The truth is clear

Many of us start our day standing in front of a mirror, preparing ourselves to face the world. We stand staring, fixing and adjusting this and erroneously believe we are looking at the image that the world will see. However, when we are standing toe-to-toe with the world, they do not see the mirror reflection – they see the reversed image. What do I mean? When we look in the mirror, we will note that our left eye is directly across from the mirror image of our left eye. However, when someone is facing us, our left eye is across from their right eye. They do not see the mirror image precisely us, but they know the image that we take into the world. Does that make a difference? Do they not see the same impression we meant to present? 

Perception is a combination of chemical reactions in our brain and body that transforms whatever is presented to it into an image or idea with which we can connect. Reality is the exact situation; a mirror image should be reality. My right eye is weaker than my left, so I often mess up the right sideburn when I shave, making it longer or shorter than the left. Even though I look at the exact image I shave, my weakness affects my perception, which suggests people will see equal-length sideburns. Depending on how people face me or how I hold my head during the day, the different lengths may not be noticed, but that does not change the reality that there is a difference. My skewed perception of things could change how I present myself, thereby tainting people’s perception of me. 

Sideburn length will not impact our world, but how we share Jesus could. We can share Him by using words or with our actions. Telling people about Jesus is different than showing people Jesus with our actions. Sharing Jesus is also different based on whether we share our perception or experience. Some Christ followers cannot speak to friends or family about God without sounding like they are speaking another language. They struggle to take a basic tenant of our faith and share it with others, possibly because they may never have experienced the truth behind the words. They may not have felt a sense of peace during a family tragedy or gratitude for a blessing. They will have read about these experiences and lovingly try to share their perception of what it would be like. They often can not do so because they have not called on Jesus and found Him. Their perception of Jesus’ love can come across as different from its reality. 

The scripture verse at the start of this article is probably the best-known and quoted verse amongst Christ’s followers – “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son, that whoever believed in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” John 3:16. This verse tells us that God loves all of us and has offered eternity based on His sacrifice. It has become a slogan or catchphrase of Christianity and is repeated often, but how many people know what it means? If we do not have personal encounters with Jesus, then when we speak words such as these, they won’t come across as we desired or even as God desired. If we speak and live without the power and conviction of the Holy Spirit, those hearing our words will most likely ignore them or deem them confusing and unintelligible. Despite our imperfections that cause us to share our faith based on our perception of scripture, we have the power of the Holy Spirit to make biblical truths a reality. As harsh as it may sound, the truth found in the bible can be the mirror image of the truth we live. 

God can clarify His truth if we desire to live it. Christianity is not a slogan but a relationship with Jesus. It’s a daily interactive journey in which Jesus should be on our minds no matter what is happening around us. When we walk like that, we can share what we experience, not what we have heard or read. 

How do you convince someone to clean a toilette? 

In the late 1970s, I was part of a peacekeeping force in Ismailia, Egypt. Our camp was not austere, but some basic amenities were unlike home. Our toilets, for example, were an ancient version of a porta-potty. Yet, despite the searing heat, they did not smell as bad as you’d expect. Each day, an elderly Egyptian gentleman would guide his donkey and honey bucket supplies to the different latrines around the camp for cleaning. By anyone’s definition, it was not a dream job, but he performed his duties seemingly without complaint. 

Many assume that work is a product of the fall. Before sin entered the world, humanity was designed to work even in the perfect world. “The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it”, Genesis 2:15. God created humanity to work from the beginning. Work is a gift from God, not a curse. God told Adam that the ground would be cursed, meaning humanity would no longer have easy access to the provisions they had in the garden. By the sweat of their brow, they would have to work hard to get those provisions. However, we must not forget God still provided the means for Adam and Eve to be successful in their work. They had skills, talents and all the natural resources needed to live in the world, just as He provides us today. Our attitude toward work can be a product of the fall because sin has stained how we view work. 

Instead of viewing it as a gift, we may see it as a punishment that is an unfortunate requirement for survival. Ask the average person on the street what work means, and they will answer in some form that it is a means of survival and provision. It’s how you get a comfortable house, a nice car, and daily essentials like food and clothing. When we view work this way, our motivation is misguided, and everything we do suffers.

