Whitehorse Church of the Nazarene

What is "Charitable" Giving?

9/14/2021

The Government of Canada allows registered charities to issue official tax receipts for charitable giving. This is carefully regulated and every charity is required to file a "charity return" on an annual basis in order to comply with and continue issuing charitable receipts.

While charitable giving is never the motivation for giving, it is helpful to know that the Government of Canada supports charities by allowing charities to issue tax receipts which will then result in approximately 35% of the donation being returned to the donor (by way of a reduction on their annual income tax).

But that leads to the question... what qualifies as a charitable contribution (for tax purposes)? That is the question this post will attempt to answer. This is not a "legal" answer... it is only a summary to the best of my knowledge.

Let's look at some examples of what qualifies and what does not qualify.

A general (unrestricted) donation to the church will always be considered a charitable contribution. This would include any tithes or offerings that are not designated to anyone or anything in particular. Furthermore, donations to our building fund would also be considered a charitable contribution.

A donation to a mission or ministry that the church supports; provided that mission or ministry is also a charity, qualifies as a charitable donation. For example, you might want to send a donation to Wycliffe or to Avant Ministries. You can certainly send it directly to those ministries; or you can send it to the church earmarked for those ministries. Because those ministries are charities themselves, we will process your donation, send it off to the respective organization, and we will be the ones to send you a tax receipt at the end of the year.

Likewise, donations to ministries within the Church of the Nazarene are also charitable contributions. For example, donations to the Thanksgiving Offering (for World Evangelism) or the Alabaster Offering or any other Nazarene offering or missions project are all charitable contributions.

What is NOT a charitable contribution is donations made to a specific individual. For example, let's say you want to bless one of your pastors with a gift of $100. That is very kind of you (and thank you, by the way); but that is not a charitable contribution because it is for an individual who is not a charity themselves. It is not treated any different than, say, you gave that $100 directly to one of the pastors. The benefit of giving it through the church would be that your gift would be anonymous to the pastor involved, but it wouldn't be a charitable contribution.

You might want to give a financial gift to a missionary. That is also not a charitable contribution if you are giving it (even through the church) for the individual's personal use. If on the other hand, you are giving it to that individual's missionary work, or deputation fund (and not to the individual themself) then it is a charitable contribution.

For example, you might want to bless Nora with a $100 gift. You give those funds to us and we send those funds to Nora. That is not a charitable contribution. However, if you earmark a $100 donation to Nora's Wycliffe Ministry (and we send that money, on your behalf, to Wycliffe for Nora's ministry) then it is a charitable contribution.

What about benevolence giving? From time to time there are special needs and we would like to help out people through a difficult situation. Here's how that works. If you are giving a donation to the church's Benevolence Fund, that is definitely a charitable contribution... but do keep in mind that the donation is to the fund, not to any particular individual. If you earmark it for a particular individual, it is no longer a charitable contribution. By giving to the Benevolence Fund you are leaving it up to the discretion of the church board to use the funds to help individuals that the Board determines. If you are directing your funds to a specific person, then that is not a charitable contribution.

What about fundraising events? For example, we sometimes have a baked goods auction. We have seen some cakes auctioned for $100 or more (who can resist Lindsy's cakes?). This is a little more tricky because the cakes definitely have value (you are getting something back for your $100), but the cake doesn't usually sell for $100 either (in other words, you are being generous). In this case, the value of the cake is deducted from your donation.and the balance is considered a charitable contribution. So, for example, the cake might be valued at $40; but you give $100 for it. We would issue you a tax receipt for $60 in this example.

There is also the question about services in lieu of a donation. These are not charitable contributions. For example, we need an electrician to do about $500 of labour for us. Mr. (or Mrs.) Nice Electrician does the work and does not charge us. That is very kind (and appreciated) but we can not issue a charitable receipt for that. If on the other hand, Mr. (or Mrs.) Nice Electrician bills us $500 (and we pay them $500), then they can give us back $500 (because, after all, they are nice), then we can give them a chartiable receipt for that $500.

Finally, I should mention "gifts in kind". These are usually physical items that have a value and are donated to the church. Gifts in kind are charitable contributions.... but only to the actual value they have (at the time of donation) and only if the church is actually looking for and wanting that item. For example, the church might be looking for a video camera and you just bought a video camera two months ago and decided to donate it to the church. You can give it to the church and we can issue you a tax receipt for the value of that camera. On the other hand, you might have a computer that you paid $2,000 for about two years ago. We are not looking for a computer, and that computer is definitely not valued at $2,000 anymore; so we would not issue you a charitable contribution receipt for that gift.

The rules for a charitable contribution are very specific and are there to safeguard the system so that it is not misued and continues to benefit charities. I do hope this helps clarify questions you may have. If you need any more information, please do contact the church office.

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Electronic Giving - Here to Stay

11/17/2020

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It seems that with a growing number of people who have been choosing to make electonic contributions to the church, I thought I would take a few moments to describe the options and the pros/cons for each one so that you can decide what is best for you.

