Category: Pastor’s Blog

What’s the strangest thing that has ever happened to you at church? I bet you’d have a hard time beating Eutychus’ story. The Apostle Paul was in Troas for a week of special meetings. Being a preacher Paul kept on talking until it was close to midnight. The room was lit with oil lamps which meant it was getting stuffy. No doubt everyone was getting a little tired. Eutychus was sitting on a window ledge, perhaps for some fresh air. He grew drowsy and nodded off to sleep. Then he fell out of the window. He fell from the third story and was pronounced dead. But Paul went down and prayed over him. “Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him” said Paul. (Acts 20:7-12) They all went back upstairs to eat and talked until the morning. It was a night they would all remember. Luke records that the people went away comforted. They had seen God at work in a mighty way. Only God can effect a resurrection and this strengthened their faith. They could have full confidence in the message of Jesus since it was backed up by miracles. Our Creator is able to bring life out of death. Certainly God brings us spiritual life. We were dead in our sins but God has given us life. We are a people of the resurrection. Not only our spiritual life but in so many aspects we look to God to bring life out of death. Sometimes it’s our hopes and dreams that are dead. They’ve fallen out of the window and landed lifeless far away from us. We think nothing can be done. But then we hear the word of God speak, “Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him.” Don’t forget that our God is a miracle worker. The situation that looks hopeless can become hopeful when God is at work. So the lesson is – don’t fall asleep in church and look to God who brings life out of death.

Did you hear about the boy who got an invoice for missing a birthday party? Yep, it’s a true story. Five year old Alex had agreed to attend Charlie’s party last weekend at a local ski hill. But on the day of the party decided he would rather go to visit his grandparents. So Charlie’s parents sent an invoice for 25 dollars for a no-show. According to the media that’s when things got nasty between the mothers on Facebook. Now there’s talk about going to small claims court. The online debate over the matter is majorly heated at the moment. It’s hard to comment on a situation like this without knowing all the details. It’s not like I need to pick a side or anything. What’s most unfortunate about this situation is the attitude and behavior of the parents, both sets. For better or worse, parents are the first role models we have in life. We’ll probably never really understand the full impact our parents have on us. But in handling this situation both sets of parents are modelling some very unhealthy behavior for their children. I don’t mean to pick on the parents. I know it’s the toughest job in the world. It’s easy to lose perspective and want to fight for what we think is right. As I read the about the story it just reminded me that I need to be careful about what I model to my children and others. Paul makes it clear in Galatians 5. The fruit of the spirit is “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” These are the qualities that Christians should be known for. Our children are watching how we handle pressure, how we respond to disappointment and how we treat others. We aren’t always going to get it right, no one ever does. But we can pray for the Spirit to keep producing that fruit so that we are able to model Christ-like character to the world around us.

A week ago was the terrorist attack on Paris. It was followed by two days of tension and more violence. After a march for unity on Sunday people are finding it difficult to settle back into old routines. The French government has deployed ten thousand troops to provide extra security. Across Europe there are growing fears of ‘sleeper’ cells and the possibility of more attacks. It’s not just Europe that faces these challenges; Canada and Australia have also been dealing with violent tragedies. While the media was focusing on Paris over 2000 people died in Nigeria in senseless acts of war. Students in Pakistan are getting ready to return to their school where over 130 died in December. It’s upsetting to read and hear about such horrible situations. The turmoil in our world can seem overwhelming and frightening. The most frequent command given in the Bible is “Don’t be afraid” or “Fear not.” There is a lot to fear these days. Our fears might have to do with personal safety and the stability of world order. Or our fear might be much more personal. We can fear failure, intimacy, disapproval, unemployment or being alone. There is simply no shortage of things we can be fearful about. No wonder the Bible tells us so often to ‘fear not.’ What does it mean? Jan Johnson writes that “Don’t be afraid” is “Trust me!” turned inside-out. In other words, what God is saying to us is that we need to be actively trusting in him. The 23rd Psalm reminds us that the Lord is our shepherd. He is the one overseeing our care and we really do have everything we need. When we are not afraid we can lay down in the green pastures because we have nothing to fear. We can’t control the world around us. We can’t force people to be nice towards us and meet all our needs. We can’t protect ourselves from the painful realities of life that might come our way. But we can trust in the shepherd of our souls. The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,he leads me beside quiet waters,3 he refreshes my soul.He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley,I will fear no evil, for you are with me;your rod and your staff, they comfort me.5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Even in the darkest moments the Lord is present to comfort and guide. We do well to remember that and let that truth settle into our spirit.

