There's More Than One Christmas Out There

I've decided I don't want to hear any more complaints about how Christmas has become commercialized and how people have lost sight of its true meaning.  There is indeed more than one festival happening at this time of year.  The Christian celebration of the Incarnation is certainly one of them, but there is also another, secular celebration happening.  It is a celebration of commercialism, but it is also a celebration of family, good cheer and light. When we complain about what is happening to Christmas we are really complaining about what is happening in our society - about the fact that it is becoming more secular. What is really happening to the Christmas celebration?  To give my answer we need to look at its roots.  Christmas was celebrated on December 25th not because early Christians were sure this was the birth date of Jesus but rather because it coincided with the Roman festival of lights that took place at the time of the solstice.  Some suggest that they chose that date because in times of persecution they could celebrate along with everyone else without being discovered or singled out.  Over the centuries it is the Christians that have stolen this festival of lights and made it there own.  Now that society has become more secular the secularists are simply reclaiming their holiday. Let it be.  A secular society needs something to cheer about at this dreary season of the year.  Certainly for Christians to continue to preach about the evils of the season is to play right into the number one perception and complaint that non-Christians have about Christians - that they are too judgmental.

So what am going to do this Christmas season?  I am going to rejoice in the remembrance of God becoming incarnate in the form of the baby Jesus.  I am going to reflect on all that means to me and be glad.  AND I am going to celebrate with friends an neighbours who do not know or understand these thing but are longing for a little love, joy and peace.

O Christmas Tree

The Salt Family Christmas Tree 2010

This year Cathy and I had decided that we wouldn't put up a Christmas Tree. Family are not coming for Christmas and the gatherings we have planned are not until some time in January.  We thought there was no point in going to all the work of putting up a tree. Our decision lasted a few days and then we started to have second thoughts.  We have Chinese students who live with us and they were anxious to see all the North American customs and so we decided that we should go to the effort of putting up a tree.  It happened by stages - a bit today a bit the next day but eventually the tree was up and decorated.  I am glad that we did.  Once the tree was up we turned on the lights, drank a little egg nog and sat around feeling rather warm and fuzzy. There is something about the Christmas tree.  Its not that it is particularly "Christian."  In fact, there are many segments of Christianity that condemn the Christmas tree as a pagan symbol.  But in our society it is a symbol that unites the secular and the sacred.  The tree represents hope for the new year - a hope for new life. In my mind it also represents all that is family, love and peace on earth.  Although some would associate the tree with all the materialistic aspects of Christmas - presents and Santa Claus and all that, I associate it with peace a joy.  It represents life to me, and I know that life comes through faith in Jesus Christ. There is no other.

Thought You Might Enjoy this - A Social Network Christmas

Are You Ready For Christmas?

I can't think how many times I am asked the question:  "Are you ready for Christmas?"  There certainly is a lot of preparation that goes into making our holiday celebration a success.  There are menus to plan,  food to buy, presents to choose, a house to decorate, travel plans to make etc. etc. I presume these are the preparations that people are talking about and if my assumption is correct then my answer will almost always be "NO NOT YET."    But really there is a preparation that is more important to me than all these things.  It is the preparation of my heart to enter into the celebration of God incarnate - the remembrance of this huge event in history when God became man.  What makes that so important? In my mind it is God's statement that He cares.  He did not create simply as an experiement.  Nor does He just look on from a distance.  He engages with his creation and that gives importance to who I am.  His experience of birth, life and death all add to my assurance that He truly understands and so His promises and assurances as found in scripture can be trusted.
In years gone by, the Christian Church considered the season of Advent as a sombre season of preparation for this great celebration.  The preparation was spiritual and not material.  Today, it often feels that the material preparation has completely overtaken the spiritual preparation.  We have lost something that we need to recover for the sake of our spiritual health.

Worship the Coming King

Be a Reconciler This Christmas

The recent trauma of blowing and drifting snow is hopefully behind us. The last day of school before the holiday for our local young people upon us. Churches all over the city are advertizing "Lessons and Carols" services for this Sunday and the Christmas story will be told in scripture reading and song.  Many people will be heading out of town or getting together in town this weekend to celebrate "family Christmases."  Christmas is all but upon us. We have romantic ideas of what it will be like as the family gathers to share a lot of food and cheer, but the reality is probably somewhat different.  Underneath all the joviality will be the tension of unresolved issues and broken relationships - something that seems to be pervasive in our society.  Let me suggest there is no better time of year to work on reconciliation than at Christmas.  Love is in the air, so to speak, and people's hearts seem to be a little more tender and open during this special season.  To be a reconciler is a wonderful gift, no matter who you are, but if you happen to be a follower of Jesus then it is not only a wonderful gift, it is the very essence of who you are.  Paul the apostle wrote these words:

""If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!  All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation."  (2 Corinthians 5:17-18)

To be a reconciler is a costly role.  It cost Jesus his life to bring reconciliation between humanity and God the Father.  For you and me to carry on that role can be very costly too.  None the less it is a role that we committed to when we decided to follow Jesus. Be a reconciler this Christmas.

