Marching Forth!

As long as the Friday night Bible studies at church have been going, I typically bake a dessert to share and enjoy.  One of the most memorable (and funny!) moments involved a picky eater years back.  It was obvious she was not impressed with the appearance of the dish, looking at it like a person who noticed they stepped in vomit in a carpark.  Undeterred by her misgivings, I urged her to give it a try.  Hesitantly she placed the smallest morsel in her mouth and froze.  With pursed lips without chewing once, her body instinctively recoiled within from the foreign specimen.  Our eyes locked as she slowly reached for a serviette (napkin in OZ) and right in front of me spat the food (she didn't want in the first place) into it.  It was the funniest, weirdest moment ever in my history of baking. This amusing situation was brought to mind by a passage I read today of God speaking to the prophet in  Ezekiel 2:7-8 :  " You shall speak My words to t...

The other day I contemplated refinishing a painted bookshelf.  As I took a closer look and saw the brush marks from previous applications of paint, I realised I was looking at a big job.  It would take a lot of time to strip the paint, sand all those little corners, prime and repaint.  It came down to a simple question:  did I love the furniture enough to restore it when I could easily replace it with something better?  The honest answer was no. When it comes to restoration of people, did you know God has already answered in the affirmative?  He has done all the work required to restore lost souls to fellowship with Himself, redeeming lives from death by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.  By the power of the Gospel we are not doomed to destruction (like many pieces of old furniture I have dismantled over the years) as God has extended His gracious offer of reconciliation to all sinners.  Restoration ought not be reserved only from unregenerate to sav...

" When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the LORD ;  a nd my prayer went up to You,  i nto Your holy temple ." Jonah 2:7 These are words of the prophet Jonah after he was swallowed by the great fish God prepared for him.  We do not read of him seeking the LORD in prayer when he fled from the presence of God or even on the tempest-tossed ship.  It was as his life ebbed away in pitch-black darkness he remembered the LORD and prayed.  When his soul fainted Jonah finally relented and begged God to save him.  God was ready and waiting to do so, for the LORD spoke to the fish that expelled him on dry land. God brought Jonah to a place of crying out for mercy, a place Jonah was unwilling and unable to find on his own.  What God did for His prophet He also did for the children of Israel through war.   Lamentations 5:20-22 expresses well the feelings of hopelessness Jeremiah felt after the atrocities he witness and experienced during the sie...

Recently news broke that a major telecommunications company had been hacked and millions of account details had been stolen.  The company has primarily come under fire, not only for alleged "human error" that allowed the breach to occur, but for not promptly notifying their customers the theft had occurred.  News agencies reported millions of phone numbers and details up for sale on the dark web before the company alerted affected former and current customers. When these sorts of things happen that have the potential for bad press, whether in companies or personally, one common response is to keep quiet for damage control.  Instead of voluntarily telling the truth to protect the interests of others, it withholds details to protect itself.  This approach aims to maintain the the outward appearance of professionalism while an internal investigation is underway.  This provides means to pin the blame on a person or group to avoid soiling the brand as a whole.  ...

I recently viewed a segment where a professional athlete led a video crew on a tour through his house.  He showed them his epic game room, salt-water aquariums and finally showed off a closet filled with shoes.  In a room spacious as a lounge room, shelves of pristine shoes lined the walls in individual pairs under coloured lights.  These shoes were collectible and very expensive, some of his first major purchases as a pro after he began making millions of dollars annually.  He explained when he looked at the shoes it was a reminder of his accomplishments and tangible evidence his hard work paid off.  His collection of shoes existed more than just for comfortable walking or fashion, for each pair had been carefully selected and gathered to pay homage to him. One might look at the man's closet and assume shoes are that man's idol because of the sheer amount of expensive shoes in the collection or the customised space he created to accommodate them.  While th...

After years of warfare and a siege, the city of Jerusalem was finally broken up during the reign of king Zedekiah.  Instead of surrendering to Nebuchadnezzar and serving him as directed by God, he tried to flee by night by way of the plain.   Jeremiah 52:8-11 details what followed, and it is not at all pleasant:  " But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king, and they overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. All his army was scattered from him.  9 So they took the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he pronounced judgment on him.  10  Then the king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes. And he killed all the princes of Judah in Riblah.  11  He also put out the eyes of Zedekiah; and the king of Babylon bound him in bronze fetters, took him to Babylon, and put him in prison till the day of his death ."  Zedekiah's army was scattered and could not save him, and ...

