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No Pride

3/25/2023

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“Old-Fashioned” or “Prude”.

Those are the labels that would be placed on myself and others who did not believe that premarital sex was a good idea. After all, how are you supposed to know if you like someone unless you live with them first? Living together, and experiencing sex before marriage was a kind of “try before you buy” opportunity. Check things out before you sign on the dotted line. It sounded like a good idea. And besides, what harm is there in it anyway?

Those, like myself, who did not agree with this approach, and who believed (and still do) that this is contrary to God’s plan for our lives, were simply thought of, at worst, as ignorant fools, and at best, we were simply ignored.

Go ahead and preach what you want, preacher, we are two consenting adults. What we are doing is none of your business.

The fact that I considered people living together unmarried as “living in sin” might have annoyed some people’s conscience, and they might have thought I was “behind the times” or “living in the past”, but for the most part, we all carried on reasonably well. Life continued. I didn’t (and still don’t) approve of such behaviour. From time to time it will come up during a sermon, because I do believe the Bible teaches that premarital sex is a sin and that it is contrary to God’s will.  Despite my belief, many people continue to live together unmarried, happily ignoring my views on such things.

Here’s the point. In thirty five years of being a minister of the Gospel, I have never been accused of hating persons who have lived together unmarried. Never. Not once. Not even close. I have never been accused of being afraid of people who choose to live together unmarried. I have never been accused of being a bigot. At worst, I was some old-fashioned nut to be ignored. They carried on with their lives and I carried on with mine.

People who had vastly different views on this topic could be neighbours, they could be co-workers, their children could play together in the park or do homework together. With different views, we all got along. No one suggested “hate”.

Fast forward twenty five years and replace “living together unmarried” with “homosexuality” and all of a sudden people are up in arms! Now some would have you believe that I am a fearful, hate-filled bigot.

My views have not changed. I have not changed. I still preach the same message; that any form of sexual intimacy outside of Biblical marriage (a man and a woman) is sexual immorality. This is not new.  This is also why I can not support “Pride” in any way. Not only that, i find it incomprehensible that this is being pushed in our schools (and even some churches).

People are still free to disagree with me. They have the legal right to do whatever they want. But all of a sudden, instead of simply being some old-fashioned prude, I must be homophobic, along with all the negative connotations that come with that. I hate people. I despise people. I am a bigot. I don’t understand them. I have no tolerance of them. And so on.

So what has changed?

My message hasn’t changed. My life hasn’t changed. The person I am at the core hasn’t changed. Neither has my willingness to help people no matter what their choices in life are.

What has changed is other people’s willingness to make room for people like myself who can not support, endorse or encourage sinful behaviour. I do not hate any such persons. I disagree with their choices, and yes, where appropriate, I will call it sin, as I have done for decades, because that is exactly what it is.

I understand mine is not a politically correct opinion, but I do believe it is a biblically correct one. If that makes me an unfit member of society, so be it. I have no problem with that. I do not expect many to agree with me; and that’s okay.  But before you accuse me of hating or being afraid; think about what your own reaction is towards me.


Pastor Norman
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"You Hate Me!"

7/5/2022

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Nancy Oleson, the ridiculously spoiled adopted daughter of Harriet and Nellie Oleson in the old television series, "Little House on the Prairie" would blurt out "You hate me!" whenever she didn't get her way.  It was her very intentional and manipulative method of gaining sympathy, especially from Harriet.

As much as Nancy made the lives of those around her difficult, no one actually hated her. Certainly there were those who disliked her behaviour and wouldn't approve of her shenanigans.

Hate is such a strong word.  Unfortunately it is still being used to manipulate a reaction.  If you disagree with someone, particularly if you don't approve of someone's choices, you are deemed to "hate" them (or fear them).  But neither of these are necessarily true, and in the extremely vast majority of cases, it is not true at all.

Because I don't support what someone does not mean I hate them, fear them, or wish to stay away from them.  It simply means I don't support what they are doing.  Period.

Why don't I support them?  I don't need to give a reason.  It is my prerogative not to support what everyone does, just like it is their prerogative not to agree with me.  And that's fine.  That's what makes us a civil nation. We can disagree.  We can even agree to disagree.  If you really want to know why I can't support certain things, I'm happy to sit down and have a cup of coffee or tea with you to discuss it.

But when the word "hate" is thrown out there, what I am essentially being told is that I can't disagree with someone; that if I don't support them fully, that I must be hateful or fearful.

That is manipulation of the Nancy Oleson variety.

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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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The Will of God

5/26/2016

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​Yes, it is out in the open.
 