Dreadfully Like Other People

"Whatever you may be sure of, be sure of this - that you are dreadfully like other people."

James Russell Lowell




One day Cathy and I were visiting an art gallery and having a look through its offerings with the hope of finding something nice for our home.  We were both attracted to one particular painting that was rather whimsical in nature.  It had pigs and hens flying about and all sorts of strange characters portrayed in various poses.  The characters were more caricatures than lifelike.  The owner of the gallery, hoping for a sale, engaged us in conversation.  She stated:  "You two must like people."  As she was speaking to a pastor and a school principal I was beginning to wonder if she had some sort of psychic powers but then she went on to explain herself.  She said;  "You like the people in the painting because they are shown with all their warts and imperfections rather than being shown as perfect and unreal."  And you know what - she was right.

The difficulty with fulfilling God's law to love our neighbour is that it really first requires that you love yourself.   I don't think it was by accident that Jesus said "Love your neighbour as yourself."  The trouble is we don't all love ourselves or if we think we do it is because we do not really see all the warts and wrinkles in ourselves that we see in others.  We are all dreadfully alike in that sense - we all have warts and wrinkles - and I am no exception (especially now that I am no longer what is described as young and beautiful).  But, praise God, that is what makes us all unique and special.

By the way, we didn't buy the painting.  We judged it too expensive for our budget.  But we did give it our own name - we called it "Eggs and Ham"  To this day we talk about the painting, and somewhat wistfully say "We should have shelled out the money because we will never find another one like it."

Times Have Changed

"Those who insist on the dignity of their office show they have not deserved it."  Baltasar Gracian





It was a different world when I was ordained thirty five years ago.  I was resident in the province of Quebec where the Roman Catholic Church held a great deal of power and influence.  When I appeared in public in my clerical collar I was virtually indistinguishable from the Roman Catholic clergy and despite my youth, deference was always paid to me.  In many stores I was offered a discount on my purchases.  At any time I might be stopped on the street, but especially near a hospital with a request:  "Father, can I speak with you for a moment."  
Much has changed in the world and we have been through the horrible revelations of sexual abuse by clergy, the treatment of native children in residential schools and many other things that have exposed the darker side of the Christian church and its clergy.  Today, when I appear in public in clerical garb I am more likely to be disdained than to be treated with respect. Now, in order to get someone's attention in a positive way I must earn it.  It's not a bad thing.  After all we do need to be challenged to live authentic lives that reflect our decision to follow Jesus.  These things that are true for clergy are also true for the church as representatives of Jesus on earth.  What are we doing to earn the privilege of speaking into people's lives?  The answer is often - "Not enough."  Perhaps that would be a good place for us to start on our journey of evangelism.

A Cozy Fire

Today I woke up to the news that literally hundreds of vehicles are stuck on the Highway 402 and that many motorists have been stranded in their cars all night. The wind has been blowing fiercely and the weather is cold.  I can only imagine what a difficult night it has been for many of those people.  Seeking a safe harbour in the midst of a storm has been a practice for as long as the human race has existed.  Many years ago when my children were young and when we lived in another part of the world, we used to hope anxiously for wild winter storms.  In Quebec it was common practice to close the schools and usually the whole world would stop.  As soon as we got word of an impending storm that would shut everything down we would pack the kids into the car and head for our cottage.  It was heated by wood and we always felt safe and warm watching the blizzard outside from around the crackling fire.  When we got bored or adventurous we would all get dressed and go outside for a bit to experience the fury of the weather.  Then when we came back in we had an even greater sense of warmth and security.
There are many storms in life and not all of them are the weather events I have just been talking about.  Where can you find that warm crackling fire to sit around until the storm has passed?  It is with my God who is a  safe shelter in the midst of any situation.  ""God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam."  (Psalm 46:1-3)

What About the Hard to Believe Things?

I love the scripture and I love the things that I find promised in it, but every so often it seems to make a claim that, for the life of me, I find hard to swallow.  After all, I don't believe that God called me to crucify my brain or to check it into the closet the day I decided to follow Jesus.  Quite the contrary, I think He wanted me to start using it even more.  So when things come along that just don't make sense to me what am I supposed to do?  Some would suggest that I might want to develop a rationale about those things.  Others would suggest that if I did more critical analysis of scripture my problems would be resolved.  Rather than rationalize or justify my problems away I would rather take the lead of one whose life was turned upside down by the proclamations of angels and prophets, the birth of an unplanned child and strange visits from shepherds and the like.  I am speaking of Mary the mother of Jesus.  How did she respond?  Luke reports simply that "She treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." (Luke 2:19)  I don't always need to understand.  Nor do I need to be able to justify or rationalize.  The word of God is good for pondering and the promises of God are good for treasuring.

It's Sunday - Worship Him in Spirit and Truth

Elijah Falls Into Depression

Remembering always that there are many causes for depression.

