November 8, 2017 - - Hebrews 11:8-9 NKJV God's land and lands

8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; 10 for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Hebrews 11 NKJV

"Men must understand, that not every people have the right to their place on the earth. Men - - and especially men who have fallen into sin - - have no rights to anything. This is what the LORD makes clear, whoever would live there and if there is any talk of rights, then it is only conferred by the right of grace. Abraham and his seed received The Land, which the Canaanites had forfeited through their own godlessness. And when the measure of their sins - - you have only to think of Sodom - - is full, then the people are wiped out by God's legitimate wrath."

W. L. Tukker 'Abraham de vader aller gelovigen'

translation from Dutch to English is my own

The testimony of this passage of Hebrews, and that of Genesis which is the basis for the passage in Hebrews is this: God Who created the heavens and the earth and all peoples, tribes and nations, has the right to set the boundary markers for tribes and nations. All people exist by the grace of the Living God. All people are under the authority of His Son, Jesus enthroned as King of the Nations.

This passage is both a blessing and a warning of a coming curse. Christians, like Abraham, live as strangers and foreigners in lands that are not their own. All the nations of this earth, in which and among whom Christians live as foreigners and strangers, are accountable to the Living God for their conduct. Christians, like Abraham, await the coming day, when the blessing of God will be poured out in Christ so that godlessness will be wiped out. Then God will fashion the new heavens and the new earth and those who believe in Christ will live there and God Himself will be their light and joy.

The debate between Bible-believing Christians and evolution-believing atheists is this: who has the right to dictate our behaviour? For the evolution-believing atheist, man is his own judge and ruler and therefore men are ruled by tyrants and judged by fools. For the Christian, man is ruled by Jesus the rightful King appointed by the Father in heaven. Christians are those who confess their sins and find forgiveness in Jesus' Name. Christians are those whose conduct and life are transparently lived under the right of grace.

God, Creator and Sustainer of all mankind and all the universe, great is Your Name and great is the glory that is Yours. Your Spirit confers wisdom and understanding to believers so that they can live within the gracious boundary lines which You, God, have appointed. Let believers, by their holy conduct, shine as witnesses to Your grace in this age of godlessness. God keep our land glorious and free by bringing people, by the thousands and millions, back into believing and faithful service to You. Amen.

November 7, 2017 - - Matthew 6:7 Talking to God

And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.

Matthew 6:7 NKJV

Talking to God doesn't require fancy words. Praying doesn't require certain words and phrases carefully crafted. Prayer is a conversation between God and a believer. The path of prayer is opened by Jesus, Who took on Himself God's punishment for our sins. Those who believe on Jesus and follow Him are declared forgiven because of the work of Jesus.

Weep before God. Or be still and know His forgiving power and love. Ask. Confess. Know, that it is the Spirit of the Living God Who is welcoming, encouraging, you to go to your Father in heaven. Your Father will hear you.

God in heaven, my thoughts are racing. I am crying out to You, from the ends of the earth because my heart is overwhelmed. Hear me. Help me for the sake of Jesus. Amen.

November 6, 2017 - - Ephesians 5:2 Love and sacrifice

And walk in love, as Christ has also loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

Ephesians 5:2 NKJV

Each moment of each day, walk in love. Be prepared to sacrifice your comfort, your convenience, your schedule and your finances for the sake of others. Love is not some schmaltzy feeling, it is the action of sacrificing self for the sake of the welfare of others.

For some, love means admitting their needs. It is offering their vulnerabilities so that members of the community can share from their abundance and so bring blessing.

We are wise to remember that here, in North America, we are incredibly rich. We have great resources and therefore great responsibility to walk in love.

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for the love You showed us at Your incarnation, Your humble service to the Father in heaven and Your extravagant gift of sacrifice at the cross so that our sins were paid for, the punishment meted out to You so that all who believe in You are free. Help me to walk in love this day. By the Spirit You have given, let me be discerning enough to know when and how to show Your love. Amen.

