Echoes of the Mountains

Posted on by Shannon

Out in the Rocky Mountains, just outside the town of Jasper, Alberta, Pyramid Mountain looms. Named because of its shape, it is a beautiful place to visit. For over a hundred years, it has been a popular place to go camping around the lake directly in front of it. A boardwalk was constructed out to a small island where you can get close to the mountain. From this spot you can yell “Hello!” and your voice will echo back several times. People often shout silly things and silly things come back. I heard someone yell, “I love you!” Well, that’s one way to hear love in return.

You get back what you give. Isn’t that one of the fundamental laws of living? Eventually, you receive the same kind of treatment from people that you give to them. If you treat people kindly, they will be kind to you. If you ignore people, they will ignore you. Even a smile is met with a smile. It all comes back to you. Sometimes a little more than you expected.

Quoting Psalm 34:12-15, Peter solemnly said, “Let him who means to love life and see good days refrain his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking guile. And let him turn away from evil and do good; let Him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears attend to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” (1 Peter 3:10-12) If we pursue godly ways and decent behaviour, God will bless you and life will go much better. You will experience things that are not unlike the good things you have done for others.

Jesus taught, “And just as you want people to treat you, treat them in the same way.” He went on to explain, “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. And do not judge and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned. Give and it will be given to you…For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.” (Luke 6:31-38) Jesus knew about echoes because he grew up in the hills around Nazareth.

Do you want friends? Be a friend. Want some mail? Write some letters! Do you want people to care about you? Care for them. Do you want a better marriage? Invest time, love, consideration, kindness, and a sense of humour, and you will discover some of the same great things coming back to you from your mate. The good things you invest turn around and head right back to you. Do you want a kinder, more forgiving and understanding congregation? You know what to do.

It’s like a mountain echo. You’ll be delighted with what you hear.

– Tim Johnson

Swimming

Posted on by Shannon

I leaned how to swim when I was in elementary school. Buses would pull up and load several classes and off we’d go to a hotel swimming pool for the morning. A loud instructor would teach us how to keep afloat by kicking our feet and using our arms. Eventually we got the hang of it and swam across the pool. We learned not to be afraid of water. Swimming skills have stuck with me throughout life. With water all around us in Canada, it’s good to know how to swim. I tried to pass these skills along to my sons, all of whom can swim, and they seem to be acquainting my grandchildren with water safety too.

As we go through life it’s not unlike swimming. Sometimes the water is smooth and it’s easy to move through it. But other times it gets rough and dangerous. God warns us in the scriptures that sin and temptation lurks everywhere, trying to pull us down. We must learn how to deal with it, how to keep from drowning. Mary Baker’s 1974 hymn says it well, “Torrents of sin and of anguish sweep o’er my sinking soul! And I perish, I perish, dear Master; O hasten and take control.” Sink or swim?

The Hebrew writer recommended fellowship, encouragement and attention given to the word of God as a defense. “But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called today, lest anyone of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” (Heb.4:13) Learning the habit of regular fellowship at meeting times is much like learning to swim – it can save your life if you keep it up. We must learn to look forward to the classes and assemblies provided for us and treat them with respect and reverence. They train us for the rough times that inevitably come into our lives.

Like teaching our children to swim, we need to teach them the skills of spiritual survival too. Learning the habits of fellowship and teaching is something we instil in them. When you keep it up yourself, you also show them how to do it. It can stay with them for life. They won’t be afraid when things get rocky. They will have learned how to depend on God.

How are your swimming skills? Are you passing them on?

– Tim Johnson

The Horns of the Altar

Posted on by Shannon

The Old Testament tabernacle was plain compared to Solomon’s temple centuries later, but it was still a magnificent structure. The items inside were overlaid with pure gold, as were the wooden planks that comprised the walls. The curtain that separated its two rooms were made of linen and decorated with purple and scarlet fabrics. Every item was portable, carried by poles inserted in rings made of gold. But one of the most curious pieces was the bronze altar that stood in the courtyard.

 The altar was made for burning sacrifices every day, all day, so it was made of bronze. Square in shape, it was made for heavy work. Each of the four top corners featured a bronze horn. Archaeologists have discovered a similar Canaanite altar near the town of Megiddo, decorated with four horns. Why was the Israelite altar decorated this way? Horns were symbols of strength. The horns of animals were the strongest part of their bodies. Ram’s horns were fashioned into trumpets and treated with respect. On the altar they symbolized the strength and stability of God, that He could be depended upon to deal with their sins through the sacrifices offered there.

