Marching Forth!

We live in a day of relativism.  Yet even with the relative state of morality in the various societies in the world, there are crimes so heinous they deserve prosecution to the fullest extent of the law.  Even in prisons there is a code of ethics, where felons punish violators for the crimes committed outside prison, as well as breaking the code within.  In each of us there is a morality based upon our beliefs.  A drug dealer may have no problem with dealing illegal narcotics to adults, but believes it would be wrong to sell bad dope to kids.  Everyone has within them a conscience that causes us to experience guilt or shame when we know we've done something wrong.  There's a lot of people in prison who believe they have been hard done by and don't deserve the punishment they have received.  In some cases there is injustice, but it doesn't mean that concept of prison is one of them. Can you imagine a serial child rapist and murderer complaining to the...

One of the wonderful aspects of the One True God is He makes all things new.  When a person is born again by grace through faith, the Holy Spirit transforms us from the inside.  We are freed from the bondage of sin and spiritually brought from death to life.  It is like coming out of a darkened grave into the light of God's love.  What warmth and joy we experience!  What a relief, to be free from the burden of sin and to have a new Master.  It was Satan and sin that once oppressed and ruled us.  We were prisoners in a chain-gang serving a life sentence headed to hell with the whip of guilt laid across our consciences.  But in Christ we have been made free and a whole new life for eternity stretches before us like a luscious meadow before a flock of sheep.  Jesus is our Good Shepherd and we love to hear Him call our names. Though God makes all things new, we continue to live life on earth in a body of flesh.  All the experiences in our ...

The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis is an intellectually stimulating book.  In it he does not so much seek to prove the existence of God but to reconcile His good, perfect character with the painful experiences we face during life on earth.  C.S. Lewis was once an atheist but reason compelled him to abandon that view.  He was no fool.  In the introduction to his books, he says this: " There was a man born among these Jews who claimed to be, or to be the son of, or to be "one with", the Something which is at once the awful haunter of nature and the giver of the moral law.  The claim is so shocking - a paradox, and even a horror, which we may easily be lulled into taking too lightly - that only two views of this man are possible.  Either he was a raving lunatic of an unusually abominable type, or else He was, and is, precisely what He said.  There is no middle way.  If the records make the first hypotheses unacceptable, you must submit to the second...

Abraham was a man who believed God, and his faith was accounted to him as righteousness.  As he walked in obedience to God's directives, he had many opportunities to grow in faith.  One of these time is after his brother's son Lot was taken captive by four kings who had just defeated five other kings.  Genesis 14:14-15 says, " Now when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his three hundred and eighteen trained servants who were born in his own house, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15 He divided his forces against them by night, and he and his servants attacked them and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus ."  From a military viewpoint, Abraham faced long odds - he and his 318 trained servants against four victorious kings!  God granted Abraham a most improbable victory and recovered all as we read in Genesis 14:16 :  " So he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his brother Lot and his goods, as ...

Few of us pray to God hoping He will say "No" to our requests.  But like every good parent, our Heavenly Father knows when to say "No."  Can you imagine what life would have been like as a kid if every time you asked for something your parents said "Yes?"  I doubt such a parent could possibly have any respect from their children.  Because of immaturity and limited vision, kids desire all sorts of things that would ruin them.  A loving parent will do what's best for their kids, even if kids don't want the best for themselves. Scriptures demonstrates time and time again that God said "No" to many of His faithful followers.  After Moses sinned in Meribah, he begged that God would allow him into the Promised Land.  God sternly told him no and forbade Moses to bring up the subject again ( Deut. 3:26 ).  King David desired to build God a house, but God told him no.  When David's infant son was sick and he prayed and fasted for seven days ...

During my reading this morning I came across Deuteronomy 29:6 when God spoke to His people:  " You have not eaten bread, nor have you drunk wine or similar drink, that you may know that I am the LORD your God ."  This is an interesting connection.  God sustained His people with manna from heaven when they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years.  They did not have access to wine or fruit of the vine and there was a purpose:  " that you may know that I am the LORD your God ."  When I read this, it brought to mind a sermon delivered in 2013 by pastor Joe Focht called, " What About Alcohol ?"  It is a great sermon that holds forth a biblical perspective on drinking:  it's not about how far we can safely go with drinking, but that we should labour instead to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Let me say that we have liberty in Christ to eat and drink whatever we want.  Personally, I take to heart the teachings given by Lemuel's mother in Proverbs...

