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Daily devotional

More of Reformed Perspective!

In a Nutshell

Tidbits – April 2026

Some is better than none

“There is nothing wrong with starting a hefty book like Calvin’s Institutes and only getting a hundred pages read. Think what the Church today would be like if we all read the first hundred pages of Calvin.” – Ben House

What kind of impact will you have?

Whether it is municipal, provincial, or federal, there always seems to be an election just around the corner and Tim Bloedow’s way to influence these elections is worth considering. Some years ago he passed on a strategy he’d gleaned from one Dr. Glenn Martin. The professor was convinced that every serious Christian should try to influence the vote of at least 100 people. He himself wasn’t satisfied unless he attempted to influence at least 1,000. This was back before social media was much of a thing, so he would write these 1,000 people and tell them how they should vote and why. We’ve got more means now than he did then, so this next election can we have that kind of impact?

A brief rebuttal of post-modernism

“Some of you may believe that you cannot discover Truth. If this is true, you have actually discovered a truth. You might as well continue searching for more.” - Thor Ramsey, A Comedian’s Guide to Theology

How much do our children owe?

Parents try to leave their children with an inheritance, not debt (Prov. 13:22), but Canada continues to debt-finance their federal and provincial government budgets. They spend money they don’t have to pay for promises made to this present generation. But while this generation gets more than they paid for, the next generations will be saddled with paying off the more than $2.3 trillion combined debt of our federal and provincial governments. Individually what we owe differs some, depending on what province we live in, but according to the Fraser Institute, even in Alberta it amounts to $41,000 per person, and it rises to nearly $69,000 per Newfoundlander.

So what’s a billion… or a trillion?

When our debt is in trillions that’s pretty hard to fathom. So let’s start with a smaller number and see if we can wrap our heads around it. Just how much then, is one billion? Well…

• A North American’s average age expectancy is 2-3 billion seconds
• A billion liters would fill 400 Olympic-size swimming pools
• 170 African bull elephants weigh the equivalent of one billion grams
• A bit over one billion minutes ago Jesus walked the Earth

And what’s a trillion? Dr. D. James Kennedy did an interesting bit of calculating in his book The Mortgaging of America. He notes that, “if you had gone into business when Jesus Christ was born – a business that was so unprofitable that… you lost a million dollars a day, seven days a week, it would still take you 700 more years from today to lose a trillion dollars.”

The log in our own eye

When the London Times asked notable personalities across Britain to write on what they thought was wrong with the world, they purportedly got this response from author G.K. Chesterton: “Dear Sirs, I am. Yours truly, G.K. Chesterton.”

Fcat or foitcin?

An email mkanig its way ronud the Ietrnent calims:

It deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are. The olny iprmotnant tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it woutiht a porbelm.

Tish is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed eervy ltteer by istelf, but the wrod as a wohle. Azamnig, huh?

But is it ture? Yes and no. Lsat lteerts are irtomanpt but wehn the wdros we raed are lses flaimiar or qtiue lhtgney or rbleemse oehetr wdors it bmoeecs duicflift to urnneadtsd eevn wtih frsit and lsat lterets paceld ctlrcroey.

Parental dictionary

If words were defined just for parents:

bathroom: used by the entire family, believed by all except mom to be self-cleaning
feedback: what you get when your baby doesn't appreciate dinner
grandparents: people who think your children are wonderful even though they're not sure you're raising them right
independent: how we want our children to be, as long as they do everything we say
ow: the first word spoken by children with older siblings
puddle: a small body of water that draws other small bodies, wearing dry shoes, into it
show-off: a child more talented than your own
sterilize: done to your first baby's pacifier by boiling it and your last baby's pacifier by blowing on it
sweater: garment worn by child when its mother is feeling chilly
top bunk: bed where you should never put a child wearing Superman pajamas

Some choices are wicked

When American abortionist George Tiller was murdered in 2009, pro-life leaders knew that whatever they said in response would be misinterpreted by the media. That left most too cautious to speak out, but it pushed columnist Ann Coulter to do so. In an interview with Fox News anchor Bill O’Reilly she talked about the murder using rhetoric that pro-abortionists use to justify killing the unborn.

She started by telling O’Reilly that she didn’t like thinking of Tiller’s death as murder, preferring instead to call it “terminating Tiller in the 203rd trimester.” O’Reilly, misunderstanding what Coulter was doing, started to protest, which prompted Coulter to take it further, putting a twist on another well-known bit of abortion rhetoric. “I am personally opposed to shooting abortionists,” she told O’Reilly, “but I don't want to impose my moral values on others.” Putting her own spin on a best-selling pro-abortion bumper sticker she told viewers, “If you don't believe in shooting abortionists, then don't shoot an abortionist.”

When abortionists bring up issues like “privacy,” “choice,” or “imposing morality” on others, they’re trying to evade the only relevant issue in the abortion debate: are the unborn human beings? If they aren’t, then no one should object to abortion; if they are, then everyone should! But instead of arguing this issue, abortionists avoid the debate entirely using slogans that assume what they are trying to prove – that the unborn aren’t human. Coulter exposed this evasion by showing how their slogans make no sense when applied to an acknowledged human being, abortionist George Tiller.

Seamus Coughlin attacks the "personally opposed" evasion in the video below (which is cartoon, so some of the brutal is taken away, but it still should not be watched with kids around).

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News

Aussie senator gives speech the world needs to hear
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News

Saturday Selections – April 4, 2026

Woody takes on screens? I wasn't expecting much from Toy Story #5, but with Woody and the crew taking on tech, I'm looking forward to this... 3 ...
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Assorted

When there is smoke…

You think you know someone. Five years – truly, has it already been five years that we have spent morning, noon and night working side by side? H...
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Science - General

Wild about beetles

From a young age some people are fascinated by beetles. For example, English author A. A. Milne wrote a delightful poem concerning a boy and his pet. ...
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Economics, People we should know

Friedrich Hayek (1899-1992) showed us that free enterprise is necessary for freedom

