Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Ready or Not

Penn of Denn

So are you ready? According to some, it is now less than three years away, the end of the world that is. That's right, according to some doomsayers, December 21st, 2012, marks the end of the 5,125-year cycle of the Mayan calendar.

What does that mean? It depends. To some, it means various doomsday scenarios, others feel that it simply signifies that the cycle will start over, much like in a much simpler fashion Saturday brings about the end of the week and on Sunday the week starts over. Others feel that it was just the point where the Mayan calendar makers got tired of making calendars.

But those who take it serious, are really taking it serious to the point that NASA has been getting emails from teenagers who are worried the world is doomed.

Here is what we do know from the bible. We do know that this world does have a life span, a best before date so to speak. And we know that that date is not 11:11 GMT on December 21, 2012, because Jesus told his apostles in Matthew 24:36 that nobody knows the day or hour when that will happen. Presumably that includes Mayans.

Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.

    
 

    
 


 

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Party Crashers

Penn of Denn

Did you hear about the couple that crashed the White House party? Apparently, Tareq and Michaele Salahi, somehow faked their way into a reception at the White House, that was being held in honour of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

It has yet to determined how the pair gained entrance to the event, but the Salahi's claim of having been invited, is being denied by the authorities. They did, however, get to schmooze with both the President and Vice-President while they were there. They obviously have, as my Daddy used to say, more nerve than Dick Tracy.

What started as a publicity stunt, might ultimately land them in court and maybe jail.

The bible tells us that there will be those who will try to get into heaven without an invitation. They will talk about how they were good enough and sincere enough and how they surely deserved to be let in. However, the word of God is very clear that there is only one way to gain an invitation and that is through the grace and forgiveness of God and unlike an invitation to the White House, all you need to do for an invitation to heaven, is ask.

Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.

    
 

    
 


 

Inoculation


I had my H1N1 vaccine a couple of weeks ago. Since the clinic was at the church, all of my usual excuses for skipping the flu shot; can't find the time, it's not convenient etc., were rendered moot.

We all know the theory behind being vaccinated or inoculated and usually it's a good thing, but. . . and we all know that after the "but", comes the truth. It was Leslie Weatherhead who said, "The trouble with some of us is that we have been inoculated with small doses of Christianity, which keep us from catching the real thing." Interesting, but sadly true in all too many cases.

The way you can tell if you have actually caught the flu, is by how much it impacts your life. If it doesn't really affect your life, than maybe it wasn't really the flu. The same can be said about Christianity and the impact it has or doesn't have on your life.

Even though you think it might be too late for you, we would be wise to not repeat the same mistake with our kids. That's assuming you want them to catch the real thing.

Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.

    
 

    
 


 

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Huh?

It's a quandary; MacLean's magazine recently highlighted a story entitled, "The New Canadian Morality". It seems that Anus Reid Strategies sponsored a national survey last month, asking Canadians their opinions on 21 ethical questions. Angus Reid tells us that 60% of Canadians still identify themselves as Christians, which is interesting when you consider that the majority of these folks supported same sex unions, abortion, euthanasia, divorce, saw marriage as irrelevant and that animals were more deserving of protection than the pre-born or the terminally ill.

Now I understand that many people feel that one's morality shouldn't be forced on others (that is done every day, it's called the law) but, on the other hand, those who describe themselves as Christians, are supposed to be something, Christ followers and are supposed to behave a certain way; follow Christ. Not sure that was the findings of the survey. It would appear in many cases, that being a self-identified Christian has little, if any, bearing on how you behave and what you believe. Which begs the question that Jesus asked 2000 years ago in Luke 6:46, "So why do you keep calling me 'Lord, Lord!', when you don't do what I say?" Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.

    
 

    
 

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Tearing down the Walls


Well, they tore it down! I wanted to tear it down in 1988 and Joe wanted to tear it down in 1995, but this week they tore it down.

