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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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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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John Wesley's Self Examination Questions

5/5/2016

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​In 1729, while John Wesley was a student at Oxford, he started a club with his brother Charles. It was soon mockingly dubbed “The Holy Club” by some of his fellow collegians. The club members rigorously self-examined themselves everyday by asking the following 22 questions:
  1. Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I am better than I really am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?
  2. Am I honest in all my acts and words, or do I exaggerate?
  3. Do I confidentially pass on to others what has been said to me in confidence?
  4. Can I be trusted?
  5. Am I a slave to dress, friends, work or habits?
  6. Am I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self-justifying?
  7. Did the Bible live in me today?
  8. Do I give the Bible time to speak to me every day?
  9. Am I enjoying prayer?
  10. When did I last speak to someone else of my faith?
  11. Do I pray about the money I spend?
  12. Do I get to bed on time and get up on time?
  13. Do I disobey God in anything?
  14. Do I insist upon doing something about which my conscience is uneasy?
  15. Am I defeated in any part of my life?
  16. Am I jealous, impure, critical, irritable, touchy or distrustful?
  17. How do I spend my spare time?
  18. Am I proud?
  19. Do I thank God that I am not as other people, especially as the Pharisees who despised the publican?
  20. Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold a resentment toward or disregard? If so, what am I doing about it?
  21. Do I grumble or complain constantly?
  22. Is Christ real to me?
​​“Encourage one another daily . . . so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” Hebrews 3:13
​The first list appeared about 1729 or 1730 in the preface to Wesley’s second Oxford Diary. Similar questions appeared in his 1733 A Collection of Forms of Prayer for Every Day in the Week. As late as 1781, Wesley published a list of questions like this in the Arminian Magazine.

Wesley died on Wednesday March 2, 1791, in his eighty-eighth year. As he lay dying, his friends gathered around him, Wesley grasped their hands and said repeatedly, “Farewell, farewell.” At the end, summoning all his remaining strength, he cried out, “The best of all is, God is with us,” lifted his arms and raised his feeble voice again, repeating the words, “The best of all is, God is with us.”

The Holy Club never exceeded twenty-five members, but many of those made significant contributions, in addition to those of Charles and John Wesley. John Gambold later became a Moravian bishop. John Clayton became a distinguished Anglican churchman. James Hervey became a noted religious writer. Benjamin Ignham became a Yorkshire evangelist. Thomas Brougham became secretary of the SPCK. George Whitefield, who joined the club just before the Wesleys departed for Georgia, was associated both with the Great Awakening in America and the Evangelical Revival in England. Looking back from 1781 John Wesley saw in the Holy Club the “first rise” of Methodism. The “second rise” was in Georgia in 1736, when he met with selected members of his congregation on Sunday afternoons. From these grew the idea for “Methodist societies” which became the backbone of the Methodist organization. (http://www.ctlibrary.com/)
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Rebuilding Relationships

4/5/2016

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Picture
A common feature in the fairy tales, particularly after the newly married couple is riding off into the sunset, are the familiar words, “… and they lived happily ever after.”  And indeed, most newly married couples leave the wedding celebrations, hand in hand, with a determination to live happily ever after.
 
Unfortunately, expectation and reality do not often meet.  While there are many great and solid marriages, there are far too many struggling to survive.   Dreams have given way to brokenness.  Instead of walking hand in hand into the sunset, many are walking their separate ways into a court room.  For others, they are determined to stick with it, but it is a roller coaster ride and after many ups and downs, they can only dream of getting off.

But that doesn’t need to be the case.
 
The good news is that your marriage can not only survive, it can thrive.  There is hope.  Really there is.  Would it be easy?  No such thing.  When it comes to relationships, there are no easy “quick fixes”.  Often times a relationship will need the help of an outside professional; someone who can offer insight as to where you are at, how you got there, and how to get back on the right track.  Inevitably the real issues (not the surface ones we complain about) are buried beneath several layers of unpleasant experiences.  In those cases, someone skilled is needed.
 
