Marching Forth!

It is good when we realise we need the LORD as much now as ever to guide, protect and strengthen us to do His will.  The life of a believer is marked by increased dependence and reliance upon God.  When we are born again we are not like new recruits starting their first job who are made to watch safety videos, fill out paperwork and are lined out with a job they learn to do independently themselves.  We raise our kids to learn to do chores and tasks without being directed at every step, yet it is the opposite for children of God.  We are the ones who imagine we can do things well ourselves until God opens our eyes to see our need for His strength and step-by-step guidance continually. William Gurnall asserted the biblical doctrine that our strength is in the LORD.  He wrote in The Christian in Complete Armour: " The strength of the general in other hosts lies in his troops.  He flies, as a great commanded once said to his soldiers, upon their wings; if thei...

One consequence of believing the Bible is the word of God who is the Creator of all things is this completely impacts your outlook and perspective.  Because God is true and does not change or make mistakes, His word stands as the ultimate authority by which all other claims are gauged.  Builders use calibrated spirit levels to determine if a beam is level or a wall is plumb, and the tool expresses reality the most skilled workers trust and rely upon.  Our eyes do not always see clearly, but God always speaks truly.  The ideas and saying of men swing from one error to another, yet God's truth stands fast now and forever. News websites and radio programs are buzzing as a result of the slap seen and heard round the world at the Oscars last night when Will Smith smacked Chris Rock.  One of the quotes I found intriguing was when Smith related a c onversation he had with actor Denzel Washington who issued a warning:  " In your highest moments, be careful, that’s...

It is inspiring and endearing when God takes personal ownership of people.  In common speech we take ownership of all kinds of things, even things which are not technically ours like "my show" on TV or "my sleep."  God addressed Aaron and Miriam in  Numbers 12:6-8 :  " Then He said, "Hear now My words: "If there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD , make Myself known to him in a vision; I speak to him in a dream.  7 Not so with My servant Moses; h e is faithful in all My house.  8 I speak with him face to face, even plainly, and not in dark sayings; and he sees the form of the LORD . Why then were you not afraid  t o speak against My servant Moses ?"  God made Himself known to Moses His faithful servant, and thus rebuked those who made false accusations against Him. Caleb was another man who trusted and served God.  Those people to whom God revealed His glory and signs yet did not heed His voice would be unable to enter the land o...

I appreciate the perspective and insight of G.K. Chesterton who masterfully communicated in an intellectually stimulating and satisfying way how mankind's existence reveals the reality of a God Who created man and everything else.  In response to cave paintings Chesterton claimed, " Art is the signature of man " and if this is true, then mankind is indeed the signature of God who created artists of every kind.  The biblical account of Genesis says God created mankind unique from all other creatures in His own image, and thus accounts for the vast difference between people and animals.  Chesterton wrote: " The simplest truth about man is that he is a very strange being; almost in the sense of being a stranger on the earth.  In all sobriety, he has much more of the external appearance of one bringing alien habits from another land than of a mere growth of this one.  He has an unfair advantage and an unfair disadvantage.  He cannot sleep in his own skin; he ca...

" I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.  2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God ." Romans 12:1-2 God can do what no one else can:  change us and keep changing us for good.  These verses provided an "Aha!" moment for me as I considered how God transforms us when we are born again and our need to continue to be transformed.  When I was a kid, "Transformers" were a very cool toy marketed as "Robots in Disguise."  What appeared to be a tank, truck or car could be "transformed" into a formidable robot.  It fits the definition of transformation of a marked change, but Optimus Prime and Bumblebee were simply wearing clever disguises.  They were really extraterrestrial robots that could ta...

The heading of my Bible of Psalm 142 attributes it to David with this description:  " A prayer when he was in the cave ."  When King Saul's murderous intentions were revealed through his pursuit of David and the killing of the priests at Nob, David was forced into hiding.  It seemed wherever he turned his whereabouts were reported to Saul who was never far behind.  Though David had hundreds of men who followed him, they were nothing compared to the thousands of mighty men that attended King Saul.  Even in the cave it was evident his trust remained steadfast in God who was his true refuge. Psalm 142:4-5 reads, " Look on my right hand and see, f or there is no one who acknowledges me;  r efuge has failed me;  n o one cares for my soul.  5 I cried out to You, O LORD : I said, "You are my refuge,  m y portion in the land of the living ."  David felt alone in his troubles, but he knew he was not alone.  In the dark recesses o...