Essentially (right now) there are three options.

1. eTransfer
eTransfer is a direct transfer of funds from your online banking to the Church of the Nazarene bank account. Any eTransfer to "whitehorsenazarene@gmail.com" is automatically deposited into the church account and the church office receives an email stating that you have made a transfer.

Because this email account is set up with the bank already; you will not need to enter a security question and answer for the transfer. It will be automatic. It will be automatically deposited to our account. No one (at our end) needs to "accept" the transfer and there is no cost (to the church) for receiving your transfer. It is easy and it is quick.

Most eTransfers will be for "tithes" however, you are most welcome to include "offerings" as well. If there is no "note" we will assume it is your tithes. However, if you wish to add a contribution to a special offering, you can specify it (or the portion of it) in the "note" section before finalizing your eTransfer.

Once the eTransfer is received, the church office prints out a report that shows your name and the transferred amount. This is then entered into our "contributions" database, which later issues you a tax receipt.

2. Credit Card: Tithe.ly
Tithe.ly is a church specific credit card option. If you wish to use a credit card, and if you don't mind NOT being anonymous, and especially if you would like to give a contribution by credit card regularly.... "tithe.ly" is your best option for a couple of reasons:

a) for YOU there is a "tithe.ly" app that you can download. Once you set it up and choose the Whitehorse Church of the Nazarene, you can open the app, press a button or two, and make a donation virtually on the spot. Once it is set up, it takes only seconds to make a contribution. If you are in church, the app will recognize your location; but you can make a donation from any location. This is probably the easiest way to give (regularly) with credit card.

b) for US, the fee we are charged from "tithe.ly" is a little lower than the alternative (which we will look at next). The fee is not a big deal. We are quite prepared to absorb the fee for either credit card service... but this one is just a fraction lower.

3. Credit Card: Canada Helps
Canada Helps also offers charities the benefit of receiving donations through credit card. There is no fee to you and the fee to us is just a fraction more than the alternative. Canada Helps will charge us a flat 4% of your contribution.

The advantage of Canada Helps is that you can issue your contribution 100% anonymously (to us) and STILL get a tax receipt. How is that possible? Because our charity is registered with Canada Helps and THEY will issue you the tax receipt. So when someone gives through Canada Helps they can indicate their name (if they wish) or make their contribution anonymous. Either way, the tax receipt is issued from them, not us. We will not issue a tax receipt for any contributions made through Canada Helps because they issue it.

LINKS

Please be aware that MORE than the actual financial contribution (as much as that is appreciated), your faithfulness to the Lord is the top priority.

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Tithes & Offerings

10/20/2020

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One of the "traditions" for Nazarenes around the world is to give to a special offering. These offerings can be a real source of blessing.

One question that often comes up is how is an "offering" different than the "tithe"?

Good question!

Biblically, the tithe is a tenth portion of one's increase that is given to the Lord. In the Old Testament, this was a requirement. In the New Testament, it is not a "requirement of the law" (at least, not the written law), but a response of love.

Does that mean I don't need to give a tithe?

This might sound self-serving, but I truly believe it (and practice it myself); that the law of love doesn't even consider that question. Seeing how Jesus compares the law of love to the written law (the law of love always goes beyond the requirements of the written law); it would seem that the old written law is a starting point for even greater response (not less).The question that love asks is not how little I can give, but how much I can give. (I’ve sometimes said that giving 10% is for beginners - because that is the starting point).

That's where the "offering" comes in. The offering is a contribution, over and above the "tithe" that is usually given for a special purpose. While the "tithe" is for the general ministries of the church; the "offering" can be for anything one desires to give toward.

It could be the Alabaster Offering (used to help fund the purchase of land or building materials for missions projects); it could be some other ministry or missionary that I support. It could be the Thanksgiving Offering (for World Evangelism). It could be to a building fund or a benevolence fund or any number of things.

For us in the Church of the Nazarene, we usually collect an Easter Offering (in the spring) and a Thanksgiving Offering (in the fall) both for world evangelism. These offerings will go 100% over and above what our church is already committed to giving to world missions. The World Evangelism Fund is the "bread and butter" of our missionary work.

What happens to the "tithe"?

The tithe is used for the ongoing ministry of the local church and our portion of the ongoing ministry of the district and the global church. We believe that when God's people are faithful in giving their tithes, then the needs of the church will be met. That is why we don't actually collect special offerings for our own needs; nor do we engage in fundraising for our ongoing ministry. This is also why we don't charge a fee for anything that we provide, whether it is books or meals or whatever else. In fact, in my 33+years that God has given me in Whitehorse, I know of only one occasion when we charged a fee to participate in something (and that was done, not for the money, but to reserve seats for those who really wanted to come). We are able to provide what we do without added cost because we believe the source of income for the church is the tithe; and people have been very faithful in giving their tithes.

