War of Words by Susan Barclay

 

Did you grow up, as I did, in the era of "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me"? We all knew that was a lie, didn't we? Words are powerful. They can heal and they can hurt.

God's Word has a lot to say about the power of the tongue (feel free to substitute pen, keyboard, or whatever other tool you may use to express yourself). Here's just a sprinkling:

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits. Proverbs 18:21

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. Ephesians 4:29

I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned. Jesus speaking in Matthew 12:36-37

But no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. James 3:8

I could go on, but we might be here all day.

Is it just me, or have you also noticed something over the last fourteen or so months of Covid-19? As if people weren't already verging on rage, they seem to be giving even more vent to their thoughts and opinions. There seems to be more taking of sides: approval or disapproval of shutdowns, social distancing, mask wearing, hand washing; inclination or disinclination to take the vaccine; belief or disbelief that our civil liberties are at stake. And while I have no statistics to back me up, it seems that often the loudest voices belong to those who identify with Christ. Unfortunately, they're not always kind voices.

Last week I read that according to polls, those in the white evangelical community are least likely to get the vaccine. This group is so large that there is a risk that herd immunity may not be achievable. I read also that Franklin Graham and his wife chose to get the vaccine and when I looked at Franklin's Facebook post regarding same, many of the comments were shocking, with one person labelling him a "Satanic sellout." Wait - what?

Our words affect our testimony. What do people who don't know Jesus think when they hear the things we are saying to one another? Are we attracting them to Him, or repelling them from Him? Who would want to be part of such an infighting group? What unbeliever can so focus his or her attention on Jesus and God's Word that s/he isn't thwarted by those who claim to follow Him but act in such unchristian ways? 

God help us.

Just before Jesus was betrayed by Judas, He prayed this for the church:

I am not asking on behalf of these alone, but also for those who believe in Me through their word, that they may all be one; just as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. John 17:20-21(emphasis mine)

Wasn't it Jesus who also said the second greatest commandment was to "love your neighbour as yourself" (Matthew 22:39)?  

Today He must weep over our disunity and apparent lack of love. 

Please hear what I'm not saying: I'm not saying that there are no true representatives of Christ left on the face of the earth. I'm not saying that everyone who calls themselves Christian is unloving or unChrist-like. I'm not saying we aren't counted among the helpers or among those who care for others.

I'm suggesting that we all do a heart check. 

Proverbs 12:18 says, 

There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

Proverbs 15:28 adds,

The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.

Our world is sick. People made in God's image are sick and dying, physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually. Let's not contribute to the ills. Regardless of what "side" you may take on the restrictions imposed by the virus or regarding the vaccine, remember this before you speak, type, write:

THINK

• Is it true? There is so much information and so many "experts" out there, it can be difficult to decipher the facts.
  
• Is it helpful?
  
• Is it inspiring?
• Is it necessary?
• Is it kind? Does it represent Christ well? Am I being salt and light?

As I was reading David Guzik's commentaries on 2 Samuel 15 and 16 this week, I came across these quotes:

Divisive people almost never see themselves as divisive. They see themselves as crusaders for God's righteous cause and often believe or hope God's hand is upon them. This is especially a problem when many will only believe a person is divisive if they were to admit they are divisive.

If you can revenge yourself, DON'T. If you could do it as easily as open your hand, keep it shut. If one bitter word could end the argument, ask for grace to spare that bitter word. Charles Spurgeon

God's grace. We all need it. Words are powerful - let's be mindful of ours.
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You can find out more about Susan Barclay's writing at www.susan-barclay.blogspot.com

Word of the Year Review by Susan Barclay

photo by Charlemagne (Pixabay)

In my January 4th post I shared that my word for 2020 was "centre." I shared the sentiment that by "[centring] my life and thoughts on Christ, I [would] also be ready for whatever comes my way." 

I wonder if any of us could really be ready for what 2020 has brought? A global pandemic, violence and chaos in the streets (especially in the U.S.), an election year (also in the U.S., but the outcome of which will ripple around the world). I don't think anything short of a prophet whose reliability had been tested and proven true could have prepared us for the waters we've been passing through corporately.

photo by wjstokhof0 (Pixabay)

I recently said to my husband that the only good thing that has happened this year was our trip at the end of February/beginning of March, just before the pandemic hit and everything started to shut down. Although, prior to our coach and cruise vacation, I'd been doing a pretty good job of centring, starting my day with the songs Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus and As the Deer Pants for the Water, and spending time in God's Word. I'd continued my practice of scripture writing, using the SOAP method. But as often happens when I am out of my routine, as the days of our tour passed, my habits were cast off and set adrift. 

