The Bible Is Our Road Map

Yesterday, Matthew and I went to a large costume store in the north of the city to look for medieval costumes. As a family we have been asked to lead the children's worship on Friday night and Saturday morning of a Children's Spring Retreat in March. The theme: knights.

While I drove, Matthew directed me using a printed Google map in his hand. After forty-five minutes of driving, I turned to Matthew and said, "We should have been there by now."

Matthew responded, "I know what I am doing. Trust me."

I didn't trust him, but I went along with his directions anyways.

Finally, fifteen minutes later, Matthew looked around and sheepishly admitted, "I don't know where we are. The map is wrong!"

I wanted to laugh, but I didn't. The male ego is too fragile.

I turned off the freeway at the next exit and stopped to get gas. As I was pumping the combustible liquid that would fill our depleted tank, I saw through the vehicle window that Matthew was intensely studying both the printed Google map and a city road atlas that we store in our vehicle for emergencies.

At that moment I couldn't help but think about the Bible and how God's Word is our road map. We can never say God's map is wrong. It will always keep us on the right path, so it will do us well to study it thoroughly.

"And we have the word of the prophets made more certain,

and you will do well to pay attention to it,

as to a light shining in a dark place,

until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts."

1 Peter 1:19

Once I finished pumping the gas and climbed back into the vehicle, Matthew quickly put his maps down and said with confidence, "I am just going to follow my instincts now!"

So I did what every female should do: I fed the male ego, went along with him, and followed Matthew's "instincts". A half hour later we were at our destination...male instincts are amazing!

The best news is that we found five great costumes for us to wear, and each of them is unique. Matthew has a wealth of knowledge about historical clothing. He reads a lot of Christian historical fiction, and he never skims over the author's descriptions of characters' clothing and appearance. When I read a novel, I couldn't care less about the humdrum descriptions. I always skip those boring parts.

Once we got home, Tim and Matthew tried on all the costumes to see what each of them looked like. (Except, of course, for my costume, which is a purple medieval dress.) The costumes looked better than we expected! We are definitely looking forward to this special event!

Matthew has recently bought a GPS enabled tablet that he will use to help confirm his male instincts the next time we navigate through the city.

Love Never Ends

When I went shopping yesterday for light bulbs, I was shocked to see Valentine cards and gifts on display. I still have Christmas memories fresh in my mind. How can anyone be thinking about Valentine's Day so soon?

However, the stores succeeded in brainwashing me. When I drove back home after buying my light bulbs, I started thinking about the true meaning of love, as outlined in the Bible, compared to the worldly meaning of love.

This is God's perfect and beautiful definition of love:

"Love is patient,

And kind;

Love does not envy

Or boast;

It is not arrogant.

Or rude.

It is not insist on its own way;

It is not irritable

Or resentful;

It does not rejoice in wrongdoing,

But rejoices with the truth.

Love bears all things,

Believes all things,

Hopes all things,

Endure all things.

Love never ends."

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

As far as the world's definition of love goes — let's just say it's the complete opposite of God's definition.

I then thought about how I would define love:

• Love is when you think about the person throughout the day even when the two of you are not together. You wonder what he/she is doing at the moment or what he/she is thinking.
• Love is when excitement rises in your soul when the person comes through your front door or calls you on the phone.
• Love is when you don't notice anybody in a large crowd except the person you are in love with.
• Love is when you are more excited to buy a gift for the person than to spend money on yourself.
• Love is when you surprise the person with a gift that was made especially for him/her or bought thoughtfully with the person in mind.
• Love is when you are deeply sorry after realizing that you have hurt the person you love; you can't bear the thought of the person in emotional pain.
• Love is when you can suddenly write poetry or a long letter even though words have never before come easy for you.
• Love is when you don't feel complete without the other person by your side. You feel lost and saddened without the other person's near presence.
• Love never forgets the first holding of hands or the first kiss. Those intimate moments can never be wiped from your memory.
• Love is when you hold each other, and never want to let go.
• Love touches your heart, heals your past hurts, and brings down a part of heaven to your imperfect world.
• Love is pure joy.
• Love is forever! Loss, death, or even divorce can never destroy the love you have for someone. You may try to forget it, bury it, deny it, or replace it, but love is permanent, forever etched in the recesses of your heart. You can love another, but one doesn't erase the other. The more people you allow yourself to romantically love, the less of your heart you have to give.
• Love is a gift from God! Cherish it!

