I’m wearing a scary face today

Yesterday evening my wife was feeling a bit tired after a busy day cooking at the seniors' residence operated by our congregation.  Therefore I went to church by myself.   Returning home a couple hours later, I drove into the garage and walked the few steps to our back door. Let me set the scene here:  … Continue reading I’m wearing a scary face today

To see as God sees

By virtue of my birth into this world, I am of the earth, earthy.  This means that I have a natural affinity for all that is earthy.  I gauge success the way the world gauges success; I gauge failure the way the world gauges failure.  I expect governments to care for the elderly, the mentally … Continue reading To see as God sees

Ghosts and goblins

Today is Hallowe'en, when little children will be decked out in scary costumes and sent to collect candy from kindly folks in the neighbourhood.  Many people consider this innocent fun and the children truly are innocent of any real understanding of the symbolism. However, there are elements in our society who revel in celebrating the … Continue reading Ghosts and goblins

Defenceless Christians

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

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?

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

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

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

The faith once delivered to the saints

Jude 1:3 — Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. Jude felt that he needed to send this exhortation to the saints … Continue reading The faith once delivered to the saints