Marching Forth!

I was reminded of an awkward situation recently.  After using an electric griddle I wiped it clean--only it wasn't very clean.  Small bits of the wet paper towel I used broke off and littered the surface, but I didn't notice them.  When I walked by and saw someone cleaning it, I informed them I had already cleaned it.  Then I received an explanation that the griddle wasn't actually clean, and more cleaning made perfect sense. One time when we were hosting a family I noticed the bathroom shower looked a bit dull, and upon further inspection it was due to a build-up of soap residue.  As I began the process of cleaning the fiberglass shower enclosure, one of our guests mentioned the shower had just been  cleaned.  The clear insinuation was that I was re-doing what had already been done.  I responded by running my thumbnail along the surface which produced a curled strip of soap similar to how a block plane produces wood shavings.  I had no reaso...

God's word is powerful and able to rebuke, exhort and encourage at the same time.  I had this experience as I considered the prayer of Nehemiah in chapter 1 after he heard about the desolation of Jerusalem and the affliction of God's people.  After a period of intentional inaction, fasting and mourning, Nehemiah prayed to God in a way that is, to some degree, foreign to my regular approach. What I observe in Nehemiah's prayer is how he prayed for what he knew and believed God would do according to His word and promises:  that God would be attentive to his prayer and the prayers of God's servants who turned to Him, and that Nehemiah would find mercy in the eyes of his king whom he served.  What is absent from Nehemiah's prayer is any request or suggestion what God could do to alleviate His servants who were afflicted and reproached.  He said nothing about how God should help rebuild the walls of Jerusalem or mend gates burned with fire.  Nehemiah prayed a...

Over the Christmas break, I watched the live-action version of the Dr. Seuss classic How The Grinch Stole Christmas .  The major difference between the 2000 version and the original animated film is it delves into the backstory of the Grinch and provides a revenge theme for his hatred of Christmas due to bullying and abuse suffered in school.  The young Grinch was mocked for his appearance and the special gift he worked hard to make was destroyed, and this deep-seated resentment and bitterness fueled his hatred of the Christmas season and desire to cause havoc in Whoville. I might just be getting old and forgetful, but there seems to be an emphasis on backstories these days as a means of justifying bad behaviour and the rise of the antihero.  Gone is the squeaky-clean person who desires to do good despite their own suffering:  the gritty details of their past must be unearthed that are credited with shaping them into whomever they grew to be.  People commit desp...

We are blessed to have the whole Bible to read and grow in understanding of our Creator and great God.  Reading one Bible passage without comparing with others can throw our interpretations and applications off balance, tilting us away from the truth God has revealed.  It is beneficial to consider what other verses say concerning a subject, and these revelations provide greater accuracy when compared and contrasted with one another.  Today a passage in Ezra reminded me of these important facts. Job and David wrote of God's hand being upon them, and because of their experiences this has a negative connotation ( Job 19:21 ; Ps. 32:4 ).  In 1 Samuel 5 God plagued the Philistines for 7 months after they captured the ark, and the destructive plagues were described as the hand of God being heavy on them.  If these were the only way God's hand was mentioned, we could support the view of God's hand indeed being heavy, perhaps even oppressive and destructive.  This...

Those who read the Bible without faith in God--that He is and is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him--will find themselves hopelessly hamstrung, blind and ignorant of the spiritual riches presented to them in God's word.  Those who read Scripture to find fault with God, His Laws or His people will have no problem doing so because mankind's spiritual perceptions are naturally distorted, and there is nothing easier than projecting our faults onto others and justifying ourselves.  Those who willfully deny the truth made evident by God erect endless obstacles for themselves which faith according to God as revealed in His word easily clear away.  I was reminded of this when I thumbed through a book written by an atheist who penned multiple volumes to espouse his hatred of God and defiance of Him.  A learned and intelligent man, no doubt, but lost in a morass of willful unbelief only humility before God can deliver from. My first tip this book was not exposition o...

One thing that struck me in preparation for the sermon this week was the visual of Jesus riding a white horse with the name written on His robe and thigh:  "KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS."  The only time I have seen artwork where the thighs of Jesus are exposed are during His crucifixion, but John saw in the book of Revelation the legs of Jesus which were compared to bronze will be seen and declare a message of His authority and power over all. When John penned Revelation , one of the most devastating hand-to-hand weapons at the time was the large sword wielded by Thracians called a rhomphaia.  It was so effective it was the only weapon (as far I know) that prompted the Romans to make wholesale changes in armour because of cutting power that could split a shield.  Innovations like horses, chariots and strategic formations resulted in the defeat and subjugation of worthy fighters who were undone by outdated and insufficient resources.  In later times bows and ...

