Truth. North.

This will seem like an outlandish topic to some readers. A few decades ago, ideas about aliens or UFOs seemed to mainly be relegated to the Nevada desert, fringe cults or substance abusers. Times are changing. Our culture is lending increasing credibility to UFO or alien sightings. 1 Even as I was writing this post, a local newspaper landed in our home with a supposed sighting of a UFO over Lake Ontario featured prominently. We also hear of professionals such as jet pilots and police officers recounting unusual events. Even governments are involved. The entertainment industry now regularly mixes ancient myths of the gods in with science fiction. There is also a growing trend which associates the "giants" of Genesis 6, in Hebrew the "Nephelim," with aliens. Some are claiming that they were actually the key to a thriving civilization before an ancient cataclysm. 2  They propose that the gods of ancient times, such as Marduk or Jupiter, were what our culture now vie

...the promise of the gospel 1  is that whosoever believes in Christ crucified shall not perish, but have eternal life. 2 This promise, together with the command to repent and believe, 3 ought to be declared and published to all nations, 4 and to all persons promiscuously and without distinction, 5 to whom God out of His good pleasure sends the gospel. 6   (The Canons of the Synod of Dort, Head 2, Article 5.) 1   "Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” - Acts 2:38–39 2  "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him s

Many Christians are encountering new challenges at work, in school, online, or in community facilities. A pluralistic society is demanding that we pay our dues to a variety of religions, lifestyles, and identities. New questions are arising, especially in the younger generation. Should we join in smudging ceremonies? 1 Should we say Blessed Ramadan to a Muslim? Happy Diwali to a Hindu? Should we wear inclusive armbands, pins, or stickers? 2 Should we use preferred pronouns? How do we react to a "coming out" post on social media? What about if even quietly or tactfully refusing means losing your job, being demoted, losing a contract, or being called a bigot? What if it leads to accusations of hatred, abuse, or even criminal charges?   To answer these questions, we need to look at the changes around us in light of God's Word. Western civilization seems to be heading towards both the past and the future. We are surrounded by dizzying trends of neopaganism, tribalism, and

Many seem to be sensing a growing instability in this world. The economy seems shaky, inflation is clearly on the rise. Protests have swept across the world. There are ugly trends on the left and the far right.  Russia has attacked the Ukraine. China also seems to be interested in expanding their empire. In some ways, many of the nations look like bad guys right now: abandoning God's ways, filled with pride, flexing their muscles, racking up their weapons, and uttering threats. In the past week, some threats have even gone nuclear. There is uncertainty about whether the leaders who have the nuclear buttons and codes are of sound mind. At this moment, it seems that the world may be close to World War III. Others think it is all smoke and mirrors, and nothing to bother about. What are we to do? The answer is simple: pray and work.   But especially pray for spiritual growth. A Christian can truly say that the worst of times are the best of times. We should not be surprised that

One of the challenges we must grapple with in the Freedom protest movement is the complicated mix of elements involved. There is evidence of everything from statist infiltration in the movement, to some individuals that have held  racist views .  Not every part of the protests has been defensible.  I have sprinkled sober warnings throughout my blog posts about some parts of these protests, but I think it has been lost on many.  More than anything, Christians need to be aware that there are some false teachers who are involved.   Let me be clear: this is not an exercise in guilt-by-association. I fully believe in Christian liberty to participate in freedom protests thus far, and I have defended that. I despise the cancel-culture methods being used by many Christians to point fingers at one another. If a cause is righteous, Christians may take it up. Not every one is obligated to participate, but some will feel compelled in their conscience. That should, however, be done in distinctiv

This is a defense of the righteousness of some of the protestors we saw parked in Ottawa this month. Having been there twice, having listened to them, prayed with them, and after some consideration, I am convinced that Christian men who parked their trucks in Ottawa were well within the bounds of Christian liberty. Their stand was principled, civil, and honorable. They can be defended from scripture and the laws of our land. First, the Bible allows for protesting before authorities. Moses and Aaron were sent by God to confront Pharaoh’s abuses, and even to do so repetitively. We, of course, do not have the same direct divine guidance that they had, neither do we have plagues at our disposal! Yet it is an early example of God allowing His children to confront the sins of their king. Another example is the case of Rehoboam, a young and prideful king. When he inherited the throne, some protestors came to ask him to lighten their tax burden. His response was, “My little finger shall be th