Marching Forth!

" I entreated Your favor with my whole heart; be merciful to me according to Your word ." Psalm 119:58 Even when we have learned, God continues to teach.  There is always a deeper level - a more personal application - for biblical truth beyond where we stand.  The necessity and value of an undivided heart is a theme I have often been reminded of lately.  Unless we come to a place of rest and complete neutrality on an issue when seeking God, clear direction from our heavenly Father will often elude us.  It is not that God has abandoned us, but our preferences cloud our judgment.  We can stumble through a self-induced fog, straining for clear vision of the path laid before us.  As long as we hold to our plans and ideas - even with the thought of bringing God glory - clarity of sight and sureness of footing will remain out of reach. In wrestling with God over direction of my life and even the church, only after I wholly yielded myself to God's plan did ...

The longer I follow Christ, the more I am struck by His objective claims.  The world says there are "many paths to God," but the Bible proclaims the opposite.  In our modern-day culture of relativity, people hate the idea of anyone claiming to possess absolute truth.  That is why people hated Jesus.  He stood up to the religious leaders of the day, boldly proclaiming He was the Son of God.  He transcended all earthly rulers in wisdom and power.  He performed mighty signs and wonders, and rose from the dead in glory.  He said without apology or caveat in John 14:6:  " I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me ."  No politician, prophet, or lunatic spoke as this Man.  In Christ we find no comfortable middle ground with this world. Following Jesus Christ is an exclusive, narrow way.  He will receive every sinner who repents and receives Him through faith.  The Gospel is incredibly simple...

While busy with custodial duties at church, I was listening to a talk by Britt Merrick, pastor of Reality Carpinteria.  He spoke from experience about how joy and suffering are coupled in the Christian life.  Instead of God removing suffering from life, He allows Christians to embrace genuine joy in the midst of suffering.  Just yesterday I finished reading a biography of Mrs. Spurgeon by Charles Ray.  Susannah was a godly woman who not only endured suffering, but continued to persevere and be profitable for God's glory in the midst of acute long-term illness.  She was a woman of maturity and faith, one who learned to trust in God no matter what.  In the book, there is an object lesson she shares which spoke deeply to my heart.  Ray begins this quote from Susannah on page 81: At the close of a very dark and gloomy day I lay resting on my couch as the deeper night drew on, and though all was bright within my cosy little room, some of the external dar...

" You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen ." 2 Peter 3:17-18 After I read this passage, I was led to consider the connection between grace and knowledge.  Without knowledge we are unable to appreciate or even acknowledge grace.  For instance, salvation by grace through faith is an unmerited gift from God.  Because of His great love for us, God the Father chose to satisfy divine justice through the sacrifice of His own Son Jesus the Christ on Calvary.  What a gift!  Not only can man be forgiven for his sins by repenting and trusting in Jesus as Saviour, but the righteousness of Christ is freely credited to each Christian born again through the Holy Spirit. There was a time when I was ignorant of God and His grace....

While driving yesterday, I caught sight of a heart-warming scene.  A man was mowing the grass in his front yard.  That in itself was not an unusual thing to see.  But what brought a smile to my face was his little boy, probably about three years old.  This boy industriously pushed a large plastic cart back and forth accross the turn, glancing occasionally at dad from his "work."  The riding toy had a handle at the back gripped tightly by the youngster.  Tongue sticking out in a concentrated effort, the boy was completely absorbed in mowing the lawn.  Some would say the boy was not actually "doing" anything.  It's true that his train toy was completely ineffective at cutting grass.  But the boy was doing something.  Best he could, he was working with his dad - and teaching me a lesson as well! It is natural that this boy would delight in emulating his father.  Doing something like dad was fun in itself, and it is a great joy to ser...

People are into power.  Who wants a gutless car when you could have one with power instead?  There is a longing in the human heart to control.  This desire for power can seep into our walk with Christ as well.  The other night our family read of Simon the sorcerer in Acts 8 who for a long time had captivated the people of Samaria with sorcery.  Philip preached the Gospel to the people and his words were attended with powerful wonders and signs no one could deny.  Though a sorcerer, even Simon was convinced by the truth of the Gospel and believed.  Peter and John then came to the city, desiring the new believers would receive the Holy Spirit.  When they laid hands on Christians, they received the baptism with the Holy Spirit. The text does not say if Simon also received the Holy Spirit.  But he was not one to stand by idly when actual power from God was potentially available!  He offered Peter money and said in Acts 8:19 , " Give me t...