Love Discipline And Do Not Hate Correction

For Christmas, I bought my cats their very first bag of Friskies Party Mix. It is a 60g bag of special treats for cats. On Christmas day, I divided about half of the bag between the two of them. They gobbled the treats up almost instantly!

I thought I would save the other half of the bag for New Years Day. However, several hours later, I realized my cats had different plans. They both looked at their regular cat food, looked at me, meowed, and licked their lips. I couldn't believe my eyes.

I, of course, said, "No! Eat your regular food." They weren't too pleased with me and indignantly walked away from their dish. They didn't touch their cat food until the next day when they were too hungry to be finicky. I thought, "If they think I am going to buy them cat treats for the rest of their lives, they're crazy!" Either that or I was crazy for buying them treats in the first place.

The Bible says that to learn, we must love discipline, but we are fools if we hate correction.

"To learn, you must love discipline;

 it is stupid to hate correction."

Proverbs 12:1

My cats need to learn that I know what is best for them. Eating cat treats every day will cause them to become obese and unhealthy. Cat treats are only for special occasions. And when I say, "No," they need to accept my discipline without being disgruntled.

Sometimes, we as Christians get angry or upset when we too are corrected by others. However, correction is good for us, if it is given in love. I would much rather have people care enough to be honest and correct me when I am wrong, than for them to talk negatively about me behind my back. To hate correction is foolish. We need each other's correction if we are going to grow in God, and become like Him.

The most transforming times in my life were when my friends gave me correction and I listened.

When I was in Bible College, one of my best friends said to me, and another agreed, "You have way too much of an analytical mind. It drives us crazy!" (That's what happens when a mathematician studies at Bible college.)

I learned from that point on to keep my mouth shut and express my thoughts at only appropriate times or through special means, like writing blogs. Today, I am sure that most of my friends and Church co-workers would describe me as quiet and introverted. Little do they know what is going on inside my head.

If You Are A Leader, You Must Be A Servant, A Slave

Have you ever known a person who has an insatiable desire for control? Such people find their way in leadership positions at work, home, and, yes, even church. They are not happy in a supporting position. They have to be in control. They can never say they are sorry for their own mistakes. Instead they cover them up and make it look as if someone else is to blame. They steal other people's creative ideas and answers to existing problems and then take credit for them. They constantly give insincere or exaggerated compliments to others to gain their support and loyalty, but if they feel that someone is a personal threat to them or might expose their evilness, they talk negatively behind his/her back. Whenever they have the opportunity to speak publicly, they will take longer than the time allotted. They monopolize conversations. They always have to be the focus of attention. They never listen to others, and when they do, they only pretend.

These people come across as super-spiritual and they constantly boast about miracles that God has done for them and others when they pray. They go up on stage during the Sunday service at the wrong times and give a prophetic message or verse, or just plain take control, thus interrupting the flow of the Spirit. They brainwash others to put their faith in them instead of God. At the opportune time, when people can take notice, they show false humility.

If such a person is a woman, she usually dresses seductively, wearing low-cut blouses, short skirts, and so on. She knows how to get the attention of a man with smiles and flirtatious words. If such a person is a man, he is overly affectionate with women and a smooth talker.

In general, such people have a great deal of charisma. They do not have healthy relationships with their spouses or their own children. Instead, they are abusive. Many times they have sexual relations outside of marriage or use their spiritual power to sexually abuse children and young people.

They are greedy for wealth and material possessions. They never offer to work voluntarily without pay or low wages.

Every church needs to be spiritually aware of these controlling leaders or pastors because such people can hurt many souls, halt the move of God, and possibly split the church. Do we force the controlling leaders to leave the church? No! Do we publicly embarrass them in front of others? No! God loves them! Several elders and/or pastors in the church should approach an ungodly leader privately with love and the wisdom of God, and confront his/her controlling spirit. I believe that if this is done in the power of God's Holy Spirit, the controlling person can be set free and delivered before considerable damage occurs.

