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As con games go, this is one for the books. Criminals set up a fake cricket league to scam gamblers in Russia. The hoax set up a false version of India’s Premier League and filmed bogus games in a farmer’s field in Gujarat.  Local people were paid five dollars a game to masquerade as players and fans. They created several fake teams and used a soundtrack to create the noise of cheering fans. These fake games were then streamed live on YouTube to unsuspecting betting operations in Russia. For all intents and purposes, the Russians believed they were watching legitimate Premier League games. As bets were placed in Russia, accomplices would communicate with the game officials, who would direct players to score a certain number of runs. Several people in India have been arrested and charged but there’s no report on how much money was made off the scheme. It’s another illustration of how just about anything in our world today can be copied and falsified. Increasingly, we wonder how we can tell the real from the fake. Deception like this is not new. We are warned in scripture to pay attention and watch for people who would destroy our faith. Paul routinely warned about false teachers and preachers.  For example: “Such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15) There’s no need to panic, but we do need to be aware that the enemy will always try to confuse. It’s an old game and we need to be on our guard. Praying for discernment should be part of our regular practice. In a world where everything is getting more complex, we need to practice discernment and test the spirits. Thankfully, part of the Holy Spirit’s work is to help us in this area. Meanwhile, I wouldn’t suggest you take any bets on cricket games in Russia.

Years ago, there was a kind village dentist who passed away. As the family was sorting through his belongings, they discovered several bags of old teeth, filled or capped with gold. The man had often paid his patients for their old teeth and then put them away in a box. When someone has a tooth pulled, it is usually because the tooth is bad or rotten. And indeed, there was plenty of evidence for that. They looked awful and ugly. The family wasn’t sure why their father had bothered to keep these teeth. Then one family member suggested that the gold might be valuable. After making some contacts, they found a company to buy the gold. The teeth were broken up and the gold refined with high heat. After the gold was melted down and evaluated, the family received a payment of $4000 (a size-able amount in those days). God has a way of seeing the value in each one of us. Yes, he sees the ugly rottenness that must be chipped away. Then he refines us to make us what he wants us to be. Through the work of Jesus, we are made new. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17) We become children of God with value and beauty. Restored in the image of God, gold as refined by fire.

3 Reminders for Back to Work or School For most of us, the summer vacation is over or at least coming to a close. September is often the beginning of a new season or new yearly cycle. Most of us find ourselves going back to work or back to school. As we do, here are 3 things to keep in mind. We are a blessed people. If the world was a village with 100 people, then 53 of those people would be living on less than $2 (US dollars) a day. 16 people would have access to the internet and 18 people would be illiterate. Sometimes we think of work or school as a grind, but in reality, it is a great privilege to be able to get up each day and work or learn. People around us need encouragement. Being part of a community of faith means that I’ve had a lot of people encourage and support me over the years. When a crisis hits, I have many places to turn. This isn’t the case for some folks who will be sitting beside you over the next few months. Be willing to be vulnerable and open to others. Share a bit of life with them. They might just need to hear about the hope that is within you. You aren’t going in alone. Over the summer I read a couple of quick fiction books. You know the kind where the action hero is all alone and has to prevent the world from being destroyed. (Don’t judge me.) Those stories are obviously fiction. Yet many people feel like they are the action hero who is all alone and battling against the world. You aren’t alone. The year ahead may be challenging but you aren’t going in alone. Whatever you are facing in the next weeks or months ahead, this promise of God has often been repeated in Scripture to his people: “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Dt. 31:8)

