More than a Textbook (This Pastor's Struggle)

I was filling out my application for Dauphin Bible Camp this past week and there was a question regarding my personal devotions.  As I was taken aback by this question, for a Pastor of all people, I stopped and evaluated.

What is the state of my personal devotions?  I get paid to spend time in The Word and to pray and to be spiritual...but when I am not working my 40 hours per week, is my life filled with God?

I googled the definition of devotion and this is what the computing machine came up with:

1. love, loyalty, or enthusiasm for a person, activity, or cause.

2. prayers or religious observances.

So, the conundrum I run into as a Pastor, who is paid to have love, loyalty, and enthusiasm for Jesus and observe prayers and religious observances, am I working when I spend time with God and in the Bible?  How does one separate the two?

While a student in Bible College, I remember my English teacher, who is now President of the College, we were warned in our time studying the Bible, it will become more of a textbook than the Living Word of God.  And that exact thing happened.  I would go to church and try to figure out what the pastor said wrong.  In my mind, I knew all the answers, but my heart was not transformed.  It took some time after my first stint at Bible College to realize, my heart wasn't in it, but my mind was.

Now, 14 years later, I am a Pastor and it's the same thing again.  It brings me back 6 years or so when I was working as a carpenter.  I would work all day with wood and when I came home, I didn't want anything to do with renovating our house.  I wanted to separate work with non-work.  Therefore, very few projects got finished at our house.

Now, it feels like the same thing.  We are all called to be Christians (Christ-like) yet, I get paid to do it too.  But, our walk with God needs to be personal too.  Am I being Jesus to my family?  To the grocery clerk?  to my neighbour?  So, in a way, we are all called to be Jesus-people every hour of every day.

My struggle is that I desire to personally love God with all my heart.  And my desire is that I would not be a Christian because I have to for my work, but I desire to from my innermost being.

Are We All Girls?

Sorry, this edition has no pictures

Our Devotional one evening at Youth Group a few weeks ago was ‘Question Time’  It is my belief that Christians should not shy away from difficult topics, but take them on headfirst, knowing we have our Creator and His Word backing us up.  I will openly admit there are nerves that tingle inside me as I open the floor for questions as many questions come for left field.  My only rules are that no question is off limits (although some may be inappropriate and will not be answered) and no topic is off limits, the Youth can ask anything from my favourite colour (purple) to if I believe in pre-tribulation.

The question period started tentatively, “What is your favourite colour? do you like Anime?”  moved onto “What is your favourite verse in the Bible? and what is your Life Passage in the Bible?”

Then the doozie came, I will try to quote it word for word as it was a well worded and thought out question, “If Jesus is God’s only Son (John 3:16) and we who believe in  Him are Children of God (John 1:12), Are we all girls?”

I would like it if you were to stop for a minute and digest this question.  It is quite simple question, yet the answer (if there is one) is quite complex and will share with you my thoughts on the subject.

Immediately, my imagination flew to a Johnny Cash song, “Boy Named Sue” and I thought of some high falooting parents enrolling their son, Sue, in a prestigious Catholic Boarding School and when he arrives, realizes it is for Girls only, but they have chapel right away and they are sitting in the church Mennonite style and the one by is on one side with 200 girls on the other.  It made me laugh when I the picture came to mind, but back to the matter at hand, Are we all Girls?

The easy answer is No, yet the Church is referred to the Bride of Christ (2 Cor 11:2), so the other simple answer is Yes.

From my remembrance of the way marriage worked back during Jesus’ time, a man would approach the father of the girl he wanted to marry, there would be a dowry paid, the couple was betrothed and there was a 1 year wait time before the two began living as a family and starting life out together.  For all Legal purposes though, the two were legally bound at the acceptance of the proposal.  There was a great anticipation of the Bridegroom coming to claim his Bride.

We, who are bound to Christ through His death and resurrection eagerly anticipate His return.  So, we who know Him, have been bought for a price and we eagerly anticipate being united with Him when He returns.

So, Are we all girls?  Physically, no, yet Spiritually, we should all have the heart and excitement of a woman who has just been proposed to as we eagerly await shedding this sinful self and forevermore will dine with the King!

Christmas Complexity

If you were to look closely at our Christmas lights this year, you will notice the peak has different lights than those above our Christmas tree.  There is a reason for that.

