posted by Michael on 08/27/08

On Tuesday of our trip, we took a morning outing to see the local Petroglyphs near Peterborough, Ontario. What I had expected to be only interesting turned out to be downright inspiring!

The petroglyphs are ancient carvings in rock, estimated to be between 500 and 1100 years old. Their origin is debated, but generally accepted to be from the native Algonquian Indians, who call them Kinomagewapkong, or “the Teaching Rocks”. At first glance they appear to be a confusing jumble of shapes, lines, and figures that one would suppose to be based on superstition. But thinking of the effort that one would have to take to deeply etch something in stone makes me think that it may be something more. Mom pointed something out to me that I had not noticed. There was a carving of a boat with eight figures in it, one was very large, three were shorter, and four were smaller yet. “Wow” I thought, “The flood in ancient records once again!”

There were also carvings of snakes, which are thought of as evil enemies coming from beneath. That obviously reminded me of Satan and those that belong to him. As Jesus said, “Ye are from beneath… of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do.” (John 8:23 and 44 and also 1 Peter 5:8). The powerful thunderbird is thought of as the guardian of the people, creating lightning and thunder and wind. The fog is said to be his clothing, and when the fog is very thick, Thunderbird has come down to consume the enemy. In Scripture, David wrote of Jehovah being his fortress, deliver, refuge, and savior who came down from above with thunder and lightning, wrapped in dark waters and thick clouds of the skies, delivering him from his enemy that was too strong for him (2 Samuel 22:1-28). Jehovah also came down with lightning, thunder and smoke on Mount Sinai to deliver His law (Ex. 20:18).

Then there was the “Nanabush”. I read about it quickly and moved on. Later Daniel excitedly told me what I had not noticed. Why had I not seen it?! (more…)

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posted by Michael on 07/23/08

The letter was written by Lady Jane Grey, the “9-days Queen”, just before she was put to death at about 17 years of age. One of the most well educated people of her time and a devout Protestant, she took no interest in the common pursuits of the young people of her day. She had her “affection on things above, not on things of the earth” Col. 3:2. She was one of the only true friends of the beloved King Edward VI, and as he was dying at the age of 16, hasty alterations were made to the law of succession so that she could become queen after his death. The crown would have otherwise devolved to Edward’s half-sister Mary Tudor, whose bitterness toward Protestants was a huge concern of Edward’s. The decision to transfer the kingdom to Jane Grey was also motivated by the self-interest of power-seeking individuals, and viewed as a rebellion. Lady Jane, whose eyes were on the unseen Kingdom, was shocked and very reluctant to accept, doing so only after much urging. As power shifted to Mary Tudor, those who had been following Edward’s plan (and Dudley’s!) began to surrender. The new queen Mary had no personal hatred toward Jane and her life was secure until Wyatt’s uprising forced queen Mary to do away with anyone who could supply a basis for opposition. Mary’s resolution to execute Lady Jane came as no surprise to her, and also as no concern. She wrote to her sister Catherine, “And as touching my death, rejoice as I do, good sister, that I shall be delivered of this corruption and put on incorruption. For I am assured that I shall, for losing of a mortal life, win an immortal life, the which I pray God grant you, and send you of his grace to live in his fear, and to die in the true Christian faith, from the which, in God’s name, I exhort you that you never swerve, neither for hope of life nor for fear of death.” John Feckenham was sent to try to persuade her to become Catholic, and their debates were a great delight to Jane. Feckenham was astonished at her calm behavior, great knowledge, and sense of religion. She was beheaded on February 12, 1554. According to John Foxe (1517-1587), Judge Morgan who pronounced her sentence was so affected by her death that he went mad. Queen Mary was also troubled.

While Bloody Queen Mary suffered both the trouble of ruling the kingdom and the agony of both bitterness and guilt, Lady Jane Gray was living in the splendor of eternal life in the kingdom of God and in the presence of her “Saviour Christ”. “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal” 2 Cor. 4:17-18. Remember, “If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him: if we deny Him, He also will deny us” 2 Tim. 2:12

4 Comments » | posted in Historical Glimpses

posted by Michael on 07/15/08

Here is a letter I recently read and was very impressed with, but was quite surprised to find out who wrote it. It opened my eyes afresh to the seriousness of forsaking Christ! See if you can guess out who wrote it with such authority. I can provide a couple hints if needed. By the way, do you real-ize Christ’s payment for your sin? Do you understand the awe of eternal rewards compared to the vanishing world? Is the judgement day real to you?

