Marching Forth!

" Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;  7  and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus ." Philippians 4:6-7 When a great host of Assyrians encamped outside Jerusalem, the people and king Hezekiah were filled with fear.  The Assyrian war machine had torn through nations and people with ease and finally arrived at the gates of Jerusalem intent on destroying the will of the people to fight, swallow up the nation and absorb them in captivity.  After Hezekiah heard the report of what the Rabshakeh has said, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and went to the house of the LORD.  He also sent messengers to the prophet Isaiah in  Isaiah 37:4 who said to him, " It may be that the LORD your God will hear the words of the Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to reproach the living God...

" Thus says the LORD : "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,  l et not the mighty man glory in his might,  n or let the rich man glory in his riches;  24  but let him who glories glory in this, t hat he understands and knows Me,  t hat I am the LORD , exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight," says the LORD ." Jeremiah 9:23-24 Man has a thing for self-promotion and seeking his own glory.  Whether it is an obvious boast, a humblebrag, belittling others or showing off for attention, it seems we cannot help ourselves.  We can be proud about how much we have or proud of how difficult things have been.  Our pride can manifest itself in rejoicing in accomplishment through perseverance or quitting and still being successful.  Man's tendency to glory is often by comparison to other people, and the command of God through the prophet is to make God the One in Whom we glory. Everything we hav...

How easily people can be fooled!  I saw a clip recently of a celebrity chef who asked a couple of young and unknown chefs to make a few dishes.  The famous chef brought out the dishes as if he cooked them himself, and the restaurant owners were full of praise for the beautifully presented and prepared food.  After they heaped lavish praise on the celebrity chef, who obviously was the real deal because they had sampled his fares themselves, he revealed he was not responsible for the delectable food they enjoyed:  it was their own staff they imagined to be the weak link in their establishment.  The employers hid their embarrassment very well, having been made to eat humble pie in public. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.  God is intimately acquainted with what we cannot see or know, for the motives of others are hidden from our eyes.  On several occasions circumstances have laid this bare for me, for I too have been mi...

During our lives there is much that can throw us for a loop.  In addition to our own feelings and circumstances we can receive news that grieves our hearts.  This is my personal experience as I hear and see reports of the United States are as divided as ever.  It looks like the greatest threat to the prosperity and peace of the U.S. are the citizens of the States themselves.  Some people say election results are not trustworthy, and other say decisions of the Supreme Court are illegitimate.  People rejoice over increased gun control to reduce violence while others feel their rights are being infringed.  Lately people have celebrated abortion is no longer a federal mandate to save the lives of unborn whilst the other side believes their constitutional rights are being stripped away.  The strife, discord, threats and hatred of one another is palpable, and any outlook for peaceable, humble unity is grim. For a believer it is not healthy or beneficial to b...

One aspect I love about God is He is good and does not change.  It does not matter what country we reside in or what politicians or government hold power, whether we see legislation changing for good or ill, for He rules as LORD over all.  The irony is God's people at times are as likely to forget or revolt against Him as unbelievers who continue in unbelief.  This was true in the days of Isaiah in Israel, and the same tendency to look to something other than God for help stubbornly persists in our times. A pitfall that has stumbled many is a focus on what God could or should do for us rather than seeking His face and waiting on Him.  It is possible we can idolise our relationship with God received by grace rather than rejoicing in and celebrating God Himself.  We can look to eternity in heaven with glorified bodies for comfort that is found in the presence of God alone today; we can cling to promises rather than resting and trusting in He Who has promised....

When king Solomon built the temple in Jerusalem, he knew it was inadequate to house the almighty God who is eternal and dwells on high in unapproachable glory.  Through the Law of Moses God made a way for men to be sanctified as priests and for acceptable worship, offerings and sacrifice.  God's desire was to dwell among His people, yet their sinful condition made fellowship and communion impossible.  God in His mercy provided atonement and cleansing of sin as His people looked to Him in faith and obedience. God said through the prophet in  Isaiah 66:1-2 , " Thus says the LORD : "Heaven is My throne,  a nd earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest?  2 For all those things My hand has made, a nd all those things exist," says the LORD . "But on this one will I look:  o n him who is poor and of a contrite spirit,  a nd who trembles at My word ."  The invisible, glorious God sh...

" I gave My back to those who struck Me, a nd My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting ." Isaiah 50:6 Everyone has experienced feelings of shame when we felt exposed or humiliated for our failure or due to the mockery of others.  It is natural when feeling shame to try to hide from it and work to cover our faults.  Some feel ashamed of what they have said or done; others are ashamed of aspects of their appearance.  A person can feel shame about what they are personally responsible for or shame on behalf of seeing others mistreated. For reasons known by the LORD during the past day or two I have been reminded of past events of my life when I said and did things I look upon with great shame.  There are things embarrassing to speak about, and there are things shameful to think about even though the events occurred years ago.  Most of the things I find deeply regrettable I seemed to be carefree about and justif...

