When I was a teenager and member of the Anglican Church of Canada worship services began with this exhortation: Dearly beloved brethren, the Scripture moveth us in sundry places to acknowledge and confess our manifold sins and wickedness; and that we should not dissemble nor cloke them before the face of Almighty God our heavenly … Continue reading Requiem for the Anglican Church of Canada
prayer
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
Strong leaders and feeble followers
A dynamic leader, solidly grounded in the Scriptures and with a vision of how the gospel should be lived and shared for this particular group of Christians in this particular place, captures the loyalty of his congregation by the clarity and strength of his conviction. He plans, organizes, tells, and the congregation does as they … Continue reading Strong leaders and feeble followers
The lady had an anchor
Princess Elizabeth made her first public speech during World War II. She was fourteen and spoke on the Children's Hour radio broadcast on October 13, 1940. "Thousands of you in this country have had to leave your homes and be separated from your fathers and mothers. My sister Margaret Rose and I feel so much … Continue reading The lady had an anchor
The presence of God
The funeral was in the church that was the city's most famous landmark. Inside, there were vaulted ceilings, stained glass windows on each side and tiered rows of seating. The music from the Casavant Frères organ that filled the east wall, its largest pipes stretching from floor to ceiling, completed the atmosphere of reverence. The … Continue reading The presence of God
The weapons of a Christian
The whole world is in a mess. What can we do about it? The answer Jesus gives is : Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you. That's counter-intuitive isn't it? Our intuitive response is to answer … Continue reading The weapons of a Christian
The other epidemic
Image by picman2 from Pixabay There is an epidemic stalking our land, people are dying, others are left incapable of working or maintaining relationships. No, I’m not talking about COVID, this is an epidemic that was around before COVID and will probably still be afflicting people long after COVID is gone. Since this epidemic only affects people hooked … Continue reading The other epidemic
Remedy for election fever
There is an election in Canada today; I will not vote. I am a citizen, I am qualified to vote, but I am also a citizen of the Kingdom of God and that citizenship is much more precious to me. There has been a lot of anger, a lot of divisive emotions stirred by this … Continue reading Remedy for election fever
Pray for them which despitefully use you
Job didn’t know why this was happening to him. All his children and all his livestock were suddenly gone, then his body became covered with oozing sores. He used dust and ashes in an attempt to calm the itching. His three closest friends came to commiserate with him and at first had no words to … Continue reading Pray for them which despitefully use you
Suicide is a spirit
One night, somewhere in Canada, a young indigenous woman found herself battling thoughts of suicide. She was a Christian, she knew that was not what she wanted to do, yet the thought kept coming to her that it would be so easy to escape from her troubles. All she needed to do was walk out … Continue reading Suicide is a spirit
Flatlander Faith 