I live in the city now but I was raised in the country. I love the countryside however I never really liked some of the smells associated with country living. I have to hold my breath when entering a barn, it’s just unpleasant. I remember the days when the wind shifted direction and the smell of the pig barn at my grandfather’s wafted into the house. It wasn’t pleasant either. But for other people those are the smells of things familiar and homey. Smell is a powerful sense. The Bible talks a lot more about smells, aromas and fragrances than you would probably guess. In the Old Testament the sacrificial worship involved not just following the right rituals but incorporating the right aromas into the offering. Offerings that were presented in the right way were a pleasing fragrance before God. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians that our Christian lives smell. Not that we are stinky but our life gives off a spiritual scent, an aroma. We can’t hide it. “For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life.” (2 Corinthians 2:15,16) Our lives are an offering before God, an aroma that is pleasing to him. But others can sense it as well. Some people like it and others don’t. Some people are interested in our spiritual life, our walk with Christ and want to know more. Others treat us like we haven’t had a shower in a month and want nothing to do with anyone who is Christian. What makes the difference between these two groups? Well, it’s not us, according to Paul it’s them. Some people will find our lives a pleasant smell, a fragrance, which makes them want to come closer to Jesus. Others will be repelled because of the condition of their heart. We can’t determine their response. Some people will be attracted to your Christian walk and others will be disgusted. Don’t take it personally. If you are truly living for Jesus then it’s the aroma of Christ they are rejecting and not you. Of course, that doesn’t mean you can stop praying for them. You never know, their sinuses might just clear up one day and they’ll ask you what that wonderful smell is.            

In the tradition where I grew up we spent New Year’s Eve at church. Sometimes it would start early in the evening with a pot-luck meal together. Often there might be games or other activities. It was a time of fun and fellowship for the whole church family. As we got closer to midnight we would move into the church sanctuary for a worship service. There was singing and usually special music from someone in the congregation. But an important part of the evening was the sharing of testimonies and Bible verses, God’s promises. People would get up and share about how God had helped them in the past year. Or, perhaps they would share a spiritual lesson they had learned. It was a time to “bless the Lord and exalt his name.” Mixed in with the testimony time was the reading of Scriptures from the “Promise Box.” A Promise Box was a little container with small cards inside. On each card there was a Bible verse, a promise from God. People would take a card and read it out loud to the congregation. It was a declaration of God’s goodness towards his people, his promise to never leave or forsake us. I’ve discovered that people who take the promises of God seriously have a seriously joyful and contagious faith. They believe that God is for them and not against them. They believe that God has a plan and purpose for their life. They believe that no weapon formed against them shall prosper and that when they give to God the windows of heaven open and blessings flows out. They believe that God has given us everything we need for life and godly living. They believe that Jesus came to give them life and life more abundantly. New Year’s Eve was an exciting time. I got to stay up late and spend the evening with friends and family. But as I get older what I remember most is the sense of spiritual vitality that filled our church. There was a great sense of expectation, that God was at work and that we could enjoy him. In a cynical world it’s hard to value anyone’s promises. But God is faithful and cannot deny himself. So as we prepare to go into a New Year, why not take some time and meditate on the promises of God. “For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” ascends to God for his glory.” (2 Cor. 1:20) Put your trust in God for the year ahead. His promises have never failed yet.

The kids wanted to know what Dad wanted for Christmas. Dad suggested that they get him a gift that the whole family could get something out of. So they did. They bought Dad a new wallet. It’s Christmas Eve and around the world there will be the giving of gifts. Some people will be running out today to get that last-minute gift. Others are excited to share their perfect gift that has been in the planning for some time. There’s a whole host of what I call single modifier gifts. There’s the cheap gift, guilt gift, easy gift, big gift, home-made gift, early gift – you get the idea. Sometimes we even have extra items wrapped just in case we forgot to get a gift for someone who pops by with a gift for us. That would be the ‘gift for a gift’ gift. But the best kind of gift is the grace gift. The gift we receive just because someone wanted to give it. We didn’t earn it; we didn’t expect it and we most certainly could never repay it. All we can do is take it and enjoy. This is the kind of gift that God gave us in Jesus. The gift of eternal life through Jesus is something we could never earn nor ever repay. God simply wanted us to have it. It’s so amazing that Paul calls it an indescribable gift: “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” (2 Cor. 9:15) It’s so generous and overwhelming that we’ll never come to completely understand it. Most importantly, it was exactly what we needed. This Christmas, as you sit surrounded by various gifts – don’t forget to give thanks for the gift of salvation. It’s the gift that goes on giving. Have a wonderful Christ-filled Christmas.

Christmas, we are told, is a time for peace and joy; a time to celebrate and enjoy the blessings of God. But that’s only part of the Christmas story. We like to pick and choose our Bible verses looking for words to bring comfort. If we take the time to read the whole account of Jesus’ birth there are also some unpleasant parts. In the gospels we discover that the first Christmas also included sorrow and pain. If we keep reading long enough we come to this verse in Matthew: A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning,Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more. (2:18) While the Wise Men usually appear in our nativity scenes we tend to leave out Herod and his henchmen. However there is no avoiding it, in the midst of our lovely Christmas story there is a horrible massacre of children; the suffering and pain of innocents. This isn’t supposed to happen when the Messiah comes. We don’t like stories that cause us discomfort. That’s why it is so difficult to watch the news of 132 children killed in Pakistan yesterday. Taliban terrorist attacked a school and walked the hallways shooting children at random. It’s hard to imagine the pain and suffering so many families are feeling today. It’s so senseless and makes us so angry. How does this happen? When will it ever end? This is the season of Advent. Advent is about preparing for the coming of Christ. And he did come, as a baby in a manger in Bethlehem. Scripture tells us that he will come again. As believers, we long for his second coming, when his Kingdom will come in its fullness. Until then, evil, sickness and death remain with us. We cannot deny that. But sorrow and grief do not have the final word. With his first coming Jesus defeated the power of sin and death on the cross. His resurrection is proof that victory is guaranteed. But we live in ‘this present age’ – between his first and second appearing. We are waiting for “the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” (Titus 2:13) At his second appearing he will put away evil forever. While we wait we must not lose heart. We will mourn with those who mourn this Christmas season. We will pray for the comfort of the Holy Spirit. And we will pray ‘maranatha’ – come quickly Lord Jesus.

