Monday, May 30, 2016

A Lesson From a Baby Bird, a Big Black Beetle and a Pair of Sheep

Ecclesiastes 3:1 “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven…”

John 10:  I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

1 Peter 5:7 “Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you.”

Yesterday I saw something which was quite sad but combined with two things that I saw on our bike ride today on the Cowichan Valley Trail, there is a definite lesson for me.

Yesterday afternoon I was sitting on a chair in our back yard and I noticed that a paper wasp had landed on something small and pink.  The wasp stayed on the object for quite a time as though it was gathering food.  After it flew away I went over to see what the pink thing was, and was sad to discover that it was a tiny baby bird.  No feathers, surely newly hatched.  We have had quite a lot of wind lately, so I must surmise that the baby was blown out of the nest.  There was not a mark on its little body so I don’t think that it was tossed out by the mother or other siblings.   I wondered at the brevity of this little life, and it made me think of the verse from the book of Ecclesiastes concerning the fact that there is a season and a time to everything.  It was not meant for this little bird to grow, and fledge and live a normal life.
Then today husband and I went for a bike ride on the Cowichan Valley Trail.  It has been a week since we have been there, and I was a little shaky on the way up the trail.  At one point I saw two bike riders coming towards me from a distance so I stopped and got off my bike.  It was then that I noticed a big black beetle making its way across the trail to the other side.  I wondered whether or not it was going to survive two bikes going by.  As I watched, the first bike passed missing the beetle by not more than an inch.  The beetle turned 90 degrees to the left and the second bike passed him by at a greater distance.

I remembered how the baby bird died very shortly after hatching, and marveled at how this beetle had lived in the face of danger.
Husband and I travelled further up the trail and then turned around and headed back.  And about half-way back  I noticed that husband had stopped and then I saw that there were two sheep at the side of the trail, grazing.  I took several photographs of them and then remembered John chapter 10, and the teaching about the Lord Jesus being the Good Shepherd who cares for his sheep.

There was a lesson in all these things.  That being, all things are in God’s hands, he gives life, and he takes it away,  the baby bird died, I know not why, but the beetle lived.  The Good Shepherd cares for all.  Sometimes we don’t understand why things happen, but God knows and we just have to trust in him and in his sovereign will for all creation.

Below is a photo of the pair of sheep..  my reminder of the Good Shepherd.trail sheep
My husband always says that I go too slow on my bike, but which is better? to go fast and miss all the things the Lord has to show me? or to go slow and see them all.  I will continue to ride slowly and marvel at what the Lord has for me.

vcg/May 2016

Sunday, May 29, 2016

Gospel of John: The Marriage in Cana

John 2:1-11

The Lord Jesus was with his disciples among the other guests at the marriage in Cana of Galilee. As the invited guests arrived there would have been servants at the door, and on either side of the door there were 3 great big stone waterpots. As the guests filed in, the servants would splash water on the hands and feet of every guest. After a short ceremony the wedding feast would begin.

This passage concerning the marriage in Cana teaches us that Jesus is God and he has great power. In this account of this wedding feast, the apostle John, inspired by the Holy Spirit, furnishes us only with the essential details. When: it was on the third day. Where: Cana of Galilee Who: Jesus, his mother and some of the disciples.. Why: they were at a wedding.

The teaching on marriage: V1-2 Marriage is honourable. One of the first public events of the Lord’s ministry was to attend a wedding because marriage is honourable and good or else Jesus wouldn’t have been there. Those who lightly esteem marriage have not the mind of Christ. Marriage is hallowed because Jesus was there. This an important point because marriage is lightly esteemed in these days. But in this passage, marriage is honourable. It’s all too common nowadays to hear even believers saying to a young couple who are engaged and who are so close, “it will all end once you are married” it happens all the time. Marriage sometimes becomes the butt end of jokes. There is always some one to comment. But the bible says that marriage is honourable in all. The closeness of engaged people does not end once you are married, but it becomes stronger as the years go by. A properly cultivated marriage grows as the years go by. God ordained marriage. Christ graced marriage by his presence at Cana of Galilee. When somebody starts to make jokes, the question to ask is this: Was God wrong? was Christ wrong on the area of marriage? of course he wasn’t.. so why do some Christians make fun of something that God has ordained? The flippant attitude concerning important things comes from worldly attitudes towards serious things. Unbelievers do not hold marriage as God does. How does a Christian make sure they are not worldly? Be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind. It’s a different mindset. Let this mind be in you which is also in Christ Jesus. A Christians outlook to life and all important things including marriage is the same as Christ’s outlook, not the worlds. Christ was invited to the wedding in Cana and he agreed with the wedding, and he came to the wedding.

