Marching Forth!

In the book Where the Red Fern Grows , Billy caught his first raccoon by using a method his grandpa taught him.  He drilled holes in logs, drove nails pointing inward, and placed shiny objects in the holes.  A curious raccoon would be able to slide his paw in and grab the objects, but the shape of his fist prevented him from removing it.  I have read monkeys can be caught in a similar way.  Once the raccoon grabs on to the object he wants, he won't let go - even if it kills him.  If animals could think things through like a person, maybe they would let go.  But taking into considering the decisions people make, however, maybe they wouldn't. We fancy ourselves intelligent, but we can be foolish as senseless beasts.  We bring all sorts of mischief upon ourselves because we forget to heed God's wisdom.  We can resemble the pitiful raccoon whose greed is the source of those sharp nails digging into his paw.  After informing Timothy godliness w...

Hannah was a devout woman who was mercilessly provoked by Peninnah, a rival wife.  Hannah was distressed about her barrenness, and Peninnah seemed to take great pleasure in reminding Hannah of her inability to conceive.  After Hannah earnestly sought the LORD in prayer, God caused her to conceive and give birth to a son.  Hannah had promised to "lend" her son to the LORD's service all his days, and she made good on her word. I find wonderful the joyful prayer of Hannah after giving birth to Samuel, knowing she had consecrated him to the LORD.  God answered her request and removed her reproach, and she rejoiced to give her weaned son to serve in the tabernacle.  It is common for people to make promises to God and when He has made good they waver to do their part.  Not so with Hannah:  she found peace and rest in the God who answered her prayer, and as hard as it must have been to leave her little son behind at the tabernacle in care of the priests sh...

I find the book of Ruth deeply touching.  Many parallels can be drawn between the lovingkindness demonstrated by Ruth and Boaz with God's love for us.  Ruth was obedient to Naomi, and Jesus was obedient to the Father.  Boaz delighted to redeem Ruth, and Jesus joyfully paid the cost of our redemption with His own blood.  The book of Ruth contains foreshadowing of what Jesus delighted to accomplish as our Redeemer.  What Jesus has done is infinitely greater than what Ruth or Boaz did, and it remains a compelling and insightful read. After Ruth conveyed her desire to be redeemed by Boaz, he set about the task at the break of day.  Noami knew Boaz was trustworthy and focused on the task, for she told Ruth not to worry in Ruth 3:18 :  " Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will turn out; for the man will not rest until he has concluded the matter this day ."  Boaz went to the gate first thing in the morning, the place where legal p...

" We've forgiven you, so forgive yourself ." lyric excerpt from "Up Against the Ropes" by August Burns Red The concept of "forgiving self" is a statement commonly accepted without critical thought.  But does the Bible in any way support the idea of a person's need to forgive self?  There is plenty written about how God forgives sins and that we are called to forgive others, but forgiving self?  This self-focus stinks of humanism and suggests God's forgiveness is insufficient. I don't believe people are malicious with their encouragement to "forgive self," but I see no biblical evidence this exhortation comes from God.  Instead of self-help, God tells us to deny self.  Naturally self is our primary focus and our feelings and desires are central to our existence.   1 John 1:9 says concerning believers, " If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness...

Bitterness and disappointment ruin our perspective.  A friend told me an amusing anecdote he was taught in sales which displays the power of perspective.  A shoe salesman was sent to sell shoes to people in a remote area and he returned despondent:  " Nobody  wears shoes!"  His efforts were wasted because it was a dead market.  Another shoe salesman went and returned bubbly, his eyes wide with excitement:  "Nobody wears shoes!  Think of the potential!"  The little story shows we can be negative over things which can be a great boon when viewed from a different perspective. Naomi in the book of Ruth was embittered by her losses.  Naomi, her husband, and two sons left Bethlehem due to a famine and moved to Moab.  Over the course of time her sons were both married, but eventually her husband and sons all died.  When the famine was over in Bethlehem, Naomi decided to return.  She sent her daughters-in-law away to their fa...

