Marching Forth!

Heaven is God's throne and the earth His footstool.  He has the power to raise up kings and depose them, to overthrow nations and establish them.  God brought the nation of Israel out of Egypt with a mighty hand and gave them land in Canaan by lot.  It is interesting to me God made Israel a great nation with clearly defined borders.  God could have given His people all the land on the planet, but He didn't.  He established boundaries for His people, something we ought to consider in our own lives too.  We should be content with our station and all God has graciously provided instead of always seeking to expand.  Godliness with contentment is great gain. Not only did God provide boundaries for the land of the nation Israel, but He provided them His Law.  God's Law was to govern people's actions, words, duties, and the worship of God.  Left to their own devices and driven unchecked by the lust and wickedness of people hearts, they would beco...

It was probably around 9pm when I answered an unexpected knock at the door whilst still living at my parent's home.  The open door revealed a boy in his late teens wearing a laminated badge on a lanyard.  He carried a folder, and beside him was a large box filled with candy and other items to sell.  He went into his spiel before I could say anything, something to the effect of:  "Would you be willing to buy some items to keep teens like me out of gangs and off the streets?"  The irony of the situation was not lost on me:  a teenager was selling stuff door-to-door late at night to keep teens off the streets!  It seemed to me this industrious young man was not at risk of being drawn into a gang or homelessness.  He appeared ambitious and driven to excel, one who was a positive influence on others rather than being dragged down himself. People have the ability to influence others in powerful ways, for good or evil.  When high-energy kids join...

Before crossing the Jordan river and entering the Promised Land, the Israelites obeyed the command of the LORD to war against the Midianites.   Numbers 32:1-5 reads, " Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of livestock; and when they saw the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead, that indeed the region was a place for livestock,  2 the children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spoke to Moses, to Eleazar the priest, and to the leaders of the congregation, saying,  3 "Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Shebam, Nebo, and Beon,  4  the country which the LORD defeated before the congregation of Israel, is a land for livestock, and your servants have livestock." 5 Therefore they said, "If we have found favour in your sight, let this land be given to your servants as a possession. Do not take us over the Jordan ." The situation played out like this:  the Israelite tribes of Reub...

As a person who tends to remain at one church for extended periods, I often wonder about the metrics people use to determine which church is ideal for them.  At the onset I am unsure if an ideal church actually exists since all individual members (including the seeker) are in various stages of maturity and growth.  And if we ask the question, "What is the best or ideal church for me?" if "me" is the central or primary point of emphasis clearly my ideals are skewed.  There are both practical and spiritual aspects to consider.  Is the meeting place reasonably close to my home?  Are the doctrines taught biblically sound?  What I find most concerning is though there are many Christians denominations and groups of all kinds, some can't seem to feel comfortable or fit anywhere and thus are not engaged in regular fellowship with other believers.  Maybe comfort isn't the best metric to use. Over the years I've heard things I didn't expect, like:  "I...

Everyone seems to have different opinions about what is "wrong with the world."  I have heard some claim religion is to blame for wars and conflicts, but such would be hard-pressed to argue with the biblical definition in  James 1:27 :  " Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world ."  There is a lot in this world which defiles heart and soul, and many things done in the name of religion are sinful in God's sight.  Therefore it is not religion itself that is the problem, but sin in the hearts of people where the issue lies.  All religions are not equal or valid in God's sight, even as the end cannot justify the means.  There is only one way to salvation and eternal life, and it is not gained through observance of a "religion" but through faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus often said things which amazed those who followed Him.  After a rich ...

" A man who has friends must himself be friendly, b ut there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother ." Proverbs 18:24 The friend you desire is the friend you ought to be to others.  C.S. Lewis wrote something profound in his book The Four Loves :  " The very condition of having Friends is that we should want something else besides Friends ." (Martindale, Wayne, and Jerry Root. The Quotable Lewis . Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2005. page 236)  If all you want is a friend - like a child who is glad to have a neighbour for an hour and then for them to go home - then it should be no surprise you find friendship rare.  Friends are not a commodity to possess but a fellow to walk alongside and encourage through life.  Yet if a person offers intimacy and accepts others with the same love reserved for family, this is a friend worth having.  Friendship is a gift of God we can cultivate which knits hearts together with a connection truer than that o...

