BITS and PIECES
A random collection of news and views compiled by Frank McClelland for the Toronto Free Presbyterian Church.
237th Edition – April 6, 2025
LOSS OF POWER
Last Sunday, we awakened to check out the forecasted ice storm and see if we could drive to church. Checked the computer – it would not work, switched on the light – nothing. We were in the middle of a power outage, which affected nearly 400,000 homes in Ontario. For us, it lasted for several hours.
Sometimes we take things for granted and it is only when we don’t have them do we appreciate how much we depend on them. Let’s have a cup of coffee or tea – no power. Let’s go down to the parking garage and check the car – elevators not working. Door from the garage to outside is electrically operated so the car stays put.
It was a relief when the power was eventually restored and things quickly got back to normal. I began to think of a far worse power outage when we, who are Christians, lose out with God.
We need the daily help of the Holy Spirit to function as believers. “We are kept by the power of God” [I Peter 1:5]. But occasionally we suffer from a power outage like Samson. His vaunted strength was lost when he revealed its secret to Delilah. The sad thing is that he was not aware of his great loss. “He wist not that the Lord was departed from him” [Judges 16:20]. Surely, this is one of the saddest verses in the Bible.
It is incredibly sad when we lose God’s power, but it is even sadder when we, like Samson, are not aware of our loss.
We can lose God’s power in our lives by some sinful behaviour. We can do things we ought not do, and we can leave undone things we ought to do. We ought to repent speedily to restore the power. Thankfully, the Lord is merciful. King David committed great sins in the Bathsheba affair. In his penitential psalm he cried to God, “restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit” [Psalm 51:12]. May we likewise seek the restoration of God’s power in our lives. God will hear and answer.
BIBLE CHRONOLOGY
When studying the Bible, especially the Old Testament, it is helpful to have a basic understanding of the timeline of its major characters and events. Genesis and Exodus stretch out over many years, whereas Leviticus’ 27 chapters cover only one month.
Here are approximate dates of the children of Israel from their time after the exodus from Egypt until Saul was king.
1446 – 1406 BC. In the wilderness.
1406 BC. Death of Moses and Israel crosses Jordan.
1398 BC. Canaan is divided among the tribes.
1380 BC. The death of Joshua.
1375 BC. Start of rule by the judges.
Judges is a sad book dealing with Israel’s departures from God. It covers about 450 years, but about 350 of these found them relatively at peace with God.
1050 BC. Saul becomes king.
Further dates will be given later.
DICTIONARY OF THEOLOGICAL TERMS
Dr. Alan Cairns was a close friend since we first met in the early fifties. He ministered in Ballymoney before moving to Greenville, SC. He was a theologian at heart, and although he wrote many books, his magnum opus was undoubtedly his Dictionary of Theological Terms.
It is a splendid reference book, easy to read, and there are probably few theological subjects not covered in this tome. It has proved helpful to preachers, teachers, and any Christian who wants to know more about the teachings of Biblical Christianity.
The first edition came out in 1982, followed by expanded editions in 1998 and 2002. Sadly, Alan was caught up in the early Covid pandemic and passed away in November 2020. Prior to his passing, he prepared revisions to enlarge the dictionary.
Let The Bible Speak radio ministry, which was founded by Alan, has included these revisions in an expanded edition of the dictionary in his memory.
“Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine” [I Timothy 4:13]