While Colleen was away for a Mom's Conference to the States, she mentioned to me that she would like Christmas lights put up for when she returned.  So, me being the proactive type, waited until Sunday, the day of her return, to go shopping for and put up the lights while the kids were napping.

Our beautiful kids, Ellianna, Jolen and Elkanon.  1 girl, 2 boys.  We walked over to Home Hardware after church and I told the kids they could pick out their own string of lights (Kanon didnt' really pick, but the two older picked for him and he held them in the cart, so he could feel like he did the work of choosing).  Here is where the problem started, besides the obvious procrastination that had been happening.

For those of you who know Colleen, she likes things to flow.  An example of this:  while I was a teacher in Ukraine, my students would play a game.  Who dressed Mr. Johnson this morning.  And without any difficulty, they had a 100% success rate of guessing (Is it called guessing if you are always right?).  They could tell by how I dressed each day if I picked out my clothes or if Colleen did.  Which was pretty amazing as I only had 2 different pairs of pants, 4 dress shirts and 6 or so ties.  And, I would even take note of what Colleen picked for me the previous week and wear it and they still would know I dressed myself that morning.

So, the conundrum of picking lights for Christmas that reflect us as a Family, the randomness of Dad, the cohesiveness of Mom and the kids who are somewhere in there too.  The solution was to let them pick out their own string of lights and then figure out how to make them look good.

Ellianna, as a girly girl, picked pink and purple, Jolen as a boy naturally picked lights that did not match being red, green, blue and purple.  Kanon, by default got whatever the kids picked which, through some steering from their Father, ended up being the same as Jolen's.

I put the kids down for naps and went outside to tackle the complex problem.  Thankfully, the two strings stretched the peak and the pink and purple lights covered our living room and Colleen didn't even notice the lights were different when she got home, and she liked them!  Being proud of myself, I pointed the differences out to Colleen and she mentioned that she would have simply made all the kids agree on one set of lights and that would be the end of it.  Had we done that, the lights would have looked good too.

Now onto our lesson.  A couple of things.  When I look at our lights, I see our children.

Our two little men and beautiful daughter who is growing up so fast (she got her ears pierced this week!).  Yet, as you look at our lights on our house, it works.  There is diversity, pink and purple with blue, red, green and purple, yet it is one cohesive unit.  When I look at the Family of God.  We are all diverse.  Each part has it's own job, where one is not more important that the other.  Simply being a Youth Pastor, does not make me more important in the lives of Youth than their teachers, fellow church members or even the parents.  Our board Chairman shared at our last board meeting that research has been showing it takes a 5:1 ratio to raise a teenager.  That is a 5 adult to 1 teen (not including parents) and who these 5 adults are goes greatly into shaping their future.  Being a Youth Pastor can be one of those 5, but only a small part.  It is not more important than their employer, teacher, coach etc.  We need to be individuals who impact in a cohesive way.  Not only with our teens, but our children, fellow adults, even...the elderly.

The other thing I was taught was:  What if we would have done the Christmas lights Colleen's way?  Would they have been better?  Worse?  Not really, they would have looked good and reflected us as a family, one cohesive unit who are all named Johnson.  Is it OK if the church doesn't do things they way you want them to?  Is it OK if someone drinks Tim Horton's coffee over McDonald's (a very difficult question as McDonald's is much Superior).  Is it OK if someone parents different than you?  What if someone believes differently than you.  A few examples of difficult theologies I disagree with. -"The initial evidence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit is speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance. This experience is distinct from and subsequent to the experience of the new birth." Taken from the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada or "Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Being a church ordinance, it is prerequisite to the privileges of church membership and to the Lord’s Supper."   Taken from the Canadian National Baptist Convention.

The question arises from both lessons:  Are we Unified in Christ.  Is Jesus Shining through us in a way that is not robotic, but Christ in Us - Individuals and a peoples called by God.

In Remembrance

I was given the privilege of being asked to be the speaker at the Dauphin Legion Remembrance Day Service this year.  I would like to share with you my message.  Next post will be about Christmas Lights and what I have learned about God from putting them up.

Here is my message, Enjoy!

Remembrance Day Service – November 11, 2015

-          I consider it a privilege, to be the grandson of Leonard Johnson.

-          He Served with the British Empire Service League – Canadian Legion #207

-          You probably have never heard of him as he was one of the many men who was enlisted during World War II, the fight for the freedom many of us today take for granted.

