Marching Forth!

Everything which seems so solid, secure, and predictable in this earth can suddenly change forever.  Powerful nations which ruled others have been subdued and forgotten.  Well-built houses, and established trees suddenly plunged into a sinkhole or were wiped from the earth in a devastating tornado.  People who are healthy and strong can perish in an instant.  Jesus taught in the Temple, but He also used the massive stones of the Temple to illustrate how the things which seem immovable can be quickly cast down and ruined forever.  Some say the future is uncertain, and in a sense it is.  No one knows precisely how the future will play out.  From a biblical perspective, however, the future of the world is absolutely certain:  it is all going to perish. Matthew 24:1-2 tells the story:  " Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. 2 And Jesus said to them, "Do you no...

Every morning I hear the same thing:  beeping, rustling of covers, the click of the snooze button, and precisely eight minutes later repeat.  It's not just one person who has fallen for the infernal snooze button, but both of my sons.  After this charade in stereo persisted for over half an hour, I walked to the hallway which connected both rooms.  I welcomed those young men into the day with a question:  "What is the purpose of your alarm clock?"  "To wake us up," one of the youths mumbled.  "If it wakes you up, why don't you get up?  Why not set the alarm for half an hour later and enjoy more unbroken sleep?  Do me and yourselves a favour.  Good morning!"  The complimentary and happy dad-dispensary of wisdom was open for business. Now if you are one of those who love your snooze button almost as much as life itself, please do not take offense.  I have lived with people who had the bizarre obsession to press that button for...

Reading Tale of Three Kings by Gene Edwards during our discipleship course at Calvary Chapel Sydney has yielded some amazing discussions.  What impresses me greatly about David is how he responded when word came his son Absalom proclaimed himself king in Hebron.  The conspiracy was strong, and King David - the anointed of God - chose to voluntarily flee his fortified position in Jerusalem to prevent bloodshed.  He knew Absalom's ruthless nature, and he would not hesitate to kill even those of the king's house to accomplish his end. Consider how David did not act like any other king before or since.  What king has ever fled the citadel barefoot and weeping when he had every right to stay, strengthen his defenses, and command his loyal subjects to fight for him?  When the high priest brought the Ark of the Covenant out of the Tabernacle after David, he commanded it be returned to the most holy place.  King Saul was glad to carry the Ark with him so on a w...

God is able to reveal spiritual truth to us even when we aren't looking for it.  Yesterday provided a perfect example.  After being away in Israel, in my front and back yards there was a fair amount of yard work to do.  So instead of changing out of my baseball uniform after my game on Saturday, I cut grass, trimmed shrubs, and cleaned the guttering.  I also tasked my sons to do some mowing, trimming, and raking.  One of the rose bushes provided me an illustration I didn't know I needed! Before we moved into the house, a previous tenant planted four rose bushes.  One of these bushes yields pink flowers, but a couple of big suckers had sprouted from below the graft, yielding red flowers I did not recognise.  They did not have the beauty or fragrance of roses.  I am not an avid gardener by any means, but I have been told roses are often grafted into a hearty rootstock.  This enables the plant to better survive harsh conditions.  The suc...

" If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless ." James 1:26   During my recent visit to Israel, I was surrounded by countless outwardly religious people.  Muslims streamed in droves after praying on the Temple Mount, worshipers sang hymns at holy sites, and orthodox Jews read from their prayer books as they hurried along the street on foot.  "Religious" people are not difficult to spot because of their outward dress or deeds.  One point James 1:26 emphasises is unless religion provides inner transformation, it is a complete waste of time and effort.  " Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks ," Jesus said in Matthew 12:34 .  If your religion is incapable of making you a more godly person, your religion is powerless and ridiculous. This is what makes Christianity different from all other "religions."  Christianity is a unique belief sy...

Having just returned from Israel, my mind is a blur.  Some of it is fatigue, other due to travel and changing time zones, and jumbled reflections on my experience in the Holy Land.  Before I departed the plane on Australian soil this morning, I remembered a sprig of rosemary needed to be removed that I had placed in my Bible.  How I received that rosemary is a story all its own. I have been down to the Western Wall on a couple occasions, but I had never ventured into the underground area heading north where men pray.  This area can be seen clearly from above by anyone who takes the Rabbinical Tunnel tour.  I didn't know if I was permitted in that area, but after I was assured it was alright I went in.  As soon as I entered, an Orthodox Jew (based upon his attire) greeted me and shook my hand - something I did not expect.  I do not know how strict the rules are concerning a Jew touching a Gentile these days, but his warm welcome was appreciated. He...

A sign quoting sages near the Western Wall says, " The Divine Presence never moves from the Western Wall ."  For this reason many devout Jews and people come from all over the world to pray in the hope of the third temple to be built on the mount.  In the minds of many to draw near to this holy place is to draw near to God Himself. God is at the Western Wall, yet He is not limited in any way by geography.  Paul claimed God does not dwell in temples made with hands, nor does His glorious power rest in one earthly location.  However when the third temple IS built - which will one day happen according to scripture - it would not surprise me at all if hopes of God sending fire from heaven to consume the sacrifices remain unfulfilled.  The anti-christ will later come with his false fire, and the eyes of many devout worshipers will be opened to the scriptures and the sure promise of salvation through Jesus for all who repent and trust in Him as Messiah....

