Marching Forth!

" 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...

" Open to me the gates of righteousness; I will go through them, and I will praise the LORD. 20 This is the gate of the LORD, through which the righteous shall enter. 21 I will praise You, for You have answered me, and have become my salvation ." Psalm 118:19-21 Only those with clean hands and a pure heart will see God ( Ps. 24:4 ).   The Law of God proves beyond any shadow of doubt that there is none good, no not one.  Solomon stated rhetorically in Proverbs 20:9 , " Who can say, "I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin ?"  If man's only hope for righteousness was through his own effort, he would have no hope whatsoever.  But by the grace of God, the righteousness of Christ has been imputed through faith to all those who believe.  Paul stated his fervent desire in Philippians 3:9-11 to "... be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness wh...

This morning I asked God to provide something for me to post on the blog, and today He saw fit to provide in a way I did not expect!  God speaks through times of prayer and scripture reading, but He also reveals Himself in the mundane.  When a man knows God, it changes his perspective of everything.  Even in accidents God's grace and goodness is revealed.  In a little booklet I read the other day written by Ken Ham, he stated all students of science use the same facts but their worldviews dictate how the facts are interpreted.  It is God in a person who opens our eyes to His gracious benefits even when things "go wrong." In between studies this morning, I went to the kitchen to prepare a coffee for myself.  After tamping the grounds in the portafiller, I pulled the stainless steel milk frothing jug from the strainer.  Unknown to me (at first!), the blade attachment for our blender was stealthily tucked inside!  Before I even looked down or felt ...

A follower of Jesus Christ has the assurance of scripture that God has authority over all and is in control.  Matthew 28:18 records words Jesus said to His disciples:  " And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth ."  Under Christ's authority, we can therefore go into all the world and make disciples of all nations, baptising, and teaching them to follow God's ways. A funny thing happens when people are given positions of authority.  It changes the way people think and relate to others - and often for the worse.  Many become overbearing and harsh.  In the words of Agur in Proverbs 30:21-23 :  " For three things the earth is perturbed, yes, for four it cannot bear up: 22 for a servant when he reigns, a fool when he is filled with food, 23 a hateful woman when she is married, and a maidservant who succeeds her mistress ."  A common worker without training would likely be unprepared ...

One of my favourite Bible passages growing up is found in Judges 3, when Ehud assassinated King Eglon of Moab.  For 18 years the children of Israel had been oppressed by the corpulent Eglon, who rallied the people of Ammon and Amalek against them.  God heard the cries of His people and raised up Ehud as a deliverer, a left-handed man.  He fashioned a two-edged dagger - too short to be considered a sword - and smuggled it under his clothes.  After giving a payment of tribute, Ehud sought an audience with King Eglon, saying he had a secret message for him.  Judges 3:20-23 contains the gruesome details:  " And Ehud came to him (now he was sitting upstairs in his cool private chamber). Then Ehud said, "I have a message from God for you." So he arose from his seat. 21 Then Ehud reached with his left hand, took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly. 22 Even the hilt went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade, for h...

God's ways are truly higher than man's ways, and His thoughts are beyond our wildest expectation, imagination, or explanation.  The life of Joseph is a good example of this.  As a young man, God revealed the future to Joseph through a couple of dreams.  God showed him the end, but did not reveal the time frame or the process.  His brothers hated Joseph because of the special treatment he received from his father Jacob.  Fueled by bitterness and envy, they sold Joseph to traders heading to Egypt.  If you think Joseph was at peace to be sold because "it was all in God's plan," you are incorrect.  Tormented by guilt years later his brothers said to one another in Genesis 42:21 , " We are truly guilty concerning our brother, for we saw the anguish of his soul when he pleaded with us, and we would not hear; therefore this distress has come upon us ." In anguish of soul, Joseph was brought to Egypt and sold as a slave.  After being promoted in Potipha...

Tonight our family read the account in 2 Kings 3 , a testimony of God's grace in providing victory for His people.  The chapter begins by explaining how Jehoram was a wicked king over Israel, and after the death of Ahab the nation of Moab rebelled against Israel's rule.  Jehoram sent word to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, a righteous man who feared God.  Jehoshaphat agreed to help reign in the rebellious Moabites, and they traveled together for seven days through the land of Edom.  The text says the king of Edom came along in support.  Despite their planning and collaboration, they faced defeat before even meeting Moab in battle because of a severe water shortage. Jehoram blamed the lack of water as a sinister plan of God to destroy them.  Refusing to accept such a suggestion, the faithful king of Judah said in 2 Kings 3:11 , " Is there no prophet of the LORD here, that we may inquire of the LORD by him?" So one of the servants of the king of Israel answered ...