Today in New South Wales has been deemed a public holiday to mourn the passing of Queen Elizabeth, the longest serving monarch in British history.  During a recent drive I heard an ABC radio presenter ask a British guest and royal expert if there was a special place in heaven for those who reigned as kings and queens on earth.  After a brief explanation from a general Christian worldview, the guest replied there was not a special place for royals in heaven.  He hinted the only recognised king in heaven is the LORD Jesus Christ, the KING OF KINGS, whom Queen Elizabeth worshipped as His loyal subject.  Those who are faithful in service and honour God in their duties as Queen Elizabeth did embrace virtues intrinsic to Jesus Christ Himself. As I viewed clips of the royals singing hymns and the national anthem "God Save the King," it struck me members of the British royal family sing these songs to God and these words are not a petition to themselves.  In the simple ...

In a single statement speaking to the Sadducees, Jesus connected man's tendency of error with ignorance of what God has said in the the Bible and the knowledge of God's power.  The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection, and thus presented Jesus a contrived question they thought was a real stumper.  The problem was, in their attempt to expose Jesus and His doctrine as false their own folly was exposed in unbelief.  Their ignorance of the scriptures led to great error as  Mark 12:24 shows:  " Jesus answered and said to them, "Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God ?" The word "mistaken" or "err" in the KJV has the sense in the original Greek, " to cause to wander, to lead astray ."  When we say a person "made a mistake" it could be synonymous with saying someone accidentally said the wrong thing or misspoke.  Jesus said this was more than than, for the Sadducees w...

God tested Abraham by directing him to offer his only and beloved son Isaac as a burnt offering, and Abraham obeyed God without question.  Three days later after the altar had been fashioned, the wood placed in order, Isaac willingly bound and laid thereon, Abraham picked up the knife to slay his son.  The Angel of the LORD cried out from heaven and said in  Genesis 22:12 :  " And He said, "Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me ."  I was quite struck by what God said and how He said it. God did not say in so many words, "Now I now you fear God since you offered your only son to Me."  One reason why this is significant is because it is common for people to point to the things they do to justify themselves as righteous or being "God-fearing."  They go to church, read the Bible, give generously to people in need.  They could be like Kin...

My experience with painting illustrates well that we can receive exactly what we ask for, but it isn't always what we wanted.  My wife and I have learned by experience that the colour you choose according to a paint card will look different when the whole wall is painted.  It is good to go with a lighter hue than the preferred colour on the cards and even then it may not be what you expected.  The tendency to receive what we asked for and our expectations to be dashed goes way beyond painting.  How many people thought they would be satisfied with the custom design of their house, a role at work, a career, or relationship only to find it wasn't all they imagined or hoped it would be. As I considered this concept, it occurred to me this may happen more often than not.  It is likely unnoticed because it is exceedingly rare we actually receive exactly what we have asked for in the first place, and thus we can pin the blame for our dashed expectations on the fact we ...

I have heard it said one man's trash is another's treasure, and this personal subjectivity can be applied to what is considered wasteful.  One person will not eat leftover food the next day out of concern of foodborne illness, whilst others will drink milk or eat meat that clearly on the cusp of going bad.  I once moved into a house that had established citrus trees, and since I had other plans for the space I cut them down.  A neighbour was mortified I would destroy a perfectly good tree when, in my mind at the time, I had no inclination to prune or tend those neglected ant factories that stood in the way of progress.  What I define as waste in largely connected to value, usability, productivity and cost to repair or replace.  When it is cheaper to replace a product which is no longer functional, it is not generally considered wasteful to recycle, repurpose or to dispose of it. In the days of Jeremiah, the children of Israel grieved and mourned the destruction ...

It's no secret that pride is a serious sin in the eyes of God.  In Proverbs 6:17 the first abomination of seven listed is a "proud look" and Proverbs 21:4 includes a "proud heart" as well.  It was being lifted up with pride that led to the condemnation and downfall of Satan ( 1 Tim. 3:6 ).  Pride is the first listed of the sins of Sodom, and these only begin to scratch the surface of how abominable pride is and how devastating the far-reaching consequences of it.  Whether it announces itself with haughty boasting or is subtle through silent censure and judgment, it is a deadly vice to be renounced and repented of. This morning I read a passage in scripture that provided insight into a symptom of pride that can go unnoticed.  In Jeremiah 42 , Johanan and Jezaniah came to Jeremiah with a seemingly humble request for him to pray for them and all the people.  They begged for God to direct them in what to do and promised to obey all God said.   Jerem...

" And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.  29  Then Abimelech asked Abraham, "What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs which you have set by themselves?"  30  And he said, "You will take these seven ewe lambs from my hand, that they may be my witness that I have dug this well ." Genesis 21:28-30 When Abraham and Abimelech made a covenant together, Abraham set seven ewe lambs by themselves.  He directed Abimelech to receive them as witnesses they had made a binding agreement:  he would deal honestly and show kindness to Abimelech to his descendants, and Abraham would retain rights to the water of the well he dug.  These valuable female lambs were tangible evidence of their transaction and agreement simply by virtue of being lambs given and received.  These ewes would grow to be fruitful for years to come, symbolic of the prosperity and health that would flow from their enduring friendship. As I consider these lambs set a...