I caught a cold in Florida, felt it coming on as we watched the Toronto Blue Jays lose to the Pittsburgh Pirates at the Dunedin Stadium. Returning to Canada, I called in sick to work and was advised to contact my Public Health department for instructions. Public Health told me to self-isolate but that I didn't need a Covid-19 test as I had not travelled to a high-risk area. By the time my self-isolation period was over, my workplace had closed. 

You would think that with so much spare time now available, I'd have buckled down on the centring, but no. Like many, I was like a ship without a sail. The only aspect of focus that continued unabated was the scripture writing. The rest of my time was consumed with working on my novel, writing blog posts, staying connected with online prayer groups, participating in Zoom book club and life group meetings, trying to declutter my home, doing the usual tasks of dishes, laundry, meals, dusting and vacuuming, walking the dog, running back and forth to deliver groceries to my mom in Toronto, helping my young adult children where needed, and repeat.

photo by smaus (Pixabay)

Just before I returned to work in June, my mom fell. She tore her rotator cuffs and broke a vetebra in her spine. I had to bring her home with me, take her to physiotherapy appointments, help her work on her mobility, and all the other things that go along with eldercare. In September she had a pacemaker insertion, followed by a six week recovery. More running back and forth to Toronto. All sense of normalcy blown out of the water. 

Somehow, in all of this, I managed to attend to one verse from that January post, Philippians 4:8, quoting it to those with sinking, stinking thinking, and in doing so, to myself as well.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

At last, toward the end of September, the larger concept of centring returned. What was the prompt? Looking forward to this November post? Beginning a 12-week spiritual disciplines class? Commencing a 9-month spiritual autobiography course? I'm not sure, but I'm glad my sails were finally hoisted. I know I need to be centred on Christ, that if I'm not, my life gets out of control and I stop relying on His strength, trusting in my own. 

I guess in a way I'm back to square one on this, but that's okay. With the year we've had, we need show ourselves grace and that's what I'm going to do. For next steps, I'm going to revisit the different areas I identified in that original post and how I might centre each of them around the Lord in a way that pleases Him now: family and friend relationships, church and online activities, writing, work, and personal.

God has been reminding me of truths from His Word: He is patient and long-suffering. He is good. He is working in this world, working in me, working in those around me, even when I cannot see or understand. His plans are not to harm me, but to give me a hope and a future. He's been teaching me to focus on what is excellent and praiseworthy, and I'm going to keep turning the prow of my ship to centring on the Lord through song and scripture, renewing my mind in a way that calibrates my inner compass. Meeting God in the morning is an important part of that, preventing the day's current from sweeping me away on its tides. 

  He's my lighthouse!                                      

photo by mollyroselee (Pixabay)

Unfurl the sails and let God steer us where He will. ~ St. Bede

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You can find out more about Susan Barclay's writing at www.susan-barclay.blogspot.com

Unchanging by Steph Beth Nickel

An earlier version of this post first appeared on Janet Sketchley's blog, Tenacity.

Livestreaming church services. Economic upheaval. Social distancing. Self-isolation. Pandemic.

It’s what we talk about. It’s what we think about. It’s what we pray about—when we can muster the energy to pray.

It seemed like a very good time to focus on some of those things that never change.

Here are 11 things to consider:

We are called to be outwardly focused.
As Christians, we’ve known this all along. But true confession time … Until recently, I didn’t realize just how self-focused I was. Do I really do what I do to 1) honour God and 2) bless others? I want these goals to be my motivation, but too often they haven’t been. These days provide the perfect opportunity to ask God to refine our motives. (All the while, we must extend grace to ourselves and remember that self-care isn’t necessarily selfish or self-centred. See below for further encouragement in these areas.)

There are always opportunities to minister to others.
Even now, there is so much we can do to bless others: post something encouraging on social media; pick up the phone and check on a senior who doesn’t have access to the Internet; offer to drop off groceries to someone who is apprehensive about venturing out. Even with social distancing, there is much we can do for one another.

Turns out our parents and Kindergarten teachers were right; it is nice to share.
This truth needs no explanation except to say there will be people who need financial assistance, a kind word, and/or a smile today. If we have the opportunity, let’s be generous with what we have and trust the Lord to provide for our needs.

We need one another.
Of course, this is another truth we’ve known all along, but it’s crystal clear with the current situation. Kindness and acts of service are crucial. There may be restrictions as to how we can help, but we certainly need one another.

