Marching Forth!

I have been reading The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis, a clever and unique book.  It is a fictional series of letters from uncle Screwtape to his nephew Wormwood, the older demon giving advice concerning how to influence his "patient," the soul assigned to his care, to ensure he goes to hell.  In this book everything is upside down:  the "Enemy" is God and the "Father" is Satan.  Whilst this book was never intended to be a book of theology, it turns the thinking of born again Christians to profitable self-examination.  We are told there is a spiritual battle we are to contend in, having been provided spiritual armor by the Holy Spirit, yet the reality of it can be lost on us.  The insights of C.S. Lewis are helpful to expose the subtle ways the enemy of our souls works to undermine the good work God intends to do in and through us. Lewis hit upon a topic of great relevance for people today:  the need for Christians to be in regular fellowship....

Long before dawn I awoke this morning with the phrase in my mind, " All my springs are in you ."  Throughout the morning I have been reminded of the passage of scripture so I searched and found it in Psalm 87 .   The context of the song extols God as supreme, that He dwells in Zion, and draws people of many nations to Himself.  Psalm 87:7 reads, " Both the singers and the players on instruments say, "All my springs are in you ."  It is fitting Jerusalem is situated upon a spring of fresh water which flows to this day, a picture of the life, provision, satisfaction, and refreshment which is found in God alone.  He truly is the source and fountain of all blessing. When the children of Israel departed from Egypt, God supplied their every need.  Bread, meat, and water was miraculously provided for the great multitude.  Their lives did not depend upon their ability to find springs of water, their wisdom or discernment to discover an oasis, or thei...

I recently was struck by the fundamental difference between tolerance and love.  Tolerance, to endure or allow what is not wholly approved, to bear or put up with, can be done with love as the motivation.  But tolerance in itself can be merely external and with effort can be accomplished politely whilst hatred is concealed within.  From a young age we learn to comply with directives from parents, teachers, bullies, rules or laws we think are silly, and we are conditioned to be tolerant of differences.  Tolerance has its place in a diverse society to be sure yet should never be confused with the love of God which is to mark the lives of Christians. Love which is produced by the presence of the Holy Spirit is a defining characteristic of followers of Jesus Christ.  Paul exhorted in  Romans 13:8 , " Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law ."  Those who have been born again through faith in Christ...

God can use things like simple yardwork to convey spiritual truth.  I spent the morning chopping down a rogue jasmine vine which had taken over several plants in the vicinity.  I realised the lush green which blanketed the area was a jasmine vine which quickly spread.  Most likely it wasn't that the vine that grew so quickly, but a demonstration of the high price of neglect. Truth be told, I am a low-maintenance gardener.  My focus had been on the turf while the vine slowly crept, twisting around other plants, choking out light and nutrients.  The result of passing glances without closer inspection resulted in not realising how prolific the jasmine vine had become:  the fresh green looked healthy but hid problems.  Attacking the jasmine brought my attention to a hollowed out bottle-brush tree and a bush which was also overgrown.  It was easy to chop off the shoots but the root stock is a solid mass.  Because of the limited size of my bin...

Unlike men who can be all talk with decent intentions, God always finishes what He starts.  He explained this in His revelation to Samuel concerning the judgment He would bring upon Eli and his house in  1 Samuel 3:12 :  " In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end ."  God's Word is true concerning judgment but also our sanctification and glorification as partakers of God's grace in  Philippians 1:6 , "...b eing confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ...".   God is the first and last, the beginning to end, and our only Way to eternal life with Him. If we desire to experience eternal life in heaven, we must have our sins atoned for whilst on earth.  Consider the far-reaching implications of sin concerning Eli in  1 Samuel 3:13-14 :  " For I have told him that I will judg...

I hadn't planned on posting today, but sometimes things God reveals are too amazing and exciting to keep to yourself!  I am always delighted to discover new things in what was familiar like when Jesus spoke from the cross, " My God, my God, why have your forsaken me ?" and I learned He was reciting the first line of Psalm 22 .  Realising Psalm 22 was connected to Jesus the Messiah who suffered on Calvary deepened my understanding of the pointed statement Jesus made to orthodox Jews which was previously lost on me.  He spoke in the hearing of people who fulfilled the word verbatim written by David a thousand years before in their accusations against Him. After God brought the children out of Egypt with mighty wonders, at His command Moses sent one ruler of each tribe into Canaan to spy out the land God had given them.  After surveying the land for 40 days, taking stock of strongholds, fortifications, and the people, the spies brought back ripe fruit of the land....

