The Pastors’ Blog

Have you ever wrestled with the sovereignty of God and prayer. The dilemma sounds like this. If God’s purposes will be accomplished in spite of everything that could possibly stand in the way why does anyone need to pray, as though that prayer would have any effect. I don’t pretend to understand this area exhaustively. However it seems from nature and God’s word that God not only purposes ends but means. At times He chooses only to accomplish His will in response to the cries of his people’s heart. God allows our prayers to shape human history. This seems to me to be Jame’s point about Elijah or am I begging the question. We start a series this Sunday on Elijah. See you there.

The hamster wheel picked up velocity this week. I thought that I could schedule a roofing project around other committments. Fri. supper time when my neighbours informed me about the expected thunderstorms Sat. morning I stopped tearing off shingles and began covering the roof with the elephant that comes in a paper roll.

When you try to wedge the edge under some remaing tiles and need both hands the elephant slides a way and the paper unrolled metamorphizes into a butterfly and flaps in the slightest breeze while the elephant heads off the roof. Wrestling with the elephant isn’t difficult when your fresh but when darkness drops and the elephant hates you and the brand new hammer stapler refuses to reload in the dark and you head to the kitchen and forget the instructions on the roof; then you wonder why you didn’t double your prayer time that morning ok. even pray at all. Perspective is totally lost. Prayer for the past few hours had been sort of a gutteral cry don’t let me step off the roof with the elephant. When I cram paciderms into a full schedule it is usually prayer that gets jettisoned not the “SAVE Me Please prayer” but the rich, leisurely ” YOU alone are MY God prayer”. Who knows if I had prayed that morning maybe I would have been nudged to recheck the weather. We should not merely carpe diem but carpe diem coram deo.

Coram Deo David

The weekend is finally here! Your anniversary committee counted it a priviledge to assemble some celebratory events this year to lead the family of God here at AV around God’s throne of thankfulness. Our overall theme has been ‘50 Faithful Years.’ This has two sides.

The most common though looks at how AVBC has been faithful for the past 50 years, five decades of true gospel ministry, faithful to the cross.

But much more importantly, AV has seen the faithfulness of our God, He is the Great Faithful One! We can’t say it enough. He is over all and in all. He will always prove hiself faithful. Our faithfulness merely reflects His.
To God be the Glory! 1 Thessalonians 5:23,24
Have a great weekend everyone!

Blessings, P. Jim

We have books in our bathroom. For those Seinfeld fans, yes we have flagged books. Three on prayer have made it recently, Yancey’s new one, one by E.M. Bounds and one by J.C. Ryle. I’m at various places in all three. I can read about prayer for hours. Coincidently I have the same capacity for reading exercise books and mags. Ryle’s book is disturbing not extremely well written, opinionated, and pendantic; he keeps asking one question. Do you pray? Do you pray? Over and over again, like a whining dog that wants to walk.
. It’s a good question. Yes sometimes. Sometimes Vida and I will go on a prayer walk and for a half hour or 40 min. we will pray and pray fervently. or sometimes I’ll take out my tin whistle a chorus or hymn book and worship for an extended time. But does it mark my day every day? Is prayer a shaping activity of my life? If I run once a week will I ever be a runner or will I just dabble? Do i dabble in prayer? Would that be taking the Lord’s name in vain?

Ordinary conversations abound in families, “will you pick up Dovey?, don’t forget dog food, what about roast tonight?, pass the salt please. Momentary, natural conversations with the Lord should be part of the warp and woof of our routine- “forgive me Lord, thanks Lord, Father what do I say now guard my words, please protect my children. This is not dabbling unless our prayer life is truncated to only this. However we need long uninterrupted times in families to explore each other’s minds, trace each ohers souls and discover nuances of spirit. How much more do I need long uninterrupted times with my inner life intentionally placed before the Shepherd of my heart. Why is this so difficult to do consistantly? An issue of discipline? Yes to a degree. But discipline as the only answer is, in my opinion, inadequate. Ryle suggests that those who don’t pray aren’t Christians. Nor does he believe that everyone that does pray is a Christian. What do you think? Do you pray so that your times of prayer shape your life? Why? Why not? do you need to buy a prayer rug? Carpe Diem, Pastor David

I decide to catch a little of ‘The Agenda with Steve Pakin” on TVO last night, Se.6/07. He had our Premier, Dalton McGuinty in the studio as his lone guest. They were discussing election issues of course, with the Ontario provincial election pending this Oct. 10.

The discussion was predictable and safe. Steve was gracious and restrained. The session was about challenge and Mr Pakin had ample ammunition; “Broken promises” (galore), and how does one respond and recover when seeking re-elction?

Then came the inevitable “funding faith based schools” question. For years I’ve wondered why this hasn’t struck a chord with voters, but here it finally is. Steve asked “Do you think it’s fair that Catholics in Ontario have the choice of receiving a faith-based (catholic) education, fully funded by the Province, excluding all others religious groups?”

The operative here being ‘fair.’ There was a bit of preamble adn explanation following, but it’s a simple question.

He didn’t get an answer.

He asked it again, “perhaps I’m not asking the question properly?”

He still didn’t get an answer. Steve had him and they both new it. He was gracious though and moved on.
What he did hear was the propared lines about “better citizens, better people” produced through a strong Public education system, that he as the premier is obligated to support. I suspect the Tories for one, are rubbing their hands with delight after serveral critical gafs and blunders, all nicely produced and recorded for them on public television.