Our healthcare workers need our prayers—as do our government leaders.
There has never been a more important time to add our government leaders and healthcare workers to our prayer list. With the everchanging information about this virus that is circulating—even among the professionals—it’s difficult for them to know what the right thing to do is. They need the Lord’s wisdom and protection. (If you're either a healthcare professional or a government worker, thank you so much for your service!)

During difficult, uncertain times, we have Someone to turn to.
We’ve all gone through difficulty in our life: illness, loss, economic hardships … God was faithful then, and He’s faithful now. When we’re confused, overwhelmed, and struggling to make sense of it all, God invites us to draw near to Him, promising that He will draw near to us (James 4:8).

God loves us.
Don’t you love the fact that the Bible teaches not only that God is loving but also that He is love (1 John 4:7)? We can rest assured of His love when things are going well—and when a worldwide pandemic has changed so much.

God was not taken by surprise.
When the world changes overnight—and sometimes, hour by hour—we don’t feel equipped to keep up. Could any of us have seen ourselves in this situation two months ago? I know I couldn’t. Still, God wasn’t taken by surprise. And whether or not we feel prepared to face the days ahead, He’ll see us through.

No matter what happens in our world, we can rest assured that God never changes.
This is, perhaps, the singular truth that sees me through each day. While my life hasn’t changed all that much, I still sense the heaviness of this new reality. I can vegetate on the couch and watch Netflix and sleep more than usual—or I can trust in our unchanging heavenly Father and seek to accomplish the tasks He has set before me.

We are called to extend grace—to others and to ourselves.
The word should can cause big problems. Of course, the Bible lays out hundreds of clear Shoulds and Should Nots. However, when it comes to facing our current, unprecedented situation, we must be careful how we seek to impose our convictions—even God’s—on others. Even as believers, there are many times we’d be in big trouble if it weren’t for the Lord’s grace and Jesus’s sacrifice on our behalf. We must remember that many of the people we interact with do not know Jesus as Saviour, which I believe provides the opportunity for us to show them we are Christians by our love—not our judgment.

There is a balance between self-sacrifice and self-care.
We can find several examples in the Scriptures that indicate that we are to put others’ needs ahead of our own. At the same time, we must remember that, unless we care for our physical, emotional, and spiritual needs, we will soon have virtually nothing to offer those the Lord has brought into our life.

May we prayerfully seek God’s perspective in this uncertain times, as in all others.

Steph Beth Nickel is a freelance writer and editor (among other things). Steph is a regular contributor to HopeStreamRadio. She and Paralympian Deb Willows are working on a follow-up to Deb's memoir, Living Beyond My Circumstances. During these uncertain times, Steph is thankful for the new opportunities the Lord is bringing her way. You can connect with her on Facebook, where she spends far too much time: https://www.facebook.com/stephbethnickel

What Have You Learned In A Pandemic by Bob Jones

This whole COVID crisis is sad, senseless, and at times, traumatic. When psychologists work with trauma, a key feature to helping someone work through trauma is to help them find the potential positive outcomes they can effect. What can you learn, in big and small ways, from this crisis?

I'm learning how often I touch my face. Now that I can't touch my face it's all I want to do - rub my eyes or scratch an itch or rest my chin on the back of my fist. Ugh. I’d like to know what you are learning. At the end of the post there is a way for you to join the conversation.

Look and Listen

Seeing the resiliency, tenacity and ability to pivot quickly in the leaders around me is inspiring. Bob Jones

Our comfort zone is not a growth zone. Les Paulsen

I’ve made an observation more so than learned anything. In places where you encounter other people I’ve noticed more eye contact, incredible respect for each other and distancing, and way more hellos from a safe social distance. Daniel O'Neill

How amazing people are. When we have had a need it has been met. And how great technology and internet is! Rebecca Pearse

I am learning that ‘waiting for it to be over’ translates into a lot of time wasted now that could be intentionally productive. Now that we are headed into Week 3, I’m starting to listen to what God is calling me to in this time, in this place rather than planning for a future activity He may not care about quite yet. Lori Masse Bourgeois

Aha Moments

I realized that we as Canadians say "how are you" in our greeting. But now I hear people actually asking each other how they are doing. Sounds very different. Charity Mongrain

Besides all the good points already made, I've noticed many family members of our residents who are, perhaps for the first time, gaining insight into what their parents went through, were traumatized by, and with God's help survived and thrived. Towards a greater understanding - for some their folks are already with the Lord, but there are 'aha' moments! Karin Laser Ristau

Relationships

I appreciate the people on the front lines of this battle. Nurses, doctors, police, fire fighters, people who work in grocery stores. We need to lift these people up in prayer. That God would continue to give them strength, protection, and provision for supplies. I say thank you. Angela Woods