For the last three years, there has been a constant stream of construction in front of the building where our church meets. I thought the work was all to be finished in June of 2022, but apparently that only related to the tram lines. The tram lines are running again. There’s now a great new tram stop close to the building, but the rest of the street is still a mess. Lately, the endless sound of jack hammers makes me think they are doing more destruction out there than repairs. On a positive note, one of the strengths I see in Switzerland is that they really do invest in their infrastructure. Roads, water systems, electrical grid as well as trains and trams are all well maintained. It keeps things running on time. There is less time lost to accidents or breakdowns.  Having lived in a couple of countries that weren’t so keen on maintaining infrastructure, I do appreciate the Swiss way of thinking. Even if it seems to take way too long. There is a need for maintaining infrastructure in our private lives as well. Individuals have different approaches to maintaining good systems in life. Some people work hard, play hard and then break down because there was no plan for maintaining their health – either mental or physical. Others have an overly strict daily routine that keeps them healthy, but with little time to enjoy the rest of life. Most of us are somewhere in the middle. There is also work to do for our inner life. Some days we need to hang out a sign that says, “Temporarily closed for spiritual maintenance.” That’s a time when we stop other things and just spend some time with God. We read his Word and meditate on it without rushing to the next thing. We invite the Spirit to point out any areas that need work. Asking God to fill us fresh with passion and zeal for life. We don’t have to be ‘closed’ for long but every so often we need more time than just a quick devotional. We can work it into our schedule, or we can wait until something breaks down. The invitation Jesus gave to his disciples is also extended to us, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”  (Mark 6:31) Don’t wait too long before spending some time on spiritual maintenance!

“If you think you are too small to make a difference, you haven’t spent the night with a mosquito.” I love summertime in Canada, but hate those little mosquitoes. I can’t remember how many nights I have gotten up, turned on a light and searched for that single mosquito that was making my sleep miserable. Although small,  they are powerful and have the ability to make people move. It’s a simple principle but an important one we shouldn’t forget. We aren’t too small to make a difference in the world around us. Small acts of kindness and support can make a big difference. Likewise, small acts of cruelty and harsh words of discouragement can easily put people down. Our actions matter and affect other people whether we always think about it or not. We shouldn’t discount our ability to encourage or discourage others with our words and deeds. Perhaps many of us would like to be remembered for making a big difference in the world. We look for the right opportunity and the right position from which we can do big things in order to impress people and God. Let’s not forget that while we are looking for those ‘big’ opportunities in life we have hundreds of ‘small’ opportunities to impact and change the lives of other people, especially the people we care about. You can make a difference in this world. You have the chance each and every day when you interact with people around you. Make the most of it.  “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

At some point in our lives, we all come to know a sense of lack. Some people grew up in homes where there was never enough food or money to go around. The sense of lack was significant. For others there was a lack of love or acceptance – no one ever seemed to care for them. As we grow older, we might sense a lack in our skills, abilities or opportunities to accomplish the dreams that we had. There are few people who have not experienced a sense of lack in either their personal or professional life. That sense that ‘something we need’ is missing. As Christians, we can also have a sense of lack from time to time. I speak with many people who want to be ‘good’ Christians but just don’t feel like they can do it. They suffer from a sense of lack; a feeling that they haven’t got all they need to live out their calling. They feel like they don’t have the right understanding or insight, they don’t have the right environment, or they can’t seem to overcome sin. Living out our Christian faith is challenging, and I do know how a sense of lack can handicap us. But Peter tells us that we don’t really lack anything. My favorite Bible verse is 2 Peter 1:3: “By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.”(NTL) Peter clearly says that God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We tend to think that we are missing something. We tend to hope that someday we can find that missing ingredient and finally live a godly life. However, we don’t have to wait; we have everything we need now. This is an amazing revelation. When we come into a relationship with Jesus, we receive everything we need to be his followers. Nothing is lacking. However, we are usually unaware of all the riches that we have received. What have we received? Here’s a short list: grace, love, joy, the Holy Spirit, forgiveness of sin, acceptance, hope, spiritual gifts, relationship with the Father, the fellowship of other believers, insight into the Scriptures, and the power of prayer. We have all these things and more, but we can easily forget. Rather than living with a sense of lack, we need to list the blessings and benefits of our relationship with Jesus. We need to do a full inventory of what Jesus has given us. Take some time to meditate on that verse, the sense of lack will disappear.