Are there more offerings coming up?

There are always special offerings coming up. We don't apologize for that because we don't "push" them either. We simply let people know that there are these needs, beyond our own local church needs, and we give you an opportunity to give an "offering" towards it. If you can, great. If you can't, that's fine. No shame in that. Give as the Lord enables you.
What are some of those offerings?

Let's see.... without thinking too hard... (and I'm sure I'll miss some) we usually receive these offerings throughout the year:

Thanskgiving Offering (for World Evangelism)
Compassionate Ministries Offering (usually in December - but also any time there is a global need).
Alabaster Offering (in February and September)
Easter Offering (also for World Evangelism)
Deputation Offering (when we have a visiting missionary - for a project they want to undertake)

So there you have it... a summary of what our "tithes" and "offerings" are all about.

Thank you so much for your continued faithfulness. If you have any questions, we are always delighted to provide information.

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Love: Always, Always, Always.

2/14/2020

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"Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

Our first thought is to connect this with marital relationships; as we do with so much of 1 Corinthians 13. After all, 1 Corinthians 13 is all about "love" and what better place to show love than in a marriage!

However, 1 Corinthians 13 isn’t written to a couple that has fallen in love… it is written to a church that has fallen out of love.

Paul is writing to a church that has been bogged down in gossip, slander, sexual immorality, drunkenness; and so much more; to a church that has was not reflecting the holiness of God; and what he is essentially saying in chapter 13 is “hey church, this is what you are supposed to look like." And there in verse 7; Paul describes some key characteristics of the church; which truthfully does apply in all our relationships: “Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

Therefore, in the context of the church, what does it mean to “protect” one another?

For starters, we can protect a reputation. It happens far too often: someone comes to you with a juicy tidbit of information. It often begins with the words, “Did you know…” or “Have you heard..." Or maybe “don't tell anyone I told you this but..." Almost inevitably, whatever it is that is being said; it is harmful to the person being spoken about. Love does not allow harm to someone’s reputation to go unchecked like a roaring fire. James 3:6 reminds us “The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one's life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.” Love does not spread the fire…. even if it's true.

A good example of a love that protects is the love that Joseph had towards Mary. You remember the story. Joseph didn’t understand Mary’s sudden pregnancy. How could he? He was prepared to divorce Mary “quietly” in order to save her from disgrace (as much as possible). That's what love does. That's what it means to protect. Love wants to see as little harm done to someone else as possible. That is certainly one way in which love protects.

Another way that love can protect is when someone is about to harm themselves; spiritually or otherwise. This is a little more difficult because everyone has the right to make his or her own decisions. And yet, when you love someone you will do what you reasonably can in order to prevent them from harming themselves. It’s called looking out for one another. Galatians 6:1, “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted." Love does not sweep sin under the rug pretending it’s not there. Love seeks to restore someone gently.

What Paul seems to be telling the church is that “love" will cause us to look out for someone else’s welfare; even at the cost of our own. That, after all, is the example that Jesus gave us.

Out in the world, the attitude of many is “I'm going to look out for myself". “Mind your own business.” However in the church, there is definitely a place for us to do as Philippians 2:4 says; “do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.” (NASB). It seems to me that this is definitely one very important expression of love. Love always protects.

When someone does something wrong; we have two options. We can either broadcast it, to the detriment of the person and to our own testimony… or we can seek the welfare of that person and at the same time promote the gospel of Christ… not by hiding the wrongs... but by dealing with things in an appropriate and godly manner.

That’s what love will do. And one of the reasons why love will do this is because love sees what God can be doing in a person down the road.

Rather than jump and shout and claim my rights… rather than telling everyone how much someone has hurt me or wronged me… what Paul is saying is that love holds off on that sort of reaction.

Peter had the same idea in mind when he wrote in 1 Peter 4:8, "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”

It’s not that sin is swept under the rug – not at all. It’s that love does not allow sin to have the final word in a relationship. Love sees that there is more; that there is potential; and so it doesn’t do anything to hinder the continued work of God in that person’s life.

As God's people, we are called to love one another in this manner. Likewise, if relationships in the home are going to work the way God intended them to work, we are going to have to love one another in this manner – a love that bears all things and a love that endures all things – a love that hopes. A love that will not give up.

So today, Valentine’s Day, besides focusing on romantic love; perhaps there is someone in your life that needs the kind of love that Paul wrote to the Corinthians about. Someone who needs you to stand up for them; someone who needs to know they are not beyond hope; someone who knows you can trust them; someone who will realize that you will not give up on them. And who knows… that someone might very well be your spouse.

Let us truly love one another as Christ loved us.

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Saying Good-Bye

8/14/2019

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Today, August 14, 2019 is a special day. There have been other special days. The day when I found out I’m going to be a father. The day I held each of my grandchildren (so far) the first time! The day I led three of my children in the covenant of Christian marriage. Today is no less special. Today is the day my oldest “child” is leaving Canada for what is planned to be a two-year period, and quite possibly for much longer.