One of the greatest social theorists of the twentieth century was a libertarian – some would say conservative – economist named Friedrich Hayek (1899-1992). Hayek spent his life arguing that free enterprise is not only necessary for economic prosperity, but also essential to maintain political liberty. For much of his career, he faced overwhelming opposition to these views, but he did eventually gain some mainstream acceptance, winning the 1974 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences. Hayek’s life and legacy An important book about Hayek has recently been published, written by Dr. Eamonn Butler of the Adam Smith Institute in London, England. It’s called Friedrich Hayek: The ideas and influence of the libertarian economist (2012), and it summarizes Hayek’s life and key insights. Hayek was born in 1899 in Vienna, earned a doctorate in law from the University of Vienna in 1921, and a doctorate in political science from the same university in 1923. At the University of Vienna Hayek became a close associate of Ludwig von Mises, the leading figure in the “Austrian School” of economics, which emphasizes the importance of the free market. Hayek and Mises then set up an economic think tank and Hayek undertook economic research. His research demonstrated that bad government policy was the cause of the “boom and bust” cycle of many countries’ economies, and he predicted that the USA was about to experience such a bust. Shortly thereafter, in 1929, his prediction came true, with the Wall Street Crash and the beginning of the Great Depression. In 1931 Hayek took up a position teaching economics at the prestigious London School of Economics in England. He became a naturalized British citizen in 1938 after Hitler took over Austria. The Road to Serfdom In April 1945 Readers' Digest released an abridged version of Hayek's Road to Serfdom. While the original is 250+ pages, this version is just 60. It can be read for free online here. There is also an 18-page cartoon summary that was meant to create interest in the longer book. You can find the comic at Mises.org/books/TRTS where you can also download the original, both of them also free to download. Because of World War Two, Hayek began to focus more on political science. He was afraid that totalitarian ideas were going to sweep the world, not just in the more vicious forms of Nazism or Communism, but even in the softer form of socialism. He believed that the moderately socialistic direction of the Western countries in the mid-twentieth century would ultimately lead to authoritarian government. To articulate this view, in 1944 he wrote a book called The Road to Serfdom, which was very controversial and quickly sold out its first print run. Butler notes that this book was: read by the young Margaret Thatcher, who later said she found it "the most powerful critique of socialist planning and the socialist state." It made Hayek’s name in America, too, where tens of thousands of copies were sold, and Reader’s Digest distributed another 600,000 copies of its own condensed version. Due to this publicity, Hayek gave lectures across the USA and became a visiting professor at Stanford University. In order to help spread libertarian ideas, in 1947 Hayek assembled 39 British, European and American scholars who supported individual freedom to found an organization that would promote the intellectual case for the free society. Because this meeting was held at the Swiss resort of Mont Pelerin, it was called the Mont Pelerin Society. This increasingly important organization still exists today to pursue the same goal. Shortly after World War Two, a former Royal Air Force fighter pilot named Antony Fisher went to Hayek to get advice on how to promote free enterprise in the face of popular socialist assumptions. Hayek convinced Fisher that the best thing would be to found a think tank that would generate intellectual arguments for freedom. A few years later, in 1955, Fisher set up the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), the first of several free market think tanks that would become very influential by the late 1970s and 1980s. Fisher would later play a role in the creation of Canada’s Fraser Institute, as well as like-minded think tanks in other parts of the world. Rise to prominence In 1950 Hayek became a professor at the University of Chicago. While there he wrote one of his most famous books, The Constitution of Liberty, articulating the foundations and principles of a free society. In 1962 he moved back to Europe to be a professor at the University of Freiburg in West Germany. As mentioned previously, he won the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences in 1974. And over the course of the 1970s he wrote a three-volume set called Law, Legislation and Liberty, once again expressing the intellectual case for the free society, as opposed to socialism. Besides the Nobel Prize, Hayek also received other honors. Butler points out that in 1984, Queen Elizabeth II made him a Companion of Honour (he described it as "the happiest day of my life"), and in 1991 he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by George H. W. Bush. Hayek died in 1992, after seeing his ideas receive acclaim in many academic circles, as well as influencing the policies of some English-speaking democracies (especially Margaret Thatcher’s Britain) and some newly-liberated Eastern European countries. Freedom versus socialism Among Hayek’s many insights, two are of most significance for Christians. First, he argued that modern societies are much too complex to be centrally planned by government (i.e. socialism doesn’t work). Secondly, he argued that attempts to engineer societies to conform to some concept of “social justice” inevitably lead to authoritarian government (i.e. socialism leads to tyranny). Many people believe that if human societies were completely planned and run by governments, they would be much more efficient and fair. In Western societies today there are so many different kinds of products, of so many different shapes and sizes, that the situation is virtually chaotic. So if the government could decide what is produced, all of the products could be standardized, leading to economic efficiency. As well, there is a considerable amount of inequality in society, because some people benefit much more than others in a free market system. Through central planning, the government could equalize incomes, and thus enhance social justice. 1. Too complex for central planning But Hayek points out that societies are much too complex for any human organization to be able to centrally plan successfully. Societies are spontaneous orders, with millions of people every day making economic decisions of various kinds. How could a government possibly be able to aggregate and apply all of the information that would be necessary to anticipate these economic decisions every day? It’s simply impossible. Any attempt to do so would lead to all kinds of economic problems (think, for example, of the old Soviet Union). Consider one particular example of this problem, namely, the determination of salaries in a centrally planned economy. Should a nurse get paid more than a mathematics professor? Should a butcher get paid more than a coal miner? There are thousands of different occupations, and the central planning authority would have to determine each of their salaries relative to each other. How could they possibly know what was right? Hayek correctly argued that the free market takes care of this efficiently without central planning. People pay us for the goods and services we produce because they value those products. So market rewards do depend, in a very real sense, on the value that we deliver to other members of our society. They also reflect the scarcity and skill of the producers, the numbers of customers who want the service and the urgency or importance that buyers attach to it Therefore a person’s salary reflects a number of economic factors, not the political calculation of a bureaucrat. If there are too many people pursuing a particular occupation, their salaries will go down. If there is a shortage of people in a particular occupation, their salaries will go up. In a free market society, economic information is communicated through prices. Prices are signals that indicate “to everyone where their product is most highly valued, and prompting them to steer their efforts and expertise in those directions.” Say, for example, that there is a shortage of tin. Because there is not enough of it, its price will rise. Due to the price increase, companies that use tin will use less of it or find a substitute for it. The extra demand for the substitute will in turn bid up its price, and prompt those using the substitute to seek yet other materials to substitute for that; and so it goes on. The entire market order adjusts to the shortage of tin, even though hardly anyone knows what caused it. The overall point is that free markets automatically adjust to changing conditions. It’s part of the nature of the free market to process all kinds of information and respond to it spontaneously. Central planners could never hope to know all of this information and to be able to respond to changes in the economy so rapidly and effectively. Besides the fact that socialism doesn’t work, its tendency is to lead inevitably to authoritarian government. A central planning government must determine how labor, land and other productive resources are used in the economy. It has to coordinate all these different factors so that they work towards the completion of the government’s plan. In such a situation, everyone would have to do what the authorities have determined is necessary for the achievement of the government’s objectives. Individuals must expect to be uprooted and deployed at the direction of the authorities, since personal life now counts for nothing compared to the good of the collective – a good that is defined by those same authorities. Butler summarizes the point this way: “When governments believe they can ‘run the country’ just as they might run a factory, our lives and property become a mere input at their disposal.” 2. Inequality can be a good thing A centrally planned economy can redistribute resources between people and therefore lead to a situation of greater material equality. However, the loss of freedom necessary for such an endeavor is quite high. As well, the economic benefits of inequality are lost. In the economic sphere, inequality is not always a bad thing. Yes, you read that right: inequality is not necessarily a bad thing. Butler describes Hayek’s insights on the economic importance of inequality this way: Inequality is not just the outcome of the market process: it drives the market process. The high gains made by successful producers act as a magnet, pulling people and resources to where the greatest value can be captured, and away from less productive and less valuable uses. So people and resources are attracted to where they will make the greatest possible contribution to future incomes. And this is a continuous, dynamic, growing process. The inequality that so many people resent is, in fact, the very attraction that steers effort and resources to their most productive applications, pulling up incomes at every level. Hayek argued that the government should have a minimal role in society. Mostly it should be concerned with national defense and enforcing the rules (laws) that protect people from each other. It would also provide public goods such as roads, land registries, organized responses to natural disasters, and other things that governments can do best. He also saw the need for government “to support needy groups such as people with disabilities, those incapable of work, orphans or the elderly.” Needless to say, the government can fulfill these tasks without becoming socialistic. Conclusion Hayek was not a Christian scholar and he was not trying to promote a Christian perspective. Nevertheless, his scholarship dovetails well with Biblical Christianity because he believed in the need for a private property-based economic system. The Bible establishes private property as an essential institution and assumes a private property-based economy. In this respect Hayek’s intellectual work supports an economic system much like what the Bible demands. There are few twentieth century thinkers that were as important and influential as Friedrich Hayek. Whereas so many academics think that mankind is smart enough to re-engineer societies through governmental power, Hayek was humble enough to concede that human beings are very limited in their knowledge and that their efforts to re-engineer any society are bound to be detrimental. While not everything in his thinking can be embraced by Christians, his overall perspective on economics and society provides a powerful intellectual antidote to the socialistic fallacies that are still common in North American colleges and universities today. Hayek and his ideas are featured below in a couple of epic rap battles vs. his economics arch nemesis, John Maynard Keynes. ...