About 20 years ago, we had one of our most memorable holidays with our kids.  As we headed to the family cottage, we decide to stop for one night at a hotel that had a water park.  Our girls would be able to swim and play for hours. Our son was just six months old, and we were loaded down with every piece of baby paraphernalia ever invented (stroller, playpen, etc). I decided that we only needed one overnight bag to take into the hotel. That way I wouldn’t have to unpack the whole van. It was a great idea and worked well until the next morning when I went out to the van. It wasn’t where I had parked it. I walked around the hotel parking lot three times before being willing to entertain the idea that it had been stolen. And it had been stolen. Not only the van but everything in it. Everything we needed for a three-week holiday, toys, a camera and video camera, my briefcase, favorite blankets and stuffed animals. This was not the best way to start a holiday. The insurance company was helpful and after the police report, I was able to rent a new van. In the afternoon we loaded up the van with the four kids, one overnight bag with wet bathing suits and headed to my parents. After a few days, the insurance company authorized us to begin replacing what had been stolen.  It turned out to be a summer of shopping for new clothes, baby supplies and a video camera. The kids loved it; it was like Christmas every other day. The empty van was found a couple of weeks later. This all happened on the same vacation when three of the four kids got chicken pox and I sliced open a finger requiring a hospital visit and several stitches. We were glad when we finally got back home. The kids, of course, remember things differently. They loved that summer. They got to travel in a cool new van. They got tons of new clothes and toys. They were just glad to be with us. For Rhonda and me, as stressful as it was, we made a key decision early on. Standing in the hotel room with the sudden realization that the van and all our stuff was gone a verse came to my mind: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21 We told ourselves that it was “only stuff’. Our four children (our treasures) were safe and sound and none of us were in danger. The really important things in life were right in the room with us; the rest (the stuff) was just wood, hay and stubble meant for the fire. That moment of clarity, of finding perspective, has stayed with us. Our life has not been about the abundance of things we can accumulate or hold on to. We have moved internationally a couple of times and have left many things behind. We know that it can all be gone quickly. We know that together we were raising four children for eternity. The focus had to be on them and not all the stuff we thought we needed for living. Enjoy these quieter and longer days of summer. I hope you make some wonderful memories, but don’t forget to treasure the things that are truly important.

Two psychiatrists worked in the same building. Each morning they rode the same elevator, one getting off on the 5th floor and the other getting off at the 9th. Every morning just as the first psychiatrist was about to get off the elevator, he would turn and spit in the face of the second psychiatrist. The second man would then pull out a handkerchief and wipe off his face as if nothing was wrong. It was in the days when there was an elevator operator, and the young man daily watched this episode. Finally, one day he could stand it no longer. After the first psychiatrist got off, he turned to the second and said, “Why does he do that?” “I don’t know,” said the second, “that’s his problem, not mine.” So often what happens to you is not nearly as important as how you react to it. What happens in you. You and I can choose our attitude when responding to events that take place in our life. What makes the difference between someone who has everything against them and yet conquers it to have a great life, and someone raised with every material blessing yet does nothing and is miserable? Attitude. The single most significant decision you can make on a day-to-day basis is your choice of attitude. Some people complain that their circumstances or the people around them have given them a bad attitude. No one gives you a poor attitude, you choose it. You are responsible for your attitudes. How you think determines how you respond to others. Too many people believe that happiness and the good life depend on the right conditions. When things are going great, they are happy. When things aren’t going great, they are miserable. Viktor Frankl was a prisoner of war in WW2 and was treated poorly. He came to an amazing realization as he sat in the Nazi prison camp and considered all he had lost: “The one thing you cannot take away from me is the way I choose to respond to what you do to me. The last of one’s freedoms is to choose one’s attitude in any given circumstance.” Another prisoner, the Apostle Paul, wrote this, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:12,13). Paul was not going to allow circumstances to dictate his attitude. He also recognized his need for help. Looking to Christ he found the strength to get through the challenges he faced. He knew that his real contentment lay in knowing Christ and his relationship with him. So, if you are feeling a little rough today, you can ask Jesus for his help in adjusting your attitude. You don’t have to keep that lousy disposition; you can be set free. Just look for help in the right place.