I’ve seen people ‘caught’ before in a variety of traps, blunders and miscalculations. McGuinty and the Liberals are caught on this issue, outmaneuvered deftly and perhaps without recovery. Can’t say we didn’t see it coming. Whether or not is can turn the direction of the electorate remains to be seen.
Pastor Jim

When trying to find the answers most people want an answer that satisfies all their questions, but what truly satisfies?  Oddly enough I was thinking about how the universe poses us a lot of questions and how that relatest to faith.   For example, as I read Making Sense out of Suffering by Peter Kreeft, I come to the understanding that even with the answers there are questions that are left unanswered even within answering the question.  In the case of science, when we first discovered (or named) quantum mechanics I’m sure people were like “Wow that’s something I new about the universe (answer)… now how does THAT work (new question)?”  Even when we come up with an answer that aligns itself with reality, it shouldn’t be a surprise that another question comes up because that’s the nature of reality that God has made for us, a present that when opens contains a gift and another present inside that must be unwrapped.  Just a thought…

I laid in bed last night, thinking of how religions tend to say the same old boring routien, “be good”.
How can Christianity distinguish itself from others?  Obviously it is through Jesus Christ but when people say that they’re Christian and believe that “all roads lead to Rome” I can’t blame them.  A lie is best held between truths.  The example that I had last night was to say to someone, “One of these 2 is a lie.  Which is the lie?  I’ve never broken a bone in my body or that I’ve seen a man creating a flying saucer?”  If they pick the flying saucer, I say no.  The lie was my sentence, “One of these 2 is a lie.”  It doesn’t matter what facts I throw into the mix as long as the intent to deceive is there and even the best of us can fall prey to the deceit of the roaring lion in 1 Peter 5, Satan.

I had died. Standing in a room and looking around at the millions of people in a waiting room like cattle for the slaughter. Where am I? The pearly gates were not there, no St. Peter, just a mass of people. How claustrophobic. People are standing all around talking to each other. Some shoving for more room. I walked across the room and saw a girl sitting down and playing a game with her brother. It was a little boring and I watched as they mimicked each other’s faces to pass the time. There was no warning and we were brought up to this place. I longed to be back home in my bed, on my couch. I longed for the earth that I once new, the places that I had been in. The fun I had with the TV and all that, but they were gone, never to be retrieved. I was in a new place, with strange people. I had no hope in finding any of my friends, and I was with strangers. I started to lose my breath and panic started to settle in. Screams were heard in the distance and they rolled in towards me like a tidal wave as a large throne with a brilliant light thundered a call. I heard my name. It was calling my name! Lights shone down on different people blinding them and they were gone, as a light shone on me and I was gone.

I stood in a different room. It was darker and I was given the privilege of sitting. God sat on his throne as the only source of light and a man dressed very well passed by me. He smiled at me and I felt at ease. I had a friend, until this betrayer began to blast a list of offenses that I had committed. I stood up to challenge the accusations but the eyes, staring at me from the throne silenced me. I shook. I knew that things weren’t going to turn out well, and Hell was the next stop. I had to do something, I had to stand up for myself, but I couldn’t. My own mouth would accuse me if I did.

It seemed forever as misdeed after misdeed was presented wide open for the judge to hear. Each one made my heart sink further into the darkness that awaited me.

God stood off of the throne and changed. He took the form of a human but broken and misshapen. I recoiled at the sight and fell to my knees in despair. He spoke, “Do you remember me?”

“Jesus, please help.”

“You took hold of me before you died and I remember you.”

Jesus turned back to the throne where God sat and said, “I have paid the price for this one.” He turned to me and said, “Well done my good and faithful servant.” I nearly died that moment, twice. Once for going to hell and second for hearing that I was considered his servant. I had accepted Christ moments before I died and asked him to take my sins away. I didn’t know what it meant to be a Christian, but he still considered me a friend. Lying before him I dared not get up, until I felt his hand on mine. He waited until I took the courage to grab hold of it and he lifted me up. Jesus, though wounded let my weight fall on him as he carried me out of the court room. I dared not open my eyes until I was finally out. And when I felt the cool soft grass under my feet I looked around. Once again I laid out on the ground but looking up… I was finally home.

So I was thinking about an old friend of mine who said he was a Christian, yet reminded me of the lead singer of Metalica:) Bless his heart he said that he believed that all religions teach the same thing, that if we do good deeds we’ll get into Heaven. I also remember talking to a guy downtown guelph who asked me what Heaven is like.
What if our final destination isn’t to focus on “How do I get into Heaven” but “How do I have a personal relationship with God, as Moses did in Exodus 33:11″. What if the Rome that people seek isn’t Heaven, but God himself. I mean, there was no persuit of going to heaven in the Garden of Eden. The problem began with a seperation from God. In that case, while every religious law teaches us how to enter into heaven, we have the source here and now. Hence when Peter speaks about Jesus’ death in 1 Peter, he says “to bring us to God”. As a Penticostal Pastor once told me, “The difference between Christianity and every other religion is, every other religion says, ‘Do’, whereas Christianity teaches, ‘Done’”.

Kinda nice to know that Salvation is, in that way, realized for all who believe (Acts 4:12).

Pastor Steve

I have several guideline documents that describe ‘do’s and don’ts’ for funerals (as pastors conduct them). One from Rick Warren, Saddleback Church, suggests that you needn’t say a great deal about the deceased by way of eulogies or tributes.

Now today saw the celebration/memorial service for our beloved Ruby T. at AV. And unabashedly, we wanted to say things about Ruby, lots of things! Sorry Rick Warren. Ruby had been ‘a gem’ in the truest fashion at AV for 50 years. She was a radiant, godly lady as her nieces’ tribute reflected beautifully.

We rejoiced greatly that she has arrived at her eternal home all of which, I believe, effectively assuages the angst associated with the perceptions of wrongdoing with some health care providers. The music, scriptures, message and tributes worked in unison to protray Ruby for who she was, a beautiful example of a spirit filled, fruit filled follower of Christ.

Blessings, P. Jim