But if your marriage is suffering the “blahs”, nothing really terrible but neither is it as satisfying as it once was, then I’d like to offer you a better way.
 
Instead of bailing out of a relationship (as far too many are doing); and instead of putting up with a relationship (living under the same roof, but being disconnected from one another), my suggestion is that you build up your relationship.
 
In the Bible, in the book of Revelation chapter 2, Jesus is talking about a church which had hard working people in it, people who wouldn’t tolerate wickedness, people who have persevered and endured hardships.  What does that have to do with marriage?  Nothing directly.  Over the years, these people drifted away from God.  That which was beautiful became tarnished.
 
In a way, it’s a lot like marriages.  A relationship that started off beautiful, focused, full of energy, became tarnished, distracted, even irrelevant.  And the reason I pointed to Revelation 2 is because the remedy that Jesus gives to that church could very well be applied to our personal relationships as well.
 
What did Jesus say?  He said to the church in Ephesus: “You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first…”
 
I would like to suggest, that if you are looking to rebuild a hurting relationship, that you take the same advice that Jesus gave to that church in Ephesus and apply it to your marriage.
 
1. Remember: Remember the height from which you have fallen.
When it comes to a relationship that has gone wayward, the first thing we need to do is remember where it was we came from.
 
Think back to your wedding day.  Replay it in your mind.  Where did you get married?  What were you wearing?  What was it like?  How did you feel when you saw your spouse inside the church (if it was in a church)?  Think back to those days!  How did you feel about your spouse?  What was it about him/her that grabbed your heart?  What hopes and dreams did you share?  How did you look into his/her eyes?

Picture
If you have trouble remembering, maybe you need to grab your wedding album.  Go home, pull out your wedding photos, take a look together.  If you were fortunate to have a video, replay the video.  You were madly in love.  Yes you, you and your spouse that frustrates you now and then.  Your spouse was the most important person in your life.
 
I remember standing at the front of the church; waiting.  We had been dating for a few years and I was anxious to marry my sweetheart.  And then there she was; my bride to be, coming up the aisle.  She was stunning.  I just wanted to take her by the hand, say a couple of "I do's" and get out of there!
 
We need to start by remembering where we were.  Incidentally, that's also what the prodigal son did.  After he had squandered all that he had; after his life had become so messed up he couldn’t stand himself any longer, he remembered where he came from.  He remembered what life was like.
 
We would do well to remember.  Take time.  Replay it..  Think about it.  Pull out the albums.
 
2. Repent: Repent From Your Present Attitudes and Practices
To repent literally means to change or to turn around.  If there are problems in your relationship, chances are pretty good that there needs to be some turning around.
 
Sometimes we think repentance is only for the deep and dark sinner.  You might be thinking, “I’ve never filed for divorce” or “I’ve never been sexually unfaithful – I have fulfilled my vows” and we figure everything is good; we are not a fault; our spouse has nothing to complain about.
 
We need to understand that faithfulness is more than the absence of an affair.  Faithfulness is the presence of love, devotion, honor, respect, loyalty and encouragement.  To say, “I’ve been faithful because I haven’t committed adultery” is to miss the point.  You may not had an affair, but you could be cheating by withholding love or loyalty or respect or any of the other things mentioned.  You could be cheating by allowing your marriage to deteriorate.
 
We need to repent from the attitudes and practices that contribute to isolation.  That's what the prodigal son did - he repented (turned around).  Repentance is essential in a relationship.
 
A well-respected author (Gary Thomas) has suggested that people don’t fall out of love, they fall out of repentance.
 
3. Return: Remember your first love… do the things you did at first.
The simple truth is that if we returned and did the things we did at first, we might end up with the same results that we had early in our marriage.
 
