I have had the opportunity to do some sightseeing in Europe. We travelled to Drielandpunt in Vaals. This is a three-country point, where the borders of Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany meet at a small monument marking this geographical … Read more
Search Results for: "John 15:"
Friendship
This Scripture caught my attention recently. Herod and Pilate became friends! How extraordinary that Luke recorded this part of Jesus' trial. Two men who appeared to be enemies became friends to accomplish their goal: getting rid of … Read more
Dear Soldiers
My father's parents divorced in the 1930s. Grandma Smith was forty-seven when she had Dad, the youngest of seven. Throughout his boyhood, whenever visitors were expected, it was his job to beg for food in the neighbourhood. He could not … Read more
A Life Of Trust
God calls us to a life of trust. A man who has greatly inspired me in that direction is George Müller, who lived in the 1800s. His classic autobiography is entitled, A Life of Trust. I still regret that when I was visiting Bristol, … Read more
Inconvenient Blessings
In our rural community, we experience power outages during severe winter weather. We prepare by placing ice bags in our freezer, and no one lifts the lid. We hunker down next to the fireplace, play board games, and heat our dinner on the … Read more
Open Your Umbrella
We read stories about people who prayed for rain, but who forgot to bring their umbrellas in anticipation of the blessing. When we abide in Christ, we pray and symbolically carry our umbrellas to prepare for the overwhelming gifts that … Read more
Our Treasury Of Friends
Have you considered adding your friends to your list of assets? That's what they are — in some way or other. I'm learning to value friendships through watching older folk express their commitment to each other. They check on each other, … Read more
A Safe Place
Because I was an athlete in my younger years, God often uses sporting illustrations to teach me spiritual truths — they resonate with me. I was reminded of one of those when we took the grandkids to the swimming pool during March … Read more
Christians Are Weeping
On Easter Sunday, my wife, our pianist, and I had planned for quite some time to go to the local Long Term Care Centre. A good number of residents always enjoy coming to the worship services, especially on Christian holy days. While we … Read more
Checking The Source
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
The Best Way To Stand Up For Someone
I have three children, two girls and a boy. Several years ago, I was wrestling with the older girl and the boy. We do that a lot. Imagine screams mixed with laughter and the occasional head bonk. They charge at me and I grab them, swing … Read more
The Selfie Stick
Ever since I was a teenager, I haven't liked having my picture taken. I do, however, like taking pictures of nature — birds, flowers, scenery — and especially of my family. So, for many years, I was the official picture taker. The … Read more
Would You, If You Knew?
Rarely is there a newscast that doesn't carry a story of people being saved from burning homes, terrific car crashes, acts of violence, or other incidents which would have resulted in a different outcome had it not been for the valiant … Read more
Home At Last!
This summer, you may have experienced the relief of coming home from a holiday trip. You breathed a sigh when you crossed the threshold into your familiar abode. You could relax and merge into familiar surroundings. You were home at last. … Read more
Role Models
The dictionary defines a role model as a person looked up to by others as an example to be imitated. There are role models everywhere. Some portray an example of good and some of evil. We look to movie stars, entertainers, famous people, … Read more
A State Of Emergency
"Egypt Declares State of Emergency, as Attacks Undercut Promise of Security" – New York Times, April 9, 2017 As you may have gathered from some of my writings, I spent a considerable amount of time in the Middle East. Later I travelled to … Read more
God's Handiwork Is Everywhere
Have you ever examined the seed head of a dandelion before you puckered your lips together, blew, and watched its seeds scatter and rise into the air to fly away? Have you ever seen a double rainbow? Or have you ever examined a snowflake … Read more
Harassment Of Believers
We have a subscription to a Dutch-language newspaper which is published here in Canada and consists mostly of news and articles about and from the Netherlands. In the December 2016 issue, there was an article about a political party in … Read more
Time To Prune
Almost a year ago, my wife got an azalea plant from one of our children for Mother's Day. It sat in front of a window where it got the early morning sun. Then suddenly during the summer, the outer ends of the branches started to wither, … Read more
A Valentine Devotional
I've been thinking of Valentine's Day and how the heart is a symbol of love. Our church has a breakfast on the first Monday of the month, and I usually try to have some kind of related treat if there is a special day in that month. And so, … Read more
The Look Of Love
When I began in ministry many years ago, I quickly realized that I didn't have enough love for all the people in my congregations. I cried out to God for His love. It was then that I experienced an overwhelming flood of loving care for the … Read more
The Branch
A few years ago, I took a class on the subject of genealogy. Written in my notes was the suggestion that the holiday season provides a good opportunity to dive into family history. For example, round-the-dinner-table gatherings at … Read more
The Parallel
Every Remembrance Day (or Veterans Day), I am deeply touched as members of our little community take turns placing wreaths of remembrance at the base of our town's cenotaph. Each wreath represents a different era: a war which has been … Read more