It is God’s will that I love the Lord with all my heart. (Deuteronomy 6:5).
It is God’s will that I love my neighbor as myself.  (Matthew 22:39).
It is God’s will that I do not lie, kill, cheat or steal.  (Exodus 20:13-16).
It is God’s will that I remain sexually pure.  (1 Thessalonians 4:3).
It is God's will that I remain patient in affliction and faithful in prayer.  (Romans 12:12).
It is God’s will that I bring the whole tithe into the storehouse.  (Malachi 3:10).
It is God’s will that I act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with thy God.  (Micah 6:8).
It is God’s will that I should be sanctified; set apart for Him - holy.  (1 Timothy 6:11).
It is God’s will that I embrace all people regardless of their lifestyle.  (Deuteronomy 10:19)
It is God’s will that I speak the truth in love.  (Ephesians 4:15).
It is God’s will that I make disciples of all nations.  (Matthew 28:19).
It is God's will that I am gentle with a brother or sister who is caught in sin.  (Galatians 6:1).
It is God’s will that I reflect Him in my life, attitude, decisions and actions.  (Philippians 2:5).
It is God’s will that I turn from my sins and put my faith in Jesus.  (1 Timothy 6:11).
It is God’s will that I am no longer mastered by sin.  (Romans 6:14).
It is God’s will that I care for the needs of the people around me (1 John 3:17). 
It is God’s will that I invest in the lives of my children.  (Deuteronomy 6:6-9).
It is God’s will that I remain faithful to the person I am married to.  (Genesis 2:24).
It is God's will that I look after orphans and widows.  (James 1:27).
It is God’s will that I trust in Him, not needing to worry about my life.  (Matthew 6:25).
 
 
God is not in the business of hiding his will from us.  It’s right there in his Word.
 
If, by God’s grace, I can focus on these things, which I clearly know are God’s will, I won’t have the time to wonder about all the other things that are not so clear.
 
But what about the things that are not so clear.  In those areas, does it mean that we can do whatever we want?  Of course not.  We still seek the Lord.  We still pray.  We still look for godly advice. – but we don’t worry that we’re going to go way off course – not unless it is very intentional (a good example of this was Jonah – he clearly knew God’s specific will for him and tried to run from it – and even then, he wasn’t successful).  You are not going to mess up God’s eternal plan – the plan that he had from before the creation of the world.
 
I wonder; and please don’t take this as a criticism, but I wonder if sometimes when we say we are struggling with God’s will, if the truth is we are struggling with trying to bend God’s will to our own will.
 
​What do you think?


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Same sex "marriage": Responding to the US Supreme Court Decision

7/19/2015

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It was about a month ago that the United States Supreme Court made a five-four decision making same-sex "marriage" a constitutional right in all of the United States.  This has left more people divided than anything else since the abortion debate.  People have either been cheering a victory or lamenting an earth-shattering loss, depending on where they stood on this issue. Even the White House was decked out in rainbow colours.

The social media has been buzzing with all kinds of posts, many from Christian groups predicting doom and gloom; the beginning of the end, and a slippery slide into further sexual confusion and chaos.  And of course, those who support same-sex "marriage" have been displaying their colours, planning further changes and wondering why others can't live and let live.

I believe that it is in times like this that we need to remember the words of Paul in Philippians 1:27; “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.”   The question I'd like to raise and address in this article is how do we conduct ourselves in a godly manner in the midst of such circumstances?  And I'd like to offer three suggestions.

First, we need to point the finger at ourselves.

Jesus said it pretty plain – that we need to remove the plank from our own eye before we take the speck out of someone else’s eye – and when it comes to the decline of sexual morality, I can't help but wonder if we have only ourselves to blame.  Why? Because of our own inconsistency.  We know what God's Word says about sexuality (and I'm not referring here to just homosexuality); and yet we have not adhered to it very well.

13 The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body... 18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. 19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.  [1 Corinthians 6:13b, 18-20]

I know it's not the case with everyone, but for far too many people – in the church – we have not been honoring God with our bodies.  By and large, our actions have not lived up to our message.  While we talk about sexual immorality being wrong, you wouldn't know it by our behaviour.  Sex before marriage; sex outside of marriage; pornography; immodesty; and adultery.  Add to that Jesus' clear teaching in Matthew 5:28; "anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart" and you can see that we are in pretty bad shape.

This is not just a problem outside the church.  This is a problem in the church.  So when we, the church, point to others about sexual sins, the world points back at us and wonders why we are being such hypocrites.    And regrettably, they have a point.

