Marching Forth!

I am awed by the complexity of life on earth.  When I turned on the TV the other day, there was a program about Emperor Penguins.  How those creatures survive in such brutal conditions is nothing short of miraculous!  The instincts within those created animals (all creatures are created by God) enable them to procreate, pass the egg gently from female to male, and then walk with the egg balanced carefully on the feet.  After handing off the egg, the female heads off to hunt.  I saw the show for less than five minutes, but my mind was blown by the amazing abilities and rare beauty of those majestic creatures. From the smallest single-celled organism to the sprawling heavens above, all boldly proclaim the awesomeness of God's creative majesty.  The stars displayed in the night sky twinkle from millions of light years away.  It struck me that when we look up into the sky and admire the beauty of countless stars, we are simply peering through a keyhole t...

The world cannot provide the redemptive forgiveness and grace found only in God.  There is no hope in mankind for salvation or comfort.  Heap up money and riches, distract yourself with activity, and pursue everything your heart desires and your conclusion will be the same as King Solomon:  " All is vanity and grasping for the wind ."  Successful building projects, laughter, abundance of wealth, wine, women, or song did nothing to satisfy the needs of his soul. In the mornings this week I have been reading through the book of Ruth and continue to marvel over this beautiful story of redemption.  Ruth, a foreign widow, "happened" to glean in the field of Boaz.  He was a near kinsman, a man who was called to redeem her to raise up seed on behalf of Ruth's late husband so he would have an heir.  This he delighted to do, and took his case before the men at the gate.  There was a man who was a closer relative than Boaz, but when redeeming the land mea...

The perspective of the Bible reveals love is a choice.  The divine love revealed through Jesus Christ springs of grace from the goodness of God.  In obedience to the Father's will, Jesus rejoiced to demonstrate His love for sinners even through the suffering of the cross.  This love is not seated on the rise and flow of the emotions, nor is it at the mercy of circumstance.  It is a constant, active love that is ever reaching out to man from the sole pure source of love:  God. One of the commands Jesus gave to His followers is that we would love one another as He has loved us.  We choose to love therefore on the basis of His active love, not on how we feel at any given time.  Our motivation for loving others is not their worthiness, but out of the same grace God has shown us.  Because the Holy Spirit resides within us, we are enabled to love as God loves.  It is a conscious decision we are called to make to demonstrate this love to all regar...

When someone falls on the ground, what is your response?  Do you laugh?  Stop and stare?  Do you carefully walk around the fallen because someone else has already stooped to help? Do you run to lift the fallen up?  If you know the one who has fallen are you embarrassed for them - or more embarrassed for yourself?  The simple act of falling can have devastating consequences.  The person who falls bears not only the brunt of the impact, but also the potential stigma of harsh judgments from others. As Christians, may we be people who are quick to help those who have fallen, whether physically or spiritually.  I think it is easier to accept that someone has fallen physically than spiritually.  Perhaps for years we have viewed someone as a tower of strength who ultimately proved to be weak as any other man, and their fall into sin has left us gutted, disillusioned, even angry.  Let us be those who give grace and seek in a spirit of meekness ...

Yesterday morning I picked up my parents from the airport to kick off their two-week stay with us.  It is a blessing to our family fly down under to visit with us.  Thank you to those who sent letters and goodies along with them, an unexpected treat!  I have been feverishly working to finish my "work" so we can do things together at a relaxed pace. When I visited the States in June, ironically I helped out with booking this trip.  It was placed on the calendar months ago.  There were many things we have successfully prepared for:  ordering a bed for the re-arranged guest room, organising things to be brought over, inquiring with friends about things to do and see, and planning for the upcoming conference and projects.  But regardless of all the work we have done, it seems like things slipped through the cracks - things like lunch!  For months we knew my parents were coming, but we never thought to put together a menu or daily calendar.  We'...

There is an intriguing passage in Judges 17-18 which speaks of Micah, his idols, and priest.  One of the best and useful sermons I have ever heard was drawn out of this passage by Paris Reidhead titled, " 10 Shekels and a Shirt ."  Micah hired a Levite to become the priest over his household.  The Levite was pleased with the terms offered him and agreed to serve Micah - that is, until he received a better offer!  When men from the tribe of Dan came with a hidden purpose to steal Micah's ephod and idols, the Levite who posed as a priest confronted them.  They said, "Why don't you come with us?  At the moment you are only priest over a household:  wouldn't it be better for you to be priest over an entire tribe?"  Judges 18:20 reveals his response:  " So the priest's heart was glad; and he took the ephod, the household idols, and the carved image, and took his place among the people ."  Like many people, the Levite was only loyal until a b...

