Marching Forth!

Something I have been thinking about lately is a common term used among Christians:  "accepting Christ."  It is biblical to believe and receive the Gospel, and to place our trust in Christ.  But "accepting" Him?  The vast majority of times in the KJV this term is used is not man accepting God, but God accepting man and his sacrifices.  The term almost puts man in the place of God, in the role of a judge or ruler.  We trust Christ and receive the Gospel by faith, and then God rejoices to accept us.  It is only through Christ's righteousness we are made acceptable!  There is a massive difference between accepting a truth in your mind and placing your faith or reliance in the thing.  The Gospel of Jesus is not simply to be accepted (to generally deem as valid or correct), but we are to put our complete reliance in Christ in how we live every day.  Paul wrote in Colossians 2:6-7 , " As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so ...

As 2014 draws to a close, this blog has passed a significant milestone:  50,000 views from all over the world.  It is a great blessing to be able to freely share the love of Jesus Christ and the truth of scripture with all who are interested.  My schedule 2015 looks to be busier than ever, and as God leads and provides I shall continue to regularly contribute to the blog. In the last month, the top visitors to the blog came from the United States, France, Australia, Ukraine, and Germany.  Russia, China, the United Kingdom, and South Korea are also listed on the all time most viewed list.  I thank the LORD for the internet and the translation tools which allow people from all over the world to read with understanding.  Much to my surprise, the blog has been the means to connect me face to face in fellowship with Christians I never knew before.  My prayer is through these words God would be glorified and praised for His goodness and truth. Dear Chris...

" Y o u 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 Peter concluded his epistle with this exhortation to remain faithful to Christ.  Instead of being led astray with the error of the wicked, they were to " grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ ."  For much of my early Christian walk, "grace" was an ambiguous term without any depth of meaning or personal significance.  The concept of "growing in grace" was equally as meaningless.  If I didn't understand what grace was, how could I possibly grow in it? For me, understanding of God's grace awakened when I began to recognise how sinful I am according to God's righteous standard.  From my youth I under...

I have heard people describe David as a "giant killer."  Some have made the point that many of David's mighty men who hailed from lowly backgrounds were also giant killers.  One fact which should not be ignored is David killed Goliath and delivered Israel solely by the grace and power of God.  Like Joseph who admitted the ability to understand and interpret dreams was not in him yet through God was able to do just that, so was David's ability to fight.  God had delivered him from lions and bears, and He would certainly deliver David from the hand of the blasphemous Philistine Goliath.  With God on David's side it was Goliath who was the underdog. Perhaps so we don't place David on a giant-killing pedestal, there was recorded another and lesser known account of David with a giant.  David was unable to kill the giant, and barely escaped with his life.  2 Samuel 21:15-17 tells us, " When the Philistines were at war again with Israel, David and his serva...

Little things can make a big difference.  Whether the context is baking, building a house, or the composition of the human body, small things can be the difference between life and death, good quality or a disaster.  There many parts of the body which are necessary for life, and therefore it is impossible to say what is more important.  It would be useless to debate over whether the brain or blood is more important to the body.  Without either one you could not survive!  They are both necessary and therefore both critical for the healthy operation of the body. Paul wrote to Christians concerning their church meetings in 1 Corinthians 14:26 :  " How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification ."  In verses following, Paul set limits as two or three people at the most speaking in turn with tongues (with interpreta...

As Christmas draws near, there is no shortage of people bustling through the shops.  I suspect a vast majority of people are only at the shops because they have an express purpose to buys food or gifts they need before Christmas.  For some the shops is a time to socialise, eat, window shop, and enjoy the air conditioning, but that has no appeal for me at all.  Perhaps I show my age in that I am glad to wake up early and sacrifice a little sleep to do my shopping away from the crowds.  It is hard for me to imagine there are some people who will go to the shops during the busiest times of day and days of the year to enjoy a coffee, people watch, or window shop. I remember talking to a woman at church years ago who freely admitted without apology that she brought her family to church because they didn't have air conditioning at home.  I found this admission startling.  It opened my eyes to understand there is a variety of reasons people come to church, even ...