Did you go for long walks?  Did serve breakfast in bed?  Did you call one another in the middle of the day?  Did you send love letters?  Did you try to conserve water by taking a shower together?  Did you buy a long-stemmed rose and leave it on her pillow?  Did you surprise her with dinner?  Did you open the door?  Did you show your love by fixing things?
 
Are you willing to put forth the effort to have the kind of marriage you dream of?  If so, you can do something about it.  Do the things you did at first.
 
Don’t do it all in one day.  And don’t expect things to turn around in one day.  This isn’t a “quick fix”.  Most married people are not looking for a one-time show but a long lasting change.  A marriage that has drifted apart over the years won’t be healed overnight, but you can still take steps to move from isolation towards oneness again.
 
In the end, great relationships don't just happen - they need work and they need cooperation. We need to regularly Remember, Repent and Return; and only then will we be restored.

​
But as I said earlier, this scripture in Revelation isn't about marriage - it's about a different love story - the love that God has for you and I and the relationship that God wants to restore with us. And what this scripture is doing is it's calling the Ephesians, the people who once knew God, the people who once accepted the gospel message and believed - but for whatever reason they got side-tracked; and God is calling them to be restored.  He is inviting them to be restored.
 
The greatest, most important relationship you will ever have is not with your spouse but with your heavenly father.  Before we even look at human relationships, we need to get that one in order.  It is our relationship with our Heavenly Father that blesses us in our relationships with one another.  So I want to encourage you; if you are struggling – remember there is hope.  There really is.  But we need to first of all get right with our Heavenly Father; and through that experience we can work on getting right in our relationships.
​
Remember the height from which you have fallen, repent (turn around, change), and do the things you did at first.  That’s the only way I know that we can be restored.  It worked for the prodigal son.  It worked for countless people throughout the ages, and it will work for you.
​

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The Bible & Money - Biblical principles to live by

3/30/2016

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​Last fall, the Globe and Mail had the headline story, "Canadian household debt hits record high as consumer spending rises."  It went on to talk about "Canadians’ growing love affair with debt."  With nearly $80 billion in just credit card debt alone, the average Canadian does indeed have a love affair with debt, owing $1.65 for every $1.00 he/she has in disposable income.  People are in desperate financial straits – perhaps more than any time in recent history.
 
The cause for this dismal financial picture is often limited income; which makes sense; if we had “unlimited income” we wouldn’t have a financial problem.  However, I am convinced that more often than not, the greater problem is not limited income, but unlimited expense.  At every turn, we are bombarded with a compulsion for more!  We want bigger, newer, faster, brighter, etc, and there is always the option to buy now, pay later.
 
What I’d like to do in this Perspective is outline several Biblical principles on the topic of money.  Jesus did speak more about money than any other subject besides the “Kingdom of God.”  Jesus talked more about money than he did Heaven and Hell combined.  Eleven of the 39 parables He tells are about finances.
 
Why does Jesus talk about money so much?  Because He knows what kind of an impact it will have on our spiritual lives.  Yes, money is a spiritual issue.  Jesus said it himself, "where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:21).
 
Rather than say what you should or shouldn’t do, I believe that if we follow these Biblical principles we will do well in the area of finances.  Doesn’t mean we will “get rich”, but it will certainly put us on the right path both economically and spiritually.  Regardless of whether you are well off, or in financial need, whether you are in retirement or a student, these principles will help us stay on track.
 
Principle #1: Trust in God.
 
Philippians 4:19 "And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus."
Sooner or later, experience shows us that putting your trust in the economy, your employer, or your bank account is not a good idea.  They are not dependable. They can seem to be a great help one moment, but the next moment everything gets changed.
 
Our American friends put it on their currency: "In God We Trust".  Whether people live by that or not is a different story; but it’s a good reminder that even while we are holding money in our hands, that ultimately our hope is in God, not in money.
 
