Marching Forth!

To properly address an illness, we must go beyond seeking to alleviate symptoms.  The symptoms are not the cause--though they might be the reason we seek medical attention!  Fever, chills, and sore throat are indicators of a streptococcal infection lozenges and pain-relieving medication cannot cure.  It is also important antibiotics prescribed by a doctor are taken even after the fever breaks and pain is relieved to ensure the underlying infection is eradicated. It has been a common error in Christians circles to view behaviour or symptoms as the problem rather than addressing the issues of the heart, a chief source of the problem.  We kick ourselves for obvious failings but neglect our need to have our hearts transformed and our minds renewed.  It is necessary we realise a drift into sin began with a drift from God.  The depth of our sin can take us for surprise like a woman who went to the doctor and complained of acute indigestion only to discover sh...

" As iron sharpens iron, s o a man sharpens the countenance of his friend ." Proverbs 27:17 When I worked in mechanical insulation, knives were tools I used daily.  One of the first things you learn after pulling those Dexter Russell or Old Hickory knives from the package is the factory edge is not sufficient.  Knowing the intended use of a knife guided workers in how it should be sharpened:  a fine edge on stainless for cutting rubber was accomplished with a dry stone, and using a double-cut file high-carbon blades could be made serrated.  With a little practice, knives new and old were easily made serviceable by sharpening. King Solomon compared the sharpening of iron using iron to how interactions with others sharpens  friends.  When swords or daggers were blunted, passing blades on one another corrected blunted edges so both were improved.  Sharpening a blade with a stone uses it up, and over time files become dull and useless.  ...

Yesterday I spend time considering the implication of what going the extra mile meant when Jesus said in  Matthew 5:38-41 ,  " You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' 39   But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40   If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. 41   And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two ." Jesus began with a quote from the Law of Moses, but Jesus told his followers not to make demands concerning their rights.  If their eye was gouged out, they had the right under Law to demand the person guilty was made to lose their eye in the same fashion.  This was intended to limit punishment inflicted by the court for crimes.  At the same time would this push for retribution cause the blinded person to regain their lost eyesight?  No:  it blinded another ...

" For three things the earth is perturbed, y es, for four it cannot bear up: 22  for a servant when he reigns, a  fool when he is filled with food, 23  a hateful woman when she is married, a nd a maidservant who succeeds her mistress ." Proverbs 30:21-23 King Solomon said the earth is perturbed when a servant rules, and there is certainly trouble when the unqualified are in charge.  When I worked in a trade I quickly learned not all apprentices I trained handled authority well.  Some imagined additional responsibility was license to delegate their duties to others and cease from profitable labour.  They were unreasonably harsh towards others with less seniority as if they were somehow beneath them.  Let us not think only apprentices are to whom this verse applies, for as God's servants we can try to impose our will on Him. In Luke 10 Martha invited Jesus into her home, and she and Mary sat as His feet and heard His word.  She was ...

In everyone there is a thirst to be loved and accepted that is not always satisfied by others.  Leah is an example of this.  There was a woman who was desperate to be loved but no amount of her efforts worked to achieve it. Jacob worked 7 years for Rachel's hand in marriage, but his deceitful future father-in-law substituted her old sister Leah who is described as "tender eyed."  There are opinions on the exact meaning of this, but it is put in contrast to Rachel being beautiful and well-favoured.  This suggests there was something about Leah's eyes which were not beautiful.  Jacob was angry when he discovered Leah had been given to him in marriage, and a week later consummated a marriage with her sister Rachel.  It says plainly in  Genesis 29:30 Jacob " loved Rachel more than Leah ."  The rivalry would plague their relationship, and each tried to outdo the other. God saw what was going on in Genesis 29:31-32 :  " When the LORD saw t...

