THIS ISSUE

Page 1 ......................................Opening Information and Editorial

Page 2 ........................................Editorial (continued) and Hank Metzlar

Page 3 .......................................Gambling versus Security Part Four (Final)

Page 4 ........................................Pastor Joe Wright's Prayer

Pages Following ...........................Ron Gray's Communiqués

The National Board of the Christian Heritage Party met Jan. 27-28 in Fergus. Representatives attended from all-across Canada to stand for our membership of over 5,000 people and growing. While only Prime Minister Jean Chretien and his friends know when an election will be called, the likelihood of an election this fall increases. The National Board has begun preparations for a fall election. We intend to be ready.

At a breakfast on Saturday, January 29^th at the Wellington County Museum, we hosted the Unashamed Quartet. Ron Gray, our national leader, spoke on "What Would Canada Be Like If We Actually Obeyed The Constitution", to a standing ovation. Mr. Gray gave examples of the foolishness of some recent Canadian laws and court decisions. He stressed the importance of the transcendent wisdom of the God of the Bible for a standard to evaluate the soundness of any legislation. The need for Christian ethics in politics will become increasingly obvious. The Christian Heritage Party is ready to serve when called upon. Those who attended were impressed.

The Guelph Mercury published an editorial on January 30^th entitled 'Paving the way for same-sex marriage'. A preschool teacher introduced a new four-year-old boy, named Kim, and his two moms to the class. The boy actually only had one mom and had no dad in his home. The world celebrates two moms. Christians recognize the value of one father and one mother, both in the home raising, disciplining, educating and sharing in family home life with their own children.

The article quoted the executive director of Ottawa-based Equality for Gays and Lesbians Everywhere. He gave the big reason gay and lesbian rights have flourished in Canada as: "we don't have a well-financed religious opposition like there is in the United States."

Now the media are happy to report on the latest unnatural trends of the world. Newspapers are sold by telling the people what they want to hear. People like to follow a crowd. Unfortunately, children like Kim will grow up without a father, without a father-figure, and confused about his identity. Some Canadian children heading down the path toward being fathers and mothers will be diverted into same-sex relationships. In these there is less need for growth and self-understanding and the awareness of God's plan through the differences in character and function of each sex.

The world chooses the easy road, but God offers the greatest reward.

The other day I received a pamphlet from the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada proclaiming the Highlights of 1999, the challenge of the year 2000 and the need of our support to engage certain issues - all very nice, beautiful and necessary. I wonder, however, what some of their members and quite a lot of other Christians do at election time. Are they then voting for a Party that assures Christian education, religious freedom, moral and ethical issues in all of life, sanctity of life and the rights of the unborn? Are they voting for the only federal Pro-Life Party?

Or are they voting for the Party that saddled us in 1969 with an abortion law that amounted to abortion on demand and that, after the Supreme Court nixed that law, never had the courage to come up with another law, let alone a law that protected the unborn? Or are they voting for the Party that provincially left everything conveniently as they found it? Or for the Party that promoted abortion one hundred per cent? Or for the Party that washed their hands in innocence and let other people make the decision for them, like Pontius Pilate? The Pro-Life Party certainly did not get their votes.

Perhaps they did not vote at all? That would still support those Parties mentioned and still damage their own purpose by default! Either way, they would belie their principles and support the enemy. Are they ever going to learn?

Hank Metzlar

Gambling Versus Security. Part 4 of 4 Gord Truscott

Though some readers have praised this series on gambling, no one has said that it has kept him from gambling. Christians tend not to be victimized by addictive gambling. But we set a poor example of our faith if we do gamble. God has taken on the task of watching what we do, but our neighbours are watching too.

On New Year's Eve of 1999 in a little, country church, Christians faithfully gathered to thank God for the blessings of a year past and to pray for the year to come. Only a mile away, hundreds of people gathered to ring in the New Year at new, legalized slot machines. As Christians we have an obligation to publicly proclaim the truth about gambling and other deceptions which distract us from God.

Gambling distracts a person's loyalty from the Lord God. We abandon His provision and rely on and live in hope of random chance for security. People are trading a sure relationship for the temporary thrill of spending on that, which cannot satisfy eternally. Either we trust and serve God wholeheartedly without reservation, or we don't. Either our security comes from recognizing that we are children of God, relying on our Heavenly Father or we are deceived and our loyalty is to false gods.

Those who choose to gamble give God a loud and clear signal that they are dissatisfied with their lot in life. People worship the big strike. They seek the 'rush' which gambling provides. The Israelites wandering in the desert also complained that their life was insufficient. Both of these situations displease God.

How can we say that we live in relationship with God and then go out and buy a lottery ticket, or give our approval for our neighbours to buy lottery tickets? Pastor Joe Wright's prayer (on page 4) clearly signals us that lotteries cheat the poor out of their hard-earned money with the false promise that one day they will be wealthy. We are already wealthy through our relationship with God. Blessed are the poor in spirit, not blessed are those who gain unethical advantage over others. Does this mean that the life of a Christian is a life of poverty? By no means, for God supplies all of our needs through Christ Jesus. Some of our wants may have to be placed on hold. Overall, needs will be met far more abundantly by relying on God, than by a people trusting in gambling to provide their happiness.

Following Jesus means learning and practising truth. Better to go one mile with Jesus than many miles in darkness. The ways of the world are cunning and seductive. That which seems innocent and harmless, merits close inspection and listening to Jesus speaking through the Bible, the Christian church and prayer. Too often we choose what we want to hear, rather than wait for the wisdom of Christ.

Pastor Joe Wright prayed:

"Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask Your forgiveness and seek your direction and guidance. We know your word says 'woe to those who call evil good.' But that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and inverted our values.

We confess that we have ridiculed the absolute truth of Your Word, and called it pluralism.

We have worshiped other gods and called it multiculturalism.

We have endorsed Perversion and called it an alternative lifestyle.

We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.

We have neglected the needy and called it self-preservation.

We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.

We have killed our unborn and called it choice.

We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.

We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem.

We have coveted our neighbour's possessions and called it ambition.

We have polluted each other's minds with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.

We have ridiculed the time-honoured values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.

Search us O God and know our hearts: Try us; know and see if there are some wicked ways in us. Cleanse us of every sin and set us free. Guide and bless these men and women who have been sent here by the people of Kansas, and who have been ordained by You, to govern this great state. Grant them your wisdom to rule and may their decisions direct us to the center of Your will. I ask it in the name of Your Son, the Living Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen"