Read my latest blog entry under the title 25th Anniversary for a Pregnancy Care Centre, at http://humanlifematters.blogspot.com/
MP
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Friday, October 23, 2009
Judeo Christian roots of America
Hollywood, much of the liberal media and other secular elites try to revise history to downplay the Christianity that lies at the foundations of America. I refer readers to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpQOCvthw-o . God bless America.
MP
Monday, October 19, 2009
The Christians: Their First Two Thousand Years
Many readers of my blogs will be interested in an important new book series called The Christians: Their First Two Thousand Years. I’ve mentioned this book series in previous blog entries.
Readers may say, “Yeah, right, Pickup’s bringing this up to brag about his son who’s the art director for the series.” Yes, I suppose that is true, although I also recognize the importance of a book series written by Christians about Christian history. This is important in an anti-Christian era such this that is not below revising history.
Volume Seven of the series has been published: A Glorious Disaster A.D. 1100 to 1300 The Crusades: blood, valor, iniquity, reason, faith. You can read a review at http://thechristians.ca/.
This volume is consistent with previous volumes in its engaging writing style and stunning visuals. My son Dean has told me that Volume 7 was the most challenging yet rewarding for him.
The website for The book series addresses this point:
“The visual impact Volume 7 is undoubtedly the strongest book in the series. That anyway is the opinion of one man who should know, namely Dean Pickup who has served as designer and art director of all seven. "True," says Mr. Pickup, "we have less commissioned artwork in this volume than in some of the others. But we also had far more previously published imagery to choose from, and therefore did not need to commission as much ourselves. Major events like the Crusades and fascinating individuals like Thomas Aquinas, Richard the Lionheart, St. Francis, Barbarossa and St. Louis have challenged the imagination of artists for centuries. All this was now available to us, and will continue to be for the remaining volumes."
"Yet," he confessed, "the Gothic cathedral pages in this volume were some of the most intimidating layouts I have ever encountered. It seemed impossible to show in print, the majestic grandeur of these buildings, which took hundreds of people hundreds of years to complete. We can only hope that on these pages we have conveyed at least one bare hint of their ineffable magnificence."
Yes, Dean, you succeeded.
I would encourage readers to visit the website for The Christians: Their First Two Thousand Years, at http://www.thechristians.ca/. This series will be a valued addition to your library.
MP
(For more reading on A Glorious Disaster A.D. 1100 to 1300 The Crusades: blood, valor, iniquity reason, faith go to http://www.wcr.ab.ca/news/2009/0511/byfield051109.shtml)
Readers may say, “Yeah, right, Pickup’s bringing this up to brag about his son who’s the art director for the series.” Yes, I suppose that is true, although I also recognize the importance of a book series written by Christians about Christian history. This is important in an anti-Christian era such this that is not below revising history.
Volume Seven of the series has been published: A Glorious Disaster A.D. 1100 to 1300 The Crusades: blood, valor, iniquity, reason, faith. You can read a review at http://thechristians.ca/.
This volume is consistent with previous volumes in its engaging writing style and stunning visuals. My son Dean has told me that Volume 7 was the most challenging yet rewarding for him.
The website for The book series addresses this point:
“The visual impact Volume 7 is undoubtedly the strongest book in the series. That anyway is the opinion of one man who should know, namely Dean Pickup who has served as designer and art director of all seven. "True," says Mr. Pickup, "we have less commissioned artwork in this volume than in some of the others. But we also had far more previously published imagery to choose from, and therefore did not need to commission as much ourselves. Major events like the Crusades and fascinating individuals like Thomas Aquinas, Richard the Lionheart, St. Francis, Barbarossa and St. Louis have challenged the imagination of artists for centuries. All this was now available to us, and will continue to be for the remaining volumes."
"Yet," he confessed, "the Gothic cathedral pages in this volume were some of the most intimidating layouts I have ever encountered. It seemed impossible to show in print, the majestic grandeur of these buildings, which took hundreds of people hundreds of years to complete. We can only hope that on these pages we have conveyed at least one bare hint of their ineffable magnificence."
Yes, Dean, you succeeded.
