Marching Forth!

I have been greatly encouraged by  Jeremiah 9:23-24 which reads:  " 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 ."  It is an awesome privilege God has made Himself known to mankind, and we have tasted and see our LORD is good.  He doesn't promise much but deliver little like a politician who is hamstrung by monetary limitations, the party in power, a desire to please special interest groups or avoid offence.  The almighty, living God of Israel is sovereign over all nations, the Creator of heaven and earth--and delights to exercise lovingkindness, judgment and righteousness in the earth. Politicians are amazingly deft a...

When discussing passages from the Bible or theology, it is important to define key terms.  There are many common words and phrases which mean different things to different people.  I have found "revival" to be one of those words.  A casual browse through the Strong's Concordance also shows how one particular Hebrew or Greek word has been translated into a variety of words.  The context of a word is helpful--along with other passages in the Bible that employ the same word--to better grasp the intended meaning. During a recent Bible study at church, we briefly discussed  Psalm 85:6 :  " Will You not revive us again, t hat Your people may rejoice in You ?"  The psalmist asked God to revive him and all God's people spiritually to the end they would rejoice in God.  He astutely realised God's people need God's spiritual empowerment to respond to God as we ought.  As the fire consumes wood in the fireplace, gravity causes logs to settle further ...

Having watched a lot of sport over the years, Hollywood is notorious for missing the mark completely with the depiction of sport.  At times I have wanted to pull my hair out when I see things allowed to occur in a boxing match that would never fly in a professional bout.  Mistakes in small details betray complete ignorance of the rules, basic physics and technique that in my eyes undermines the believability of a film.  Admittedly I am picky, but while zooming in on the ball on a long drive in golf or while playing baseball a home run is launched or a fastball is pitched, the ball should not have topspin in slow motion.  I tend to steer clear of sport-themed movies because I enjoy watching actual sport--not dramas that use sport thematically but have no resemblance to the real thing.  I do like Hoosiers , though (maybe because I never played organised basketball). The one thing Hollywood historically does as bad or worse than sport is the depiction of pastoral...

During a morning walk today signs of activity were all around:  the magpies hopping around looking for feed, galahs sailed overhead, and other walkers and joggers were out in force.  The local oval was quiet and serene as the sunrise began to shine over the trees--the silence suddenly broken by the strained grunts of a shirtless man in tiny shorts stretching.  That wasn't the only odd thing that I observed, for as a car drove by a newspaper was hurled from the open window over my head and landed expertly on a driveway.  The resident of that house had already set up a sprinkler to water the turf, and it seemed like the perfect morning to water the grass, enjoy tea or coffee, and browse through the paper. I find it fascinating how different people's interests and daily activities can be.  One person looks forward to retiring from paid work so they can sleep in late, while another loves rising early to walk or water the lawn.  One person enjoys having a cuppa ...

The Bible has unexpected encouragement in well-known passages and the more obscure.  I found great encouragement in a passage that is often quoted in part, that Jesus said when two or three are gathered in His name, there He is in the midst of them ( Matthew 18:20 ).  Most often this is said to encourage people who gather at church or in a corporate prayer meeting to emphasise God's faithfulness to be among His people, to hear and answer prayer, to guide and direct those who gather.  This is all true and wonderful.  Yet the context of the passage gives encouragement in circumstances that can be disheartening:  when dealing with conflict among believers and administration of church discipline. Jesus taught if a believer was offended by another Christian, the offended party was to humbly go and tell him the fault that caused offence with the aim of reconciliation.  If the one who did wrong was unwilling to listen to the concern of the offended party, Jesus sa...

Yesterday I went on a bushwalk with friends from church on the Ku-ring-gai track to Berowra Train Station and started from the station.  It was a cool morning, and the canopy of trees prevented the light drizzle from soaking us through.  Our small party encountered a couple lyrebirds, heard the wailing of black cockatoos, saw a wallaby, and removed a couple of leeches as we trudged along the 10km track by a creek that seemed more like a river.  By the end of the walk a decent rain began to fall as we hoofed it to our vehicle.  After a slow drive home through traffic, I was pleased to change out of wet clothes (and ensure my prickly feet were leech free!) and relax. A couple hours later I scratched my side and felt something strange:  a textured, raised area that was not part of me.  I suddenly realised I had picked up a tick that hitched a ride home with me.  Because of the location I wasn't able to see it clearly or grab it with tweezers, and thankful...

God's thoughts and ways are past finding out, yet He miraculously reveals Himself to those who trust and seek Him.  The Bible is full of revelations from God for people in ancient times as well as today, for God does not change.  His word and wisdom are timeless and will endure forever--even after the heavens and earth pass away. Today I read a passage that sheds light on God's ways in  Isaiah 57:1-2 that we do not naturally consider:  " The righteous perishes,  a nd no man takes it to heart;  m erciful men are taken away,  w hile no one considers  t hat the righteous is taken away from evil.  2 He shall enter into peace; t hey shall rest in their beds,  e ach one walking in his uprightness ."  Though God has created mankind in His image, there is great diversity between each one of us.  We all have bodies with faces, our own personalities and perspectives, and how different they can be from others!  Even as God design...

