Marching Forth!

What treasure is found in the pages of God's word!  For the hungry soul there is satisfaction, for those overwhelmed by troubles there is comfort, for the erring there is correction and for the weary there is rest found by faith in God.  In the C.S. Lewis Chronicles of Narnia books, children visiting their uncle enjoyed exploring his palatial residence.  As if this wasn't interesting or amazing enough, when Lucy ventured into a simple wardrobe she entered another land called Narnia that was filled with talking beasts and adventure.  One sentence, one verse, a single word from God in the scripture is like that:  it opens up a new world of wisdom, light, joy and rest for the one who trusts in the LORD. Today I was impacted by a detail I had not considered before in  Psalm 95:8-11 :  " Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, a s in the day of trial in the wilderness,  9  when your fathers tested Me; t hey tried Me, though they saw My ...

Last night when our family read the Bible after dinner, we were treated with this passage about the missionary efforts of Paul and Barnabas in  Acts 14:1-3 :  " Now it happened in Iconium that they went together to the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of the Jews and of the Greeks believed.  2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren.  3 Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands ."  There were a number of interesting revelations of God's wisdom presented here. The first is how God has given believers the opportunity to make known the Gospel of grace so others will also believe in Jesus as LORD and Saviour.  Empowered by the Holy Spirit, God used Paul and Barnabas to bring many Jews and Greeks in the synagogue to saving faith in Christ....

I awoke this morning with the last sentence of Psalm 87 in my mind:  " All my springs are in you ."  In this song the sons of Korah wrote to proclaim the glory of God in the place of His habitation:  Jerusalem, the city where God had placed his name and the temple was built.  To say you were born in Jerusalem and numbered among God's people was a great blessing, a testimony of God's goodness and faithfulness. The song concludes, " All my springs are in you ."  The city of Jerusalem boasts the Gihon spring which continues to send forth clear, clean water directed through Hezekiah's Tunnel to this day.  The flow of this spring was vital to sustain the lives of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and it was God who caused that living water to flow in a dry land.  The words of the psalmists have a double meaning, as they acknowledged their reliance upon the spring for water and upon God who sustained their lives by His mercy, goodness and His covenant with the...

I recently listened to a sermon on Mark 2 , the passage where a paralytic was carried by four friends to Jesus.  It had been widely proclaimed Jesus was in a house in Capernaum and thus many people flocked to hear Him preach the word of God.  It was so crowded people could not even make their way near the door.   Mark 2:4-5 says, " And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying.  5 When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven you ." With divine insight Jesus looked through the dust and din and observed the faith of these men who removed the roof to bring their friend to Jesus.  It is very likely Jesus recognised the faith of the paralytic in Him as well, for he may have urged them in his desperation for healing.  It occurred to me as I considered this passage what a fittin...

How wondrous is our glorious God and the grace He extends to those who seek Him!  Knowing God loves us and is for us changes forever the way we approach Him and strengthens us to stand.  A great illustration of how God's grace ought to provide boldness to draw near to God and commune with Him is seen in the book of Esther in the interactions between king Ahasuerus and queen Esther. In the law of the Medes and Persians it was illegal (punishable by death!) to appear before the king without first being summoned, yet there was a caveat provided for all to whom he reached out the golden sceptre.  Queen Esther, after three days of fasting from food and water, approached the king knowing her life hung in the balance.  How relieved she must have been when she found grace in his eyes and he extended life to her when he held up the sceptre.  This began a chain of events which led to exposing wicked Haman as the enemy of the Jews who was promptly executed for his crimes--...

As I was preparing for this week's message, it occurred to me at times the only place of agreement we can find on some matters with opinionated people is to "agree to disagree."  This certainly is never our preference, for we would much rather have people see things like we do.  What may come as a shock to us is we can also have this approach toward God who says and does things we do not understand.  Like Job who suffered great pain and loss, we can question why God would allow such things, wonder if God has made a mistake and doubt His wisdom. When we agree to disagree with people, it is often to keep things civil between two parties.  Having agreed to disagree we do not bother bringing up the touchy topic anymore in consideration of the feelings of the other party.  We agree to disagree because we value the other person more than the point we want to make.  We might even do so because we have to, otherwise it will prove so divisive any lingering discussi...

I remember hearing a prayer that thanked God for "making us worthy," and I felt rehearsing Inigo Montoya's line from the movie  The Princess Bride :  "Y ou keep using that word.  I do not think it means what you think it means ."  To the credit of the people who have prayed thus, "worthy" is a word that has a range of meaning that has shifted over the years.  A partial definition from the Webster's 1828 Dictionary of "worthy" is:  " 1) deserving; such as merits; having worth or excellence; equivalent; with of, before the thing deserved; 2) possessing worth or excellence of qualities; virtuous; estimable; 3) suitable; having qualities suited to; either in a good or bad sense; equal in value. "  Worthy speaks of being meritorious, of being deserving when compared with others.  I do not believe the person who claims they are made "worthy" are suggesting they are equal with God or deserving of His help or grace, for that ...