Family Bible reading after dinner provided a great example of what a difference one person can make--even as a child.  We read 2 Chronicles 23 which was a turning point for the southern kingdom of Judah as the coronation of Joash suddenly and dramatically ended the rule (and life!) of the tyrant Athaliah who murdered her grandsons to assume the throne herself.  The High Priest Johoiada bravely sheltered Joash for years in the temple, and when the heir to the throne was 7 years old the priest organised a public coronation ceremony with high security.  Once Joash was crowned king, it meant the treasonous queen was dethroned and promptly executed. Joash being crowned king resulted not only in the dispatching of Athaliah and all who followed her, but the establishment of a covenant the people of Judah would serve God only.  This immediately resulted in the overthrow of idolatrous worship by destroying altars, breaking Baal's images, and the execution of the priest of Ba...

God remains faithful in all seasons of life, and there is no substitute for His gracious presence.  While my family and I are still in the process of settling in a house after moving, I felt it fitting to magnify God for the help He has provided step by step when everything seemed too arduous to endure.  When we are overwhelmed, God remains sovereign and is truly a present help in times of exertion, trouble, inconvenience, uncertainty and hard work.  As our Good Shepherd, He makes His people like sheep to lie down in green pastures, leads us beside still waters, restores our souls, leads us in paths of righteousness to a broad place. It was just over two months back my wife Laura and I discussed embarking on looking for a house to buy in a nearby suburb and to see what we could sell our house for.  What followed was a whirlwind of driving to open houses and vacating our house for open houses, meetings with realtors, banks and solicitors.  Laura handled the vast ...

When going on full-time paid staff at church, your eyes are opened to many tasks and responsibilities you did not consider previously.  Even with many hard-working volunteers, there are many duties that fall to you.  One of the maintenance tasks I tackled was keeping an eye on the vacuums, making sure they were serviced regularly and the bags emptied.  I was amazed at the sorts of things I would find lodged inside people imagined the vacuum could pick up.  The most unpleasant discovery was fresh vomit, but I digress. I genuinely believe there was not a single occasion during my time on church staff that anyone but staff emptied the contents of a vacuum.  It was a blessing to have vacuums to use and people who wanted to leave the place clean, but the condition of the vacuums and the belts became my responsibility.  I was reminded of that season when I emptied a vacuum bag at church today, and the thought came to mind:  have you ever had a task you faith...

When it comes to treating illness, we know the importance of identifying the root cause rather than seeking to only alleviate symptoms.  Taking an Aspirin may relieve a headache, but it will do nothing to treat a tumour that is causing intercranial pressure.  Negative symptoms are usually major components that prompt us to seek medical help, and in this way a bad symptom can be a positive thing. I have spoken of my ongoing battle with ongoing scale problems in previous posts, and yesterday I had a breakthrough.  I discovered the reason I am losing the scale battle is because I had been focused on the symptoms rather than the root cause:  ants that place, farm and protect scale to feed on honeydew scale produces!  I had noticed ants on the tree, but I had no idea they were the culprits who persistently placed scale at strategic locations where there was fresh growth.  This knowledge has shifted my tactics dramatically because the scale was only a pawn in thi...

God is the Judge of all the earth who only does right, and He holds to account every person according to His word and the testimony of our conscience.  Even people who deny God's existence will be weighed in the balances and found wanting like King Belshazzar.  Though a Babylonian ruler who had not been given the Law of Moses, God judged him for his arrogance to live contrary to knowledge of God who humbles the proud, as Nebuchadnezzar his father experienced personally.  The prophet said to him in  Daniel 5:22-23 :  " But you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, although you knew all this.  23  And you have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. They have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines, have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which do not see or hear or know; and the God who holds your br...

A myth Christians do well to dispel is that God's people will never experience the wrath of God.  While it is true Christians will not experience the wrath of God for eternity, the Bible is filled with instances of God's wrath coming upon His own people to correct, refine and draw them to Himself.  We see this in God's dealings with Judah under the rule of wicked King Ahaz in 2 Chronicles 28 , and God nor His ways have changed.  As  Psalm 7:11 says, " God is a just judge, a nd God is angry with the wicked every day ."  God's judgment and wrath is not devoid of love, grace and mercy, for He suffers long and is kind; God warns and shows restraint in His administration of justice as when a father disciplines his beloved child for good. People might wonder, "But I thought the Bible says Christians are not appointed to wrath."  That is true, but Paul wrote that in the context of eternal salvation in contrast to everlasting damnation.  Paul wrote in ...