-          I would like to share with you my fondest memory of him.  It is not an amazing story, but one I cherish in my own heart.

-          Leonard Johnson, who was once the mayor of the thriving metropolis of Hughenden, AB, a town of 250 people, dirt roads and a corner store, loved to golf.

-          He desired to pass this passion to all of his grandchildren, including myself.  So he would take old golf clubs, cut them down to size and put new grips on them so he could take us to the golf course in his 3 wheeler golf cart.  It was there I learned to play golf.  Not well as a round of golf usually costs me more in golf balls than the green fees.

-          One day, I was probably about 8, he and I were our on the course.  He was about 72 at the time and the golf cart broke down.  We tried pushing it but it became apparent after about 10 feet we were not going to make it.

-          So, we began the long walk back, I am not sure what we talked about, but we were together, bonding as a grandson and grandfather.

-          That is the end of my story.  Like I said, not amazing, but to this day, I cannot go golfing without thinking of and remembering my grandfather who was called up to Glory 20 years ago.

-          Why do I tell you this story that has kept you on the edge of your seat so well?

-          Because it is a memory, a Remembrance of something that is dear to me.

-          We are all people of Remembrance, we all have something in our lives that when we see, hold, feel, it brings back a whole slew of memories, emotions, heartache, joy, passion.

-          Why are we this way?  I would argue that this is the way God Created us to be and He reminds us to never be a people who stops remembering, who embraces our history and learns from it.

-          The People of Israel, in the Passage read earlier for you describes this exact thing.  A remembrance to pass on from generation to generation, not unlike Remembrance Day itself.

-          Most of you have probably not heard of the great crossing of the Jordan River.

-          My guess would be that All of you have heard of Moses and the crossing of the Red Sea.

-          A lot of you even know about Jericho and the Walls that came crashing down after they marched around the city.

-          But I would guess a majority of you do not know about the Great crossing of the Jordan River.

-          But, it is so significant in the times of the Israelites that God commanded them to build a Memorial to always remember the Crossing of the Jordan.

-          The crossing of the Red Sea did not receive this treatment, but what was so significant about this?

-           When the people left Egypt through the Red Sea, they were headed towards the Promised Land, The land Promised to Abraham many years before.

-          Through disobedience, the generation that had crossed the Red Sea had died and 40 years later, the New Generation was poised to take the Land.

-          This New Generation had not witnessed the Crossing of the Red Sea, all they knew was the desert and wilderness.

-          This New Generation, with Joshua, one of only 2 remaining witnesses, of the Red Sea and Slavery in Egypt.  He was their leader, and like Moses led the Nation of Israel from Slavery to Promise, Joshua now was leading from Wilderness to Promise.

-          They were Ready to fight for their nation, for their homes, To fight for freedom.

-          The People cross on Dry Land and God commands them to take 12 stones, not small ones either, from the Jordan River and set up a Memorial.

-          Joshua 4:20-24

-          20 And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken out of the Jordan. 21 He said to the Israelites, “In the future when your descendants ask their parents, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 22 tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ 23 For the Lord your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The Lord your God did to the Jordan what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. 24 He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.

-          Sounds a lot like the Cenetaph.  Do you remind your children every time you drive by the Cennetaph on Mainstreet and 2^nd Avenue South.

-          When you stop at the lights there, do you look over and remember, there were brave men and women who valued freedom over oppression, so much that they gave their own lives so we could be free in the year 2015.

-          I will never stop telling my children about their great grandfather, Leonard Johnson, who lived during terrible times of war, who loved golf, who loved Jesus and who embraced Freedom.

-          I will also never stop telling my children of another Person I know, who Desired the whole world be Free, so much so, that He died a horrible death on the cross, and was raised on the third day, to see us free from sin.

-          He gave this command on the night he was betrayed.  He took the cup and the bread, broke it and said “Do this in remembrance of me”

-          1 Cor 11:23-26 - 23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

-          Are you passing these truths onto the generations to come? Freedom is worth dying for and are you embracing those opportunities we are given to remember?

Not inactive!

Hey Everyone who still goes to this blog, I am not inactive, I have not made writing weekly/monthly/at all a priority.  The plan is to make it one in the near future.  Time will tell I guess.  So keep checking at least once a month and hopefully I can keep it up!  Thanks to Loralyn and Faye for reminding me about this.

