Marching Forth!

Years ago a mate of mine led my wife Laura and me on a trek through the National Pass at Wentworth Falls.  This morning I decided I would rise early and have a special morning with Jesus, worshiping and reading the Bible (with a Thermos of coffee!) at the base of the falls.  It was a moving experience.  With the access available to Christians by faith in Christ through the Holy Spirit to the Father, we do not need to rise from our beds to gave the presence of God with and in us.  But it is a profitable and glorious practice to set aside time to sit still before God when it costs something.  Jesus went away for solitary times with the Father, and we do well to follow His example. At the top of the falls, I was delighted by the crisp air and beautiful scenery.  The volume of water was not as much as I have seen before, but the water happily rushed along.  It was in my mind to head straight for the bottom of the valley, down the "Slacker Stairs."...

God says what He means, and means what He says.  There is no "fine print" with God, hidden caveats and conditions from which He benefits through the ignorance of men.  The truth is, most people do not believe what God says - even when He speaks literally with clarity. Take the children of Israel, for example.  God put words into the mouth of Ezekiel the prophet, warning His people of certain destruction at the hands of the Babylonians.  In Ezekiel chapter 20, God laid forth the facts concerning their rebellion and disobedience.  He went through the history of the people, how they carried with them idols from the land of Egypt and continued to blaspheme His holy name.  God spoke of the future, how they would know He was the LORD when He brought them back from captivity.  Despite the clarity of God's words, Ezekiel lamented by the response of the people in Ezekiel 20:49 :  " Then I said, "Ah, Lord GOD! They say of me, 'Does he not speak parables ...

John 9 tells of a man born blind who was healed by Jesus.  Jesus saw the man's blind condition, spat on the ground, made mud with His saliva, and rubbed it on the man's eyes.  He instructed the man to go and wash in the Pool Siloam.  The man obedient went and washed and came away seeing - without having laid eyes on the Man who healed him! Amazingly, the story grows even more interesting.  The religious leaders debated and argued that the man supposedly healed was a doppelganger, and it was not until they had talked with the parents of the man before they admitted it was the same man they knew previously who was born blind.  Despite the affirmation of the miracle, they still hated and refused to believe Jesus was the Son of God, the promised Jewish Messiah.  They grilled the man and his parents, having decided they would throw anyone out of Synagogue who claimed Jesus was the Christ - a cultural and spiritual death sentence in their culture.  Again...

There was a song I remember from childhood which began with the exhortation found in 1 John 3:1 :  " Behold what manner of love the Father has given unto us, that we should be called the sons of God ."  Being adopted by God as His own child is special because it means He has chosen us.  My son Abel is being graded for cricket this weekend, and will be placed upon a team.  His technique, skills, and overall fitness will decide whether he is on the upper or lower end of the selection.  It's amazing to think that God chose us while we were yet sinners and are only a helpless liability - the kind of ones who aren't picked as much as hang around until the end.  Yet God has set His love upon us sinners, and demonstrated it by sending His own Son Jesus Christ to suffer and die so we might live through faith in Him. When I played Little League way back when, it was almost a guarantee the son of the coach would play a vast majority of the innings in the field, ha...

" Scoffers set a city aflame, but wise men turn away wrath ." Proverbs 29:8 During my stint as a mechanical insulation contractor at NASSCO , "fire watches" were a requirement for any "hot work."  When steel was welded or cut out of decks or bulkheads, a worker armed with a radio and a fire extinguisher inspected the work from the opposite side.  The job of a fire watch is to ensure there is no combustible materials adjacent to the hot work, and ensure the molten steel does not contact an ignition source.  The worker cutting or welding cannot safely monitor the other side of the steel, and the fire watch ensures all is safe and up to standard. Small sparks and slag are capable of starting fires which can rage out of control.  Solomon says scoffers can set a city aflame, and one tongue can start the equivalent of an inferno.  James 3:5-6 says, " Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire k...

Today is the day of fulfilled promises, the consummation of unbelievable dreams.  God-willing, tonight my family and I will become Australian citizens.  What is impossible with men is possible with God.  When God spoke to me in 2002, " You will preach, and you will be sent ," I had no idea where or when that would take place.  In 2005, after resigning from my decade-long career in mechanical insulation, on my 30th birthday I was blessed to take on a full-time role as youth pastor.  As if that was not enough of a life-altering step, the same year God impressed upon my heart the east side of Australia.  I didn't know a soul in Australia, and was frankly ignorant about how life is "down under."  I continued to plug away where God had me, believing in His time and in His way He would accomplish all. There were times of doubt and thoughts like, "Am I going crazy?"  Looking back I can see how God was preparing me for tasks long before they came into m...

