What happens when the largest country in the world with the second largest military invades the second largest European nation creating the largest European conflict since WWII and one of the greatest international crisis since that time, which will have ripple effects around the world? God’s people pray.

While many leaders throughout the world speak vaguely of prayer it is nothing like what King George VI, King of Canada, issued in WWII at the fall of France and before the ‘miracle of Dunkirk”:

“We must pray…This next Sunday, I’m calling for a national day of prayer…Let us with one heart and soul, humbly but confidently, commit our cause to God and ask his aid, that we may valiantly defend the right as it is given to us to see it.”

Today is not May 1940, however, and so we shouldn’t expect our leaders to lead in the area of prayer—that is the responsibility of the Church:

1 Ti 2:1–2 says, First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.

Remember how King Hezekiah, facing the Assyrian advance, looked the LORD alone for deliverance (Isa 37).

And so as many of us have already begun to do as news of this conflict has reached us, let us unite our prayers together as MBC for peace. I encourage everyone to pray for this conflict each mealtime until we gather this Lord’s Day.

What specifically might we pray for?
-that God’s will be done
-that peace and diplomacy may still prevail
-for wisdom for world leaders
-for Christians and missionaries in Ukraine, Russia and surrounding countries, for them to be a light
-for the many refugees [potentially millions] this will create
-that the conflict may be contained
-for the international fallout
-that peace and freedom may be preserved in Canada
-that wars and rumours of wars may shake the world’s spiritual lethargy and that people may see today as the day of salvation

In the face of this conflict may we be a witness to fellow Canadians:

• Of faith in the midst of fear
• Of hope in the midst of despair
• Of certainty in the midst of confusion
• Of a heavenly focus in the midst of worldliness
• Of Good News rather than Bad News

Power- the ability to do something. Gangs have power, power of force or coercion. Gangs have power to take things from you but not the authority to do it.

Authority- the right to do something. By-Law officers have authority, authority to issue tickets, but not the power to enforce the payment of those tickets.

In Jesus’ day the religious leaders had power but they lacked authority because most of what they did and taught rested not on the Word of God but their traditions (Mk 7:7).

When Jesus spoke as God’s Son and from His Word everyone was amazed at the authority by which He did so. That authority had a positive effect. For example when Jesus finished the Sermon on the Mount it says:

28 And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes. (Mt 7:28–29)

Likewise in Mark when Jesus had begun His ministry it says:

22 And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. (Mk 1:22)

In Acts when the authoritative Word went forth the Church grew (e.g. Acts 6:7 and others in Acts). Carried forth by the Spirit it also had power.

We should take courage from this thread in Scripture. Politicians, media, interest groups, squeaky wheels in our community, spiritual opponents all often wield great power yet want authority. Yet Christ has given authority (His Great Commission) and power (His Word & Spirit) to His Church. As ambassadors of Christ’s Church Christians can use the “living and active” (Heb 4:12) Word of God to great effect. When we teach its truths, cite it, quote it, counsel from it, write it, share it—because our culture speaks from power but not authority—people will be astonished by the authority by which we speak.  
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So as the world seeks to coerce believers into silence from speaking the truth, let us remember that as we trust God’s Word we will speak with power and authority, which will bear much fruit.

Have you ever read the Bible and seen something new, something you’ve never noticed before? You should, that is if you’re regularly reading the Bible, because it is living and active (Heb 4:12).
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Recently our family finished part two of Pilgrim’s Progress, John Bunyan’s allegory of the Christian life. Knowing this someone gave our son an illustrated children’s work, which is very accessible yet without compromising the message.

As Christian carried on his journey to the Celestial City (Heaven) he entered the Valley of Humiliation, but he did so having just visited the Palace Beautiful (Church), being equipped with the sword of the Spirit (the Bible). In the Valley of Humiliation Christian knew he would face Apollyon (Satan). The book says, “Christian was terrified. He wondered if he should turn and run. But he had no armour protecting his back, and Apollyon could easily attack him there.” The chapter makes evident use of Eph 6 and the Armour of God. What struck me were those words, “But he had no armour protecting his back.”

In reading those words a thought crossed my mind; I had to look up Eph 6 to see if this was borne out. Is the armour there described in that way? Firstly, even though portions of a soldier’s armour described there wrapped around a soldiers body (e.g. the helmet and belt) all of the armour described is design with the soldier’s outward orientation in mind (i.e. facing the enemy). Though more advanced and later armour could protect a soldiers back (hence an interpretation of the old phrase “being stabbed in the back”), the backs of those bending legs and the back with the rotating shoulders were oh so hard to protect. So soldiers were safest when they maintained an outward orientation.

The Church, the Army of God pictured in Eph 6, is likewise to have the same orientation. When we forget to stand alert to Satan’s prowling’s (1 Pet 5) and become embroiled in needless internal squabbles about tertiary matters (or even mere opinions like the colour of the carpet) we very much end up looking like the Church in Eph 4, orientated inward.

Changing metaphors, think of Bison. When they are threatened they don’t turn inward and dispute with themselves (or kick aimlessly with their legs). No, they form an outward oriented  circle (with the young in the middle). So it should be with the Church. We are strongest when we remain united on the essentials with an outward orientation on our mission.

Turning back to Eph 6 we also see the fight is forward (i.e. it is not a retreat, c.f. Mt 16). While it is true words like “withstand” and “stand firm” are used that don’t seem overly offensive and most of the armour is defensive in nature, combined they certainly don’t suggest retreat either but rather head on confrontation. Building on this, there is a clear offensive streak in the passage. The sword is offensive and so is everything connected with the advance of the Gospel.

Like the Bison, their focus is outward so that they can fight forward against the foe. The Church is not only best when we’re outward oriented but when we’re forward fighting, that is when we—in faith—aggressively conduct ourselves in the Great Commission.

We don’t run away from Satan’s advance, we meet it. We don’t turn inward and implode through futile disputes and carnal controversies, we unite in Christ and face the foe.
Aren’t you glad the Word is living and active?