One of the difficulties of being a pastor is when things happen and you want to/need to/should be at two places at the exact same time. I wish there was a way in which I was able to do this. Tonight, I had planned on going to an Ordination service of a colleague in the United Reformed Church. Now, there have been tensions in the past between our denominations. Most of my colleagues in the CRC in Southern Alberta feel this is an important step in helping to build bridges with them again. I think it is a nice gesture to welcome him into the ministry and into the ministry in our area.
The other thing is there is a funeral in our church tomorrow. Now, in Ontario, and California, and almost everywhere I have lived it is the tradition to have family visiting the night before the funeral. This happens so people can come and visit with the family and offer condolences and such. Coming to Alberta I have found that this is not practiced as much, which I have found awfully strange. When these visitations happen, I generally like to go and open with devotions with the immediate family and offer a word of prayer. In Ontario, often times an elder would then come at the end of the evening and close in prayer.
The thing I have found here, however, is the fact that since family visitation is not practiced all that much, it is not in their DNA to have such a practice. So tonight I have the dilemma of being in two places at the EXACT same time. It would be okay if they were both in the same town. But the fact that they are about 45 minutes to an Hour apart, it makes it impossible.
What I have decided to do was then to have an elder go and lead devotions with the family at the visitation and I would go to the Ordination service representing our church. Is this the right decision? Should I have sent an elder to the church instead, and myself go to the visitation, since it affects a large number of people in our church? This is the struggle that I face, I hope I have made the right decision. Let me know what you think.
When Morning Breaks and Shadows Flee (Boston)
6 hours ago
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THE ANGEL AH1N1
"So Jehovah sent a plague on Israel, and died of Israel seventy thousand men. And the angel of Jehovah send Jerusalem to destroy it, but when he was destroying, and Jehovah repented look that bad, and said to the angel that destroyed: Stop, stop your hand. The angel of the Lord was with the age of jebuseo Oman. And David lifting up his eyes, he saw the angel of the Lord, that was between heaven and earth, with a naked sword in his hand, extended to Jerusalem. Then David and the elders fell on their faces, covered with sackcloth. "(1 Chronicles 21,14-16)
The remarkable progress that has AH1N1 flu around the world is proving that mankind has no weapons to combat this sudden illness.
The World Health Organization declared in June by the pandemic influenza AH1N1, the first pandemic in this century, and giving that appears posibiblidad others.
So far the cases recorded throughout the world are approaching the 60,000 people, the deaths from this disease is close to 200 people and affected countries are more than 110, America remains one of the most vulnerable continents.
Given this new scenario is presented to humanity, the church of Christ can not dodge, but even if this disease does not differentiate between believers and unbelievers.
But I think many Christians would agree with me that this "modern plague" is a punishment that God has unleashed on humanity that is increasingly turning away from Him Therefore the root of the disease that ravages the world is spiritual.
Indeed, one could say that the instrument that God is using to whip through the earth of this disease is "an angel".
In the Bible we see that God uses the angels as the instruments responsible for destroying a rebellious humanity. A clear example of this is seen in Los Angeles that destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19,1-25).
But in the passage from 1 Chronicles 21,14-15, is that God sends a plague on the nation of Israel which killed 70,000 people, and it is "an angel" destructive instrument.
It is not the first time that God does this, as it did on Pharaoh and on all the people of Egypt, sending a plague of death on their firstborn (Exodus 12,29-30).
We did against the Philistines, when they captured the ark of the God of Israel, wounding with a plague of tumors throughout the nation of the Philistines (1 Samuel 5, 8-12).
Later God punished the city of Bet-semes killing of Israel for having dared to 50,000 people to watch the ark of the LORD (1 Samuel 6.19).
In all these cases, the divine punishment occurred because the vulnerable human holiness of God, and only ceased when they repented of having sinned against God. The situation of the humanity of the twenty-first century is no different from the humanity of biblical times, and God has not changed his approach today.
God expects repentance of mankind, and if our generation is not to humiliate him, then the angels of God are always ready to make the Justice of God.
This scenario is where the Church of Christ throughout the world must be to pray and intercede for these poor humanity, and pray to God in his mercy to stop their destructive angel, nicknamed by the men as AH1N1 virus.
Example that we pray for Moses and Pharaoh Egypt, and God stopped her plagues.
Also King David Gold repenting of their sin, and the angel stopped destroying the city of Jerusalem.
What will the Church of Christ before this scourge of humanity suffers today?
"Christianity" is doomed to denominational apostasy.
But I believe that true Christians guided by the Holy Spirit to act to rescue and liberate all that can save humanity. This is the true Church of Christ, and you can stop the advance of this evil. Finally, the book of Revelation speaks to the angels will remain the executors of the trials of God (Revelation 15.1), and although God will continue to act with love and mercy to those who repent, God will also be released at this Humanity as the Judge of all the earth.
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