One consequence of enjoying a delightful, satisfying meal is it kills the appetite to eat more.  Many times I have declined to even look at the dessert menu filled with tasty treats because I was already full!  Compare this with conversations I have had with children soon after dinner who complained they were still hungry.  I would ask, "If you're hungry, why didn't you have more dinner?"  It was evident the foods supplied for dinner weren't their "favourite thing" by later angling for something different. Have you ever been to an "all you can eat" buffet?  For people with a ravenous appetite this offering sounds very appealing.  My typical approach to a new buffet I have never tried is to walk through and see the range of what is on offer.  Unfortunately, quantity does not always equate with high quality.  Typically there will be something I find appetising, but there have been rare occasions when I went home from a buffet hungry because there...

There's a saying people use when referring to past events they regret:  "shoulda, woulda, coulda."  It is a way to dismiss what has happened in the past because there is no going back and doing things over.  Lamenting how life could have been better if different choices were made is in itself a pointless exercise that can lead to despair.  When we acknowledge our mistakes and learn from them going forward, that is when feelings of regret can be a personal boon. It is one thing when a person says something in the past should have been done differently, and how much more accurate is God's judgments in all matters!  God has great plans to deliver and save His people, yet our choices can hinder Him from doing all He should, would and could do.  Consider  Psalm 81:13-16 in the KJV (bold emphasis mine):  " Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways!  14  I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned m...

" Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership.  15  Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all ." 1 Timothy 4:14-15 These verses were shared in the message preached yesterday at Calvary Chapel Sydney.  The points made were Timothy had a gift given by God, and he could also neglect this gift.  We are not entirely sure what specific gift of the Holy Spirit was being referred to, but Timothy and others knew it because it had been prophesied unto him with the laying on of hands of the eldership.  If Timothy knew what gift he had been given and could neglect it, it follows believers today who have received the Holy Spirit and gifts by His will can neglect our gifts as well. To neglect suggests carelessness, to forbear proper use or responsibility of something.  We have seen neglected lawns overgrown with weeds and hedges untr...

Nehemiah 8 is a chapter which illustrates very well the personal impact of how understanding God's word impacts people who are united to seek Him.  Reading God's word is not like a chemical reaction which is predictable, for at times we are not receptive to hear or take action on what God has said and is saying to us.  In the children of Israel we see a good example of people who gathered together to build the walls of Jerusalem and sought to obey the LORD who protected, provided and made their efforts fruitful. Ezra the scribe and Nehemiah gathered the people together with the elders to read the Law of Moses and explain it to the people so they could understand it.  Hearing God's word had a profound affect on the people, for they realised they and their fathers had sinned against the LORD and they wept.  Their minds, hearts and souls were moved by the word of God and felt sorrow and remorse.   Nehemiah 8:11-12 says, " So the Levites quieted all the peop...

Having faith in God does not mean a person is perpetually positive and impervious to pains, struggles, troubles and doubts.  While our human weakness at times can spring from a lack of faith, in our weakness God's strength is made perfect because His grace is sufficient for us.  This idea that the believer becomes superhuman with a biblical worldview cannot be sustained by the efforts of the flesh, knowledge or a formulaic approach to trials.  We believers remain needy:  we need reminders, to meditate on what God has said and done, and proclaim the reality of His goodness in the land of the living. Asaph arrived at this conclusion as he struggled through a sleepless night in Psalm 77 .  When he was troubled and overwhelmed he cried out to God and was heard by Him.  Based on how he felt Asaph wondered if God was done being gracious and merciful, if God no longer kept His promises.   Psalm 77:10-12 :  " And I said, "This is my anguish; b ut I ...

Yesterday I had a discussion with someone who is preparing to sit an exam.  I was asked, "Do you have any motivational or inspirational quotes?"  In the moment nothing came to mind.  I suppose the cliche approach to offer a one liner like the cat poster in the The Lego Movie  simply captioned "Believe!" or another that says, "Hang in there!"  Playful images and cliches cannot provide any reasons or suitable answers for the persistent doubts that can plague us or how to live life wisely.  Cute doesn't cut it. In thinking it over from a biblical perspective, God supplies motivation and inspiration in abundance for us to do what pleases Him.  Our motives are to be guided by the fear, love and glory of God.  The world operates in a totally contrary way and suggests we must believe in ourselves and great inspiration comes from following the desires of our hearts in the pursuit of our dreams.  We are liable to hijack statements in the Bib...

" Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed.  9 For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead ." John 20:8-9 After the disciples of Jesus heard the body of Jesus was no longer in the tomb, some ran to investigate.  Peter and John are described as looking into the empty tomb, saw the graveclothes lying there with the headcovering folded neatly by itself, and they believed.  They believed the body of Jesus was not in the tomb based upon what they saw, yet John 20:9 shows the scripture had already revealed the truth of Christ's resurrection from the dead.  God has given us eyes and physical senses we are to use wisely and can confirm the truth of what God has already said. I love that God's work is not dependent upon the perfect knowledge of God's people.  God is sovereign and rules over all, able to accomplish His plans despite the ignorance of those who fear and trust Him....