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Politics

5 ways God’s providence should impact how we approach politics

This is an edited version of a devotional given at an ARPA Canada “God and Government Conference,” May 4, 2019, in Aldergrove, BC. ***** God is in control. It’s a simple enough truth, but if we understood it, really understood it, I think it would change the way we approach politics. So I want to look now at government through the lens of God's providence. God's providence means that He governs and upholds his creation, all of it, from little rocks to whole galaxies, and plants and animals too. His providence also encompasses the flow of history and the decisions of individual human hearts. In short, God’s providence means that God rules, and that because He rules nothing comes about by chance. Nothing happens apart from God's will. Nothing surprises God or ever presents God with an unsolvable problem. Nothing is ever beyond his control. At some level, everything happens because God wants it to happen in fulfillment of his good and perfect plan. That means when a nation is blessed with good government, we know this is by the will of God. Good governments don't arise by chance. They don't come from nowhere. Instead, they come to us a gift of God's goodness and mercy. They are from the hand of the Lord. At the same time, when a nation endures a period of poor government or when the Christian Church endures oppression at the hands of government, this, too, is from the hand of God. Also in such times, God is in charge. In all the adversity experienced by the Church, the Lord is still advancing his own good purpose to eventually unite all things under one Head, even Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:10). So let’s consider now how working with the doctrine of God's providence will have some blessed effects for those engaged as Christians in the work of politics. 1. Reflecting on God's providence would lighten our mood! When governments do foolish things or act in ways that diminish our freedom and make life more difficult for us, that can be very discouraging. However, when we remember that God is sovereign over everything and that even Satan can do nothing apart from the will of Christ, we get a different feeling about difficult political realities. The world is not spiraling out of control; God is still in control! What's happening is part of his plan and his plan involves working out everything for the glory of his Name and for the good of those who trust him. 2. God's providence should increase our patience. God's providence is connected to God's ultimate purpose and we know that this is a long-term project; our Father in heaven is playing the long-game. Knowing this enables us to continue in hope even as the going gets rough. 3. God's providence should increase our hope for change. We read in Proverbs 21 that the: "king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; He turns it wherever He wills." The imagery here probably comes from agricultural practices of the ancient world. In parts of the ancient world, there was the practice of digging canals and smaller waterways that could be controlled by a series of large valves. If a farmer wanted to channel water to a particular part of his land, he would simply close one valve and open another. It wasn't difficult to do and the effects were quite dramatic. Just as easily as a farmer redirects water in a channel, so easily God redirects the heart of a king; He turns it wherever He wills. Even when the king imagines that he is acting with complete autonomy and sovereign power, it's actually God who is directing his decisions. Notice that God's sovereignty extends not just to the actions of the king but to his heart, that is, to his inner self, the place of his thoughts, desires and wishes. For God to influence a ruler in this deeply personal matter is not difficult. For this reason, even in the most trying of times, we can expect positive change. Even when the trajectory doesn't look good, God can make things happen. Walls can come down quickly. Closed doors can be opened when we no longer really expected it. Events can happen that totally change the political landscape – and we didn't see them coming! 4. God's providence should increase our courage I would say that this is true because knowing God's providence decreases the feelings of intimidation which we may experience. When government and the media seem large, overwhelming, and irresistible, we are not afraid. I'm reminded of what Jesus said to Pontius Pilate: "You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above" (John 19:11). The fear of the LORD who rules the world in his providence takes away the fear of people. Fear paralyzes us but living confidently in the light of God's all-encompassing providence motivates us and encourages us to speak and act according to our convictions. 5. God’s providence encourages us to engage in politics Saying this may seem counter-intuitive. Wouldn’t the confession that God sovereignly turns the hearts of kings wherever He wills make Christians passive? Wouldn't the doctrine of providence encourage us to simply wait for God's next move? I would say that the opposite is true. The more we reflect on God's sovereignty, the more we think about his providential control over the world, the more we will be motivated toward political engagement. God's work of providence encourages us to work in our sphere and responsibility. After all, in his providence, God uses the work of human beings. He uses our prayers, words and our political witness to accomplish his work of providence. Yes, of course, God can and frequently does act directly upon his world but in many cases, God works indirectly and through the actions of people. Ephesians 1 says that God has a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth.  By God’s providence, this plan is coming to fulfillment.  However, this fulfillment involves human prayer, human actions, words and witness. The fulfillment of God's plan involves each one of us working with our own gifts and opportunities for the glory of God. Imagine that you didn't know there was a plan. Imagine that you didn't believe God was firmly in control. Imagine that you didn't know that in the end God wins and his Kingdom is established in righteousness forever. Imagine that life was a crapshoot so that you just didn't know where it would end. Would that motivate you to action? I don't think so. But when you know that God wins and that everything is somehow part of the pathway to final victory, then you can feel a surge of energy. Something good is coming. God's victory is coming and you can be part of the process. This article was originally published in the May/June 2019 issue of the magazine. Rev. Schouten is a pastor for the Aldergrove Canadian Reformed Church....