Controlling spirits tend to develop in people who have deep-rooted hurts and insecurities. As a Church, we just need to watch out for rising leaders and pastoral staff members with controlling spirits before they begin to destroy the unity and spiritual growth of a Church.

The Bible says that anyone who is a leader in a church or any kind of Christ-filled ministry must be a servant and a slave, not a controller.

"So Jesus called them together and said,

'You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people,

 and officials flaunt their authority over those under them.

But among you it will be different.

Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant,

and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else.

 For even the Son of Man came not to be served

 but to serve others and to give His life as a ransom for many.'"

Mark 10:42-45

Jesus, God Himself, came to earth to serve others, not to be served. We are called to follow His example and serve others with the same selfless attitude, and this especially includes those who are in leadership positions.

The pastor who reminded me the most of a servant of God was the one who pastored our previous church in BC. After a church dinner, he would get up, help clear the tables and put things away. He didn't think anybody noticed, but I did, and so did everyone else around me. When it would snow, (and it snowed lots there), he would get up very early in the morning and shovel the sidewalks. One time I caught this pastor sleeping in a chair in a small dark room because his hours of sleep were few. This Pastor was a true servant of God. Was the church small? No. It was the largest and the most beautiful church building in the city.

Not So Good For Me

My son, Matthew, and I both have negative reactions to green tea. I first tried green tea several years ago when it became a popular hot drink noted for its health benefits. I drank it every morning for five days, not understanding why I suddenly felt so nauseated, dizzy, and lethargic throughout the day. I thought to myself, "If green tea is supposed to be so good for me, why do I feel so horrible."

I ludicrously assumed that I should drink another cup to make me feel better. I immediately became so sick that I had to go to bed to lie down. Fortunately, my muddy brain was still able to function enough to come to the logical conclusion that the green tea was the cause of all my present aliments. And sure enough, when I stopped drinking the supposedly-good-for-you-but-not-so-good-for-me tea, I felt normal again.

Well, today, because green tea is "so good for you," manufacturers have started putting it in most of their multivitamin pills. Not realizing this, I have been taking for the last few weeks a daily pill from my recently purchased bottle of multivitamins without knowing that the manufacturer had added green tea. On Christmas day, I became so violently sick that I thought I was going to die. As I laid on my bed, in close proximity to the bathroom, I prayed to God and asked Him to show me what was wrong with me. The Holy Spirit prompted me to look at the ingredients in my new bottle of vitamins. As I read down the list of ingredients, my eyes stopped in horror at those two, evil, execrable words: Green Tea!

Green tea might be good for most people, but it isn't for me or Matthew. We get sick! About a year ago, Matthew wanted to take multivitamins for his health. One of the ingredients was green tea. I tried to warn him ahead of time, but he wouldn't listen. I guess he figured a strong, healthy man cannot be weakened by taking a small amount of green tea in his multivitamins. He was obviously wrong.

After five days, he went for his morning run and got so sick that he threw up on someone's lawn at the other side of town. Extremely embarrassed, he slowly walked back home, holding onto his stomach and moaning. Tim was with him. They were both glad it was early in the morning and the owner (probably) didn't see what happened. Matthew desperately prayed for rain to wash away the remains. Believe it or not, it rained heavily later that morning, to Matthew's great relief.

What might be good for some people isn't always good for others. God made us individuals, with unique gifts, talents, and personalities. But sometimes we pressure others to do or be the same as us. We have the philosophy that, because something was good for us, it must be good for others. However, God has a plan for each of our lives, and His plan for one person is not always the same as for another.

"'For I know the plans I have for you',

 declares the Lord, '

plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

 plans to give you hope and a future.'"

Jeremiah 29:11

Don't pressure someone to do something that may have been good for you, yet might not be God's will for that person. Doing so could harm him/her and detract from his/her prosperity.

Here are some examples of decisions you should consider not pressuring others to make.

• Whether someone should marry.
• Whether a couple should have children.
• When and how many children a couple should have.
• What career someone should choose.
• Whether someone should take medication and treatments or simply believe in God's healing.
• Whether a woman should work outside of home or be a stay-home mother.