Yesterday I leafed through a book by C.S. Lewis titled The Pilgrim's Regress , and it is one of the more clever and thought-provoking allegorical tales he wrote.  Perhaps the most memorable moment for me is when young John is brought to meet the "Steward" (a minister) who spoke concerning the "Landlord" who represents God.  Lewis presents a scene which brilliantly conveys how confusion, hypocrisy and lack of integrity are blights that obscure the Gospel message and the love of God from people.  With supreme focus on behaviour rather than the heart, using fear to control rather than sharing God's love which liberates, it is a masterful presentation of legalistic religion without a relationship with Jesus.  All I can say is, enjoy--and take it to heart so we as Christians do not resemble the Steward to the young Johns in our lives. "... The Steward lived in a big dark house of stone on the side of the road.  The father and mother went in to talk to the St...

Recently I came across an article that focused on "voluntary assisted dying" that seemed to be a propaganda piece that praised those who pursue dying on their "own terms" as having immense courage.  I do not believe suicide--whether medically assisted or not--is in itself a badge of courage.  Greater courage can be shown in choosing to live despite pain and a terminal diagnosis--looking to the LORD who gave us life in the first place. One thing that is often missing when the "taboo" subject of assisted suicide is reported on is any acknowledgement or mention of God.  It is ironic (but not surprising!) God who knit us together in our mother's wombs would be left out of the conversation by those who embrace a humanistic or even a nihilistic perspective.  It wasn't long ago I was given paperwork by my doctor to write down my end of life plan, whether I wanted to be fed by others if I was unable to feed myself, or if I would refuse to be given any nutr...

The almighty God who created all things is beyond all reason due to His omnipotence and power, and yet He is also most reasonable.  Caricatures of God set forth by unbelievers portray Him as being ridiculously unreasonable, easily infuriated, carried away with violence, being unjust and brutal.  This is merely a projection of the worst of man's natural tendencies, and none of these are remotely accurate of who God has revealed Himself to be in the Bible and by the Person of Jesus Christ.  People have done horrid and wicked things in the name of God, but they were not God.  God's holy name ought not be dragged through the mud because evil people claimed to be doing His will--when in reality they acted according to their own wicked desires. God never makes unreasonable demands of people, for He supplies wisdom and strength for all who trust in Him.  God gave Adam freedom to eat of every tree in the Garden of Eden (including the tree of life) and told him not to ea...

God commanded Jeremiah to stand at the gate of the temple and proclaim in  Jeremiah 7:3 :  " Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: "Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place ."  God repeatedly urged His people to thoroughly amend their ways and their doings because they were out of the way--having gone out of the way because of the sinful dictates of their hearts--and their deeds were wicked as well.  People who heard the word of the LORD through Jeremiah were not receptive to such exhortations.  Those who are wise and fear God will take His word to heart with humility and obedience, knowing God is perfect and we are not.  As long as we live in these bodies of flesh in a world corrupted by sin, amendment of our ways and doings will be required regularly. The word "amend" is more than "change," for it means to add what is lacking.  When it comes to soil, amendments need to be added and mixed with the exi...

During our Friday night Bible study, we discussed the importance of seeking God intentionally.  Unlike the children of Israel who went up to the tabernacle or temple where the presence of God dwelt according the Law of Moses, Christians are now the temple of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us ( 1 Cor. 6:19 ).  Somehow, someway, seeking God can be neglected in the shuffle of Christian service and spiritual disciplines, our actions becoming the end in themselves rather than drawing near to God in worship, praise and thanksgiving. Going to a church service--is going to a church service.  Being in a particular place doesn't mean we are seeking the LORD or waiting on Him.  It occurred to me that going to church without seeking God is like going to the airport but never boarding.  The whole purpose of going to a bus, train station or airport is to take a mode of transportation to a particular destination.  Now it is likely we have been to a station to drop or p...

" Blessed be the Lord, w ho daily loads us with benefits,  t he God of our salvation! Selah  20  Our God is the God of salvation; a nd to GOD the Lord belong escapes from death ." Psalm 68:19-20 The LORD reminded me today that to Him belong escapes from death, for He is the God of our salvation.  This is a theme found throughout the Bible, and the book of Daniel provides several examples.  Daniel and his companions were spared from death when Israel was defeated by Babylon, and they were brought to Babylon to be trained, tested and serve king Nebuchadnezzar. When the king became furious with his wise men and astrologers who could not tell the king what he had dreamed and suggested his request was unreasonable, he ordered their execution--Daniel and his fellow Hebrews included.  They cried out to God in prayer and appealed for Him to reveal the king's secret in His mercy.  After praising God, Daniel went before the king and told him the dream and...

