This question came up during Ask The Pastor this year ramping up toward Christmas:

ATP Question: When did the tradition of Advent start? What is the history behind it?

Answer: The tradition of Advent itself started back in at least 567 AD when monks were ordered to fast during December leading up to Christmas. The tradition in the Catholic church is some people fast (don't eat anything) during advent to help them concentrate on preparing to celebrate Jesus's coming. So in many Orthodox and Eastern Catholics Churches, Advent lasts for 40 days and starts on November 15th and is also called the Nativity Fast. (Advent also starts on November 15th in Celtic Christianity.) 

But the Advent most of us know (starting the four Sundays before Christmas) started in the 1850’s in Germany when they started making home made calendars with windows to open and seeing a Nativity image inside which actually goes back to Medieval times when they painted Nativity scenes. So the calendars started at that time, and then became really popular during WW2. The traditional Advent calendars had no chocolate, rather just the windows to open with pictures inside... scenes of the Nativity. 

This one has scripture on the inside of the doors. We bought this years ago not realizing the history behind this kind of Advent calendar. 

Cool! Merry Christmas!

Christmas is better this year...

Let me say... I always enjoy Christmas. 

It was rough 3 years ago though when it was mom's last, and we knew it. 

2 years ago it was the first without mom, and that was so hard. It was quieter than usual. No infectious laugh we all loved. It was Christmas, but just, solemn.

Last year we saw the start of something new happening... dad was newly engaged and we met the new extended family, and our little girl Shiloh experienced Christmas for the first time - but of course not really getting it being under a year old.

This year? Dad is newly married, our little girl is a year old and really starting to take in all the Christmas things, and we're looking toward the future - a little unclear - but still trusting God for the outcome.

I know this time of year people will be cheery and celebrating Jesus, and I am all for that believe me! I just stop to think of those who have lost loved ones and this will be their first Christmas without them. I understand. It hurts. 

It's our third Christmas without mom (she'll have been gone three years in February), and she never got to see our little girl. Shiloh only knows her image from pictures. Mom would have loved Shiloh. 

I take this all in and can only really say with Job, The Lord gives, the Lord takes away - blessed be the name of the Lord... and then rely on Proverbs 3:5,6 (Amplified) - 5 Trust in and rely confidently on the Lord with all your heart And do not rely on your own insight or understanding.
6 6 In all your ways know and acknowledge and recognize Him,
And He will make your paths straight and smooth [removing obstacles that block your way].

So no matter where you're at this Christmas - if you are a child of God, saved by our Lord Jesus Christ - know that God is with you and will walk with you throughout anything life dishes out - good or bad. 

Remember what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 12:9, but He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you [My loving kindness and My mercy are more than enough—always available—regardless of the situation]; for [My] power is being perfected [and is completed and shows itself most effectively] in [your] weakness.” Therefore, I will all the more gladly boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ [may completely enfold me and] may dwell in me.

So Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Robertsons and all of us at LIFE 100.3!

80 Years of Faithfulness and Blessing

My dad, Doug Robertson, turns 80 tomorrow. Yeah 80. Wow. He has been blessed with parents who loved the Lord and who I remember dearly. He has been blessed to marry his high school love in my mom. He has been blessed to have kids - my brother, sister and I. He has been blessed to have grandkids from all of us kids. And he has been been blessed to find a new person to love after we lost mom to brain cancer almost 3 years ago now.

Growing up with dad was always interesting. He was a hard worker, traveled a lot, and made his way up the rankings of the insurance industry. At church he was always a respected man from what I saw and heard. He served as both Deacon and Elder for 2 churches - Churchill Heights Baptist Church (Morningstar Christian Fellowship) and Fairview Baptist Church. He helped guide the building process and expansions at both churches, and still consults with Fairview for their plans.

Dad once said, "Better to be thought of as a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt." He had used that philosophy at many occasions I'm sure as I have tried to do. He served as a youth leader using the Word of Life curriculum, Sunday School teacher, and more.

One of my favourite memories growing up was when at the end of a morning service they had called for an offering and he was an usher that day, so he quickly grabbed an offering plate - one of those big metal kinds - and threw it Frisbee style to Gary Spence right across the back pews diagonally! Luckily no one was sitting there! I was upstairs on AV and saw the choir laughing - I didn't know why until later!

Dad was always big on respect - something a lot of our current generation seems to be lacking. That was something he ingrained in us as kids. He also taught us that part of being a believer is to serve - he did that by example. He led us in Bible studies, and corrected when he needed to. He didn't leave mom to handle it all, it was a home that it was understood that if you messed up, "Just wait until your father gets home."