We finished today's tour of the Galilee region by going to the shore of the sea of Galilee opposite Tiberias, to a possible place where Jesus delivered the demon possessed men of Gadara.  He had just miraculously calmed a storm which raged upon Galilee, and He would demonstrate His mastery of demons which raged within the bodies of men.  These men were exceedingly fierce and were so terrifying no one dared pass that way.  These men lived among the tombs and one Gospel account said chains could not restrain the ferocity and violence of the man possessed by many demons. Matthew 8:29-30 reads, " And suddenly they cried out, saying, "What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?" 30 Now a good way off from them there was a herd of many swine feeding ."  These men lived like beasts, but the spirits who controlled them recognised afar off Jesus Christ and acknowledged His authority.  They turned out to be...

Visiting Israel is something the more I do the more I want to do.  I am not particularly fond of the travel time from Australia, but there is nothing in the world like the Holy Land.  Each time has been a unique experience, and thanks to the vast improvement in internet connections I am able to post pictures to Facebook and even blog when time permits. This morning our group went across the Sea of Galilee on a boat, saw the "Jesus Boat" museum, visited the Mount of Beatitudes, and Capernaum - all before an amazing lunch.  Granted, we did eat a bit late today, but it was a remarkable experience as we reflected on the truths of God's Word.  The life of a Christian is not one living in the past, preoccupied with ancient history, or based on yesterday's choices, but one of every day looking to our risen LORD and Saviour, Jesus Christ.  Jesus has spoken, and for the wise men who still seek Him He has much to say. One thing which struck me today was something...

I recently received word that my cousin Mike Anderson passed recently after a long battle with illness.  I am resigned to the fact God has me in Australia, though most of my family lives in the United States.  In times of tragedy I do wish I could support my cousin Mike and those grieving by fondly remembering his memory, going to the memorial service, and spending time with his friends and family.  It is in these trying times our perspective narrows to the things that matter most and draws us near to those we love.  Death has a way of centering us again, showing us how much we take for granted. The last deathbed of a family member I had the privilege to attend was Mike's mother, Aunt Lynn.  I couldn't be there for Mike in his last days and hours, but I remember leaving work early to spend time with her and the family.  She knew her life was drawing to an end, and she requested that she be sent home to heaven with a happy gathering, singing songs to Jesu...

Throughout the testimony of scripture and all history, the God of the Jews has proved His power to be infinitely greater than all others.  God created the heavens and earth and all that is within them, yet men chose to worship as god the works of their own hands.  God gave up people to their own delusions and lusts, yet at times graciously, powerfully, and miraculously revealed Himself so all the world might take note and believe. After the Hebrews were enslaved in Egypt for centuries, God delivered His people with a mighty hand, through plagues and wonders which showed His superiority over all the idols they worshiped.  Even 40 years later when the nation crossed the Jordan on dry ground and the spies were harboured in the home of Rehab, she proclaimed how they remembered well the miraculous power God did in delivering His people from Egypt.  Another event was when God's people were in two minds, worshiping both God and the Ba'als under the leadership of Ahab and...

In our discipleship course at Calvary Chapel Sydney last night, we discussed our natural tendencies when "spears" are thrown at us.  These spears often do not take the form of an actual missile hurtling through the air, but are cutting words, harsh censure, or insensitive personal attacks even from people we love or trust.  The conversation arose from our reading of Gene Edwards' Tale of Three Kings , a book which poetically focuses on the life of David:  how he responded to authority God ordained in his life, and also how he lived when he was in a position of authority. One of the natural ways we respond to spear throwing is to wrench it out of the wall and return it pointy-end first at great speed.  My natural tendency is to pull the spear out of the wall, keep it, polish it up, and put it in a trophy case to garner sympathy from others.  Sometimes my eyes will carefully examine them one by one by myself.  They are my reminders, my "black and whites" ...

Outside of gridiron (American football) the word "encroachment" is seldom used.  It is a common penalty against the defense for moving across the line of scrimmage before the ball is snapped.  And if that made absolutely no sense to you at all, take it from a seasoned armchair quarterback it is a foul regular viewers can easily spot.  While some penalties are judgment calls which could go either way, encroachment is a fairly obvious one. The house next to ours is vacant and the front yard is neglected.  The yard is completely packed with burr-producing clover called Medicado polymorpha which had begun to subtly encroach upon and choke out the turf in my yard.  Because the green turf and burr medic are both green, I hardly noticed how many clover plants had taken root !  I was thankful the ground was soft enough to pull them out.  As I began to mow, I found additional plants which had escaped my notice and pulled those too.  Sinister things!...

I remember being initially put off by talk of being "baptised with the Holy Spirit" in my youth.  Frankly, I wasn't interested.  I was fine to repent and trust in Jesus to be born again, pray, and meet with other believers.  But I was not ready to submit to being baptised with the Holy Spirit because I saw it as unnecessary, not understanding that such a baptism is necessary to become the Spirit-fueled Christian God desired and intended me to be.  In retrospect I can see clearly I secretly scoffed at various spiritual gifts because I did not have them, and therefore I did not want them.  Ah, that Christ would graciously open the eyes of a blind believer such as myself is beyond me! God used the scripture to open my eyes to my need - yes need - to be baptised with the Holy Spirit.  John the Baptist said of Christ in Matthew 3:11 , " I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not wo...