There are so many things that are happening in our world that are problematic. Here in Canada, speech is being censored, gas prices are continuing to climb, travel is still being limited, jobs are still being withheld from certain people, manufactured food shortages are in the works, communist universal basic income bills are going through parliament, our Prime Minister is pushing climate change action, and people continue to kill babies in the womb.
As I scroll through my news feeds, it is easy to find stuff to expose and correct, but it is challenging to find things worth celebrating here in Canada. My news feed is bombarded with stories that display an unbridled, hastened shift away from any moral foundation. The common moral foundations which society seemed to agree on have been removed. This shift has been spurred on by embracing the postmodern philosophical worldview - where truth is based on subjective feelings and experience. No longer do we strive to understand what is true, but simply what we want to believe is true. God has given our nation up to what seems right in their own minds (Rom. 1:24), leading to a nation that thinks men can be pregnant, drag queens can teach children about sexuality, and schools see no harm in teaching children about masturbation. Unsurprisingly, these news stories are championed and celebrated by our culture, and they eclipse stories worthy of celebration. It's so easy to get caught up in all this bad news that we sometimes forget to celebrate the victories. So, for a change, I want to share some good news that you may have already heard. There have been some favourable outcomes in the provincial courts in British Columbia and Alberta regarding rulings made in cases involving different pastors. On May 2, after nearly a year of being wrongly convicted, the criminal charges on Tim Stephens were dropped! On May 12, two dozen covid violation tickets against three BC pastors who faithfully opened their churches despite the tyrannical restrictions were dropped. These tickets would have totalled $55,200. And this hasn't just happened in the western provinces, but over here in Atlantic Canada as well! God's word says, "Rejoice in the Lord always..." (Php. 4:4). The dropping of these criminal charges and tickets is something that we can rejoice about! It shows how God vindicates and provides for those who stand for what is right. But notice the word "always." That's how often we should rejoice! But this news seems like a needle in a haystack of perversion. How can we rejoice in a time when there is so much bad stuff that is taking place? That's something I've been thinking about recently and something I asked you about this week. This is what I heard from you:
These people get it! We can be thankful amid all this bad news because of what God is doing and where history is ultimately leading. Take, for instance, the tickets that these BC pastors had received. It was troublesome news, and yet God used them for the good of His church. Gathering now meant there was a price. And with the price came the motivation needed to grow closer together. Fellowship became sweeter, deeper and more personal for many. He also used them to reveal the tyranny of the unjust leaders in Canada and expanded the witness of His church. People took notice. And some who never would have come into a church, came. Depending upon the church, these people would have heard a clear gospel message - and some even got saved! God used these tickets as a means to grow his church. That's something to rejoice about! And now it seems he again is using the tickets to advance his kingdom. Truth is being revealed through the court cases, and the church is being vindicated. So Paul writes, "Rejoice in the Lord always..." (Php. 4:4) Always? Yes, always! Now, I'll admit, it's easier to grumble, criticize and complain than it is to rejoice and be thankful! I even find this true when it comes to writing. It's much easier to expose the bad things in Canada and criticize it for what it is than to sit down and write about thankfulness and things to be thankful for. As I'm writing this, I see other news items come across my news feed, and I'm torn between writing about thankfulness or focusing on them and ripping them apart. I'm struggling with why I am writing about this topic when there are troublesome current events in Canada that seem to be more pressing - Events that pose a threat to our nation's sovereignty, such as the International Treaty on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response that's been presented by the WHO. Why write about thankfulness in such a time as this? Because as important as it is to expose sin and error in our nation, thankfulness keeps our witness winsome (Php. 4:5) and guards our hearts and minds against worry and bitterness (Php. 4:6-7). Too much criticizing turns people away and makes our hearts cynical. It often leads to grumbling, which is a sin that we are told to avoid (Php. 2:14; Jas. 5:9). Yes, we are to warn and instruct others of sin; but grumbling stems from a heart attitude where we believe God is not sufficiently good, wise, faithful, loving, powerful or competent. This is to be avoided - and we do that through thankfulness. Which, by the way, is God's will for us. Paul writes, "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (1 Thess. 5:18). God's word is clear; it's our emotions and opinions that get in the way. We find it difficult to be thankful because we either think we deserve better or fail to understand God's sovereign activity. So when times are troublesome, we need to remember some key truths.
Though Canada is in a mess morally, and there are so many troublesome events taking place, try to see what God is doing in our nation. He's not asleep at the wheel or powerless to bring an end to the madness; rather, He is actively leading everything according to His plan and purpose. So be vigilant not only in your stand for the truth, but in our watchfulness of his work in your country.
6 Comments
7/18/2022 01:09:48 pm
https://www.sondakika06.com/haber/11367249/gelir-yuvan-basvurusu-yap-gelir-yuvan-yardim-basvurusu-nasil-yapilir
Reply
8/3/2022 03:25:04 pm
Kpss önlisans çıkmış sorular
Reply
9/9/2022 05:03:17 pm
Taraftarium24 canlı maç izle https://taraftarium24hdizle.com
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorHello! I'm glad you found my blog. My name is David Hanson, and I am a concerned Christian who desires for the church of North America to become aware and begin to think biblically of what is happening around them in society. It's time for the church to awake and speak into the current events of the day. We alone have the truth to navigate life effectively. That truth is the Word of God. Archives
May 2022
Categories |