In world news lately there has been a ramping up of "rhetoric" and "provocation" between North Korea and the United Nations, spearheaded by the United States.  The script looks something like this:  North Korea fires a missile over Japan because of war games in the region.  President Trump threatens the offenders with "fire and fury."  Chairman Kim Jong Un makes inflammatory statements, claiming increased sanctions will only increase the push for nuclear weapons.  The United Nations slaps additional economic sanctions on North Korea.  North Korea then fires another missile over Japan.  And the cycle starts over - with no end in sight. Despite the widespread international condemnation of these acts, these dangerous provocations continue.  As a follower of Jesus Christ, I have noticed another kind of provocation which goes largely unnoticed:  provocative deeds and proud words spoken against God.  To reject God's Word - adding or takin...

One thing I appreciate about the scriptures is how they are true to real life.  There are intense victories won in battle, the unspeakable pain of losing loved ones, frustration over being slandered, and awe over the beauty of nature.  The breadth and depth of the human experience is expressed with insight and understanding of what matters to us.  Because of this agreement with our souls the people of scripture resonate with those who seek after God to this day. A glorious revelation in the Bible about the nature of God is it is always time to seek Him.  Whether we win or lose, if we are healthy or feel sick, when we are filled with joy or deep depression, God is glorious and praiseworthy.  The book of Psalms is filled with people who knew and trusted God who found themselves in impossible situations.  Desperate times were often the background of David's songwriting.  It seems when he was in great danger the sweet psalmist of Israel was at his most ...

Driving down Windsor Road yesterday I saw an illuminated sign which read, " Your driving affects others ."  That's not something which often preoccupies my mind, but it is true.  Dangerous driving on my part bring increased risk to me, my passengers, pedestrians, other drivers, and property.  Lives have been lost and permanently affected by poor decisions made by others on the road. Our driving affects others, and the way we live our lives affects others too.  Our everyday choices may not result in accidents which in seconds destroy life and property, but the results can be broader and further reaching.  Should we embrace sin, it will have a catastrophic and destructive impact on our lives and others.  Sin brings destruction not only on lives but upon eternal souls.  Adam is a fitting example, but perhaps that of Micah is more compelling because it occurred after man's initial fall. Micah lived in a time in Israel when there was no king and everyo...

Today I read the passage in Judges 16 when Samson divulged to Delilah the secret of his great strength.  I was struck with how a man of great physical strength who could carry off city gates was eventually pushed over with pestering words spoken by a woman he loved.  Samson had bitter and bloody feud with the Philistines, yet he loved a woman named Delilah who lived in the valley of Sorek.  The Philistine lords for a long time had sought to capture Samson, and they bribed Samson's lover to discover the secret of his strength so they might neutralise it. An interesting observation is as Delilah ramped up the pressure to share the secret of his strength, there was a softening of her request.  Consider the first time she brought up the subject in  Judges 16:6 :  " So Delilah said to Samson, "Please tell me where your great strength lies, and with what you may be bound to afflict you ."   This is a straightforward question with intent.  If I was...

Paul asked a good question in Romans 9:20 :  " O man, who are you to reply against God ?"  Maybe there was a day when people realised the implications of arrogantly speaking against God and His wisdom, but it is not today.  I shudder when I hear the swelling words and vain philosophies of people who vaunt themselves over the Almighty LORD of hosts, the Creator and Judge of all the earth.  Woe to those who say they know better than God!  Professing to be wise, such expose their own folly.  These voices who oppose God have the same demonic tenor of those who shouted before Pilate concerning Jesus Christ, "Away with Him!  Crucify Him!" It is a simple thing to point fingers at the faults of others, but followers of Jesus Christ ought to live as He did in a secular culture and faithfully examine our own hearts.  We cannot stoop to the level of such who speak proudly in arrogance, hating any who oppose them.  If we do not have compassion on thos...

" My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth . " 1 John 3:18 As children of God, we are called to love one another as He loves us.  God's love is practically displayed, meeting all our needs by God's grace.  This love is more than words or feelings, but is actively demonstrated in opening our hearts to one another.   1 John 3:17 asks the question:  " But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him ?"  We cannot meet every need, nor does God expect us to.  Based upon the great love we have received from Jesus, our hearts should be open to being used by God to meet needs everywhere in Jesus' name. When there is hatred in our hearts, we cannot love as we ought.  This passage in 1 John reveals that in God's sight hatred towards our brother is murder in God's eyes, even as looking with lustful intent is ...