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News

Saturday Selections – Mar. 28, 2026

Some good news about euthanasia Scotland has voted against euthanasia after looking at the horror happening in Canada. 1 in 5 Canadian employees works for the government and it's rising And that doesn't include all the time that private sector employees have to spend. Meanwhile the self-employed are dropping. Correlation doesn't prove causation but... Finnish parliamentarian convicted of hate speech for opposing homosexuality ...and the court ordered her book to be banned too. The astonishing "engineering" involved in childbirth (10-minute read)  When a baby is born we think it is fearfully and wonderfully made, and that is certainly so. But we're just starting to learn about all that's going on in mom's body during childbirth... and it's amazing. Some of this was a bit above me, but I enjoyed reading it even just getting the gist. What a gist!  What a Creator! Man most responsible for global population collapse has died Paul Ehrlich passed away this week at the age of 93. He spent his life scaring people into thinking our planet was going to be overpopulated, and millions and billions would consequently starve. He did such an effective job that our world is now in great danger of a demographic collapse, with countries globally no longer having enough babies born to replace the adults who are dying. Ehrlich is another example of how "Science" can be biased, and based on ideology, not reason or facts. Ehrlich was always wrong, but only people grounded in God's Word – where we learn that children are a blessing, not our doom – could have stood up against his hype and hysteria. Oh sure, eventually the research proved him wrong, but that took decades. Decades and decades of abortions, with millions dead. Only Christians, gifted with God's clear Word, could have known better. "Science" belittles the Bible, but the Bible was right and the world was wrong. And now Canada's birthrate is so low we would be shrinking, if not for immigration. This is the legacy of a man who was arrogant enough to go right up against God, took the world with him, and was disastrously wrong. Marx vs. Mises - the epic economic rap battle This is the most informative 8-minute overview of economics you'll ever see. And the most entertaining. There might be some terms and concepts that blow past you, but if so, rewind, and then do some digging. This isn't a Christian presentation, though it lines up well with God's Word... or at least far better than socialism. Marx pitches socialism as all about equality, but it is about class warfare (against the 5th commandment), about fostering envy (10th commandment), about the use of force to take what God has entrusted to others (8th), and ultimately about the arrogance to think central planners can be omniscient (1st commandment), knowing what everyone should be doing. Mises pitches individualism, which is often worshipped as a god too, but it doesn't have to be. We are part of groups – our country, the covenant Church, and our family, to name three, but we are individuals, too, and God has entrusted us individually with our own skills and resources, and tasked us, as individuals, to make the most of them (Matthew 25:14–30). And if we do not steal what others have, or covet it, then what results? The free market with its free exchanges. Adam Smith spoke of an "invisible hand" making things work as if by magic, getting fruits and milk and medicine to market without a central planner. As Christians we can recognize Whose hand that is – when we do economics the way God prescribes, the reason it works so well is just evidence of His love for us. ...

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Being the Church

Retirement: What are you retiring from? What are you retiring to?

After a life-time of experience, it’s time to simply “exhale” ***** “Retirement is unbiblical,” she told me, her fist firmly pounding her desk. Alice had been the company bookkeeper for about 50 years. She lived and breathed the daily routine, and now that she was approaching 80, she was reluctant to give it up. She believed that if she ever retired, she’d probably just pass away within a few months. Her work defined her. Retirement conjures up a wide variety of emotions and ideas: anticipation, excitement, perpetual vacation, travel. But also anxiety, apprehension, and a loss of purpose. The closest that the Bible comes to mentioning retirement is in Numbers 8:25: "At the age of 50, they (the Levites) must retire from their regular service and work no longer. They may assist their brothers in performing their duties ...but they themselves must not do the work." Work even in Paradise But it’s worthwhile to go back even further, to the beginning of Genesis to determine that work isn’t the result of sin but it’s part of God’s creation order. In fact, our very first image of God “in the beginning” is a God of work; creating the universe, creating day and night, plants and animals, mankind. “By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested (ceased) from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.” (Gen. 2:2) After God created Adam, He put him to work: pick fruit, tend the garden, and give names to each living creature. Work is part of the creation order. “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.” There is delight in work. Work is also worship. It is how we use our God-given talents each day in God’s Kingdom. It is only once we understand the value and the role of work that we can understand the value and the role of retirement. Is it true that, as that desk-pounding retiree declared, “retirement is unbiblical” …perhaps with the exception of the Levites who had to pack it in at age 50? Time to reflect The notion of retirement is a fairly recent phenomenon. The Canada Pension Plan was created in 1965, setting the retirement age at 65. Interestingly, the life expectancy back then was 66.8 years for men and 73 for women. That’s not much of a retirement. Today, someone at age 65 can expect to live to age 90; that’s another 25 years! We’re living longer and staying healthy longer. What do we do with all that time? There’s the rub. As you approach your retirement – probably somewhere between the age of 65 and 75 – consider taking a sabbatical; a few months off. Maybe even a year. Rest, relax, travel, visit the kids, do a few of the things that you've always wanted to do. But before boredom sets in, before you spend endless hours in your deck chair or riding around on a golf cart, you need to spend some valuable time reflecting on your life, focusing on your areas of expertise, knowledge and wisdom. It’s also important to spend considerable time in prayer, realizing how God has led you throughout your life, and to be open to His leading during this next chapter in your life. Pull out your latest resume or CV and reflect upon all that you have done: your various jobs – good and bad, your career challenges. Create a list of the areas of expertise that you have developed over the years. That could be a brief list or it could evolve into a novel. Your history will shape your future. What you have done, and accomplished, and even failed at, will help you determine how you can share your experiences with others. Time to share You have learned a lot and done a lot in your life. Now it’s time to share it with others; especially teaching and training and mentoring the next generation. When our oldest daughter began her new career as a teacher after graduating from college, she was clearly nervous. I told her that, after all of those years of education and training, she simply had to “learn to exhale.” Just breathe all of that knowledge over those children. That’s what retirement can become for you. After decades of learning, doing and experiencing life, it is now time to simply “exhale”; breathe all of your knowledge over younger men and women as they shape their careers. There is, however, something even more important to share with others. It’s your spiritual journey. It’s about how God has shaped you and molded you and walked with you throughout your life. Tell them your story. It’s invaluable. As you mentor and train others, teach them your Christian perspective on leadership, on stewardship, on the right way to treat employees. Teach young men and women the importance of work/family balance. Remind them that their treasure is in heaven, not in the accumulation of wealth or toys or real estate. Most of us can expect to live 20 to 30 years after we reach retirement age. That's an entire career! Prayerfully take a sabbatical to determine where God wants you to serve next and who you should be mentoring. Then approach this new chapter in your life with the same zeal that you had in your former career. Except that now you will have the benefit of wisdom and experience. More importantly, you will have the benefit of walking with God throughout your life, feeling His presence as you made those thousands of good and bad decisions. It’s time to exhale. A version of this article first appeared in “Faith Today” magazine....