When your church plans trips, activities, or courses, how do you view them?  For a lot of my life I used to see all church-related activities or service as optional.  Unless I felt specifically prompted to go or be involved, I would usually pass.  But as I have continued to mature in the LORD, my views have changed.  I see opportunities to preach or go on mission trips as open doors that I should aim to go through unless God closes the door.  Do you see the difference?  Many people have a consumer approach to offered church activities rather than seeing it as an opportunity to serve. How would your perspective change if you saw an upcoming mission trip as an open door, swung wide by Jesus Christ Himself for you to enter?  Jesus said in Revelation 3:7 , " And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, 'These things says He who is holy, He who is true, "He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens..." ...

Three months have passed since I underwent ACL replacement surgery on my knee.  When I first talked to my specialist concerning the procedure, it was not without warning.  "The surgery has a high success rate," the doctor said.  "But the highest probability of re-rupture occurs at the three month mark.  You're getting stronger, you're feeling good, and you overdo it.  You need to do the things I tell you to do, and not do anything I tell you not to do."  No problem, I said.  With a clear conscience, I can say for the most part I have kept my word.  I may be out of the woods, but a long road to full recovery stretches before me. Recovery from knee surgery is similar to what happens when God heals broken parts of our lives.  Maybe we think that because we have been forgiven, reconciled, and restored, we can pretty much do whatever we want!  But that is far from reality.  Suppose I hadn't been warned to take precautions concerning ac...

On Thursday I volunteer for the Pyjama Foundation , a organisation that seeks to provide friendly mentoring and boost literacy for kids in foster care.  Today was a bit strange, in that we did not read at all!  It was a learning and growing time for me as a living parable played out before my eyes. As I turned right at the roundabout, I saw two kids playing down by a creek.  I suspected one of them was Nate (name changed), and upon entry to the home my thoughts were confirmed.  We enjoy spending some of our time outdoors and I was early anyway, and after greeting everyone I headed outside.  Yesterday it had rained heavily and the creek was higher than usual.  The boys had noticed!  Nate was skipping stones with a friend and for a while we threw rocks into the water.  That didn't last for long.  All that water and mud was simply too interesting, so the boys headed down for a closer look. Nate and his mate hopped down into the waterway, onl...

God speaks to us in ways we may not expect.  When we think of God speaking, perhaps we think of dreams, visions, or perhaps an audible voice from heaven.  While God can certainly use any means to speak, a primary way which He speaks to us is through His Word, the Bible.  Closely connected with the scripture is the presence of the Holy Spirit who dwells inside every Christian.  Jesus says His sheep hear His voice, He knows His sheep, and we follow Him.  The Holy Spirit enables us to understand what Jesus says and apply it personally to our lives.  Instead of a booming, amplified voice from the sky, most often God speaks in His still, small voice. God did not place the Holy Spirit in every believer for the sake of convenience.  Instead of spelling out the future to us or speaking with an audible voice to satisfy our fleshly curiosity, God has wisely linked faith with the ministry of the Holy Spirit.  Through Christ we have a firmer foundation than...

Lately it seems there has been an uptick in talk over assisted suicide, deemed by some as "death with dignity."  To me, there is nothing "dignified" about death, nor is there dignity in the foreknowledge of it.  Whether someone dies of old age, in an accident, by a self-inflicted gunshot wound, or through drugs ingested or injected, the spectre of death remains hideous.  The Bible teaches death entered the world through sin.  The fact our bodies die shows we are indeed infected with sin in a fallen world.  The soul that sins shall surely die and face eternal torment and separation from the God who loves all.  God will someday kill Death forever by casting it into a lake of fire ( Revelation 20:14 ). "Dignity" is defined in The American Heritage Dictionary as, " 1) The quality or state of being worthy of esteem or respect; 2) to raise the status of something unworthy or lowly, make honourable ."  Planning your death secretly or publicly does not...