Consider this

Last week, Oliver Edwards-Neil and Troels Hansen were flying a small airplane from Labrador to Iqaluit when the engine quit. They were able to land safely and then, before they had time to get anything out of it, the plane sank in the icy water. After spending all night on an ice floe in Hudson Straight just south of Baffin Island, they were finally rescued by a passing boat. The good news, though, was that they were wearing their survival suits at the time of the crash. “They did not land on an ice floe off of Bermuda, so it’s definitely because of their preparedness that they survived the event”, said Master Corporal Joe Arsenault, who was part of the search and rescue team. Being prepared long before the plane crashed made all the difference. In Luke 8, Jesus tells his disciples to get in a boat and cross to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. As they went, a storm broke out and things became so bad that the disciples thought that they were going to die. They woke Jesus ...

Over the years, I have been lots of concerts such as Sawyer Brown, Toby Keith, BNL and, maybe the best one, Keith Urban. From that list, it may sound like I am a country fan, but I am not. In fact, I am just a fan of “live music”. I really enjoy the various “Concerts for Saskatchewan” artists that come through town. I like piano recitals. I have even gone to hear jazz played live (and I generally hate jazz). There is just something about live music, regardless of the style, that is different from listening to the same song on a CD. In fact, often the concert version is not as technically well done, but there is an energy that you get when you hear a song performed live that cannot be reproduced on any recording. This past Sunday, I was reminded that the benefit of hearing something live is not limited to music. We had a guest speaker here and that meant, that for the first time in a long time, I got to sit and listen to someone present the word of God. To be honest, since I...

Over the years, I have been lots of concerts such as Sawyer Brown, Toby Keith, BNL and, maybe the best one, Keith Urban. From that list, it may sound like I am a country fan, but I am not. In fact, I am just a fan of “live music”. I really enjoy the various “Concerts for Saskatchewan” artists that come through town. I like piano recitals. I have even gone to hear jazz played live (and I generally hate jazz). There is just something about live music, regardless of the style, that is different from listening to the same song on a CD. In fact, often the concert version is not as technically well done, but there is an energy that you get when you hear a song performed live that cannot be reproduced on any recording. This past Sunday, I was reminded that the benefit of hearing something live is not limited to music. We had a guest speaker here and that meant, that for the first time in a long time, I got to sit and listen to someone present the word of God. To be honest, since I...

Writer Ann Lamott tells a story about a seven year old girl who got lost one day. As she ran up and down the streets of the big city where they lived, she could not find a single landmark that she recognized. Finally, a policeman stopped to help her. He put her in the passenger seat of his car and they drove around until she finally saw her church building. She pointed it out to the policeman and said, "You can let me out now. This is my church and I can always find my way home from here". I have no idea whether that is a true story or not, but I like the picture it gives. The church (more accurately – not the building but the gathering of God's people) should be the place from which we can "find our way home". The church should be a place that locates us, helps us and points us in the right direction. Getting together with other Christians can also encourage us and help keep us going. Hebrews says, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in th...

Sara and I have recently made friends with a couple who have moved here from Germany and it has been interesting to see Canada through their eyes. Everything is different. The language, the food and even driving (You cannot go 300 km/h here as you can on the autobahn) are different. In some ways, even, our friends have become different people than they were. Living in a new country changes everything. Lately, I have been thinking that we need for a new word for “church”. One that better describes what we are about and what God wants for us. Did you know that “Kingdom” is the word that Jesus most often used when describing his people? As well, the phrases “Kingdom of God” or “Kingdom of Heaven” are used at least 111 times in the New Testament. I like the idea of a “Kingdom” because it reminds me of some great truths. For example, obviously, a Kingdom has a King. The good news is that I am not in charge. God is the king and he is working things out in his kingdom even whe...

Scott Wade, a friend of mine who preaches for the Church of Christ in Weyburn, wrote the following article. He makes such a great point that I just had to pass it on. ____ “For God, who was at work in the ministry of Peter as an apostle to the Jews, was also at work in my ministry as an apostle to the Gentiles” (Galatians 2:28) God was at work in the ministry of Peter and in the ministry of Paul. Are we sure about that? The Galatian churches seemed to be questioning whether or not God was at work in the ministry of Paul. This is why Paul says what he does in the above verse. God at work in a ministry dedicated to reaching Jews? Of course! But God at work in a ministry dedicated to reaching non Jews? Apparently they said “no”. Paul emphatically says “yes!” God is at work in a Jewish scholar, author of 1/3 of the New Testament, who is reaching out to Gentiles. And yes, God is at work in a Jewish fisherman who reaches out mainly to Jews. God is at work in two very di...

In Luke 5, Peter and his fishing partners, James and John, have just come in from a night of work. They are cleaning their nets and getting ready to go home after a very unsuccessful night on the water. At that moment, Jesus comes along, gets into Peter’s boat and begins to teach a crowd of people who have gathered on the shore. When he is done, Jesus turns to Peter and says, “Put out into deep water and let down the nets for a catch” (verse 4). Peter does not want to go. He reminds Jesus that it is the wrong time of day, that they have been up all night and that they had not caught anything. He is not interesting is trying again. Peter then says something that changes everything: “But because you say so, I will let down the nets” (verse 5). Peter overcomes his complaints, his circumstances, and his lack of success and decides to do what Christ asks him to whether it makes sense or not. The result is that they catch so many fish that they almost sink both boats. After s...