Part of the reason why the church is in such bad shape is simply because the church is open (as it should be) to all everyone.  We don’t make visitors sign a statement saying they have it all together before they are let in. Truth is, if we did that, no one would be in.  We have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God.  We all need help.  We have all failed.  We stumble in many ways.  I get that.  We are not perfect.

But those who know better, those who have been walking with the Lord, growing in their faith; they too will fall to the temptations of the flesh - and all too often the church ignores it.  Fortunately, there are also times when there is repentance, forgiveness, and restoration. After all, that’s why we are here.  If someone falls in sin, we are to restore them gently.  That's what we do. But the world doesn’t see that.  The world sees a church that is not practicing what it is preaching.  More than "restoring" the church has been "ignoring".

We do it all the time.  We poke criticism at some sins while ignoring others.  We lay down the law (even though we don't adhere to it) on sexual purity - but we don't focus too much gossip, or anger, jealousy, greed, and even gluttony.  If we point at some things, while ignoring others; we are being hypocrites.

The bottom  line is that we (the Church) haven't set the best example we could; and in the process we have undermined our credibility to be a voice of truth.  So when we respond to the collapse of sexual morality in our society, we need to begin by pointing the fingers at ourselves.

What can we do about it?  We can repent.  We can admit our failure.  We can admit our hypocrisy.  And where there has been sin, especially where the sin has been public, there needs to be repentance that is public.  We don't often do that because we like to portray a clean image.  The image is already messed.  It's time to come clean - publicly if we must.

Second, we need to remain calm.

While the decision in the United States is important - and it will have an impact on Christians - it is not the end of the world and we should not act as if the sky is falling or as if God was caught by surprise.

We get all up tight because the government is not adopting Biblical values.  Well, of course they are not.  Why would they?  We are not living in a predominantly Christian society so why would the world choose a godly way – especially when the church isn’t doing all that well to begin with?  It just doesn’t make sense.  For us to be surprised or “up in arms” over a decision made by a people who don’t adhere to Christian values, and expect them to do so, is unrealistic at best and hypocritical at worst.

I am not suggesting that this isn't important - what I am saying is what else should we expect? If God is not the moral authority upon which we base our society, then why would we expect the values of society to reflect those of the Bible?  We can't! So when decisions are made, like the USA did recently, or Canada did 10 or so years ago, we shouldn't be surprised.

1 Peter 4:12 reminds us, "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."

The truth is, throughout most of the past 2000 years Christians have been living and dealing with societies that were fundamentally opposed to Christian values.... and it was during those most difficult times when the Christian faith stood strong - and when the church made the most impact on society.

If you think things are bad now, remind yourself of what the world was like when the church was first starting out.  It didn't start off in a wonderful and supportive community.  Take a look at how Paul describes society in Romans 1:29-32.

 29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31 they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. 32 Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.
 
It was awful back then, and yet, the church grew.  Seems to me like we're only going back to where we began.  As bad as things are getting today, the truth is, we've been there before. Yes, it is contrary to God's Word.  Yes, it is disappointing and it will be devastating to society.  But that is also the times when the church has been the most prominent; salt and light.

So what are we to do?  We remain calm, we need to pray, and we need to stand on God's Word.  It is not the end of the world (at least, not yet) and in the darkness we have the opportunity to reflect the light and love of Jesus.

Three, we need to stand on God's Word.

We are not all that good at addressing what God's Word has to say about sexuality.  More often than not, we look at the negatives.  "Don't this... don't that...".  We don't focus on what God's Word does say (positively) about sexuality.

God is not ashamed of our bodies.  God's word is not afraid to speak about sexual intimacy.  You just need to read Song of Solomon to see that.

We also see it right in the beginning - when God created the heavens and the earth.  And after God created all things, he created man.  But it wasn't good that man was alone.  So what did God do?  Well, what he didn't do is create someone to go golfing or fishing with Adam.  He didn't create a hunting partner or a business partner. He created a woman; very distinct from the man.  "Male and female he created them" (Genesis 1:27).

And He created them very deliberately the way that He did so that they can experience sexual intimacy. It seems that sex, between a husband and a wife, was God's idea right from the beginning - and it was good!  It wasn't shameful. "For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.  The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame" (Genesis 2:24-25).

That was the way God created man and woman; to enjoy their sexuality within the context of marriage.

But like many other things that God created for the "good" man has turned around and used it for sin.

24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.  26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.    (Romans 1:24-27).

When it comes to what is right or wrong; it's not about what I think - it's about what God's word says. And when it comes to sexuality - it's really hard to not understand what God says about it.  The references in the New Testament (see Romans above) are clear, as are the references in the Old Testament. "Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable" (Leviticus 18:22).  "If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable." (Leviticus 20:13).

