We may not think about this much, if ever, but our daily safety depends on an unseen part of every structure—its foundation. If the foundation of our homes, schools, offices, malls and other buildings would suddenly crumble, our lives would be at risk. The same is true for our spiritual lives. More...

Jesus Christ is unique in His birth and ministry, His holiness and knowledge, and in His death and resurrection. In the history of humankind, He alone is without equal in His truly amazing and one-of-a-kind life.
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One of God’s divine attributes is omniscience. This means God knows everything; His knowledge is infinite and perfect. We may not be able to fully comprehend the idea of God’s omniscience, but the Scriptures set this truth out in a multitude of texts. More...

There is no doubt that we who are Sunday School teachers, have taken to heart Jesus’ words: “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 19:14). We know the importance of bringing our children to Jesus, and of encouraging them at a very young age to seek salvation. We pray, we work, and we wonder whether we are “doing it right.”More...

Now that our children are grown, we can hardly believe how quickly the years flew by. As parents, we have the opportunity to teach and to guide our children for a very short time. We recognize that it is of utmost importance to teach God’s truths to them while they are young. More...

There were so many excited on the church playground. It was the first day of Vacation Bible School and all the children in the neighbourhood looked forward with anticipation to this time of year. There would be new Bible lessons to learn, new songs to sing and new craft projects to build. More...

This Easter, as we celebrate our risen Saviour, Jesus Christ—who fulfilled God’s plan of salvation for each of us—it is my prayer you will be encouraged to grow into a deeper and richer relationship with God.More...

The memory of receiving my own Bible for my birthday when I was a young boy is still fresh today. I eagerly read my Bible from cover to cover. My favorite pages were the accounts of Jesus recorded in Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and the Acts of the Apostles. I marveled at the miracles Jesus performed, at His wisdom, His understanding and compassion: He helped everyone who came to Him. But when I reached the accounts of His trial, His suffering and His death on the cross, I was overwhelmed by the injustice He endured, and I wept.
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Jeremy swung his pack over his shoulder as he raced from the bus stop towards home. He didn’t have to go back to school until Tuesday and today was Thursday. What a glorious prospect lay ahead of him: four whole days off of school! More...

What do kids know about temptation? With the help of her mom, Mandy, who is 8 years old, interviewed some friends to discover what they knew about temptation.More...

In August 2006, the CMB (Canadian Mission Board of the Church of God) initiated an intensive two-week Bible Study Program for young adults.
Hosted by the Bradley Street Church of God in Aylmer, Ontario for the past three years, it has attracted participants from across North America.More...

I was privileged to be born into a Christian family. My siblings and I had praying parents who understood that Bible was the most important book we owned. The lessons I learned from my mother were based on the foundation of God’s Word.More...

In our natural, physical world, death has the last word. It seems as though we have become powerful enough to conquer almost everything but death.More...

During the Christmas season, we will meet people buying gifts for one another. Will you be on someone’s gift list?More...

It was a crisp winter morning on the Prairies. Eight-year-old Timmy came into the back entrance of his house, stomping the snow off his boots.
“Mo-m!” he called, “We have new neighbours!” Timmy peeled off his boots, coat and snow pants and ran into the warm kitchen where his mother was preparing dinner.More...

“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” 2 Corinthians 9:15More...

There’s a little chorus that goes, “God is so good . . . He’s so good to me,” that conveys an important truth: God is good.More...

What good intentions do you have? Is there an opportunity to help someone, or to share the gospel with another that you are putting off? Or do you have good intentions to become a follower of Christ, but when it’s more convenient?More...

Do you rejoice in God? Do you love to attend church? Can you say with the Psalmist,“One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple”(Psalm 27:4)?More...

The tired farmer experiences a real sense of relief and joy when he harvests the last pass of the final field. Harvest time gives rise to a great deal of intensity and urgency in the life of a farm family. A small window of time will determine the fruits of our labor and wages for the year. More...