The apostle Paul writes in Colossians 3:22-24, Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favour, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord.  Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

We work for God, not to please man. We work because our Creator works, and we’re made in his image to reflect him. Our work ethic should point men to God, not us. Any time we attempt to rob God of his glory; we consequently rob ourselves of joy because we make ourselves slaves to the opinions of humanity. Paul encourages us to work “for the Lord and not for men”. Our motivation to work should reflect God’s character and commands. As bearers of his image, we work because our Creator works. We are created to be overseers of God’s creation and worship God when we choose to do so. When we work to serve God, we are aware He is intimately present with us workers, and we are not alone because we are co-labourers with God.

I do not know what motivated that Egyptian gentleman to clean latrines, but he seemed to reconcile the work conditions with the reality that chores needed to be done by someone. We, however, should be motivated by the truth that we are image bearers created to rule, to partner with God to draw out the earth’s potential and unleash it for human flourishing. We should work in cooperation with God to build a civilization where his people can thrive in his presence.

Merry Christmas.

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God. Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6).

Many of us may have spent Christmas Eve, like Mary and Joseph, in a strange town without a bed. This year, we will spend Christmas in our homes. In other years, we’d visit family and take whatever bed was offered. I thought a hay bail might not have been all that bad as I struggled to climb over my grandson’s bed rail. When kids were in the house, we woke on Christmas morning to excited children who turned on all the lights so we could see the gifts. I remember getting out of bed and seeing a cross hanging on my grandson’s wall that read, “JESUS LOVES ME – I LOVE JESUS. It was a very appropriate image for a Christmas morning, reminding me of what we were about to celebrate. 

Christmas is about Jesus and His love for us. Jesus’s love is the gift that keeps giving; yesterday, today and tomorrow. It’s a message we can share Christmas day or evening. Jesus wants us to make Christmas every day for our family, friends, neighbours, and work colleagues by reminding them of the reason for the birth. 

Have a restful, loving Christmas this year. 

I love to tell the story …

“I love to tell the story of unseen things above,
Of Jesus and His glory, of Jesus and His love.
I love to tell the story because I know it is true;
It satisfies my longings as nothing else can do.

(Christian Hymn “I love to tell the story”
     by Katherin Katherine Hankey 1866)

Do you know any follower of Christ who struggle to talk with others about their faith? The number is probably much higher than we can imagine, which is very sad considering we have been “given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 13: 11). There are common reasons people cite as the cause of their struggle but mostly it is linked to the uncertainty about what to say. When Jesus discussed sharing scripture, He quoted Isaiah saying, “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn”. This is a key statement because He told the disciples and us that God chooses who and when the truth will be revealed. If we forget this, it is God’s message that we are sharing, not our own, and He must be involved in the sharing. 

So, if God allows those around us to get the message, do we have any role? The answer, of course, is yes, as outlined in our great commission (Matthew 28:16-20). Someone must share, as Paul suggests, “But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? (Romans 10:14). Jesus told us to go out and share His truth, and He told us that the Holy Spirit would be given to us to help us. God will create circumstances that will put us in a position to tell someone about our faith, and we should be prepared. 

It need not be a struggle to talk about our faith if we approach it remembering that God is preparing people to hear. Millions of people know about God because a handful of disciples obeyed the Holy Spirit’s nudge and shared the stories they knew about Jesus. Millions are prepared to hear about Jesus, especially at this time of the year when Christmas is in the air. We can be part of this tradition of telling the story. 

Pray our family, friends, neighbours, and colleagues are open to hearing the Christmas story and our own story of faith. We can share about our life before becoming followers, the events that led to our becoming followers of Jesus, and our lives after accepting Jesus. All believers should know their own story, which Jesus wants us to share. We should recall, recognize, and rehearse our story to recite it to those who Jesus prepared to listen. The only struggle we genuinely face is between us and the evil one. He wants us to keep the truth to ourselves because our story includes him as the defeated enemy of God. 