It was a hot summer night and the kids couldn’t sleep. Not only was it hot and humid but the mosquitoes were out in full force. Mom, Sandy McIntosh, finally had enough of the kids complaining about the heat and the mosquitoes. She couldn’t do much about the temperature but she could provide relief from the pesky bugs. She got up and without turning on any lights went to the kitchen and grabbed a can of insect repellant. She went to the kids’ room and sprayed them; then sprayed the whole room for good measure. In the morning, in the light of day, she discovered to her horror that she had covered her kids, the bedding and the room walls with blue spray paint. She is quoted as saying, “It did smell kind of funny.” Problems happen when we don’t see clearly, when we operate in the dark. The coming of Jesus, his advent, is compared to the dawning of a new day. One of my favorite Christmas verses is Isaiah 9:2, The people walking in darkness have seen a great light;on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. Author C.S. Lewis builds on this verse when he writes: I believe in Christ like I believe in the sun – not because I can see it, but by it I can see everything else. If we don’t know Jesus then everything else in life is simply in the dark. His coming, his birth, was the beginning of something new. Because of his birth we have the opportunity to see God, to know him and to understand him better. And because of that, we can see everything else.  

I’ve been doing my devotions from 2 Timothy for several weeks now. It’s a short book full of relevant and encouraging information for all believers but especially those involved in some kind of ministry. I’ve been using John Stott’s commentary on the book as I go along and it’s been an insightful time. I’m learning a lot. Here’s one of my take-a-ways: While the Christian life is full of joy and wonder there will be hardships too. Yep, the Christian life isn’t going to be lived out in a rose garden. I’ve always known this but Paul pulls no punches in telling Timothy that we will face many challenges. Jesus made it clear to his disciples when he said, “In this world you will have trouble.” (John 16:33) No hedging that statement. So why are we still surprised when trouble appears? We tend to convince ourselves that being followers of Jesus means we never have a rough day, no trouble can touch us. Or, that because we had a rough day we must have done something wrong, something sinful. Both conclusions are flawed. Hardships and troubles will come for many reasons and most of them have nothing to do with us personally. We just find ourselves in the midst of them. The question we have to ask ourselves as believers is not “Why did this happen?” but rather, “How with God’s grace will I respond to it?” It’s an opportunity to rest and trust in Jesus. It’s a chance to grow spiritually and demonstrate how being a believer makes a difference. Jesus does seem to promise us that there will be trouble. However, the rest of the verse goes like this, “But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Isn’t that encouraging? Yes, there will be trouble but Jesus has overcome all of it. That’s why we can face the challenges of today and tomorrow – Jesus has overcome. In the realm of things that really matter and make a difference Christ is victorious. So we take our hope from this, one day at a time. That’s enough to keep on going.

This weekend my youngest child turns 13. That means that for two weeks I will be the father of four teenage children. Then in mid-December my oldest daughter turns 20. How did this happen? I mean, when did this happen? It seems like only yesterday I was getting my driver’s license, heading off to university and dating a beautiful girl named Rhonda. Now I have four children who are growing up way too fast. My theme song these days seems to be “Sunrise, sunset.” Life is moving so quickly. A few years ago someone shared this little saying with me, “When your children are young the days are long but the years are short.” I can now confirm that is the case. I find myself wishing I could go back and spend more time with my little children. I keep wondering if there was more I should have done and if I am doing enough today. Not everyone will be a parent. God gives each of us different gifts and opportunities. But of all the roles I play in life – son, husband, friend, pastor, citizen – none carries more meaning than ‘father.’ For better or worse I have been and am the primary influence on four amazing young people. The reality of that can be harsh some days. Nothing I do will have more lasting significance and impact than how I relate to my children. It affects not only them but future generations as well. That’s sobering. Parenting has never been for the faint hearted. It’s the toughest job out there because the stakes are simply too high. My children are growing up fast but my job is far from over. There is no retirement from parenting, it’s a lifelong calling. I am reminded that as a parent I need to model myself after my heavenly Father- the only perfect parent. Daily I need to seek him out for strength and direction. I need to learn of his patience, kindness, forgiveness and gentleness in caring for children. He is always ready to help. The years are short but with God’s grace my children are training me to become a good father. They bring me joy and happiness I didn’t know possible. Truly the Psalmist was right when he wrote: “Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.” (Ps. 127:3)