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History

The case against the draft

Why no State has the right to take what belongs to Christ ***** Across the Western world, military recruiting is sputtering. In 2022 and 2023, the U...
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Assorted

The conceited apple-branch: a Romans 12:3-8 fable?
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News

Health-adjusted life expectancy plummets

Canadians can expect 3.5 fewer years of good health compared to a decade ago, according to recent data published by Statistics Canada. Life expecta...
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News

Saturday Selections – Mar. 21, 2026

Make college less expensive by making it less expansive? When colleges were Christian it made sense that they had certain basic courses that would be...
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Alberta introduces law to restrict euthanasia

On March 18, Alberta Justice Minister Mickey Amery rose in the Alberta legislature to introduce Bill 18, the Safeguards for Last Resort Termination of Life Act. “It is my hope that if Bill 18 is passed, it will set an example for the rest of Canada, because hope should always be easier to access than death.” With this bill, Alberta is set to become the first Canadian jurisdiction to formally restrict euthanasia in Canada. This is big news and a massive win for pro-life advocacy in Canada. While the media, government bodies, and legislators have signaled concerns about euthanasia, there has been little appetite to reverse course. Until now. What does Alberta’s Safeguards Bill do? The Safeguards for Last Resort Termination of Life Act restricts euthanasia in many ways. First, Bill 18 will prohibit doctors from murdering any of their patients who are not nearing natural death. Euthanasia was initially legalized only for those whose natural death was “reasonably foreseeable,” but it was also legalized for non-terminal conditions in 2021. Alberta’s bill turns back the clock and clarifies that Medically-Assisted Death (MAD) will only be available for people with a prognosis of natural death within 12 months. Second, Bill 18 will prohibit euthanasia for people with mental illness as their only underlying condition. As of right now, euthanasia for mental illness is scheduled to become legal across Canada on March 17, 2027, although this expansion has been delayed a couple of times and there is a federal bill right now that proposes to scrap this expansion entirely. Alberta’s legislation means that no matter what the federal government does about euthanasia for mental illness, it will not be offered in Alberta. Third, the Safeguards for Last Resort Termination of Life Act bans healthcare providers from initiating a conversation about euthanasia or advertising euthanasia in medical facilities. If assisted suicide is offered or advertised in hospitals, patients may feel pressured or encouraged to consider it. If passed, Bill 18 would allow health professionals to talk about euthanasia only if the patient brings it up first. Fourth, this legislation would codify conscience rights into law. It allows medical professionals not to provide euthanasia, assess a patient’s eligibility for euthanasia, or refer a patient to a euthanasia provider against their conscience. Bill 18 would also protect healthcare facilities’ freedom to opt out of providing or participating in euthanasia. This is increasingly an issue for faith-based institutions that want to provide care without murdering their patients. Fifth, this proposal would establish better oversight over euthanasia. Although euthanasia is still an exception to murder in Canada’s Criminal Code, governments have implemented very little oversight to ensure that existing rules are followed. Bill 18 will establish better oversight, review euthanasia deaths, and impose professional penalties for failure to follow criminal or provincial regulations. Sixth, the bill cracks down on “doctor shopping.” Right now, if a person is refused euthanasia by one doctor, they seek out another doctor who will approve their request. For example, in 2024, a woman who was refused euthanasia by her doctors in Alberta was later approved for euthanasia by a doctor in British Columbia. Bill 18 will prohibit doctors from referring a patient to a doctor in another province. Those are the biggest changes Alberta is proposing, though the legislation contains even more restrictions on medical assistance in dying. How can you respond? This legislation is the most pro-life legislation introduced by a sitting government since Brian Mulroney’s failed abortion bill over 35 years ago. While the bill is very likely to pass in Alberta’s majority government, it is still a good idea to send a note to your MLA urging him or her to support this legislation if you live in Alberta. You can also thank the Premier and the Minister of Justice for their leadership on this issue. Those who live outside Alberta should also reach out to their MPP/MLA, health minister, and premier to ask them to introduce similar legislation. Bill 18 only applies in Alberta. But every suffering person deserves these safeguards against euthanasia, no matter their postal code. Proverbs 24:11 counsels us to “Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.” While Reformed Christians shouldn’t rest until euthanasia is outlawed entirely, Alberta’s Safeguards for Last Resort Termination of Life Act will certainly rescue many and try to hold back many more. Top photo is, from left to right, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, Justice Minister Mickey Amery, and an Ontario doctor who also spoke, as they announce to reporters Bill 18’s euthanasia restrictions. Photo is by Chris Schwarz/Government of Alberta and used with the government’s permission....

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Hundreds of Reformed Christians gathered on Parliament Hill to protest Bill C-9

Last week, ARPA Canada hosted a rally on Parliament Hill calling on the federal government to halt Bill C-9, the Combatting Hate Act. Despite cold temperatures and blustery winds, approximately 400–450 people gathered on the Hill to show their concern about the legislation. Supporters travelled from across Ontario to take part, including more than 200 people who came from Southern Ontario by coach bus. With the help of local ARPA chapters, four coach buses were organized to bring supporters to Ottawa and back in a single day. For many participants, this made it possible to attend the rally who otherwise would not have been able to make the trip. We were thankful to have Rev. Joel Dykstra, Mr. Rod Taylor of the Christian Heritage Party, and Christine Van Geyn of the Canadian Constitution Foundation as guest speakers. The rally also drew the attention of federal lawmakers. At least thirteen Members of Parliament attended the event. Eleven MPs stood together on the podium when MP Jacob Mantle and MP Andrew Lawton spoke to those gathered. Planning for the event began in January, long before it was clear when Parliament would be addressing Bill C-9. Providentially, the rally took place during the same week that the House of Commons voted to end debate on the bill and move it forward in the legislative process. The bill will now return to the House for third reading, and a vote is expected on March 23 or 24. This brief delay provides Canadians with additional time to engage with their Members of Parliament about the legislation. We encourage everyone to contact their federal MP, whether by email or phone call. Information and action steps are available here. Our primary concern with Bill C-9 relates to an amendment during the committee stage. While the bill, as originally introduced, raised fewer concerns than previous hate-speech bills, a Justice Committee amendment removed the “good faith religious defense” from the Criminal Code. This defense had previously provided protection for those expressing sincerely held religious beliefs. Without that safeguard, there is concern that Christians and others could face greater legal risk for expressing biblical perspectives on moral and identity-related issues. Even beyond potential prosecutions, such legislation can create a “chilling effect,” where individuals choose to remain silent rather than risk legal consequences. For Christians, the concern is not merely political but principled. Scripture calls believers to love their neighbors while also speaking truth faithfully and with humility. The ability to express those convictions openly remains an important part of living out that calling in public life. Picture graciously supplied by ARPA Canada....