I’ve been asked a few times how I feel about my daughter packing up and moving to Tanzania. Am I nervous? Am I worried? Do I have mixed feelings?

I can say I am 100% confident and comfortable with what Nora is doing and where Nora is heading. This is true for several reasons.

Ever since Nora was born (as is the case for all of our children), Nora has belonged to God. Yes, Heather and I raised her, protected her, educated her, etc, etc, and of course we love her dearly and will miss her greatly.... BUT Nora is a gift from God and belongs to God. Period. We do not “own” her. We have been privileged to raise her and have her as our firstborn. We are delighted to have had this opportunity - and we look forward to more blessings with her in the future. But in the end, she belongs to God. She always has.
Ever since Nora was a young child, she had an interest in serving the Lord in missions. Perhaps it was just a childish thought, but it was there. She might not even remember it. I do. After one of our missionary services, Nora told me that one day she would like to be a missionary. There is something in her heart that compels her in this direction. She loves the Lord and is passionate about others being able to know and love the Lord.
Ever since Nora has been a young adult, she has been preparing for this. First through college, then university, then working to keep herself out of debt, then more university, then preparation and training specific to this field, then two years (or more) of raising support. She has not just imagined this last week. She is as well prepared as anyone her age could possibly be. Furthermore, she has already traveled to many parts of the world.
Ever since Nora has graduated university she has been careful not to “love the things” of this world. Sure she enjoys nice things, as we all do, but they are not her pursuit. She is willing to sacrifice; she has been willing to do without; she has been willing to trust God with her future; giving up on a secure job with a good income that would have enabled her to acquire much. That’s a pretty tough thing to say “no” to. But she did.
Ever since Nora has announced her intention to serve with Wycliffe there has been growing support (prayer and financial) for her to be able to go. Nora has reported how people have come forth, sacrificially, to support her. I am so grateful to all of these people. I don’t know who you all are (that’s not something I’ve asked or been told) but I am indebted to you for your support for Nora.

So Nora, I am excited for you. You are called of God for this; and we are all extremely proud of you. You are well prepared. You have the right heart. And while no one of us knows what the future holds, we know with confidence that you are in God’s hands; and we know that there is not a better place to be.

Of course we will miss you. Who am I going to go tumbling down stairs with? Who am I going to poke while going down the road? Who will be my entertainment officer? And how can I forget that first Chilkoot hike you and I did together.

Nora, I am virtually bursting with pride because of you. Not in a “look at me” way, but in a “look at what God has done in your life” way. And this is only the beginning. Blessings on you Nora. Safe travels. You are already missed and I look forward to your return in God’s time.

Your dad, always.

PS: If anyone would like to read more about Nora’s work in Tanzania, perhaps get her updates; please see this link.

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Family Camp

7/7/2019

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I just returned from a 2200 KM trip (that would be over 1350 miles for my friends in the USA). 12 hours one way. 12 hours coming back. And that does not include breaks for lunch, fuel, and gas station bathrooms which are hit-and-miss (no pun intended). Furthermore, there’s an international border to cross (don’t forget your passport). Construction delays. Frost heaves (serious ones that will take you airborne if you don't slow down). Pot holes that threaten to rip out front ends. Even a temporary highway closure due to forest fire. Oh ya, and gasoline isn’t exactly free either.

There and back again (sounds like a good title for a book).

So why bother? Why go through all that trouble to participate in family camp when I could have spent 5 days relaxing, just an hour away, in my own cottage in the woods? Why put up with all the “hassle”? I’ll tell you why.

First of all; I put up with “all that hassle” because I need family camp. I need to get away. I need to get away from my routines. I need to find that quiet place. I need to spend time with my wife and/or kids on the road. I need to be in fellowship with other believers. I need to hear the messages that came from the chapel. I need to participate in the fun and laughter. I need to have those quiet times of conversation with others. I need to make new connections with friends and rekindle friendships from previous visits. I need to recharge. It seems that there are many things that I need… it’s easy to put all those on the back burner at home. But I need this. I need Family Camp for me.

Secondly, I put up with “all that hassle” because I want my kids, my grandkids, and the people from my church to come to family camp. Just as much as “I need” all the things mentioned previously, the people that I care about in my life (and that includes you) also need those things. You need to unwind. You need to hear from God, perhaps in a different setting than usual. My kids need the same thing. My grandkids need all this and more. If I don’t go, how will others know? What incentive will they have? I go because I want to set an example for the people that I care about. If I don't go, they likely won't.