One of my Bible study aids is from a most unexpected source:  the 1828 Webster's American Dictionary of the English Language.  What makes this volume different from modern dictionaries is Noah Webster's definitions spring from a biblical worldview.  It is interesting to me that you will not find the words "automobile," "radio," or "telephone" within the pages because those modern advances were not yet invented.  At the same time, the text is largely free from encroachment of worldly philosophy and politically correct speech which has emasculated and convoluted the original meaning of words.  Here is one of my favourite examples when comparing modern definitions to those given in Webster's 1828 dictionary: " Duty " as defined by dictionary.com : Something that one is expected or required to do by moral or legal obligation. The binding or obligatory force of something that is morally or legally right. An action or task required b...

When I sensed the call of God to move to Australia, I didn't have a calendar with times and dates filled in.  There was no doubt about the call, but I had no clue about how or when it would happen.  I didn't know where our family would be going.  I didn't know how long the process would take.  I didn't know how long God would allow us to live in Australia.  The only thing I knew was that God had called me and my family to go.  Our part was to obey God by going through the open door He would sovereignly reveal to us in His time. The process ended up taking many years.  During that process, my wife Laura and I had discussed and were in agreement of one thing:  we would burn the boats.  While there is apparently debate concerning the origin of this idiom - whether it best describes the approach of the Romans, conquistador Cortez, or someone else - there is little debate of the meaning.  It means the point of no return has been reached....

The Bible is filled with accounts of God's people doing mighty deeds.  I was reminded of Eleazar this morning, the second of David's top three mighty men.  2 Samuel 23:9-10 tells us, " And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel had retreated. 10 He arose and attacked the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand stuck to the sword. The LORD brought about a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to plunder ."  When the men of Israel retreated before the Philistine onslaught, Eleazar stood his ground armed with his sword.  He fought to the point of exhaustion.  He gripped the sword so tightly his hand cramped and stuck to it!  Because Eleazar refused to quit, God brought about a great victory that day.  Only after he defeated the Philistines did people return to plunder the s...

The needs of people today for survival are the same they have always been.  People need water to drink, food to eat, air to breathe, adequate shelter and sleep.  These days many more things have been tacked onto the list:  mobile phones, transportation, the internet, coffee, and social media.  I recently saw a television commercial of a new Holden car which boasts Facebook access from the center console!  A lot of the things people believe they need are not necessary for life.  Many of the activities and things purported to enhance our lives and we have come to believe we could not possibly live without them actually drain it away. Times change, but the spiritual needs of people remains the same.  Even in this digital age of technology and information, many people remain in the dark ages spiritually.  Blinded by materialism, caught up in the pursuits of this earthly life, countless people are ignorant of their need for forgiveness and salvation....

The law in the Old Testament is full of useful principles and insights into the character of God.  People have the mistaken view that there is a difference between the "God" portrayed in the Old Testament and the New.  This is simply not supported in scripture.  God's love and grace is on full display throughout all scripture for all who will see and hear.  God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  Never has He suggested "Do as I say but not as I do," but has always kept His Word in righteousness. One of the stumbling blocks for people is how God granted the children of Israel land which was obtained through warfare.  As the body counts rise, so do the eyebrows of some people.  "How could a loving God allow and encourage such carnage?"  God has always given people opportunity for salvation.  He has never visited His wrath upon people or nations without warning.  Noah was a preacher of righteousness for over 100 years before the f...

Has anyone you trusted let you down?  God allows circumstances in our lives to teach us that He is the only one worthy of worship and absolute confidence.  Even after we make a decision to follow Christ, we can lean on our own understanding rather than trusting in God.  It is good when God forces us to let go of our false supports and learn only to rely upon Him.  What is a primary way God makes a man decide to let go?  Pain.  When we pick up something hot, the message of searing pain tells us to drop it quick! There is an instance in scripture when King Hezekiah rebelled against the king of Assyria.  He sent a messenger named Rabshakeh to intimidate the people of Samaria to surrender.  Though he was a false accuser, a blasphemer, and did not fear the true God of heaven and earth, Rabshakeh held forth some valuable insights in 2 Kings 18:20-21 :  " You speak of having plans and power for war; but they are mere words. And in whom do you trus...

