Marching Forth!

" We - or at least I - shall not be able to adore God on the highest occasions if we have learned no habit of doing so on the lowest.  At best, our faith and reason will tell us that He is adorable, but we shall not have found Him so, nor have "tasted and seen."  Any patch of sunlight in a wood will show you something about the sun which you could never get from reading books on astronomy.  These pure and spontaneous pleasures are "patches of Godlight" in the woods of our experience ." C.S. Lewis (excerpt from The Quotable Lewis page 35) From the sunlight mountaintop and the low valley, the LORD remains praiseworthy.  His glory is displayed for all to see through His wondrous creation.  Whilst some deify creation as notable in itself, those who know the most high God find reasons to praise Him in all He has made:  from the vastness of space to the intricate designs and behaviour in human, animal, and plant life, God is glorified. It is not of...

Every day brings with it countless possibilities.  When facing decisions, it is easy to be confounded by many "what ifs" and be paralysed with uncertainty.  What we do not know or cannot predict can hinder us from doing what we know is right. In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon addressed this issue.  There are many things which are completely out of our control.  Some things will happen without our permission, like trees which fall in a storm.  What's done is done, but God graciously grants us the power to make good and profitable decisions moving forward.  Though we cannot determine everything which could happen, we should not be hindered in doing what is right.  The king of Israel wrote in  Ecclesiastes 11:4-6 :  " He who observes the wind will not sow, a nd he who regards the clouds will not reap. 5 As you do not know what is the way of the wind, o r how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child,  s o you do not know...

This morning at the Calvary Chapel Sydney Christmas service we read through portions of the Gospel of Luke.  A part of the talk which spoke to me is when the angel delivered the good news of the birth of Jesus Christ to shepherds in the fields as they watched their flocks by night. Surrounded with the glory of God, the angel proclaimed in  Luke 2:10-11 , " Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.  11  For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord ."  If I put myself in those shepherd's sandals, it was a very curious thing which the angel said.  I don't know about you, but when someone else has a baby (even a couple I know very well), the child is their baby.  I have great joy a child has been born, but the child is born to his parents - not to me.  The child is their responsibility, not mine. Maybe the shepherds mistakenly thought to thems...

This morning's Bible reading began with this beauty in  Ecclesiastes 10:1 :  " Dead flies putrefy the perfumer's ointment,  a nd cause it to give off a foul odour;  s o does a little folly to one respected for wisdom and honour. "  A man with a good reputation can have it sullied by foolish words and choices, even as expensive and aromatic fragrances can be tainted by dead, rotting flies.  I don't care how luxurious or costly a perfume might be, but no one who seeks to impress splashes foul bug juice on their face.  Ointment made to promote healing would be rejected when contaminated by flies or maggots.  In the same way, sinful choices negatively affect the usefulness of a person who once enjoyed a good reputation. When Solomon wrote this, it was common for perfume and costly ointments to be kept in clay jars or pots.  The precious ointment used to anoint Jesus a thousand years later was likely a one-use box, the contents stored in ala...

With the celebration of Christmas days away, it prompted me to consider the glorious thing God has done in coming to earth as our Messiah.  We were in bondage to sin, in darkness, and deserving of God's wrath, yet He showed compassion on us.  God's deliverance of the children of Israel from slavery in Egypt is a foreshadowing of the salvation wrought through Jesus Christ. The Hebrews spent hundreds of years in Egypt after the death of Joseph, and were later enslaved by Pharaoh as his workers.  They cried out for deliverance from their bondage as they struggled under heavy burdens.  God heard the cries of His people and sent Moses to deliver them.  God did His wonders among the Egyptians, 10 epic plagues which ravaged the land and proved His supremacy over the idols of Egypt.  Before the final plague, God instituted the Passover feast where each household killed a lamb, placed the blood on the doorposts and lintel, and ate the lamb in readiness to depart....

" Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? 12  Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh ." James 3:11-12 A tree has many distinguishing characteristics, and fruit is a primary one.  I am sure there are scientific ways to tell whether water is fresh or salty, but a little taste is usually all we need to know the difference.  There are places where salty sea water and fresh water combine, but the point of the observation of James is to illustrate how springs do not produce fresh water one day and salt water the next.  A fig tree brings forth figs, and it would be silly to argue a tree with sweet figs hanging from its branches is actually an olive tree. Silly as it is, we can do this very thing and live in denial of the reality.  If our mouths are filled with cursing and bitterness, this is an excellent indicator of the current state of our hearts...