Thirdly, I put up with “all that hassle” because someone else at family camp needs me there. I do not go in a vacuum. I am part of a Christian community. There is bound to be someone there who needs encouragement. There is bound to be someone there who needs to hear the story that I’ve experienced. There is someone who needs a smile on their face. Someone who needs someone perhaps not quite so close to listen to them. I don’t know what impact I’ll have on others. But there’s a reason why the Psalmist prayed, “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14). My words… My attitude... My actions… can be a blessing to someone who might have come to family camp broken, confused, hurt. I’d miss out on that if I stayed home. It's not just about me.

The Alaska District is so incredibly blessed to have Camp Maranatha. I know there have been tons of people who have come up over the years to help develop it to what it is today. But it takes the leadership of a district to have brought it all together and to keep it going. It’s a huge camp. Great facilities. Wonderful camp directors; and I’m sure a whole team of people planning and implementing the various camps.

I want to encourage you, go to Family Camp wherever you may find it. Go to the nearest one to you (in my case, that’s 1100 km away). But it’s well worth it for me. And if you let it, it will be well worth it for you. Don’t let it slip by because if enough people “skip it” pretty soon there won’t be this amazing resource that is right beneath our noses (OK, in my case, maybe not right beneath my nose, but you know what I mean)….

Now I'm looking forward to next summer.

What about you? Can you tell us how Family Camp has been meaningful for you? Leave a comment below.

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On Christians and Politics

12/22/2017

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I was recently reading a post that suggested that anyone who would vote for so-and-so couldn't be a real Christian.

It seems to me that historically Christians run into problems when they start making claims of who is a Christian and who isn't a Christian based on who someone votes for or supports.

A person's vote, in today's day and age, is a very complicated decision. No one leader is going to represent all of what a person hopes for. Does that mean a politician's lifestyle or choices don't matter? Certainly it does, but to make the claim someone is not a Christian (or perhaps that they are a "bad" Christian) for voting for someone who has failed (morally and otherwise) and continues to fail is akin to sitting in the judgment seat. Meanwhile, a second group of Christians are perplexed at how the first group can vote for and support a leader who openly endorses late term abortions and all manner of sexual immorality.

The answer is obvious. Each individual has his/her own "priority" issue, and they support/vote for a leader who is most in line with that issue. It doesn't mean the other issues are not important or that the voter doesn't care about the other issues. Perhaps the voter doesn't think either leader will be able to change a certain situation, so they vote based on an entirely different issue.

The point is that individuals decisions on who to support or vote for are very complex. To insinuate (or, more often than not, openly criticize and vilify) someone who votes differently, is to degenerate into pre-school behaviour.

I respectfully suggest that it is far better to discuss policies, etc, of politicians and political parties; but to leave "people who support so and so are not Christians" out of it. In the end, no party or politician will adequately represent a godly perspective albeit, some make their distance more obvious than others.

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Ohhhhh, Canada

7/3/2016

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Those of you who know me know that history is not my greatest strength. OK, it probably doesn’t even make the top ten list. I know, I know… it’s a terrible thing. I get chastised for it – and I’m sure I deserve it. My excuse is that I’ve married a history genius – and so she does all the historical thinking for me.

But kidding aside, you don’t have to be a history professor to know that things have been changing in our country. While we do live in a great country – and I was glad to be out celebrating Canada Day – there are also many reasons to be concerned.

There was a time when our governments had a much greater reliance upon God in our land. There was a time when Bibles were openly welcomed in the schools. There was a time when military chaplains preached the word of God and called people to repent. There was a time when it was scandalous for a leader (or anyone) to commit adultery. There was a time when the supremacy of God was not just a phrase in the preamble to our Charter of Rights and Constitution Act, it was in fact the basis for our entire judicial system.

I don’t need to be a history major to know that as a nation, we are weakened spiritually and morally. Our country is not what it was 100 years ago or even 20 years ago. No, we don’t need to be the same as we were “back then” but we should be getting better, not worse.

Objective truth has been replaced with individual relativism. No longer do we ask, “what is right”, we ask, “what feels good to me”. As a nation, we are not only facing a moral decline; we are in a full and complete moral collapse.

When babies are so easily aborted for the sake of convenience…
When marriage is no longer understood as a life-long covenant between a man and a women…
When children are taken away from their parents because they’ve been swatted on the bottom.
When men want to become women and women want to become men.

And it’s not just the fact that these things are happening. That’s not the issue. The issue is that unless you agree with the philosophy behind these things then something must be wrong with you.

A case in point is the courts in Ontario, refusing to recognize the credentials of lawyers that would be coming out of Trinity Western University – why – because they uphold marriage as a covenant relationship between a man and a woman.

Let me be clear. This isn’t about practice. This isn’t about what people have a right to do or not to do. It’s about controlling what you think and believe. The way our society would have it; unless you abandon Biblical Christianity, you will have a hard time getting ahead as a politician, or serving as a lawyer or teacher; or holding any other position of responsibility – because obviously something is wrong with you.

This is the country we’ve become. This isn't what your ancestors fought and died for. The reality is that you are no longer free to hold a view (not just a practice, but an ideology) that is contrary to the standards of this world – standards which are clearly out of line with Biblical teaching.