In many aspects of our Christian walk before God we bear a degree of responsibility.  Knowing this, it is possible we might begin to place more emphasis on our efforts or knowledge and create a subtle shift from simple faith in God.  It is true knowledge of God and His Word is intrinsic to faith and obedience, yet we are compared to one currently seeing a dim reflection of reality.  Even when we are able to view a picture or video in High Definition it could only portray a fraction of the details which could be known:  what led to the scene, the people involved, the outcome, and the future. I am blessed God has plans, purposes, and the miraculous ability to perform them all in His way and time.  God declared through the prophet in  Isaiah 46:9-11 , " Remember the former things of old, f or I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, 10  declaring the end from the beginning, a nd from ancient times things that are not ...

Following Jesus Christ as LORD and Saviour totally transforms our perspective.  Faith in God is not intended to be an isolated part of our lives but practically impact everything.  This goes far beyond our beliefs or thoughts but plays out daily in the way we respond. Last night I turned on the rugby all-star clash between the New Zealand and Indigenous Australian teams.  After seeing the Kiwis belt out their national anthem with gusto as one, I was saddened to see the Indigenous players strangely silent whilst "Advance Australia Fair" was played.  It seems I was not the only one who noticed, as it was addressed in an opinion piece on the NRL website and an article on 9 News .  According to the article, the Australian captain responded when asked about the silence, saying "... he didn’t believe the song represented himself or his family and the lyrics embodied a different message to Indigenous people. It just brings back so many memories from what's happened...

I've been reading a compilation of quotes by C.S. Lewis lately and have been enjoying it.  I was especially intrigued by the section on Democracy, and his insights focused through a God-honouring lens are worthy of consideration today.  This is one of my favourites, quoted from an essay written in 1943 titled "Equality": " I am a democrat because I believe in the Fall of Man.  I think most people are democrats for the opposite reason.  A great deal of democratic enthusiasm descends from the ideas of people like Rousseau, who believed in democracy because they thought mankind so wise and good that everyone deserved a share in the government.  The danger of defending democracy on those grounds is that they're not true...I find that they're not true without looking further than myself.  I don't deserve a share in governing a hen-roost, much less a nation...The real reason for democracy is...Mankind is so fallen that no man can be trusted with unchecked po...

" Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. 10  For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death ." 2 Corinthians 7:9-10 Sorrow is common in our human condition.  Grief, heaviness, and even guilt can be beneficial for us and others when godly sorrow leads us to repentance.  The context of the quoted passage is Paul was sad to see the Corinthians sorrowful over their sin, but he was pleased that it provoked a healthy and positive response in them to humbly repent before God.  It is one thing to acknowledge we have done wrong, but another thing entirely to put off the sin moving forward - and actually be joyful to move on in faith.  The lives of Judas and Peter provide illustrations of sorrow in a worldly and godly manner.  Both Judas and Peter fe...

There is a push today to "experience" God, and this is nothing new.  People want to have tangible evidence and experiences which for them confirm the reality of God's existence and power.  Whilst I applaud the desire to seek and know God who has revealed Himself in the world and His Word, the pursuit of religious experiences brings the divine down to the level of a hokey parlour trick.  To know God is to experience Him, and He is more than tingly or warm sensations. In an old Mythbusters episode, the build team had the goofy idea that ancient people may have used small electrical currents to provide a "religious experience."  The largely western bias that what was believed to be a religious experience could not be supernatural was on full display.  Electric shocks, mind-altering drugs, and superstitions of ignorant people are seen by modern folks as plausible ways people believed they were in contact with God.  Whilst many ignorant and deceived people i...

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, yet I wonder how many times the fear of things other than God is what moves us to take action or procrastinate endlessly.  Fear in us is as prevalent of consciousness as the aftermath of Adam and Eve's sin reveals.  After they sinned they hurriedly covered their nakedness under fig leaves because they were afraid to be exposed before God.  It seems they were not afraid of death at that stage because it was foreign to them, but their failure prompted them to cave to fear. Last night I read the parable of the talents and the servants Jesus shared in Matthew 25 .  Before going on a long journey, a master gave a significant sum to his servants each according to their ability.  Upon his return the good and faithful servants were pleased to reveal they had doubled the money provided them through trading.  There was one servant, however, who chose to dig a hole and bury the talent in the ground instead of utilisi...