Elijah was one of the most famous prophets of ancient Israel.  He lived in a time when government was corrupt and had led the nation into the worship of false gods.  It fell to Elijah to challenge those things in the name of God.  His most famous confrontation with the false prophets of Baal took place on Mount Carmel.  He challenged to prophets of Baal to a contest to determine whether their sacrifice or his would be accepted by God.  It is a story that is great for telling, but I will cut to the chase.  God accepted Elijah's sacrifice but not the sacrifice of the prophets of Baal.  At the end of the contest Elijah had the 450 prophets of Baal put to death.  This enraged the Queen Jezebel and she swore an oath that she would see Elijah dead.  Elijah fled to Mount Horeb -a forty day journey.  Now let's think about that for a moment.  Elijah had just seen an incredible miracle and the huge power of God and yet he was not able to translate that faith into trust that God would also protect him from the Queen.  Elijah arrived tired and feeling sorry for himself.  He had slipped into depression.  God met him there and asked him: "What are you doing here?"  Elijah replied "I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty.  The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword.  I am the only one left and now they are trying to kill me too."  The end of the story is essentially this:  God tells Elijah to get back on track and gives him instructions about what to do next - instructions and actions that would assure the future of God's people and their heritage of faithfulness.

Why had Elijah slipped into depression?  He probably had been running high on adrenalin and when the events finally overtook him he had his moment of doubt.  Depression can come when we lose hope and yet the Christian faith is one of constant hope.  "Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings of eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.:  (Isaiah 40:30-31)

King Saul and His Depression

Remembering always that there are many causes of depression...







Saul was the first king of Israel.  His work as king started out with great hopes and dreams.  The people had wanted a king to lead them and God had relented choosing Saul.  Saul had a personality flaw that made his reign doomed to failure from the very beginning.  He was in it for himself and not for the good of the people.  He was also a man who relied on his own skills rather than God's strength.  When David slew Goliath he became a popular hero and Saul quickly became jealous that David was more popular than him.  As time went on, Saul made decisions time and time again that went against the specific orders of God as relayed through the prophet Samuel.  It was not that Saul wanted to be defiant, but rather that he didn't really trust God.  When Samuel finally relayed the message to Saul that God had rejected him as king, Saul's reaction was not one of repentance and turning back to God, but rather to request that Samuel appear with him in public so as to give the impression that everything was till OK.
As Saul's personal agenda increasingly caused him to be separated from God, his depression increased.  We are told that in the beginning he would call on David to play music and sing as a way of warding off his depression.  At other times the spirit of God would come and overwhelm Saul so as to prevent him from doing some evil. At those moments Saul would become ecstatic spending hours on the ground "prophesying."   At the root of Saul's depression was his separation from God - a separation that was caused by his improper motives - a desire for self-glory rather than the glory of God and the good of the kingdom.  Something to think about...

King David and His Depression

Remembering always that there are many different causes for depression...

King David, second king of Israel was a man who had great successes in his life. As a young man he was the one who slew the giant Goliath. He became the hero of the people and ultimately was declared King. His military feats were great and he united the kingdom of Israel and secured its boarders.  He was considered favoured by God and by every measure was considered a success.  But David had is flaws as well. One day, when he should have been about the business of leading the army and the kingdom he spied a beautiful woman sunbathing on the top of her roof.  He sent for her and committed adultery with her.  When it was discovered that she was pregnant he had her husband murdered to cover up his crime. David later wrote Psalm 32 which goes like this:

"Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.  Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him and whose spirit is no deceit.  When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.  For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.  Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity.  I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord - and you forgave the guilt of my sin."

When I read David's description of how he felt:  "My bones wasted away through my  groaning... your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer..." I hear a poetic description of depression.  What was the cause of this depression?  It was unconfessed sin. Something to think and pray about.

Depression Hurts...

There has been a very good advertizement campaign on TV lately about depression.  It asks:  "Where does depression hurt?" and gives the answer "Everywhere."  It then asks "Who does depression hurt?" and gives the answer "Everyone."  It makes an excellent point that depression is a serious condition that causes a lot of pain both to the one depressed and to the ones they love.  Depression should not be made light of or dismissed.  As medical research has shown it is caused by chemical change in the brain and as such the popular treatment for depression is medication to restore balance.  Did you know that the chemical changes in the brain when one is depressed are similar to the changes in the brain when one is going through extreme grief caused by such life changing events as the loss of a loved one?  In other words, while depression is a physical problem and has physical roots for many people, for many others the root of this physical problem is in the realm of the spiritual.  The Bible tells the stories of several people who are distressed.  To mention a few I think if King Saul, King David and the great prophet Elijah.  (During the next three days I will look at some of their causes and cures for depression.)
As we approach Christmas depression is always a timely topic.  Christmas is a time when many people struggle with depression because they feel lonely or because they are remembering past times or people who are no longer here.  Others struggle with depression because they feel they have nothing to celebrate while all the world around is celebrating.  This is why many churches and organizations put on "Blue Christmas" services or other ceremonies.  If you are suffering depression this Christmas know that  you are not alone and that the whole message of Christmas is "Immanuel' which means "God with us."  Our God is with us!  Remember always that if you are depressed there is help out there for you.

The Best Laid Plans...

