Marching Forth!

There are degrees of belief, and not all belief translates to saving faith.  Jesus arrived in Cana of Galilee, the place where He previously performed his first public miracle by turning water into wine.  A nobleman came to Him and begged Jesus to come quickly and heal his dying son.  Jesus remarked as a matter of fact in  John 4:48 , " Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe ."  The man may not have come to Jesus at all unless he heard of the previous miracle Jesus had done.  It meant He believed Jesus could heal His son, not that He followed what the supernatural sign pointed to:  that Jesus was the Christ, the promised Messiah and Son of God.  The words of Jesus would prove prophetic. John 4:50 says, " Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your son lives." So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way ."  The man believed the word Jesus spoke to him, and his belief was evidenced...

Today I read a statement that grabbed my attention.  In describing a political speech a reporter mused, "It sounds like he is preaching to the converted."  The ironic thing is as one who preaches I can say with absolute certainty the converted need preaching as much as the unconverted, for this is a way God has designed for people to know God and grow in grace.  While a Gospel presentation may be tailored to an unbelieving audience for salvation, going on with God is important too. Paul wrote in  1 Corinthians 1:17-21 , " For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.  18  For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.  19  For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.  20  Where is the wise? whe...

Grief is a complex process, and though we may never have closure with our loved ones we can experience comfort through closeness with God.  It is faith in the goodness, grace and mercy of God where we discover rest.  Paul blessed the LORD in  2 Corinthians 1:3-4 :  " Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,  4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God ."  The God of all comfort has chosen to suffer for our sakes out of love for us, and knowing Him we are sustained. I've been reading Grieving a Suicide by Albert Y. Hsu and have been blessed with his insights, especially around the grieving process and the elusive feelings of closure: " Suicides usually leave conversations unfinished, with many loose ends.  But ultimate closure is an unrealistic expectation.  We can ...

When king Nebuchadnezzar was troubled by a dream he had, the Hebrew Daniel was summoned to give the interpretation because the Spirit of the living God was in him.  In the dream a great and fruitful tree was cut down and all the beasts and birds which ate of its fruit were scattered.  The king recounted  what he heard in  Daniel 4:15-17 , " Nevertheless leave the stump and roots in the earth, b ound with a band of iron and bronze,  i n the tender grass of the field. Let it be wet with the dew of heaven,  a nd let him graze with the beasts On the grass of the earth.  16  Let his heart be changed from that of a man, l et him be given the heart of a beast,  a nd let seven times pass over him.  17  'This decision is by the decree of the watchers, a nd the sentence by the word of the holy ones,  i n order that the living may know  t hat the Most High rules in the kingdom of men,  g ives it to whomever He will, ...

I was reminded recently of a simple fact:  the same thing is not always equal.  Once I tried on a pair of pants that fit me well so I pull another pair of the same size off the rack.  Like many people I assumed another pair of pants of the same brand and size would fit exactly the same.  Being a rather idealistic and ignorant clothes shopper, I was shocked when they didn't!  This shouldn't have been a surprise, but it was. How many times have you ordered the "same thing" at a restaurant and found your experience to be very different?  One cut of beef was tender and another time you were a bit disappointed because the same dish did not measure up to the previous one.  It was likely a different chef preparing the food and a different steak (for which we should be very glad), so of course it was different.  Two cars of the same year, make and model can be in very different condition after a few years because of how they were handled by their owners....

When things go wrong, do you?  Life throws all sorts of things our way and none of them are without the LORD's knowledge--including our perception of them.  Our emotions can warp the impact of little inconveniences and lead to frustration that builds up without vent.  The only lasting and satisfying relief from the troubles of life is found by faith in our good God who loves us. From appearances it looks like many Christians have their lives in order:  they seem generous, patient, kind and loving.  We imagine they must not struggle with the things we do like selfishness, greed, anxiety,  lust, frustration and violent temper.  The only way our lives can be decent and in order is because of the grace and goodness of God!  The LORD is showing me a focus on all that seems to be going wrong for me is fundamentally sinful focus on myself, which I ought to be repent of. What is your response when things go wrong?  Do you tend to become angry?  ...

Our upbringing and experiences in church life can deeply impact our convictions and expectations.  Those who claim to hold fast to a biblical worldview can have very different preferences when it comes to gathering with other believers in fellowship.  Some churches place a great deal of emphasis on receiving communion, others in singing songs or the preaching of God's word.  Some people do not feel like they have been really ministered to unless they have shed a tear, spoken in tongues, been swept up emotionally in song, gone forward to the altar in repentance or prayed with a pastor.  Some congregations are expressive in worship and others more subdued in the praise of the same glorious God.  By God's grace He has provided freedom for us to draw near to Him in worship and thanksgiving with a congregation and individually. There is a very real danger for the diverse members of the Body of Christ to be divided because of our personal preferences or convictions an...