For a hundred and forty years, it had been a part of the ecclesiastical landscape of Truro. For fifty-five years, it had been Pleasant Street Methodist Church and when the United Church was formed, the church was torn down and the Sunday School wing was sold to a small group with a big vision and Pastor Fred Strickland started the Pleasant Street Gospel Mission and the Sunday School wing became a church. Twenty years later, another small group with a big vision bought the building and Pastor Norman Trafton started the Truro Reformed Baptist Church, which became Truro Wesleyan Church and finally Central Nova Wesleyan Church. In 1988, while I was pastoring, we built a new worship centre and the church became the Sunday School wing again. For a hundred and forty years, that white framed building witnessed baby dedications and funerals, weddings and baptisms and this week they tore it down. But, be assured they didn't tear down the church, just the building where the church met. Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.

    
 

    
 

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Grampy?


Bizarre. It seems like only a little while ago I was in high school wondering what I would be when I grew up. And apparently according to the phone call I received the other day the answer to the "what am I going to be" question is . . .a grandfather. Some- one asked if I still thought of my daughter as a little girl and there are times I still think of Denn as a little boy.

A grandfather? Grandfathers are old men who wear cardigans and smell musty. When did that happen? And where was I when it happened?

The Bible tells us that our lives are like a mist, here for but a short time and then gone. And it's true. I blinked and my daughter was on her way to becoming a mother.

Someone said that grandchildren are God's reward for letting our children live and I'm about to find out.

Both of my Grandfathers passed away while I was still a child, so I don't have strong memories of them but my goal is for Grandpa to be one of my grandkid's favourite people. And if that involves spoiling them, then so be it.

Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.

    
 

    
 

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Say What?


Interesting. Last week, I received a newsletter in the mail from a local real estate agent; that's not interesting, that's just life. What was interesting, was a comment made in an article on Canada's economic recovery. The article said and I quote, "the real estate market has made an almost Lazarus like recovery." Interesting.

I wonder how many people reading the article knew what a "Lazarus like recovery was"? Perhaps they thought it was a real estate term or an economic indicator.

It continues to amaze me, the biblical references I find or hear in everyday life: from people's prodigal sons and daughters, to the blind leading the blind. People may not know that those sayings and a plethora of others had their origins in the Word of God, but they have become part of our everyday speech, although this was the first time I had heard the Lazarus reference.

The promise of God is that His word will always bear fruit. So maybe someone in the community will be intrigued, will track down the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead and will meet a Saviour they never knew, all because of junk mail. Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.

    
 

    
 

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Missing your Turn


Did you hear the one about the two pilots who missed the airport? No, it's not a joke, it's a news story. Last week, a Northwest Airline plane, en route from San Diego, flew past its destination city of Minneapolis and it wasn't until it was over Eau Claire, Wisconsin, more than 160 kilometres beyond Minneapolis, that the flight attendants alerted the pilots that they had missed their exit. Oops! While there has been some speculation that the pilots were asleep, they maintain they were simply engrossed in conversation and weren't paying attention . . .to their instruments, the repeated calls from the control tower or the bright lights of Minneapolis. Don't know which would be worse.
But if we are honest, we've all done it. Maybe not in a plane, but we've all been caught up in the moment and missed an exit, a turn or a driveway and really it's just a matter of degree.
What is infinitely worse, is when we become so caught up in life, that we stop paying attention to God and end up missing what He has in plan for us and for our lives. Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.

    
 

    
 

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Pastoral Job Descriptions

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away; actually, it was Fredericton in 1985, but it seems like a different time and a different world. I was a young pastor, attending one of my first annual Pastors retreats with Wesleyan pastors from around the Atlantic District. It was an open forum and various pastors were lamenting not having written job descriptions in their churches, complaining about the unwritten expectations their churches and parishioners had for them. After this went on for awhile, a short man with a gravely voice, a British accent and shock of white hair stood up and said, "My job description comes from Acts 6:4, to give myself continually to prayer and the ministry of the word." Then he sat down.