I would encourage readers to visit the website for The Christians: Their First Two Thousand Years, at http://www.thechristians.ca/. This series will be a valued addition to your library.
MP
(For more reading on A Glorious Disaster A.D. 1100 to 1300 The Crusades: blood, valor, iniquity reason, faith go to http://www.wcr.ab.ca/news/2009/0511/byfield051109.shtml)
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus
A startling headline shouted from the front page of the newspaper: “Flu hits young women hard”. The article revealed that the second wave of swine flu (H1N1) is striking healthy teenage girls and young adults particularly hard. Canadian researchers at the University of Manitoba studied the cases of 113 women and 55 men admitted to hospital intensive care units between April and August of this year: The average age was 32 years. Twenty-nine of those people died (17%). This is reminiscent of the Spanish flu outbreak of 1918.
According to the CBC’s Technology and Science on-line news, the H1N1 virus belongs to the same subtype as the Spanish flu that killed more than 20-million people worldwide in 1918-19.
PANDEMIC
The Spanish flu was most deadly amongst people 20-40 years of age. It was unusual in this way because influenza most often kills the elderly and young children. The death rate from the 1918 Spanish flu was 2.5 percent. That meant that out of every 1,000 infected people, 25 died. (The typical mortality rate during flu season is less than one tenth of one percent.) People became ill and died quickly.
There were stories of people developing the flu while on their way to work and dying within hours. There was an anecdotal account of four women playing bridge together. Overnight, three of them died from influenza. According to a Stanford University internet site on the Spanish flu, a physician related how his patients with ordinary flu symptoms would rapidly "develop the most viscous type of pneumonia that has ever been seen". The doctor stated: "It is simply a struggle for air until they suffocate." Physicians were helpless against the Spanish flu. (For more information see http://virus.stanford.edu/uda/)
Fortunately, according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the H1N1 strain of influensa virus is not as virulent or deadly as the 1918 pandemic. Perhaps with vigilant health care practices and proper vaccinations we will be able to keep it that way!
WHAT IF?
But let us imagine for a moment that H1N1 becomes a deadly global pandemic similar to the 1918 Spanish flu. It would probably trigger widespread alarm, at times verging on panic, as people would
be confronted with the prospect of their own mortality and fear for loved-ones. Who would live through the pandemic and who would die from it? Everyone they love would be at risk! It would be a terrible experience to watch a child or spouse slip into the grip of death ― and be helpless to stop it. At such a low and desperate point of grief, all the material possessions acquired in life and the things of this world would mean nothing! What good is wealth or possessions without those who loved and were loved?!
TURN YOUR EYES UPON JESUS
At some point of desperation or defeat, the only consolation lies in God. Unbelief is a most desolate human condition. The atheist thinks that the dead people he loved have ceased to exist. He does not believe he will ever see them again. The agnostic does not know what happened to his loved-ones who perished or what is in store for him. The Christian knows that death is not the end of existence. He places his hope in Jesus Christ. He can find solace in the Hymn Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus. It was written in 1918, by Helen Lemmel, as the Great War and Spanish Flu were killing millions of people who also loved and were loved:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
This great hymn has comforted millions of people for more than ninety years. It certainly has comforted me in times of loss of a loved one, or during periods of terror with neurological degeneration.
The composer of that hymn was right. When we focus on Jesus, the things of earth really do grow strangely dim. Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus has spoken so often to me at a heart-level. It is my favourite hymn. I invite you to take a few minutes to watch Michael Smith's moving rendition of it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QR0LiRiz4l4
MP
According to the CBC’s Technology and Science on-line news, the H1N1 virus belongs to the same subtype as the Spanish flu that killed more than 20-million people worldwide in 1918-19.
PANDEMIC
The Spanish flu was most deadly amongst people 20-40 years of age. It was unusual in this way because influenza most often kills the elderly and young children. The death rate from the 1918 Spanish flu was 2.5 percent. That meant that out of every 1,000 infected people, 25 died. (The typical mortality rate during flu season is less than one tenth of one percent.) People became ill and died quickly.