" And he who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death ." Exodus 21:17 I live in Australia, a nation where the death penalty has been abolished .  1967 marked the last time anyone was executed for a crime.  There is no shortage of opinions or rationale concerning pros or cons of the death penalty.  But whatever your opinion, I would be willing to wager the preceding verse seems a bit excessive to you.  "C'mon," you might protest.  "That is the most ridiculous thing ever, to face execution for any crime - much less for cursing your father or mother."  In my culture, the suggestion mere words are a capital offense is beyond bizarre.  This view only proves our need for God's Law.  Otherwise we would never even imagine the scope of our sin, how heinous it is before a holy, righteous God, and our desperate need for grace. Don't allow the subject matter to trip you up.  My point in writing this is not to say we must implem...

" For the commandment is a lamp, and the law a light; reproofs of instruction are the way of life ..."   Proverbs 6:23 I believe the Law of Moses today largely has a bad rap.  The Old Covenant of the Law is seen by some as bad or unnecessary because the New Covenant given by grace is better and built on better promises ( Heb. 8:6 ).  The pendulum has swung so far in opposition to "Law" that the purpose and righteousness of the Law has largely been forgotten, ignored, or lost.  I also believe one of the reasons for this is an emphasis on the New Testament resulting in a neglect of reading and study of the Old Testament.  They are both the inspired Word of God and should be read, studied, believed, and personally applied. There is a unbiblical concept in the church that because we are "no longer under the Law" the Law has served its purpose and has no real significance for believers or unbelievers today.  The Bible says the Law is important and valuab...

The behaviour and choices of children are not always clear indicators of their parent's efforts or quality.  Because no one is perfect, there is not one perfect parent.  Despite our experience and apparent successes, we all have room to grow.  God is a perfect Father, yet the wanderings and rebellious nature of His children should not be attributed to His neglect or character flaws.  The fact I am not perfect and my children are not perfect do not provide license for apathy, but should encourage me to further imitate my Father's perfect example - despite my flaws and folly. One consistent aspect of God's character is He chastens and disciplines those whom He loves, even as a father corrects a son in whom he delights.  God has given everyone a conscience, and a troubled conscience is a good indicator of something in our life which is not at peace with God.  I remembered recently how David's heart on multiple occasions "smote him" for something he did wrong...

I am grateful to be part of the Body of Christ, the church.  1 Corinthians 12:12-14 says, " For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free--and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For in fact the body is not one member but many ."  The world beckons all to celebrate diversity in the vacuum of individualism.  The contrasting beauty of God's design of the church is our celebration of the unity of diverse individuals in Christ.  It is not our differences or unique talents which make us useful, but Jesus Christ who unites us.  It is the Holy Spirit who leads and empowers us as one. I have found free weights to be the most useful and thus my favourite type of training.  Over the years I have experienced a few injuries, and the vast majority of injuries were ...

" Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, but who can find a faithful man ?" Proverbs 20:6 This Proverb of Solomon is proved true to this day.  Most people measure themselves selectively against others.  It is easy to find faults in others (perhaps since the sins of others appear more heinous than our own) and therefore most people claim to basically be a "good" person.  Unfortunately the world has dumbed-down the biblical definition of "good" to a ridiculously low level.  Jesus brought this to light when He was addressed as, "good teacher" in Mark 10:17-18 :  " Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" 18 So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God ."   Jesus in essence said to the man and the world:  I am either good and God or I am not good at all, for th...

The Bible is beyond profound, packed with eternal significance.  Even historical events are means God utilises to give us a picture of the Christ's power and reality for all who trust in Him today.  Those who approach God in faith find food for their souls in the scriptures.  Last night as a family this truth was confirmed in a passage from 2 Kings 25:27-30 :  " Now it came to pass in the thirty-seventh year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, that Evil-Merodach king of Babylon, in the year that he began to reign, released Jehoiachin king of Judah from prison. 28 He spoke kindly to him, and gave him a more prominent seat than those of the kings who were with him in Babylon. 29 So Jehoiachin changed from his prison garments, and he ate bread regularly before the king all the days of his life. 30 And as for his provisions, there was a regular ration given him by the king, a portion f...