As people we make an effort to present ourselves well when we stand to benefit.  A prospective employee ensures they look fit for the role when attending a job interview, and before a first date people want to look and smell their best.  Before going to a high tea, wedding or funeral we wear attire appropriate for the occasion.  When I worked in construction I was always amazed by the uniform transformation during the annual Christmas party of men who usually wore jeans and cotton shirts besotted with mastic to wearing custom suits and silk ties.  With wives and partners coming along the language cleaned up dramatically as well.  For a night we could have fooled some we were actually a civilised and well-mannered crew.  Go into the shop on Monday morning, however, and a completely different side of the boys would be revealed. It is likely this same hypocrisy exists at some level in various areas in the lives of every person.  From our childhood we hav...

Psalm 94:8-11 extols the God Who created mankind by appealing to the ability to reason He has given us:  " Understand, you senseless among the people; a nd you fools, when will you be wise?  9 He who planted the ear, shall He not hear? He who formed the eye, shall He not see?  10  He who instructs the nations, shall He not correct, He who teaches man knowledge?  11  The LORD knows the thoughts of man, t hat they are futile ."  Everything the human body can do God does infinitely better.  If God was blind He would never have considered creating an eye, and if He could not hear He would not have given us ears.  Eyes, ears and brains serve the purposes God intended, that we would see, hear and consider. The Bible tells us God created man in His own image and likeness.  Though our thoughts and abilities are merely a shadow of God's infinite understanding and supremacy, they do provide hints of our almighty Creator.  We are able to...

When it comes to conflict resolution, I have found the vast majority of the effort involves my own heart and mind.  We cannot do a thing to change the hearts, actions or words of others, but we can humble ourselves before God in obedience.  As much as depends upon us, we are exhorted to be peaceable with others.  Should my own mind and conscience be troubled, should I give place to bitterness, worry and malice, even should the person change I am no better for it.  Interpersonal conflict is a trigger for me to examine my own heart and be the first to change, refined by submission to God in faith and obedience.  Nearly every time conflict continues because I refuse to walk in love towards others according to the love Christ has offered me. Our struggles to resolve conflict within ourselves can result from our lack of faith in God, our reluctance to release others from our judgment when they do not seem to realise their offence or care, and a distorted sense of jus...

" After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, " I thirst ! " John 19:28 It is truly remarkable God chose to become a man to suffer as a Saviour for sinful humanity.  "Thirst" is one of those bodily mechanisms God designed when He created man, an uncomfortable feeling or sensation to prompt us to drink to supply the needs of our physical bodies.  As a spirit God did not ever have this feeling Himself, but as the Man Jesus Christ He suffered hunger and thirst. In John 4 when Jesus asked the Samaritan woman at the well for a drink, He claimed to be the source of Living Water.  In response to the question if He was greater than Jacob  John 4:13-14 says, " Jesus answered and said to her, "Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again,  14   but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of w...

The hymn goes, " O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear!  All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer ."  Neglect of prayer does lead to troubled hearts and minds, yet still many pray and do not always experience the peace God freely provides by His grace.  One reason this can occur is the same reason why the children of Israel did not enter the land God promised to give them:  unbelief.  The amount of negative impact of the many shades and degrees of unbelief in the lives of believers is frankly unbelievable.  Those whose sight is failing often do not realise what they cannot see, and praise the LORD for His word that illuminates our sight to see ourselves in truth through the examples of others. Psalm 78 is a passage written by Asaph that explores the history of God's chosen people and how unbelief caused them to disobey and rebel against God.  The shame of past sins were not glossed over, for the next generation co...

" Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem,  2  saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him ." Matthew 2:1-2 It was customary growing up when attending a birthday party to bring a gift.  It wasn't a requirement to attend, but it was a polite and kind thing to do in response to the gracious invitation.  One of the first matters to attend to upon arrival was to hand the card or gift to the birthday boy or girl or give it to an appropriate person to place it with the others.  The formalities out of the way, then it was time to enjoy the company of your friend and the festivities planned in his or her honour. After Jesus was born in Bethlehem, wise men from the east came seeking the King of the Jews to worship him.  Instead of responding to a gilded invitation with a wax seal, they observed "His"...

" Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil ?" Job 1:8 After Satan had walked to and fro on the earth, God asked him if he had considered " My servant Job ."  Based upon the devil's answer, it is plainly evident he had.  It was Job's upright and God-fearing conduct that drew God's and Satan's attention, and this was for different purposes.  Satan considered ways he could bring Job down to the level of the basest, sinful man.  From the time Satan was lifted up with pride against God he has sought to steal glory that is rightfully God's, to kill human beings made in the image of God with sin, and delights in the destruction of their souls in hell.  God's purpose in bringing up Job was to see him refined by grace through faith as  James 5:11 says:  " Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have hear...

