Marching Forth!

In light of a scandalous report aired on national television, a Australian Senate candidate resigned today.  The sordid details recorded in a strip club were so damning his political career was at an obvious end.  In a statement Steve Dickson was quoted as saying, " The footage shown does not reflect the person I am. It shows a person who was drunk and not in control of his actions and I take full responsibility for allowing that to happen ."  It could be easily argued to the contrary:  his actions to become inebriated, to visit such an establishment as a public leader, and to do and say things which were reported portrayed exactly the sort of person he is - whether it fits with his preferred image or not.  To say our actions do not reflect the person we are is true because it is more than a reflection:  it is the real us on display.  Our actions and words paint a far more truthful and informative portrait of who we actually are rather than values we ...

As much as we say we prefer things to be easy, there is part of us which likes a level of difficulty and complexity.  Take puzzles for example:  a 20 piece puzzle is not as satisfying or fun to complete as a 500 piece puzzle.  Board games like "Candyland" or "Snakes and Ladders" are fine for little kids, but there is a point when most people actually want more of a challenge, more strategy with actual decisions which impact the outcome of the game.  Supporters and fans of professional teams and athletes pay money to watch players compete at a high level.  They would not likely pay to watch little children play tee ball but will pay hundreds of dollars for the chance in person to see M.L.B. players compete in the Home Run Derby.  The higher the stakes, the greater the difficulty, the bigger the stakes, the greater the honour and glory man gives and receives. A similar dynamic is found in religious pursuits where great sacrifice and devotion of a person ...

I told the LORD if He would wake me up, I would go to the dawn service on ANZAC day.  I awakened before my alarm and walked to the cenotaph in Riverstone to join the throng which had already filled the square in front of the train station.  This is one of many dawn services I have attended on ANZAC day, commemorated annually on 25 April.  Those who attended the service were treated to a historical occasion - one I did not expect (besides the drone which buzzed around for half the service, a noisy nuisance). The format of the service had a notable addition to hymns, poetry, the LORD's prayer, and the Last Post:  a speech, prayer (in song), and interpretation of a local Muslim imam.  In light of the Christchurch massacre it was decided to extend an invitation for the Imam to address the crowd and pray.  I thought it was a strange thing indeed, to hear prayers in Arabic those Diggers likely heard at a distance from minarets all those years ago at Gallipoli ...

We live in an age of convenience which boasts indoor plumbing, electricity on demand, fast and affordable transportation, and technology which has made instant communication across the globe possible.  Should we find something inconvenient we seek to make to process faster, easier, and more time-efficient.  But there are some things, regardless of innovation or technological advancement, could never be aptly described as "convenient" in an easy or simple sense.  Powdered coffee may be convenient, but it is far from (as we would say in Australia) a proper coffee. According to Webster's 1828 edition, the word "convenient" is defined as, " suitable; proper; adapted to use or to wants; commodious. "  It is evident by reading this definition it is subjective term.  One person might believe powdered coffee is perfectly suitable for a morning cuppa, but others would scoff at even the suggestion.  Suits are intended to be tailored individually to fit each w...

The writers of the Gospels pointed out many times the life of Jesus fulfilled prophecy, like being born by a virgin, His birthplace would be Bethlehem, He would live in Egypt for a season, and be raised in Nazareth.  The odds of just these being true of anyone is beyond reckoning - and these are just a fraction of the prophesies fulfilled by Jesus!  In His death He also fulfilled prophesies:  He would be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver, rejected, pierced, lifted up, lots would be cast for His clothing, not a bone would be broken in death, and He would rise from the dead on the third day.  Again, the miraculous fulfilment of them all was only accomplished in the life of Jesus. One fulfilled prophecy not often referred to is the accusing taunts hurled at Jesus as He hung on the cross.   Matthew 27:39-43 reads, " And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads 40  and saying, "You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Y...