Today a new insight came to mind:  without Babel there would not have been Pentecost as we know it.  When everyone spoke the same language, there was no need for translation or interpretation.  After the LORD came down and confounded the builders in Shinar they scattered according to their families, languages and nations.  It was a common language that united people after the flood rather than borders controlled by rulers or government.  Babel was the antithesis of peace, for people proudly stood in opposition to God.  According to His grace and mercy God intervened so people could have peace with God by faith in the Saviour He would send. After Jesus ascended to the Father in the sight of hundreds of people after He rose from the dead, followers of Jesus gathered in one accord to pray on the Day of Pentecost.  Suddenly the Holy Spirit came upon the 120 people who assembled and praised the LORD in a variety of languages.  This grabbed the attentio...

" Correct your son, and he will give you rest; y es, he will give delight to your soul ." Proverbs 29:17 This is one of many proverbs that provide wise instruction for parents in raising their children.  Children need correction, it is true parents at times need correction as well.  Correction is not only being aware of making a mistake or expressing displeasure, but taking action to instruct and guide to do what is right. Marking and correcting papers at school are two different things.  To mark a paper or exam is to point out the faults and provide the final grade.  Correcting requires an additional step to marking errors but providing the correct answer and even an explanation if necessary.  I believe a lot of the frustration parents experience with misbehaving children is marking without correction or disciplinary action.  Complaining or venting about bad behaviour is not discipline, but a disciplined parent will take loving action to correct according ...

" Listen to Me, you who follow after righteousness,  y ou who seek the LORD :  l ook to the rock from which you were hewn,  a nd to the hole of the pit from which you were dug.  2 Look to Abraham your father, a nd to Sarah who bore you;  f or I called him alone,  a nd blessed him and increased him ." Isaiah 51:1-2 God bid His people to remember Who He was to them, and how He established and blessed them.  The children of Israel were descendants of Abraham and Sarah who were called by God and with whom God made a covenant.  God caused them to miraculously bring forth a son Isaac in their old age and through them all the earth would be blessed.  Jews who looked to the Law and the LORD were also called to remember the faith of Abraham who believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness. The cliche "chip off the old block" conveys the chip is made of the same original material it was hewn from.  A hickory tree chopped into pie...

" Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you ." Titus 2:15 After reading these words in the Bible last night, it prompted some discussion about what Paul meant by saying in his letter to Titus, " Let no one despise you ."  Certainly Paul did not suggest Titus could control what people thought about him when he exhorted or corrected them, for Jesus said to His disciples who would suffer persecution in  Luke 21:17 :  " And you will be hated by all for My name's sake ."  These verses compliment each other well.  As the disciples were called to remain faithful and obedient to Jesus in spite of persecution, so Titus was not to be intimidated in doing what God directed him to do even when he faced opposition. In Titus chapter 2 , Paul outlined sound doctrine Titus was to hold forth to Christians concerning their personal conduct.  It is likely not everyone would be open to correction or instruction when it involved reb...

" The wise woman builds her house,  b ut the foolish pulls it down with her hands ." Proverbs 14:1 The actions people take have real consequences.  Paul urged the believers in Corinth to take heed how they built on the foundation he provided them as a master builder, that they build their lives by faith in  Jesus Christ and the Gospel.  In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus contrasted the wise and foolish man:  those who hear the words of Jesus and obey He likened to a man who built a house on the rock that would stand firm in the storm.  The foolish man heard the words of Jesus but did not do them.  He was likened to one who builds on the sand and the fall of that house would be great. Everyone who has received life from God by grace chooses how they build their life day by day.  The wise woman builds a house that will stand, for it is built with acknowledgment of God's wisdom and ways.  The foolish woman, however, builds as if God does not exis...

" You also say, 'Oh, what a weariness!'  a nd you sneer at it,"  s ays the LORD of hosts. "And you bring the stolen, the lame, and the sick;  t hus you bring an offering! Should I accept this from your hand?"  s ays the LORD ." Malachi 1:13 Through the prophet Malachi, God confronted His people with their approach to keeping His law and statues.  They viewed the keeping of feasts and offerings a boring chore, and their slack effort evident before God should have been obvious to them as well.  Instead of selecting the first and best of their flock, they brought Him stolen and sickly animals their king would have refused with offence.  Their sneers of disdain were seen by God, and their offerings were sin. We are richly blessed to live in this day of grace, having had the Gospel revealed to us with the love of Jesus Christ.  Over the years I have heard many exclaim when reading the Law, "I'm so glad not to live under the Law and have to keep...