November 5, 2017 -- Luke 24:46-53 The Suffering Savior and Empowered Believers

Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things. Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”

The Ascension

And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven. And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen.

Luke 24:46-53 NKJV

Today, as every Sunday, Christians recognize Jesus Christ as the Suffering Savior Who took the punishment for sin upon Himself at the cross. Christians worship Jesus Who rose to new life and anyone who believes on His Name and worships Him receives abundant life. Sins are forgiveness in Jesus' Name. Believers renounce sin and walk in holiness. Yet while believers live sin afflicts and old patterns trip them up; but Christ endues His followers with the power of His Holy Spirit so that the hold of sin becomes weaker and the joys of serving Him become all the greater.

Join with God's people. Plan on going to church. Receive the blessing of Jesus Christ. Know the joy of gathering with fellow believers, sinners who are being changed, by the power of the Spirit, from weakness to strength in the Name of Jesus Christ unto the glory of our Father in heaven.

Praise be to Your Name, Father in heaven. By the mercies shown us in Jesus Christ You have taken ruined, lost sinners, and cleansed them so that they have become beloved sons and daughters of God. Thank You, Father in heaven, that Your Spirit guards the followers of Christ Jesus so that the raging of hell cannot win the victory against them. Thank You, mighty God, for the great blessings poured out in Jesus' Name. Let the great company of saints here on earth--wherever it is they gather, in persecution or in freedom, in house churches or in cathedrals, in secret or openly--bless You and delight in You and be strengthened by You. Build Your Church in the Name of Jesus Christ until all believers see You, face to face. Amen.

November 4, 2017 -- Psalm 14:1 & Hebrews 11:1-3 Governor General, Missteps and Faith

The fool says in his heart,
"There is no God."
They are corrupt,
They have done abominable works,
There is none who does good.
Psalm 14:1 NKJV

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.
By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.
Hebrews 11:1-3 NJKV

Gov. Gen. Julie Payette strayed far afield from her role as the representative of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to ALL Canadians, when Ms Payette offered her godless and fool's view that God did not create the heavens and the earth. Many, many Canadians do in fact believe in a young earth, created by God in six literal 24-hour days, and on the seventh day God created the Sabbath and rest. See link to the article below.

Oddly enough, the godless view of Ms. Payette requires the blind, faith-filled belief in pseudo-science which claims nothing acted on nothing and caused the Big-Bang which made everything out of nothing. The fool says there is no god.

Ms Payette and our Prime Minister, owe Canadians an apology for their unwillingness to include all Canadians in their scope of service. It is a poor beginning for our new G.G. and another stumble on the part of our Prime Minister.

Fellow believers and Christians, pray for our Governor General and our Prime Minister and the pseudo-scientists following them who claim too much for the field of science by mislabelling their godless beliefs about origins as science.

Blessed be Your Name, Lord God, creator of the heavens and earth. Blessed be Your Name, Glorious One, as the heavens declare Your power and presence. Blessed be Your Name, Lord Jesus Christ, that by Your Incarnation, You have proved God to be true and faithful. Blessed be Your Name, Spirit of the Living God, by Whom, all Truth is revealed. God of mercy, guide our Governor General Julie Payette, and our Prime Minister in the work to which You have called them. Give them wise advisors as they serve. Grant them the humility to admit errors and give us as citizens the compassion to acknowledge errors and yet to be forgiving even as we uphold the Truth of God's Word. Let us, as citizens of Canada, continue to hold in high regard the freedoms You have given us and remind us to ever pray for one another. Amen.

http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/trudeau-applauds-payette-for-standing-up-for-science-in-convention-speech-1.3661058

November 3, 2017 - - Luke 6:6-11 Rich and poor

On another Sabbath he went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled. The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath. But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Get up and stand in front of everyone.” So he got up and stood there.

Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?”

He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and his hand was completely restored. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were furious and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.