During the reign of king David for three consecutive years Israel experienced a famine.  David inquired of the LORD to determine the cause and it was revealed the famine was a consequence of "Saul's bloody house," the previous king who wrongly persecuted and slaughtered the Gibeonites who had entered into a covenant with Israel.  David then went to the Gibeonites and asked what could be done to atone for the wrongs against them, and they requested seven of Saul's descendants be hanged before the LORD in Gibeah.  The bodies remained night and day hanging until the rains came and ended the drought and famine.  Sin brought a curse upon the land and the justice meted upon the guilty brought restoration to the land. 2 Samuel 21:12-14 reads, " Then David went and took the bones of Saul, and the bones of Jonathan his son, from the men of Jabesh Gilead who had stolen them from the street of Beth Shan, where the Philistines had hung them up, after the Philistines had s...

An odd situation occurred after Joab slew Absalom on the field of battle.  Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok and fleet of foot, offered to run to King David to tell him the news of the battle.   2 Samuel 18:20-21 reads, " And Joab said to him, "You shall not take the news this day, for you shall take the news another day. But today you shall take no news, because the king's son is dead."  21  Then Joab said to the Cushite, "Go, tell the king what you have seen." So the Cushite bowed himself to Joab and ran ."  Joab said to a Cushite, an Ethiopian who was an eyewitness of what had occurred in the wood, to run and bring the message of the battle to King David at Mahanaim. Ahimaaz was undeterred, despite lacking a message.   2 Samuel 18:22-23 says, " And Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said again to Joab, "But whatever happens, please let me also run after the Cushite." So Joab said, "Why will you run, my son, since you have no news ready?...

Hello to all those who are using the automated email to receive updates from the blog!  I have been notified the Feedburner gadget I have been using will be discontinued in June and therefore blog posts will not be sent anymore.  I apologise for this...I have looked into setting up an automated service like Mailchimp but it is simply too much for me to navigate.  The content isn't the issue but figuring how to send out emails without causing confusion.  If you know me and have skill in the area please send me a message...otherwise to receive the content you will have to check the blog itself when Feedburner goes away. :)

" Blessed is the man  w ho walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,  n or stands in the path of sinners,  n or sits in the seat of the scornful;  2 but his delight is in the law of the LORD , a nd in His law he meditates day and night.  3  He shall be like a tree p lanted by the rivers of water,  t hat brings forth its fruit in its season,  w hose leaf also shall not wither;  a nd whatever he does shall prosper. " Psalm 1:1-3 God who created trees designed them to produce seeds contained in the fruit.  Seeds make the propagation of more trees possible, and in this way seeds are cultivated to grow an entire orchard.  Before a tree can fruit in season it must be well-established in suitable soil.  Time is required for the roots to tap into the moisture and nutrients so trees will grow and bear much fruit. The man who is blessed is the one who is rooted by faith in God and His word.  The author of this Psalm did not on...

When King David heard Absalom had declared himself king in Hebron and the conspiracy against him was strong, he voluntarily vacated the palace in Jerusalem to prevent bloodshed.  He directed the high priest Zadok to return the Ark of the Covenant to the proper resting place in the tabernacle in faith of God's sovereignty and goodness.  If the LORD delighted in him He would cause David to one day return.  To make dire matters worse, David was informed his chief advisor Ahithophel was also part of Absalom's mutinous scheme.  David and all the people who crossed the Kidron valley with him and ascended the Mount of Olives wept as they mournfully trudged away from Jerusalem and God's holy habitation. As David, his household and those loyal to him left the city, they were greeted by a jeering and cursing man named Shimei of Benjamin.   2 Samuel 16:7-8 says, " Also Shimei said thus when he cursed: "Come out! Come out! You bloodthirsty man, you rogue!  8 Th...

As a kid the only glasses I wore were sunglasses.  At a point it became clear to me my eyesight had degraded when I could not effortlessly read street signs, number plates, or small print on a page.  After I was fitted with corrective lenses reading became easier, but I didn't always wear them.  Now when my glasses are away from the table or chair I will stand up to retrieve them rather than muddle through reading because they make a noticeable difference. People who already have glasses occasionally have their eyes checked because as the ability of eyes to focus continues to degrade the prescription changes.  There is a two-fold lesson for the child of God here, for we too need correction from God's word concerning our beliefs and the way we live our lives.  Whether we are taking steps of faith or beginning to backslide, lessons from scripture will target areas of our lives where improvement and change is needed.  The second lesson is we need to appropriat...

Yesterday I had the privilege of giving the sermon at a wedding.  I expected to be called up to present the sermon but instead was provided a seat on the platform.  It was the first time I have witnessed a wedding from a perspective where the groom, bride and witnesses could be viewed at once.  Words cannot described adequately the overwhelming scene of joyful love. As the wedding party walked down the aisle and assumed their places, there is only one way to describe the feeling of excitement in the chapel:  joy.  A simple truth dawned on me like never before:  joy is holy.  Of course it is, right?  Joy is listed among the fruit of the Holy Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23 .  The joy everyone experience in that moment was made possible only by the gracious gift of God.  It was a small and sublime brush with the divine for all people present as God made two people one flesh by the covenant of marriage. The holy joy that could be felt in that m...