“To Mr. Harding

“So oft as I call to mind the dreadful and fearful saying of God, that he which layeth hold upon the plough, and looketh back, is not meet for the kingdom of heaven; and, on the other side, the comfortable words of our Saviour Christ to all that, forsaking themselves, do follow him, I cannot but marvel at thee, and lament thy case, which seemed sometime to be

(more…)

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posted by Michael on 07/8/08

On Independence Day, our family happened to read Psalm 124  in our morning devotions.  We could hardly believe how perfectly it fit the occasion!

As you read the chapter, relate it to these historical facts:

1. God protected the armies under George Washington by sending a heavy fog to allow them to escape from Long Island.

2. The taking of the British Fort Ticonderoga is an example of God fighting for us. Ironically, the gate was left open and as Ethan Allen rushed in leading his American troops, the guard’s riffle failed to fire at point blank range! Within minutes Captain Delaplace surrendered the fort to the Americans.

3. Amos Fawnsworth, a militiaman wrote: “About fifteen of us squatted down in a ditch on the marsh and stood our ground. Notwithstanding the bullets flew very thick, there was not a man of us killed. Surely God has a favor toward us….thanks be unto God that so little hurt was done us, when the balls sung like bees round our heads.”

4. God used the weather to play a large role in Washington’s surprise attack at Trenton on Dec. 25, 1776

5. It was the direction a horse chose at a split in the road that revealed Benedict Arnold’s treason, saving West Point and Washington’s life.

6. It was an unbelievable French navy victory and a miraculous and sever weather change that prevented both victory and retreat for the British at Yorktown, ending the war.

The American Militia was not in control of the fog… or the flooding… or the direction of the horse… or the miniature hurricane at Yorktown. Even Clinton, the British commander-in-chief of Cornwallis was forced to acknowledge the intervention of Divine Providence.

Psalm 124

1. If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, now may Israel say;

2. If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, when men rose up against us:

3. Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us:

4. Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul:

5. Then the proud waters had gone over our soul.

6. Blessed be the LORD, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth.

7. Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped.

8. Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

5 Comments » | posted in Family News

posted by Michael on 07/1/08

There have been so many things going on here at the Staddon house that it has been impossible for me to get anything posted for a while. It seems too bad because those things would make great blog posts. We’ve been splitting bee hives, planting trees, harvesting honey, chipping branches, and all kinds of other interesting projects. I even had my first try at welding. It has been a lot of hard, sweat-dripping work. But what deserves a blog post the most is what our family read in Psalm 118 this morning, especially verses 19 through 23:

Verses 19-20: “Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and will praise the Lord: this gate of the Lord into which the righteous shall enter.” Question:Who is “the door of the sheep” through which they enter into the fold?

Verse 21: “I will praise Thee: for Thou has heard me, and art become my Salvation.” Question: Who is our Salvation?

Verses 22-23: “The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.” Question: Who is the Head that the builders rejected?

Verse 24: “This is the day that the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Key question: What is “this” Day that the Lord has made?

Read the verses again. Verse 24 is just a continuation of the other verses. The gate, the salvation, and the stone are speaking of Christ. The Day in verse 24 is not ultimately speaking of any 12-hour or 24-hour period! This is speaking of Christ, the Eternal Day in which I will rejoice, beginning the moment that I made peace with God through the sacrifice of His Son. “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life” 1 Jn. 5:12. The water Christ gives is a well of water springing up unto everlasting life (Jn. 4:14). “For God, Who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” 2 Cor. 4:6. “The Lord is my light and my salvation” Ps. 27:1, “a light to lighten the gentiles” Luke 2:32, Is. 9:2, and Is. 49:6. According to Hebrews 4:8-10 this eternal day that lives within me is the Sabbath, the Day of rest. “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” Mt. 11:28. My temporal body may work and sweat, but how glorious it is to abide in the Rest of Jesus Christ forever! Woe to me if I attempt the labor of iniquity on this Day! Question: “And to whom sware He that they should not enter into His rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into His rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not  profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into rest” Heb. 3:18 – 4:3a.

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