Thursday, May 26, 2016

But God Made You Alive

Christian, how were you saved?  God Made You Alive

Ephesians 2:1-5


Before our conversion there was nothing in us to commend us to God, we were spiritually dead in trespasses and sins.  Not only that but we were worldly.  Our life was governed by the plan or the mold of this world.  This is humanity without God.  We were also disobedient, we were willfully disobedient to the word of God.  We were lost creatures.  This manifested itself in physical and intellectual desires.  By nature, by physical birth we were also damned, we were under God's wrath.  But that was in time past.  It was before we were saved that we were like that.  But Christians are no longer dead (in sin), or worldly, or disobedient, or under wrath.  You were that before conversion but it is all finished now. 


But (you might say) "what about so and so, they profess Christ but they disobey Christ all the time.  They don't have any spiritual hunger."  There is one answer, that person was not truly converted.  Ephesians 2:2 "Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience."  Note the important words "in time past"  A past completed action is now over and finished permanently, it doesn't happen anymore.   If these things are not past then you are not converted.  You can't be. 


Christians before their conversion were in a terrible state and could do nothing to change it.  Was there any hope?  Is there any hope?  If there is any hope it is not in you or me.  There is not one shred of hope in humanity, not one.  But there is hope and there was hope and we are going to find out about it.
But God: V4 "But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,"  the little word But means nevertheless, you were dead, you had no hope and you were much more, But God, nevertheless God, in spite of what you were, God.  This the But of difference and the But of hope.  But God.  


Please note the verse does not say that you were dead, you were damned, "but human free will" does it?  It doesn't say you were bound in sin "but a wee bit of religion" It doesn't say "but good works"  It doesn't say "but human free will" because your will was a slave and a servant of sin before you were saved. Ephesians 2:2 "Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience."     Your will was not free.   It doesn't say "but religion" because religion doesn't make any difference.  It doesn't say "but good works" because before you were saved you didn't have any saving good works..  there is no good saving works before God.  It doesn't say any of those things because it was nothing in us.  It says that we were all those wretched things in V3 "Among whom also we all.....in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others."  But God.  In spite of what you were, God did something.  But God.  Those two words are the difference between biblical Christianity and every other religion in the world. 

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Bicycle Riding in Living Forest Campground: I Cannot Ride Roads

I wrote in my last post concerning bicycle rides that we were going to Living Forest Campground in Nanaimo for a few days so I could practice riding my bike on paved, quiet roads that are throughout the campground.  My husband has no problem riding anywhere.   Part of the trip was also so we could test out our new screen tent which I am happy to say, went up easily and is bigger and has better roof coverage than our previous one.  This is our second Outbound purchase this year and I hope that it serves us as well as the gazebo we bought a month or so ago has done in rain and wind.  We also took our Copper Canyon tent which we never sleep in, but use to store things and it seemed a good idea to store our bikes in the tent.  Just as well, because there was a sign posted on the washroom building saying that there had been bikes stolen in the campground and to be careful.  Here is a photo of our camp.  The site is large, surrounded on three sides by trees, really a lovely spot.

living forest camp

But getting back to the main reason for our going.. to practice riding on paved roads.  It was clear to me at the start of my ride that this was not going to be easy.  The campground roads are more hilly than I remember, and I haven’t figured out how to change gears and concentrate on my riding at the same time.  Riding at my senior age is not coming easily.  At one point my husband who was in front of me, called out “car coming” and so I went to the side of the road and almost fell over onto the gravel at the side.  Thank Electra for their flat foot technology in moving the pedals forward which enabled me to catch myself.  As it was, I walked the bike up the rest of the hill and then white-knuckled it down the other side, riding the brakes to slow down.  After that it was smooth for a time but then we turned onto another road in the campground and I almost fell off again.  So that was it, shaking I walked the bike back to our camp.  I really think that my fear of what might happen if I fell is most of the reason for my problems in riding on roads.  I am defeated at the thought of  breaking a bone just before I am due to go on Saturday to the hospital for my kidney ultrasound  and on Sunday to my granddaughter’s dance recital.   And how is this trusting the Lord?   I know that my attitude is not good and that an adjustment is necessary.