This is an important principle, for it lays the groundwork for all the rest.  It is God who we depend on.  That’s one of the reasons why God gave the people in the Old Testament the command for a Sabbath rest.  Not only was the Sabbath a day to rest physically, the reason for the rest was so that mankind would learn to put their trust in God.  For six days they would labour and toil.  For six days they would earn their living, ensuring that they have bread for that day.  But on the Sabbath, they rested. Why?  In order to be reminded that they depend on God. 
 
Yes, we go to work, we take responsibility, we do what we can – but we do so with an understanding that it is God who will supply all our needs.  Incidentally, this is also why we stay away from lotteries and other games of chance; we do not want to put our hope in “luck”.  We put our trust in God.
 
Principle #2: Don’t love Money.
 
1 Timothy 6:10 says, "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."

It's important to clarify that the root of all evil is NOT money... it is the love of money. Money is not evil.   Having money, and even lots of it, is not evil.  God has been known to pour out blessings, even financial blessings, on some.  The problem is the love of money; and the love of money has led many people astray.
 
The problem with the love of money (besides it being idolatry) is that when we pursue it; that is, when we set money as the goal of life, we end up hurting ourselves - and most likely others as well, in the process.  Many people have been hurt by the notion of getting rich quick.  Others have taken advantage of others in their pursuit of money.  Still others have forfeited integrity in order to acquire wealth.   The love of money has been the downfall of many relationships.  It blinds people and causes them to do what they otherwise would not.  In many ways, its rather intoxicating – which is why Jesus said it is difficult for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven.  The more you have, the easier it is to get off track.  It’s not impossible to stay on track – it’s just more difficult.  We guard against that by keeping an “arms length” relationship with money.  In the end, money isn’t to be loved, it is a tool to be used for the honor and glory of God.

Principle #3: Give Generously.

“There he goes…. talking about giving…. doesn’t he know that’s an Old Testament law?”
 
It is true; Malachi 3:10 does say, “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”
 
This an Old Testament command.  Aren’t we now living under grace?  Absolutely.  However, living under grace gives us greater responsibility, not less responsibility.  Put another way; what we do under “grace” should far outweigh what we did under “law”, and we clearly see this in the teachings of Jesus.
 
Several times, in Matthew 5, we find Jesus saying, "You have heard that it was said... but I tell you...."  In each instance, Jesus pointed to an Old Testament law, and the pointed to how they needed to surpass that law.  In concluding that section in Matthew, Jesus said, “For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20).  It is very obvious that under grace we need to do better than the law. 

One way we do better is by giving generously.  Acts 20:35  "In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’"

Giving sets us free, while hoarding entraps us (James 5:2).  Giving changes the lives of others (John 3:16). Giving brings blessing back to us (Luke 6:38).  Giving allows us to store up treasures in Heaven rather than here on the earth (Matthew 19:21). Giving really is fun – we need to be in on it.  It is one of the best ways to keep the love of money in check!

Giving isn't just for individuals.  It applies for the church as well.  In 2014-2015 our local church gave away 29.9% of our contributions.  Incredible!  I remember a time when we didn’t have $100 to buy Sunday School materials.  Yet, this past year we gave away MORE money than what our donations were 10 years ago.

The truth of the matter is that giving 10% is just a starting point.  I like to think of it as a beginner’s tithe.  It’s a starting point.  I am so grateful to parents who taught me to tithe at a young age.  It has never been a burden and always a blessing.  God has shown himself faithful time and time again.

Above our tithe, we need to be generous in all our giving; whether that’s helping out a neighbor or a family member or in a special missions offering.  We will never go wrong in being generous.  People will forget your words, but they will remember your actions.
 
Principle #4: Stay out of debt.
 
Proverbs 22:7 reminds us, "The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender."
 
When you owe someone money; you are in effect their servant. Now, there's nothing wrong with being a servant - we should be servants - all of us - but we're talking about something else here - we're talking about owing - and when we owe, we are in essence going to work for someone else's behalf.
 
