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The Bible portrays so many pictures of the Lord Jesus being the caring, compassionate shepherd of His sheep. He is the Good Shepherd who will look for a wandering sheep and bring it back to His fold to be kept, valued and safe forever (John 10:28). With regards to the unrest of society and the continuing struggle for various people groups to be valued and accepted, God does have good news! Where is our source of value found? Let's imagine the mindset of a sheep, like the one...
Our way of life has been changed in the last few months. Fear has gripped society. Social media and our news channels are bombarding us with all kind of stories, and we don't know what to believe! This tiny virus called COVID-19 has shaken the world! I wonder what the Lord Jesus would have to say about our response to such pandemic. Perhaps this for starters: • Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God (1 John 5:5). • I am the...
"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God" -John 1:12 What is real power? During this time of the year it seems that buying as much as you can to give to whomever you want would be a real powerful lifestyle! Some would say power is all about popularity or the latest sports car. Others would say it's money or possessions. Did you ever realize that the things we strive for and consider to be real power are temporary? Business could be great...
When I think about my childhood, I vividly remember having to compete against the "brown bottle." Both my Mom and Dad were drinkers. There was always a party going on somewhere. In our small town of 800 people, it seemed as if drinking was all there was to do. I can remember my mom and dad fighting, and sometimes it would be quite scary for a little kid to listen to. As I got older I got used to it. I used to wonder: "Why do they love this brown bottle so much when it brings...
As a Canadian, I like to take trips across the border into the United States. A change in scenery or climate and the variety in shopping is always refreshing. The only draw back is the exchange rate. Our Canadian dollar is only worth 76 cents in the USA. It seems frustrating to work hard for your money and then lose a chunk of it before you even leave home. How different the trip will be for those whose sins are forgiven and are ready for Heaven. The Bible tells true...
Some people carry very heavy burdens. At some time in life, every person is haunted by deeds done and words said that were later regretted a thousand times over. Often, people beat themselves up and live with regret for years. Guilt, shame and fear are the worst burdens that anyone can carry. I have heard people say, "I just can't forgive myself." This is an interesting phrase and if we really examine it, we would understand that it is a ludicrous thought. We never read in...
Have you ever been to an airport and watched people with their luggage? They are weighed down and some really struggle-pushing carts with four or five pieces piled up or pulling one big suitcase with other bags strapped over their shoulders. The baggage slows them down and hinders their walk to get to their destination. I'm sure some would love to be able to take their bags full of valuables and necessities to their seating area, but there simply isn't room, their flight...
A friend of mine came into a drop-in center the other day waving an item in her arm and announcing that the new phone books were in. At that moment, another friend was reminded of a comedy movie in which actor Steve Martin's character showed a whole lot more excitement about the arrival of his phone book. I had to go to YouTube to watch the clip, since I wasn't familiar with the movie. In the scene, he jumped up and down excitedly as he had received his own copy of the...
Is there something that calls your name? Relentless and seeming sweet, it will cast no blame. It lures and pushes our buttons inside; when we run to it, it seems like a good place to hide. It produces destruction, trouble, and pain; but we obey its voice again and again. There seems to be no rescuing light, especially when our friends are in the same plight. The chains become heavier, the guilt and shame rage. How do we live in this terrible cage? This circle is deadly, it...
On 2012 Mike Dils suffered a terrible stroke that left him on a ventilator, unable to move, breathe or speak on his own. He was totally paralyzed. Mike's family was told by the doctors that there was nothing they could do. His family struggled with whether to sign a "do not resuscitate order." Amazingly, Mike could hear the discussion his family had with the doctors; that his diagnosis seemed as if he were brain dead. He was a prisoner of his own body; he had no physical stren...
Tears are real. They happen every day all around the world. Tears protect us from an infection and they lubricate our eyes. Humans are the only ones who can shed tears as a result of an emotion. Have you ever noticed that when you cry, you feel better? That's the miracle of tears! If we couldn't cry, we would emotionally explode. What does God say about tears? Tears are never for nothing and our suffering is never for nothing. The Bible says that God is near to those who cry...
In March, I took a little drive to have a refreshing break. On a ten-hour trip, my truck began to act up. I kept losing power! It was quite concerning, and left me feeling helpless because I had no idea what was wrong! The only thing I knew to do was to pull over, stop the truck and wait a bit. Then I started it again and continued my trip. Thankfully, I reached my destination safely and was able to take the truck to a mechanic for help. As I reflect on the whole situation, I...