I came across a connection I found interesting between Laban and and his nephew Jacob:  they were always working angles for their benefit.  When Abraham's servant came to Nahor to find a wife for his master's son Isaac  Genesis 24:29-31 reads, " Now Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban, and Laban ran out to the man by the well. 30  So it came to pass, when he saw the nose ring, and the bracelets on his sister's wrists , and when he heard the words of his sister Rebekah, saying, "Thus the man spoke to me," that he went to the man. And there he stood by the camels at the well. 31  And he said, "Come in, O blessed of the LORD ! Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house, and a place for the camels ." (emphasis mine)  Laban was glad to favour people from whom he could enrich himself.  Laban proved to be a shrewd man, always seeking his own prosperity at the expense of others. Jacob was the younger of Isaac's twin sons bo...

The almighty God is unapproachable in glory, yet He graciously called the children of Israel as His own inheritance.  He graciously made a covenant with them and His presence dwelt among them.  Offering sacrifices to God under Law became ingrained in the culture of Israel and over time a subtle shift occurred:  people offered sacrifices who did not know God.  They imagined on the basis of their sacrifice they were pleasing and acceptable to God regardless of what they did.  Sin was like a debt in a ledger which sacrifice blotted out, and the greater the sacrifice the more righteous or pious the person.  Ironic, right? I read this today in  Micah 6:6-8 :  " With what shall I come before the LORD , a nd bow myself before the High God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings,  w ith calves a year old?   7  Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, t en thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my trans...

I was reminded of a childhood memory of a friend at church who was convinced he was "immune" to the effects of poison oak because of his Native American ancestry.  The reason?  He and two friends unwittingly walked through a patch of poison oak:  they were covered with hives, and he had none. Seeing I was most skeptical of his claims, he proceeded to grab leaves of poison oak and slowly rubbed them on his arms and across his face.  When he came to church on Sunday, it was obvious to all (including him!) he was NOT "immune" to poison oak. It is a common misconception that coming to Jesus Christ in faith brings comfort and rest to life without struggles which plagued us before.  There is a sense our relationship with God means we are immune to the trials of life, and that sin's negative influences and effects are negated.  They felt they could choose to walk in sin without consequences.  An example of this is seen in the children of Israel who departe...

Last night as a family we watched a film we hadn't seen for over a decade:  How To Train Your Dragon .  Hiccup is a young lad who aspires to be a dragon slayer but doesn't seem to fit in with the other Vikings of the village.  This is especially true concerning his brave and brutish father.  Hiccup was more apt to try to befriend dragons rather than kill them.  He is a constant source of embarrassment to his father, who at one point says to him:  " You're not my son ." About 15 minutes later in the film, however, Stoic the Vast's opinion of Hiccup changed due to his brave exploits:  " I'm proud to call you my son, " his father beamed.  "It seems they share a performance-based relationship," I said aloud.  The son was always working to earn the approval of his father, and the father exuded bitterness at perceived failures yet pride for apparent success.  Stoic viewed Hiccup in light of his failure or success, whether he was able to me...

Foreshadowing is an effective technique in quality film making.  It can take the form of subtle details included towards the beginning of the film which have relevance later.  These intentional clues suggest or point to a future event.  One example which comes to mind is the wedding in the movie The Deer Hunter:  if the bride and groom take a sip of wine and do not spill any, it means good luck.  When I saw the camera zoom in on a couple of drops hitting the white wedding dress, I knew things weren't going to go well.  The next sequence thrusts the viewer into a shocking sequence during the Vietnam War. Whilst reading this week I came upon a Bible verse which foreshadows what God foreknew.  After Samson told Delilah God was the source of his miraculous strength, and if his hair was cut he would be weak as any other man, she had it done.  When she called out to Samson the Philistines were upon him, he expected to draw upon his supernatural stren...

Months ago a large tree was removed from the parkway in front of our house, and a large bare spot was left filled with sand.  It was around that time our neighbour began to prep his lawn for the winter by fertilising it.  I toyed with the idea of feeding my lawn at the time but decided against it.  The area where the tree once stood was mounded and needed to be flattened before installing new turf, and winter wasn't the best time to lay sod (according to my lawn-expert neighbour).  I call him this because the results speak for themselves.  The turf is always green and never will you find a weed in it! Today I decided to remove some of the dirt to prepare for new sod.  Because I had not fertilised the lawn before winter, every gap in the turf was amazingly filled with many varieties of weeds.  Weeds are most opportunistic.  This practical example demonstrated how the neglect of feeding led to an exponential increase of weeds, and this is true c...

" Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the fish's belly. 2 And he said: "I cried out to the LORD because of my affliction,  a nd He answered me. "Out of the belly of Sheol I cried,  a nd You heard my voice ." Jonah 2:1-2 The way God redeems affliction to lead people to seek God is a common theme lately in my Bible reading and study.  Jonah went from sleeping in the belly of a ship to crying out to God in the belly of a great fish.  The belly of the fish was nothing like the comical pictures in children's Bibles complete with a bed and table but a terrifying mixture of absolute darkness, stench, pressure, and inescapable heat.  Strangled by weeds, sweating in discomfort, and gasping for foul air, Jonah had discovered and was trapped in a living hell. It was in the belly of the beast we read of Jonah praying to God for the first time as a result of his affliction.  He cried unto the LORD and was heard by the God who is gracious, mercifu...

Humans have a tendency to take things personally.  This leaning impacts our judgments and how we connect causes and effects with people.  For instance, when my child misbehaves in a public setting I might feel embarrassment or that his conduct reflects poorly upon me as a parent.  Since I take personally the responses of my child to discipline or am sensitive to the opinions of others, when I notice other people's kids misbehaving or throwing a tantrum what might I do?  Without thinking I put the same burden on other children as an honest reflection of their parents.  Our personal investment causes us to take things personally, good and bad.  Situations which have little or no bearing on us we have an ability to turn personal and speak presumptuously. In the last couple weeks I heard of cases of a well-known Christian author and music writer who have publicly announced they have either left the Christian faith or are "losing" faith.  These sorts of ...

I found a pleasant surprise in a book called Bible Word Search by William C. Gordon.  I'm not a big "word search"enthusiast, but it was the content which I found more compelling than the puzzle.  One of the word searches was a list of names of the Holy Spirit.  Gordon wrote, " The third person of the Trinity is referred to by many different names, both in the Old and the New Testament. "  In case you are curious, here is list from those provided: Spirit of adoption (Romans 8:15) Spirit of burning and judgment (Isaiah 11:2) Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9) Spirit of counsel, knowledge, might, and understanding (Isaiah 11:2) Spirit of faith (2 Corinthians 4:13) Spirit of the Father (Matthew 10:20) Spirit of glory (1 Peter 4:14) Spirit of God (Genesis 1:2) Spirit of grace (Hebrews 10:29) Spirit of holiness (Romans 1:4) Spirit of life (Romans 8:2) Spirit of love (2 Timothy 1:7) Spirit of promise (Ephesians 1:13) Spirit of prophecy (Revelation 19:10) ...

"Bad company corrupts good habits," the scripture says, and an example of this is seen in the life of David.  David was a man after God's own heart, but he still was not impervious to the influences around him.  Though David did make mistakes as all men do, I admire how he received correction and did not repeat the same error. David had fled from his king and father-in-law Saul with 400 men who gathered themselves to him.  An organised band of this size could basically do what they wanted without reprisal, but they were honourable according to David's commands.  In the land of Judah they protected the sheep of a wealthy man named Nabal, and being in great need humbly asked for help.  Nabal answered the delegation David sent roughly with contempt.  He would provide no food but spouted insults. Upon hearing what Nabal said, David told his men to gird on their swords and prepare for a fight.  His plan was to go up to Nabal's house, take what he desir...

This morning I read a chapter of the book of Amos, and I appreciate the boldness and dedication of this man who continued to speak God's truth in the midst of opposition.  Amos was a man who worked as a herdsman and harvester who God called and ordained as a prophet to Israel.  He was not the son of a prophet or long had aspirations of such a calling.  Amaziah the priest of Bethel was not impressed by the word of the LORD through Amos and reported him to the king, that Amos was conspiring against him. Amos 7:12-13 reads, " Then Amaziah said to Amos: "Go, you seer! Flee to the land of Judah. There eat bread,  a nd there prophesy. 13  But never again prophesy at Bethel, f or it is the king's sanctuary,  a nd it is the royal residence ."  What Amaziah did with Amos who spoke as directed by God remains common to this day.  People are fine with the concept of people having faith in God and His Word, but they don't want to hear it.  They...