So after a couple of hours, I wanted to come home.  The campground is only an hour away so at least it was not a long drive.  My husband was not happy with me but this morning I made him some pancakes for breakfast, and today we plan on going to a farm market that is starting today in Chemainus and then riding this afternoon on the Cowichan Valley Trail which is our familiar place to ride.  Husband says it will be a long time before he suggests going camping again, but next time we will leave our bikes at home when we do go camping.

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Riding the Cowichan Trail: Dappled Light is not Much Fun

This past Sunday we had our fourth bicycle ride on the Cowichan Valley Trail.  One thing I am learning is that the look of this trail is ever-changing, as are the challenges and obstacles you might find.

As usual, there were several avid riders on their expensive mountain bikes who were ready to take on the trail,  I wonder what they think of old fogeys such as us who wear everyday clothing and ride cruiser bicycles.  Also there were hikers and people riding horses (although all we saw of them was fresh piles of manure), and this time there was a family of four: mom, dad, and two small children one in a stroller.  They also had a Jack Russel Terrier that was not on leash at the time we saw it.  Thankfully this dog did not bother us but seemed more interested in the smells and sounds at the side of the trail.

I must admit that off leash dogs are one thing I do not want to run into on this trail because I still am very insecure and drift from side to side on the trail.  We had previously ridden this trail to a spot where Sahtlam Road has an entrance to the trail and we decided to go to the road instead of riding our bikes into the heavily forested area.  This is a quiet dead-end road with a gradual incline but as we were heading up the road there was the sound of large dogs barking loudly and running towards us.  Thankfully there was a high fence which kept them in, but this incident showed me that I still am not ready for riding on public roads.  I wonder if I ever will be?

How to Put Worry to Death

Matthew 6:24-34

Life is about more than stuff says Jesus Christ, the aim and goal of life is not the abundance of the things that one can possess, the materialistic view of life  is utterly bankrupt and guilt ridden.  This view of life does not lead to peace nor happiness, but is  slavery to money and things - material goods as the goal and purpose of life leads to nothing but worry and anxiety.
 In these verses Jesus Christ commands his followers not to worry and be anxious about the future. V25 "Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on.  Is not the life more than meat and the body than raiment?"  "take no thought"   doesn't mean don't think about it, it means don't be anxious or worry about it.  V26-30 Jesus tells us why we are not to worry about these things.  V32 "(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek......) the word "Gentile" means not Jewish, or those who are unbelievers.. "seek" means "run after, pursue"  This is not the Christian mind-set.  If Christians grasp the teaching of this section, you will live differently than the unbelieving people and you will be a lot more happy and content and at peace than the unsaved.  


Christ teaches "do not worry" an imperative command.  The western culture thrives on people's worries and anxieties, and makes loads of money out of people's worries and anxieties.  There is not a man that can give peace of mind and not a man that can take it away from the Christian.   The powers that be want you to worry, they want to keep you worrying and anxious.  Throw off the shackles of worry and listen to the teaching of Jesus Christ in these verses as he demolishes utterly the foolishness and stupidity of worrying.  Do you know that worrying is irrational and illogical?  


Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Riding the Cowichan Valley Trail 2: Was it or Wasn't it?

Was it or wasn’t it a bear?  Yesterday was our second time riding our bicycles on the Cowichan Valley Trail and it turned out to be a bit exciting.  First we followed the route west towards Lake Cowichan again, this time going farther than before.  As we rode past the farms and entered more heavily forested area, I grew a little uncomfortable going further that way.  We had travelled 5 km along this road, so we headed back to the parking lot and decided to cross the highway and go east on the same trail.  And that is when the trip became kind of scary.

