Marching Forth!

The interaction between Balak king of Moab and Balaam the prophet is insightful, for it demonstrates the ones God has blessed cannot be cursed.  Balak bribed Balaam to curse Israel, but to Balak's dismay he blessed them again and again!  Balaam said in  Numbers 23:19-20 , " God is not a man, that He should lie, n or a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?  20  Behold, I have received a command to bless; He has blessed, and I cannot reverse it ."  God previously made a covenant with Abraham, that through him and his descendants all the earth would be blessed.  Efforts to curse whom God had blessed would amount to nothing. Balaam continued in Numbers 23:23 :  " For there is no sorcery against Jacob, n or any divination against Israel. It now must be said of Jacob  a nd of Israel, 'Oh, what God has done !'"  God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt ...

Psalm 118:24 was made into a song we used to sing at church often:  " This is the day the LORD has made; w e will rejoice and be glad in it ."  It is a song fitting for every day because it is true, yet the immediate context of verse 24 speaks of a very specific day--a momentous day in the history of the world when Jesus provided atonement for lost sinners on Calvary.  The psalmist sung of God's enduring mercy and waxed prophetic as the song advanced, each of the latter verses loaded with Messianic prophecies fulfilled by Jesus. To those who are born again and know Jesus Christ as the Messiah, the allusions are difficult to miss.  The LORD is our strength and song, and Jesus has become our salvation   I encourage you to read the  entire song, but for the sake of providing the context of verse 24 consider Psalm 118 from verse 19  to the end: 19  Open to me the gates of righteousness; I will go through them,  a nd I will praise th...

Years ago I went to a conference at Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside and pastor John MacArthur preached a sermon on the Greek word "doulos."  He noted the vast majority of times we read the word "servant" in the the New Testament, doulos is the word being translated--a word best translated as "slave."  MacArthur believed the word "slave" better connected with our modern understanding of English and thus was a better translation.  Having been purchased by the blood of Jesus and born again by faith in Him identifying as a slave emphasises we are not our own. People can negatively colour their view of God as our Father because of a poor relationship with their own father, and a similar error can be made concerning the grave abuses associated with slavery.  In stark contrast to common examples of slavery that involve kidnapping or the forced sale of human beings (crimes punished by death under law), the Law of Moses outlined slavery for a se...

The word of God is full of guidance, warnings and exhortations concerning being prepared for the future.  I have observed many people who relish drawing attention to the opposition followers of Jesus will experience in the world, reminding us we will be hated for Christ's name sake.  It seems like some of these people enjoy a degree of shock value in saying this, even insinuating that if Christians are not aware of anyone who currently hates us or actively opposing us we are not following Jesus very closely.  Because we are in a spiritual battle, it seems some feel we should be confrontational, combative and adversarial against others.  To me, this emphasis can distract people from what will enable them to persevere through trials:  the gracious love of God toward us. The way a person can joyfully endure being hated by people is knowing they are greatly loved by Jesus Christ, our risen Saviour and King.  In these last days we are in a spiritual battle, yet ...

Samson is known in scripture for his superhuman strength made possible by the Holy Spirit.  His feats of strength, however, were accompanied by moral failings and spiritual weakness.  The Spirit of the LORD moved him to pursue a wife of the Philistines because God sought an occasion against the Philistines, and God made Samson a judge in Israel after miraculous victories in battle. After the woman Samson previously married had been murdered, we do not read of Samson marrying again.  Instead he sought the services of a harlot and then lived in sin with a woman of Sorek named Delilah whom he loved.  She was employed by the Philistines to discover the secret of Samson's strength, and harped on him constantly.  As the days passed her tears wore down the resolve of Israel's strong man, even as solid rock is carved by water.   Judges 16:16-17 says, " And it came to pass, when she pestered him daily with her words and pressed him, so that his soul was vexe...

For a Christian feelings of guilt can provide motivation, but the love of God is a far better one.  People can "guilt" others to manipulate their behaviour yet scripture shows us this was never the way employed by Jesus.  Even after Peter denied Jesus He did not resort to attempts to manipulate his behaviour, for conviction of sin by the Holy Spirit lead to repentance and restoration.  A change of heart and mind is needed more than behaviour modification due to guilt. A lot of believers can feel guilty because they have sinned by doing wrong or have fallen short of doing what was right.  There can be a persistent feeling we are not measuring up to a relative standard we have set for ourselves, usually by measuring ourselves by the arbitrary standards of personal experience or that of others.  Perhaps we have read a book or heard a sermon that invokes feelings of guilt over neglect of prayer.  Thus we think, "I haven't been praying enough.  I need to pr...