It is easy to be intimidated by those who impress us.  We imagine they do not struggle like we do and are impervious to trials and difficulties.  My parents worked to raise their children to love God, go to church, be polite, have good manners and show respect.  Though us kids were by no means perfect, it seems at least one person assumed our house was without struggles and problems they faced.  When my mum told another mum on the phone eggs had fallen to the floor and needed cleaning up, the other shocked woman exclaimed, "Wow!  That happens at your house too?"  Being an amazing mum who worked to raise children and manage the home does not prevent mishaps that are common to all people. Think about this for a moment:  do you believe Jesus was involved in any accidents?  Do you think he ever dropped eggs because his fingers were wet, knocked over a drink with his elbow when speaking or struck his thumb with a glancing blow from a hammer?  I be...

Since God is the unchanging Creator of all people created in His own image, His eternal word is always relevant.  It is a silly exercise to "try" to be relevant when God alone has the words of life.  We do not need to spruik the relevance of water, food and oxygen because our bodies demand them.  The Bible isn't worth listening to because it is "cool" or "sick" or the popular choice:  it alone provides the spiritual and practical guidance for living now and for eternity, reveals God and His perfect will, instructs us with parables, sustains us with promises, amazes us with prophecy and guides our every step with God's wisdom. There is nothing wrong with a polished presentation, examples that engage hearers or the use of technology to better connect with seekers.  We go through the effort of preaching, teaching and studying God's word because we know it is relevant to our lives without needing to dress it up in fashionable phrases or with a sal...

One great challenge that faces preachers is to feed those with the word of God who are already full.  We have all had the experience of finishing a satisfying, filling meal at a restaurant to have the waiter offer the dessert menu.  The pictures might be appealing to one who is hungry, but the sweet offerings are not remotely tempting when there is no room inside!  Restaurants are filled with patrons who came with the express purpose of eating, and once their hunger is satisfied they head off to other activities. The same can be true when it comes to feeding on God's word.  Unlike our stomachs which are filled with food and drink, our minds and hearts can be filled with a vast array of ideas, doctrines, agendas, affections, questions and doubts.  Sometimes a doubt can be so great nothing can displace it from a mind even after all questions have been accurately answered because they will not receive the truth by faith.  I have found social media and online i...

" And behold, two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah,  31  who appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem ." Luke 9:30-31 As Jesus prayed on the mountain, He was transfigured and was clothed with glory.  He spoke with Moses and Elijah because God is the God of the living, and the subject of their discussion was intriguing:  His upcoming decease He was about to accomplish.  Most people do not see death as an accomplishment, but Jesus through His death would accomplish more than mortal man or scheming devil could know.  Jesus was about to conquer death by His own death and provide eternal life through His atoning sacrifice. When John the Baptist saw Jesus he identified Him as "The Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world" ( John 1:29 ).  The scripture is filled with things Jesus accomplished on Calvary culminating in His death, burial, resurrection, ascension and intercession for as many...

" You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world ." 1 John 4:4 It is wonderful to consider all Jesus has done for believers.  Because He came to earth and gave His life as a ransom for many, we can be born again by faith in Jesus through the Gospel.   John 1:11-13 says, " He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.  12  But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:  13  who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God ."  To be declared children " of God " by faith in Jesus Christ!  To lay hold of this new identity and righteous standing with God by grace is a humbling privilege. When Jesus came to Jerusalem, the Pharisee Nicodemus pulled him aside and they had a chat under cover of darkness.  It is written in  John 3:2 , " This man...

I find encouragement in videos of people who seek to rescue and rehabilitate neglected or abandoned animals.  It is amazing the amount of effort people will go through to capture a stray so they can be reunited with their owner or to provide a new, suitable home with food, shelter and love.  I have seen mangy and sick dogs with ribs showing from malnutrition to looking nothing like the dog they once were.  Some animals go from cowering in a corner and preferring solitude to bounding up to their new owner, tail wagging, and enjoying their new life. While it isn't the best analogy, I see some similarities to how Jesus went to seek and save the lost.  As incredible and pronounced as the change is in animals that are rescued and re-homed, it pales in comparison to the transformation faith in Jesus brings to a person inside and out.  Jesus did not lure people with food or secretly set a trap to capture prospective followers for their own good:  He simply sought ...

When I was a kid it was fun to take stock of my prized possessions.  This meant pouring out my marbles on the carpet to separate and examine them, removing money from my piggy bank to count it or looking through baseball and football cards.  I was careful to keep my money in the bank so I didn't lose it, and I kept my baseball cards in a shoebox to keep them from being creased or damaged.  There was a sense of accomplishment to see your stuff laid out in full view because most of the time the things I valued were hidden away somewhere to be kept safe. Isn't it true that there are things we would like to see because we are not currently seeing them--like seeing people change in making wise decisions, seeing goals achieved, seeing Christians grow in maturity, to see new believers coming to Christ or maybe see people in fellowship at church?  There are all kinds of things we would like to see, and know when our desires are fulfilled we would like to see it again or see ...