I learned today that I will be charged again for gathering the congregation for worship. It sounds like there will only be one charge, which means that the total will now sit at a maximum 300,000 and 3 years in prison. The good news is that there does not appear to be any move on the part of the authorities to lock us out of our church building as they have done with other churches in Ontario.
I confess I don't understand the logic behind these decisions. There is a police presence every week, but week by week nothing is said to us and nothing is done by them. So I find myself wondering, how did they decide on one charge? And why now? Are they just catching up? The truth is none of this makes sense because all of it is unlawful.
And so we go forward in faith. Duty is ours, events are God's.
The hard part - for me - isn't the possible outcome in terms of sentencing. The hard part is continued compliance of so many churches. That I find heartbreaking.
Praise the Lord that you are doing what literally all pastors should be doing; obeying God rather than man. Regardless of what mankind can do to you, it is all in God’s perfect plan for you and for His church.
The below is easier said than done, but it still applies to all.
Acts 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
Matthew 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
“What advantage is it to us to know that God has created, and by His providence doth still uphold all things? A. That we may be patient in adversity;8 thankful in prosperity;9 and that in all things which may hereafter befall us, we place our firm trust in our faithful God and Father,10 that nothing shall separate us from His love;11 since all creatures are so in His hand, that without His will they cannot so much as move.†(Heidelberg)
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USER COMMENTS | 
6/8/2021 5:51 AM