There were stories of people developing the flu while on their way to work and dying within hours. There was an anecdotal account of four women playing bridge together. Overnight, three of them died from influenza. According to a Stanford University internet site on the Spanish flu, a physician related how his patients with ordinary flu symptoms would rapidly "develop the most viscous type of pneumonia that has ever been seen". The doctor stated: "It is simply a struggle for air until they suffocate." Physicians were helpless against the Spanish flu. (For more information see http://virus.stanford.edu/uda/)
Fortunately, according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the H1N1 strain of influensa virus is not as virulent or deadly as the 1918 pandemic. Perhaps with vigilant health care practices and proper vaccinations we will be able to keep it that way!
WHAT IF?
But let us imagine for a moment that H1N1 becomes a deadly global pandemic similar to the 1918 Spanish flu. It would probably trigger widespread alarm, at times verging on panic, as people would
be confronted with the prospect of their own mortality and fear for loved-ones. Who would live through the pandemic and who would die from it? Everyone they love would be at risk! It would be a terrible experience to watch a child or spouse slip into the grip of death ― and be helpless to stop it. At such a low and desperate point of grief, all the material possessions acquired in life and the things of this world would mean nothing! What good is wealth or possessions without those who loved and were loved?!TURN YOUR EYES UPON JESUS
At some point of desperation or defeat, the only consolation lies in God. Unbelief is a most desolate human condition. The atheist thinks that the dead people he loved have ceased to exist. He does not believe he will ever see them again. The agnostic does not know what happened to his loved-ones who perished or what is in store for him. The Christian knows that death is not the end of existence. He places his hope in Jesus Christ. He can find solace in the Hymn Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus. It was written in 1918, by Helen Lemmel, as the Great War and Spanish Flu were killing millions of people who also loved and were loved:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
This great hymn has comforted millions of people for more than ninety years. It certainly has comforted me in times of loss of a loved one, or during periods of terror with neurological degeneration.
The composer of that hymn was right. When we focus on Jesus, the things of earth really do grow strangely dim. Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus has spoken so often to me at a heart-level. It is my favourite hymn. I invite you to take a few minutes to watch Michael Smith's moving rendition of it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QR0LiRiz4l4
MP
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Ministry to India's blind
I am pre
senting another message from my brother in Christ, Shantijai Khristmukti of Ahmedabad, India. He has a ministry to the blind in the Ahmedabad area. Cultural influences can make India hard ground for the Gospel of Jesus Christ to take root. Despite this, the Gospel is being presented and people are coming to the Lord. Reverend Khristmukti needs our prayers. To learn more about this vital ministry to visually impaired people of India, I invite you to visit Bartimai Centre for the Blind's website at
http://www.geocities.com/bartimai/
Watch an informative 12 minute video about this ministry go to http://www.geocities.com/bartimai/
They need our prayers and financial support. Donations can be sent to:Bartimai Centre For The Blind, Christian Society, Maninagar E, Ahmedabad 380 008, Gujarat, India.
MP
____________________________
October 13, 2009
BARTIMAI CENTRE FOR THE BLIND, AHMEDABAD, INDIA
To: Mr.Mark Pickup
Our dear brother Mark in Christ,
Loving warm greetings in the Name of our Savior Jesus Christ.
Thank you so much for your precious prayers for our ministry among blind people in western India. We value your partnership in Lord's work.
We had problem with our broad band connection and so we didn't have access to internet during last week of September and we couldn't inform you about our Good News Meeting on 2nd inst. We need your prayers.
By God's grace about 181 blind people came to church to attend our meeting!! It is highest number in past two years. Maninagar Methodist Youth Choir presented Gospel songs. Each song was explained. Mr. Enan Roziya shared from the Word of God. The way of salvation was presented in simple way. Several blind people prayed in their hearts to invite Christ as their Personal Savior. Several blind people asked for Gospel Camp (Tent Meetings)! We need much prayer to plan three days meetings.There were children of blind people, some sighted escorts, choir, and counselors. 260 people had enjoyed delicious lunch. We had given groceries to blind people (worth of Rs.144/-).Much prayer is needed. Please Pray that these blind people of other faith may experience love of God and salvation.
