Marching Forth!

Tomorrow I am flying down to Melbourne, Australia.  God willing I will be preaching at Calvary Chapel Melbourne and I look forward to holding forth God's Word.  I've been very blessed by the time of preparation and I have no doubt that God will prepare all our hearts to hear from Him. The messages have come out of Hebrews 11:32-34 :  " And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: [33] who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, [34] quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens ."  I find it ironic that most of the men of faith mentioned here are typically used as examples of what not to do.  If God sees these as men of faith, then instead of dwelling on faults and shortcomings i...

I came across a flask on the ground the other day.  It was a empty water bottle in the shape of a flask by a Lake Tahoe company called " Liquid Salvation ."  The company slogan grabbed my attention:  "Pure Water for an Impure World."  On the bottle was a "she-devil" or succubus, a female demon.  When an order is placed for water online, you can choose between the "horns" or "halo" packaging to suit your taste.  The whole thing is in bad taste if you ask me, and is a further sign of the moral erosion and perversion of what is good. The devil loves nothing more than cheapening the goodness and grace of God.  He will stop at nothing to pervert the straight way of the LORD, and the world loves it!  Halo or horns, it doesn't matter!  But I am confident that the horns are much more popular.  These are the days when wickedness is called good the prophet Isaiah spoke about. Isaiah 5:20 say s, " Woe to those who call evil good, and go...

Have you ever had to deliver an uncomfortable message?  I remember the time I was asked by a friend to serve a mate with divorce papers.  Uncomfortable and awkward is how I would describe that interaction.  Many times when I worked at a church I would approach transient people in various stages of sobriety and volatility and ask them to leave the property.  There have been times in preaching when I have been led by the LORD to touch on a sensitive subject or confront an issue.  It is always hard, and my flesh tends to resist.  If I said it always feels rewarding to deliver God's messages it would be a lie.  There is nothing more rewarding than walking in obedience to God delivering His messages, but it is not easy, simple, or fun for the flesh.  Sometimes it is grievous, gut-wrenching, and painfully hard to say what is right. As children of God, we are tasked to deliver His message to the world.  Praise Him we are not alone in this joyful d...

Recently I attended one of the larger churches in the Brisbane region.  The church building has all the amenities of a modern, lavish fellowship in the States.  For a price lunch could be purchased after the service in the church's outdoor food court.  The building was bustling with activity:  Sunday school for the children, a large information desk with several attendants, greeters, ushers, and on.  It was the kind of place it would be easy to keep to yourself, show up late, leave early, and keep a low-profile. From the moment the service began, it was flash and dash, razzle-dazzle.  About twenty people filled the stage as lights flashed above and behind them.  Cameras would shoot close-ups of the half-dozen people towards the front of the stage who danced as they sang, and the image simultaneously projected on enormous screens.  I couldn't help but notice the strikingly similar style of them all.  They were all young, energetic, attractiv...

Tonight I had an unplanned adventure.  This evening at dusk, I decided to take a run past the bridge on Illaweena Street.  Once I reached the bridge, I decided to crawl under the fence and run a trail along the motorway that I have been theorizing loops to the top of my street.  Crows croaked to each other overhead, and animals rustled through the dead sticks and leaves on my right.  Early on I decided that I was committed to finishing the loop, dark or not.  Though I was running uphill, my pace quickened.  On my left was a fence separating me from the oncoming cars on the motorway and to my right was a thickly wooded forest as I ran down the rocky path, wide enough to accommodate a full-size truck. I had not run far before I ran through a single strand of spider web to the face the thickness of dental floss.  Great, I thought to myself, knowing that the path eventually narrowed ahead.  As I ran I quickly took inventory of my shirt, making sure ...

" By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going ." Hebrews 11:8 There is a common assumption among Christians today that we need to have all the answers before we can interact properly with skeptics of faith.  Many will intentionally avoid discussing their faith because of their lack of knowledge.  The fact remains that if you have Christ you can share Christ.  We live in a day when education and knowledge are glorified like never before.  The trouble is, the Christian walk is does not hinge upon knowledge, but faith.  Our faith is according to knowledge, but true faith trumps facts every time. Abraham is a case in point:  by faith he obeyed God.  The scriptures say in Genesis 12:1, " Now the Lord had said to Abram:  "Get out of your country, from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you ."  Abra...

For a little change of pace, I put together a video about spare ribs, a Landman specialty.  The taste of South Africa in Australia!  Dinner was a special treat, and there were "Ribs for All!"  I thank God for the Landman family and for his remarkable provision. 

