating him. He was never physically violent, but the verbal abuse was just as damaging. It happened again one … Continue reading The Father himself loves you
Christianity
And lean not unto thine own understanding
"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding" -Proverbs 3:5. I've been wondering of late if I really understand this verse. God has given us a mind with the capacity of understanding vast and complex subjects, and surely He wants us to use it. The Bible certainly assumes … Continue reading And lean not unto thine own understanding
Why is the door locked?
Karen Mains, in her book Open Heart, Open Home, included a chapter entitled The Nicest House in Town. It describes a beautiful home, in a beautiful yard, and through the windows people can be seen happily visiting together and feasting on sumptuous food. Sounds of beautiful singing can be heard coming from those inside. Huddled … Continue reading Why is the door locked?
Words easy to be understood
As Christians we tend to speak in Christian jargon. Aren't we aware that other people don't talk like that? Or do we think it's neat to have our own lingo that other people don't understand? The apostle Paul didn't think that was a good idea: "So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words … Continue reading Words easy to be understood
Confusion of tongues
For about a year now our congregation, in addition to our old hymnal, has been using a supplementary collection of gospel songs. Sunday evening we sang one of those songs for perhaps the second time. The English words were not familiar to me, but the melody was. I realized it belonged to a familiar French … Continue reading Confusion of tongues
Rained out — in January!
A few of us, five to be exact, were planning on getting together over coffee this morning to discuss how we could better be effective witnesses of the gospel to the people around us, to Mister Average Canadian. There are no Tim Horton's close by, not really any coffee shops at all, so we decided … Continue reading Rained out — in January!
God with us
If the resurrected Christ is not a living reality for us, we are proclaiming a false gospel, for the Good News that we proclaim is not dead news, nor tired news, nor even old news. It is living news (God-with-us news), the exciting personal news that the Jesus who came as a babe to Bethlehem … Continue reading God with us
And certain women
"And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him, and certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, and Joanna the … Continue reading And certain women
The Bible is enough
Many years ago, when Hal Lindsey's book, The Late Great Planet Earth was the "Christian" publishing sensation, the pastor of the church we were attending chose to use that book as the basis for weekly Bible study through the winter. I won't name the city, church or pastor. Spring came, we finished the book, and … Continue reading The Bible is enough
But what do I do when I come to the real test?
In my later youth I was given a lengthy aptitude test based on questions with multiple choice answers. I looked at it, decided I would ask myself at each question, "How would I answer this if I had a real interest in mechanics?" And lo and behold, the test results said that I would be … Continue reading But what do I do when I come to the real test?
Flatlander Faith 