The laws of our government and the decisions of our judicial systems show that Biblical morality is largely unwelcome in our country…. And on the one hand; it causes me to grieve.

I grieve because I know that a nation without God will sooner or later collapse. Only a matter of time. I grieve because I know that my children, and their children, will face increasing persecution for upholding Christian faith; more than I ever did. I grieve because the general population is believing a lie – and the consequences of sin is still death.

Romans chapter 1 beginning at verse 18, it describes God’s wrath against godlessness. It describes a people that although they knew God, they rejected God; they exchanged the truth of God for a lie (vs 25), and ended up giving into shameful lusts. The Bible describes it, “Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural one. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another.”

Verse 32 gives the conclusion: “…they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them” (Romans 1:29-32). I hate to say it, but this sounds so much like the leaders who are so proud to stand beside those who embrace godlessness, they “approve of those who practice” such things.

So where does that leave us? Is it all doom and gloom? Not at all. This isn’t a message of despair. It is a message of hope. Why? Because we are right where God wants us to be – the salt of the earth and a light in the darkness (Matt 5:13).

The Good News is that God is bigger than the Government of Canada, or even the Supreme Court. God is bigger than the United States – whoever becomes the next President (wow, and what a mess that is).

God has been there; he’s seen every kind of evil intention imaginable. He’s dealt with the likes of Haman, who tried to use King Xerxes to whip out all of God’s people. He’s dealt with the likes of the Nebuchadnezzar, who thought he was God. He’s dealt with the likes of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19) and their rampant sexual immorality. He’s dealt with the sin of the Ninevites. He’s dealt with the ever-repeating sins and rebellion of the Israelites themselves.

God is no stranger to a messed up world. God is no stranger to sin and rebellion. We only need to look in the mirror. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 describes what we were. It’s not a pretty picture. But that’s where we’ve come from. And you are where you are today because God has a purpose for you. In all the times when entire nations rejected God – there was always a remnant who hung in there and were a voice of truth.

Remember Elijah – after his episode on Mount Carmel and then what does Jezebel want to do? She wants to have his head – literally (1 Kings 19:2). Elijah runs off and sits under a tree and wants to die – thinking he is the last of God’s prophets. What does God tell him? He tells him that here are still 7,000 men in Israel who are still faithful to God.

Today, I look around our country and the direction it is going – and honestly, I am grieved – as I expect God is too – but I’m not surprised and most certainly I have no reason to despair. God has dealt with this before – and he will deal with this again.

Take a look at Ninevah. It was doomed. It was far worse than anything in our country. And yet, the time came when the people repented of their sins. On the other hand, Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed.

Will we, as a nation, repent? I don’t know. I’m not so sure. But I do know that God is in charge. I do know that God calls us to pray for our nation and its leaders. And I do know that God calls you and I to be a holy people; and then he calls us to become salt and light in this world.

God doesn’t need an army to change the world. He doesn’t depend on horses and chariots. He works through individuals who are obedient. And that’s where we come in.. More than any time in recent history, our world needs God… and our calling (you and I) is to reflect the holiness of God; to be the salt of the earth or a lamp in the darkness.

Our response needs to be, “God, I’m here and I’m willing to be obedient to you – even if it unpopular or uncomfortable.” And when you do respond to Him, don’t expect the world’s approval. Peter, writing to the church, “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you” (1 Peter 4:12).

We are headed for difficult times; but we are serving a God who has been through it all before. So I say to you; be faithful. Be courageous. Stand firm – let nothing move you. Be the salt of the earth, let your light shine, and pray because things will likely get worse before (and if) they get better.

1 Cor. 15:58, “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

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Heaven is my Home

6/5/2016

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An elderly couple passed away and found themselves at the pearly gates. Peter was there to welcome them. First he showed them their mansion. The man overwhelmed by the sheer luxury of it all. Being accustomed to business on earth he asked, "How much does this place cost per night?" Peter replied, "Sir, this is Heaven, it doesn’t cost anything." Then Peter took them to the dining room where table upon table was piled high with the most delicious foods you could imagine. Again overwhelmed by the glory of it all the man asked, "How much for the meals?" Peter said, "You forget, this is Heaven, it’s free." Peter then took them out back where they saw a fantastically beautiful golf course. As the man stood there open-mouthed Peter said, "Now before you ask, there are no fees, this is Heaven, everything is free." The man looked at his wife; "You and your confounded bran muffins. If it wasn’t for them I could have been here 10 years ago!"

A great room, an amazing all-you-can-eat buffet, and even the greenest golf courses – as much as they are all nice – are not what heaven is about. The best thing about heaven is who we are with.

“Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,”for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘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 21:1-4).

Most of the time, when we talk about heaven, we tend to focus our “what” heaven is like. Will it be “up there” somewhere? Where exactly will it be? Will there be fishing streams? Will my cat be in heaven. [Ugh… I hope not]. Then there are the streets of gold. Just what kind of gold are we talking about anyway?