Reaping what you sow is a natural and spiritual principle.   Galatians 6:7 says, " Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap ."  We can't expect to harvest vegetables when we planted grass seed, and we should not expect good benefits from sinful choices.  Whilst the context of this passage is a warning against sin, it is entirely possible to reap good benefits from godly actions.  It is written in  Hosea 10:12 , " Sow for yourselves righteousness; r eap in mercy;  b reak up your fallow ground,  f or it is time to seek the LORD ,  t ill He comes and rains righteousness on you ."  People who don't prefer vegetables are glad of God's mercy. A deeper look shows the reality isn't always so black and white.  Another principle not often mentioned is seen in scripture:  reaping where you have not sown.  This magnifies the gracious and miraculous nature of our great God. ...

The powerful men and women on this planet are often upstaged by God.  One of my favourite examples is when King Nebuchadnezzar of the Babylonian empire built a massive image of himself out of gold.  It was way bigger than life-sized, for  Daniel 3 says it towered over 27 metres high!  The king summoned all the kings, governors, princes, and rulers of the provinces to attend a grand unveiling ceremony.  Everyone was informed when the music was heard to play, all needed to bow down and worship the imagine.  And just in case people were disinclined to obey, a lit furnace was present where any who refused would be thrown.  To Nebuchadnezzar it seemed a foolproof plan to show his wealth, power as king, and and opportunity to demand loyalty from all. When the musicians played, all present complied with the command and bowed before the image - all but three men, Jews who had been specially trained in Babylon and held positions of honour.  Nebuchadnez...

I love how the Bible routinely describes the miraculous intersecting the mundane.  Mary, a young woman, was in a house when God sent an angel with a message specially for her.   Luke 1:26-29 says, " Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27  to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. 28  And having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, highly favoured one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!" 29  But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was ." God knew who Mary was and where to find her.  Verse 28 is amazing to me:  " And having come in, the angel said to her. .."  He just came in, and no invitation was required because it was an errand of the Almighty.  It does not seem the angel Gabriel bothered to knock!  Can you imagine bei...

Last night the family and I enjoyed a BBQ dinner and watched the movie "Hidden Figures" together, a film about three African-American women who worked at NASA who assisted with the launch of astronaut John Glenn in 1962.  One of the main conflicts in the film (in addition to racial segregation and bigotry) was the inability to determine the correct coordinates for re-entry of the capsule.  The math consultant for the film, the late Morehouse professor Rudy Horne , suggested the problem be solved with "Euler's method."  Here is the clip from the film. Mathematics is not an area of skill for me, and I have no knowledge of Euler or his methods.  What I can affirm is just because something might be deemed "ancient" or "old" does not mean it is of little value.  The scientists and engineers in the film "Hidden Figures" were looking for new maths to solve what they viewed as a new problem:  how to mathematically prove possible wha...

This morning I read in  Proverbs 31:30 , " Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, b ut a woman who fears the LORD , she shall be praised ."  Man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks upon the heart.  Whilst hairstyles and clothing options are different for men and women, the chaste conduct Peter exhorted women to exhibit is practical for both sexes in  1 Peter 3:3-4 :  " Do not let your adornment be merely outward--arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel-- 4 rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God ."  Luxury watches are called "timeless" and Gucci and other designer apparels command a high price, but God deems humble hearts beautiful and precious. A person need not be a model or beauty queen to be vain, even as we need not be wealthy to be miserly.  Vanity can be a very subtle sin similar to that of ...

" He who covers his sins will not prosper, b ut whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy ." Proverbs 28:13 When I think of prosperity, success in business and good health come to mind.  Because there are many people who have become wealthy, famous, and prosperous through immoral and illegal means, what the scripture says reaches beyond the temporal.  That is the trap of concealing sins, for it does indeed seem to promote prosperity in the short term.  It is natural for us to hide our faults as children to avoid being "in trouble," and this tendency does not cease in adulthood. David covered up his sin with Bathsheba and Urijah the Hittite, and though a powerful and influential king he did not prosper from his efforts.  As Moses warned the people about being sure your sin will find you out ( Num. 32:23 ), David's sin was exposed in infamous fashion by Nathan the prophet.  True prosperity comes from a healthy, growing relationship with God be...

News shook the National Football League last week when the star running back Kareem Hunt was unexpectedly suspended by the league and released by his team for alleged instances of assault.  Shortly after his release Kareem sat down for an interview with ESPN and was quoted in a CNN article: " I'm asking for forgiveness and I definitely believe I deserve forgiveness," Hunt told ESPN. "Everything is really happening fast right now, and I just want everybody to forgive me ."  His perspective has me thinking about the nature of forgiveness. It is common for people to feel sorry when they have done wrong, and especially when the are "in trouble" because of it.  In Kareem Hunt's case being in trouble means losing employment, money, sponsorship, and endangers his future career.  I am sure there are many NFL teams after the investigation concludes that would entertain the opportunity to offer Hunt a second chance because he is a young superstar.  But t...