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Assorted

A crowd can make you crazy

Crowds are scary. Many of the stupid, foolish and sinful things we do involve a crowd, even if the crowd is just one or two other people. Examples: Anytime I was in a car going way too fast, there were “other people” in the car too. The old college streaking phenomena – don’t ask. Hazing, the cruel things that inductees are subjected to, would never be done apart from a group. Angry youths throw rocks at police, which none of them would do if they were by themselves. All early use of drugs or alcohol is crowd-induced. Soldiers desecrate the dead body of an enemy combatant. Alone, it would have never happened, but together it did – and it was caught on film and they will be court-marshaled. “My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent” (Pro.1:10). It is as if sin and foolishness need only the slightest encouragement to break loose. Psychology 101 calls it the “risky shift,” in which individual opinions move in a more polarized and risky direction when in a group. It’s probably what lies at the heart of the housing market collapse. Somebody said, “The housing market is sure thing. Let’s make even more money by offering home loans to people who can’t really afford it. What could happen?...” And soon others followed… “Hey, they are doing it, it must be okay.” We are not very good at imagining consequences to begin with. Now add another voice that accents the present thrill or gain and ignores what could happen next, and all of a sudden you are like a football team, hooting and hollering with excitement before the big game, totally in the moment and only in the moment. So, when the behavior is exposed, and the question is asked, “What were you thinking?!” The answer is rightly, “I don’t know.” If there is more going on in the mind, it might be a simple formula: the larger the crowd, the less the blame. If I make a foolish decision and get caught, I am to blame. But if I am with four friends, I only share in 20% of the blame, if 99, then only 1% of the blame. This is the kind of formula that can lead to crucifixions. Yes, this is familiar ground. Peer-pressure revisited. Every wise person should be alert to it. Three questions: Are we alert to this human tendency, and can we find illustrations of it in our own lives? When we can’t see it, we are more vulnerable. Do we consider consequences to our actions? And do we ask others to help us gauge consequences? Take a look at Proverbs. So many of the sayings invite us to look into the future and anticipate deleterious results. Do we know that we appear before the Lord individually, not as part of a group? Share-the-blame is a myth. We live as if the spotlight were on us. We live as if everything we do were public.   This article was first published in the Jan/Feb 2017 issue of the magazine. This blog post is a publication of the Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation (CCEF). All content is protected by copyright and may not be reproduced in any manner without written permission from CCEF. For more information on classes, materials, speaking events, distance education and other services, please visit www.ccef.org....

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Assorted

How to plan for your next chapter as a senior

By the year 2030, one in four Canadians will be over the age of 65. In my role as the CEO of two seniors’ living centers in Edmonton, I’m seeing how this is putting tremendous pressure on the seniors’ housing, as well as on the healthcare system in Alberta, and I’m sure the same is true across the country. Planning ahead is the best strategy to ensure your next chapter is filled with grace and dignity. Whether you’re currently working but considering retirement, already retired, living in your own home but considering a move, or are trying to navigate how best to support a senior you love, consider the items below as you create your plans. Redefine purpose and meaning If you’re currently working but considering retirement, recognize that you still need a purpose. Retirement and other life transitions can feel like a loss of identity. But it’s important to remember, you’re not winding down, you’re shifting gears. Many of the seniors who live where I work have successfully navigated the transition from raising a family and working as their purpose, to finding new ways to define purpose and find meaning. And it is not a coincidence that these are the folks who are facing aging head on and faring remarkably well! If you’re considering moving into a congregate living setting, ask about opportunities for volunteering for programs and services. For example, in Edmonton’s Emmanuel Home, we have a café, library, and thrift store run by volunteers, as well as various other events throughout the year in need of willing hands. Invest in yourself now You’ve heard the expression “use it or lose it,” right? Well, this is true for your mind as well as your body. People are living longer than they ever have. The average life expectancy in Canada is 82 years, thus it’s crucial to be proactive about developing preventive and sustainable habits now for mental and physical health later. These should include habits related to movement, sleep, stress, hydration and nutrition. Hydration and nutrition are proven to play a key role in preventing dementia. Recognize that the brain is also a muscle that needs to be exercised regularly. Dementia is something that can impact many seniors, even those who don’t have Alzheimer’s. If you’re considering a retirement facility, choose one with an active book club, Keep Fit class, exercise, puzzle and games rooms. Strengthen social connections When I accepted my CEO role for the Emmanuel Seniors Living Society three years ago, I actually knew very little about working with seniors. I did, however, understand a lot about hospitality, being an instructor in the field. I’ve learned that some of the same basic principles of hospitality are true no matter the age of the individuals you’re serving. Essentially, hospitality is about welcome, comfort and goodwill, something every senior needs and wants in a home. Social isolation can increase your risk of mental health decline, depression and dementia. If you intend to continue living in your own home, be intentional about social connections and relationships – do not wait for invitations. Try reconnecting with old friends or colleagues, join clubs or classes, or volunteer to make new friends. As Christians, we are often blessed with a church family that creates these opportunities. I hear from the seniors who live where I work how blessed they feel to live in a Christian community, especially those who recently lost a spouse. Having someone to share a coffee or sit with during a Hymn Sing, or to pray with at meals, devotions or anytime can really make a difference. Understand your financial health It’s important for seniors to fully understand their financial situation in the short and long term. Having a deep understanding of this provides clarity, which brings peace of mind. Do this by reviewing income streams, savings and spending patterns. Include a plan for healthcare (especially if your health benefits end when your employment ends). Build in a buffer for private homecare or long-term care should those resources not be available to you when the time comes. If you’re considering a retirement residence, consider choosing one with homecare on site, even if you don’t need it today. Be sure to talk openly about your goals with a financial adviser and be sure to appoint a trusted Power of Attorney (POA) who is aware of these goals and wishes. If you’re considering a retirement residence, it maybe very helpful to choose one where the rent is inclusive of utilities, wifi, cable, tenant insurance and storage. Of course, it all depends on how much they charge, but this hassle-free rental model can really reduce anxiety, which can increase with age. Also, consider the benefits of living in a facility where there is staff on site 24 hours per day, and the cooking, cleaning and snow shoveling is done by someone else! Talk about the life you want Many people avoid having difficult conversations with their spouse and family until it becomes urgent and nothing is in place. Transitions are easier when shared so talk about what you want, where you want to live and why in an open and honest way. Consider how much structure or flexibility you want, and what you want done (or not done) in a medical directive. When a crisis arises, families benefit greatly from clear, well laid-out plans because grief and stress cloud our ability to think. No matter what stage you’re at, I would encourage you to prayerfully consider some of these items to ensure you’re ready to enjoy your next chapter to the fullest! Erin Walton is the CEO of Emmanuel Seniors Living Society, a Christian non-profit organization that operates Emmanuel Home and Lighthouse (ESLS.ca), independent and assisted living facilities in Edmonton, Alberta....