Walter Fernley seemed ancient and wise that day. I attended Walter's funeral this week. His legacy to me has been whenever I have felt overwhelmed during the past 24 years by what I have to do, I think back, hear a gravely voice with a British accent reminding me, "My job description comes from Acts 6:4, to give myself continually to prayer and the ministry of the word." Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.

    

    
 

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Stop means Stop

Well, that was embarrassing. After almost stopping at a stop sign in Kingswood the other day, I came to a complete stop for the mountie who waved me down. He sauntered over to the car, while I sat wondering what the fine was for running a stop sign, although in my defence it was more creeping or rolling a stop sign. The officer was very pleasant, said he was there to remind people that we were supposed to stop at that particular sign. I smiled and assured him that I would remember next time and then it happened . . . I had hoped it wouldn't, but it did.
He didn't write a ticket; I should have been so lucky. No, he asked me how things were going at the church; he recognized me. That was embarrassing. Normally I like being recognized and talking about Cornerstone, but not necessarily while breaking the law. We chatted for a few minutes, he wished me a pleasant day, reminded me again about stopping at the sign and left.

It's never pleasant being caught while doing wrong, but the truth is we get caught every time we do wrong, if only by ourselves. Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.

    
 

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Biblical Political View?

Interesting, I read an article the other day, that said in a recent survey taken in New Jersey, 8% of respondents thought Barack Obama was the Anti-Christ and 13% were undecided. Interesting, even if the article isn't true. I would suspect that if you took a similar survey in Canada, about Prime Minister Harper, there might be many different words used to describe the Prime Minister, not all of them flattering, but I am doubtful that the word Anti-Christ would enter the conversation.

I am also fairly certain that there were people who thought George Bush, Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan, could also fill the position of the Anti-Christ and equally certain that thought never crossed the minds of Canadians concerning previous Prime Ministers. Although my father thought Trudeau was of the devil, or maybe it was a communist, either way in the seventies, the two thoughts were synonymous.

I find it kind of interesting that two countries that share so much in common, could differ so much in how they view things and people. And I'm not sure if that's a good thing, or a bad thing. After all, a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing. Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.

    

Thursday, October 1, 2009

The Best Laid Plans

So I flew to Indianapolis, a couple of weeks ago, for a meeting at the Wesleyan Church Headquarters. It was a perfect day for flying and we arrived fifteen minutes early and as we taxied up to the terminal, I was already planning the most effective way to use my new found quarter of an hour. Then an announcement came over the P.A., advising us that an employee had fallen at the entrance of our plane and we would have to wait for the paramedics.

Thirty-five minutes later, we deplaned. My hotel was less than fifty kilometres from the airport, but because of an accident, the trip took an hour and eighteen minutes. So instead of arriving at my room fifteen minutes early, I got there over an hour late. What was it that Burns wrote of Mice and Men?

That evening, when I was telling Peter Moore about my series of unfortunate events, he wondered where I would have been in relation to the accident without my delay at the airport.

And again, I was reminded of Solomon's words in Proverbs 16:9 We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps. Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.

    

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Look Up, Way Up!

Did you see the space station fly overhead last Tuesday night? It was really cool! It was a gorgeous night; not a cloud in the sky, a zillion stars overhead and right on cue, the International space station arrived chasing the shuttle across the evening sky.

As Angela, Ruth and I stood staring up at the night sky, marvelling at the sight, a teenager came shuffling up the road, hoodie up, eyes down and ipod turned up. Wanting to share the experience, I pointed into the sky and shouted, "look the space station!"

The kid lifted his head and looked at me like I was a doddering old fool and I am by no means doddering and then resumed staring at the ground and kept right on shuffling.

I thought: how often are we so consumed with the ordinary, that we can't lift our eyes to heaven? I'm assuming, that whatever the kid was listening to could have been paused and he would have been rewarded with a sight that he might never see again. His loss, but what do we miss while we are plugged into work or worry or whatever and don't take the time to hit pause?

Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.

    

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Save a Life. . . or Two

Penn of Denn

Did you hear about the homeless man in Winnipeg, who jumped into the Red River and saved a drowning victim? Twice! It seems that Faron Hall was on the riverbank last week, when 19 year old Tara Beardy began to struggle with the current after diving into the eight metre deep water. The woman's cousin, who was unable to swim, realized that she was in trouble and tried to rescue her, but drowned in the attempt. Although Hall was able to rescue Beardy, he wasn't able to save 32 year old Chris Harper.
It was just this past May, that Hall was involved in a similar incident and was honoured by Mayor Sam Katz after saving a drowning teen. On hearing about the most recent incident, the mayor commented, "To save one person in your lifetime would be a remarkable thing to do, to do it twice within the period of a few months, that's just ... what can you say?"

You may never be able to save someone from drowning, but every one of us, as Christ Followers, has multiple opportunities to plunge in the river of everyday life and save someone's eternal life, if only we are willing. Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.

    
 

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

It seemed like a good idea

I read a great news article a while back. A man in Kansas City, by the name of Wesley Fitzpatrick, applied for a temporary restraining order against a female whom he said was stalking him. Fitzpatrick claimed that she was making him, "scared and depressed and in fear of my freedom." The restraining order was granted by the judge, but later rescinded when Mr. Fitzpatrick showed up to ask that it be made permanent. It was then that the judge discovered the so called "stalker", was actually Fitzpatrick's parole officer and her "stalking", was simply her fulfilling her lawful supervision. Not only was the restraining order cancelled, but Mr. Fitzpatrick was arrested for having failed to keep his appointments with his parole officer. I thought to myself; this guy has more nerve then a toothache.

I have met people who have sought to get a restraining order against God. His presence makes them feel guilty and in fear of their freedom, but it's not because of who He is, it's about who they are. But as Fitzpatrick discovered, a restraining order won't work and in this case the punishment for not keeping your appointment with God, is more then you will want to pay. Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.

    
 

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Mourning?

Penn of Denn

Last Friday morning, I heard a radio newscaster state, " The world is mourning the loss of the king of pop!" Wow, I thought, I must be a horrible person, if the entire world was mourning the death of Michael Jackson and I wasn't feeling bad at all. So I checked with friends in the States, Australia, Ukraine and Ghana and they assured me that they weren't in mourning either. So I guess it wasn't the whole world.

We mourn those who have made a difference in our lives, those who we will miss because they are gone. While there are many friends and family members who will rightfully mourn the death of Jackson, to say that complete strangers will mourn him is a little bizarre. Their lives were the same on Friday, as they were on Thursday. They didn't get up and wonder how they would face life now that Michael was gone.
It's amazing how we cheapen words and emotions.

Our emotional capacity is not infinite and if we expend it mourning people who have no direct connection to our lives, I wonder what we will have left for those who matter in our lives? Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.

    
 

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

A Change of Vision

Who would have thought there could be that much of a change? I was travelling the other day and decided to stop and use the restroom and grab a coffee. So I stopped at an Irving station, after all Irving stations are renowned for their clean restrooms. Apparently, this particular station hadn't gotten the memo and the rest of the facility wasn't a whole lot better.

Upon hearing my observation (whining), Jason commented that he had noticed the same thing in other stations since Circle K had taken over. And I was disappointed; I had always been able to count on a clean restroom at Irving stations.

Then I saw a couple of lessons to be learned. Once the vision is lost at the leadership level, it's not long before the vision is lost by everyone and that applies to churches, as well as, service stations. Secondly, in people's minds, it is the owner, Irving, who has lowered the standards, not the management Circle K. And so we have to be careful, because when the church stops behaving as it should, it is ultimately a reflection on the owner, Christ and not the management, us

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Watch the Signs

Penn of Denn

I read an article that Golden and District Search and Rescue Association, (GADSAR), a non-profit, volunteer based, search and rescue group from British Columbia, has suspended operations recently after being named in a recent lawsuit.