In the book The Third Option , author Mile McPherson referenced "kintsugi," an artistic Japanese pottery repair technique.  Instead of trying to conceal fractures, kintsugi emphasises cracks by making repairs with precious gold or silver.  This process can actually improve the beauty and value of pottery rather than the piece being designated for scrap or the bin. Quoting from the " My Modern Met " website, " Since its conception, Kintsugi has been heavily influenced by prevalent philosophical ideas. Namely, the practice is related to the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi, which calls for seeing beauty in the flawed or imperfect. The repair method was also born from the Japanese feeling of mottainai, which expresses regret when something is wasted, as well as mushin, the acceptance of change ."  It is fascinating how philosophy can find expression in how a broken pot is repaired rather than thrown away.  In the west we live in what some call a "t...

Yesterday I finished The Third Option by Miles McPherson, pastor of the Rock Church in San Diego, California.  It was a thoroughly engaging, thought-provoking read.  Living as an immigrant and now dual-citizen of Australia gave me much more to consider than simply race relations in the United States, as a person who identifies as White living as a foreigner.  Here it is not so much the colour of my skin but my birthplace and accent which sets me apart. The primary value of the book for me was to explore my own biases regarding identity and race.  Growing up I always felt like my perspective didn't matter because I was part of the privileged majority who could never understand or appreciate the struggles of others.  Maybe all that is true.  But praise be to God all people can be loving, gracious, and accepting of others on account of how God has accepted us.  Living in a foreign land has taught me many valuable lessons, enriched my life, and given m...

We've been studying through Hosea at Calvary Chapel Sydney on Sundays and I happen to be in the book of Amos for my morning devotions, a prophet who was a contemporary of Hosea.  Because the northern kingdom of Israel had rebelled from God, severe judgment was coming.  Israel resembled a stubborn heifer who refused to budge, so God would put her in the position of a vulnerable lamb in open country.  The fall of Israel at the hand of her enemies was a tragic consequence for her sin. Amos 3:11-12 says, " Therefore thus says the Lord GOD : "An adversary shall be all around the land;  h e shall sap your strength from you,  a nd your palaces shall be plundered." 12  Thus says the LORD : "As a shepherd takes from the mouth of a lion  t wo legs or a piece of an ear,  s o shall the children of Israel be taken out  w ho dwell in Samaria--i n the corner of a bed and on the edge of a couch !"  The people of the northern kingdom vainly ...

In preparing for this week's message at Calvary Chapel Sydney, I came across a quote from Matthew Henry that impacted me:  " Carnal hearts, in time of trouble, see their sickness, but do not see the sin that is the cause of it ." (Matthew Henry Concise, pg. 11112)  This insight is easily verified in our own lives, for it is easier for us to describe our negative symptoms to a doctor than to know for certain the cause our malady.  We may have theories about how or when we contacted a virus, but the fact we would even go to a doctor shows our need for help in treatment. God spoke through Hosea the prophet concerning His people in  Hosea 5:13 , " When Ephraim saw his sickness, a nd Judah saw his wound,  t hen Ephraim went to Assyria  a nd sent to King Jareb;  y et he cannot cure you,  n or heal you of your wound ."  Ephraim and Judah were able to see their symptoms, but they did not seek healing in God.  They vainly went to the k...

I saw an article the other day concerning "hands models" who make their living by posing for advertisements.  One of the photos shown struck me as a microcosm of the phoniness of this world and the things of it:  what is portrayed as reality isn't always the case. As I considered the picture later, I thought of the message it conveys:  a model with a pretty face doesn't always have the hands to match the flawless ideal, and the model with photogenic hands doesn't have the face the advertiser wants.  The world has set up a facade to worship, an impossible ideal to measure up to.  What is considered beautiful today can be cast off as old or ugly tomorrow.  We chase perfection without hope, for even those who have lovely hands are not judged to have the face to match.  Change our appearance as we might, there always remains in us a flaw beyond our grasp. This is where Jesus Christ meets us in spite of our imperfections.  He does not seek us o...