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News

Saturday Selections – Mar. 14, 2026

Tips on telling what's real and what's AI-generated These tips have an expiry date, what with the way AI-videos are getting harder and harder to spot...
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In a Nutshell

Tidbits – March 2026

Still true in some places… Johan had left Edmonton to go up northward, near Neerlandia, for a bit of skydiving. Late Sunday evening he was found in...
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Assorted

The slippery slope is real

Some weeks ago I wrote a piece about a San Francisco pastor, Fred Harrell, who had recently attacked the doctrine of penal substitutionary atonement. ...
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Magazine, Past Issue

Mar/Apr 2026 issue

WHAT'S INSIDE: We’re excited to share the winners of this year’s brick building contest. Once again, we received hundreds of entries, and onc...
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Culture Clashes

When sports is an idol

Eric Liddell showed how Christians should do sports differently ***** In July 1924, Scottish sprinter Eric Liddell refused to race in the qualifying heat of the Olympic 100-meter competition. A devout Presbyterian, Liddell had been heavily favored to win the event’s gold medal. When schedule-makers placed the qualifying heat on a Sunday, however, Liddell resigned from the competition rather than violate his conscience by competing on the Lord’s Day. Liddell’s story has been honored for over 100 years through biographies, children’s books, and the blockbuster movie Chariots of Fire. For Christians, Liddell is a model of godly participation in sports, a demonstration that playing and watching sports may bring glory to God when contained by self-control. Sunday as sports day The challenges Liddell faced, however, have not disappeared in the modern context. Today, youth sports fill up Sunday morning after Sunday morning in the calendars of many Canadian families, impeding church attendance and implicitly inculcating an alternate-catechism. Sunday is also the preferred day for many major televised sporting events including the Super Bowl, the Olympic gold medal hockey game, and the World Cup Final – in addition to standard NFL, NHL, MLB, NBA, and CFL broadcasts. A day designed for lasting spiritual benefit has become a feast day for temporary entertainment. Some benefit Scripture affirms that bodily training – including involvement in sports – is of some benefit. However, when this temporary benefit hinders growth in holiness, the Christian should lay aside such a hindrance. Of course, Christians must also avoid the trap of gnosticism, the ancient heresy which taught that the material world, including the body, is inherently evil. Against this, the early Church asserted that the incarnation and resurrection of Christ proves the inherent goodness of the body as designed by God – every human being has a body that is designed by God and must be respected rather than ignored. Paul tells the Corinthians “whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31), giving spiritual worth to the regular care of the body. Participation in sports, then, may glorify God by exemplifying stewardship of the body, and valorizing the self-control which marks high-level athletes. This is affirmed by Paul himself when he tells Timothy that “while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (1 Tim. 4:8). The “some value” of bodily training may be incurred through direct participation or by watching professional athletes compete at the highest level – giving cause to rejoice in the creative wonder of God. These benefits, however, are only applicable to the heart of a God-worshipper. When our human bodies are offered as sacrifices to self rather than “living sacrifices” to God, the temporary benefit dissipates and instead becomes a hindrance – a distraction from the eternal benefit of holiness. A rival religion The temporal must always serve the eternal. If what is temporal, fleeting away, and quickly aging is honored as the ultimate prize of life, then bodily training is of very little value. If, however, the body is disciplined for action in service to God, there is great value in sport. By contrast, the world often presents sports as a rival religion to Christianity. Fans congregate together, watch repeatedly, spend money, make pilgrimages, and speak constantly of their favorite teams. This rival religiosity is reflected in the habits of Canadian families. In addition to exorbitant costs, families are often required to travel long distances for extended periods of time for children’s sports. Perhaps more alarmingly, avid sports fans spend countless hours consuming sports-related content on TV, social media, and audio platforms. Increasingly, the cost of lost time is conjoined with the cost of squandered wealth as recently-legalized sports gambling leads to dramatic increases in the number of individuals reporting sports gambling-related addiction and financial crises. There’s plenty of reasons, then, to want to topple this growing idol. Whose glory? So how should Christians respond to a sports-obsessed world without becoming modern gnostics? Here, the example of Eric Liddell is helpful. Eric Liddell invested a significant amount of time into training. He endured pain, studied other athletes, rose early, and traveled far distances to compete. Yet he did so to the glory of God. When faced with the choice to glorify himself or to present his body as a living sacrifice by keeping God’s law, Liddell did not hesitate – a decision that baffled onlookers. Eric Liddell understood that physical training was of “some value” but, more fundamentally, he understood that godliness is of eternal value. Liddell flourished as a Christian in sport because he did not worship sport. Sport, instead, was for him a means by which he could present his body as a living sacrifice. In later life, Liddell became a missionary to China, pouring out his life for the sake of lost souls in a foreign nation that knew little of his athletic achievements. Ultimately, Liddell would die in that country, having become sick in a Japanese concentration camp during the Second World War. The youth he served inside the camp reported his last words: “It's complete surrender.” Liddell died as he had lived: in obedience to the Master who was able to deliver eternal godliness to his soul, far beyond the “some value” of bodily training. Even as Liddell’s once athletically unmatched body began to fade, his eternal godliness and joy – which his sporting career helped cultivate – became stronger and stronger. Today, the location of the gold medal sacrificed by Eric Liddell and won by Harold Abrahams is unknown. Liddell, however, is seated with Christ on high – having received the reward of his total surrender. And his body – trained by godliness – will soon be raised to immortality. Though his medals are corroding and will one day be consumed by fire, his eternal reward is everlasting. With Liddell as an example, Christians should play and watch sports as if it holds some value, all the while remembering that godliness is of eternal value. Josh Senneker is a Christian political operative from Southern Alberta. He grew up playing Little League baseball and cheering for his two favorite hockey teams: the Calgary Flames and whoever is playing the Edmonton Oilers....