The concept of being able to do something to obtain our desire is attractive to us.  People are willing to make sacrifices, beg, borrow, or steal to achieve their goals.  This is true regarding the attempts of people to gain favour in the eyes of men or God.  A lot of what passes for piety or devotion is not motivated by love for God or faith in Him but what we hope to gain for ourselves.  It is sobering how much selfishness can move us to sacrifice much. Jesus was approached by a rich young ruler who wanted to inherit eternal life.   Mark 10:17-19 says, "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. 19   You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Do not ...

For years I have had my eye on a Weber smoker, and this week I finally bought one.  One of the big selling points for me is Weber quality and customer service.  The first grill I bought after arriving in Australia was cheaply made (though not cheap in price), and rusted quickly as it was clearly unsuited for the humidity.  The quality components and strong warranty Weber actually honours is a big selling point.  It's true in this case:  a buyer gets what he pays for. When you pay full price, it makes sense to expect to receive all the products and benefits promised.  As I have been studying the book of Galatians I am struck with the high price Jesus paid for salvation by giving Himself, and how far short we can fall from realising the indescribable benefits He has provided.  Through the Gospel Jesus has redeemed sinners from the curse of the Law and provided the blessing of Abraham, the " promise of the Holy Spirit through faith ." ( Gal. 3:10-14 )...

God can use tragedy to bring realisation of truth because He is a Redeemer.  Circumstances we immediately judge as negative, pointless, and unnecessary God employs in His sovereign plans for good.  A situation in the life of Elijah presents an example. The background is Elijah was a prophet of the God of Israel, yet king Ahab and many Israelites worshipped Baal:  the god of fertility, weather, rain, wind, lightning, war, and seasons.  Elijah prayed it would not rain, and through the ensuing drought and famine which lasted over three years it was evident Baal was powerless to bring the necessary rain.  God directed the prophet Elijah to live with a poor widow woman and her young son, and God miraculously provided for their needs. Over the course of time the little boy became ill and died.  The heartbroken woman was distraught and  1 Kings 17:18 reads, " So she said to Elijah, "What have I to do with you, O man of God? Have you come to me to brin...

Every day is a fitting time to celebrate the grace of God.  Appreciation of God's grace springs from the acknowledgement we are undeserving of any good thing.  If there is a moment circumstances fill us with the feeling "Life is good," it is only good because God is good and gracious.  When we feel like is a drag and a bummer, it is evident we have ceased looking to God and are either focused on ourselves or problems - something other than God.  In Jesus alone is abundant, eternal life, and He offers it freely to all who trust in Him. The grace of God stands in contrast to all who clamour for rights, equality, and social justice.  Our very existence on this planet is by the grace of God alone.  These humanistic approaches claim all people are entitled to an arbitrary standard of living based upon what others have, not because of who they are:  people created and loved by God for Him.  The reach of human rights and justice is limited, but grace ...

We are studying through the book of Galatians at Calvary Chapel Sydney on Sunday mornings and it has been a privilege and blessing to put the talks together.  The letter was written by Paul to stand against legalism and emphasised how righteousness and salvation come by faith in Jesus Christ alone.  The Law never promised righteousness, but exposed the need of sinners to be forgiven.  The Law was like a schoolmaster who led us by the hand to our Saviour who could forgive and redeem us, Jesus Christ. A portion of the book which has impacted me immensely is found in chapter 2.  Paul wrote in  Galatians 2:20 :  "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me ."  Paul, through the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ on Calvary, was through the Law dead to the Law.  The risen and glorified Me...

It is eternally appropriate to give thanks to our great God.  In every season and at all times He is merciful, gracious, and compassionate.  Even circumstances intended by our enemies for evil He can redeem for good.  Every day is a fitting day of thanksgiving unto our God from whom all good things come from.  Whether we are among family or even feel isolated from friends, we can rest in the presence of Jesus who calls us friend. Psalm 103:8-12 says, " The LORD is merciful and gracious, s low to anger, and abounding in mercy. 9 He will not always strive with us, n or will He keep His anger forever. 10  He has not dealt with us according to our sins, n or punished us according to our iniquities. 11  For as the heavens are high above the earth, s o great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; 12  As far as the east is from the west, s o far has He removed our transgressions from us ."  We are all guilty of sin, but God has n...