Never assume that God's plan for your life is the same as for another. Instead, help others follow the path God has intended for them. Help them discover God's will for their lives. Remember, the plans for them aren't yours, but God's.

A Lost And Forgotten People Of Canada

For many years, our family and another family would use our musical gifts to minister to First Nations peoples in our province. We became a band with a heart for the First Nations peoples who so desperately need Jesus in their lives.

There are approximately 43 000 native residents in the city where we now live. Many of them are supported by Social Services or live with a very low income. Many are struggling with alcohol and substance abuse. Many of them don't know Jesus. They are suffering, hurting from past wounds, lost, abused, and degraded. And yet I see few or no First Nations peoples in the churches around here.

We have a multicultural city whose churches are filled with a variety of nationalities: European, African, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Indonesian, and so on. But where are the First Nations peoples? Does any body care?

I have found that the First Nations peoples are the most prejudiced in Canadian society. Countless times, I have heard rude and disgusting comments from people, including Christians, concerning the First Nations peoples. Canada has accepted people of every nationality from all over the world, except the ones who inhabited this land first: the First Nations peoples.

When we first moved here, I checked the Internet to see how many First Nations churches there were in the area. In nearly every denomination, I found none. The churches here love to give attention and money to missionaries who go overseas. There is honour and respect in being a missionary to a third world country. Churches support them financially, pray diligently for their protection, and post pictures and write-ups of their work in the foyer. But there is little or no concern for missionary work in our own homeland to the First Nations peoples. Why is that? Why do we have sympathy for other peoples, but not for the First Nations peoples?

The Bible says that if you favour some people over others, you are committing a sin.

"But if you favour some people over others,

you are committing a sin.

You are guilty of breaking the law."

James 2:9

If a church has little or no relative interest in an ethnicity class, especially one in their own country, they are also committing a sin against God.

God shows no partiality. He loves and cares for all the people in this world.

"For there is no partiality with God."

Romans 2:11

We as Christians need to do the same. The amount of attention we give to the Frist Nations peoples in our land should be proportional to the amount of attention we give to overseas ethnic groups.

The First Nations peoples need God desperately, but they need Christian people to care first in order for the First Nations peoples to come to know God and understand His Word.

Eat, Drink, And Do For The Glory Of God

Last night we celebrated a new year! Praise God! A year closer to His promised return!

Many people by now have made New Year's resolutions. Most of these resolutions are to better the body through promises like eating healthier, exercising regularly, reducing stress, engaging in relaxing activities, quitting smoking, quitting alcohol consumption, drinking more water, and so forth. People make these resolutions because they are overweight, out-of-breath at the slightest exercise, sick all the time, and lethargic. To sum it all up, they feel as if they are half dead, or close to the grave.

The Bible says that whatever Christians eat, drink, or do, we eat, drink, and do for the glory of God.

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do,

do it all for the glory of God."

1 Corinthians 10:31

Therefore drinking beverages and eating foods that are unhealthy for our bodies and brains is going against God's glory. Yet at almost every church event, especially for children, I see an abundance of food that has very little nutritional value and contains harmful chemicals: soda pops, powdered drinks, cheap hotdog wieners, white bread, processed cheese, processed luncheon meat, chips, cheese curls, pizzas, store-bought cookies, and so on. In other words, garbage! It is sickening! What kind of example are we portraying to these children? Who cares! Just eat whatever you want! If you get a deathly illness, worry about diet then!

I can tell you from experience that when children are given fresh fruits and vegetables, they gobble them up. They are immediately drawn to them. It is like their bodies crave them. It is the same when they are offered pure fruit juices. I have also noticed that when you feed children nothing but junk food, they run around afterwards like maniacs.

As Christian leaders the Bible says that we are to discipline our bodies like athletes, otherwise we disqualify ourselves when we teach and preach the Word of God to others.

"I discipline my body like an athlete,

training it to do what it should.

Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others

I myself might be disqualified."

1 Corinthians 9:27

In other words, if churches feed children unhealthy foods and drinks, they are being poor examples as God's servants, because God commands us to be disciplined by taking care of our bodies.

This year let us resolve to eat, drink, and do all for the glory of God.