Most of us have closets which contain many options of clothes and shoes to suit the occasion.  We have clothes we wear to the office, formal gatherings, to paint or do yardwork, or pajamas to sleep in.  Our future plans and activities make an impact on clothes we wear.  Our wardrobe decisions are also affected depending if we are hosting guests or are home alone.  Many clothes we wear to "dress up" can be stifling and uncomfortable, and it is a pleasant feeling to change from these tight or complicated garments into loose, breathable fabric.  After wearing boots or tight shoes all day what a relief it is to pull them off! Whilst our favourite clothes may not be appropriate to wear every day, there is one thing followers of Jesus ought to be clothed with at all times:  humility.  See what  1 Peter 5:1-5 says:  " The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of...

" For thus says the LORD to the house of Israel: "Seek Me and live; 5 but do not seek Bethel,n or enter Gilgal, nor pass over to Beersheba; for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nothing ." Amos 5:4-5 During our study of the book of Amos at Calvary Chapel Sydney the LORD has impressed upon me the importance of seeking Him.  Religious activity was in full swing in the northern kingdom of Israel, but the people worshiped the works of their own hands.  They went to "holy" sites like Bethel, Gilgal, and Beersheba, places of antiquity where pillars and monuments had been set up by the patriarchs--not for worship, but in response to the revelation of God, His presence, and covenant.  When Abraham planted a tamarisk tree, Isaac dug a well in Beersheba, Joshua directed the elders to set up a monument of stones from the Jordan in Gilgal, or Jacob set up a stone in Bethel it was never intended to be the idolatrous shrines t...

When the tribes of Ruben, Gad, and Manasseh looked upon the prime cattle country east of the Jordan, they requested that land be deemed their inheritance.  At first Moses was angry with them for stopping short of entering the land of promise, but they assured him they did not shrink from the task which lay before them of driving out the enemies so all tribes could enter their inheritance.  They would pass over Jordan armed for battle to assist their brethren obtain the land God allotted to each one, and then they would return to their own families on the east side of the river.  In the end Moses agreed to the request of the three tribes, and they also kept their word to fight beside their brethren. In 1 Corinthians 10:11 Paul explained what happened concerning the children of Israel in the Old Testament had been provided as relevant examples for Christians today.  Like the children of Israel had been given an inheritance and rest they needed to labour to enter so...

I read a passage of scripture last night which reminds me when it seems all hope is lost, God is able to do the miraculous and unexpected.  The Bible is filled with instances where God's almighty power overruled the natural laws He established in the universe, and sometimes with almost comedic effect.  Elisha was a prophet filled with the Holy Spirit through whom God did many miracles, and there was a notable occasion after his death mentioned in  2 Kings 13:20-21 :  " Then Elisha died, and they buried him. And the raiding bands from Moab invaded the land in the spring of the year.  21  So it was, as they were burying a man, that suddenly they spied a band of raiders; and they put the man in the tomb of Elisha; and when the man was let down and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet ." Burying a man according to the ancient Hebrew tradition did not involve burying the body in dirt but to lay the body in a tomb or crypt typicall...

From the mouths of babes God has ordained praise, and He also has been glorified by the mouth of crooked, greedy prophets like Balaam.  After he was asked to curse Israel from afar, Balaam said in  Numbers 23:22-23 , " God brings them out of Egypt; He has strength like a wild ox. 23  "For there is no sorcery against Jacob, nor any divination against Israel. It now must be said of Jacob and of Israel, 'Oh, what God has done !'"  There is no one more powerful or intimately involved with what is commonly called "spiritual warfare" than God, and there is no sorcery or divination which works against Him.  Victory depends primarily not on what we do but what God has done. The focus of many genuine believers can be more on what we need to do to be protected and victorious rather than extolling and believing what God has said and done.  God spoke to His people in  Isaiah 54:16-17 :  " Behold, I have created the blacksmith who blows the coals in...

" Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. 24  But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, 25  and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man ." John 2:23-25 No one naturally resembles Jesus in character because He is God made flesh.  What strikes me about this passage is how Jesus did not commit Himself to men--even professing believers--because He knew what was in them, and in their flesh there was nothing good.  To "commit" in this sense is to "put faith in or entrust."  Jesus was able to love people completely without reservation, giving Himself for the good of others.  At the same time there was not a shred of self-interest in His motivation in loving people generously.  We often go wrong at this point because we often have motives and expectations which are hidden from our eyes.  We judge o...

" The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. 9 He will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever. 10  He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. 11  For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; 12  as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us ." Psalm 103:8-12 How blessed we are God has not dealt with us according to our iniquities!  Some people have a mistaken concept when they are going through a trial or difficulty they are "paying for their sins," but then why did Jesus have to die to atone for the sins of the world?  The purging of sin requires the shedding of blood of a sacrifice without blemish or spot so our sin disqualifies us:  even if we were to physically die as a consequence for our sin our justice demands eternal satisfaction by the cond...