Canadian news featured a story in February about a Domino's pizza delivery man. While he was in an elevator, taking an order of pizza for the purchasers' enjoyment, he apparently didn't realize video cameras were on. Surveillance caught him squatting on the floor, opening the box and helping himself to the toppings! As he reached his destination, he quickly shut the box, returned the pizza box to the thermos bag and moved on to deliver the pizza, as if all were well! Domino's...
Once again we find ourselves in a new year! It’s amazing to think that we are living approximately 2018 years after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God’s Son! God’s Word contains several scriptures about new things that I have really enjoyed. I hope you do too: The Lord Jesus spoke of a new commandment in the book of John that we are to love one another even as He has loved us. What a commandment! Up until this time the law demanded a behavior system of people givi...
In December, 2001, I was in a 7.6 earthquake in El Salvador. Many people died all around me. Thankfully; I was not inside a building but was outside in the country and did not have to fear being crushed by falling objects. For weeks afterwards, people lived in the streets under makeshift tents because of the tremors. Watching them survive such a catastrophe was a life-changing experience. They knew to have a plan for such an event-a solid foundation was a must and they had to...
My Canadian passport expired in July of this year. I picked up a form to reapply and hurriedly sat down to fill out the necessary information. I was about to fold the application and slide it into the envelope when I noticed the box that had my signature had a small statement underneath directing that the signature had to be contained within the box. My signature wasn't. The letter "y" in my name was outside of the perimeter. Sighing, I realized that I had to pick up another...
I was walking my dog Rd on a gorgeous afternoon. My neighbor was outside doing some yard work, so Rd and I crossed the road to say hi. As we were visiting, Rd stretched out the leash that I was holding and sat on the grass to watch my neighbor's cat. They were both watching each other intently and neither one was making a move; we kind of laughed and wondered if they were making friends. About ten minutes later, a much younger dog came trotting down the road and wandered into...
It was very good to be off Good Friday and Easter Monday so I hit the road to visit my family in a neighboring province. Two hours into my trip, I saw flashing lights coming at me in my rear view mirror. Instantly, I pulled over and waited for the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) officer to come my window. I asked what was wrong and he said that I was driving without my daytime running lights. I had no idea! He checked them for me, using the knob on my dash and confirmed...
Weather experts in Manitoba told us that we just had the snowiest December in a century. When the snowstorms passed, there was a beautiful array of winter scenery everywhere we went; hoarfrost on the trees, houses were blanketed in white and took on a majestic, fresh appearance. In the flat fields, white oceans appeared that sparkled when the sun shone on it! The snow seemed to clean up the yards and the streets, and clean paths of white now covered the ground where walking...
Have you ever thought about your will? I am not talking about the document which states your wishes concerning your estate after you leave this world. What I mean is the will to make daily choices based on your desires and intellect. What do you “will” as a way of life? What do you love? The answer to these questions determines the quality of your life at this moment. If your answers to these questions don’t line up with God’s Word, Scriptures tell us we are living far bel...
After visiting the Ark Encounter in Kentucky with some youth from Sandy Bay First Nation, I was mesmerized with thoughts concerning Noah and his family. What must it have been like to listen to the rain come down upon them for forty days and forty nights? They were safe in the Ark, but friends and distant relatives all would have perished as the raging waters covered everything on Planet Earth as they knew it. The Bible, God’s Word, says that every living creature died. E...
Sadly, mass shootings have become a regular occurrence in our world today. We have people lobbying for gun control and Government leaders promising to offer solutions to prevent such horrific acts of crime. Mass shootings are nothing new, they have been happening in one form or another since the beginning of time; by way of sword, spear, bow and arrow or cannons or bombs. We can go back into history and remember the massacres at Wounded Knee, Sand Creek, and in Canada there...
The other day I heard an interesting story on the radio. A father and his son were sailing a homemade boat that they had worked diligently on together. The boat managed to drift away from them in the quiet waves and was distancing itself more and more until it became unreachable. The young boy was greatly concerned and asked his daddy what they could do to save the boat. The father began to pick up stones and throw them in the direction of their fragile treasure. As the...
The church I attend had extensive renovations done to make the surroundings functional and inviting. We have a small central stage where a speaker shares God's Word from behind a pulpit. It's a wonderful thing to focus on the Bible and let it speak to your heart. Praise and adoration of the Savior and thoughts of God's greatness, should be the result. As well, hopefully a heart that is changed a little bit more to be like Jesus is also a result. A couple of times I have found...