We value your prayers.View Photos and Video of the meeting at our web page: http://bartimai.googlepages.com/meet02oct09.htm
Co-laborer in Christ,
Shantijai I.Khristmukti
Director,Bartimai Centre For The BlindAhmedabad, Gujarat, India
senting another message from my brother in Christ, Shantijai Khristmukti of Ahmedabad, India. He has a ministry to the blind in the Ahmedabad area. Cultural influences can make India hard ground for the Gospel of Jesus Christ to take root. Despite this, the Gospel is being presented and people are coming to the Lord. Reverend Khristmukti needs our prayers. To learn more about this vital ministry to visually impaired people of India, I invite you to visit Bartimai Centre for the Blind's website athttp://www.geocities.com/bartimai/
Watch an informative 12 minute video about this ministry go to http://www.geocities.com/bartimai/
They need our prayers and financial support. Donations can be sent to:Bartimai Centre For The Blind, Christian Society, Maninagar E, Ahmedabad 380 008, Gujarat, India.
MP
____________________________
October 13, 2009
BARTIMAI CENTRE FOR THE BLIND, AHMEDABAD, INDIA
To: Mr.Mark Pickup
Our dear brother Mark in Christ,
Loving warm greetings in the Name of our Savior Jesus Christ.
Thank you so much for your precious prayers for our ministry among blind people in western India. We value your partnership in Lord's work.
We had problem with our broad band connection and so we didn't have access to internet during last week of September and we couldn't inform you about our Good News Meeting on 2nd inst. We need your prayers.
By God's grace about 181 blind people came to church to attend our meeting!! It is highest number in past two years. Maninagar Methodist Youth Choir presented Gospel songs. Each song was explained. Mr. Enan Roziya shared from the Word of God. The way of salvation was presented in simple way. Several blind people prayed in their hearts to invite Christ as their Personal Savior. Several blind people asked for Gospel Camp (Tent Meetings)! We need much prayer to plan three days meetings.There were children of blind people, some sighted escorts, choir, and counselors. 260 people had enjoyed delicious lunch. We had given groceries to blind people (worth of Rs.144/-).Much prayer is needed. Please Pray that these blind people of other faith may experience love of God and salvation.
We value your prayers.View Photos and Video of the meeting at our web page: http://bartimai.googlepages.com/meet02oct09.htm
Co-laborer in Christ,
Shantijai I.Khristmukti
Director,Bartimai Centre For The BlindAhmedabad, Gujarat, India
Monday, October 5, 2009
National Right to Life Prayer Breakfast
My wife LaRee and I are giving the keynote address to the 2010 U.S. National Right to Life Prayer Breakfast, in Pittsburgh, PA. For more information, go to http://humanlifematters.blogspot.com/
MP
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Truth or Comfort
Over the years, I have noticed that disasters tend to make people either curse God or seek Him. This was evident after the terrible events of September 11th 2001, when planes hijacked by terrorists crashed into the World Trade Center in New York, and the Pentagon.
People were terrified by the thought of another deadly strike. How and where might it occur? The talk about domestic terrorist networks, the possibility of a crude nuclear “dirty bomb” or some sort of biological warfare only heightened people’s anxiety. A mood of fear gripped North America. The fragility of life and human mortality came into focus for millions of people. Many turned their attention to God; church attendance spiked across North America, for awhile, until people’s fear waned and the events of 9/11 receded with time from acute public anxiety.
Safe and secure people do not usually seek God ―frightened or grief-stricken people do. But as soon as their immediate crisis passes many may revert back to their old established illusions of self-sufficiency ... until the next crisis comes.
People were terrified by the thought of another deadly strike. How and where might it occur? The talk about domestic terrorist networks, the possibility of a crude nuclear “dirty bomb” or some sort of biological warfare only heightened people’s anxiety. A mood of fear gripped North America. The fragility of life and human mortality came into focus for millions of people. Many turned their attention to God; church attendance spiked across North America, for awhile, until people’s fear waned and the events of 9/11 receded with time from acute public anxiety.
Safe and secure people do not usually seek God ―frightened or grief-stricken people do. But as soon as their immediate crisis passes many may revert back to their old established illusions of self-sufficiency ... until the next crisis comes.