Fruitful

I’m currently reading Chasing Vines by Beth Moore & it has been so timely because she’s writing about abiding in the vine. How the Bible uses the vine in so many scriptures. We are the branches grafted into the vine through Christ’s death & because of this, as we Abide in Him we can be assured that our lives can be fruitful. In all of this , let us “the church” be fruitful! Kathy Miller

I have learned how much I NEED a place of fellowship and worship. C.J. Godkin

I like to think that the old normal has passed away and He's doing a new thing - transformed normal. Moving us from normal to a new season, a new normal for the church and Canada to a transformed nation. New transformed normal not "back to normal" but drawing us to being transformed again by Him with a new zeal!! Lerena Greig

Grace is amazing!! Grace for one another - not only as a “global” concept but it the nitty gritty at home. It really helps!! Anita Pearse

APPLICATION: What are you learning? Please leave a comment below.

A New Thing by Susan Barclay

New life, from the ashes

This is certainly a very different spring than any we have experienced in our lifetimes. Don't you agree? Has there ever been a more apt moment to recall the words of Charles Dickens as he writes the opening to A Tale of Two Cities?:

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”

Coronavirus, Covid-19, pandemic, plague. Call it what you want, it has certainly brought us to the threshold of a brand new world. I hesitate to call it brave, though there are certainly shining examples of bravery from our front-line workers, those who seek to bring health and wholeness to the sick, weak and vulnerable, those who are doing their part to maintain essential services, and those who are being called upon to lead and govern at such a time. 

There are among us those who declare we are at the beginning of the end, that these are the last days, that it won't be long now before we have a cashless society, a one-world government. While we don't know the day or the hour - and can't - God tells us in His Word to look at what is going on and recognize the seasons (see Luke 21:5-36). Even though we're not to set dates (we only look, and are, foolish when we try), we're not to be ignorant or stick our heads in the sand. We're to be ready when Jesus comes for His bride, at all times watching, waiting, and eager (see Luke 12).

I'll be honest. I don't know if we're on the cusp of the seven-year Tribulation or not. Psalm 90:4 and Peter 3:8 both say that a day is like a thousand years to the Lord. From personal experience and Bible stories we know that our God is patient and long-suffering. We also know that at some point the end of the world will come. God is faithful to His Word and He has said that things will not go on as they have forever. His plans will be accomplished; He will bring His original creation to a conclusion and make a new heaven and a new earth. All will be righteously judged.

Regardless of whether or not this world will continue for a short time or a long time, I believe there is little doubt among believers that God is doing a new thing. Some would say He is shaking the earth, trying to get people's attention. I wouldn't disagree with this assessment though there are people in my own household who still resist the good news and persist in rebellion. Thank God for those  whose eyes and hearts are turning toward Jesus. And may God continue the hidden work He is doing in my children, the evidence of which I cannot yet see... 

It's also possible that God is demonstrating His patience with us, that He is using this crisis not just to get our attention but to bring renewal to our planet. I have read, for example, that pollution and greenhouse gas emissions have decreased as a direct result of efforts to control the spread of the virus, and I imagine that wildlife populations are having a chance to return from the brink of extinction or endangerment, and that habitats are being restored. Perhaps God isn't bringing the world to an end just yet, but revitalizing it so there is more time for prodigals and unbelievers to be saved. After all, He doesn't desire that anyone should perish (2 Peter 3:9). He made us in His image; He loves and cares for us.

Father, thank You for keeping us safe under Your wings. Thank You for Your love for us. You never leave us nor forsake us. Since You are for us, who, or what, can be against us? Thank You for the new thing You are doing in the world even through this pandemic. We all want it to end and many of us are praying for that, but I can't help feeling that if it ends too soon, we may all just go back to our old untenable and unsustainable habits. So Your timing, Lord. Your perfect timing. Help us to change in the ways that we need to. Help us to follow Your ways.

We ask also, God, that You would be with those who are particularly vulnerable, those who have immune deficiencies, diabetes, asthma. Give them special protection. Be with those who are in quarantine or in places like nursing homes where they can't receive precious visits from family. Comfort them with Your presence and reassure them of Your love. Be with those on the front lines, those working to bring health and wholeness to the sick, those racing to find an antidote or a vaccine. Strengthen them, give them wisdom and insight, keep them in health and peace. Be with those who know You and soften the hearts of those who don't.

May Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven, Lord. Thank You that You are doing a new thing, whatever it is. Thank You that You are God and we are not. You are sovereign over all things, and all-wise. Thank You that we can trust You. Amen.
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You can find out more about Susan Barclay's writing at www.susan-barclay.blogspot.com