He’s Permanent

Posted on by Shannon

National elections can be very stressful. Last year we voted in a new Prime Minister and his Liberal government, which is a complete changeover from the previous ruling political party. Many people have worried about how well our young head of government will perform, and what changes he will introduce. In the United States, people are still upset and concerned that their president-elect will be up to the job. His unusual ways are making people nervous.

This is the nature of democracy. Leaders are voted in when the previous ones have run out of time, or become unfit to continue. We have the privilege of voting for the people we think are best, but we don’t always get what we want. In my lifetime, there have been 13 different Prime Ministers so far.

If we worry about the suitableness of new leaders every four or five years, what would it be like if our great high priest in heaven changed every few years also? Wouldn’t we worry about his ability to keep us saved?

The writer of the Book of Hebrews discusses this in chapter 7:23-25. He reminds us that a new high priest had to be appointed over the Israelites every time an old one passed away. “They existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing.” Like our modern-day politicians, people never knew what they would get.

But Jesus is different. He will never become incompetent or die. He sits in heaven permanently, which gives us confidence that we will continue to be saved every day. “He, on the other hand, because He abides forever, holds his Priesthood permanently. Hence, also, He is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”

National leaders will come and go. But Jesus will always remain our great High Priest. He can keep us save right to the end. Do not worry.

– Tim Johnson

That’s Not Fair

Posted on by Shannon

“This isn’t right!” she shouted, and with a stomp of her foot she shrieked “That’s not fair!” Had she lost out on a large sum of money, or suffered major inconvenience? No, her hamburger was missing something she had ordered in a fast-food restaurant! Never mind that the undeserving employee was totally embarrassed or that people had to listen to her rant. The most important issue was her food.

In Canada, we are raised to think we should not tolerate any mistake that inconveniences us – whether intended or not. Woe is the person who must quickly sort out the problem to our satisfaction.

When will we learn that it’s impossible for life to always be fair? Why should young children be stricken with serious illness? Why must a billion people in the world have to drink contaminated water? Why must innocent civilians lose their lives in war?

How should Christians react to injustice and unfairness? Let’s first recognize that some battles people fight are motivated by revenge. They feel they’ve been treated unfairly, so somebody must pay. Our Lord warned, “never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God” (Romans 12:19). Let’s not take His place in the matter.

Yet there are battles we should fight to make life easier for the disadvantaged and helpless. Religious people, James says, should “visit orphans and widows in their distress” (James 1:27), implying we should try to right some wrongs. Yet, some battles are minor in nature and not worth it. We look silly when we make a big scene over a hamburger.

Let’s also remember that our attitude is important. The young lady above would have received what she needed if she had better manners. “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men” (Romans 12:18). It’s okay stick up for yourself, but do it with respect.

Christians ought to be models of patience and understanding. Quarrelling people in Corinth went so far as to take each other to court! Paul said they were flawed in attitude. “Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded?” (1 Cor. 6:7). We shouldn’t always expect perfect treatment from others.

Was it fair that Jesus had to come to earth and give Himself on the cross for us? He didn’t die for his own mistakes, but rather for ours. He treated us with grace and mercy. That’s the Lord we serve, and we must serve Him even when life isn’t fair. As the judge of the whole universe He will right all wrongs on the GREAT DAY. Let’s look forward to that day, and not expect total fairness in this world now.

– Tim Johnson

Mistaken Tragedy

Posted on by Shannon

With Remembrance Day just over, many of us will have thought of ancestors who fought in the first world war a hundred years ago. Let me tell you of the strange situation surrounding Christopher Johnson, my great uncle from Pine Creek, Manitoba.

He enlisted in 1918, just a couple of months before the war ended, and served for one year. Soon after his training began in Quebec, he fell ill with the flu and was soon hospitalized with pneumonia for several months. While there, an unfortunate mistake was made. Family members re-count that official news reached home that Chris had passed away. This, of course, was a great tragedy and the family began to mourn. However, his father and brothers believed there must be some sort of mistake, so they took the long train ride to Quebec and found him alive and recovering in the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal. Apparently, the army had Chris mixed up with another soldier named Johnson. The family had been put through a terrible experience for nothing. Smiles were large six months later when Chris was finally discharged and came home. If anything good came from it all, he married one of his nurses and they eventually had six children.

