For awhile recently, the Holy Spirit has impressed upon me Isaiah's experience of seeing God in the temple, and with Christmas being the time of Immanuel — "God with us" — the two just came together. So wrote Isaiah about the day when … Read more
While in my early 20s, I was a nominal Christian. I went to church, but did not know Jesus as One Who died to save me from my sins and give me a "wonderful new relationship with God". Briefly, I worked for a company in Toronto, Canada, … Read more
Recently, at our Thursday evening prayer meeting, we were praying for the people of our community and the surrounding area. Pastor Mark has been introducing himself to many of them, but he wonders whether they see their need for a … Read more
For years, it has been a pattern. Evening comes, it's time to get ready for bed, and into my mind come memories and thoughts from the day or the past. Every one is tainted by hurt, and at its heart, by self-pity or my desire for … Read more
Our Bible study group meets in the evening, down in a large basement room at our rural church. There is a row of small windows in the room, but in the depth of winter, the only light from outside is the twinkling of stars on a cloudless … Read more
Imagine the scene that day: Jesus, the Man who did miracles and spoke powerfully — unlike any other — was making His way down the street, surrounded by His disciples and a noisy, jostling crowd. Everyone was trying to get close to Him, … Read more
In our Bible study group, we were reflecting on the reality of the temptations that we face as we seek to live Christ-centred lives. During the discussion, Ted offered some down-to-earth wisdom: "The birds are going to fly in and out, but … Read more
One Sunday recently, as our pastor prayed at the start of worship, he asked God to fill each one of us, and to do His transforming work in every part of our lives. As we prayed this, suddenly a thought shot through my mind: "All of me … Read more
My story has a "happy ending"; not all do. There are no easy or trite answers in the dark, obscure valleys which comprise parts of our lives. Although it took years before I saw this time in my life through eyes of faith, I do now … Read more
Here in British Columbia, Canada, the forest fires of this past summer were the worst in the history of the province. Over 1.2 million hectares of forest and pastureland, and many homes and businesses, were consumed. Livestock and … Read more