Choices

Bitterness is from below, devilish;Forgiveness is from above, heavenly. Bitterness stirs up a storm;Forgiveness calms the storm. Bitterness is the problem;Forgiveness the solution. Both are choices,It takes more courage to choose forgiveness.

What is wrong with the world?

Reading the news can be hazardous to our peace of mind. Complex problems arise and simplistic solutions are proposed; imaginary problems arise and complex solutions are proposed; government leaders are becoming more and more autocratic but the alternatives are dictators in waiting. What is wrong with the world? The answer is simple, G. K. Chesterton … Continue reading What is wrong with the world?

Where have all the children gone?

I remember a time when most children were taken or sent to Sunday school. When those children grew up and became parents, many of them did not see the need of Sunday School for their children. And with each generation there is a diminishing number of children who have any contact with Biblical Christian teaching. … Continue reading Where have all the children gone?

What’s in the bottle?

[First posted in October, 2017.] Image by Dmitriy from Pixabay Once upon a time a man was given a wonderful elixir that would cure every disease of mankind. He bottled it in plain brown bottles and offered it for sale to others. The price was very high and it didn’t taste very good, but it worked. As time … Continue reading What’s in the bottle?

The courage of Maria Braun

[First posted March 14, 2014] Maria Braun, a teenage girl in the Kirghiz Soviet Republic, was arrested in 1966 for teaching a foreign ideology to young children. She had organized classes for preschool and older children to teach about faith in Jesus Christ. Another lady was arrested with her and at their trial the judge … Continue reading The courage of Maria Braun

Let’s be Christians, not chameleons

[A slightly revised version of an article first posted March 31, 2019] Some members of the early church wanted Gentile converts to be chameleons. They thought that circumcising Gentile believers would make them appear to be converts to the Jewish religion, thus sparing Jewish believers from persecution by other Jews for associating with Gentiles. Such … Continue reading Let’s be Christians, not chameleons

It’s not our truth

The truth of the gospel is for everyone, therefore we must write so everyone can understand. We have no title,We have no copyright,We have no patent,We have no registered trademark. The gospel has been around a long time, but has not grown old. It is as alive and relevant as it ever was, but some … Continue reading It’s not our truth

Leave it there

Charles Albert Tindley (1851 - 1933) was born to a father who was a slave and a mother who was a free woman. His mother died when he was two and he was hired out to work when he was seven. He never had the opportunity to attend school, but taught himself to read in … Continue reading Leave it there

An exuberant storyteller

Joe Wheeler was frequently found at a table in the coffee shop in Saskatoon's lone Christian bookstore. He had accumulated a wealth of Bible knowledge and a wealth of experiences over his lifetime and loved to share this wealth with others. Sometimes I was one of those others. Image by Alfred Derks from Pixabay  Joe died 16 months … Continue reading An exuberant storyteller

Misunderstanding the Gospel

In 1655 the plague spread through London, killing a quarter of the population. The city was rife with reports of strange visions, prophecies and rumors. Daniel Defoe wrote about the happenings during the plague, writing in the first person although he was only four years old at the time. Nevertheless, the book is not fiction … Continue reading Misunderstanding the Gospel