Distance Measured by Time

While living in Ukraine, I was often ridiculed (in fun of course) by my students who were mainly American, for my Canadian thinking.

One such student, still sends me the occasional making fun of Canadian tidbits.  For example, I received this from him last week

I got used to the joking and it encourages me to pray for past students.  Another example of being reminded is 

When students would  wear these I would say "You know what the root word of ugly is right?"

I will give you a few minutes to process this.

Anytime I see UGG boots, I think of the students back at KCA who wore them and remember them in my prayers.

Back to the Canadian Joking.  I was sent some Jeff Foxworthy quotes of "You might be from Canada if..."

• If you know several people who have hit a deer more than once, you may live in Canada
• If you have switched from “heat” to “A/C” in the same day and back again, you may live in Canada
• If you can drive 90 kms/hr through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching, you may live in Canada
• If you install security lights on your house and garage, but leave both unlocked, you may live in Canada

But, one quote really got me

• If you measure distance in hours, you may live in Canada

It's so true.  Both of our parents live 10 hours from here.  Ukraine is a 13 hour flight away.  Brandon is 2 hours, Winnipeg is 3 1/2.  My office is 5 minutes.  Ha, I even mentioned it in my last blog post.

We Canadians often as how far something is away and then we answer with an amount of time.  This is normal and no one even bats an eye at it.

It got me thinking of our life in Christ.  How far has our sin been removed from us?

Those in Christ know the simple answer and given my Canadian thinking, it is...

Eternity.

The Marvelouseness of Manitoba!

So..

I grew up in Alberta and was always a Conservative.  Makes sense as the Conservative government has been in provincial power for as long as I can remember.  Ralph Klein is a boyhood hero and Stephen Harper, our Conservative Prime Minister, has his local riding in Calgary, Alberta.

It was quite a shock coming to Manitoba.  Weekly I get surveys in the mail from the various political parties.  One such survey asked me who, and by who means which political party, is best served to guide the economy in Canada.  Being born and raised in Alberta, the answer is very simple, 'whoever puts the most money in my pocket'

I was sharing this at work one day and another co-worker commented 'You are such an Albertan Conservative, we need taxes!'  I was taken aback as I have never in my life heard such a response.

I did some research and found that, as I get paid bi-monthly, in Manitoba, I pay $44.17 more in taxes.  Now you may not think that is alot, but in the course of a year, 24 pay periods x $44.17 = $1060.08 per year.  This may not seem like much to you either, but if you think of how much one works say from 22 years of age to 62 years of age that's $42,403.20 over 40 years.  That's a pretty nice chunk of change, enough to easily live a year without working, so in essence from my point of view, if I lived in Alberta, I would get to retire one year early and if you were to ask my Mom how she likes early retirement, she says she absolutely loves it!

Plus, there is an 8% provincial sales tax, so in essence, when I buy something, I pay 8% more than my friends in Manitoba.

Now you may think I am being quite judgmental of Manitoba, and please know that I am not.  I am just trying to let you, the reader, know how different life is, even 10 hours away by car.

Life here, though is much less fast paced.  For instance, when it snows, I don't have to go out and shovel my snow, really at all all winter if I do not wish to.  The town sends someone around to clear my public portion of sidewalk, so I am only responsible to shovel the snow by my house.  Growing up in Vegreville, we lived on an almost busy street and the snow clearing crew would come and clean our streets of snow 1 time a year, sometime in March.  In Dauphin, we live on an extremely quiet street and it gets cleared every time it snows.

I don't have to pay for a library card at the public library, there is a free indoor playground for my children to play at during the winter (and summer when it gets too hot), and Parcels in the mail get delivered to my house.

I admit, I have only lived in Manitoba for 4 1/2 months now, but I think I would be OK to work for another year of my life if it means I don't have to break my back shoveling snow, and get the mail delivered straight to my door.  And, (wink, wink) I have people back in Alberta who can always buy me stuff PST free if I ever just feel like I am under the burden of the government.

That and it is pretty awesome that people feel sorry for me that I am an Oilers fan.

Sorry nothing Spiritual this week, unless you think of heaven and if we will be paying taxes there, or will our whole wage/worship go directly to God and all of our needs will be met and more!  Until next week, enjoy the taxes you spend and God bless.