The Gospels tell us how Jesus’ disciples were distraught when He died on the cross. The apostles scattered, and his mother and friends tearfully watched Joseph and Nicodemus take the body down and bury him in the tomb. None of them were prepared for the resurrection. The book of Luke records the joy people felt when they saw Him again. Mary Magdalene and others “returned from the tomb and reported all these things to the eleven and to all the rest;” “He has risen!” (24:6-10). Peter “marveled at that which had happened” (v12), and the two men who met Jesus on the road to Emmaus also reported to the apostles that “The Lord has really risen!” (v34). Sorrow had turned into joy.

Of course, there’s a difference between these two incidents. My uncle Chris was the victim of a tragic mistake and hadn’t died at all. But there was no mistake about Jesus. He had been dead for three days, then rose again victorious. This is why we can have hope of life after death, and why we remember Him every Sunday.

– Tim Johnson

Are We Ready For What We Ask?

Posted on by Shannon

We get what we ask for. People ask for specific things for Christmas and their families usually comply. It would surprise us if we received something greater. At restaurants, we order certain foods and don’t expect anything extra; we get what we ask for. In fact, sometimes we get less because the menu always looks better than the real thing.

But with God it’s different. He doesn’t chop off anything extra to enhance profits, nor is He stingy and tight. He’s pleased to be generous. James said we can ask Him for wisdom and He “gives to all men generously” (James 1:5). There’s no disappointment from God, unless He thinks it’s not in your best interest to get what you’ve asked for. “You ask and do not receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures” (James 4:3). This aside, you will always experience generosity from God.

In Ephesians 3, Paul prayed for the church, trying to comfort their worries about him being in jail. He described the terrific things God had given Him to do throughout the Gentile world, hinting there are still important things to do even behind bars. God had gone beyond all of Paul’s expectations. Based on this experience, the apostle made the clearest statement in the Bible about God’s generous answers to prayer: “Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen” (Eph.3:20-21).

God answers us exceeding abundantly. The original language says something like superabundantly. This is pumped-up and enlarged abundance. How’s that for an answer to your prayers?!

But he doesn’t stop there. The apostle says, “beyond all that we ask or think.” Literally over and above. God can go beyond all that we ask, and grant us so much more – more than we ever thought or dreamed! Paul himself was given a second chance when he was baptized into Christ; he was given an apostleship. It was more than he asked for, or even dreamed possible. The Ephesian church didn’t have it easy, but God gave them great strength to become one of the most influential congregations of the ancient world. God did this for them.

Are you ready for the generosity of God when you pray? The best thing we can ever do for God is to believe Him. Do you believe He can do superabundance? Are you ready for it?

– Tim Johnson

Last Apostle

Posted on by Shannon

When John wrote his three short New Testament letters, he was an elderly man. It is highly likely that he was the last living apostle of Jesus Christ. He had contributed the Gospel of John, and the great book of victory, Revelation. The shortest of his letters is 2 John; it only has 13 verses. It would have been one of his final letters. As in the case of the book of Revelation, did he write it in exile on the island of Patmos? We can only speculate.

And what did the last apostle have to say in one of his last letters? He reminded us to love one another (v5), uphold the truth (v2), and refuse deceivers (v7-11). THE TRUTH dominates his thoughts. Everything dear to Christians is built upon it. Even love for one another is related to it; “…whom I love in truth” (v1).

It was a violent time in the Roman world and John writes in a discreet way. Rather than identify the congregation of the church that was to receive his letter, he calls them “the chosen lady and her children” (v1). A fellow congregation is mentioned as “the children of your chosen sister” (v13). It is John’s love for these churches that shines through the ages. He speaks of love four times in the letter. They were people in the Lord “whom I love in truth” (v1).

The challenge for us is not just to walk in truth, but to love the church as John did – and to love it in truth. Love without the truth is just sentiment. God calls us to a higher love for His people.

Our care for the church is not because our building is convenient or some of its members may be relatives. We love it for the sake of the truth, because its people know the truth and walk in it, and because the truth abides in them forever.

The last apostle laid down a challenge for all succeeding generations of Christians – love each other in truth.

– Tim Johnson