A lot of healing has gone on over the years. Like many of my fellow Christians with a history, I rejoice in not being the person I once was. However, like the Incredible Hulk, I am not likeable when I am angry. Fortunately, my wife is …( read more )
Search Results for: "James 4:"
Setting Goals
Recently, I set a goal to write 100 devotionals for PresbyCan Daily before the end of 2018, and this is #100. I wrote my first devotional in 2000. Over the years, I have truly appreciated the feedback that I have received from …( read more )
The Basket Of Humility
In Nigeria, Africa, the Mbe Bible-translating team was into Luke chapter 2, verse 7. They did not even pause at their Mbe word used for manger. They had always used the word okpang orally and in their partial translations. But now, …( read more )
Gossip, Slander, And Lies
I have always liked classical, operetta, and opera music. When I was young, we did not have access to it, other than what we may have heard on the radio occasionally. But when we moved to Vienna, Austria, that great capital of the music …( read more )
The Realignment
Agnes, my goat, was limping along over the icy path. I decided that this called for investigation. After a thorough look, I opted to call the veterinarian for some advice. "Keep an eye on it, give her some medication you have on hand, and …( read more )
Encounters With God
It's that time of year again: time to go through drawers and closets, sorting out, downsizing, and organizing. It's something that I like to do about this time each year, before the good weather comes when I would rather be outside …( read more )
Always On A Sunday
One Sunday morning, we were about to leave the house for church when we came to a sudden halt. There was a small puddle on the floor of the mud room. Looking up, we discovered a slow drip from a pipe hidden in the ceiling. This would not …( read more )
Pray, For The Devil Prowls Like A Roaring Lion
From my kitchen window, I enjoy the heavy, low-flying, distinctively coloured, quiet, slow-mannered pair of wood ducks that like to rest on their webbed feet awhile on the horizontal branches of my big, old maple trees almost every morning …( read more )
Simply For The Asking
My parents were very close, in love all their married lives, and it showed. They also had great faith, and that showed as well. At age 65, my dad was killed. A few weeks after his funeral, I asked my mum how she could keep going. With …( read more )
Ask And Receive
I awoke to find a world of white. It was beautiful, but also a threat because mountains of the stuff had piled up against my doors, and I was literally a prisoner in my own home. I managed to push the back door open just wide enough to …( read more )
My God Jar
Shortly after I became a Christian, I read that addicts in a rehab centre were each handed a brown paper "God Bag", with a prayer pasted on the outside. This bag was intended for the person to write out a note to God, turning their sins …( read more )
God Willing
"God willing": I used to say those two words all the time. Whenever I talked to someone on the telephone, and, at the end, I said, "See you soon," I would add those two words: "God willing." It seemed that whenever I set up a future …( read more )
The Royal Law
Recently, in the Sunday school class that I teach, we were discussing the parable of the Good Samaritan. It's probably the best-known story that Jesus ever told, so, throughout the class, the participants offered their personal ideas and …( read more )
What I Need
Recently, I rode my bicycle in a charity event for work. Not knowing what the route would be like, I trained on hills and on rough and smooth roads. I also had my bicycle tuned up just before the event. The day was overcast and gloomy, but …( read more )
Look Carefully How You Walk
It was in the days of school inspectors. Inspector Clark, round of tummy and bald of head, strode to and fro on the platform leading a singsong to open the evening session of the Teachers' Convention. We teachers sat before him in long …( read more )
The Way Of Peace
Recently, I watched a World War I film entitled Joyeux Noel, inspired by an unusual and true story which took place in 1914 on Christmas Eve. This film depicts the miraculous events which caused the two opposing sides to lay down their …( read more )
Wholesome And Clean
There is a major house renovation going on close to where we live. Actually, it has been in progress for weeks and weeks — new roof, insulation, siding, windows, doors, sunroom, and storage addition — a complete overhaul! I don't … (read more)
Return To Sender
When I collected my mail today, I found a greeting card that I had mailed weeks ago, returned to me marked "Return to Sender". It surprised me because the address I had mailed it to was the address given to … (read more)
Peace Begins Inside Us
Just a few months after my arrival at my first posting on a native reservation out on the prairies of Canada in 1987, I was informed that I was to lead the three nights' wake service of a young man … (read more)
Humbling Ourselves
We live in a city. It is a small city, but a city nonetheless. Our city is growing quickly, but I do know my way around. If I need help, I can get out my map and soon find out … (read more)
God Is Only A Prayer Away
I always enjoy reading the signs on church lawns. Here are some of my favourites on prayer: – You'll never get a busy signal on the prayer line to heaven. – The quickest way to get back on your feet … (read more)
Worship Leads To Life
Frequently through my Christian journey, education, and wrestlings, the changes the Lord has wanted to bring in my life have turned out as a bungee jump in reverse: no risk to my life at all, but rather leading higher to … (read more)
"I Will" Or "God Willing"?
Whenever I hear the words "God willing", I think of a very special aunt who was also a godmother to me as a child. She never made plans without acknowledging the Lord's will first, an attitude I came to appreciate … (read more)
Form Of Godliness
Although I have not read the book, The Narcissism Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement by Jean Twenge and Keith Campbell, I did read an excerpt from the volume which was circulating via the Internet. The article explains a … (read more)
From The Ancient Ruins
During the summer of 1976 and soon after graduating high school, I had the opportunity to travel abroad. Being a young teenager at the time, I did not fully appreciate the significance of many historical places. Of all the interesting … (read more)
The Red Squirrel
Each day, we put out six or seven peanuts, in the shell, on our deck railing for the blue jays, as well as the feed in the bird feeders in the backyard. But there is also a red squirrel which … (read more)
Commitment
There are a couple of young men in our city who are planning a bicycle ride in the Rocky Mountains. Their plan is to ride 100 kilometres a day. Doing so, the journey will take them three long days. They … (read more)