In building, it is not difficult to conceal shoddy workmanship temporarily.  But in the long run, cut corners have a way of broadcasting themselves.  A new house can look immaculate until the rains come and show the waterproofing was not done correctly.  That retaining wall may appear straight and true, but before long the plaster can chip off to reveal massive cracks.  A unit may appear clean on inside and out, but a broken sewer main underneath will foul the air as waste ponds.  The lights may work fine, yet a quick peek above the ceiling might reveal a wiring nightmare and deathtrap. God chose the Jews as His special people and gave them His Laws.  They were pleased to have His guidance, provision, and for Him to fight their battles.  Over the passage of time, however, the Bible describes an erosion towards idol worship and disobedience.  The morality of God's people looked much like the heathen which surrounded them.  They maintained th...

Jesus is truly extraordinary.   He is a man of authority, power, and divine wisdom.  At His word the blind were made to see, lepers cleansed, and the lame walked.  Jesus knew who He was, why He had been sent by the Father, and what awaited Him on Calvary.  Yet He set his face like a flint and faced struggles and pain, for the joy that was set before Him.  While every other person would have been blinded by their own pain, Jesus saw clearly the eternal victory of not only His resurrection, but the salvation of all who trust in Him.   I was struck with a statement Jesus made from the cross in Luke 23:46 :  " And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, "Father, 'into Your hands I commit My spirit.' " Having said this, He breathed His last ."  The heartbeat of the Son of God stopped on that darkest of days.  It seemed death had conquered the One sent to destroy the works of the devil.  The disfigured body of Jesus might have b...

This morning I finished Levi Lusko's book , Through the Eyes of a Lion .  It was a powerful testimony of God's faithfulness and wisdom gleaned through the unexpected death of his beloved daughter.  It is real, inspirational, and profound.  He wrote, " On the night she went to heaven, I did for Lenya what a daddy should never have to do.  I reached out and closed my little girl's eyes.  What I never expected was that God would use her to open mine ." (Lusko, Levi. Through the Eyes of a Lion: Facing Impossible Pain, Finding Incredible Power . T, 2015. 182. Print)  This book is one of those practical, useful keepers I guarantee you will find hard keeping.  Buy two or three copies, and don't be surprised when they are all out on loan. One particularly poignant moment came when Levi and Jennie received a call from the hospital and was faced with the excruciating request to donate her corneas and heart valves.  It must have been unthinkable.  It...

" I speak as to wise men; judge for yourselves what I say. 16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ ?" 1 Corinthians 10:15-16 Every word of God is pure, and all have deep significance.  Recently God has been teaching me the meaning of the Greek word often translated "communion" and "fellowship" in the Bible:  koinonia .   According to the Strong's Concordance , the word "koinonia" is translated into English King James Version as:  "fellowship" twelve times, "communion" four times, and "communication," "distribution," and "contribution" once each.  Whereas "fellowship" and "communion" can seem subjective and vague, the last three words effectively paint the picture of koinonia in practice. "Fellowship" is a word often loosely connected in...

I have been reading through The Sword and the Trowel , a compliation of articles edited by C.H. Spurgeon.  I came across a stirring story written of a common man who refused to pay homage before passing idols.  He was willing to pay with his life for his principles.  The article was titled "Simon the Pedlar" and begins as follows: "About the year 1553, at Bergen op Zoom, in Brabant, there was a pedlar named Simon, standing in the market selling his wares.  The priests with their idol passing by, the said Simon dared not show the counterfeit god any divine honour; but following the testimony of God in the holy Scripture, he worshiped the Lord his God only, and him alone served.  he was therefore seized by the advocates of the Romish Antichrist, and examined as to his faith.  This he boldly confessed.  He rejected infant baptism as a mere human invention, with all the commandments of men, holding fast the testimony of the word of God; he was therefo...

"Birds of a feather flock together," the cliche goes, and this saying has a ring of truth to it.  The birds in the trees, people with common interests, and even users of social media support this sentiment.  People using social media typically "follow" people they know, respect, or admire.  If someone begins to share or post views with which others do not agree or strongly oppose, they can "unfollow" or even "unfriend" that person.  Social media provides the illusion of friendship, and it is frankly difficult ground to navigate.  It can consume time with meaningless activity, yet when used properly can be a beneficial tool.  It can be an addictive obsession or a voyeurs delight, but also a means to connect lives of loved ones.  Knowing why we do something is often more insightful than what or how we do it. As a follower of Jesus Christ, I am aware my beliefs, lifestyle, and stance on issues are contrary to the majority.  Should my "likes...

" Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain, yet his foolishness will not depart from him ." Proverbs 27:22   When I heard shocking and sad news from Israel recently, this verse came to mind.  It was reported that during a Gay Pride Parade in Jerusalem a man armed with a knife stabbed several participants.  What made the news more terrible was this same man had been convicted of doing the exact same thing over a decade ago when he stabbed three people during a Gay Pride event.  The man had paid the price the law demanded with 10 years imprisonment, yet all that time in prison was incapable of transforming his heart.  This is an extreme case to be sure, but it affirms the Word of God:  the severest punishments are incapable of separating a fool from his folly.  That is something only God can do.  Imprison a coward who stabbed unarmed people in the back for 30 years if you like, but it won't change his heart. ...

Imagine thinking Jesus was with you and being mistaken!  To say it would be disconcerting would be an understatement.  This is exactly what happened to Joseph and Mary after celebrating the Passover with Jesus in Jerusalem.  Luke 2:43-44 says, " When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His mother did not know it; 44 but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day's journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances ."  Joseph and His mother journeyed for an entire day, supposing Jesus was with them, but the distance between them grew with every step they took. We understand how people can be physically separated from others, but we must consider the reality that even those who believe in Jesus can also be separated from Him.  Thousands in Israel did not know Jesus, and they did not miss Him.  Even his parents did not miss Him for a day.  Is this not a s...

Do you sometimes feel unappreciated?  When we feel unappreciated, the tendency towards bitterness, resentment, and ultimately inaction is a natural slide.  We can fall into the trap of measuring the usefulness of our deeds based upon the response we receive from others.  Did Jesus embrace the cross because He knew some might appreciate it?  No!  The lack of "appreciation" expressed by others didn't enter into His decision.  He shed His blood knowing most people wouldn't appreciate or appropriate it!  God had prepared a good work to enter into through sacrifice, and Jesus was obedient and faithful to see it through regardless of how much others appreciated it. I don't always feel appreciated.  Just yesterday I was feeling like my efforts to help others were not appreciated or being recognised at all.  But as I examined my feelings according to scripture, I realised I was looking to the response of others to encourage me to serve when my eyes...

People ask God a lot of questions.  Jesus demonstrated He is under no obligation to answer any question - especially the dishonest questions of men - though He is glad and willing to answer all sincere questions.  In an interaction with the Pharisees, before Jesus agreed to answer their question they were required to answer His.  This is the correct order of things, for God has all authority over men.  If we demand an honest answer from God, we must first be honest with Him.  When we refuse to answer Christ's questions, do not be surprised when you do not receive answers. Matthew 21:23-27 tells the story:  " Now when He came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching, and said, "By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?" 24 But Jesus answered and said to them, "I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do ...

I saw a video of soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo going "undercover" as a bearded man in sweatpants and sunglasses in Madrid, Spain.  During the short film, he pulled out a soccer ball and a cardboard box like a busker.  After demonstrating some footwork, he tried to encourage other people to play soccer with him.  No one seemed very interested in the man juggling and kicking the ball to himself.  Finally, Ronaldo managed to gain the interest of a boy, and he encouraged him to try to steal the ball from his lightning-fast feet.  After a few minutes Ronaldo picked up the ball, signed it, and began to remove his disguise.  He handed the ball to the boy and gave him a hug.  Onlookers can be heard gasping in shock and amazement as the sportsman revealed his true identity.  The once desolate square quickly packed with people with mobiles out, and strained to capture images of the world-famous celebrity. Who receives the glory for Ronaldo posing as a ho...

I read a comment today which held forth sentiment I have heard many times.  On the topic of God a person wrote, " Only the foolish claim to have knowledge of what is unknowable. Science can't prove God doesn't exist and religion can't prove one does ."  Instead of offering a direct rebuttal to this claim, it is a fair question to ask:  are "science" and "religion" the only authorities to invoke in the quest for the proof of God's existence?  If God exists, couldn't He chose to be known and reveal Himself?  The God who created mouths and speech, the One who has provided His written Word, can't He speak for Himself?  Science has its limits, and "religion" has been aptly defined by some as "man's attempts to reach God."  Science and religion are not the authorities concerning God's existence:  God is! The statement that God is unknowable is partially true.  In the beginning God said, "Let there be l...