It is encouraging to be part of the living, dynamic Body of Christ.  Jesus Christ is the Head of this Body composed of many members with different roles, gifts, and callings.  Jesus went to the lost sheep of Israel, and Paul was chosen as an apostle to the Gentiles.  Jesus worked to advance the kingdom of God, and He continues to do this through His people today.  It is amazing how God uses our own backgrounds and experiences to burden us for particular groups of people. Harold Morris was falsely accused of a double-murder and spent over a decade in prison.  Upon his miraculous release one might think Harold would never step foot inside a prison again, but ministering to prisoners became a focal point of his life's work.  All Christians are born again and filled with the Spirit, but there is no question Harold's experiences opened his eyes to needs others are ignorant of.  Being imprisoned gave him insights into how convicts think and feel, and prov...

As a family we have been reading through the book of Leviticus, and I was struck by the repetition of God saying, " I am the LORD " to punctuate His righteous commands.  God did not repeat this phrase because He was forgetful or enjoyed pumping Himself up.  The Law is righteous, a reflection of God's holiness which undergirds His statutes.  Because God is the LORD, the almighty, self-existent One, it was fear of God and faith in Him which urged people to walk in obedience before Him.  Here is a passage as an example in  Leviticus 19:1-18 : " And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 "Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them: 'You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy. 3 'Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father, and keep My Sabbaths: I am the LORD your God. 4 'Do not turn to idols, nor make for yourselves moulded gods: I am the LORD your God. 5 'And if you offer a sacrifice of a peac...

In this fallen world things which seem to be freeing actually place us in greater bondage.  A common lie perpetuated today is how throwing off the shackles of biblical morality and propriety results in "empowerment."  The feelings of self-empowerment may be euphoric at the beginning, but they ultimately sour after the brief honeymoon stage.  The bankruptcy of soul is often covered up by what we can acquire or achieve, numbed with alcohol, or drowned out by new pursuits. There is no enduring empowerment to be found in adulterous affairs, one-night stands, stripping, prostitutes, or pornography.  The sickly sweet sense of empowerment ends up being bitter poison in the end, putting a wounded soul at the mercy of an increasingly cruel taskmaster. There is a temporary sense of godlike-euphoria in doing whatever you want, and the devil knows this well.  But there is no sustainable, enduring hope in self.  The body flaunted today can be dead tomorrow, and all i...

Occasionally I read through an old hymnal and was blessed to read words written by James Montgomery written in 1825 which touched my heart.  One of the joys of being part of the Body of Christ of which He is Head is how love, grace, unity, and purpose of God's redeemed have not changed from the beginning.  The aim and desire of saints now in glory we can share and perpetuate with great praise to our eternal and almighty God.  Perhaps this hymn will minister to you as it did me, and let us make it a prayer to our Saviour. Spirit of the living God! In all Thy plenitude of grace, Where'er the foot of man hath trod, Descend on our apostate race! Give tongues of fire and hearts of love To preach the reconciling word; Give power and unction from above, Whene'er the joyful sound is heard. Be darkness, at Thy coming, Light; Confusion, order in Thy path; Souls without strength inspire with might; Bid mercy triumph over wrath. O Spirit of the Lord...

" Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things ." Romans 14:1 This morning in my devotional reading I saw  Proverbs 10:12 which says, " Hatred stirs up strife, b ut love covers all sins ."  Love esteems others higher than self even when people have convictions or beliefs which differ from your own.  In context the people to whom Paul refers are not outsiders but fellow followers of Jesus Christ in the church.  People were divided over what was appropriate to eat or drink, and Paul urged believers not to dispute over such things.  In the second part of 1 Corinthians 8:1 he also said on the subject, " Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. "  Knowledge has a way of puffing us up with pride, but love seeks to build others up. There are many beliefs and practices genuine Christians disagree over, but we ought not to be divisive concerning them.  This especially applies to what Paul refers to as " doubtful things...

" Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you; r ebuke a wise man, and he will love you. 9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; t each a just man, and he will increase in learning ." Proverbs 9:8-9 God's Word is packed with relevant instruction and also reveals the truth about us.  It does not only tells us what to do but exposes who we are.  In this passage Solomon shows how our response to instruction and correction shows what kind of person we are.  Knowledge is not evidence of being a wise man but a humble and loving response when rebuked - even after we did the wrong thing.  A just and wise man will receive correction gladly and not hold grudges against those who bring faults to light.  Having been rebuked a wise man will love the one who cared enough to speak hard truth more still. How do you respond to correction, instruction, and rebuke?  I would suspect there is not a person among us who enjoys being proved in...