I have a confession to make:  I'm not a big Elvis fan.  I have nothing against the late-great entertainer, but as a kid his music was played primarily on the "oldies" radio stations, the music my aunts and uncles blasted at family gatherings.  I appreciate his musical and singing talent, but admittedly I was never into his music.  Because I never owned one of his countless albums, there are a lot of songs I am unfamiliar with - like his famous "If I Can Dream." I was driving and listening to ABC Radio recently and "If I Can Dream" was performed by  Elvis  with great passion and conviction.  I listened to the lyrics and was surprised by the shocking theology (or lack thereof):  " We're lost in a cloud with too much rain; we're trapped in a world that's troubled with pain. But as long as a man has the strength to dream he can redeem his soul and fly..."   What?  I was incredulous at the suggestion.  After arriving home I checked ...

Los Angeles Rams lineman Andrew Whitworth raised some eyebrows when he spoke candidly with reporters after his team lost the Super Bowl to the New England Patriots:  " At the end of the day, you're all gonna die ."  Death has a way of re-centring our perspective on what matters most.  It is a rare accomplishment to be part of a team which has earned the right to compete on a global stage, but win or lose no one can shed or wisely ignore their own mortality.  This is the natural conclusion King Solomon came to in  Ecclesiastes 3:18-20 :  " I said in my heart, "Concerning the condition of the sons of men, God tests them, that they may see that they themselves are like animals." 19  For what happens to the sons of men also happens to animals; one thing befalls them: as one dies, so dies the other. Surely, they all have one breath; man has no advantage over animals, for all is vanity. 20 All go to one place: all are from the dust, and all return to ...

" When He [Jesus]  had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch." 5 But Simon answered and said to Him, "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net ." Luke 5:4-5 Peter and his fellow fisherman had toiled all night long for a catch and caught nothing.  These men were not casual fishermen who knew little but were seasoned professionals who knew the best times, the location of secret spots, and owned quality equipment to ensure success.  Over and over they cast out their nets only to pull them in completely empty.  Under the cover of darkness they moved the boat and tried again.  Empty.  Finally after fishing all night, they called it quits and headed back to shore to clean up.  They worked to wash the nets of debris and weeds which were caught in the net.  Then Jesus arrived at the water's edge and taught the people from Pete...

Whilst ironing shirts yesterday I multi-tasked watching the science-fiction classic produced and directed by Stanley Kubrick:  2001: A Space Odyssey .  It is by modern sensibilities an incredibly slow film - I mean, who ever heard of beginning a movie with minutes of black screen?  Hearing the score took me back to when I took "music listening" in university (amazing, I know) and being introduced to "Also Sprach Zarathustra" by Richard Strauss. During this viewing I was struck with the "Dawn of Man" segment of the film.  Image after image shows a desolate, barren land.  Birds are heard and people dressed as primates portrays man's predecessors loosely according to Darwinian evolution.  I wonder if the writers of the film ever read G.K. Chesterton's book The Everlasting Man ...but I digress.  These squatting, grunting, primates, fiercely protective of the scrubby plants they claimed, are supposedly our bone-swinging ancestors.  They had the sens...

God has purposes He will accomplish in countless ways.  One of these was a surprise to me:  the seemingly incompetence of government.  I am not suggesting decisions which are proved inept or foolish have God as a cause, but there is often a correlation between rebelling against God and people being afraid, confused, perverse, deluded, and deceived. See what God said concerning Egypt before the Babylonians defeated Assyria and Egypt in  Isaiah 19:12-14 :  " Where are they? Where are your wise men? Let them tell you now,  a nd let them know what the LORD of hosts has purposed against Egypt. 13 The princes of Zoan have become fools; t he princes of Noph are deceived;  t hey have also deluded Egypt,  t hose who are the mainstay of its tribes.  14  The LORD has mingled a perverse spirit in her midst; a nd they have caused Egypt to err in all her work,  a s a drunken man staggers in his vomit ."  This is not a pretty p...

It's both curious and tragic to me how people allow questions to hinder them heeding and receiving the truth God has revealed in His Word.  It seems people imagine it is feasible, in exchange for a pledge of loyalty or belief (as if they are doing God a favour), that God satisfy their demands according to their ignorance.  I don't want to be sharp and cutting, but I will be blunt:  do not allow what you do not or cannot know blind you to God's proclaimed truth.  Often we ask the wrong questions anyway. As I was doing yard work this morning, it occurred to me the variety of questions people pose now vary, but every soul damned to hell for their sin will have one burning question:  why didn't I believe Jesus when I had the chance?  One of the great torments of hell is intense, nagging regret in light of God's reality and the knowledge of salvation was freely offered to you during your life on earth.  The cautionary tale Jesus told of the rich man and ...