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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1998-07-22, Page 12HELPING THE WORLD WRITE NOW CODE Self-sufficiency through literacy in the developing world For information, call 1-800-661-2633 Go figure! If just 1% more Canadians were physically active, annual savings in health-care costs could be as much as 512,000,000. por Sharing a Healthier Future'i ,,,PaRnaPacrion Part Uzi, gatt Wettaliip, at Brussels Mennonite Fellowship 9:30 a.m. Worship Service 10:45 a.m. Christian Education (classes for all ages) Pastor Ben Wiebe 887-6388 Everyone Wetcorne MELVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS 11:00 a.m. - Morning Service - Sunday School 9:30 a.m. - Belgrave Service Wheelchair accessible Nursery care available Through the month of July, joint services with Brussels United Church We welcome you to come and worship with us. Rev. Cathrine Campbell - 887-9831 Teaching values A thoughtful Hatach, emissary for Mordecai (Thomas Leenders) listens to Esther (Aaren Hodgins) in this presentation from a troupe of young performers at the Brussels Mennonite Fellowship's Kids' Corner last week. The group has been hired by the Mennonite Conference of Eastern Canada to appear at eight different churches for the period of a week each. The theme of their work is Kids and Values — Living God's Way. It focuses on trust, respect, courage, honesty and kindness. .0.. • The 1)43. 1P. Blyth United Church will be meeting with THE BLYTH COMMUNITY CHURCH OF GOD July 12, 19 & 26 at 11 a.m. Please join us there each Sunday for Morning Worship HURON CHAPEL EVANGELICAL MISSIONARY CHURCH PASTOR JAMES H, CARNE AUBURN 526-7515 ASSOCIATE PASTOR - YOUTH - JEREMY SHUART 523-9788 Sunday 8:45 a.m. - Morning Worship Service 10:00 a.m. - Family Bible Hour Monday Wednesday Friday 11 a.m. 8 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. - Morning Worship Service - Evening Service - New Hope Support Group - Prayer & Bible Study - Youth BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA Rev. Christine Johnson - Minister Church Office 887-6259 Home 887-6540 Sunday, July 26, 1998 9:30 a.m. - Ethel Worship 11:00 a.m. - Brussels Worship Please join us for worship this Sunday Morning Worship Service - 10 a.m. Evening Worship Service - 7:30 p.m. "You are worthy, our ,bird and Cod, to receive glory and honour and power, for you created a ll things, and by your will they were created and hare their being" iterelatiotts 4: I I BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH Rev. Adrian A. Van Geest Hwy. 4, Blyth 523-9233 Wheelchair accessible THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA You are welcome this Sunday Rev. Nancy Beale JULY 26 - PENTECOST 8 MORNING PRAYER Trinity, Blyth St. John's, 9:30 a.m. Brussels Wheelchair accessible 11:15 a.m. You are `Welcome at the BLYTH COMMUNITY CHURCH OF GOD 9:45 a.m. - Sunday School for Children and Adults 11:00 a.m. - Morning Worship Bible Studies - Wednesday 10 a.m. & 7:30 p.m. Phone 523-4590 McConnell St., Blyth PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 1998. From the Minister's Study History shows lack of discipline results in chaos Rev. Adrian A. Van Geest Blyth Christian Reformed Church A world without discipline is a world in chaos. It's not hard to prove this thesis. History is replete with examples. The lack of discipline led to horrifying genocide in Rwanda. It has led to wild riots during soccer matches in various countries. It has led to widespread looting and burning in Indonesia. And so the list can go on. The lack of discipline inevitably produces chaotic situations. What we see on a worldwide scale is also true in the lives of individuals. People who do not have the benefit of adequate discipline also tend to end up in chaos. It means going through life without a compass to guide them in the right direction. And the inevitable result is moral failure. Yet, for many people, the word "discipline" seems to be a dirty word. They associate it with repression, with crushing the human spirit. But what home or school can function well without discipline? Discipline is essential for the healthy development of the child. "Discipline" should be one of the more prized words in our vocabulary because true discipline is an act of love. But discipline must not be arbitrary. Discipline is to uphold standards. That may explain why discipline often seems to be lacking. Either there are no clearly stated standards or there is a refusal to accept the standards. The latter case s simply a matter of rebellion. The Former case is an indication of moral confusion. Not all that long ago, the Bible provided society with clear standards of right and wrong. And judicial discipline sought to uphold these standards. It also provided individuals with moral standards for their behaviour. And self discipline meant submission to these moral standards taught by the Word of God. But the standards found in God's Word have mostly been thrown overboard by our judicial system and by individual citizens. And that has been the source of much grief in the land. Many people may still pay lip service to God, but they don't pay a whole lot of attention to what God asks of them. They tend to think that God's discipline will take something away from them. The ancient psalm writer said of God: "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." (PSalm 119:105). But modern people no longer think that way. They go by their own light. They set their own standards. And that has produced the society we have today. A society full of despair. A society with growing social problems. And what is worse: a society in spiritual darkness. We need to go back to accepting God's discipline for life as we learn it from the Bible. That is the discipline of a loving Father, of one who knows us inside and out. It is the discipline that leads to ultimate freedom. It is the discipline we need to break all ties with the Evil One and to look to God for our hope for this life and for the life to come. God's purpose in his discipline of us is nothing but advancing our happiness. What God's discipline is really all about is teaching us to live a life of love. Love is the hope of the world. That is above all true of God's love for rebellious sinners. It was his love that made him send his son Jesus into the world to pay for their sins. Jesus exercised perfect self- discipline. And God accept that on our behalf. Now he wants to mold us in the image of his Son who was love personified. Love will overcome tribal jealousies that can lead to genocide. Love enables us to resist the urge to engage in wild rioting when swept up by the masses. Love will keep us from looting and burning the possessions of those we see as our oppressors. Love can make sacrifices. Love is willing to serve. Love can be the least. And God's discipline is all about having us show such love.