This part of the trail is very peaceful, there is a stream at the side of the trail down an embankment and it sounded lovely riding beside it.  About 1 km along the trail we came to a forested cul-de-sac and stopped to decide if we wanted to go farther.  By this time having traveled 11 km in total, I was getting a bit tired.  As we stood there, I heard a low throaty growl, not a dog.  Didn’t see anything but I told my husband I wanted to head back and he told me that he had heard a growl, I had not told him that I did.  So we mounted our bikes and as we started back I could smell a strong animal odor.  I was nervous riding behind my husband so I kept calling him and asking me if there was anything behind me as we rode back to the parking lot.

We could not say for sure what animal had made that sound but today we decided to buy rear-view mirrors for our bikes, so we went to the bike store where we had purchased our bikes and asked the fellow if they sold rear-view mirrors.  I expected him to chuckle but he went right to them.  I told him that thus far we had just travelled the Cowichan Valley Trail and didn’t mention our experience of the day before, but he spoke right up and said “there are bears on that trail”..  Good grief, that is what I did not want to hear.  So we asked him where they were and he said that someone had seen a black bear on the Sherman Road section, and that is exactly where we heard the sound the day before.

So was it or wasn’t it a bear?  I do not know for certain but it is not going to keep us from riding this trail.  I have a personal alarm which is extremely loud and I think that it would deter any bear.  At least this time of year there is lots of Spring grasses for them to eat.   Hopefully we will not see a cougar or a wolf.

It will be more comforting being able to see what is behind me now.  Nevertheless, I wonder what future rides will bring?

Monday, May 16, 2016

First Bicycle Ride on the Cowichan Valley Trail

Last Friday we picked up our new 7 speed Electra Townie bicycles at a local bicycle store called Cycle Therapy.  It has been 25 years since we last owned and rode bicycles, and let me say I was very nervous as these bikes are bigger and differently shaped than the 21 speed Norco bikes we owned then.   But they do say that one never forgets how to ride, so we set out in a quiet area to ride our new bikes.  I was white-knuckling it and was very shaky at first, but it slowly came back as we traveled the roads of this quiet residential area.

I am not ready now, and it will be some time before I am ready, to ride my bicycle on the roads near our home.  My reason is that I tend to drift towards the middle of the road and that could be deadly.  Also, it has been my experience when walking this road, that some people who use bicycles as transportation and not for pleasure or sport, do not possess any bicycle manners.  They do not let you know that they are coming up behind you, and they are going way too fast.  A few times I know that if I had stepped further into the walking lane I would have been hit and seriously hurt by some of these people who do not let you know that they are coming.

I remembered that there was a trail head to the Cowichan Valley Trail about 10 minutes from our home, so yesterday we loaded up our bikes and went to the parking lot.  And what a wonderful experience it was to ride part-way up this trail.  There was forest on both sides so the path was shaded.  The surface was tightly packed small gravel, quite easy to ride on.   It was up-hill but it was so gradual that I could barely notice except it was a bit harder to pedal at times.   I rode to the sound of sheep baaaaing in the distance,  at one point a horse and rider passed us, and a few bicycle riders who were obviously more experienced than we were.  (We being my husband and myself)..  and it was then that I saw the difference between a sport rider and the transportation riders that I have seen.  One man who was riding up behind me called out to say “rider coming, passing on your left”..    what a pleasure that was, to know that someone was coming.

Sunday, May 15, 2016

What Has Led to So Many False Professed Christians?

What Has Led to So Many False Professed Christians?  What is a False Christian?  This is a long read, but worth it.

Philippians 3:17-21


What does the bible say the church is?  What are the churches  truly like?  Many, many people in the churches in the Western world today who say they are Christians are not.   What is a false Christian? how can there be such a thing?  This is a contradiction in words because a false Christian is not a Christian, but the term is used for ease of understanding.  Someone who thinks that they are a Christian when they are not. 
Philippians 3:17-21 is the true situation.  The theme runs through the bible, Vl8-19 "For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things."   The context is that these professing Christians were in the church in Philippi and in other churches that the apostle Paul was writing about.  This is a biblical thing, but the scary bit is that in V18 it says that there are "many"  The word "many" in Greek means "altogether common"  and Paul weeps "wails out loud" because it is a terrible thing for the church of Jesus Christ, and a terrible thing  for those who think that they are Christians when they are not.  There are some who disagree with apostolic doctrine, they serve their own desires, and this is seen in their disobedient lives.  If there were many like this in the days of the apostles, surely there are many more in the days when the apostles are gone.   The question then is, what has led to so many false professed Christians?  