Kaleigh kicked her bedroom door shut. She had spent all day trying her very best not to cry, but now she could feel the hot tears piling up behind her eyes and spilling over.  It was bad enough that she’d had the most terrible, horrible day at school ever.  And when she’d walked in the door at home Barkley had ignored her completely and only played with Sheila.  Barkley was her dog.  On top of all that, Mom asked Sheila to help decorate the cupcakes, instead of Kaleigh.  It was not fair.More...

I had the privilege of spending one year at the mission near Santa Cruz in Bolivia, and what an incredible year it was! My faith was challenged and stretched, my resources were pushed to the limit, and yet through it all, God’s hand and power was constant. He began the work in Bolivia, and we know that He will carry it on to completion.More...

For the past four years, Pastor Gerry Krebs and Marlene Dotzlaw worked with Helen Holz and Christian Unity Press to produce Foundation of Faith. I want to thank Pastor Gerry for his dedication to this work. As he moves on to new responsibilities, I hope to take over his role in publishing this magazine, with God’s help.More...

God created each one of us with a purpose. He attached meaning to each of our lives. To me that is incredibly comforting. I am confident that my life is not an accident or a “twist of fate.” I am not here by chance, but rather, I was created with a purpose; a God-given purpose! What is that purpose?More...

As I consider what I may leave behind as a legacy, I think of what my children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren will discover about me when my life is over. Will they see an accumulation of earthly riches, or a striving for distinction or other earthly goals? I want to be found faithful to my Lord and Saviour.More...

On the morning of Monday, January 21, 2008, Rebecca Sedens awoke to find her house in flames. Her mom, Tracy, shares the experience and the lessons she learned from this “trial by fire”.More...

Popular culture is often diametrically opposed to God’s Word. Often the message we hear around us sounds right, but we need to examine it in light of the Bible.More...

During this Christmas season, and as we look forward to the New Year, let’s be resolved to say “Yes” to God’s will, His way and His timing even when we don’t understand, even in face of uncertainty, or other obstacles.More...

He walked with a certain hesitation through the grey December evening. Whoever observed him would have thought he carried a heavy burden. Entering the next side street, he paused for a moment, his gaze resting upon the second house.More...

The angels sang “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (Luke 2:14) as they proclaimed that Christ was born in the city of David. With the birth of Jesus Christ, Messiah, God’s glory from heaven came down to earth to bring peace, so that the goodwill and blessings of God might rest upon us all.More...

It was only a few days before the Christmas holidays. Ben and his new friend, Sammy, were eagerly looking forward to their Christmas plans.More...

It seems that each year, the wonderful celebration of Christmas passes much too quickly. Before we know it, we are facing the New Year and the unknown future.More...

I am thankful I can trust God with my life. It seems He is always teaching me something at different stages in my life. Right now, I pray that I will be content with and even thankful for the timing of events in my life, knowing that God has my days in His Hands.More...

I cherish Thanksgiving Day! It is a day that gives me a special opportunity to reflect on what the Lord has given me both in spiritual and material blessings, and to give Him praise for it.More...

The Church of God mission in Bolivia officially began two and a half years ago when Pastor and Sister Gerhard Thiessen were asked to minister there.More...

As parents watch for growth in their children, so our Heavenly Father also expects His children to show evidence of growth.More...

“Thanks for taking us to the zoo, Dad! We had so much fun today,” exclaimed Bobby on the way home from the day’s trip. “My favorite animals were the zebras. I thought it was neat that they often graze with lots of other animals.”More...

The Bible clearly shows repentance as an integral element of salvation. Yet, in our time we all too often find a gospel without repentance. “Accept Christ,” “make a decision for Christ,” and other euphemisms have replaced, “I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3).More...

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit Romans 15:13.More...

Do you want to do what is right, obeying God and your parents? Sometimes it seems easier to follow your friends. The Bible talks about what obedience means.More...

Remember the story of David and Goliath? Do you remember how David met that Philistine giant, and conquered him? Well, we may not meet a giant like Goliath, but we should not be surprised when we meet certain giants in our lives. And when we meet them, it is important to know how to successfully conquer those who want to hinder us in our walk with God.More...

Throughout my life, I have been blessed with people who have set a good example. Their examples had, and continue to have, an impact on me, far beyond anything theory could ever have accomplished. I’d like to share some of these with you.More...

As Christians, each one of us has a personal testimony—a story of how Christ changed our life. I personally love to hear how someone came to the Lord—it encourages me to continue to share the gospel with others.
As with any presentation, it is easier to share what we have experienced if we take the time to write out our testimony. That way, we will be prepared to share what God has done for us. More...

The Bible tells us, that “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). I’d like to ask you, as a follower of Jesus Christ, what do you give your life to? Pleasure? Possessions? Popularity or power? Everyone gives their life to some cause. If you, as a follower of Jesus want to imitate Him, obey Him and live for Him, then you need to consider this: Jesus focused on people. And He came to save “that which was lost.” He commands His followers to do the same, to go and make disciples of all nations. (See Matthew 28:19). Well, you may say, it’s not my thing—it’s a private thing between me and the Lord . . . or, what will the people think? Actually, we are all called to share our faith: All we need is an obedient heart. So how do you begin?More...

“Are you ready to go to church, Sierra? We want to be there early this morning!” Mom called cheerfully up the stairs. The rest of the family was dressed in their Sunday best and waiting outside on this sunny Easter morning.More...

In first Corinthians 15:3-5, the Apostle Paul presented the resurrection of Christ as a great and significant event. He did this with both conviction and joy. The resurrection of Jesus was of such great significance that the Apostles knew it must be proclaimed as the foundation of their faith. We read in Acts 4:33 that it was with great power that the apostles “gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.” It was on this foundation of the resurrected Christ alone, that the apostles were able to establish the promised and visible Church.More...

One of the Ten Commandments given to the Israelites, God’s people, was, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:1-3). If you’ve studied the Old Testament, you will remember how often the Israelites forgot this commandment as they turned from God to worship lifeless idols that could neither see nor speak.More...

During the Christmas season, everyone in our culture has the opportunity to hear about Jesus, one way or the other. I think a person would have to be blind and deaf to miss the “Reason for the season.” But it seems that so few people really get the point. To many, Christmas is just an exciting holiday. It is nearly impossible to escape the excitement and frenzy that accompanies this season of celebration.More...

I’m sure that most parents are convinced that their child is the most exceptional child ever born. But there has been only one child in the history of man, whose birth, life and death impacted the entire course of this world. This one child is Jesus Christ, whose birth, life, death and resurrection happened about 2,000 years ago. You might be saying, “But how can it be proven whether the astonishing claims surrounding His life have any sure ground?”More...

God’s people had waited for the promised Messiah for over 2,000 years. The Israelites hoped that when He came, He would establish an earthly kingdom, rescuing them from the oppression of their Roman conquerors. From Genesis onward, Scripture points clearly to a coming Saviour—a Messiah who would bring His people salvation. When God sent Jesus Christ as a newborn baby, He fulfilled His promise.More...

Excited chatter filled the air as rosy-cheeked children streamed into Miss Janice’s Sunday School classroom. Outside the window, snowflakes glided gently to the ground in the crisp winter air. The frosty weather and colorful classroom decorations were reminders that Christmas was quickly approaching.More...

Christmas is a festive, joyous occasion. Each year we relive the Christmas story—the baby in the manger, the shepherds on the fields, the angels, the wise men—and each year we also look forward to family gatherings, gift-giving, food and special Christmas services in church.More...

Many evangelical Christians today support the idea of Millenarianism —a period of one thousand years during which Christ is supposed to reign on earth. The prevalent thought in our time concerning end times is the teaching of pre-millenarianism. Pre-millenarianism has become familiar to Christians and non-Christians alike through Tim LaHaye’s fiction series Left Behind, and Hal Lindsey’s book, The Late Great Planet Earth. However, the Church of God does not agree with any millennial teaching. We believe it contradicts God’s Word. There are various versions of the millennial teaching. We will discuss the Pre-millenarianism theory on these pages primarily because it has become an extremely popular point of doctrine in many circles.More...

Christmas has become a time of high stress, and while we deplore this, the fact is that there isn’t often much we can do about it. Have we accepted that this is what Christmas is all about?More...

