What Type of Christian was that?

A mad man goes off the rails, slaughters dozens of people and the media describe him as a conservative or fundamental Christian.  I don’t know how many times I've heard or read that statement. Now I know how moderate Muslims feel when terrorists are identified as Muslims. 

But in reality, Anders Behring Breivik, referred to himself as a cultural Christian, and didn’t consider himself a religious Christian which he felt entailed having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, something he didn’t claim.  Whatever type of Christian he may have claimed to have been, he certainly wasn’t a Christ Follower. 

A Christ Follower is one who follows Christ and I would assume that a Fundamentalist Christ Follower would be one who followed the fundamentals of Christ.  And what are the fundamentals of Christ?  Love your enemy, forgive 7 x 70 and seek first the Kingdom of God.   There is nothing there about blowing up government buildings or shooting children.

What about our lives?  Do we follow the fundamentals of Christ’s teachings?  And if not, can we truthfully refer to ourselves as Christ followers?   And if you’re not 100% sure what the fundamentals are then maybe it’s time to read the Gospels again, or for the first time.   Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.

A Day Late and a Dollar Short

Imagine finding your million-dollar lottery ticket on August 7th and then realizing that it had expired on August 6th.  Could happen.  Atlantic Lottery spokeswoman, Sarah MacBeath, was commenting on a Lotto Max ticket that has been unclaimed since last August and said, “We are really hoping that someone can come forward. Sometimes people put tickets away in their winter coats, or at the bottom of a purse or a junk drawer.”

The ticket was sold in Dartmouth last August and the Lottery has put out a press release letting people know that they only have a few weeks left if they want to claim the prize. They refer to it as a “winning ticket”, but unless someone claims the prize it’s just another piece of scrap paper, it only becomes a winner when someone makes the effort to claim it.

The grace of God is the same way.  As wonderful and incredible of a gift that God’s grace is, unless it is claimed and accepted it is worthless.  The lottery ticket in Dartmouth may never be found but the Grace of God can be found by whosoever will. The only question is:  Will that whosoever be you? 

Oh, and if the ticket is yours, the tithe is $100,000.00.   Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.

A Royal Meeting

Will and Kate are wrapping up their visit and by all accounts they took Canada and the States by storm.  Unless you have been living under a rock then you know that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have been on a belated, extended honeymoon.  Their journey has taken them from PEI to Nunavut to Hollywood.   If you asked them, I’m sure the highlight of the trip was meeting Steve and Jen Akins and the kids in Charlottetown and their biggest disappointment would have been missing Dean at the Stampede...... just saying.  

They seem like very nice people, but you understand, they are just people.  In theory, they put their pants on one leg at a time and they struggle with many of the same issues that we do. 

I am amazed at how people will drive hundreds of kilometres and stand around for hours to get a glimpse at  a couple who someday may be King and Queen of England but show no interest in meeting and developing a relationship with the King and Master of the universe.  

Meeting and greeting Will and Kate might provide a memory that will last a lifetime but meeting the King of the Universe can provide us with the grace that will last an eternity.

Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.

A Sale on Sin

On my way to Beulah I saw an interesting store in Salisbury NB, it was a New Brunswick Liquor Clearance Centre? A clearance centre for booze!  Interesting. And it got me thinking.  I was wondering; will the savings carry over to the cost that alcohol has on society and families. I mean if someone saves 25% at the liquor store and then they are in an alcohol related accident will 25% fewer people die?  And if the driver is arrested and charged will they only have to serve 75% of their sentence?  If someone developed a drinking problem and became an alcoholic drinking spirits that were purchased on sale would they only have to attend a 9 step program? Would an abusive drinker be 25% more abusive or 25% less abusive because of the sale?

If someone shot and killed numerous people with a pistol, they had bought on sale there would be a great hue and cry concerning the person who sold the pistol.  So how come NB Liquor won’t have to be accountable for the cost and tragedy that comes from the misuse of their product? And I wonder how many more lives are lost because of alcohol as compared to guns but we haven’t tried to register drinkers.  Just wondering.

Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.