When all the plans fall apart - when nothing seems to be going right...

"Be still and know that I am God."  (Psalm 46:10)

Need I say more?

What Do You Want To Grow?

"Valor grows by daring, fear by holding back."

Publilius Syrus








Lots of people suggest that the proper way to deal with anger is to find a safe way to express it such as hitting a pillow.  The trouble is that I have noticed the more you express anger the more likely you become to need to express anger.  While having an angry outburst might temporarily relieve the pressure you are feeling within, the reality is that the more you express that anger the more likely you are to need to express anger in the future.  I call it feeding the giant.  The more you feed the anger the more it grows, and there is nothing like a little outburst to feed the anger.  I've learned that this principle is true in many areas of life and so when I read the above words of Publilius Syrus I was immediately attracted to them.  Valor does indeed grow as we take little steps of daring just as fear grows as we give in to it a little at a time.  Consider the words of scripture as found in the two passages below:

• "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."  (James 4:7)
• "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.  Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me - put it into practice.  And the God of peace will be with you."  (Philippians 4:8-9)

What are you planning to grow this week?

It's Sunday - Prepare for Worship

Don't Rush the Season

Tomorrow is the second Sunday in the church's season called Advent.  Advent has four Sundays - the four before Christmas and it always seems to be overshadowed by the festivities and celebrations of Christmas.  But really Advent is a season that Christians should be celebrating with great gusto.  In Advent we look forward to the second coming of Jesus Christ - a moment when God returns to the earth to put everything that is wrong right. We should all be longing for that day.  There is not a human being alive who hasn't been touched by the issues of pain, suffering, death and evil.  As the scripture says:  "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us...creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay...the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time."  (Romans 8:18-22)  Rather than this moment being a great moment of rejoicing popular mythology has turned it into a moment of terror.  But surely the putting right of the whole of creation is not something to be terrified of but rather to rejoice in.  That is, unless you have a big stake in evil - unless you are a part of what has to be put right.  Then yes, terror is appropriate.  But I am going to assume that we have more to rejoice in than to be terrified of, so don't rush into the season of Christmas - take the time to celebrate Advent and all the wonderful things we can expect when the Lord returns.

Smell the Roses

  Today is the day! Today is the day that I will meet my first grandchild - Aimee.  She was born at the end of March on the other side of the country and I haven't yet had the opportunity to meet her.  I'm sitting here thinking about what to write in my blog this morning and can't think about anything else but meeting her.  There must be something wrong with me because I'm not thinking about work.  We live in a driven world - some would say a striving world where we spend most of our waking moments dreaming and thinking about our accomplishments and/or jobs.  We clergy are the worst because we think we have an excuse - "I'm just doing what God has called me to do" we say.  Somehow I believe that God has called me to more than accomplishment.  He has called me at moments to sit back and really smell the roses -to sit back and bask in His light and in the blessings He has bestowed. Surely grandchildren are one of those blessings.  If I can't sit back for a moment then maybe there is really something wrong with me! What a way to start the day - dwelling on His blessings and thanking Him for them.  Thank you Lord.

Doing Your Duty

When I was a kid I went to summer camp every year.  There were lots of great experiences and I learned a lot about life while I was at camp. One of the things I did not enjoy, however, was KP or kitchen patrol.  It was often assigned as a regular duty but was also assigned as a punishment when such action was warranted.  KP usually meant peeling potatoes - and lots of them.  Sometimes it meant washing all kinds of pots.  Whatever it was it was never fun.  I suppose I was a typical young male in that I really didn't enjoy any kind of duty in the kitchen and when it was my turn to help my mother there I moaned and groaned along with the best of the moaners and groaners.  It was not until I married my wife that it occurred to me that someone could really like working in the kitchen.  She has always enjoyed cooking and simply delights in every detail of putting on a good meal.  She spends hours reading cooking magazines and watching cooking shows - writing down ideas to try out at some future date.  For her the kitchen does not represent duty but rather delight.  And there is the key to joyful living.  For too many of us "Christians" going to church, living a holy life of self-sacrifice, or really loving others is not a joy and delight. It is instead a duty. No wonder we are accused of  having dour faces and depressing thoughts.  All of that stuff is really difficult to do if there is no excitement about it.  So where can we get the excitement from?  The excitement  comes from understanding that we are truly loved and that God made a great sacrifice to seek us out.  Once we know that, then responding to His love becomes easy and eventually even a delight.  Let's learn to delight in our Christian walk.  It will make it a lot easier and certainly more attractive to others.