Apparently, Quebec skier Gilles Blackburn, is seeking damages after he and his late wife spent 9 days lost in the mountains, before GADSAR found them.

You have to understand, Blackburn and his wife skied off trail, in an area that was posted with warnings. His comment was "It is not unusual for experienced downhill skiers, familiar with expert runs, to ignore warning signs and to go off into unpatrolled areas."

It was a tragedy and there were mistakes made, but a deliberate decision was made by Blackburn and his wife to ignore the warnings and disobey the signs and it was that decision, that led to them getting lost.

Isn't it the same way spiritually? Some people deliberately choose to disobey God's direction and then they blame Him or the church for the situation they find themselves in. God is in the saving business, but we have to do our part and that is paying attention to the warnings. Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.

    
 

Thursday, June 4, 2009

It’s about the Fruit

Penn of Denn

Well, it has been a disappointing couple of weeks. Not anything earth shattering, but still. . . First Mel Gibson announced that he was divorcing his wife of 28 years and that his Russian girlfriend was pregnant.

Then singing sensation Susan Boyle, of Britain's Got Talent fame, goes ballistic and cusses out a couple of reporters. And that lady has a potty mouth. I can't believe she used that same mouth to kiss her mother.

Now celebrities fornicating and cussing isn't anything new or surprising, but both of these folks were fairly vocal in talking about the importance of the church in their lives. Now I know some of you are thinking: Don't judge people Denn. But Jesus did tell us that we would be able to identify a tree by its fruit. He reminds us in Matthew 12:33 "A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad." If that is truly the case, those trees aren't looking so hot.

Just a reminder that ultimately people will believe what we do, not what we say. Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.

    
 

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

How much is enough?

Penn of Denn

In a recent article on "Corporate Greed", Michael Lazaridis, CEO of Research in Motion, was named as Canada's highest paid top executive, with a salary of $51,515,518.00 in 2007. In case you missed that number, I will spell it out for you; fifty-one million, five hundred and fifteen thousand, five hundred and eighteen dollars, a year.

And while that may not quite be a million dollars a week, it's pretty darn close and it works out to almost $25,000.00 an hour for a forty hour week. Which means when Mr. Lazaridis went to work on January 2, 2007, by the time he took his morning coffee break, he had earned more than my annual salary.

If you are wondering where I'm going with this, you're not alone and I'm not sure I have a point to make. I'm just saying: What could you possibly do, to justify a salary of $51,515,518.00? Seriously! Maybe if you came up with a cure for cancer or a way to run our cars on politician's promises.

Jesus said, "Where your treasure is, there your heart is as well." I guess that applies to a fifty dollar treasure or a fifty million dollar treasure. Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.

    

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Things to be thankful for.

Penn of Denn

Hopefully you didn't have the opportunity to observe the Church sign this past Monday.  Apparently, during the wee hours of the morning some industrious vandals took the opportunity to change the lettering on our church sign from an announcement about our summer day camps to various profanities. 
I discovered their work when I went into the office on Monday and frantically removed the letters before they could be seen by any more folks travelling up the Hammonds Plains Road.  As I was pulling the letters down, I marvelled at the effort and risk that the miscreants expended to put them up.  It is amazing what we are willing to do and willing to risk in order to do wrong. 

I also paused to be thankful; first, that it was a holiday Monday, so there wasn't as much traffic as there could have been.  And secondly that a couple of members of the community, who I don't know, went out of their way to contact us and let us know about the incident so we could remedy the situation as soon as possible. It is nice to know that there are people out there who still care. Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.