" You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. 17 These things I command you, that you love one another ." John 15:16-17 These things Jesus told His disciples during their celebration of the Passover are true for His followers today.  Whilst instructing His followers Jesus also emphasised their calling.  In choosing to pursue Christ as disciples we can mistakenly place our primary focus on what we have done and what we must do, but the words of Jesus remind us of His divine role. Jesus corrected the disciples' thinking they had chosen Him because Jesus had chosen them first.  He knew them before they knew Him; He first called them and then they followed.  He chose them and appointed (ordained, commissioned) them to go and bear fruit which would remain.  Having supplied the good seed of the Word of God, it ...

Have you ever thought something which turned out not to be true?  Expectations and assumptions which seem reasonable can often lead us astray.  A lot of things we think are simply wrong, and God has provided His Word to guide us into all truth.  I was surprised how often supposing and being mistaken correlate in scripture.  It is not always the case, but take a look at some examples: The disciples were rowing in the sea and supposed they had seen a spirit when it was in fact Jesus walking on the water ( Mark 6:39 ). Joseph and Mary supposed Jesus had left Jerusalem in their company, but He had remained behind in the Temple ( Luke 2:44 ). People supposed Jesus was the son of Joseph, but He had been conceived by the Holy Spirit in the virgin Mary and was the Son of God ( Luke 2:23 ). Mary Magdalene supposed Jesus was the gardener when He was her risen LORD ( John 20:15 ). Peter corrected the people who supposed the Christians who were filled with the Holy Spirit...

Do you love to find a great bargain at the shops?  I know many people who will haggle or bargain even over fixed prices with great enthusiasm.  For me, however, I feel uncomfortable with haggling in shops even when it is the norm.  My bargaining has improved over the years after trips to Cambodia, Israel, and from buying appliances at local stores in Sydney, but I still don't enjoy it.  The time spent going back and forth debating over dollars never feels worth the effort in the end.  Even when I have obtained a better price, I wonder if I could have done better.  Anyone with me? It occurred to me this morning bargaining may be more common than we recognise.  Even for those who hate haggling, it is in the self-centred nature of man to look for or be open to a better offer.  We make these kinds of bargains with ourselves all the time.  We weigh our options concerning eating, drinking, and exercise.  We reduce our calorie intake or in...

The absolute sovereignty of a king is a foreign concept to many today.  Having grown up and lived in democratic countries, being a citizen affords me particular rights.  One of those rights (and privileges) is to participate in elections through voting.  Every person who votes has the same power to elect representatives and pass legislation.  Though my contribution is one vote among many, our system of government allows the voice of the people to be heard. I have no idea how different life would be if I lived in a nation ruled by a king.  I am not talking about celebrity royals or figureheads, but I imagine life would be very different if I was the legal subject of a monarch whose word was law, whose retribution upon his enemies was swift and severe, and who wielded the power of life and death over his people.  Kings will not suffer any to oppose them.  Forget rubber bullets, tear gas, or being kept overnight in jail:  to protest or even quest...

It is wonderful to realise God knows what we need and is able and willing to meet our needs.  He has promised to provide for us, and sometimes we don't recognise what our needs are.  We might think God's provision of our needs depends upon us remembering to ask Him.  While it is true we do not have because we have not asked, God has freely provided our needs before we were born without us acknowledging Him at all!  He does more for us than we could ever ask or think. I have been reading lately through the life of Gideon in the book of Judges.  Gideon was a bit incredulous God would choose him to be a deliverer of God's people from Midianite oppressors.  When the Angel of the LORD ascended to heaven, it confirmed God's call upon Gideon and strengthened his faith to take additional steps of obedience.  On two occasions Gideon asked God to confirm he was indeed the one to lead Israel into battle with a fleece, and God did.  Trusting in God, Gideon...