Thoughts and Considerations

                                       ARE THESE THE END TIMES?                                        (For the Local Newspaper)     Looking ahead and standing on the edge of tomorrow, when we consider life on a global scale, the anticipated outlook does not appear very promising. Economically, the growing concern is that the global economies are in a critical state. The social behaviors of people are becoming less stable and more unpredictable. International relations are also strained, even at the superpower level. Our climate is another disturbing topic. Is it just global warming? Is there a possibility that another storm is brewing that we may be overlooking?   The concept of the End Times and the End of the World is a real issue and is addressed many ti...

                                                ENTITLED?                                   (For the local Newspaper)     When talking with my brother recently, he remarked that being born in Canada in this century is like winning the lottery. He went on to say that a century ago, if a king had a toothache, he was going to suffer. No kidding! When we consider all the provisions available, the abundance, the comforts, should we ever feel entitled? Perhaps if the Joneses next door had more than us, we may feel cheated, but really! What is owed to us? Are we at all deserving of a Utopia? What about the other two-thirds or three-quarters of the world’s population that may be less fortunate; are we somehow more entitled? Considering the millions of people before us who...

                                                    SOLVING THE SIN DILEMMA  “There is none righteous, no not one... For all have sinned, and come short of the Glory of God.” Romans 3:10, 23   “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is Eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23   “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Romans 8:3-4  SIN THE RELENTLESS TYRANT   Sin is the burden of every human, regardless of location, age, ...

                       Part 4 - THE DOOR TO DARKNESS                                (For the Local Newspaper)  In the first article of this series, I addressed in general terms the topic, "Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?" I did, however, omit one very critical, influential aspect: the existence of evil and the spiritual forces of darkness. These account for most all the bad things that happen in the world around us (aside from natural phenomena), especially when exercised by people. And no, that does not negate their responsibility and guilt. By the very choices we make, we either open or close the doors to evil forces. The Bible calls it the kingdom of Darkness, and the devil, Satan, is their leader. Their goal is to cause as many as possible to fall, to be harmed, to b...

                      DIVINE RETRIBUTION – SHOULD WE BE CONCERNED?                                               (For  the local Newspaper)       Before we tackle the topic of Divine Retribution, we must establish a few facts first. Divine Retribution is obviously referring to God’s Judgment, but it’s important to understand a little about God. Our Creator's desire for us is only good; The Lord… is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. “Say to them, ‘As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live.’” “For God so LOVED the world that He gave His only Begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER believes in Him should not perish, but have everlastin...

                               PART 2 - WHAT ABOUT DIVINE INTERVENTION?                                        (Written for the Local Newspaper)             In my last article, I wrote about ‘Why do bad things happen to good people?’ One may then ask, “Doesn’t God help us in our time of need?” Indeed He does, and far more often than we realize. Typically, after a near miss, a miraculous escape, an unexpected provision, we call it luck, fluke, coincidence, karma, but in the sight of the Almighty there is no such thing. He merely chooses to remain the anonymous, unrecognized, or unacknowledged Intervenor. Years ago, a young street girl told me that she never thanks people when they help her. Instead she thanks God ...

                WHY DO BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE?                                      (For the Local Newspaper)   This question is constantly asked, and possibly by you yourself. There are basically three types of bad events that occur:   those which we call Natural Disasters. They can range from sicknesses and diseases to tornadoes and earthquakes. Next, there are accidents and unfortunate situations. Now some accidents and unfortunate events are self-inflicted. And finally, there are the harms inflicted by people. These can range anywhere from neglect, abuse, and basic crime, to wars. Let’s briefly consider these, though far more can be said about any one of them.   NATURAL DISASTERS – According to the Bible, and experientially verifiable, we are living in a world that is not always safe. Disaste...