    
 

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Coming Home

Penn of Denn

You gotta love a happy ending. I'm sure you've all heard how the cat came back. I read an article the other day about a pup who had run away from her Texas home eight years ago who was returned last week.  It appears "Dancer" had been found by a musician wandering in his neighbourhood.  After being taken to the humane society it was discovered via a microchip implant that the stray actually had a home, albeit one that she hadn't been to in a long time. Dancer's owner, Alison Murphy, of Austin, doesn't know where the wayward pup has been, but said obedience school is the next stop for her newly recovered pet.

One of my favourite hymns is "Come thou Fount" and in it, is a line that says:" Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love".  The author of the hymn, Robbie Robertson, did wander away from God for a number of years but like Dancer he eventually found his way home.  If you have wandered away from God there is still a welcome waiting for you, but you have to be ready to come home.  Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.

    
 

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Speaking the Truth

Penn of Denn

What would you be willing to give up to speak the truth?  Would you be willing to give up your life dream or would it be easier to say nothing?  Apparently for twenty one year old Carrie Prejean, it wasn't a question, or at least not one that deserved any thought. 
Ms. Prejean is the reigning Miss California.  During the recent Miss America competition, she was asked by one of the judges if the rest of the U.S. should follow Vermont's lead in legalizing same sex marriage. Her response was, "I think it's great that Americans are able to choose one or the other, but in my country and in my family I think that I believe that marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offence to anybody out there, but that's how I was raised."

Obviously not the answer the judges were looking for. The majority felt that she could have been more politically correct.
Asked if she would take back her statement if she knew it might cost her the crown, she responded by saying, "It's not about being politically correct, for me it's about being biblically correct." 

Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.

    
 

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Paying the Fine

Penn of Denn

I read a great article the other day about a man who insisted on receiving a speeding ticket. Seriously! Jim Fouts, who is mayor of Warren, Michigan, was pulled over last week on his way to city hall. Apparently, he was clocked doing 72 km/h in a 65 zone. The police office warned the mayor to watch his speed and let him off with a warning.

Most of us would consider it our lucky day or perhaps even our due. "Well, it was less than 10 kms over the limit and everyone does it." Not so Mayor Fouts, who worried all day about the warning, afraid it might be seen as favouritism. And maybe it was, or not.

So, he did what any of us would. He went to the Deputy Police Commissioner and demanded his ticket, and he got it. All one hundred dollars worth.

The mayor told the press that he, "had to set an example."

How many times when we have been confronted with our sinful behaviour, have we sought to justify or rationalize our behaviour? The great thing is, when we confess our sin, the fine has already been paid. Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.

    
 

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Say What?

Penn of Denn

I was sitting in my office annex the other day and was listening to folks use Canada's third official language as they ordered double doubles, triple singles and four by fours.  Which begs the question: is a coffee with four creams and four sugars still a coffee? But again I digress.

As I listened to the customers speaking in a code readily understood by those who served them, I wondered about the language we speak in our churches.

How often do we assume that everyone who comes through our doors on Sunday morning speaks the same language as we do?  And I'm not talking about English.

I have to remind myself from time to time that not everyone understands "churchy" language. Part of my job is to act as a tour guide, as I lead people to catch a glimpse of the eternal.  And part of that job is occasionally acting as a translator, translating "Christianese" into everyday English.

If you get the wrong coffee because of a miscommunication, that's a mistake that can be corrected. If you miss eternity because of a miscommunication, that is a tragedy and it's forever.

Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.

    
 

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Penn of Denn

I love the diversity of God and God's people. I had the privilege of worshipping with the folks at Full Gospel last Saturday evening during one their dedication weekend services. In Australia we had a saying. "They are as different as chalk and cheese." After worshipping around the corner, I can truly say that Full Gospel and Cornerstone are as different as chalk and cheese. Isn't that great!? But for all our differences there are many things we have in common and many passions that we share. We love and worship Jesus and we want to touch as many people as possible with His gospel and His love.

At Cornerstone we often say that we are here to help depopulate hell, and the reality is, we can't do it alone.