Telling All

"Heavens, no! It could get subpoenaed.  I can't write anything."
Hillary Clinton




As I read this quote from Hillary Clinton I burst out laughing.  Here I am posting intimate details of my life on the Internet every day - undoubtedly making a fool of myself.  I would probably be smart to learn from the wisdom of the worldly wise but it is hard to make the leopard change his spots.  Many years ago I decided that I would be a fool for the Lord and so I started sharing with others my spiritual journey.  Early in ministry there was a wonderful man who took it upon himself to critique my sermons and I learned a great deal from him.  There was one piece of advice that I couldn't follow however.  He told me that I shouldn't share about my weaknesses.  He said that if I did people would not be able to look up to me and they needed to look up to me because I was their pastor.  I didn't agree.  Although I have never been brave enough to tell all - even if the title of this blog suggests I have - I have believed that people need to understand that the Christian journey is not for the perfect but rather for those who God hasn't finished with yet.  The exciting thing is that God accepts me warts and all.  He didn't demand that I become perfect before he save me.  Sharing who you really are brings authenticity to anything you might have to say about Jesus.  I encourage everyone to be more transparent and to take opportunities to share their walk.  Last Sunday at Trinity a number of people came forward and shared the impact of our latest study on their lives.  Their testimonies were real - warts and all - and so many others were encouraged.  Why don't you take a risk and share who you really are?  You might be surprised at the results.

A Lifetime to Prove It

"It takes a moment to tell someone you love them, but it takes a lifetime to prove it."  (unknown)



I can remember when I was still preschool age, standing in my front yard with my sister.  The wind was blowing fiercely and the season was autumn.  We were standing together facing into the wind and holding hands.  It was as if we were ready to face life and all its challenges and somehow we would do it together and support each other.  We looked at each other and promised each other we would get married one day.  That was before we understood brothers and sisters couldn't marry. That was before we discovered that the opposite sex was "ucky" and that we really had different interests.  It was before she became ill with cancer.  It was before she died at the young age of twelve.  As she became more and more ill we became more distant. She wasn't up to living life to its fullest and there were many days when she was grumpy or she disrupted our family's life patterns.  On the other hand all of life seemed to be before me and I was anxious to get on with it.  Yes, I regret being too full of myself to be there more for her.  And so the life lesson is simply this:  How often are you too full of yourself and your agenda to be there for those you love when they need you?  How easy it is for the heat of the moment to take over.  How difficult it can be to put ourselves aside.  But these are the things that will count when we take the "End of Life" test.  They will count much more than the "Bucket List."

Take a moment to show someone you love them today.

Tim Keller's Prodigal God

Our church as just finished undergoing the study of Tim Keller's book "The Prodigal God."  It has been an incredible experience for our congregation.  A high percentage of regular attenders bought the book and a large number of people signed up for discussion groups that met weekly for six weeks.  Yesterday our Sunday service was modified from the usual format and anyone who wished to share how the Prodigal God study had touched their lives was invited to give testimony. The church was packed for the service. Very moving testimonies were given, tears were shed and people came forward to commit or restart their walk with the Lord.  This morning, someone who had not been a part of the study, but who came to church yesterday, came into the office to say that they had read the book last night and that it had made a powerful impact.  I cannot begin to say how deeply it touches me when I see the Spirit of God moving amongst so many people.  Sometimes we know that we need to change or to get excited all over again about our faith but it never seems as easy as a little bit of self-talk.  God has to move and do something to move our hearts that are either broken or hard.  Yesterday our Praise Singers sang a song called "Carried to the Table."  It held incredible meaning for me because its message as simple.  We don't have to get ourselves to the table.  We just have to open ourselves to the work of the great triune God and he will carry us to the table.  Rejoice.  Jesus has already done the work two thousand years ago.  Now its time to learn how to really live.

It's Sunday - Let Your Heart Cry Out in Worship

The Real Skinny on Heaven

The bottom line about heaven is that it is as much about things that we could call material as it is about things that seem just a little surreal.  When Jesus came to earth he proclaimed that the kingdom of God was at hand and he performed many miraculous signs and healings to verify his claim.  It is interesting that his first miracle - the one that heralded all others - was to change water into wine so that a wedding feast would not be spoiled. At another time he provided so many fish for the fishermen that their boat was about to sink. (In my mind it depicts the abundance found in the kingdom of God.) He went on to heal all sorts and conditions of people and to set them free from demons and the power of evil.  He cared about the very state of the human condition and told people there would be no place for them in the kingdom of heaven if they did not care for the poor and hungry, the prisoners and captives, as well as those who were downtrodden and powerless.  It all sounds very worldly to me and certainly is something that I can relate to. Heaven is indeed a wonderful place.  It is the ultimate destiny of the believer's journey. It is something to look forward to.  My guess is that when we arrive we will feel right at home.

"Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them.  They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.  He will wipe every tear from their eyes.  There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.:  (Revelation 21:3-4)

Are You Excited About Heaven yet?

We are told in the book of Exodus that God would speak to Moses "face to face, as a man speaks with his friend."  We are also told that after these meetings with the Lord God Moses' face would glow and he would be difficult to look at.  To make things more comfortable for the people Moses would put a veil over his face until the glow died down.  Where would this glow come from?  Quite simply the glory of God.  Moses had been in the presence of someone so radiant and glorious that his whole countenance would be changed. Saul, on the road  to Damascus, encounters Jesus as such a bright light that he is blinded.  Later in life he writes to Timothy "God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light..."  Finally, in the book of Revelation it states regarding the New Jerusalem:  "The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.  The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.  On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there."  (Revelation 21:23-25)
I wonder what it will be like to live in the presence of this glorious light.  I wonder how it will affect me.