Luke 6:6-11 NIV

Jesus stood there with the power to help and to heal. He asked the religious people of His time if it was lawful to do good on the Sabbath? They knew Isaiah, every one of them knew the Sabbath requirement to loose the chains of injustice, to bring bread to the poor and house the homeless, clothe the naked and care for family members in distress (Isaiah 56). The religious leaders were silent. They were sullen. They were being challenged as to the veracity of their faith.

Today, Jesus the Saviour, questions you and me. In view of His great salvation, in view of His accomplished work at the cross, is it lawful for YOU to do good? Is it lawful for YOU to remain silent or should you do good to those in need? Yes, write a cheque for hurricane victims, yes, give used clothes to mission thrift stores, but more importantly, give yourself, your time, your attention and your ears to those in need.

Jesus invoked curses on the rich, the full, and the pleasure seekers (Luke 6:24-26). Those who have everything they need now and do not expend themselves in caring for those who are poor, hungry and mourning are subject to Jesus' curse. It is sobering given how rich we are here in North America. What can you do today, in Jesus' Name, to change the life of someone around you?

Lord Jesus, thank You that You did not pass me by. Thank You that You rescued me, sinner though I was. Thank You for the work of Your Spirit leading me to change my ways and alter my habitual thinking so that Your thoughts become my thoughts and Your focus of concern becomes mine. Forgive me for the many times I focus on my own situation and ignore the plight of those around me. Help me to give myself in the cause of those who need Your mercy still. Let my thoughts and my actions bring blessing to the Name of God. Amen.

November 2, 2017 - - Luke 3:31 Faithfulness

the son of Melea, the son of Menan, the son of Mattathah, the son of Nathan, the son of David,

Luke 3:31

There are two genealogies listed for Jesus. The first, in Matthew 1, follows the line of Jesus' father, Joseph. Joseph was descended from King David through the line of Solomon. Interestingly enough, in our passage, the line of descent is traced through Nathan, the fourth son of David and Bathsheba, and this has been proposed to be the line of descent through Mary. Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born, Incarnate, in the flesh, from His mother Mary.

You will recall that Solomon did not serve God with his whole heart, but allowed his many wives (700 hundred wives) and concubines (300 concubines--this you'll find in I Kings 11:3) to turn his heart to other gods. It is interesting that God preserved Solomon on the throne, God kept His promise to David "I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom." (II Samuel 7:12) So the line of David was preserved, but not through Solomon, but rather through Nathan. I wonder, did Nathan serve our God with more faithfulness? Did the Living God keep His promise to David and build up the house of a humble, godly man in Nathan?

What will you be remembered for by your children and grandchildren? Will it be your humility and love for God? What a great legacy that would be to leave to your descendants!

May God be praised. May Jesus Christ shine through whatever is said or done! May His Spirit keep the faithful believer in the way of righteousness. Amen.

November 1, 2017 - - Proverbs 1:28-33 Stewardship

“Then they will call on me, but I will not answer;

They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.

Because they hated knowledge

And did not choose the fear of the Lord,

They would have none of my counsel

And despised my every rebuke.

Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way,

And be filled to the full with their own fancies.

For the turning away of the simple will slay them,

And the complacency of fools will destroy them;

But whoever listens to me will dwell safely,

And will be secure, without fear of evil.”

Proverbs 1:28-33 NKJV

One little second, lustful glance won't matter, will it?

Just one piece of my kid's Halloween candy doesn't wreck my diet, does it?

If I leave work 15 minutes early, it isn't a big deal, right?

The federal Finance Minister, Bill Morneau, neglected to put his shares in his family company, Morneau Shepell, into a blind trust. He has been accused of profiting from his position as Finance Minister. The Toronto Star noted he is now selling the shares of his family company (the very ones he did not put into a blind trust) and he will donate the profits and the profits he realized when the shares should have been in the blind trust. (The total donation could reach $10 million according to the article in the Star.)