I celebrate the diversity of the body of Christ because Full Gospel Church will reach folks who would never feel comfortable worshipping at Cornerstone or listening to Denn preach. And so I'm thankful that the pastor and people of Full Gospel have made the sacrifices they have made to help us fulfil our task of helping to depopulate hell. Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.

    
 

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Spring is in the Air

Penn of Denn

    I am presently working toward a compilation of the best of the "Penn of Denn." It will include three hundred of my favourite columns and should be ready in the Fall. Perfect for that Christmas gift for the person who has everything. But I diverge.

As I read through the years, I was amazed that every Spring I wrote at least one "Penn" wondering where Spring was. Bizarre. One would think that after having lived most of my adult life in Nova Scotia, I would know that March 21st is simply a date on a calendar.

But every year Spring does come. And it will come again this year. We might not know what next week's weather will bring ,but we have not just the hope of Spring, but also the knowledge that for as long as any one can remember Spring has followed Winter in Nova Scotia. That is just one more example of God being in control. And whatever Winter you are going through in your life right now, it too will have an end. So if you can trust God with something as important as Spring, surely you can trust Him with the rest. Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.

    
 

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Just Passing Through


 


 

Welcome to the electronic edition of the Penn of Denn. For more information on the ministries of Cornerstone Wesleyan Church check www.CornerstoneWesleyan.ca

When did people stop passing away? The other day I read a headline concerning the recent death of Natasha Richardson and it said, "Actress passes just days after ski accident." She didn't pass away, she just passed. Hmmmm? Did she pass away or did she pass through or did she pass over?

Sometimes it frustrates me that through some arbitrary change in the English language, we have to change the way we speak. With this new use of the word "pass", what will we be trying to communicate when we tell a student, "I hope you pass this year"? Or what does it imply when you are offered something and you say, "No thank you, I think I'll pass"? And you will want to be careful when you pass while driving.

From the beginning of time humanity has sought to sanitize the death process and soften the reality of mortality through language. When you stop and think about it, people haven't died for years. But the latest linguistic gymnastics has a ring of truth because at the end of our lives we will all pass somewhere and each one of us will get to decide where that somewhere will be. Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.

    

My weekly messages from Cornerstone are now available as audio files at www.cornerstonewesleyan.ca/sermons


 

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Legal Stuff: Copyright © 2009 Denn Guptill. Permission to distribute this material via email, or individual copies, is automatically granted on the condition that it is not altered in any way and that it will be used for non-commercial purposes and will not be sold.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Who Would Have Thought?

Penn of Denn

Wild fires in New South Wales, flooding in Queensland and the ice breaking up on Lake Erie. And to various degrees, tragedy accompanied the events; people died and property was destroyed. And people act surprised, but there is a bit of a pattern here. It's not like people are saying, "Wow wild fires in New South Wales, flooding in Queensland and the ice breaking up on Lake Erie, who would have thought?"

Those things happen on a fairly regular pattern in those places, like almost every year; maybe not to the extremes that they happened this year, but still.

And while the natural disasters may not have been able to have been prevented, some of the lives may have been spared if people had of heeded warnings. Instead, many waited until the last minute, not wanting to leave their possessions behind.

How often do people fail to heed the warnings about putting their spiritual life in order, thinking they have lots of time?

Not wanting to be a wet blanket, but the reality of death is even more certain than wild fires in New South Wales, flooding in Queensland and the ice breaking up on Lake Erie. Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.

    
 

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Believe in God and Enjoy life.

Penn of Denn

You have probably heard the news stories from Britain concerning the "British Humanist Association" bus advertising campaign. The project, which has attracted hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations as well as the support of prominent atheist Professor Richard Dawkins, has plastered buses across the UK with signs that say, "There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life." And while Dawkins said that he would have preferred if the word "probably" had been dropped the BHA said they used the word "probably" because didn't want to appear dogmatic. That was nice of them.