Near my house there many acres of pasture where cows, horses, and sheep continually graze.  The recent summer rains have made the grass grow green and lush.  Large catchments of water are filled to capacity, and God has supplied enough rain in the last days to ensure well-watered grazing for a month!  As I drove by the property yesterday, it struck me:  I have sped by the sheep in those fields hundreds of times, yet to my knowledge not once have I ever seen them laying down.  Mixed in with the cows and horses, the sheep seem to perpetually stand.  It reminded me of a passage in Phillip Keller's classic, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 .  Keller writes: The strange things about sheep is that because of their very make-up it is almost impossible for them to be made to lie down unless four requirements are met.  Owing to their timidity they refuse to lie down unless they are free of all fear.  Because of the social behavior within a flock sheep w...

I have concluded that human independence is merely a mirage.  Yesterday we experienced a storm which sent rain and hail hammering down as lightning flashed and thunder boomed.  During one of the lighting strikes, all the devices drawing electrical current dimmed.  The boys were both playing video games at the time and they simultaneously groaned, because they realised a power outage would end their gaming session.  It occurred to me they were completely reliant upon a stable electrical current to play their games.  To do anything we want to do, we have to rely upon something our someone to accomplish it. It is always a sad day when an person can no longer drive because of health reasons or physical limitations.  I have heard this referred to as "losing your independence."  This is an ironic statement, seeing those who have a car are dependent upon their car to drive anywhere!  To use a different example, this morning I mowed the lawn.  I wa...

God responds with answers to those who rely upon Him.  As long as we have a backup plan, the very existence of such a plan shows our faith is not in God.  To paraphrase a quote from Transformational Discipleship (by Geiger, Kelley, Nation), our "Plan B" is an offense to God.  God should not be at the top of our personal pecking order, but the One in whom we seek refuge.  There is to be no other retreat for a believer.  God is not to be our last resort, nor should we line up options should He not respond according to our demands or impatience. There is a telling contrast in the Bible between two kings:  King Saul and King Hezekiah.  With impending war looming on the horizon, each of these kings responded quite differently.  Despite their differences, both these kings share something in common:  they both sought the LORD first.  The condition of their hearts and the reality of their faith would be revealed to us, even as it was known by...

At the end of a sweltering summer day, Sydney was doused with a welcome shower.  Wind whipped the trees and the cool rain bucketed down.  During the cloudburst, I noticed a few areas where rain was spilling over the edge of the gutters.  This morning after seeing the boys off to school, I pulled out a ladder and confirmed my suspicion.  The large tree which provides lovely shade in our front yard also drops leaves in abundance, and the gutters needed to be cleaned.  It only took a short time to remove the leaves, and hopefully the next rain will prove my effort of maintenance successful. Since the gutters are elevated, it took a rainstorm for me to notice the flow of water was impeded by leaves and debris.  Buckets of leaves had slowly accumulated out of my sight.  Many had turned black due to the decomposition process.  Because I do occasionally clean the gutters, it was not a big chore to clear them this morning.  It made me think about t...

Today I heard an interesting story from a man who recently visited an island located in the South Pacific Ocean.  As he was driving to a meeting in the morning, he noticed a woman sitting with a small child under a mango tree.  Several hours later, he passed by the same woman - who was still sitting under the same tree.  He asked his guide, "So what is that woman doing under that tree?  Is she waiting for a bus?"  "Oh no," the guide responded.  "She is waiting for a mango to fall.  When a mango falls, she will eat it."  The guide went on to explain when children are older, they become skilled at climbing trees and develop the skill of accurately throwing rocks to cause targeted mangos to fall.  Though her child was not yet able to speed up the process, the woman was content to wait for a mango to fall. There is a lesson in the waiting woman for those who are in a hurry for fruitfulness.  Mangos fall when they are ripe and ready to eat...

" Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever ."   Psalm 136:1 If you have read Psalm 136 , you likely realised that all 26 verses repeat the same phrase:  " For His mercy endures forever ."  What I find compelling about this song is how the Psalmist emphasised the endless endurance of God's mercy through what God did in the past.   We could never use this technique with people for as we all have witnessed, people change.  One of God's eternal attributes is He does not change ( Mal. 3:6 ).  Believers can therefore say with complete assurance God's merciful character revealed in the past will extend to us, following generations, and continue unabated forever. This Psalm serves to stir up remembrance, to direct our thoughts to the marvelous workings of God to deliver His people of their oppressors.  The Psalmist carefully chronicled the mighty works of God in the past so that whatever a reader might be facing, in lo...

Yesterday the shock death of cricket batsman Phil Hughes rocked Australia and the cricketing world.  Hit on the pitch by a bouncer whilst batting on the pitch at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Hughes passed out and never regained consciousness.  He was only 25 years old.  He will be remembered as a rising star whose massive potential was never fully realised, his life tragically cut short playing a game he loved.  My thoughts and prayers have been with his family, friends, and folks in his hometown of Macksville. Tragedies strike every day which are not reported in detail on the news or websites.  Countless, nameless people across the world die on a day and perhaps in a way they could not possibly have expected.  Such a shock occurrence rightly causes a young person to be introspective and consider his own mortality.  In our world, the bowlers keep bowling, the batsman keep swinging, and the international test matches keep coming.  Some people won't...

Have you ever left a dish in the sink thinking, "Somebody will wash that?"  Sometimes we notice a chore hasn't been done for a while and say out loud, "When is somebody going to...?"  When those thoughts are running through our minds, it's easy for us to overlook the most qualified candidate:  ourselves!  Doesn't God clean up your messes sometimes even without you asking?  We are aware of the need, are convinced it should be done, and our observation reveals desire to see the task completed.  So what stops us from being "somebody?" Years ago, I was taught a great life lesson by my pastor.  Along with a group of people from church, my pastor and I helped a family in need move house.  I found it exciting to help meet a person's need in a practical way.  After completing the move I said, "You know, what a great opportunity for ministry.  Somebody should start a helps ministry to aid people in practical ways."  With a twinkle in his...

The God revealed in both the Old and New Testaments are one and the same God.  To claim otherwise is to ignore the ample evidence of God's holiness, righteousness, goodness, grace, justice, love, and vengeance portrayed consistently throughout scripture.  One aspect of God's character is He does not change.   He says plainly to His people in Malachi 3:5-6 , " And I will come near you for judgment; I will be a swift witness against sorcerers, against adulterers, against perjurers, against those who exploit wage earners and widows and orphans, and against those who turn away an alien -- because they do not fear Me," says the LORD of hosts. 6 "For I am the LORD, I do not change; therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob ."  Men change, but God does not change. God had made a covenant with His people to which He remained true, despite their departure from Him.  They were disobedient, unholy, and filled with unbelief.  God's people demanded to ha...

When I was in high school, I ran cross country.  For hours a week, our small team gathered and trained for upcoming races.  I remember my first junior-varsity race, an invitational hosted by El Capitan which weaved around Lindo Lake in Lakeside, California.  My memories of that race are not good because it is the only race I didn't finish.  About halfway through I turned my ankle, and after failing to keep pace I gave up and quit.  The ankle was no doubt sore, but my pride was hurt even more.  I would love to say that day I was an admirable picture of perseverance, finishing despite pain and the resulting poor time.  I suppose my mind set was not on finishing at all costs, but doing well.  If I couldn't do well in my mind, it was better to quit than press on.  Ouch. One lesson I learned that day is despite making the team, training daily, intense preparation, wearing the right gear, warming up, and doing my best didn't guarantee a finish in...