Every single decision, however big or small, has consequences. One Halloween candy will not add 20 kilos to your waist, but the action will lead to fruit-bearing either for good or evil. Our fancies and our pleasures will kill us. Every action comes from our thoughts. Every behaviour leads to consequences. All the consequences are the fruits of our actions. We are responsible for our sins--great and small. All of our sins, great or small, show us that we hate knowledge.

While it is critical that all our MP and Cabinet Members are held accountable for their actions, all of us must examine our own hearts and ask: where am I compromising? Where am I letting my own complacency destroy me?

While many of us do not have fortunes and responsibility over millions of dollars, God our Father has placed into your hands and mine whatever resources He chooses so that by them and the decisions we make about them we will be found to be faithful followers of Jesus Christ. If we ignore this trust, we will cry out to God and not be heard. If we are bearing the consequences of our bad intentions and wrong-headed actions, cry out to God now while He may use painful circumstances to draw you back to Himself.

Father in heaven, the Scriptures clearly teach, You are the Giver of every good gift. The greatest gift is our new life in Christ. You also, Father of Love, make us stewards responsible for whatever it is You entrust--for some it is wealth, for others it is responsibility over large families, for some it is learning to be content whatever our lot. By Your Spirit and in Your mercy, help our government leaders to cry out to You for mercy and forgiveness when they are caught in wrong-doing. Let us all, as believers, be kind-hearted and empathetic enough to know soon enough we too will need Your mercy for the wrongs which are (or will be) exposed in our lives. Cause true believers to be warriors on our knees for the sake of Jesus, the Captain of our Salvation, for Whose glory we serve. Let Christians be found to be first of all warriors in prayer for all those who are in authority and then show us to be defenders of truth in the public square. Let us all, on behalf of our own needs and then on behalf of our leaders, call on You, O God, for wisdom and justice, for forgiveness and love, for justice and judgment. May we live the blessed promise held out to us in these verses from Proverbs: that listening to You we will dwell safely and be secure, without fear of evil." Amen.

October 31, 2017 - - Psalm 16:6-8, 11 True Pleasure

The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;

surely I have a delightful inheritance.

I will praise the Lord, who counsels me;

even at night my heart instructs me.

I keep my eyes always on the Lord.

With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

You make known to me the path of life;

you will fill me with joy in your presence,

with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Psalm 16:6-8, 11 NIV

Ravi Zacharias, Oct. 2017, Public Question and Answer time:

When Tiger Woods went the way of all flesh, and sinned as he did the media asked him a question, the most ironic question I have heard of the media:

How could you lie to so many for so long?

(RZ: Pause and think about it. Now that came from a journalist and I thought I had heard it all.)

Woods responded to the journalist by saying: Because I had first lied to myself.

RZ: I would love to have had a follow up question: “What did you lie to yourself about? Did you lie to yourself that you would never get caught, or did you lie to yourself about the fact that in doing what you did, therein you would find your happiness?

RZ:The real poisonous lie in our system is to think you can violate the sacred boundary lines God has set. This is simply not true. Pleasure, unbounded by sacredness, will leave you emptier than before.

O God, the true and only joy of Your people, the hope of Your elect, blessed be Your Name. Thank You for life that You have given in Jesus Christ--life that is stench in the nostrils of this world and the fragrance of all that is good to those who believe. By Your Spirit help those who believe in Jesus to forsake the world and its lies about what is good and what is fun so that believers can embrace true life and true pleasure in the sacred life offered in Jesus Christ. Amen.

Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began, but has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior;

To Titus, a true son in our common faith:

Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.

Titus 1:1-4 NKJV

Recently I saw a post that encouraged folks who give out Halloween candy at the door to welcome older teenagers and give them treats. Some people criticise older teens who go out and refuse to give them candy. The author was suggesting that these teenagers could be doing bad things or worthless things so support their clean fun.