There’s the story of the rich man who, on his deathbed, negotiated with God to allow him to bring his earthly treasures with him when he came to heaven. God thought this was a little strange, but being the benevolent God that he is decided to grant the man’s request. Sure enough the man died and he showed up at the pearly gates with a suitcase. St. Peter, being in charge of the front door and all, needed to take a look (I guess even heaven has security screening). Peter took the suitcase, opened it, saw all the gold that the man had brought, and asked with disbelief, “Pavement? You brought PAVEMENT?"

Gold streets are nice, I’m sure – but that’s not what heaven is about.

The most important questions about heaven are not “what” questions; they are “who” questions. Namely; who will be there? And of course, the most important “who” in “who will be there” is Jesus. The glory of heaven is not in the beautiful descriptions and all the wonderful comforts.

For example, we know that in heaven there will be no sorrow or crying or pain. Now, that sounds good! There is a lot of pain in this world. Some of you have been through so much already. I don’t understand it all. But I do know that all of that will be a thing of the past in heaven. That’s sounds good. And it is good. But even that isn’t the best part about heaven.

The glory of heaven will be the presence of God. Remember, John 14, when Jesus is comforting his disciples, “That where I am, you will be also….” And in Revelation: “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them” (Rev. 21:4).

Now, don’t get me wrong….. I like my friends and my congregation. You are an amazing people. You’ve been patient with me, you’ve supported me, you’ve been there for me when I’ve gone through difficult times – you guys are awesome – and I very sincerely hope that all of us will be in heaven together some day. That would be awesome for sure. But [are you ready for this – brace yourself – this might come as a shock] I’m not looking forward to heaven because I’ll see you there.      Crazy, isn’t it? And I’m not even looking forward to heaven because I’ll see my grandparents there. I know that sounds awful, like I don’t care. That’s not true at all. I do care. But heaven isn’t about me and my buddies or even my family – it’s about God. Heaven is about being in the presence of the eternal God of all creation, and being able to know him, worship him, and love him free from all hindrances and limitations.

Let’s take a look at 1 Corinthians 13:12, “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.”

Right now, we see God with our human lens, but we don’t see him clearly. Right now, we love God with our human heart, but there are also other things that compete. Right now, we worship Him – and yet even our worship is limited. In heaven, we will see him face to face, we will know him fully and we will worship him without hindrance. In heaven, we will be able to have that full and complete, unhindered relationship with our Lord and Saviour. We will see him, we will understand him, we will be able to worship him – fully and freely. All our imperfections will be gone. All our misunderstandings will be gone.

Going back to Rev. 21:7; “He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son.” Sounds pretty good. That’s what heaven is. Our relationship with, our communion and our understanding of God – fully restored.

But there’s one other thing that needs to be said about heaven – and that is that it’s not the eternal home for everyone.

We have this concept in our mind – and I think it starts in grade school now – where everyone is a winner. You win, I win, we all win. No one loses. And that concept has passed into the spiritual realm. God loves us all.   We are all his children. We’re all going to end up in heaven one way or another. Sounds very modern – but it’s not at all biblical.

Take a look at Rev. 21:8, “But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all the liars – their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”   Whoa…. Where did that come from? Yes, right after all that other nice talk about what heaven will be like.

Not everyone is in heaven now. Some people won't make it. The Bible speaks of the saved and the lost. The saved are those who trust Jesus Christ as their eternal Savior. The lost are those who do not trust Christ as Savior. This is the great dividing line of humanity-you are either saved or you are lost. And there is no middle category. You will either spend eternity in heaven or eternity in hell.

Way back in Deuteronomy 30:15-20, God made it clear to the people that there were two choices, two ways, two outcomes as they entered the promised land.

See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. 16 For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. 17 But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, 18 I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. 19 This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

The same is true for us as we face the prospect of eternity. There is an eternal life and there is a second death. And the sad part is that no one needs to face the reality of hell. That’s why Jesus died for our sins – he took our sin upon himself – so that we can find life. We have a choice – life or death; blessings or curses. Eternity with God – knowing him fully – or rejecting Him and facing the consequences.

In his book "Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life", the author Charles Swindoll tells a story about the 19th Century agnostic Thomas Huxley. Huxley was in Dublin and was rushing to catch a train. He climbed aboard one of Dublin’s famous horse drawn taxis and said to the driver "Hurry, I’m almost late, drive fast". Off they went at a furious pace and Huxley sat back in his seat and closed his eyes. After a while Huxley opened his eyes and glanced out the window to notice that they were going in the wrong direction. Realizing that he hadn’t told the driver where to take him he called out ‘do you know where you’re going?’ The driver replied "No, your honour, but I am driving very fast’.