" Rest in the LORD , and wait patiently for Him; d o not fret because of him who prospers in his way,  because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. 8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; d o not fret--it only causes harm. 9  For evildoers shall be cut off; b ut those who wait on the LORD ,  t hey shall inherit the earth ." Psalm 37:7-9 Three times in the first 8 verses of Psalm 37 David wrote, " Do not fret ."  Instead of fretting, we are called to rest in the LORD, to trust in Him, and wait patiently for Him.  We are to put off anger and wrath, knowing God will provide for us.  "Fret" isn't a word used often, and when I have heard it used it was almost synonymous with worry or anxiety.  As the context shows, fretting is more than worry but when we harbour indignant anger. The Strong's Dictionary defines the Hebrew word translated "fret" as:  " to glow or grow warm; figurative (usually) to blaze up, of a...

When it comes to heaven and the eternal state, not much of the Bible is spent describing it because for us it is beyond description.  Our frame of reference is this world, but the new heavens and earth will be...new.  This is not like Toyota's new Camry which bears a striking resemblance to the previous model:  it will be beyond what our minds can conceive.  It is a world of perpetual day because God supplies the light.  It is difficult for us to imagine the biblical revelation that there is no sea, and New Jerusalem has gates made of a single pearl.  People say "pearly gates" because we cannot imagine an oyster that enormous, but God doesn't need oysters to create exactly what He wants. We are creatures of schedules, routine activities, and special plans so therefore we have great interest in how this will look in heaven:  what will we do, who we will see, and how a daily routine might look.  Very little if anything is mentioned on this subj...

" And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honoured, all the members rejoice with it. 27  Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually ." 1 Corinthians 12:26-27 These are verses I have been thinking over lately.  It is amazing how we are adopted by God into His family by faith in Jesus Christ, and by God's grace we are collectively added to the Body of Christ, the church, as individual members.  The church has many individual members which comprise the whole, but there is only one Head of this body:  Jesus. Though the functions of the various parts of the body are varied and important, nothing is as critical as the head which has capacity to see, speak, hear, smell, taste, and feel.  Jesus is the One who sees all, spoke the world into existence, and hears all who cry out to Him in faith.  He created all the diverse scents and flavours, and His knowledge of us and depth of feeling for us is beyo...

When we go through hard times, we can feel swept off our feet and cast down without hope.  It's also tough when things are going well and depression unexpectedly hits.  Christians with genuine faith are no exception.  Sometimes we are not alright and we can feel something is very wrong, though we can't put a finger on it.  I can compare my experience after delivering a sermon to someone suffering from postnatal depression yet on a spiritual level.  I want to "hit it out of the park" at every opportunity God provides me to preach, yet I often kick myself for falling short.  Then I need to dust myself off and throw myself into the process of preparation again - despite feeling down and worthless.  There are fleeting times of encouragement and the euphoria of apparent usefulness or progress, but these glad feelings can instantly evaporate as I sink to great depths and wonder if it is time to hang up the boots. Apparently I am not alone in the struggle ...

Australian rugby union superstar Israel Folau made waves by a social media post which urged sinners of all kinds to repent with a list of verses from the Bible.  The Rugby Union Player's Association quickly denounced and distanced itself from the comments, and reports  say Folau will be sacked for his repeated transgressions.  According to reports it was his lumping in of homosexuality in a list of sins where the Player's Association has lost patience, as he has been warned about this in the past. Tracey Homes wrote an article on the ABC website and brought up points to consider should Folau be fired as a consequence of his social media posts:  " Are his posts inciting violence? Do they qualify as "hate speech"? If the answer is yes, then what does it say about the future of others in the game who hold the same views or religious beliefs? For too long those who identify as LGBTQI felt they had to be silent if they wanted to be accepted in sport — that is chang...

As a kid going to Sunday School, one of the activities we would occasionally do (and I found it fun, by the way) was called a "sword drill."  The Bible is referred to as the Sword of the Spirit in Ephesians 6 , and the drill consisted of a race:  who can find the scripture reference first?  Since I had the books of the Bible memorised I never needed tabs or to look in the Table of Contents.  This certainly provided an edge over my peers. Whilst it is of value to know the order of the books of the Bible for ease of reference, it is best to seek to order our lives according to what is written in them.  We are to go beyond racing to find a chapter and verse to learning to rightly divide the Word of truth.  The exhortation Paul gave to Timothy in  2 Timothy 2:15 we ought to take to heart and make our regular practice:  " Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth ....