What is interesting in Paul's writing is that he is a bondservant of God, a slave of God and sent in the Name of Jesus Christ to declare the common faith. His focus is solely on the glory of the Living God.

According to the magazine: Money, the Oct. 28th/17 article, Americans spend on average: $86 on Halloween; $134 on Father's Day; $136 on Valentine's Day; $151 on Easter; $186 on Mother's Day; $589 for gifts at Christmas and an additional $796 for all the other costs associated with Christmas.

How much do we as Christians give of ourselves and our money for the cause of Christ and the expansion of His Kingdom? We willingly and slavishly toss money after all these celebrations which focus only on our own pleasures. How much do we give for helping missionaries? How much do we spend in giving help to widows and orphans? How much do we pour out in order to sustain those who preach and minister among us? These gospel ministers show us our addictions to that which kills us and bring us to the healing and freedom that is found in Christ alone.

Jesus, I would be Your willing slave. By Your Spirit help me to see what is keeping me chained to the world and its lusts and foolishness. Break every chain and keep me as Your bondservant so that I will not wander away into old patterns of sin. In all of this, Father of Love, thank You that You have rescued me from bondage to sin and death and given new life in Christ. Let my life and my words declare Your love and goodness. Amen.

October 29, 2017 - - Proverbs 24:16 Glory and Failure

For a righteous man may fall seven times

And rise again,

But the wicked shall fall by calamity.

Proverbs 24:16 NKJV

“If our expectations, if our fondest prayers and dreams, are not realized,” he said, “then we should all bear in mind that the greatest glory of living lies not in never falling but in rising every time you fall.”

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, 1998 during visit to the United States

LORD of all Glory and Victory, give me the strength of Your Holy Spirit

so that in Jesus Christ I will rise up again and again.

Let my prayer and my dream be that Jesus shines through me.

Let me decrease and Jesus increase. Amen.

October 27, 2017 - - Matthew 6:33 Practice righteousness

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,

and all these things shall be added to you.

Matthew 6:33 NKJV

This week I have thoroughly enjoyed the Annual Training Seminar for Police Chaplains, which is being held in Saskatoon.

Here is a gem of a teaching:

At the moment of truth

you will not rise to the level of expectation,

but you will fall

to the level of training.

from - - Crisis Response Training

In light of that Crisis Response Training quotation, today's text is instructional for followers of Jesus Christ. We have had sin vanquished by the power of His cross. We are renewed in His grace so that we can run from sin and train in godliness. As my good friend Charles M.Swartwood says it: "Embrace the grace."

Seek--this first command of the text means: continually, diligently, through-out the day, seek the Kingdom of God. Pray. Read the word. See the goodness of God in the events of your day and of your life. Tell others of His goodness, as you rehearse the goodness of God in your life you are making Christ great in your heart and mind and inner thought life.

Practice righteousness. Whether or not you feel like it, do what you know is right so that in the day of trial, in the moment when your back is against the wall, your training in righteousness will shine through and God will be praised.

Grant to me, God of power and glory, the presence of mind to train in godliness. As I practice such godliness in prayer times, in worship, in attending worship, and in declaring Your goodness to others, prepare me for the times of trial and suffering--so when I am crushed--it will be the fragrance of Christ and His blessedness which is elicited from me. Amen.

October 20, 2017 - - Ephesians 6:22-23, 25 Marriage in Christ

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word.
Ephesians 6:22-23, 25 NKJV

These words take on renewed depth and meaning as Carolyn and I will witness the marriage of our daughter Elayna to Owen. The wedding will take place, D.V. (the Lord willing) on Saturday in Strathroy. What a precious picture: Christ gave Himself up for His bride, the Church--going all the way to death in order to redeem for Himself a Bride and to bring glory to the Father by His work of reconciliation.

In the strength of the Holy Spirit a man and a woman live in love, enduring difficult times and rejoicing in good times, knowing through this process they are being fitted for eternity with our God. And, knowing that marriage, between one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others, models the beautiful picture of Jesus' love for His Church.