When the disciples suggested they step into Elijah's sandals and call down fire from heaven upon those who rejected Jesus, Luke 9:55-56 recorded His response:  " But He turned and rebuked them, and said, "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of.  56   For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them." And they went to another village ."  God who created mankind is inclined to show mercy and save sinners, not destroy them.  Though He is just, He is also gracious, compassionate and longsuffering.  If this was not the case, not one of us would remain. C.H. Spurgeon said in a sermon, " The LORD usually brings the rod before the axe ."  This is seen throughout the scripture concerning God's dealings with people.  For about 100 years Noah was a preacher of righteousness as he built the ark, using a rod of rebuke to warn lost sinners judgment was coming.  God sent Moses to tell Pharaoh to let God's people go a...

I read a book recently that contained a lot of valuable points.  It is important when reading books that are not the Bible, to view them through the lens of scripture and the Gospel.  There may be many things in this world that are accepted and even seem beneficial but are not biblical.  Even as we are discerning about the ingredients of dishes or take note of calories for our physical health, we ought to be wise concerning our spiritual nutrition.  Nothing is as vital for our spiritual and practical consumption as the milk and meat of God's word. This book about apology languages and forgiveness would have had my stamp of approval until the penultimate chapter which camped on the benefits of "apologising to ourselves."  Chapman and Thomas wrote: " When you apologize to someone else, you hope the apology will remove the barrier between the two of you so that your relationship can continue to grow.  When you apologize to yourself, you are seeking to remove t...

As often as our predictions come to pass, there are countless times our expectations are unmet or even exceeded.  We expected prompt service and were disappointed to wait in a long queue, or we were pleased the traffic at peak-hour was surprisingly light.  There has been the person of high social rank who was very pleasant and friendly when we imagined they would be unapproachable.  Depending on the church you grew up in there might be an expectation the pastor's kid would be well-versed in scripture or a wayward prodigal.  I love the fact God's ways are higher than ours, and surprises that seem good or bad ought to remind us we are not Him and lay our preconceived expectations aside. One such unexpected circumstance is found in 1 Kings 14 when the wife of idolatrous king Jeroboam wore a disguise as she sought to inquire of the prophet of God, Ahijah.  It is ironic Jeroboam worshipped idols yet sought counsel from the LORD when his son was ill.  Though Ahi...

God's awesome grace is constantly affirmed in the Bible and will be for all eternity.  Once our eyes of faith are opened to God's goodness we see the prevalence of His grace everywhere--even in unexpected situations.  God's grace is not like a fragile orchid that can only grow and flourish in a carefully controlled and maintained environment, but is as enduring and eternally hearty as He is.  In our imperfect world among sinners, God's grace flourishes everywhere. In Numbers 12 , the older siblings of Moses complained about his choice of spouse.  The text suggests the  motive behind the complaint of Miriam and Aaron was to undermine his authority before the people, for they said:  "Has the LORD only spoken through Moses?  Hasn't He also spoken through us?"  God heard their comments and bid them all appear before the LORD at the tabernacle.  God rebuked Miriam and Aaron for their trespass and when His presence departed Miriam was struck with a...

As a kid I was taught the value of saving money for planned purchases, not frivolously spending money for items I did not need or want.  I would store loose change in a piggy bank and sometimes deposit money in a bank account.  In those days it was not uncommon for me to make a purchase entirely with change--including pennies!  I remember dumping all the coins out, putting them in stacks that added to one dollar each, and made a mental note of how much I have saved. Though I was pleased to see the change add up over the time, on many occasions I found something I would gladly trade every single one of them to buy and possess.  After several years of saving money, I almost emptied my bank account to buy a bicycle.  When I washed cars or mowed lawns for cash, part of the reason I was motivated was to finally own a Maui Blue 1987 GT Performer and ride around.  In my mind, a BMX bike was a worthy exchange for those dollars and cents.  Sadly we can adopt a ...

" And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague ." Mark 5:34 (KJV) The wisdom of God is supremely superior to the wisdom of this world.  Believers who are partakers of God's grace and goodness have eyes that have been opened to perceive what was previously unknown by men and angels by the power of the Holy Spirit.  In Egypt God demonstrated His power over all the idols of the land by plagues, and in the New Testament God showed His authority and love by delivering people from them.  Who but God could have imagined a plague suffered over 12 years would be an impetus for woman to come to Jesus in faith? The Gospel of Luke tells us this woman over a decade had become impoverished as she sought the aid of doctors who only made her physical condition worse.  This flow of blood made her ceremonially unclean to the Jews, cut her off from society and likely resulted in discomfort and fatigue.  Her aim was to be...

" But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises. " Hebrews 8:6 When Jesus established a new covenant in His own blood, it was a covenant far superior to the covenant of the Law of Moses.  In our Friday night Bible study, we discussed Peter's introduction to the Jewish believers scattered from the land God promised to give them in  1 Peter 1:1-2 :  " Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,  t o the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,  2 elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: g race to you and peace be multiplied ."  God's chosen people received the commands of God, and their entry into the land and future prosperity depended largely upon their obedience. Moses took the blood of an animal sacrifice and sprinkle...