Joshua served as assistant to Moses for many years.  I wonder if Joshua felt an incredible weight of expectation from the nation, knowing he could never fill the sandals of Moses--yet at the same time knowing God was not asking him to.  We do not read of Joshua recoiling from the task as Moses did at the first when met by God in the burning bush, but God was gracious to speak to Joshua as well. The book of Joshua begins with God speaking to Joshua shortly after the death of Moses.  This unsolicited revelation of God was filled with promises and encouraging words Joshua needed to hear.  Isn't it comforting at times God speaks to us even when we haven't asked Him a specific question?  The amazing thing about the words of God is the truth of them transcends people and time.  Because God does not change and His word will endure forever, we can take to heart the promises God has made in the past and rely on Him to fulfill them presently.  The statements ...

Our family was reading through 2 Kings 7 after dinner tonight and we found the conduct of the four lepers in the passage ironic and amusing.  Whilst the famine in Samaria had become severe due to a Syrian siege, these blokes were literally waiting around outside the gates to die from disease, starvation, or at the hands of cruel enemies.  They discussed their meagre options and decided to throw themselves on the mercy of the Syrians.  The worst thing that could happen was their demise, and given their hopelessness it had some appeal. After making their way into the camp they were shocked to find it completely deserted.  Unbeknownst to them, God miraculously caused the Syrians to hear the sound of a great army and they fled for their lives.   2 Kings 7:8-9 says, " And when these lepers came to the outskirts of the camp, they went into one tent and ate and drank, and carried from it silver and gold and clothing, and went and hid them; then they came ba...

God's Word reveals Him to man but also provides insight to people to know themselves.  In the light of God's glory and majesty man's fallen nature is in stark contrast.  As God's character is absolutely good and righteous, the depraved, fickle, hypocritical hearts and minds of men are stunningly consistent, even predictable.  We are masters of exploitation, of manipulation, or angling to hide our flaws and benefit ourselves.  That's the crazy thing about it:  if we will be honest at some level (whether we want to admit it or not) this tendency is in us all.  We can try to ignore or deny it, but it lies latent until it is stirred up. It is easy to find fault or inconsistency in others, but Paul said in  Romans 2:1 , " Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things ."  This principle rings true to life, doesn't it?  Everythi...

King Jehoshaphat of Judah was a king who feared the LORD.  Though he was rebuked by God for alliances with kings of Israel who did not fear God, Jehoshaphat sought the LORD.  With both idolatrous Ahab and Jehoram there were instances when Jehoshaphat asked, " Is there not a prophet of the LORD here, that we may inquire of the LORD by him ?"  When other kings wondered and despaired of an uncertain future, Jehoshaphat sought the presence of the LORD.  Because Jehoshaphat regarded the presence of God as indispensable, God regarded and accepted him. After Elisha the prophet was summoned, he questioned why king Jehoram of Israel would have bothered to call him.  But then Elisha revealed amazing truth about God in  2 Kings 3:14 :  " And Elisha said, "As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, surely were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you, nor see you ."  Elisha, who stood by grace befo...

I have been reading Reappearing Church by Mark Sayers, pastor and cultural commentator.  I suppose only time will tell how accurate and prophetic they are, but as one who lives in a westernised culture much of his analysis rings true to my observations and experience.  The vast information available on the internet and availability of customising our information streams to our personal preferences is a massive shift from years past.  The abundance of spiritual menu choices (or pseudo-spiritual content) coupled with an Uber Eats approach means we only need to feed on what interests us--not what we may need to hear.  The awesome thing is God's Word and goodness towards us remains unchanged and deeply personal.  He has the dynamic ability to speak above the noise in His still, small voice.  Mark Sayers wrote this in  Reappearing Church on the prevalence of consumerism in culture and how it can affect our approach to following Jesus and ministry: Many ...

This past week I traveled to New Zealand with a fellow pastor who flies much more than me.  Because of the millions of miles he has logged he has earned status I have not:  free entrance to the Air New Zealand lounge and the ability to bring a guest.  On my own I would be denied access to the comfort of the lounge:  comfortable seats, free food and drink, well-maintained toilets, and internet access.  Bronze status certainly doesn't provide the benefits diamond or gold status does! I admit that when I follow my friend into the lounge, there is a sneaking feeling of unworthiness because I haven't earned or paid for the right to enter on my own.  What I was struck with today is in a similar sense I will only be able to enter heaven one day because of what Jesus has done.  It is because He has paid for us and is good and gracious to invite us we can become children of God and gain access into the presence of God.  We are all unworthy, but it is ou...