Thank You, God of Love and Wisdom for the blessing of marriage. For those who witness the ceremony and are themselves already married, may they be re-affirmed in their love for You and their commitment to walk faithfully with one another. For those who witness the ceremony and are themselves struggling in marriage and experiencing pain, may the Spirit of God give the grace necessary to continue and to find in Christ all that is needed for restoration and healing. For those who witness the ceremony and are single by circumstance or choice, bind us all together once again in the realization that in Jesus Christ we are one family. For the couple, Elayna and Owen, let mystery, love and light of true Christian marriage unfold for them in ever greater measure from their wedding day onwards, to the glory of our God and King. Amen.

October 19, 2017 - - I Corinthians 10:14 Idols, Tributes and True Praise

Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

I Corinthians 10:14 NKJV

Breathlessly the media was reporting the death of Gord Downie all day yesterday. Certainly I wish to offer my condolences to the family and his friends. However, what troubles me is the fawning superlatives heaped up in tribute.

"The Hip is the soundtrack of my life." This and other such statements the media elicited from fans. Our own PM had a few crocodile tears as well as he made his public statement.

The LORD, the One Who gives us life, He alone is worthy of praise. The LORD, the One Who rescued us from slavery to sin and the dark spiritual forces of this world so that we can serve our Father in heaven--He alone is worthy of accolades. The LORD, the Spirit Who leads us in all truth and gives our life meaning, He alone is worthy of praise.

Our world names actors and singers and famous personalities 'idols.' It is a sad and appropriate and damning because it shows their allegiance. In sharp contrast, as Christians, our highest praise and the dearest place in our hearts belongs to the Living God and no other.

Creator of Music and All Artistic innovation, let the heavens declare Your glory and all creatures Your praise.

Captain of our Salvation, the Desired of All Nations, be enthroned in my heart as the highest prize and my life's goal in obedience.

Spirit of Wisdom, mentor me in the ways of Christ, the way of fullest life which is found in Christ alone.

Amen. Blessed be Your Name! Amen.

October 18, 2017 - - I Thessalonians 5:22 Abstain from Evil, Embrace Good

Abstain from every form of evil.

I Thessalonians 5:22 NKJV

In a Supreme Court decision of 1964, it was determined that the Constitution protected all forms of pornography except "hard-core" pornography. Exactly what "hard-core porn" is was left undefined and Justice Potter Stewart said "I know it when I see it." How sad.

How easy it is to make allowance for some supposedly lesser evil while trying to keep worse evil at bay. It is not possible. Watching a progressive parade of lesser evils which become greater evils opens the heart and numbs the mind so that ever greater infections and corruptions of evil are tolerated.

The text above is set in the context of: embracing all that is good, drenching all of life in prayer, and pursuing all that is wholesome in Christ.

What evil are you toying with in your life? What evil things are you allowing in your life and pretending to put up a limit against greater evil by saying: "I know it when I see it"? As Paul wrote in that same passage: "test all things: hold fast to what is good" (I Thessalonians 5:21).

Mighty God of all Holiness and Power send Your Spirit to rinse out all traces of evil infection and moral rot so that the grace of Jesus Christ may reach every part of the heart, the mind and life. Let Christ and His work be the standard of good and the goal. Amen.

October 17, 2017 - - II Corinthians 6:1 Grace and Working with God

We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you

not to receive the grace of God in vain.

II Corinthians 6:1 NKJV

What a glorious picture is painted in these few words. Men and women are co-workers with God. At the cross of Jesus Christ the penalty against sin and the curse against creation are answered. Men and women then are called and urged to work in the power of the Holy Spirit to bring the peace and blessing of Jesus Christ to all persons.