Far too many people are racing along in life but they haven’t given much thought to where they are going. The question for us is, where are you headed? I don’t ask you that, with a figurative gavel in my hand and a long finger pointing at you; I ask you that as a friend.   “There is a way that seems right but in the end it leads to death.” Prov. 14:12.

There are two ways; two destinies; two choices. We don’t end up in heaven because we were lucky, or because we kept our nose relatively clean. We can only come into heaven through Christ.

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No Fear in Death

5/29/2016

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Benjamin Franklin, in a 1789 letter to Jean-Baptiste Leroy made the comment, "'In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes."

Of course, we could probably add a whole lot to that list if we really wanted to. But one thing we know, we know that one day we will die. James 4:14 puts it rather bluntly…. “What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”

The most common reaction to discussions about death is fear. We fear death. But why? Why are we so afraid of death? Or, to put it another way…. why do we fight so hard to extend life as far as humanly (and as scientifically) as possible? Why do we fear death so much and treat it like an enemy that has to be conquered at all costs, especially when we know that we will all submit to it in the final battle?

I think part of the reason why we resist death so much is because we were never meant to die. Death was not part of God’s plan for us when he created us. We were not designed to die – and frankly, I think that’s one of the reasons why we have such a hard time with it. In a way, death is unnatural – even though it has become very natural.

So why do we die? We know that death came as a result of sin. Of course, the warning was there. When God placed Adam in the garden and told him about the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, God warned him, “for when you eat of it, you will surely die” (Genesis 2:17). And in that sense, death reminds us of our own sinful nature. “All have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God” (Romans 3:23). And “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). But there is also more. The very next statement is that the gift of God is eternal life.

While death is a forgone conclusion… there is also more.

In 1 Corinthians 15:54b-57, Paul was writing to a church that was concerned about death. And in reference to the work of God he said “’Death has been swallowed up in victory.’ ‘Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

“The sting of death is sin” (1 Corinthians 15:56). That agrees to what we already read in Genesis. If there were no sin, there would have been no death. But now there is death. It can’t be avoided. But the power of death has been broken because the power of sin has also been broken. We still die, physically, but death has no power over us – it merely becomes a transition to eternal life. In essence, for the believer at least, death becomes the passageway to victory. Which takes me back to the question I started with earlier… why then are we so afraid of death?

When a runner is running a marathon… I don’t know how many miles that is, but it’s a lot. Does the runner see the finishing line and say, “Oh great…. now my race will be over” and pout across the line? Of course not! He or she sees that end and gets excited. We see the end and we tremble, moan, groan, etc. Why?

Instead of seeing death as a defeat, or even a symbol of our sinful nature, we need to see death as one who crosses the finishing line into victory; where the power of sin no longer has any dominion over us.

Paul even used that imagery in his second letter to Timothy, in 4:7-8. “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will aware to me on that day…” That doesn’t sound like someone who is facing death kicking and screaming – resisting it to the very bitter end? No. He knows his work on earth is done and he’s ready to cross the line. No fear.

Listen to how he expresses it to the Philippians. He wrote: “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21). That’s amazing! It’s not a loss…. It’s a gain!

Going back to the Corinthians in a second letter, we see why Paul is so confident. “We are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord…” And then he goes on to say he “would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 5:6-8). To die is gain because he will be with the Lord! What could possibly be better than that?

There was the time when Lazarus was sick and his sisters (Mary and Martha) had called for Jesus to come. Remember what Jesus did? He intentionally delayed before he went to see Lazarus – who was only 2 miles away. What’s two miles? A 40 minute walk? Maybe 45 minutes? Jesus waited even though he knew Lazarus was dying.

Sure enough, by the time Jesus came, Lazarus had been dead four days! Do you remember what Jesus said, when he was comforting Martha? “Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die” (John 11:25). Even though a person dies physically, they will live on spiritually, with a new body – eternal life.

That is why death is a non-issue. Death has no power. It has no sting.

Yes, I know we will miss people – of course we will – we’re attached to them. And yes, we will grieve and mourn – I understand that. I have no problem with that. But in the overall scheme of things, death is a transition into eternal life – it’s a day of victory. It’s a day when there will be no more mourning or crying or pain. It’s a day when we will be free from the burdens of this world – and the temptations of this world. It’s a day when we will be with the Lord – forever. That’s the best part of it all!

But it didn’t happen that way by itself. Remember, “the wages of sin is death”. What happened to that? Hebrews 2:14-15, “he [Jesus] shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death - that is, the devil - and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.”

Jesus broke the power of sin. Jesus sets us free from the fear and despair of death. Our hope is in Him. The Bible is very clear – that whoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life. It’s not a matter of being a “good person”, whatever that means. It’s not a matter of our works, even though they are important. We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

The question becomes; have you put your faith in Jesus? If you have, then death has absolutely no power over you. If it means anything, it means victory! You’ve simply crossed a finish line. If you haven’t put your faith in Jesus, you need to. It is the only way to cross over from death to life.

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