COMFORT VERSUS TRUTH
I wonder if they really want God ― the Creator of everything and the essence of all Truth ― or do they merely want an impersonal “life force” to be a security blanket in time of need? Simply put, do they want comfort or truth. An impersonal vague “life force” makes no demands of people and does not challenge them to turn away from sin: only a real God would do that.
Seekers of truth may eventually find comfort but seekers of comfort will not find truth. C.S Lewis put it this way: “If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end; if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth, only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin, and in the end, despair.”
An earnest search for truth will ultimately lead the honest seeker to Christ, by direction of the Holy Spirit, in as much as the seeker is capable of receiving truth. Just prior to his betrayal, Jesus told His disciples:
Seekers of truth may eventually find comfort but seekers of comfort will not find truth. C.S Lewis put it this way: “If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end; if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth, only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin, and in the end, despair.”
An earnest search for truth will ultimately lead the honest seeker to Christ, by direction of the Holy Spirit, in as much as the seeker is capable of receiving truth. Just prior to his betrayal, Jesus told His disciples:
“I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.” (John 16.12-14)
The Holy Spirit does not compel people to the truth of Christ, rather the Holy Spirit leads and guides, cajoles and woos the seeker of truth. It is up to truth seekers to follow knowing that the Holy Spirit always guides and leads to the Objective truth and reality of Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit does not compel people to the truth of Christ, rather the Holy Spirit leads and guides, cajoles and woos the seeker of truth. It is up to truth seekers to follow knowing that the Holy Spirit always guides and leads to the Objective truth and reality of Jesus Christ.
SPIRITUAL REVELATION
The truth seeker will be shocked to discover that Christ is alive and personal (just like millions of Christians have discovered throughout the past two thousand years). At that momentous point of spiritual revelation, the authentic seeker of Objective truth and the dabbler in religion will go in different directions. The dabbler draws back while the seeker trembles that he has found God, then haltingly steps into the penetrating light of Christ. Later he will be humbled to learn that it was God who found him.
He will be humbled to learn that a perfect God sought him even though he is so unworthy and incapable of accepting the Almighty’s perfect love. Is this part of what Christ meant when He said, “I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.”? Perhaps the truth seeker who has accepted Christ will discover that he is unable to bear the glare of God’s perfect and holy love. The light of Christ makes him cower and squint by its intensity until his spiritual eyes adjust to see Christ’s inviting arms extended in sacrifice for sin and ready to embrace sinners. The truth seeker finds what he wanted, the dabbler in religion is found wanting.
We learn from the Old Testament that God is the source of all truth. From the New Testament we learn that Jesus Christ is the Truth and the light of the world. Through Jesus Christ, the whole of God’s truth has been made manifest. (John 1.14; 8.12; cf. 16.4)
He will be humbled to learn that a perfect God sought him even though he is so unworthy and incapable of accepting the Almighty’s perfect love. Is this part of what Christ meant when He said, “I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.”? Perhaps the truth seeker who has accepted Christ will discover that he is unable to bear the glare of God’s perfect and holy love. The light of Christ makes him cower and squint by its intensity until his spiritual eyes adjust to see Christ’s inviting arms extended in sacrifice for sin and ready to embrace sinners. The truth seeker finds what he wanted, the dabbler in religion is found wanting.
We learn from the Old Testament that God is the source of all truth. From the New Testament we learn that Jesus Christ is the Truth and the light of the world. Through Jesus Christ, the whole of God’s truth has been made manifest. (John 1.14; 8.12; cf. 16.4)
To seek the truth of Christ is to prepare for heaven and be made fit for God.
For some people disease and affliction, or loss and bereavement, or calamities of war or natural disasters are their teacher and tough task master. Life altering tribulations can motivate people to seek truth for truth’s sake. The Holy Spirit will guide them if they are willing to be led.
To live and die for Objective truth, which is only found in Christ, is humanity’s greatest calling.
For some people disease and affliction, or loss and bereavement, or calamities of war or natural disasters are their teacher and tough task master. Life altering tribulations can motivate people to seek truth for truth’s sake. The Holy Spirit will guide them if they are willing to be led.
To live and die for Objective truth, which is only found in Christ, is humanity’s greatest calling.
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