I remember seeing a bumper sticker years ago that read, "God said it, I believe it, that settles it."  I imagine the reason behind the sentiment is to publicly convey belief in God and the truth of His word.  This is an honourable ideal to be sure, yet reality has complexity a sticker cannot express.  The more I consider the claim there are so many factors, qualifications and exceptions, this simplistic approach may be more an exception than the rule.  God has said many things I thought I believed, and the fact I was unsettled by situations of life demonstrated unbelief in all He said.  How many things has God said I read and later ignored or forgot?  Then there is the question of what exactly God has said or meant, for there are a range of different interpretations and beliefs held among genuine believers. God created man with an individual will and a mind that can reason, and God invited sinners to reason with Him in  Isaiah 1:18 :  " Come now...

" So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?"  31  And he said, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him ." Acts 8:30-31 Philip was led by the Holy Spirit to meet up with an Ethiopian eunuch and preached Christ from the book of Isaiah, a book of prophecy in the Old Testament.  What was true for the eunuch was true for Philip as well, for it was only by the Holy Spirit Who indwelt him that he was enabled to have understanding of God's word, ability to communicate the meaning of the scripture and for it to be fruitful.  People need help to understand God's word primarily from God, and He has chosen to use people to this end as well.  One need not be a pastor or teacher to understand God's word, and even the most learned believers have much to learn. I believe there are many people who teach the Bible who have no business doing ...

" God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord ." 1 Corinthians 1:9 Because God is awesome and infinite in goodness, it is easy for us to overlook His glorious attributes.  One characteristic that separates God from all else He has made is His faithfulness.  He is sure, steadfast and trustworthy at all times.  God is faithful to keep His word and to not withdraw His gracious offers of help, deliverance and salvation from us.  If God was not faithful, fellowship and relationship with God would be impossible.  People will risk everything for the chance to see their dreams come true, yet God's purposes and plans are better than our wildest fantasy. An example of the blessing of God's faithfulness is seen later in this same letter Paul wrote in  1 Corinthians 10:13 :  " No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what y...

Last night our family read in  Romans 14:1 , " Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things ."  While it is perfectly legitimate to have convictions or beliefs from one another, we should not welcome or incite disputes and arguments--especially about controversial subjects.  It is interesting how we can be moved to dispute over particulars but completely miss the heart of the matter.  The Pharisees did this when they were careful to religiously weigh out a tithe of each herb but neglected mercy, faith and the love of God. I remember once delivering a sermon from Judges 11 about Jephthah, a mighty man of valour who is mentioned by name in the "hall of faith" in Hebrews 11 .  I was met afterwards by someone who politely made it a point to say they did not agree with my interpretation of the passage.  He believed what some modern rabbis teach, that Jephthah did not do unto his daughter according to his vow.  My Bible in...

During a worship service recently I was struck by the awesomeness of God, how He can do things for us before we ever thought to ask.  Countless wonders He has fulfilled by His grace and only rarely are we made aware of them.  It is not that God isn't listening, speaking and doing great things, but our faith and minds are awfully small.  A ship only need be about 12 miles apart from another ship at sea before they drop below the horizon and out of sight, and this illustrates well our inability to see all God has purposed and is accomplishing right now. We sang words to Hillsong's Oceans :  "Y ou call me out upon the waters, the great unknown where feet may fail. And there I find You in the mystery. In oceans deep my faith will stand ."  This song was written in 2013, several years after my family and I immigrated to Australia located across the Pacific Ocean.  While the song hearkens to Peter being called by Jesus to come to Him on the stormy Sea of Galilee...

I have heard people say, "Everything happens for a reason."  Like many Christian-sounding cliches, this is not a phrase you will find in the Bible.  This sentiment is possibly a hackneyed quote from  Ecclesiastes 3:1 that says, " To everything there is a season,  a  time for every purpose under heaven.. ."  It is important to point out that "purpose" and "reason" are not synonyms, though we might use them interchangeably in common conversation.  Purpose is the target to be reached, and the reason is the cause.  Purpose is all about plans and intention of the will, while a reason is what causes something. When Solomon spoke about God having a time for every purpose under heaven, it means God has an intended end for everything He allows to occur.  Perhaps a good illustration to explain the difference between purpose and reason can be seen in answering the question:  why is the kettle boiling?  One might explain how the heat causes th...