King Uzziah, the father of Jotham, transgressed by burning incense to God in the temple at Jerusalem--something only sanctified priests were permitted to do by the Law of Moses.  Lifted up with pride, Jotham went beyond his station as king and brought judgment upon himself from God who struck him with leprosy.  His condition prevented him from continuing to rule as he did previously, and being a leper became more a defining feature of his reign than his feats of engineering, warfare and husbandry.  He did what was right in the eyes of God generally speaking, but his sin led to a great fall.  Jotham noticed this and took note. 2 Chronicles 27:2 provides an interesting detail concerning the reign of Jotham:  " And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD , according to all that his father Uzziah had done (although he did not enter the temple of the LORD ). But still the people acted corruptly ."  Jotham prepared his heart to walk in God's ways and to...

At a recent Bible study, we had a group discussion concerning specific ways God has enriched our lives.  Because we tend to associate riches with money or financial gain, it was good to consider changes God has ushered into our lives money cannot buy.  Of course God is able to provide for His people financially and He faithfully does, but money aside:  how would you answer the question?  Having been born again by faith in Jesus we can resemble children born into a family where we take much for granted and feel entitled to having what we want. As I reflected upon many answers I could give, one answer to how God has enriched my life is a capacity to love and care for others as Christians are exhorted to do in Romans 12:15 :  " Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep ."  Being content with God's grace extended to us, we can rejoice with those who rejoice without envy.  We can be legitimately happy when others are glad rather than fee...

When I watch reporters interview politicians, I admit I am often bemused how direct questions are rarely (if ever!) answered.  It is remarkable how questions are dodged as skillfully as Neo evaded bullets in  The Matrix  and replaced with rehearsed talking points that take shots at political opponents.  How non-sequitur answers became the acceptable norm, I'll never know.  Imagine asking your son, "What did you eat for breakfast?" and hear him answer, "13% of kids don't even eat breakfast."  I would respond, "Answer the question, please.  Why are you being evasive?"  An honest question warrants an honest answer. If we would require our children to answer direct questions directly, we ought to be those who answer questions God asks us.  The questions God asks in the Bible are not "gotcha" questions, but are designed to deal with matters of our heart, life and faith.  "Good question!" we acknowledge when we hear it, but hearing th...

While driving yesterday, I read a sign that faced a busy intersection that announced the sale of property was almost over.  It read, " All good things must come to an end ."  That was not the first time I heard that quote, and it dawned on me from a worldly perspective it was true.  One could debate if that particular sale of property was a good thing, but the world and all the things in it and of it are passing away.  Where the statement falls down completely is in relation to God and what is of God, for He is good without beginning or end.  Jesus identified Himself as the first and the last, the beginning and the end--not to suggest He has an end, for no timeline can contain or restrict His eternal, immortal attributes. What Jesus said in  Luke 21:33 is repeated several times in the Gospels:  " Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away ."  The word of God is timeless, good and will never come to an end.  God'...

God has given every human being a unique personality and perspective.  Because patience is a fruit of the Spirit of God, it follows not one of us is naturally patient like God is.  There are likely many things that cause us to quickly run out of patience, grow frustrated, or we refuse to tolerate.  A person can be very patient towards a stray dog that lashes out when being fed but will not extend grace to their own spouse or child because they should know better.  We can be more gracious to unbelievers in rebellion against God than a sinning brother or sister in Christ because we expect them to  do better.  Whether we are quick to run out of patience or are able to endure for a long season, our patience has an end. We are blessed God is good and gracious, that He is always longsuffering and kind.  He is not at all like us, full of limitations, and our kindness is more of an exception rather than an unalterable rule.  James wrote of God's grace to...

I have noticed news coverage of presidential pardons over the years, but none in recent memory have been as high profile as President Biden pardoning his son Hunter after he plead guilty in federal court earlier this year.  President Biden concluded his formal statement concerning granting clemency with this:  " I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision ."  Lady Justice is blind, but apparently some presidents and fathers are not.  Though Biden went on the record many times saying he would not pardon his son, his actions show he had a change of mind--which everyone has a God-given right to do.  Whether the decision is right in the eyes of Americans or politically expedient is another matter that will be determined in the days ahead. Concerning pardoning sinners, God said to His people in  Isaiah 55:6-7 :  " Seek the LORD while He may be found, c all upon Him while He is near.  7  Let the wick...