Galatians says, “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25). The Holy Spirit lives in followers and wants us to share God’s news. Let’s work with Him.    

What can I do?

“I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.” 
John 10:10b


Does how you spend today concern you? What does God want you to do today? Asking God that question is not the wrong way to start your day. Questions make us think. They help us connect, and they are the building stones to wisdom. 

Jesus asked His followers questions all the time.

Questions such as:
Did you never read the scriptures? (Matt 21:42)
Can any of you, by worrying, add a single moment to your lifespan? Matt 6:27:
Do you love me? (John 21:16):
If I am telling you the truth, why do you not believe me? (John 8:46).

He asked these questions because he was concerned about how people would spend their day, the day to follow, the next, and even how they would spend eternity. He wanted them to ask simple questions about life to make their days meaningful. He wanted them to realize their purpose.  

When we pray, read scripture or talk with others about God, we can understand what our days can be like. How can we spend our day is a question often asked of God, and Jesus answered. He wants us to love Him with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind and love our neighbour as we love ourselves (Luke 10:27). Is it that simple?

How would we do that? We begin with a prayer of gratitude for being given today, offer encouragement and love to those we encounter, and look for God’s presence in all we see and do. When the day ends, we thank Him for the blessings and ask if we can do it again tomorrow. 

When the trumpet sounds!

The bugle call draws people together to reflect on war sacrifices. 
They were also used in battle to signal movement.
Trumpets are symbols of strength in the bible and are sounded when something significant is about to happen.


At the 11th hour, on the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, an armistice was signed that ended fighting on land, sea, and air during World War I, bringing about peace that had not been felt for several years. Today, Armistice Day is no longer about celebrating peace, but it is about remembering those who died in the conflict. On 11 November, we used the name Remembrance Day and marked it with ceremonies to recognize the Canadian men and women who had lost their lives in defence of our freedom. Since the confederation approximately 111, 000 Canadian soldiers have died and many more injured. The sacrifices were not in vain, and our 1982 Charter of Rights and Freedom outlined the rights they fought for. Because of their willingness to stand against oppression, we can pray whenever we want, read scripture, gather to worship, and tell others about Jesus. These freedoms allow us to enjoy and share the blessings God has given us. 

However, since the beginning, an enemy has been trying to destroy our freedom, and the might of all the armies on Earth can never conquer it. Scripture tells us, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” Ephesians 6: 12. Only the sacrifice of Jesus could free us from the grip of Satan’s influence over our mindset. Jesus died to liberate everyone from the worldly or ego-based mindset that separates us from God, or that affects our faith in his power and authority over the physical, emotional and financial negativity of life. 

On Remembrance Day, the bugle call draws people together to reflect on war sacrifices. Bugles had been part of military life and were used to signal daily events that occurred in a soldier’s life – they sounded when it was time to get up, go to bed, time to eat and so on. They were also used in battle to signal movement. Trumpets are symbols of strength in the bible and are sounded when something significant is about to happen. The book of Revelation reminds us that Christ will return to the Earth and bring peace. We will know that He comes at the sound of the trumpet. Revelations Chapter 8-11 speaks about the 7 Trumpets that will announce the end of time. The first six trumpets serve as a wake-up call to the sinners on Earth and a call to repentance. Each trumpet blast brings a plague of a more disastrous nature than the one before it. The seventh trumpet does not carry a plague with it. Instead, it is sounded so that glory is given to God and His kingdom is announced.

On 11 November, we remember the sacrifices of those men and women who went to war to have the freedoms we have today. However, their sacrifices are in vain if we do not accept the freedoms given to us by Jesus’ sacrifice. The freedom to make choices that affect our lives, the lives of our families and our community and the freedom of choice that affects our eternity. The freedoms earned by our military can be taken away from us by our government or a foreign aggressor, but the freedom Jesus gave us over sin can never be taken from us. 

When you hear the bugle call this Remembrance Day, remember our fallen soldiers and the battle they fought for us. But also remember Jesus’ sacrifice grants us the freedom to choose victory over the oppressive and destructive nature of sin, freedom from falling to temptation and making poor choices that destroy families, marriages, and communities. Jesus’ sacrifice freed us from hopelessness and offered joy and peace of mind. Let’s honour our military’s sacrifices by accepting Jesus’s gift. 