" And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, "Look at us." 5  So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them ." Acts 3:4-5 As John and Peter walked by the gate leading to the temple, a man lame from birth asked them for alms or charity.  Instead of walking past the man without a word, Peter bid the man to look at them.  Those who beg often make themselves look as pitiable as possible, wearing pained expressions or are clothed in rags.  Beggars I have seen in Israel near the Temple Mount do not always speak or make eye contact with passers by but shake a cup which contains a few shekels.  I have also seen a savvy beggar retreat away from the crowds to empty his mostly filled cup into a hidden purse to reappear with a couple of jangling coins to attract additional donations - but that is another story. What I find compelling about these verses is how the man gave John and Peter his full attention.  His motive is...

It is the most simple, basic aspects of Christianity - like actually trusting God in all circumstances - which provide a constant challenge and confront followers of Jesus on the deepest levels.  We born-again Christians remain in corruptible bodies of flesh in a world of sin with Satan firing flaming arrows at us.  Trials and tribulations, pains and troubles constantly work to rob us of peace only faith in Jesus brings.  The cumulative weight of the cares we carry can unknowingly overwhelm and threaten to overcome those who are overcomers through Jesus.  It is only by the grace of God we can be strong in the power of His might and having done all to stand.  He provides perspective which lifts our eyes above our enemy the devil, the inner turmoil, and circumstances to fix our focus on Jesus Christ. Last week after my eldest son returned home from school he said, "Dad, you have to take a look at my car."  This did not sound good, and though I figured I ...

The ceiling in our garage has slowly degraded over the years, largely a result of failed adhesive and lack of nails to hold it.  Thankfully shoring up the sides with blocks of wood has kept the sagging Gyprock from falling down on top of our car and property.  It isn't only my garage where I have seen this same method of hanging plasterboard fail, but in other homes.  Had I been the one who installed the ceiling using that adhesive and nailing technique, without a doubt I would have changed my approach going forward.  Obviously the adhesive was not suitable for Australian conditions, and to continue to use the failed technique would court future disaster. The thought occurred to me how this circumspect approach to building could be wrongly applied to Christian ministry.  As builders use quality products for a predictably durable finish, so Christian ministers seek to teach sound biblical doctrine and make disciples of Jesus Christ.  The challenge comes...

I was reminded this morning of God's word to King Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah in  2 Chronicles 20:17 :  " You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD , who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!' Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the LORD is with you ."  When we are in physical danger, realise we are powerless, and don't know what to do, our natural tendency is not to stand still.  Fear causes our minds to go in hundreds of directions, worries and cares plague us, and we forget the almighty God is with us.  In his distress King Jehoshaphat prayed to the LORD, and God responded with clarity and calm.  This most tumultuous time during the reign was to provide a great blessing. King Jehoshaphat and the people rejoiced at the promise from God, though powerful enemies camped outside the city.  Their position was one of praise and thanksgiving, as  ...

"The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream; a nd he who has My word, let him speak My word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat?" says the LORD . 29  "Is not My word like a fire?" says the LORD , "and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces ?" Jeremiah 23:28-29 There's a saying used in Australia to contrast two very different things:  " That's different as chalk and cheese !"  At a distance one might say they look similar, but a closer inspection reveals they are nothing alike.  Chalk is a form of limestone from the calcified remains of shells or algae.  Chalk has many practical uses, but is far from cheese which is edible and delicious.  They feel different when scratched with a fingernail.  The composition of chalk and cheese is a stark contrast.  If a simpleton wasn't sure which one was chalk or cheese, a simple bite test would quickly put an end to all doubt. God revealed to the prophet Jeremia...

I have seen the fruit of repeated failures turn out to be sweet success.  Many times professional athletes and teams fall short before they win the big game.  Failure is no guarantee teams that earn a trip to the finals every year will win when the season hangs in the balance.  Every person on the planet plays for stakes far higher than million dollar contracts and grand final winning immortality:  will we live a life pleasing to God?  If our souls are weighed in the balances by the almighty God and Judge of all the earth, will they be found wanting? The awesome thing about the walk of faith in Jesus Christ is the redemptive value He brings to even our failures.  He perceives flaws in us we cannot see and works wonderfully to bring us to a place of recognition and repentance.  I was reminded recently how I went for an interview (and subsequently was told I was the front-runner) but quick out of the gate didn't mean finishing first.  It was a pa...