Revenge is a common themes in books, shows, and films.  From "Gladiator" to "Taken," "The Princess Bride" to "The Count of Monte Cristo," the desire for revenge fuels the plot.  Revenge films begin similarly:  the stage is set by a great injustice, the protagonist is introduced, and characters are developed.  Before too long we sympathise with the protagonist(s) and hope the bad guys reap what they have sown.  The only good resolution in a revenge movie is suffering and death for those who have done wrong.  People want those who have done wrong to suffer.  This is our natural inclination.  Hollywood is happy to pander to common appetites. Have you ever considered how ungodly and unbiblical the concept of revenge is?  We read in the Bible of people taking revenge, but they were not commended by God for their violence.  He says in Ezekiel 18:32 :  " For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies," says the Lord GOD. "Therefore...

For some time now I have noticed a blue tongue lizard that likes to sun himself near my garage door.  When approached from the outside with the door closed, he retreats through a gap into my garage.  Curious where he scurried off to, I observed a small depression in the concrete where he crouched close against the exterior wall.  Well, as long as he stays there it shouldn't be a problem, I thought.  Blue tongues eat snails, which we have outside our house in abundance.  Because of his small size and usefulness I saw little need to block off the gap. But then I started thinking:  if a blue tongue lizard can easily crawl into my garage, there is nothing to keep destructive pests like mice and rats from sneaking in as well.  I decided to purchase some wood to fill the gap.  Yesterday by our freezer, I saw an large amount of fluid and solid waste - the size of a pinky finger.  Uh oh, I thought to myself.  That is unmistakably reptile dro...

As I walked from the bus stop today, evidence of spring was all around.  Nearly every tree and shrub had bunches of fresh, new growth at the tip of every branch.  Tender green foliage was noticeable everywhere I looked.  Trees that shed their leaves during winter are now cloaked with bright green, and even our sad lemon and mandarin trees have shoots of new growth.  Last year I trimmed back both trees and was disappointed with the result.  They did not grow, bud, or fruit.  But what a difference spring makes! My lemon tree has been the source of many good object lessons for me.  It was evident right from the start that a former tenant had taken upon themselves to trim the tree.  It was an utter disaster:  the top was chopped, suckers below the graft were allowed to remain, and it had been neglected.  Insects had ravaged the leaves.  Not only was the tree fighting pests and poor pruning, the location was awful.  Tucked away in...

In the New Testament, sin is sometimes compared with leaven.  Even as a small amount of leaven will leaven the entire lump of dough, sin allowed to remain in a life or a church will permeate and corrupt it.  Leaven is not always a direct reference to sin, however.  Jesus refers to doctrine as leaven.  Doctrine means " instruction, teaching ."  Matthew 16:6 states, " Then Jesus said to them, "Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees ."  The section concludes in Matthew 16:12 :  " Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees ."  As there is sound doctrine, there is also bad doctrine.  The doctrine or teaching to which a man holds will influence his life, even as leaven permeates and changes the consistency of dough.  Jesus told His disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees, for adherence to it would...

I saw an advertisement today about a new iphone.  Apple promotes this product as a ingenious marvel of design, perfectly fitting in the human hand.  The thing I find highly ironic about this commercial is we marvel over advances in modern technology but miss the timeless engineering of the human hand!  What is harder to create:  an ergonomically designed phone, or a hand to effectively use the phone?  There is no way a glass and metallic box of circuits and a battery is more complex than a hand created by God.  The voice over in the ad says concerning the customised screen, " That's either an amazing coincidence, or a dazzling display of common sense.  Pretty sure it's the common sense thing ."  Obviously. Without God, there would be no common sense.  No logical sense comes out of sheer randomness.  No operative systems manage to develop either in the government or in the human body without the control of intelligent beings.  N...

I was deeply saddened over a story reported on cnn.com about Amanda Todd' s story, a casualty of blackmail and bullying.  She was a desperate girl who felt all alone.  It seems a regrettable decision led to a spiral of panic, fear, and shame.  Instead of finding support among those Amanda thought were her friends, she was driven away.  I know that Amanda is not alone.  Many people in this world are victims of brutal and malicious bullying.  But they are not as alone as they might think.  There is hope for the hopeless, if we will believe and receive it. You might be very alone in this world, without a single friend.  Perhaps enemies surround you on every side.  You are judged and misjudged.  You feel forgotten and lost in the darkness.  You have made decisions that you regret and wish you could take them back.  The hurt and pain are so real and raw you are desperate.  So-called friends have betrayed and disowned you....

Scripture has many profitable uses.  It can be a healing balm or a harsh warning; a stern correction or an everlasting promise that brings comfort.  Many times the Bible will even say what a particular verse is intended to convey.  I have found sometimes we miss the mark in application.  We may apply a verse to ourselves in a way not intended with the immediate context.  It is true that as we interpret scripture with scripture, a single statement may have many facets of true application.  Yet we must be mindful of the primary purpose of a verse when applying it to our lives. Case in point, take Hebrews 13:5 .  It says, " Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."   Now people often take the quotation from Christ and apply it for the purpose of comfort and peace.  It is completely legitimate to do so.  It is true that we receive gr...

" Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer. 2 From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. 3 For You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy. 4 I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings. Selah "   Psalm 61:1-4 Ever had one of those days when you feel totally overwhelmed?  Today has been one of those days for me.  As my "To Do" list seems to grow exponentially, I cannot tick the boxes fast enough.  Tax questions, unresolved credit card charges, immigration papers, heart and sermon preparation, ministry administration, and countless other tasks scream to be recognised.  How do we move forward in vision when stuck in the slough and are barely able to breathe?  Things I have been meaning to do for months have remained undone, and there is no break on the horizon.  Sound familiar?  That's life.  Troubl...

There is a bitter sweetness in parting.  The hope of being reunited dulls the pain of separation.  Just a week ago I was reunited with my wife and children after their trip to southern California.  When we parted at the airport, there was sadness to be heading separate ways yet a joyful expectancy of their visit with friends and family.  God willing, we would meet again.  At the prescribed time, I met them at the airport!  Like most people, I have endured many different sorts of goodbyes:  leaving home to start a family, at the bedside of a loved one who would soon pass into eternity, and a goodbye to family, friends, and the United States of America when we relocated to Australia.  Sadness in parting, but a joyful expectancy of reunion. I received word yesterday that one of my friends, Mark Rawn, unexpectedly passed into eternity on Sunday.  I cried for him.  I cried for myself that I could not be there and show support to honour his ...

The human body is a marvel of design.  It is able to grow, regenerate, heal, become strong and muscular through exercise, and achieve remarkable feats through training and intelligence.  But even the most refined bodies have limitations.  A man may be able to run fast, but he can only run so fast.  "Perfect" vision remains limited in scope and range.  Though our bodies are dynamic, in every way we are confronted by limits.  These boundaries may be enlarged through practice, but our human condition imposes limits upon us. This is not meant to be a negative "half-glass empty" post of resigning ourselves to our natural limitations.  On the contrary:  our limitations should turn our gaze upon the One who is limitless and infinite, the Almighty God.  We are not able, but God is able.  We are naturally senseless when it comes to spiritual things.  Even the knowledge of our sin and separation from God does not mean in our flesh we are ...

I have never been as delighted as I was yesterday to endure peak hour traffic.  I was blessed beyond words to pick up my wife and sons from the airport after their amazing visit of family and friends in the United States.  I want to thank all of you who were so gracious and generous to host and bless them with giving of your time to visit, for hosting, transportation, and the many encouraging words, meals, and gifts.  Jetlag has been present but not oppressive.  Thanks very much for all the prayer and love.  Words cannot adequately convey my thanks to God and you all for your care and kindness.  I hope to spend some extra time with the boys before they head back to school routine on Tuesday. It is good to have the family home.  I do not use the word "home" lightly.  The ultimate home for all who are in Christ is heaven, a city whose Maker is God.  But for now, Australia is the place we are blessed to call home.  I feel like the words o...

Few things have fueled the exponential interest in conspiracy theories as the internet.  People make a lucrative living from "exposing" the hidden agendas of politicians clamouring for a new world order, the not-so-secret "Illuminati" in Hollywood and the music industry.  While much of it is conjecture which borderlines hysteria, I have no doubt that there is more than a shred of truth to the claims.  Sites and news feeds focus on pictures of celebrities throwing down symbolism of the "All-Seeing-Eye," or the use of 666 by Dr. Dre and Brittany Spears in ads or on clothing.  Is the Illuminati really calling the shots?  Is there a satanic plot to use music, movies, and media to influence people and destroy Christian ethics and morality?  In such a convoluted world where alleged conspiracies and connections are made between a hand signal and global domination through subliminal influence, it is hard to figure out how deep the rabbit trail goes.  It is no...

On my way home from a meeting this morning, I could see a line of traffic extending towards me from the intersection of Windsor and Samantha Riley Drive.  The coloured lights of a fire truck, police cars, and ambulances flashing through the boughs of swaying trees told me there had been an accident.  The 10 minute wait as traffic was an unexpected setback, but was nothing like the shock and serious injury of being the one in the smashed vehicle.  A blue hatchback suffered severe damage, and the airbags had been deployed from a frontal collision.  I could drive away from the accident as a bystander, but as I did I thought how there are likely some people who will carry physical injuries and frightening memories for the rest of their lives. Life can change in an instant.  As durable and hardy as people are, life is a most fragile gift.  I expect the driver of that blue car expected to reach his or her intended destination.  But instead they were rushed...