 They also offered refuge when someone was accused of a crime. In 1 Kings 1:50-53, David’s son Adonijah fled to the temple and took hold of the horns of the alter. His bid to become the king had failed and he was afraid Solomon would execute him. Here he found temporary safety in hopes his case would be examined more closely. Solomon granted him mercy. But in the next chapter, Joab, the former commander of David’s army, found no mercy when he grabbed the same horns of the altar. He was guilty of throwing his weight behind Adonijah’s grab for power, and he was also a murderer. His case was reviewed, but he was found guilty and executed on the spot. It seemed that Adonijah repented, but Joab did not.

In Hebrews 4:16 we’re told we have “fled for refuge in laying hold of the hope set before us.” While the statement may refer to the Jewish cities of refuge, the way the author phrased it makes us think of the horns of the altar. When we come to Jesus, guilty of our sins, we appeal to His grace and forgiveness. We’re much like the Jews who fled into the tabernacle and laid hold of its horns. We must repent and rely on the strength and grace of God to forgive us. And He will. The sacrifice of Jesus is better than any animal sacrifice ever was. Remember that when you approach Him for grace and help.

– Tim Johnson

A Book of Hope

Posted on by Shannon

The Bible is full of hope. Every person within it who pleased God was somebody full of hope. They were not this way because life was easy and care-free. All of them faced impossible odds, crippling troubles, great dangers, and huge challenges. Yet they had hope.

At age 75, Abraham was promised a son. In fact, all of God’s promises of a great nation depended on it. Over two decades went by and Abraham’s hope didn’t waver, and at 100 years old he witnessed the birth of Isaac. Paul later explained, “In hope against hope he believed, in order that he might become a father of many nations” (Rom.4:18). The idea is hope beyond hope. The world would have thought him unreasonable, but Abraham was a man of faith, which gave him hope.

Later in Romans it says, “For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one also hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.” (Rom.8:24-25) Someone said hope is the air Christians breathe. We were saved with hope in mind, and we live through life’s trials knowing great things exist ahead. It doesn’t matter if we struggle through discouragements and pain, we know marvelous reward is coming. We look forward to it. We CAN look forward to it. It’s built on Jesus who lived, died, and lived again.

People often say, “There’s always hope.” And they’re right. But what they often mean is there’s nothing else left, so we might as well practice a blind sort of hope – maybe relief will come, maybe it won’t. That’s not the kind of hope the Bible expounds. It’s based on a savior who beat all the odds, conquered the impossible, and promises the indescribable.

Right now, the world is suffering, and people are worried. Everything seems to be turned up-side-down. Yet we can have hope. God offers it.

“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Rom.15:13)

What a Saviour! What a book! What a hope!

– Tim Johnson

Is The Word “No” Defunct?

Posted on by Shannon

Some thoughts from Charles Hodge

One of the first words a baby hears, learns and hates is “no.” He must learn there are things he must never do. Tragically, some never learn. The jail houses people who refuse to say “no.” Eve never learned it; she could not say “no” to Satan or to herself. Adam never learned it; he could not say “no” to Eve. Both sinned and were cast out of Eden.

We need to childproof our own lives by learning to say “no.” We live misspent and wasted lives. Jesus asked, “For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?” (Mt.16:26). Prior to this He told His disciples to deny themselves, take up their cross and follow Him. They needed to say no to themselves.

In our society, debt is one gigantic problem. Why? We couldn’t say “no.” We bought things we didn’t need with money we didn’t have to fool people we don’t like! Our failure has caught up with us. The only way out is to say “no” to our unnecessary wants. The word for this is maturity. Only grown-ups can say “no.”

You must say “no” before you can say “yes.” This explains most of the world’s problems. We tend to say “yes” without saying “no.” We try to say “yes” to God without first saying “no” to ourselves. Christianity is saying “no” to self and “yes” to God. Why is it easier to say “no” to God than Satan?

“No” is an answer. “No” is even a compete sentence. “No” is a decision and a lifestyle. Learn to say “no” to sin, self, Satan, and silliness. The foundation of a pure Christian life is the ability to know where, when, with whom, and why to say “no.”

Learn to say “YES!” It’s hard to say “no.” But the more difficult word is “yes.” Why is it hard to say “yes” to God? Many attend worship for years never obeying the gospel. Why? They cannot say “yes” to God. They cannot die to self. They cannot admit need. They are good with “no” but not with the commitment of “yes.” The majority of the world is saying “no” to God. Most don’t know it; most deny it.

We all say “no” to something. But what? We all say “yes” to something. But what? When temptation comes, just say “no.” This still works. It will never be defunct.

– Excerpts from Charles Hodge

(A retired preacher for a Texas congregation)