In Psalm 92:1 the Psalmist proclaims, “It is good to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High.” Why does the Psalmist say this?More...

Baptism is one of the ordinances observed by Christians, as commanded by Christ in the New Testament. Jesus says in Mark 16:16, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved.” This is one of Jesus’ commandments. We desire simply to be obedient.More...

Have you ever been given something precious or valuable? As Christians, the first thing that comes to our minds is the invaluable gift of Salvation. Serious contemplation will move us to tears as we realize the incredible price that Jesus paid to bring this gift to us. This free gift speaks of God’s amazing grace and love.More...

“Hurry up Michael! We’re going to be late for church!” called Mom. “But Mom,” whined Michael, “I promised to play with my friends today.”More...

He dreams of a promotion. She wishes her hair weren’t getting so gray. Their teenager impatiently waits to drive. The neighbour complains, “My husband doesn’t earn enough.” A young mother sighs as she thinks of all her housework. And the media feeds everyone with an endless stream of advertisements, encouraging a battle of dissatisfaction and desire in their hearts.More...

What is the way to salvation? The Bible tells us that there is only one way: through Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself proclaimed, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).More...

Wouldn’t it be a surprise if you planted a young apple tree, but instead of apples, the tree produced bananas? But if you gossiped about your friends, it should not surprise you if you soon had no friends. No seed can produce except after its own kind.More...

Someone once asked a Christian author what the Holy Spirit meant to him. He answered, “The Holy Spirit is one of the three Persons of Godhead — the third Person in the Trinity.” The inquirer recognized the insufficiency of this response and replied, “It would seem that you think the Holy Spirit is meaningless or perhaps even unnecessary.” The author nodded. “From personal experience I know that the Holy Spirit is just as important and necessary as the other two Persons of the Trinity,” stated the inquirer, “and therefore I would like to hear what personal significance the Holy Spirit has to you.” The author responded, “To be quite honest, He has no significance to me. I have no contact with Him and think I can get along quite well without Him.”More...

Zoe kicked the rock on the sidewalk in front of her and watched it bounce onto the road. The tug on the leash signaled that Mutz had satisfied his curiosity and was ready to move on to new discoveries. Zoe allowed herself to be pulled along by the scruffy dog, not even paying attention to where he was leading her. All she could think about was the friends she had left behind, wondering what they were doing without her. Why did her family have to move anyway?More...

We recently developed the pictures of our last vacation. As we opened the envelope, our reaction was one of disappointment. My eldest daughter picked up a picture and exclaimed, “It doesn’t even look like me!” It didn’t. The lighting was so intense on one part of her face that it distorted her features completely. Another picture was slightly out of focus; important details were blurred. Still another was so “busy” that the heron we had tried to photograph got lost in the background of foliage. We had looked forward to experiencing our vacation again through pictures, but put them aside in disappointment, because they didn’t meet our expectations.More...

The observance of ordinances in the New Testament rests on the last commission of Christ to His apostles: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).

New Testament ordinances are specific divinely-appointed outward observances that are symbolic of spiritual truths of the gospel—God-given object lessons which are to be practiced according to Scripture. As symbols, ordinances do not actually change a person’s spiritual condition; they are not our saving grace.More...

Sometimes, when I am waiting in line at the grocery store, or driving at a painfully slow speed on the highway, I find myself being so impatient. But it’s not just me! So many people seem to be in a hurry. I see how we fill our days from our “must do” lists, scheduling each meeting, each activity, just so we don’t have to wait for anything or anyone—if possible. Caught up in this life-style, is it any wonder that we expect faster “service” when we pray? That we expect God to answer our prayers immediately?More...

“Aaron, Becca,” Mom called from the back porch, “Time to come in and clean your rooms. Pastor George will be here in 2 hours!”

Such perfect spring days didn’t come often, Aaron thought, as he lay sprawled on the fresh grass beside the lawn mower. Slowly getting to his feet, he thought of his memory verse for the week: “He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much” (Luke 16:10). With a sigh, he headed for the house, choosing to obey cheerfully.More...