During a church service recently, I was disappointed with the pastor's handling of scripture.  He began his sermon reading carefully through his notes, and it was 20 minutes into the message before he made the first (yet veiled!) scriptural reference.  When he finally did reference a scripture, a power-point presentation displayed the scripture behind him on the wall.  Some of the verses from the Bible he read through all the way, but on two of the longer passages the reading was prefaced with, " You all know this... " and then he proceeded to skim the portion, not reading verbatim or entirely.  But do we know these verses, pastor?  We might have heard it before, but do we understand it?  Do we live in complete submission to the Word, or do we skip a little, and finish the scripture with "blah blah blah?"  There was a hint of apology in his voice which said,  " I'm sorry this isn't as interesting as what I have to say ."  He didn't summari...

More and more these days, insurance is a prime topic of discussion.  Medical insurance reform has been a hot topic in the States for years.  Emotions run high as people raise concerns about how reform might work against their personal and family needs.  No one minds "reform" as long it conforms to our benefit.  It struck me today that man can only provide insurance, not assurance.  People are willing to sell you an insurance policy for a premium cost, but that does not change the uncertainty of the future.  A man might have millions in his retirement accounts, but that doesn't mean he will be able to use it!  There is no insurance that can cover a man's soul.  All the insurance in the world cannot assure you of your stake in the future.  In fact, when we purchase insurance we bank on things going wrong! By this introduction I am not saying that insurance is without value, or that it reveals a lack of faith and inherent weakness.  What ...

When I ran cross country in high school, my strength was running uphill.  If we ran a course with hills, I would lean forward, push hard, and easily churn past struggling runners.  But the problem was, the weakest aspect of my running was the downhills!  I remember running the Mt. Sac Invitational , a course feared for some of the most hilly terrain in Southern California.  What I recall most is miserable dustiness of the first mile!.  There were parts of the course that even had nicknames ascribed to them, like the "Switchbacks" and "Poop Out Hill."  My final time running the race, I passed about 20 runners heading up "Reservoir Hill," the last hill before the finish.  Problem was, at least 10 of them ran past me on the downhill! As I've been running up and down the roads and trails in Drewvale, I've had to maneuver plenty of hills.  Today during my run I thought about the downhills, how the temptation can be to take it easy.  It's temptin...

One source of irritation in my life (besides house dust since I have an allergy) is when Christians look incredulously at the men and women of scripture and say, "How could they do that?  Where is their faith?"  I have witnessed people basically mock the failures of people in the Bible.  God did not give us their examples for us to mock them or boost our pride but to learn from them.  In every failure we can see our own foolishness.  Should Peter be made a laughing stock because he took his eyes off of Jesus and began to sink into stormy Sea of Galilee?  Should Gideon be chastised for not having the "faith" to meet the Midianites in battle without putting a fleece before the LORD not once but twice?  It is wise for us to shake our heads over Moses striking the rock and robbing God of glory, or scorn David for not only committing adultery with Bathsheba, and later ordering the death of her husband Uriah the Hittite?  We are not to condone these ac...

I joined the Landman family on a special trip up north of Brisbane to "The Big Pineapple."  I put together a video about the trip, where you can see everything from the inside of the Big Pineapple (and no, we did not find Sponge Bob!), the Nutmobile, and you can even learn how to grow your own pineapples like a real Aussie! They also have some terrific animals on exhibit, including koalas and kangaroos.  Follow this link to see us feeding and interacting with some of Australia's most famous wildlife!

When I was working in the shipyard for PCI, work was divided between "Repair" and "New Construction."  When many people come to Christ, they come to Him for repair.  They would be happy for their life to be smoother, easier, with promises of peace, joy, and fulfillment.  Before people trust in Christ, they spend their lives building upon the eroding sands of worldly philosophy from a secular vantage point.  A man without a relationship with God does what is right in his own eyes.  God never takes over a work in progress.  The old way of life must be completely discarded so the new may begin.  God does not repair the works of the flesh:  He makes new in the Spirit. Imagine you have been  invited over to a friend's home for a housewarming party.  He excitedly shows you around the place, pointing out the expensive chandelier on the vaulted foyer, the state-of-the-art kitchen with all modern conveniences.  Your friend had spent his li...

After God created man He said, " It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him ." ( Gen. 2:18 ) I agree with this wholeheartedly. It is not good for me to be alone, separated from my wife. I did not decide that I wanted to be separated from her, nor did she want separation from me. In this instance, it was God who made the call. Both of us have been learning lessons we could not have learned together. Though it was God's plan, it has not been easy. The narrow path can be filled with obstacles and temptations, luring us from focusing on Christ. Today it was like a Gethsemane experience, just laying on the ground before the LORD. I did not sweat blood, but I took shelter in His! I'm putting together a message concerning Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane before His arrest. Here is an excerpt from it: No man can write on the subject of temptation without a real sense of unworthiness and failure. I feel I am the least li...

