Aylmer Christian Reformed Church

Have you ever been bitten by a snake?

The other day a lady came into the office. Her arms were badly scratched up. We asked her what had happened. She told us that she was bitten by a snake which she had held in her arms. We wondered aloud why she held a snake in her arms and how she was bitten, cut was a better word, and what kind of snake that could have been? Was it poisonous? After a while she told us with a grin that they used that snake for plumbing problems.

Certainly there are all kinds of snakes. Some are poisonous. Some are deadly without being poisonous. Personally I do not like snakes. You may think that they, the snakes, are dead when suddenly they attack you with uncanny speed. Or they sneak up on you and attack. Or they slowly wrap around their victim then strangle them to death.

There is a story in the Bible about a snake that tempted the first lady in creation to disobey the word of God with disastrous and deadly consequences. The devil had chosen the snake to tempt the lady and she without fear listened, was enticed, thought evil to be good and she bit in an appetizing fruit. I do not know if it was an apple as some believe it was. There are some who do not even believe this story. The trouble is we are still tempted through the poisonous snakes of advertising to have our desires satisfied with whatever stuff whether or not it is what we need, whether or not it is good or bad. The whole field of advertising is build around the theme of want and greed, of becoming better and more knowledgeable.

The attack goes as follows: If you know the good, well and good. If you also know evil than you know more, and you are better of, right? And we are stuck with evil since the day of the first temptation.

How can we escape evil temptations? Can you answer that question?

People have looked into many directions for an answer and have discovered that the Bible teaches us not only the difference between good and evil but it also presents us with a defense against evil temptations. And you what? God is capable and very willing to help us in this battle if we so desire. He sent His only Son Jesus to pave the way, to be the Way for us to walk away from evil temptations. Open the Bible and discover the promises of a faithful God Who will not let you down. Let no snake of whatever type obstruct your way of life and your way into eternal life.

Rev. deJong is a retired CRC minister. He resides in the Aylmer area and attends church at Aylmer Christian Reformed Church.

A Happy New Year!?

To all our readers, may we wish you a Happy New Year! May the sun shine bright and your happiness be out of this world.

I have heard those wishes many a year, but do you know what? It does not always turn out that way. Even when the preacher says, “Have a blessed New Year”, I have difficulties singing, “Praise God from Whom all Blessings Flow”.

Another round of New Year’s celebrations has covered up a lot of misery, doubt and whatever else makes life unhappy. But, I ask myself, Why not a cover up? Why not have a few moments to spend in Dreamland where we can wish each other a Happy New Year and escape reality where many have no food, where many have no beds to sleep in, where many have no jobs to support their families, and where governments are crumbling under huge debt loads and civil unrest.

But after we have arrived in Dreamland and enjoyed its few moments of rest and pleasure, there is a problem. We will have to get out of bed, get out of the red by paying off our debt, and hope for health, wealth, work, and whatever else is on your wish-list to colour your new year with happiness.

A Happy New Year!? You wish. So I ask, how can we obtain happiness? Surely not through the extra spending that went on throughout the festive season. One fellow told me that he spent $ 5,000 on gifts
for which debt and accumulating interest was incurred, and he has to work hard throughout the next year to repay this. This doesn’t sound very happy to me.

What is happiness? It is not a good, warm and fuzzy feeling inside. Happiness is a gift that you are able to receive along with inner strength, endurance, self-control, and unselfish love for others.

Where can we find the source of all these gifts? Most aspects of life, even religions, instruct me that I have to work for these gifts. Well, if I have to work then these are no longer gifts, are they? The teacher says that to the man who pleases God, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness. And He adds “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Who of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you.”

So go ahead. Ask God and seek God, and you have His promise that you will receive, even a happy New Year, in which you can love God and your neighbour as yourself.

Rev. deJong is a retired CRC minister. He resides in the Aylmer area and attends church at Aylmer Christian Reformed Church.

Have a blessed Christmas!

Christmas is a time of happiness for most people. Why? Well, we give gifts, we get a possible bonus from work, (that is if we have work), we watch the kids perform, we have a party or two, etc. I ask, why do we celebrate Christmas?

Christmas will not be nice for Jane who with her two children lives on a disability pension in some dingy apartment that is too expensive and dilapidated. Fortunately the food bank is helping out and the Salvation Army has clothing, toys for her two boys and what all for her. Thanks to the Food Bank and Sally Ann. But that does not answer the question of, why do we celebrate Christmas?

Someone said to me that Christmas is a hoax. People are basically greedy and selfish. They are not satisfied with what they have. They are not content. They are not thankful. They only care for themselves, notice the Occupy movement. Why I should I care for others when others do not care for me. They do not invite me so why should I invite them?

Many of our readers deal with depression and loneliness in this time of the year when we think of a partner who has died or walked away with someone else, when we think about children who left wherever they went and we never heard anything from them anymore, when we think how we must live all by ourselves for the next whole year, a year filled with bills that must be paid, with a doctor’s diagnosis of cancer, etc.

Young mother Jane with her two kids is thankful but why do I find myself in this lonely depressing situation remembering how I was taken advantage of. Why do I celebrate Christmas?

Tell me, why do we celebrate Christmas? Why must we celebrate Christmas?

We celebrate Christmas because Christmas has come from a perfect heaven to this often not so nice world. Christmas, God’s Perfect Gift, a word that some do not like, we wish you season’s greetings and all that, we must be tolerant to our neighbour’s feelings, Christmas is the feast/gift of Christ’s birth. The celebration of Christmas is one of Canada’s Christian traditions which we hold dear. Joy to the world! The Lord is come: let earth receive her King.

Why do we celebrate Christmas? Christ has come, the King of Righteousness. He rules the world with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove the glories of His righteousness and the wonders of his love. Light and life to all He brings, risen with healing in his wings. Mild, He lays his glory by, born that we no more may die, born to raise the lost on earth, born to give them second birth.

Why must we celebrate Christmas? With this Christmas we may receive Jesus the Christ Who is God’s assurance that he has not forgotten human need. In Him we are born to new life and new light, by receiving Him Who is the Truth. Have a blessed Christmas.

Rev. deJong is a retired CRC minister. He resides in the Aylmer area and attends church at Aylmer Christian Reformed Church.