More About Heaven

Trying to put concrete and understandable ideas about heaven before people can be a very difficult task.  How can we talk about what we have not seen?  The scripture does give us some very clear images however.  One of the clear images I find is in the fourth and fifth chapters of the book of Revelation.  Heaven will be about praise and worship.  I hear the voices of all of creation saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come."  I hear the voice of humanity shouting to God "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."  And then to Jesus they cry out in a loud voice "Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!"
Have you ever been to a huge gathering (thousands) where people are singing songs and choruses of praise?  It can be a glorious experience - joining your voice in praise with thousands.There are moments in church when we are singing praises when I lose myself in praise and it gives me just a glimpse of what heaven will be like.  Heaven is a wonderful place.
I invite you to click on the link below for an exciting video of flash mob praise.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXh7JR9oKVE

Heaven is a Wonderful Place

Throughout the years of my ministry many people have asked me what heaven is like.  Those who are sick or dying are particularly interested as they prepare for their future.  I have often found myself short of words when people have asked this question.  I talk about how we only see things vaguely or dimly and go on to assure them that it will be a glorious place.  I laughed as I looked for a picture today that depicts the New Jerusalem and couldn't find anything more natural than the picture that is posted here.  We have a hard time relating the spiritual to the material world.  Perhaps that is why the concept of a feast is so well received.  We have all experienced one and so when the scripture speaks of a great feast in heaven we nod our heads and figure that we get it.  Let's talk a little bit more about this feast.  It is called the wedding banquet of the Lamb.  And let's relate that to the words found in the book of Revelation: " I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple."  The temple in Jerusalem was built as a house for the Ark of the Covenant which was the very dwelling place of God in the midst of the people.  But now in the New Jerusalem this temple will not be needed because the Father and Jesus will simply be there amongst us.  This union of God with his people is referred to as a marriage.  I want to think back to the days when I was courting my wife Cathy.  I was badly smitten.  I did not ever want to be out of her presence.  Going home to my apartment at night was painful; having to go to work was painful; spending time apart for any reason was painful.  I wanted to be with her all the time.  One of the great things about getting married was being able to be with her more of the time.  And so it is with our Lord Jesus.  As we come to love him more we want to be with him more and more and yet we find the daily routines of life take us away from recognizing his presence. But this wedding feast that is described is the beginning of being in his presence all the time.  WOW!  What a glorious day that will be.

A Day of Celebration

As I look back at my years of growing up one of the images that stands out is that of Sunday dinner.  We always went to church - my father was (is) an Anglican priest and of course the clergy family wouldn't consider missing church.  Church seemed good in those days.  The pews were packed and I was able to find a number of other people my age in the crowd.  There was a coffee hour afterwards and everyone connected.  When we got home there was always a Sunday dinner.  As often as not it seemed there were guests to join us for the meal.  I'm sure there were many wonderful things on the menu but what sticks out is the roast beef.  My Dad always cut it thin (so we wouldn't eat too much of it) and as we got older we were introduced to the taste of English mustard with it. Once we settled into our feast the conversation would begin.  Dad would start:  "Well Richard, what did you think of this morning's sermon?"  I would look pleadingly at my younger brothers and sister hoping that they would come to my rescue, but of course I was the oldest and was expected to carry to ball on this one.  A rich desert always followed.
There was no question that we celebrated on Sundays.  It was a church time, a family time and most importantly it was The Day of Resurrection. In our home today we still have a Sunday dinner although it is at night.  There is always good food and usually a guest at the table.  And yes - we eat in the dining room.  But Sunday's don't seem quite the same.  The world doesn't stop turning as it once did.  People head out shopping, or go to work.  Children have busy schedules of hockey or some other sport depending on the season of the year.  Often they haven't been to church because they were just too busy or too tired.  We've lost our understanding of celebration.
But what a great celebration Sunday should be.  It is the day Jesus rose from the dead.  It is the day that death was overcome and the great heavenly reunion and feast was assured.  It is a day of victory and of rejoicing.  Let's recapture it and celebrate.

"You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.  you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows."  Psalm 23:5

The Kingdom of God is a Feast

Some years ago Tony Campolo wrote a book called "The Kingdom of God is a Party".He could well have written another called "The Kingdom of God is a Feast". Yesterday at Trinity we focused on the subject of  "The Feast". We did so because it was the culmination of our study of "The Prodigal God". The parable of the prodigal ends with a feast and a celebration because the son who was lost was found.  We could have done so also because it was "Christ the King" Sunday.  The scripture proclaims that a day is coming when Christ will rule on earth as he does in heaven.  It speaks of the end of the suffering, pain and death that the whole of creation is longing for. It will be a time when we all come home.  What a party it will be.  In the book of the prophet Isaiah I find these words:  "On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine - the best of meats and the finest of wines.  On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever.  The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth."
As I took my communion yesterday I could clearly see this act of taking bread and wine as a foreshadowing of the great feast to come in the kingdom.  It was an Ah Ha moment for me.  As if to confirm what I saw, several people said to me on their way out of church "Coming to church and receiving communion is my feast."  I'm looking forward to that great feast - in the meantime Holy Communion heightens my anticipation and reminds me of great things to come.

"Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." (Hebrews 11:1)

It's Sunday - Prepare Your Heart For Worship

Are You Ready For Sunday Worship?

This week I received the feedback that I was really on the ball last Sunday with my leadership during worship. I think it was a really exiting time of worship and of course it is always great to get affirming feedback. I have no doubt that it is important that the leadership of worship be enthusiastic and spirit filled. Let me tell you however, about all the Sundays that I have arrived excited to worship only to find that no matter how excited I am the congregation seems unmoved by the Spirit of God. Being ready to be moved by the Spirit is the responsibility of everyone who comes to worship on Sunday morning and not just the clergy. But being ready for worship does involve some preparation. Some time of prayer, reflection or just sitting quietly before attending worship can make all the difference. Every Sunday morning I am posting a YouTube video of a worship song. Tomorrow morning take five minutes to listen and prepare yourself for worship.

New Every Morning

Wouldn't it be wonderful if our faith was new every morning - full of confidence and excitement.  The trouble is we don't always feel that way. There are days when faith feels old.  In fact there are times when it feels like it is a burden to keep the faith and to stand firm in what we believe.  When that moment arrives it is time to revisit the very basis for our faith - the love of God for us unconditionally demonstrated on the cross.  When we take the time to contemplate the great price that Jesus paid it becomes a powerful motivator for living out our faith.  This, you see, is the difference between religion and Christianity.  The religious person says "I must do these things in order to stay on the right side of the fence - in order to gain God's favour." The Christian, on the other hand, is not motivated by fear and striving.  The Christian says:  "I have profoundly experienced God's love and therefore I respond freely with my life."  The book of Lamentations says:  "I call this to mind.  Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.  They are new every morning: great is your faithfulness."  (Lamentations 3:22-23)
Just as his love is new for us every morning, so may our love for him be new every day.

When the Anger and Judgement Has Passed

The Prodigal Son Comes Home

How many parents have lived through the battle of wills between with their children?  How often have parents watched their children make all the mistakes they hoped they would never make?  How often have parents stood helpless as their children have hit bottom in their lives?  If you are one of these parents then you are not alone.  At first it is tempting to rise to the challenge and to determine that those strong willed children will not prevail.  As time goes on the battle becomes more stressful and heated because the children are not the only ones with a strong will.  And then that strong willed child becomes an adult and finds ways to hurt the parent to the depth that only a parent can understand.  How tempting it is to heap anger, criticism and judgement on the foolish child.  But in the end, none of those things help.  Our children (even the grown ones) do not need our anger and judgement.  If they have messed up they probably have their own self-anger and judgement to deal with already.  They don't want our wisdom either.  They only see it as judgement and control meted out in the name of wisdom.  The  only thing we have left to give is ourselves and our love.  Interestingly, what may seem to be left-overs to us is the very thing that is most valuable.  "Parents - you can't live with them and you can't live without them."  Make sure that your children don't live without them!

The Beatles Are Back

The Beatles are back. "She Loves You Ya Ya Ya"; "Yellow Submarine"; "Sergeant Pepper"  and all that stuff.  Yesterday Apple announced that the Beatles music would now be sold at the iTunes store.  That's pure gold for people of my generation.  When I finally got to put my weary bones into an armchair last night what did I do?  Go to the iTunes store to check it out.  I kept trying to get there only to be disappointed because I kept getting the message that the server was busy.  I checked my Internet connection - no, it was working fine.  Guess the iTunes store was having a busy night.  I finally got connected.  I can buy a Beatles song for $1.29 or I can buy the "Beatles Box" for $149.00  (I can't tell you what Cathy threatened to do if I did.)  So I just sat there playing the little snippets that the iTunes store will allow you to play in order to preview their products.
There is no question in my mind that the Beatles music influenced a whole generation of young minds - for better or for worse.  It is an example of the power that there is in music.  Music continues to influence the North American mind at a very powerful level.  Unfortunately we often don't listen carefully to the words but rather just get into the beat.  If we took the words to heart there might be a whole lot of music we would never listen to again.  But in case you think this is going to turn into a rant about the horrible directions our culture is taking - it is not.  I prefer to think about the positive and the lovely.  There is a ton of great music out there and in this decade we have some wonderful composers and performers such as Michael W. Smith; Chris Tomlin and many others. I invite you to familiarize yourself with this music; let your heart and mind soak in it, and allow this wonderful music to have a powerful effect on you.  May it lead your heart to worship the King of Kings.

Have a great day.