There was a time–not that long ago–when gambling was clearly considered by Christians to be a sin. It was clearly an illegal activity practiced by godless people, and therefore easily identified and accepted from the pulpit as a sinful vice to be abstained from.More...

She was at the foot of the cross when they crucified Jesus. There she witnessed the people shouting at Him, mocking her Lord. Near that cross, she heard Him cry out: “It is finished!” She saw His pain and His suffering and she watched Him die. She was Mary Magdalene.More...

The observance of ordinances in the New Testament rests on the last commission of Christ to His apostles: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).More...

On the evening of the day of our Savior’s resurrection, He appeared to His disciples, who were gathered behind closed doors for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood in their midst and greeted them with the words: “Peace be with you” (John 20:19).More...

When shopping at Christmas, I try to purchase a gift that is just right for the person I am going to give it to. The perfect …Yes, I know of Someone who gave a that is perfect for everyone in the whole world. Do you want to know what this Perfectis? Here, let me tell you…More...

What is faithfulness? The Bible teaches us that faithfulness is an aspect of God’s unchanging character: “Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments” (Deuteronomy 7:9). God’s faithfulness means that everything He says and does is certain.More...

Hurry, Hurry, only 14, 13, 12 … 3, 2, 1 Shopping Days left ….
The malls are full of people; the streets are bursting with busy crowds. Store after store plays non-stop Christmas music. Everyone is hurrying to find the perfect gifts which will be bought and rushed home to be tastefully wrapped with matching bows. At home, the decorations and lights are waiting to be put up; the tree must be trimmed, the cookies baked, and the turkey prepared. The tension increases as the commercial frenzy of our culture drives us to prepare for “The Perfect Christmas.”More...

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus…

No name has been spoken as often—or in as many ways as the name of Jesus. When the angel Gabriel told Joseph that Mary would bring forth a Son, He also told Joseph the Baby’s name—JESUS—“for He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).More...

There is a great deal of controversy about Christ’s second coming. If we were to question people about His coming again, we would get a wide variety of opinions about it. However, we can turn to the Bible, which, as the inspired Word of God will stand the test of time and never fail.More...

The Bible is God’s Holy Word. It is one long story of God’s love, His purpose, and His provision for humanity. It is a library of ancient documents—66 books—written by some forty authors over a period of 1500 years.More...

“. . . and Father in Heaven, You’ve given me more than I deserve. I thank you for being so good to me. Amen.” Aunt Sue lifted her hands to feel for her plate as she finished saying grace, and was about to speak, when 11-year old Madeline piped up angrily. “Aunt Sue, how can you say that? Yesterday you told me it wasn’t right to thank God for my meal and then grumble because I don’t like fish. How can you thank God for being good to you when He let you go blind? We all prayed that your operation would work, and it didn’t! And now . . .” Madeline began to cry.More...

Have you ever noticed, when you get a sales flyer, that on the back cover of the flyer, in small print, it may say, “products and prices listed in this flyer are subject to change without notice.” The seller reserves the right to make changes to his offering. These changes usually don’t affect us, but if they do, we may be disappointed.More...

As long as there are godly parents, there will be intercessory prayer—holy, believing, persevering prayer—pleading with God on behalf of their children.More...

Summer is a season of growth. Every gardener hopes for the right growing conditions for their plants. Like a tender plant, the Christian grows through many seasons in life. How can a person be fruitful in God’s garden?
Plants  flourish and produce the best growth and fruit only when planted in good soil. Just as they need to be rooted in good soil, Christians need to be rooted and established in God’s Word. Daily Bible reading will fortify and ground us in our faith.More...

A young lady once told me, “If anyone crosses my mother, she will never forget, she will carry a grudge forever!”More...

Does God really care what I wear?

Clothing communicates our values, our character and our attitudes. And it also communicates how we see ourselves. Think about the impressions others have made on you—first by the way they look, and then by the way they speak.More...

What is faithfulness? The Bible teaches us that faithfulness is an aspect of God’s unchanging character: “Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments” (Deuteronomy 7:9). God’s faithfulness means that everything He says and does is certain.More...