Bits and Pieces – 14th Edition – June 7, 2020

British Columbia has eased some of its meeting restrictions, so our Cloverdale and Prince George churches can meet with a maximum of 50 people.  The Calgary church, in Alberta, is also able to re-open.  Ontario’s three FP churches are still under lockdown.

The Toronto church services continue to go out via sermonaudio, the adult Bible class at 9.00am, and the morning and evening services at 10.00am and 5.30pm.  The Sunday evening prayer time is at 4.30pm on zoom, as is the Wednesday evening prayer meeting at 7.30pm.

The head of the World Health Organization (W.H.O.), is Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, (he of “Test. Test. Test” fame).  Strangely, he is not a medical doctor.  He is a member of the Tigray Peoples’ Liberation Front, an organization with strong Communist connections. The New York Times reported in 2017, he was accused of covering up three outbreaks (of diseases) in Ethiopia, his home country, when he was his country’s health minister.”  In his run to become Director-General of the W.H.O. he was supported by a bloc of African and Asian countries including China, but not by the western nations. One observer called it a “really nasty election”.

The United States recently withdrew from W.H.O. membership and stopped its financial support.  Tedros has been thought to be much too cosy with the Chinese communists, with regard to Covid19, that started there.

Lifeline Children’s Services (an international adoption and foster care organization) gave the statistics for January 1, 2020 to April 1, 2020 of various life-threatening afflictions in the context of world deaths:

Covid-19 – 46,432

Seasonal Flu – 121,993

Malaria – 246,121

Suicide – 269,076

Traffic Fatalities – 338,715

HIV/AIDS – 421,808

Alcohol – 627,571

Smoking – 1,254,352

Cancer – 2,060,730

Hunger – 2,806,314

Abortion – 10,665,130

Makes for interesting reading. The readers can draw their own conclusions.

This year there are 12 graduates from Grade 12 in the Whitefield Christian Collegiate Institute.  Each student is allowed to apply to three Universities for acceptance for further education.  If they get more than one acceptance they make a choice as to which University would be their preference.  This year all 12 students received 3 acceptances each, 36 in total.  That is an exceptional achievement.  They have now made their choices.

Nineteen universities responded ranging from the University of Toronto in the east to Western University, and including York, Laurier, Ryerson and McMaster and others.  The range of studies chosen goes from Aerospace, Mechanical and Civil Engineering programs, several medical, financial and business sciences and many more.  Our students are to be commended for their work in a very difficult year.  The teachers also deserve great credit for their tireless and faithful work.  Do pray for the departing students that the Lord will bless and guide them as they take their places in adult society.

The Bible teaches us to pray for our political leaders, and reminds us that it is God who ordains them (1 Timothy 2:1ff. Romans 13:1) and we are to be subject to them.  Generally, our leaders are not known for godliness, and often pass laws that are the opposite of the holy law of God, like the recent legalisation of cannabis in Canada.  Firstly, Christians need to pray for the salvation of their leaders, they are not beyond the pale of God’s mercy.

Until the time the Lord would answer those prayers we need to apply what I call the Balaam Syndrome.  Balaam was a false prophet who was hired by the Moabite king, Balak, to curse Israel, whose army was pitched  in the plains of Moab (Numbers 22:1ff.).  Moab was terrified by the army of Israel.

Balaam was very happy to receive the “rewards of divination.”  (“The wages of unrighteousness.”  2 Peter 2:15). He was more than willing to place a curse upon Israel.  There was just one problem.  God would not let him.  Several times, although Balaam was most willing to curse Israel, God restrained him so that he could not do what he wanted to do.

Christians let us pray the Lord will deal with our political leaders in a similar manner and, even though they have a mind to pass unholy laws, that the Lord will restrain them as he did with Balaam.

It took a dumb ass to stop Balaam in his tracks (Numbers 22:28).  The dumb animal could see the “angel of the Lord” that Balaam could not see.

How sad so few political leaders have seen the presence of God in the Covid19, and have called upon Him for deliverance.  They will turn to anyone but God, the only One who can help in this time of need.