In the 1860s Charles Spurgeon said these words:  "Their life is not consistent with the great things of God.  I do fear that the evil (of false professions) instead of having decreased has multiplied and grown in danger.  We have more professions now and consequently we have more hypocrisy."  Spurgeon said that because when Spurgeon was a boy a man called Charles Finney who was then a famous evangelist in America was evangelizing.  He didn't believe in original sin, he believed that sin was a choice, that we were not sinners by nature, free will.


Friday, May 6, 2016

Salvation Comes to Zacchaeus


Luke 19:1-10


The Lord Jesus is going on his journey to Jerusalem, he is going to the feast of the Passover and on the way  he comes to Jericho.  It's a six hour walk from Jericho to Jerusalem and as Jesus is passing through Jericho (which was a fertile and prosperous city) he was surrounded by a throng of people.  V3  There are two main characters in this story, Jesus and Zacchaeus.. 


V1 Jesus was coming up through Jericho through a large crowd of people.  He is now a very famous and controversial person who has healed many sick people, exorcised demons, performed miracles, and most important he has been teaching and preaching for 3 years.  Crowds follow him everywhere he goes, but they say he is an old testament Prophet returned.  The powers that be in Israel, the religious authorities and leaders, hate Jesus because during his 3 year ministry he has exposed their sin and hypocrisy of religion.  He has unmasked their disobedience to God and their love of human ideas.  He has shown that the leaders are sinners just like everybody else and they hate him for it because the religious always think that they are better than everybody else.  They have tried to trick Jesus and he not only refutes them but he makes them look foolish.  All these leaders want Jesus dead and they are willing to stoop to any level and use any means to accomplish their goal of murder.  So much for their religion.  But in doing all this, these leaders are exactly fulfilling the plan that God had ordained before the world was even made.  So here is Jesus coming up the main street of Jericho.


And here is Zacchaeus V2-4  "And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was very rich. And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.  And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way."   Zacchaeus doesn't have the credentials of Jesus, the common people hate Zacchaes because he is a tax collector (publican) and not only that but (V2) he was the chief tax collector, the boss of all the tax collectors.  Tax collectors in Israel were known as traitors because they worked for Rome and hated by the common people.  Zacchaeus was rich (abundant in his wealth) but this day Zacchaeus heard that Jesus was coming, he must already of heard of Jesus.  He wants to see Jesus, he had a casual interest and wanted to see who he was.


Sunday, May 1, 2016

A Strange Illness and a Little Miracle

Again its been almost one month since I last posted and it has been a very unusual month.

About 3 weeks ago I was very agitated but did not know why.  Then 2 weeks ago my body began to go into slow motion: I moved slowly, talked slowly and quietly.  My husband said that I was mumbling and that  it was like I had taken an overdose of tranquilizers even though I am not on tranquilizers.  My brother phoned and when I answered he asked me if I had just gotten up.  I had a very difficult time coming up with words I wanted to use, my brain was very foggy in its thoughts.  I lost desire to eat and forced myself to get something down.  One afternoon I sat in the backyard on a chair dozing most of the afternoon.  Then it became difficult to write or type, had to slowly write the letters, forming their shape like a child would do.  I used to be able to type along with sermons but now that would be impossible as my speed has slowed so much.  Other parts of my body were out of whack as well, something was clearly wrong with my bladder and kidneys.  I lost my balance and started banging into things.

This past week I began to improve, but went to our family physician with a written list of what had happened and after doing an exam he had an appointment made for me the next day at the local hospital for a CT scan on my head.  He also phoned an internist and an appointment was made for two days later.  Most people have to wait weeks or months for either of these, but he considered it important enough to mark it "urgent" so space was made for me.  He said my heart was racing so he ordered blood tests, an EKG and a cultured urinalysis.  I went next door to the clinic and had the EKG, had blood drawn, but I was shocked and a little scared to find blood in my urine.  When I returned to the doctor's office and handed him the results of the EKG, I mentioned that it was scary to find the blood but he said that some of my symptoms were scary.