Perhaps the best way to put this is to suggest that going into debt is a form of self-inflicted slavery.  You take something, in exchange for a promise to pay back.  You are basically selling your future in order to gain something in the present.  That's usually not a good move because we don’t know what tomorrow will bring.  We can get into trouble.  It is so much better to stay out of debt (often by saying “no” to self) in the first place.  We don’t need the latest.  We don’t need the greatest.  We don’t need the newest or fastest.
 
If it is too late for you to stay out of debt, make it a priority to get out of debt.  The best way to get out of debt (or to stay out of debt) is to follow our last principle.
 
Principle #5: Follow a budget.
 
“Budget” is not a four letter word.  It is actually a Biblical principle. In Luke 14:28 Jesus reminds those who were seeking to be his disciple, “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won't you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?”
 
Many people break into a panic when they hear the word “budget”, thinking that a budget will not allow them to enjoy using money.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  In fact, a budget does exactly the opposite – it frees you to spend money the way you should.
 
Many years ago my older brother took his family and my family for a day at Disneyland.  I can’t remember how many of us there were, but we were a large crew.  By the time the entrance fee was paid and the food was purchased, it amounted to a rather significant amount.  Then, to top if off (no pun intended), there were souvenir hats at a ridiculous price.   My generous brother paid for it all.  I asked him how he could do that and he said it was all money put aside for this purpose.  I learned an important lesson that day.
 
That’s what a budget will do for you – it will allow you to freely spend money according to a plan, instead of on the spur of the moment.  It will give you a realistic picture of what you can afford and what you can’t afford.  It will help you put the other principles into practice.
 
The bottom line is you can’t afford to not have a budget.
 
Conclusion:

Money really is an important issue.  Like the tongue, it can be used for good or evil. The difficulty is using it for the good.  It's not always easy. The more you have, the more challenges you will face. But using money wisely is not impossible.
 
If we stick to the principles outlined above, we will have done our part.  The issue isn’t “how much” we have, but how we honor God with what we have.  And the best way to do that, is to live by Biblical principles for handling finances.

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Resurrection Day

3/27/2016

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​This is Sunday! This is the day Jesus rose from the dead. As the early church taught us, every Sunday is a celebration of the Resurrection! This is Victory Day. This is Celebration Day!
 
This is the day that Christ broke the shackles of sin and darkness and brought us into the kingdom of light – we are no longer slaves to sin, we have been redeemed by the blood of the lamb.
 
This is the day when the sting of death lost its power; no longer able to frighten us into deep caverns of despair.
 
This is the day when the agony of loss was exchanged for the presence of peace.  This is the day when condemnation was condemned and a new creation was brought forth through Christ's victory on the cross.
 
This is the day when all men and women who have ever wondered if God could still love them after all they've done – this is the day they see the answer in the person of Jesus Christ.
 
This is Easter Sunday.  The day when those who have placed loved ones in the ground, or scattered ashes in the wind are reminded that death is not the end; but a transition.
 
This is the day Jesus was dying for.  This is the day when death gave way to victory.  This is Resurrection day – the day our world changed forever - our day of hope.
 
This is Sunday! This is the day that I have waited for all week long and the day that I have anticipated to come. This is the day we have the privilege of being welcomed into the very presence of our Risen Saviour; to rejoice anew with my brothers and sisters in the life-giving resurrection of our Lord.
 
This is Sunday! Christ the Lord is Risen Today.
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A Sense of Belonging

11/8/2015

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​Four years old and on her own.  Abandoned by her mother, rejected by her uncle, she was put on a train with a one-way ticket to a far off part of the country.  Left to die of starvation, disease, or worse.  Somehow she managed to find a way to survive.  In the winter, she lived in a hole in the ground with only a mat protecting her from the snows above.
 
She learned to steal.  Caught, on three occasions, she was beaten and left for dead. After once such occasion, presumed dead, she was left at the garbage dump.  There, someone took notice of her took her to an orphanage.  Eventually a missionary couple adopted her and give her a name. She never knew her original name. She had no idea of what her actual birth date was or even her place of birth.
 