Perhaps you have heard enough about worry but I am going to discuss it one more time.  That's because I know that worry can be a troublesome and stubborn thing and it is not easy to get rid of.  I believe that the most important weapon in our arsenal against worry is our understanding of God's love.  When we reach the place that we realize that God's love for us is unmoveable and absolutely complete then we can begin to understand that when we are in his hands we are safe.  Now I know that  we live in a world that seems unpredictable and chaotic, but I also know that there is much I cannot see or understand.  Underneath everything that happens are God's everlasting arms and they are more than strong enough to keep me safe in the day of trouble.  Having confidence in this I invite you to give up your worry and put your trust in the one who loves you completely.  

"Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what happens to you."  (1 Peter 5:7 NLT)

Today focus on God's love and let all your worry drop away.

More About Worry

Last week I wrote a couple of times about the subject of worry.  Today I want to write about our responsibility in dealing with our bad habit of worry.  There is no doubt that it is God's power that brings us success in our battle against worry but He wants us to do our part too.  Paul wrote to the Corinthians and said:  "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.  (2 Corinthians 10:5)
I interpret this to mean that we are being encouraged to discipline our minds -not allowing our minds to entertain those things that will harm us and take us away from God. As a child of God I am totally in his hands, but doing my very best is a part of the deal. If worry (or any other thought pattern) is a problem for you then fight the battle and win the victory.  Renounce the harmful thoughts, give them to Jesus and turn your mind to beautiful things.
Have a great day.

It's Sunday - Take Time to Worship

Worry Takes Over

"Worry is a think stream of fear which, if encouraged, becomes a wide channel into which all other thoughts flow."  (Unkonwn)


We all know the words of scripture about worry.  Jesus himself was very clear that we should not live our lives in worry.  He pointed out that our heavenly father loves us and will care for our every need.

So why do we worry?  Because sometimes we just can't stop it.  It's just great for me to pat you on the shoulder and tell you today to stop worrying but how can we control it?  What we need to know is that we do not have to deal with all of these things in our own strength.  As Christians we are given the opportunity to be connected to the power found in Jesus.  A few days ago I wrote about the power of taking all our concerns to God in prayer and leaving them there.  Here is another piece of advice from the scripture: "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things.  Whatever you have learned, or received or heard from me, or seen in me - put it into practice.  And the God of peace will be with you."  (Philippians 4:8-9)

Focus on Jesus

Church (the institution) is a funny place.  We get caught up in activity.  We get caught up in endless discussions about what the scripture really means.  We get caught up in nasty arguments about morality.  I could say more but you what it is like...  Don't get me wrong, the church is the body of believers and we are who we are -messy and broken... but we are God's people none the less.  So why am I a part of this organization/group of people?  It's really quite simple - I needed a savior and I found Jesus.  If we were to focus on that which holds us together - our common need for a savior - then I think all the other stuff would fall away as unimportant.  Trouble is we seem to forget that we need a savior and are busy out trying to save and justify ourselves.  Let's get our act together.  Let's focus on Jesus!

We Will Remember Them

On this Remembrance Day I am particularly thinking of all those who gave their lives in service during the Second World War.  Because of what they gave I have lived my close to sixty years of life in peace and safety.  It is gift that I do not take for granted.  War and all its horror has been an integral part of human history and for all intents and purposes I have avoided it in my lifetime.  Now there are those in this generation who are putting their lives on the line (and losing them) in Afghanistan.  It is my prayer that their sacrifice will make the world a better place just as the sacrifices in times past have done.
"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13)
Thank you.

Are You Stressed Out?

On my way to the office this morning I was listening to the commentators on the radio talking about a report on research done in the USA about the levels of stress in the population at large.  Not surprisingly, they were saying that the general level of stress in the population is alarmingly high.  This, in light of the fact high stress levels have a serious impact on our physical health is a serious matter.  I can relate completely.  I woke up this morning at 2:00 a.m. and to my distress discovered I was wide awake.  I hate it when that happens.  It is not the long quiet night hours I mind but rather how I know I will feel the next day.  I'm too old to go without my sleep.  It wasn't too long before I realized I was thinking about some things that were maybe raising my stress level.  Eventually I thought about praying.  I prayed about the things I was thinking about and, what do you know, the next thing I knew it was morning. I think I have found a great cure for stress.  I invite you to try it.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."  (Philippians 4:7-8)

I Have Myopia

Yes.  I really do.  I have had to wear glasses since I was seven  years old. In grade three I was sitting in the back of the class at school.  One day, I put my hand up and told the teacher I couldn't see the blackboard.  She moved me to the middle of the classroom.  It wasn't long after that I put my hand up again.  I was moved to the front row in the classroom. When I put my hand up a third time she wrote a letter to my parents suggesting I should see the eye doctor.  I am very myopic and know what it means to, literally, not be able to see beyond the nose on my face.
But sometimes I think I am myopic spiritually as well.  It seems easy to have faith when things are going well, But faith is not really for the good times.  It is not about the things we can see but rather the things we cannot.  About the third day into the flu I am convinced I am going to die.  That's why I always have such sympathy for those undergoing chemotherapy.  The side effects of the treatment only serve to convince them that the prognosis is terminal.
Psalm 26 starts off this way:  "Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have led a blameless life; I have trusted in the Lord without wavering."  That's my goal. I am not there yet. Lord, teach me to trust you without wavering.