Large companies and small businesses alike, spend significant amounts of money to protect their assets. Not only do companies need physical security but increasing money is spent on digital security. When you have something valuable, you need to protect it from danger. Our faith, as Christians, is precious and to be treasured. We are encouraged throughout scripture to be on our guard and to protect our spiritual life from danger and destruction, from thieves who will try to steal from us. Over the years I have noticed three problems that can pose danger to our faith and trust in God. 1. Looking at your problems instead of Jesus.We can be consumed by the problems and challenges of everyday life. A ‘to-do’ list can be overwhelming enough but when we add in those extra ‘issues’ we become paralyzed. When we focus on what is wrong, or what our problems are, we lose perspective. Problems become bigger than they really are. We have to keep looking to Jesus and asking him to give us perspective over all matters in life. “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” Hebrews 12:1-2 2. Listening to lies rather than believing the truth.If you repeat something often enough people will start to believe it. We have an enemy of our soul who is called the ‘Father of lies.’ He is an expert at getting you to believe lies about yourself or about the gospel. When you listen to him, you become discouraged about your own status and fearful of other people – thinking that they are only out to hurt you. Our enemy comes along and lies to us about how much God loves us, who we are in Christ and what Jesus can do to help us today. We need to get God’s truth into our hearts to drown out the lies. “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:21,22 3. Living without rest.We live in a very ‘driven’ society. We are on the go all the time. Many of us thrive on that kind of living – go, go, go. But when we are always on the go, we have no margin in our lives and no space for anything to happen out of the ordinary. That usually means we aren’t getting enough rest or spending enough time with our loved ones. Above all, it is an indicator that we are not feeding and nurturing our spiritual life. Without rest, really stopping and just sitting in the presence of God, we are in danger of becoming a wreck. We run the risk of becoming disoriented and burned out. We must learn to build margin into every area of life, especially to feed our souls. “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28,29 Take a moment and make sure your faith is safe and secure! See you Sunday,Pastor David 

The most important rite of passage for someone growing up in a small rural community in Canada was to get a driver’s license. As a teenager, it was an essential need for having a social life. The day I turned sixteen I was able to get a beginners’ permit. A week later I started a driver’s education course and a couple of months later went for the driver’s test. I was so excited because I would finally get to drive by myself and then I would have a whole new level of freedom. The big day arrived. I was nervous but ready. Completing all the necessary checks, I put on my seat belt, signaled and pulled into traffic. Everything went perfectly for the first ten minutes of the test and then disaster hit. I drove right through a stop sign. Never even saw it. That’s an automatic failure. And just like that, my life was over. They could go ahead and write my obituary. I was crushed and it was too painful and embarrassing to tell my friends. For several days I was depressed and discouraged. I just knew my entire life would be one big disaster and this failure would haunt me forever. I was convinced I would never get into university, find a job, or get married, all because I didn’t have a driver’s license. But I was wrong. A few weeks later I took the test again and passed. It’s hard to believe that I’ve been driving for over 40 years. What was the big deal? It all seems silly now, but it was very real at the time. Our failures can often seem permanent and life-defining. The world tells us that ‘Failure is not an option.’ But failure is a part of the reality of life and something we all must come to grips with. Winning and losing, victory and defeat, success and failure – all these concepts are far less clear than we usually imagine. What looks like success today may be setting us up for failure tomorrow. What looks like a failure today may be what turns us around and leads to success tomorrow. Our perceived failures are seldom as final as we make them out to be. We can’t avoid failure and we can’t afford to shut down when it happens. We have to learn from it in order to keep going and growing. Think about all the Bible stories we know about individuals who really messed up. Didn’t God confirm his love and continue to work with them? Those stories are included in Scripture for our benefit. Through those stories, we learn that God is always working with us and for us. The Apostle Paul said: “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippines 3:13-14) Failure is a reality in this life, but it doesn’t define who we are, and it certainly doesn’t change the way God thinks about us. In the end, our ‘success’ in life will be defined in terms of our walk with God. Let’s put the negative behind us and press on to what is important.