The story of Stephanie Fast is a story of God's protection in the midst of incredible hardship. Unfortunately, she is not the only one.
 
It is estimated that 153 million children worldwide, ranging from infants to teenagers, have lost one or both parents.  In the United States of America, there are 400,000 children live without permanent families.  In Canada, there are some 45,000 orphaned children in Canada, 22,000 of which are currently, right now, waiting for adoption.
 
While we don't talk about it much, the Bible has much to say about orphans and the fatherless.
 
The Old Testament description of God is very clear.  "He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing." (Deut. 10:18).
 
God expects us to do the same.  In Isaiah 1:17 we are instructed to, "Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow."
 
Why does God care so much?  Psalm 68:5 describes God as "A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows."  Isn't that something?  God considers himself a father to the fatherless.  That’s why he cares.
 
There are many other references in both the Old and New Testament which very directly state God's concern for the widows and orphans and the fatherless.  Likewise, God is equally concerned about the foreigner in your land - that he/she not be taken advantage of. Wherever you look, God is on the lookout for the weak or the hurting or the vulnerable. And I don't know very many people more vulnerable than children.
 
The care of children is very much God's concern.  And, according to God's Word, it's something that we should be concerned about as well.
 
Matthew 18:5-6, Jesus said, "And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me."  Isn't that awesome?  You want to do something for God?  You want to impress God? (not that he can be impressed), do something for a child. You will touch the heart of God.  That's it!  Pretty straight forward.
 
The reverse is also true.  Jesus goes on to say, "If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea."   Remember, He is a father to these children. In other words; if you’re messing with them, you’re messing with Him!
 
This is so important to God that it states in James 1:27, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."
 
More than any ritual, more than any prayer, any sermon, any whatever else - that which God looks at as a response to our faith - is how we look after the vulnerable.  Just as we were (and are) vulnerable and God poured out so much for us; he expects us to do the same.
 
We've seen it before.  As we have been loved (by God), we are commanded to love one another (see John 15:12 and 1 John 4:19).  As we have been forgiven (by God) we are commanded to forgive one another (many examples of this).  What God does for us, he expects us to do to one another.
 
1 Peter 2:9-10 reminds us;  "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."
 
There was a time when we didn't belong.  There was a time when we were outsiders.  There was a time when we were not the people of God.  But God has loved us; sought us; forgiven us; adopted us - and now we are his chosen people.  We have a sense of spiritual belonging.  We are part of a family.
 
I firmly believe that God would have us offer a similar sense of belonging to those around us - and, according to so many scriptures in both the Old and New Testament, He has his eye particularly on the vulnerable children.
 
How do we respond?  Just like anything else, we need to respond to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and then do whatever we can.  Not one of us can do everything; but all of us can do something.
 
We can start by getting to know the children in vulnerable situations - instead of thinking that somebody else will look after them.  According to God's word - we, the Christians, have this responsibility. If God puts it on your heart to consider adopting a child - or teenager - by all means - consider it. If God puts it on your heart to visit an orphanage and offer support - by all means - do it. They need prayer support.  They need financial support.  They may need an extra pair of hands. Maybe you can offer some support to a local family who has taken in some vulnerable children.
 
Stephanie Fast was saved because somebody listened to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.  That's all God wants you to do.  Listen and obey.
 
I want to encourage you to look for ways to care for the children.  Find an organization that you can support.  Consider adoption.  Consider foster care.  Consider sponsoring a child through one of many organizations (Nazarene Child Sponsorship is one of them).  Maybe make it a goal to visit an orphanage somewhere in the world.  Give financial support to those who are on the front lines of care.
 
While we can't do everything; we can do something.  Ask the Lord what that something is for you.
 
Psalm 100 reminds us, "we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture" (Psalm 100:3).  We have a sense of belonging.  Not everyone does.  Perhaps through you, you can bring that sense of belonging to someone else.

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