I may not know you, but I know you're out there. You're hurting.  Betrayed, disillusioned, confused, you don't know who to trust.  Perhaps you suffered abuse at the hands of people you trusted as a child.  Your body no longer shows the bruises and the bleeding has stopped, but inside the wounds are fresh.  Just as painful was the fact no one knew how you suffered as you stuffed your hurt deep inside. You're afraid.  You carry fear that gnaws you from the inside.  Sometimes you feel like a child, alone in the dark.  You fear rejection and the thought of being all alone.  You fear your spouse.  You fear for your life.  And you are very afraid to die. But in a perverse way you would welcome death, given your experiences of life.  The weight of sorrows, disappointments, grief, and anger is more than you can bear.  The anger inside of you has a grip you can't escape.  It breaks your heart when you hurt others with fists a...

While reading through Revelation this week, the LORD showed me a wonderful analogy of how our position of righteousness in Christ and good works are knit seamlessly together.  It is written in Revelation 19:7-8, " Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready." 8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints ."  Scripture tells us there is none righteous, no not one.  The righteousness which comes through the law is as filthy rags.  The law was like a schoolmaster, taking us by the hand and leading us to faith in Christ.  The law revealed to our conscience our sinful stains, and the blood of Christ through faith in the Gospel washes us clean and imputes His righteousness to us. The picture God gave me is one of a groom and his future bride in ancient Israel.  During the betrothal period, the bri...

The example of giving generously has been demonstrated by God to all people.  There is nothing we are or possess which did not first pass through His hands graciously to us.  The question which can stump people is, "How much should I give?"  When I read Deuteronomy 16:17 this morning, it answers the question well:  " Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which He has given you ."  The question then becomes, "How much has God blessed me?"  We are to give cheerfully to God according to the blessing which He has given us.  We humans are funny creatures:  we want blessings with no end in sight, but we set limits on giving unto God. Jesus says in Matthew 7:12, " Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets ." This is commonly called the "Golden Rule."  Long before that in Deuteronomy, God had established what could be called the golden rul...

Yesterday I was afforded the very rare privilege to watch a San Diego Padres baseball game.  I set the DVR to record and watched bits and pieces during the day.  It had been years since I actually watched a Padres game.  When I lived in San Diego I would watch a majority of the games (or bits of them) on Channel 4.  Even though the Padres lost to the Red Sox, it was fun and nostalgic to see the many new faces of a team I have followed since 1984. Now I always smile to myself when people are sympathetic to sports teams who have historically been doomed to defeat.  Not once have I heard commentators mention the San Diego faithful.  Neither the San Diego Padres or Chargers won a world championship on the biggest stage.  The Chargers were smashed in the 1994 Super Bowl, and the Padres were whooped in the MLB World Series in 1984 and 1998.  Man, it's been a long time since we were even that good - or bad, however you want to look at it.  Maybe, ...

Jesus was invited by a Pharisee to his home for a meal.  During the meal, a woman - a well-known "sinner" in the town - came to see Jesus.  She was so moved she washed Christ's feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.  She then kissed his feet and anointed them with precious oil from an alabaster box she broke for that purpose.  Not everyone was pleased by this display of affection and generosity.  Luke 7:39-40 reads, " Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, "This man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner." 40 And Jesus answered and said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." So he said, "Teacher, say it ." Did you see that?  The critical Pharisee spoke to himself, meaning this was an internal conversation he had in his mind.  What happened next proved that Jesus was more than a prophet:  He answer...

This long awaited day has finally arrived, a day that at times I wondered would ever come:  our family received word from immigration that we have been approved for permanent residency.  The notification reads, " You have been granted a permanent visa which allows you to remain in Australia indefinitely ."  It feels unreal even as I read those words now.  The walk of faith in Christ provides unimaginable twists, turns, and surprises.  It is like a roller coaster where one feels the anticipation of the slow ascent, big drops, corkscrews, the sickness in the pit of the stomach, and g-forces all combine to make it a ride that at the conclusion you laugh and say, "Let's do it again!"  Well, almost like that.  I am glad beyond words the forms, documentation, physicals, and expense is concluded with a positive result.  I am blessed that this chapter of our immigration process is complete.  God-willing citizenship is only a year and a half away! I...