The bottom line is that regardless of whether a person is homosexual or heterosexual or simply confused by it all, as followers of Christ, we are all called to a life of sexual purity.  Homosexuals and heterosexuals must equally abstain from the temptations of the flesh.

9 Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.  (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

It's easy to read off the list of those who won't inherit the kingdom of God and miss out on the most important part of this passage.  It's in verse 11.  "And that is what some of you were".  Past tense!  Something has changed!  They were washed.  They were sanctified.  Yes, even the sexually immoral.

Jesus didn't cast stones at the woman caught in adultery, but he did tell her to leave her life of sin.  That's what we're here for - to encourage one another to leave a life of sin; all sin, not just sexual sin.  And we're all in it together.  We've all sinned, and we all need the grace and forgiveness of God - which he gives freely to all who would come to him.  He's not out to get us. He's out to restore us.

Today, perhaps more than in any time in at least recent history, we, the church, need to be clear on what God's Word says about sexuality.  But it's not something we need to hold over someone's head to beat them; and it's definitely not something we should expect the "world" to embrace with us; but it is definitely an opportunity to live out the message found in 1 Peter 2:11-12:

"Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the [unbelievers] that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us."

By doing so, we will be conducting ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ; and for His glory.

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The Gospel and the Stanley Cup

5/27/2011

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A CBC news report on May 27 warned Canucks fans that “overindulging during the long run to the Stanley Cup Finals could be hazardous to their waistlines.”  With many fans flocking to bars and restaurants the report said that “we’re eating easily a 1000 calories extra than we’re supposed to at a single meal and that can add up to maybe five or 10 pounds… during the series”.

 I am fairly confident that this is correct information.  What’s interesting was the online response following the report.  Among the responses were:
  • “Who. Cares.”
  • “Obviously dieticians have no clue about the Stanley Cup playoffs!”
  • “Choose a salad, she says…. hahahahahaha!...that's hilarious!”
  • “Hopefully the Canucks score lots of goals, jumping out of your seat cheering must burn some calories.”
But the comment that caught my attention was the very first one: “Back off lady and mind your own business” followed by a close runner up: “Save the do-gooder lecture and pass the pork rinds.”

I have to say, that on the one hand I feel a sense of relief. It’s not just me. It’s not just the gospel message.  It’s not just about every moral value our country has held dear until recent years.  Our cultural mindset rejects just about every single form of teaching that has anything to say about what a person does and how a person lives.

And that’s the problem.

We have a mindset that basically says that no one can tell me anything, that I am the final decision maker on all things pertaining to me.  Never mind what is “good” for me.  Never mind if others are offended.  Never mind if something is inherently right or wrong.  The only thing that matters is what “I” think and if you so much as even suggest that I am doing something wrong then you need to “back off” and “save the do-gooder lecture”.

That’s what we’ve become.  No one can tell you that the choices you make are wrong.  If you want an abortion, who is to say that you can’t?  If you want pre-marital sex, well, what are you waiting for?  If your spouse isn’t fulfilling your needs, there are plenty of other people around. If you want to “marry” someone of the same sex, that’s entirely up to you.  It sounds like a page right out of the book of Ephesians: “Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more” (Ephesians 4:19).

But it comes at a cost.  When society continually rejects any and all forms of instruction, even something as basic as trying to limit salty foods and calorie-laden beer, how can I be surprised when the message of the gospel is rejected?  I can’t.  But that’s not to say there won’t be an effect.  History has shown that whenever a society is bent inward, focused on “what’s good for me” instead of what’s true and right, then that society is heading towards failure.  Moral collapse is inevitably followed by social collapse.  They go hand in hand.

Now, more than ever, we need to be people who respectfully let the voice of reason and truth be heard.  Jesus said it well, “He who has ears, let him hear”.

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Would You Like Fries With That?

1/10/2010

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We live in a culture that loves to be served.  Whether it’s as extravagant as an all-inclusive vacation on a cruise ship or as simple as going to the local fast food restaurant, we expect (even demand?) that we be served.  Successful fast food restaurants tell you that you can have it your way, convincing us that it’s all about “me”.  All week long we are bombarded with messages telling us that people are ready to serve us and do exactly what we want (just so long as we buy their products or pay for their services). And then comes Sunday. The first challenge we have is simply getting out of bed.  We’ve had a busy week; some folks work two jobs; there’s the kids that need attention; there’s the laundry that is piling up; there’s the dozen “minor” repairs that are needed around the house (and did you know that of all the days of the week, we have guests coming over today?). The list is endless.  We are exhausted from a busy week and Sunday is “ours”.  It’s mine to do with it what I please.  If I feel like getting up, I’ll get up.  If I feel like sleeping in, I’ll sleep in.  If I feel like going for a drive that’s exactly what I’ll do.  It’s my day.  Or so we tell ourselves.