In our suburb the council picks up the rubbish bins weekly and the recycle bins biweekly.  Because we do not write a schedule in the diary, it can be easy to forget if this week is recycle week or not.  Typically the amount of recycle stuffed in the bin is a good indication as well as looking outside to see what the neighbours are doing.  When in doubt, put the bin out is what I do. This week was one of those recycling wondering weeks:  we had a full bin but no one had placed their recycle bins out.  As our bin was wheeled to the kerb I found it amusing that bright yellow bin was a suggestion to others it was recycle week--even if it wasn't.  Because of our prominent house position on a corner, I mused over how many people would put out their bins just in case if it turned out to be at the wrong time.  By evening pretty much everyone on our street had their recycle bins out and it was thought provoking how one person doing something could lead others t...

A passage I read this morning was a good reminder some battles are too big for us to handle alone.  We often fail to walk in victory because the battle we are fighting is not one He has called us to fight, we lack to exercise faith in God, imagine we can win by our efforts, or we are unwilling to ask others for assistance.  There are countless ways we can fail, and the only surefire way of victory is faith and obedience to Jesus Christ. After the ambassadors King David sent to Ammon were shamed, the Ammonites hired Syrians as mercenaries for protection because their disgraceful conduct was basically a declaration of war.  In response to the large force assembled against them, David sent general Joab to quash the threat.  Joab found himself in a difficult position to fight on two fronts, with the Ammonites before and the Syrians behind.  It is challenging enough to fight the enemy in front of you, but how can you contend with enemies one cannot see? 2 Samuel 10:9...

One of my favourite "I Love Lucy" episodes growing up was titled "Sales Resistance," where Lucy is unable to resist a smooth-talking salesman who throws a lump of dirt on her carpet.  Later in the episode Lucy tries the gimmick herself but things (of course!) do not go as planned.  Demonstrations are a tried and true sales technique to garner interest in products.  Television channels are dedicated to demonstrating the effectiveness of innovative items and results which can be yours for only three low payments of $19.99...but wait, there's more!  The audience gazes in wonder at the new improved towels, cleaning products, adhesives, ladders, knives and kitchen appliances which will revolutionise our lives.  Some say "Seeing is believing," and seeing that dirt lifted from the carpet in under 2 minutes flat meant Lucy was sold on that Handy-Dandy vacuum.  It is also said "A sucker is born every minute," but I digress. God is not a con-man, a fas...

Being on the "right side" of history is a claim made by some due to their acceptance of worldly wisdom.  Since there is an omnipotent, righteous God to whom all must one day give an account, the wise aim to align their conduct and morality with what pleases Him.  There is a lot of call for social justice today, and more important still is the recognision of the almighty God whose ways are righteousness and justice.  The justice of God is a divine attribute we ought to glory in, not shy away from.  By the work Jesus accomplished on Calvary, followers of Jesus are on the right side of God's justice. Like the tides of the sea billow and swirl, trouble in this life is never far away.  Our own thoughts, emotions and feelings within us can resemble a stormy sea whilst we can experience the force of a tempest that has power to toss us like a cork on the ocean.  Living with the aim to honour and please God can result in additional trouble, but thankfully God provid...

People have varying degrees of skill, aptitude and interest in athletics.  Some people who are fit, healthy specimens have no desire to play ball sports, and others who are not ideal pictures of fitness love to participate often.  We all have limitations when it comes to the fastest we can run, jump, lift and throw.  Even the best professional athletes who push themselves to a maximum far beyond other mortal men can only go so far.  The same is true for intellectual pursuits or physical work.  There are some things we will never understand and building skills we will never master.  No matter how hard we labour even maintaining the skills and fitness we once possessed can prove difficult. The spiritual, inner man is in contrast to the outer man that is perishing because we are being renewed by faith in Jesus day by day.  Our understanding concerning God and His wisdom can expand after our minds and bodies are well past their prime.  By the power of...

One of the challenges of our walk with God is knowing when He is speaking to us or not.  Being fallible people with limited understanding and knowledge we do not always discern God's voice clearly or correctly.  We can look for a big-picture answer when the LORD would have us deal with one decision to honour God or to forsake sin which prevents us from taking the first step to enter into His will.  It is a sobering reality many believers have laboured long under a misunderstanding of God's will for them that has hamstrung their perspective and possibly kept them from obedience.  People have believed they received a sign or direction from God which they ultimately decided was misguided, and this ought to be a warning to keep us from leaning on our own understanding. When someone says they have prayed and believe they have heard and received an answer from God, it typically works to prevent any further discussion of the subject.  They have "felt a peace" with an i...