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News

Saturday Selections – Mar. 7, 2026

CNN's upcoming hit piece on Christian Nationalism "Christian Nationalism" is defined all sorts of different ways. Some claim it's just white nationalism wearing a Christian face. Others insist it is a badly mistaken, top-down form of evangelism that wants to use the State to somehow force people to become Christian. And others identifying with the term argue it's about advocating for our nation to submit to the Lord. These are radically different definitions... so what is it then? There is more consistency when we listen to the way non-Christians are describing it – Christian Nationalists are those who think God is Sovereign over His people and all people, and His Word is authoritative to Christians but should be so for everyone else too. And if that's the definition then, as Allie Beth Stuckey notes in this video, we're all Christian Nationalists now. Brace yourself for the AI Tsunami  They're replacing AI programmers with AI – it's writing its own updates! So what kind of work will remain? “Lean into what’s hardest to replace. . . . Relationships and trust built over years. Work that requires physical presence. Roles with licensed accountability: roles where someone still has to sign off, take legal responsibility, stand in a courtroom.” This 16-year-old doesn't think Australia's social-media ban for 15 and under will work He has three reasons and I'll share two: The government blew it, banning social media accounts for kids, but that doesn't really limit their access. This is a parent's job, not the government's. The second is an explanation for the first – any government action is going to be a big brute force swing at things, and when you have millions of kids looking for a way around it, they'll find a way, and already have. What's needed here is for parents to take up the very responsibility that God has entrusted to them in raising up their children. But does that mean there is no role for the government? How can parents stand, as individual pairings, against the pull of the algorithms? Especially when their children's friends are under the influence already? As a fellow who thinks that government is most often arrogantly inserting itself where God never intended for it to go, I have to say I have sympathies here for government involvement. Parents do need help. But as this article highlights, the Australian government tried, and largely muffed it. Might that be because it is indeed a parenting role, and the government is ill suited for it? So whence comes help? God did also give us the Church, and there is certainly room for more involvement in parenting – in the nurturing of it and accountability for it (Titus 2) – on that front. The 12 Holocausts of 2025 Abortion, the leading cause of death in 2025, killed 10 million more than all causes of death combined. And the dehumanization of the unborn is built on 4 deadly forms of discrimination we all need to know.  We're drinking a lot less?  In Ps. 104:15, the psalmist speak to how God makes the wine that gladdens the heart. In moderation, a cold beer or a brown cow on ice can be a wonderful thing. But with the general lack of moderation in our culture, it's probably very good news that the world's top alcohol companies have lost almost a trillion dollars in stock valuation over the last 4 years. A tree becomes a cross This 12-minute Oscar-nominated short film took 200 volunteers six years to make. Why all that work and devotion? Because they had something to say – this was a specifically Christian effort to tell a story of undeserved love that has more than an echo of the Gospel in it. John MacArthur picture by IslandsEnd and used under a CC BY 3.0 license....

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Marriage, Parenting

Three questions for you

Here are three questions you should ask yourself about your communication with those you love. The way you answer these questions provides insight into the areas where your conversations must grow in depth and in maturity.  1) Do your spouse and your children have confidence that they will be able to say all that is on their heart without fear of your response? Is your family accustomed to being cut off or being corrected before they can finish speaking? Do you interrupt because you think you know what is coming? If this is your pattern you are building relational barriers that are difficult to overcome. Those closest to you need to be able to express what is on their hearts so that you can know how to lovingly and wisely engage them to bring truth and healing to your lives. See Proverbs 18:13 and James 1:19-20. 2) Are you an advocate or an accuser in your daily communication? Do your words create safety or anxiety for your spouse and children? If you love the way Christ has loved you, you will want to be a refuge and a place of safety for your family. Your goal is to point those you love to Christ, not to condemn them by reminding them how wrong they are. See Ephesians 4:31 and Proverbs 16:20-24. 3) Are you able to pray with your spouse about areas in your walk with God where you need to grow? It is relatively easy to pray to ask God to help your marriage partner. Don’t be tripped up by your own pride — invite your husband or wife to pray for you in the areas where you need help. See Ephesians 4:31-32. This article was first published in the July/August 2018 issue of the magazine. Jay Younts is the author of “Everyday Talk: Talking freely and Naturally about God with Your Children” and “Everyday Talk about Sex & Marriage.” He blogs at ShepherdPress.com, where this article (reprinted with permission) first appeared....

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When they went after Barry Neufeld...

Barry Neufeld was a school trustee in Chilliwack, British Columbia. He was elected for three terms in 2011, 2014, and 2018, earning the second-most votes of the seven school trustees in each of those elections. In 2016, British Columbia amended its Human Rights Code to recognize and protect people based on their “sexual orientation and gender identity” also known as SOGI. In 2017, the province introduced SOGI 123 in schools to prevent bullying based on sexual orientation or gender identity, to teach students progressive sexual and gender ideology, and to create more LGBTQ-friendly facilities. But Neufeld is a Christian and refused to promote this unchristian ideology. At school board meetings, in social media posts, and through speeches, Neufeld called out SOGI as a lie that contradicts the reality of who people are. After the British Columbia Teachers’ Federation and their president publicly disparaged Neufeld for his anti-SOGI comments, even accusing him of hate speech, Neufeld filed a defamation case to defend his name. Neufeld’s lawsuit was ultimately tossed out by the Supreme Court of Canada, in part because it would limit his opponents’ freedom to speak out on an issue of public importance. Meanwhile, the British Columbia Teachers’ Federation and the Chilliwack Teachers’ Association filed a human rights complaint against Neufeld. They alleged that he discriminated against members of the LGBTQ community and that many of his comments amounted to hate speech under British Columbia’s Human Rights Code. Last week, the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal issued its decision. They found that Neufeld had published discriminatory and hate-promoting statements and ordered him to pay $750,000. These funds would be distributed to any Chilliwack school teacher who identified as LGBTQ to compensate for “injury to their dignity, feelings, and self-respect.” So, what does this mean for us? As it stands right now, this ruling sets a precedent that anyone who strong criticizes SOGI or those who identify as LGBTQ could receive the same treatment as Neufeld: a complaint, a hearing, and a penalty from the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal. Although Neufeld was condemned for his comments as a school trustee, there is no reason why anyone else could not be charged with similar violations. In other words, Christians could be severely fined for expressing their views on gender and sexuality in public. Now, Neufeld will almost assuredly appeal this decision, and so it might be overturned by a court. But unless this happens, this decision is a real cudgel that can be used against Christian expression. So, what can we do? If Neufeld appeals the Tribunal ruling to a court, ARPA and other groups will likely seek to intervene as friends of the court to advance legal arguments about freedom of expression and the limits of the Tribunal’s authority. We cannot make a grassroots or political appeal to courts, of course. But we can use this opportunity to call on MLAs to rein in the Human Rights Tribunal’s power to quash speech. The Tribunal gets its powers from the Human Rights Code. That means MLAs can rein it in by amending the Code, especially by revoking the clause that prohibits hate speech. While federal law already prohibits hate speech in the Criminal Code, that offence provides four defences, and the offence must be proved beyond a reasonable doubt. In British Columbia law, conversely, there are no defences, and the standard of proof is merely a “balance of probabilities.” In other words, as long as the tribunal is at least 50% confident that a person violated the Human Rights Code, they can impose penalties. Let’s take this opportunity to tell our provincial MLAs how this ruling – and British Columbia’s Human Rights Code – punishes or threatens to punish people for expressing Christian beliefs about sexuality and gender. ...

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