Actually, it is the Lord’s Day.  But in our mindset, where everything is about “me”, it’s easy to forget that. We can find a thousand reasons (some of which are very legitimate) why we can’t be in church.  Our attendance becomes sporadic.  We’ll miss a week here or there.  Then we’ll remind ourselves that so-and-so hasn’t been too friendly lately, or the music was too loud or too new or too old, or the preacher went on too long, and, after all, we can always watch religious programming on television from the comfort of our own couches.  And before we know it, the Lord’s Day becomes Our Day.

Ephesians 5:25 describes how “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her”.  In our culture, we tend to give up the church, after all, we all know the church isn’t perfect.  But it’s because the church isn’t perfect, that Christ gave himself for her, because he loved her. Love never fails. Anyone who is in love will know that they count the minutes until they get together with the one they love. No distance is too far, no price is too high. I remember driving from Winnipeg to Toronto just to see the one I love for a day or two.  Love does that.

The Psalmist had it right, “I rejoiced with those who said to me let us go to the house of the Lord” (Psalm 122:1).  Why? Because there was something special about going to the house of the Lord—something that could not be fulfilled in any other way.  It’s the same reason why the early Christians met daily and it’s the same reason why the writer to the Hebrews says “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25).

Whether we like to believe it or not, our attendance in church says volumes about our spiritual health.  It is true that going to church doesn’t make us a Christian but as Christians we should be doing everything in our power to get there.  It’s kind of like a bride being reluctant to go to her own wedding.  That sure wouldn’t be a very good sign of things to come.

Wherever you go to church; I encourage you, go regularly, go consistently, and go with an attitude of service.  Because in the end, it’s not my day; it is the Lord’s Day and my opportunity to be a blessing to everyone I meet in church.

Pastor Norman

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Taking Sides

12/6/2009

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A little over a week ago the CBC was reporting on a Supreme Court decision in a case involving former employees of a Wal-Mart store in Quebec that closed seven months after the store had been unionized. As with most all CBC stories on-line, readers have the opportunity to comment. The very first comment was indicative of the mindset we are living in today. This is what the writer said, “Hmmm…not a fan of Unions…but that then again not a fan of Wal-Mart and their beliefs either.”

I took note of this comment because it indicates how we tend to line up on different “sides” of an issue. The question this person was asking was, “who am I a fan of?” or perhaps “who/what do I dislike the most?” The decision to choose one side over the other became a matter of what the writers feelings were towards the two parties involved instead of which of the two parties is actually doing something right or wrong. It was a matter of who I “like” instead of who is right.

My interest in writing this commentary has nothing to do with what I think of Wal-Mart or the union; it is about how we make decisions. The question should not be how I feel about the two or more parties involved. The question should be if one or both of the parties involved did in fact do something wrong. In the case of Wal-Mart and the union, I can be the most passionate supporter of unions, but if a place of business didn’t do wrong, then I couldn’t support the union’s “side”. On the other hand, I can be the most determined critic
of unions, but if a business did do something wrong, then I would need to support the union. So in essence, who I am “a fan of” has nothing to do with who is actually right or wrong and who should have my support.

What’s the big deal about this? What does this have to do with us? It has a lot to do with us because much of the decisions that are being made every day, are not based on what is true and right, but based on what the majority of people feel. That’s why we have so many opinion polls. You can not turn on the news without hearing about some opinion poll. You would think that opinion polls rule the world! They have become our god. Whatever the majority of people think, that must be right.

It’s a good thing that Elijah didn’t commission an opinion poll on Mount Carmel. Let’s see; 450 or so prophets of Baal telling him that they were right, with Elijah pretty much standing alone believing that the prophets of Baal were wrong. If that happened today, no question about it, the prophets of Baal would have “won the day”, at least in the newspapers. But right and wrong are not a matter of opinion, they are a matter of truth. And truth is not subject to how we feel about something or someone, it is subject to God’s created order and design.

In our post-modern world we want to take charge of everything, even truth itself. But we can not manipulate truth (at least, not successfully), we can only accept (live by it) or deny it. In answering those who were questioning Him, Jesus said “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32).

Next time you are asked your opinion on a matter, instead of responding on how you feel, consider for a minute who or what is actually right.

Pastor Norman

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