The grace of God is not given so that we will hole up in our churches, pull up the drawbridges, fill in the moat against newcomers and expect God our Father to minister to our needs. Instead, we face every and any hardship and suffering with this one goal: that as believers, ordinary men and women, we minister the grace of God to those who don't yet know Him. We feed the hungry, in Jesus' Name. We encourage the hopeless with the vision of Christ. Orphans and vulnerable persons receive the love and care in Jesus' Name. We endure hardships, losses, tumults and rejection with the rock solid assurance that God is in charge and will use our debasements for His glorious purposes. We need no reward here other than this: knowing God Who our very great reward.

It is a great and blessed thing to lift up our hands in the sanctuary and worship You, God our Rich Reward. Blessed be Your Name. When the music ends and the blessings have been poured out, then compel us to go out of these places of worship in Jesus' Name through the strength of Your Spirit to share Your grace with those in need. Amen.

October 16, 2017 - - Romans 2:11 No partiality with God

For there is no partiality with God.

Romans 2:11 NKJV

One simple sentence loaded with so much wrath and grace.

Jewish people and those who are not Jewish--the Gentiles--all of them are sinners and worthy of death.

Jewish people and Gentiles, no one can by his own merit or actions earn the favour of God.

The way of life for both Jews and Gentiles is this: confess one's sins and admit to God the need for the Savior, Jesus Christ. If someone is already aware he is a sinner, the grace of Jesus is already being applied to his heart by the Spirit of God. Turn from sin and follow Jesus. Read the Bible. Talk to God. Find a Christian you admire and get advice on how to walk with God.

As long as you live, as long as you draw breath in this life, you can find the grace of God. He offers to you life that is full and free from the chains of sin and guilt.

There is no partiality with God, when a sinner dies, refusing Jesus, whether he is a Jew or a Gentile, he will face the wrath of God.

Thank You God, that You show no favoritism, rather, in Jesus You show Your great love to all. Help me overcome my unbelief. Spirit of God, help me to continually turn from sin and from its siren call. Spirit of Truth, lead me in joyful obedience to Jesus and HIs Word. Triune God, may my life and my confidence in You, bring hope to those who are weighted down by sin and guilt and in sore need of the Saviour--in Whom alone is our refuge and strength. Amen.

Oct. 12/17 Hebrews 13:1 NKJV Brotherly love

Let brotherly love continue.

Hebrews 13:1 NKJV

This is an imperative--a command. It can be written: Remain in brotherly love! Given the context in Hebrews it means: in view of all that is ours in Jesus Christ, live in brotherly love!

It is a very difficult command. There are those in our lives who have wounded us and offended us. To us the command is written: Live in brotherly love! I remember when our sons were young, and right on up through their late teens, they would play fight and wrestle. Sometimes it would move from play to rough-housing that hurt. But they always knew they were and are brothers. Scratches and sore arms and bruised egos notwithstanding, they let brotherly love continue.

As adults we can easily rehearse our hurts and because people have troubled us and we are too shy to ask why, we begin to make up reasons and imagine their motives. Smaller incidents great blown out of proportion. And problems that truly are big and troublesome fester because of the stubborn unwillingness of Christians to continue in brotherly love. Do not allow it. Decide each moment of each day again, to live in brotherly love. Make things right. Ask God's forgiveness. Seek the power of the Spirit so that you can face your fears and seek your brother out and with fear and trembling before God work with him to sort it out. If your brother refuses to do so, at least keep your heart open to and your hands folded in prayer for your brother that things will be restored.

The verse prior to this one is: "For our God is a consuming fire." (Hebrews 12:29 NKJV) In view of the fire of God's dreadful majesty, in view of the honour of the reputation of Jesus Christ and His forgiveness won for us by fiery trial of the cross, in view of the fact that our troubles are light and momentary in contrast with the worthiness of God and His just burning wrath against sin--put away your own small hurts and imagined wrongs.