" Rebuke is more effective for a wise man t han a hundred blows on a fool ." Proverbs 17:10 When it comes to cleaning products and countless other items, we want to use what is effective to do the job.  I remember as a kid cleaning the same window over and over.  It seemed no matter how many paper towels or sheets of newspaper I used, a greasy film stubbornly remained visible in direct sunlight.  Then in my adulthood I picked up a few tips watching a commercial window cleaner and noticed a completely different system in use:  instead of soggy paper and spray bottles an applicator and a squeegee was used.  This new system was better in every conceivable way because it allowed access without a ladder, took far less time, was far less labour intensive or tiring, and the superior results spoke for themselves. Everyone would agree washing windows is far more simple and predictable than how a child will respond to the discipline of a parent or how we will handle ...

The Bible describes sin as transgression against God, the failure to measure up to His righteous standards, whether it be due to a rebellious heart or in ignorance.  While some sins are clearly defined, in practice distinguishing sin can be tricky.  Because the root of sin grows in our heart, basing our answers only on what we see can miss the point.  Pharisees who kept the letter of the Law of Moses were condemned for their pride by Jesus who knew the hearts of men. It is a good question to ask when we are personally convicted by our conscience:  is this sin?  God's word often prompts us to consider and judge ourselves according to God's standard of righteousness rather than conform to the values of the world which justifies sin for countless reasons.  The flip side of identifying our sin is to repent and do what pleases God instead.  Avoiding sin is half the struggle:  we need to look to God in faith to be strengthened to do what He says is righ...

When people come to saving faith in Jesus Christ, it is common for them to be concerned about the eternal future of those they know and love.  They have made a decision to receive eternal life through the Gospel, and it isn't uncommon for them to be earnest in sharing with others.  It is fitting to put a high priority on eternity, for this life we experience now on earth is a breath by comparison.  The alternative to spending eternity in the presence of God in heaven is eternal torment in hell, so the stakes are shockingly high. What I have observed is when the loved one does not see their need for Jesus Christ or pushes back against the Gospel, conflict can arise.  The well-meaning believer can exert pressure on others by trying to change their minds with arguments.  Others can be very preoccupied with what I will call the "salvation status" of someone else, believing they are not born again or wondering if they are going to heaven.  In many of these cases...

God has given us the ability to learn from the mistakes of others, and God is able to redeem ignorance and sin to bring divine revelation.  We observe this in the life of king Nebuchadnezzar, God's chosen servant.  The odd thing is, for a long time Nebuchadnezzar had no knowledge of this.  From the captives taken to Babylon to teach them the language and ways of the Chaldeans, Nebuchadnezzar received a crash-course in the glorious God of Israel who is sovereign over all, the KING OF KINGS. There are three notable incidents recorded in the book of Daniel that all end with king Nebuchadnezzar having his eyes opened to the almighty God:  after Daniel revealed his dream and interpretation, after Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego were miraculously preserved in the fiery furnace, and after king Nebuchadnezzar was rendered senseless like a beast for 7 years.  After Daniel revealed the dream and interpretation to the king no wise man or astrologer in the kingdom could, he...

It is traditionally common before momentous occasions like weddings to send out invitations to select people.  It would be nice to invite all family and friends who would enjoy attending an event, but due to space and budget restrictions it is not always feasible.  I am blessed God is not hindered with our limitations, for His invitation for people to come to Him to be forgiven and receive eternal life are given to all.  Like the parables Jesus told when servants were directed to seek out the blind and lame in the street to come to the feast already prepared, so the LORD seeks us out to compel us to draw near to Him in faith for salvation and continual fellowship with Him. Paul wrote to the Corinthian church in regards to their observance of the LORD's supper, and this is an ordinance what is commonly called "communion" in Christian  circles.  He critiqued their factions, excesses and carelessness concerning one another.  Instead of the LORD's supper being ...

God instructed the prophet Jeremiah to make a head-scratching business decision for His redemptive purposes.  Before his cousin Hanameel visited him, the word of the LORD came Jeremiah to purchase the field that was in Anathoth.  Jeremiah had been saying for a long time the nation of Israel was going to fall before king Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian army.  If all the land was going to be under the rule of Babylon and the inhabitants taken into captivity to Babylon, what was be the point of buying land?  God had a point to make by making a promise beyond price. When Hanameel came to Jeremiah and asked him to buy the land in Anathoth because the right of redemption was his, it confirmed the word God had already spoken to Jeremiah.  In the presence of witnesses he weighed out 17 shekels of silver, a very small amount of money for a parcel of land, and the details of the sale were written down.  According to the current rate of exchange, 79 grams of silver ...