Like the churning sea is never at rest, our hearts can be troubled under a calm exterior.  We may not even realise the depths of our pains until we are brought to a breaking point brought on by stress, grief, rejection, physical discomfort or a myriad of other things.  The constant cares of this life can lull us into a sort of stupor that pain intensely felt--like the paddles of a defibrillator pressed to our chest--snaps us back to the reality we need God more than anything because He is truly our life.  In our happy moments when all seemed right in the world we imagined we were drawing near to God, but in reality we only basked in His goodness or how we felt at the time.  Those soul-crushing moments we experience can reveal this reality to us, how we have neglected to seek the LORD with our whole hearts and trust Him. At times I have felt so low I have desired to be done with living because I caught a glimpse of my own wretchedness and inability to do a thing to he...

" I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.  5   And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was ." John 17:4-5 When Thomas asked Jesus to show them God the Father Jesus responded, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father." ( John 14:9 )  Jesus previously revealed to all in John 10:30 , " I and my Father are One ."  Jesus was sent by God as a revelation of Himself in human form, the Christ who walked with men who beheld His glory.  The only begotten Son of God Jesus was tasked to seek and save the lost and lay down His life to redeem sinners, and as the hour on Calvary approached the LORD sought the Father in prayer. I find intriguing the ways Jesus addressed God the Father in the prayer found in John 17, during which He called "Father" many times.  In John 17:11 He called Him " Holy Father ," a title that should be reserved...

How good and fitting it is to magnify and extol God who extends grace to us!  By God's grace we live and have our being, and by His grace we stand.  Even when trials, troubles and temptations arise, by faith we are divinely enables to draw near to God. After assuring believers that God gives grace to the humble  James 4:7 reads, " Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you ."  Our submission to God provides strength and wisdom to resist the devil who is a murderer, thief and liar from the beginning.  God told Adam the day he ate of the fruit of the forbidden tree he would die, and Satan worked to achieve just that.  He enticed Eve by lies and appealed to the beauty of the fruit and how it could benefit her.  Adam and Eve lacked the capacity to resist Satan because they had not fully surrendered themselves in faith to God and His word. Satan tried a similar tactic with Jesus after the Holy Spirit led Him to the wilderness....

" I will praise the name of God with a song, a nd will magnify Him with thanksgiving.  31  This also shall please the LORD better than an ox or bull, w hich has horns and hooves.  32  The humble shall see this and be glad; a nd you who seek God, your hearts shall live ." Psalm 69:30-32 In the Law of Moses God made provisions for people who did not possess great wealth to offer sacrifices acceptable to the LORD.  After the period of 40 days passed after Mary gave birth to Jesus, Joseph and Mary went to the temple in Jerusalem and brought two turtle doves or pigeons for Mary's atonement and cleansing ( Luke 2:22-24 ).  Leviticus 12:8 says these birds were acceptable if a lamb was too costly to afford.  God did not heap guilt upon those who could not afford a lamb, nor was it a gauge of spirituality and priorities.  By faith in Him through obedience God was well pleased. If Joseph and Mary could not afford a lamb, it is evident an ox would be ou...

" Ascribe strength to God; His excellence is over Israel,  a nd His strength is in the clouds.  35  O God, You are more awesome than Your holy places. The God of Israel is He who gives strength and power to His people. Blessed be God !" Psalm 68:34-35 Many of our cares, worries, anxieties and fears arise out of neglect to ascribe strength, excellence and power to God.  We believe in God's omnipotence and ability to save and deliver often in a hypothetical sense because our being overwhelmed betrays us.  David bid God's people to actually credit Him for how awesome God truly is and all He has done and does as our Creator and Saviour who loves us. If I ascribe fullness to my tank of petrol (and this agrees with reality), I can drive carefree to the coast and back home without concern for needing fuel.  Many have made the mistake of ascribing more petrol to their tank than they actually had and ended up stranded by their false confidence when they ran out....

" Sufficient for the day is its own trouble ." Jesus Christ The beginning of a new year is a fitting opportunity to take stock of our priorities, to consider our perspective and look to the LORD more than the future that awaits us.  Looking at articles and posts on social media, it seems people are happy to write off one year as bad with the hope of a good year ahead.  Jesus could have said, "Sufficient for the year is its own trouble," yet He focused on the day God made.  This is a helpful and healthy perspective we can keep in mind for as long as we live on this planet. Judith Viorst wrote a children's book years ago illustrated by Ray Cruz with this catchy title:  " Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day ."  Alexander and I share a thing in common, that we both decided to move to Australia.  In the story Alexander knew he was going to have a "bad" day because things did not go like he wanted.  The only solace the rasc...