A key element required to place faith in God is the submission of our will.  After being told by a parent what to do, a little boy might say, "I can't!" when the reality is he is unwilling to obey.  He could do simple tasks like putting a toy away, washing his hands, brushing teeth and going to bed, but his will remains in opposition to the command and will of his parents.  It is in this position many a grown, educated and intelligent person finds themselves.  It is not that there is not sufficient evidence of God's existence, but they have their own excuses why what can be plainly seen and known is irrelevant.  They do not agree with the concept of a sovereign, almighty God they will be held accountable to, and such prefer to sit in His seat of judgment to condemn Him as unjust, unloving and unfair. Paul wrote in  Romans 1:18-21 :  " For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the tru...

A sermon which impacted me greatly concerning the scourge of humanism and the believer's joyful duty to live for the glory of God is Ten Shekels and a Shirt by Paris Reidhead.  In the message he related an incident when a preacher came to him seeking the baptism with the Holy Spirit.  It seemed to Mr. Reidhead this man, who had been successful in Christian ministry without the aid of the Holy Spirit, desired God to be a means to his own end.  He identified with this fellow who came to him looking for God to empower his programs.  Paris related in the sermon: "I looked at the fellow, and you know what he looked like? ME. Just looked like me. I just saw in him everything that was in me. You thought I was going to say me before. No, listen dear heart, if you've ever seen yourself you'll know you're never going to be anything else than you were. "For in me and my flesh there's no good thing" ( Rom 7:18 )." Having adopted a humble posture before the ...

A person does not need to be a dairy farmer with decades of experience or have a master's degree in microbiology to know milk has gone bad.  Children who have been drinking milk from infancy would be able to realise milk is sour by tasting it, and curdled milk looks and smells different as well.  A similar dynamic applies when we hear teaching from God's word.  Even a child who is born again and has been taught the scripture can know when doctrine is off.  A Christian does not need a degree in theology to realise a doctrine is suspicious or strange, even though we might not be initially able to put our finger on it. Elihu exhorted his hearers in Job 34:2-4 ,  " Hear my words, you wise men; g ive ear to me, you who have knowledge.  3 For the ear tests words a s the palate tastes food.  4 Let us choose justice for ourselves; l et us know among ourselves what is good ."  Elihu spoke to men who had knowledge of God, and he bid them to wisely ...

" Let the rivers clap their hands; l et the hills be joyful together before the LORD ,  9 for He is coming to judge the earth. w ith righteousness He shall judge the world,  a nd the peoples with equity ." Psalm 98:8-9 When I heard this verse recently, it illustrated how changes in modern English can hijack the meaning of a text.  In this passage, the psalmist exhorted the earth and everything in it to rejoice in God coming to judge the world in righteousness.  Since man's fall into sin, creation groans to be delivered from the oppression of pride, wickedness, greed, selfishness and violence. Lately "equity" has taken on a new meaning in modern vernacular, in fact almost the opposite of what it historically has meant.  The first definition in the Webster 1828 Dictionary says, " Justice; right. In practice, equity is the impartial distribution of justice, or the doing that to another which the laws of God and man, and of reason, give him a right to clai...

At some point we've all probably done it:  inserted the batteries the wrong direction in a toy, torch or remote control and it did not work properly.  Even when we know batteries need to be in a particular orientation to work, we can still make this simple mistake.  I wonder how many functional items have been discarded due to operator error because batteries were incorrectly installed. I remember how amazing it was when our family bought a TV that used a remote.  It was far more convenient to turn on the TV or flip through channels while sitting on the couch rather than standing up all the time.  Today there are a myriad of battery powered tools that enable us to do work we cannot perform by hand.  Without a correctly fitted, charged battery, these tools cannot perform the function they were designed for.  A drill can be used as a paperweight, but that is not helpful for drilling holes or countersinking screws.  Imagine, that a person might be co...

When I played baseball on a team as a kid, the coach would bring out a big cardboard box with all the jerseys in it.  It was a mad scramble for people to find their preferred number because, unlike playing positions in the field or placement in the batting lineup that could change, this was the number you would wear all season long.  It was obvious that there could only be one pitcher on the mound and one #7 jersey, and this was difficult for some teammates to process.  Thankfully disappointment and grumbling didn't last long, and important life-lessons were learned:  sometimes you won't get the number you want, but it is fun to wear that jersey and contribute as part of the team by doing your best. In His wisdom God chose to arrange the camp of the Hebrews as He led them through the wilderness after the exodus from Egypt.  His presence in the tabernacle was the point of reference to orient the campsite of each tribe.  The same was true for the Levites that...