Do it now !

“If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.”  (James 4:17 NIV).

Humanly speaking, procrastination is understandable and likely. However, procrastination is not part of God’s best plan for our lives. We don’t often view procrastination as a sin, but it is. Sin is not merely doing wrong. It is failing to do what you know you should do when you know you should do it. Knowledge equals responsibility. Procrastination and disobedience are just opposite sides of the same coin.
 
Procrastination helps us avoid doing the things we don’t want to, which require personal discipline and a commitment to godly goals. Wasting time often creates a restless feeling that produces a sense of failure. When the deadline we were supposed to meet has come and gone, or the dreaded task we keep putting off spirals out of control, guilt sets in. We try to rationalize it away when the simple truth is that we have sinned.
 
Do you realize that it takes as much energy to avoid a task as it does to do it? Procrastination drains energy, while action produces power. God empowers us to do what He calls us to do. Truth is for now. God is not impressed with good intentions. Obedience today is the most significant preparation for tomorrow. So do what you know to do today!
 
Procrastination is about loving oneself and pleasing oneself above others. In Romans 12:10, Paul says we should love each other profoundly and honour others more than we love and honour ourselves—the moments God gives us matter now and eternally. We are responsible for how we spend them. Each moment in time represents an eternal opportunity. Evaluate your life in light of these truths. 
 
How well do you invest your time? What one change can you make this week to overcome procrastination? Ask a friend or family member to hold you accountable to make that change.  

Great Canadian Giving Challenge

We sincerely thank everyone who has partnered with us in spreading the good news of Jesus Christ.  

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This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Great Canadian Giving Challenge*, and it’s bigger and better than ever! For every donation of $10 or more to any charity via CanadaHelps.org in June, you get one entry to win incredible adventure-themed prizes. CanadaHelps will also be awarding two prizes of $10,000 donations to two charities!

The Military Christian Fellowship of Canada is supported through people like you. Would you consider a one-time gift this June? Your support and prayers are invaluable in our mission to touch lives and share the love of Jesus.

Deployed-Podcast – “DP1”.

“Discussing faith, family, and work life as a Christian.” 

Allow me to introduce myself, Rick Campbell, pastor of Deployed Church, an online ministry of Oromocto Baptist Church.  This online ministry provides audio podcast for you to listen to at your convenience and encourage you in your faith.
 
The aim of these podcasts is to discuss faith, family, and work life as a Christian who is currently active or retired from the military.
 
The goal of these podcasts is to pass on the experiences of Christian military members and retirees to other members, their families and to the broader church family.
 
The topics we discuss are faith, family, and work. The experiences shared in these podcasts, will uplift, and strengthen you in your walk with Christ.
 
Recording are done in audio and then posted to the podcast platforms. (DP1 Deployed Podcast). Guests have the option of not using their name or using initials or a first name.

Do not hesitate to provide us with feedback or if you have any questions or comments about the podcast you can contact us at the MCF office

In Christ,
Rick Campbell
DP1 Deployed 

How should Christians in the CAF respond to and influence the cultural change that is reaching every aspect of our institution?

On Tuesday, February 6, 2024, join the discussion led by panel members who have, like all of us, found themselves facing the inevitable tension between recent cultural change initiatives and their faith in Jesus Christ.

Can we serve without compromising our faith? Can we truly love our non-Christian comrades? Is there still a place for Christians in the CAF?

There are no easy answers, but as Christians we know that where we need to look is to God and his word, as a community. This discussion will provide a chance to listen and ask questions as we all seek to serve faithfully.

To make the discussion available across the country, there will be 2 sessions on 6 Feb, the first from 1900-2030 EST followed by 1900-2030 MST. Feel free to join whichever one works best with your schedule.

The panel will be hosted by the Military Christian Fellowship and open to all members of the military Christian community who are asking these kinds of questions. It will be live on Discord.

Please contact the event coordinator, Andrew Haves through the MCF office for more information and to receive the link to Discord.