Some people have the impression that the Christian life is one of restrictive rules.  In fact, quite the opposite is true:  in Christ we have freedoms never before possible, either apart from God or under the Old Covenant of the Law of Moses.  The Bible tells us all people are born sinners, spiritually blinded by darkness, chained and imprisoned awaiting everlasting judgment.  Jesus came to open the eyes of the blind, make the lame to walk, cleanse the lepers, release people from their chains, and raise the dead.  He is the Light of the World that has shined in the darkness, and only He has the words of life. God does not bring us out of our bondage to Satan, sin, and death, and herd Christians into kennels.  We are no longer shackled in a prison, but are set free.  We have absolute freedom in Christ without fences, walls, chains, a life without guards in turrets armed with high-powered rifles who wait for any excuse to shoot.  God governs us in...

It is a great irony that some parents who grew up with virtually nothing want their kids to have everything.  Yet this fervent sacrifice to provide all their children desire creates in them a lack of appreciation for anything!  I was raised by parents who loved me and my siblings and provided for our needs.  Not only were we fed and provided with clothes and shelter, we received gifts for our birthdays.  On very rare occasions we even took family trips to Disneyland.  But we were not given whatever we wanted.  Therefore it didn't take too much for us to greatly appreciate "treats" like eating out at McDonald's or receiving a gift of beef jerky.  We never expected or felt entitled to have a Big Gulp at 7-11 or an ice cream when the truck came by.  My parents showed their love first through being present with us, supported each of their children to meet our individual needs, established clear boundaries through consistent, rigid discipline, and most...

" And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory ." 1 Timothy 3:16 The world is full of controversy, but these basic tenets of godliness are not numbered among them.  Paul plainly says the mystery of godliness - something once hidden that has now been revealed - is without any controversy, beyond any doubt or factually-founded opposition:  God has been manifested through the person of Jesus Christ, justified in the Holy Spirit through His bodily resurrection, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up in glory.  Paul speaks of these as ironclad facts. Most of the attacks of scripture or Christianity do not come against these aspects, nor could they.  It is easier to point out the flaws or hypocrisy of His followers than to lay such claims against Christ....

The Bible is filled with many teachings of Christ to His disciples.  Some have been recorded in great detail and have been named by scholars, like the Sermon on the Mount or the Olivet Discourse.  But there are many times we aren't told exactly what Jesus said.  When Jesus met with two men headed down on the road to Emmaus, we are told beginning at Moses and the prophets Jesus expounded on all the scriptures concerning Himself.  No words from this enlightening sermon besides the initial words of rebuke are recorded. Only a handful of verses later, Jesus appeared to the disciples as they gathered in secret.  Luke 24:44-45 reads, " Then He said to them, "These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me." 45 And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures ."  Again, we are not told precis...

People change, but God doesn't.  This is one of the many aspects of God which is completely contrary to our experience on earth.  He says in Malachi 3:6 , " For I am the LORD, I change not. .."  The world changes with the advance of technology; philosophy, society, and economics change; the climate is constantly in a state of flux; even our bodies are always changing.  Our thoughts change from one moment to the next, but God does not change.  His righteous Laws do not "change with the times," for He has created time and it is subservient to His everlasting rule.  He created this world, and someday He will end it. During my lifetime, I have witnessed many changes.  I have seen portable music devices go from oversized boom-boxes lugged on the shoulder to Walkman cassette players with headphones to portable CD players and MP3 players with ear buds to a phone that is a computer, camera, work and game station which oh yeah - also plays digital music downl...

Picture a husband and wife recently married.  The husband has been away on business and returns to his wife in the middle of the night.  The night is cold and damp.  Embers glow faintly on the hearth, like eyes peering into the room.   In a semi-conscious state, the woman hears her husband knock and call.  The drama unfolds at this moment:  " I sleep, but my heart is awake; it is the voice of my beloved! He knocks, saying, "Open for me, my sister, my love, my dove, my perfect one; for my head is covered with dew, my locks with the drops of the night." 3 I have taken off my robe; how can I put it on again? I have washed my feet; how can I defile them ?" ( Song of Songs 5:2-3 ) This is a tiny excerpt from King Solomon's "Song of Songs."  The bride heard the voice of her beloved as he knocked on the door.  He entreated her gently and affectionately, proclaiming his love for her.  In his view, she was flawless and without compare.  He...

God's love is greater than man's comprehension.  Yet in His grace God has demonstrated His great love for us through the willing sacrifice of Jesus Christ.  It is a love so profound and limitless, that if it had size it would extend beyond the known universe.  God's love is deeper than an ocean, more powerful than the crushing weight of the greatest waterfalls.  About 70% of the earth is covered with water, and very little of it has actually been explored.  The best most of us do is roll up our pants and get our feet wet.  When it comes to God's love, the same could be said.  We can swim out a little into it, but to plumb the depths from our vantage point is impossible. In preparing for a sermon this week, I was reminded of a post written years ago called " The Ligament of Love ."  Love is the indispensable bond of perfection in the Body of Christ.  This week I was treated to another practical example of God's love in our lives.  For a...