The cost of the cross and required obedience to Jesus is real. Let brotherly love continue--put it into practice. Exercise your love towards those who are easy to love and those who are difficult to love. Remember, while you were yet a sinner, while you were hateful against God, He sent Christ to die for you, in order that His consuming fire of wrath against your sins would be spent on Jesus so that He could bring you, forgiven and free, to Himself in love. Do not take up the molten robe of anger and drape it around your shoulders as if you had a right to be angry. For you yourself will be consumed by it. God alone has a right to be angry against our wrongs and He has provided the way of healing peace.

Forgive me, Father of Fiery Justice and Costly Love. Forgive the times I want the forgiveness You offer in Jesus to be mine, but still want others to be scorched by Your wrath. Bathe my soul in healing work of Your Spirit so that I will be tender towards others, no matter their attitude towards me. Strengthen me to continue in brotherly love for the sake and glory of Jesus Christ. Amen.

October 11, 2017 - - Ephesians 4:11-16 New Life in Jesus

11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

Ephesians 4 NKJV

When God created the world, in six days, each 24 hours, and the seventh day He created the Sabbath and rest--God declared it was very good. The world we see today is savage, broken, and violent--it doesn't fit God's description of "very good". When Adam and Eve rebelled against God in the Garden of Eden, sin swept into their hearts, into creation and affected all of creation.

God in His great mercy provided a way for sin to be overturned. Jesus Christ came into the world, becoming fully human and remaining fully divine, and He lived His life without sin and therefore He is the One Man Who takes on behalf of all people, the punishment of God against sin.

Today we see the effects of sin: people in this world hate God, or worship their representation of God rather than worshiping Him as He reveals Himself (this too is hating God). The people of this world hate one another and without the reconciliation of Jesus, there can be no peace. Marriages are affected by sin, parenting is tarnished by sin. Governments are sin-soaked. Sin affects our relationship with our own selves. We lie to ourselves, fool our selves and act in ways that are self-destructive.

Jesus, now the King of Heaven, sends His Spirit to all who believe in Him. Jesus is undoing the work of sin and restoring our relationship with God our Father, restoring relationships between people, and healing broken hearts and minds. When believers confess their sins, and walk with Jesus, they will grow cold to sin and in the warmth of His love and grace mature in faith and grow in love towards God, others, creation and the self.

Christians are sinners as well. Christians need Jesus' constant cleansing work and His Spirit to hold their noses above the sewage of sin all around and to bring holiness into their relationship with God, the world, others, and the self.

Jesus, You Who takes away the sin of the world, I confess I need You. Many times I want to project an image of myself as an "all-together" Christian, rather than showing what I truly am: a ruined sinner being made clean. Jesus, let the Light of Your love shine on me and through me so that others who also know their need for something, Some One, more, will be drawn to You. I must decrease, and You, Jesus, the Delight of my heart, must increase. Amen.

October 10, 2017 - - I Timothy 5:8 Caring for others

But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

I Timothy 5:8 NKJV

Recently there has been a spate of posts about refugees to Canada. There are comparisons of how much a refugee receives versus how much a life-long tax paying citizen receives and the citizen is shown to be wanting. Leaving aside the whole issue of our porous borders, there are some things worth noting, about the refugees who come under Canada's policies of resettlement.

A refugee has no other financial resources.

Usually a Canadian citizen has family.

A refugee has no community to draw from for help.

A Canadian has a neighbourhood, peers, friends.

A refugee lacked health care for years, decades, maybe longer.

A Canadian benefited from the wonderful health care system.

Christians in particular are called to care for the vulnerable of society. And Christians begin by caring for the members of their own family and extended family and faith community. For a Christian the evidence of our faith is found in how we care for those in need.

God of all mercy and glory I confess knowing You is the greatest treasure of my life. Where I am able to help others out, by spending time, in using my talents, in giving of my treasures, let me give as freely as You have given to me. Where I am in need, let me be humble and grateful when others supply my need. Where needs go unmet, remind me again and again by Your Word, through prayer and the community of Christians, You, O God are my Shield and my very Great Reward. Increase my faith. Increase my desire and ability to serve You in Name of Jesus I pray. Amen.