I heard recently that a similar campaign will come to Canada and I have no problem with that. I love the freedom we have in this country, even the freedom for people to say things I don't necessarily agree with.

I don't think the church will see a great falling away but if it results in people talking about the existence of God and seeking him, it can't be a bad thing.

And if you have a personal relationship with God, that in itself should be a great reason to stop worrying and enjoy life. Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.

    
 

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Sticks and Stones

Penn of Denn

There was a story in the paper recently, concerning a request by the Montreal police union. It seems that they want city council, to pass an ordinance making it illegal for members of the public to insult police officers. Two specific examples given, were the uses of the highly inflammatory slurs: "Pig" or "doughnut eater". I am not making the second one up.

Not wanting to cause distress to any of my Police Officer friends: Grow up people. Do you remember what your mother taught you: sticks and stones may break your bones, but names will never hurt you.

Of course if the ordinance passes, freedom of speech considerations aside, there should be a complimentary one passed, making it illegal for police officers to insult suspects. No more referring to them as "Criminals" or "crooks" and the like. You know; what's good for the goose and all that.

Maybe we should just make it illegal, for anyone to insult anyone; everyone would have to talk and play nice.

As a start though, as God's people, maybe we should just listen to what the word of God tells us in 1Peter 2:17 and simply, respect everyone. Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.

    
 

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Just Doing Your Job

Penn of Denn

It is quite the story. What could have been a tragedy, instead turned into a story that would be told and retold. The media was quick to dub it the "Miracle on the Hudson" and the passengers of US Airways Flight 1549 spoke with high praise of the professionalism of the flight crew. It was because the men and women, who manned the ill fated flight, did their jobs, that 155 people lived to tell the story. The media spot light has focused on pilot, Sully Sullenberger. And he did a great job; it would appear that he spent his life preparing for this event, having received his pilot's license at the age of 14.

He did exactly what needed doing and he needs to be commended and while I think he needs to be singled out for doing a great job, I'm not so convinced that he was a hero. He didn't risk his life to save the lives of others, he just did was what he was supposed to do. And if each one of us simply did what we were supposed to do, think of the difference that could be made. Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.

    
 

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

A Life Well Lived

Penn of Denn

Two weeks ago, I preached on the topic "Live Like You Were Dying" and last week I saw evidence of what that looked like. I was at the funeral of Captain J. Andrew Rae and the preacher used the phrase, "A life well lived." And I thought to myself: At my funeral, I want the preacher to be able to say that and have everyone else nod in agreement.

Although I didn't know Captain Rae personally, I do know his sons and as they spoke fondly of their dad, it was obvious that his was indeed "a life well lived." From all accounts, he loved his God, his family and his work and that indeed is a life worth emulating.

The question has to be: How do we live in such a way, that people won't have to lie at our funeral? And I think Jesus answered that when he told us: You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul and all your mind and love your neighbour as yourself. And if you do that, than people will say nice things about you when you die. Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.

    
 

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Stop The Pinching!

Penn of Denn

When the kids were little, we had a dog named Kato. After we had the pup for awhile, we discovered that while he was friendly with the rest of the family, every once in a while he would nip two year old Deborah. Nobody else, just Deborah. Without warning, we would hear a scream and Deborah would inform us that the dog had bit her once again. We would scold the dog and life would go on. Truly a mystery.

Then one day, Angela happened to observe Kato and Deborah sitting on the stairs, when suddenly Deborah reached over and pinched the dog. Kato immediately snapped at Deborah and she screamed that the dog had bit her. The mystery was solved and we stopped scolding the poor dog. After awhile, Deborah learned that the dog didn't like being pinched anymore than she enjoyed being bit, so she stopped pinching him and he stopped biting her. An amicable solution.

Maybe the situation in the Middle East is that simple; when the Hamas stop pinching Israel, then Israel will stop snapping at the Hamas. And until that happens, it really isn't Israel that needs to be scolded. Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.