I have had meaningful talks with dad, many during the time when mom was going through her journey towards home, and still he was teaching through example. I asked how he was doing as a son could ask a dad, and he said he was okay, but that it was not his strength, but God's. Times of joy. love, tears, and more over the years. Now he's 80, and still going strong with his new wife, and still serving as he can for the church. What an example.

Happy Birthday dad!

How old are you - as a believer?

I have 3 kids at home, 16, 12 and 1 1/2 and they show me the different stages where I need to watch as a parent, how my wife and I need to attend to their needs based on their ages. 

It reminds me how as believers we’re all in different stages and need different help as we grow. We're all in different stages in our walk with God, the question is how far have we grown? Are we still infants, crying and fussing to get our way? Are we like a young child, a little more mature but still looking out for ourselves mainly? Are we more like a Jr High student who is starting to see the word beyond themselves? Are we like a High School student who is more aware of others for sure, and starting to see the need to put others first? Are we like a college/university student who is getting all sorts of information thrown at them and trying to absorb it all and then make a reasonable decision and honour God with it? Are we adults seeking God and others first, seeing how we can be more like God day in day out? Are we experienced adults who are becoming mentors for others? So many stages to go through, and those are just some. The point is, we need to just ask God for that help as grow older in our faith!

Summer heat, not as hot as...

Okay, time to get serious. This summer has been hot yes, 35 feeling like 45 temps. People have died as a result, but as hot as that is, there is a place hotter than that. Pure fire, pain and torment for eternity. It is the place called hell. Many will go there and be surprised. Matthew 7:21 - 23, 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ Hell is a real place, with fire and pain, and no one should ever want to go there. Some people say, "But all my friends will be there! It'll be one big party!" I once heard a response to this, try getting your friends together in a house, douse it in gasoline, set it on fire, and try having a party in that. Now imagine that scenario for eternity. THAT is what we need to be saved from. THAT is why we preach repentance. God doesn’t want to send anyone there as 2 Peter 3:9 says, The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

I don't want anyone to go there. God Doesn't want anyone to go there, but if you're reading this and don't know or don't care - then this warning is for you. Scripture tells us to warn about the consequences of sin and that if we don't we will be held accountable as Ezekiel 3:16 – 21 says, 16 At the end of seven days the word of the Lord came to me: 17 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. 18 When I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for[b] their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. 19 But if you do warn the wicked person and they do not turn from their wickedness or from their evil ways, they will die for their sin; but you will have saved yourself. 20 “Again, when a righteous person turns from their righteousness and does evil, and I put a stumbling block before them, they will die. Since you did not warn them, they will die for their sin. The righteous things that person did will not be remembered, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. 21 But if you do warn the righteous person not to sin and they do not sin, they will surely live because they took warning, and you will have saved yourself.” Now while this was directed at the Israelites and Ezekiel at the time, the message holds true for us today, the warning holds true for us today. So for those who reject Jesus, I am sorry to say that this is what will happen to you if you don't repent and come to Him as your Lord and Saviour. My plea is that you would come to Him today! For those who are believers and playing games with God, stop and repent. May we all ask God to search our hearts and show us what needs to be changed. Myself included.

A-men.

Forgiveness

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:32 (NIV) Forgiving others is tough to do sometimes, yet we need to if God is to forgive us, Matthew 6:15 says, But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. So how are we doing forgiving each other today? Just some food for thought today...

In memory of Billy Graham

Today, we lost a giant in the faith. Billy Graham. He was 99 years old and is now present with the Lord he served faithfully for 70 years in ministry.

I saw Billy Graham at what was called Skydome back in 1995 in Toronto. I had taken our youth group there and it was amazing to see him receive a huge standing ovation from over 60, 000 in attendance. DC Talk had performed Jesus Freak which was brand new at the time, and I can still see DC Talk embrace Billy and then start the chant that took over in the crowd - "Billy! Billy! Billy!" I know he would say it was the wrong chant, that they should have been chanting for Jesus. But this was a man who never lost his integrity in over 70 years of ministry. His son now operates the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and is very much like his dad. A great hero of the faith is gone at 99 years of age, but now he walks with Jesus face to face. Here's a clip from that crusade: 

 
 I have some of his books and have heard his messages. So hard to imagine his cousin was Jerry Lee Lewis - the guy who gave us Great Balls of Fire. He never wavered in his faith. He will be missed.