Today I was studying Psalm 103 and verses 8-11 caught my attention:  " The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. [9] He will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever. [10] He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. [11] For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him ."  God is so abundant in His mercy towards us.  Because of His plenteous mercy, all mankind has greater debt towards God. To illustrate, suppose that there was a kingdom ruled by a righteous king.  He was fair, just, and held people accountable to the law.  In this kingdom there lived a rebellious young man.  Instead of abiding by the laws of the land, he turned to a life of crime and murder.  He made an alliance with the enemy of his king and was furnished money for the killing of innocent people.  An inquiry was made, and the king s...

Drunk driving is a scourge across much of the world today, and Australia is no exception.  As I've been driving around more, I've seen something that to me sends a mixed message:  drive-through liquor stores.  No joke, simply drive up to a stall and the alcohol is brought to you.  The wonder of modern convenience! Another interesting factoid is the scarcity of "Stop" signs.  I have been in Australia for three weeks as of tomorrow, and today I saw my first "Stop" sign.  Instead of where "Stop" signs would be, there is a triangular white and red sign that reads, "Give Way," the Australia version of the "Yield" sign common to the USA.  Instead of lights or four-way-stops, the "Give Way" sign adorns countless left hand turns and roundabouts. In thinking about the difference between "Giving Way" and "Stop" signs, "Giving Way" is subjective and "Stop" is objective.  I think human n...

When I was in High School, I ran on the cross country team for three seasons.  Running was never a passion of mine, but it has helped me identify personally when Paul talks about running the race that God has set before him.  The race is a jumble of nerves, strain, exhaustion, and determination.  Few things are a taxing as running.  One thing that is more taxing in every way is following Jesus. There was a annual race that we ran called the El Cap invitational, the first race of the season.  All three years I ran the race there were different memorable circumstances.  My first race was the only race of my "unillustrious" running career that I did not finish.  It is a source of embarrassment for me, because I could have finished.  I made more of an injury than necessary.  I turned my ankle halfway through, and my pace slowed.  Too proud to limp to the finish, I quit.  My placement would have been very poor - maybe even last - and i...

Suffering is a natural by-product of life upon the earth diseased with sin.  Everyone will experience suffering to some extent:  hunger, sickness, disease, loss, separation, disappointment, sorrow, abuse, pain, death, including the emotional suffering from being misunderstood, backstabbed, ignored, neglected, molested, bullied, hated, attacked, mocked, or ridiculed.  People do not dream of suffering someday like others dream of winning the lottery:  "It might just be me..."  Suffering and life go together.  But life is not all suffering, of course.  There are great joys, pleasures, friends, adventures, loves, successes, triumphs, blessings, sports, hobbies, and family.  Every good and perfect gift comes from God, who gives to all without partiality. People typically do not invite suffering upon themselves, but try to avoid it at all costs.  What makes a Christian different from typical people is when he commits his life to Jesus Christ, he ...

This morning I woke up singing a song:  "Oh Happy Day" by Kim Walker.  The chorus goes, " Oh happy day, happy day!  You wash my sin away!  Oh happy day, happy day!  I'll never be the same, forever I am changed !  There is no truth more reassuring the fact that Jesus Christ is alive.  He is not the God of the dead but of the living, and we find our life in Him.  When we are stuck in our sins, it is like rottenness in our bones.  Guilt, despair, and shame poison our thoughts, and we are at the mercy of Satan.  The mercies of the wicked are cruel, and we lie helpless under the torture of condemnation and oppression. How our future changed when Jesus took away our sins!  We need not lie powerless under the bondage of sin, and our history need not dictate our future.  We may have fallen 100 times to a single temptation, but God enables us to overcome through the victory of Christ over the tomb and sin.  If Jesus can destroy t...

Before my trip to AUS in April, God had impressed something upon my heart concerning true discipleship. In the modern-day church, there are few terms as vague, subjective, and confusing as discipleship. It is a word that sums up the constant process of following Jesus and submitting every aspect of our lives to His authority. The trouble with current "discipleship" programs is that we often rely on a pamphlet, book, or some outside means to teach people of God. From my study of the Word, Jesus did not have a lesson plan or handbook drawn up from a rabbi He made His disciples read and fill in the blanks. Discipleship is pure "on the job training" while following Jesus with immersion in the Word. Xerox not required! It is not about facts as much as obedience to a Master. And if we have been commissioned by Christ's all-encompassing authority to make disciples of all nations, we ought to know what discipleship is. I am convinced that there are two separat...

There is a verse that has God has impressed upon my mind a couple of times today:  Proverbs 18:1 .  It says, " A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; he rages against all wise judgment ."  The KJV says it in a different manner:  " Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom ."  The word " intermeddleth " means to "be obstinate," or someone who is stubbornly opposed to wisdom.  God is the source of all wisdom, and Jesus has become for us the source of wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption ( 1 Cor. 1:30 ).  To be isolated from God by our desires is to invite our destruction. When a person is born, he is born into a life of sin.  Selfishness is natural.  Taking thought for your own life and how a situation impacts you is normal.  Our sin separates us from God, as it is written in Isaiah 59:1-2 :  " Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; no...