" No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon ." Luke 16:13 "Mammon" is a word I have never heard in everyday conversation, and this is a likely factor why it is not understood.  The most common alternative in Bible translations for mammon is "money" (capitalised in the NIV), but the meaning is greater than dollars and cents.  In his book The Call , Os Guinness goes beyond a definition to provide a useful description that helps us better understand Christ's meaning: " Jesus' use of Mammon (Aramaic for wealth) is unique--he gave it a strength and precision that the word never had before.  He did not usually personify things, let alone deify them.  And neither the Jews nor the nearby pagans knew a god by this name.  But what Jesus says in speaking of Mammon is that money is a power--and not in a vague sense, as i...

Sometime during my life, "punishment" became a bad ten letter word that was an indicator of a heavy-handed parent, one who might as well admit to abusing their child.  I can understand serious concern how consequences for doing wrong are meted out because parents, teachers and others in positions of authority have committed abuses, but the Bible shows punishment in itself is not sinful or morally wrong.  God punishes evildoers, and what those in authority must understand is they are not God and must answer to Him for their deviation from love, mercy, compassion and justice.  It is the love and fear of God that ought to govern God's people in the administration of discipline. I have experienced leaders at schools, camps and the workplace who embraced positive affirmation to a degree that made me squirm with discomfort more than harsh censure.  Instead of identifying bad behaviour and enforcing a clear boundary with corrective measures, some feel compelled to tell eve...

There was likely no one more surprised than my dad when I embarked on a career in mechanical insulation.  He remembered very well my aversion to the feeling of gyprock (drywall) dust as a youngster, and he likely figured I was simply not cut out for jobsites and able to endure the dust, noise, fumes and physical labour.  After over a decade in the trade there was probably no one more surprised than me when the LORD opened a door to being a youth pastor in full-time ministry.  Working in a trade was by no means wasted time, for it prepared me for the rigours of pastoral work in countless ways.  I did not begin a career in a trade to please my dad, but I switched into a new line of work with the desire to please God. It's an interesting dynamic that people who are not particularly fond of their dads wish they could please them.  Dads can be hard--at times even impossible--to please.  I was blessed to be assured of my dad's love and support regardless of my jo...

There is good reason to be wary of anyone who claims they will usher in a new world by their policies and ideology.  Like conquerors who built their homes on top of the cities they took and reduced to rubble, it is only a matter of time until the homes atop the tel are knocked down and made a ruin by new occupants.  Victory in battle or the ballot box may be thrilling, yet leadership that heads in a progressive direction--away from God and values that helped establish a country in the first place--precedes a downward spiral.  Those who claim by their leadership can create utopia for all assert the ability to do something only God can do.  God said in  Isaiah 65:17 of a glorious future He will usher in:  " For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; a nd the former shall not be remembered or come to mind ." The Bible teaches that when people or nations lose their way and become corrupt and lawless, it is not that they need to head in a new direction:...

In family Bible reading, we have come to a series of psalms that provide brief overviews that testify of God's wondrous dealings and faithfulness to the children of Israel.  In facing present difficulties, how good it is to fix our eyes on God and consider His awesome and marvellous ways.  In a world that exuberantly shouts out the Fleetwood Mac refrain " You can go your own way !" and is intent on asserting and pleasing self, God has provided the only way to eternal life by faith in Jesus Christ.  This is a life free of bondage to sin, self and death entered into by denying self and following Jesus. To the children of Israel who faced attacks from Assyria, would ultimately fall to Babylon and be brought into captivity for 70 years, in God there remained hope of a glorious future.  Through the prophet the LORD declared in  Isaiah 43:15-19 :  " I am the LORD , your Holy One, t he Creator of Israel, your King."  16  Thus says the LORD , who makes ...

As a kid at church, I always enjoyed hearing the testimonies of people who had come to Christ.  It was an opportunity to know a fellow Christian better, hear the way God revealed Himself to them, and how God was working in their life currently.  There were many testimonies I heard which had a large emphasis on a life before Christ and various sinful activities they pursued.  It was rare for someone to open the Bible and read verses God had used to change their minds, Scripture that lead to the realisation of their sinfulness and need for salvation.  Had God's word always been proclaimed in those testimonies perhaps they would have been exponentially more spiritually fruitful! An intriguing situation occurred in the book of Acts when seven Jewish men (sons of Sceva a Jewish leader of the priests) worked as traveling exorcists and took it upon themselves to command demons to depart in the name of Jesus whom Paul preached.   Acts 19:15-16 reads, " And the e...

In the C.S. Lewis book God In the Dock , he was asked if there are any "unmistakable outward signs in a person surrendered to God, and if that person could be cantankerous?  "Cantankerous" is defined as, "bad tempered, tending to argue or complain."  C.S. Lewis made good points in his answer: " Take the case of a sour old maid, who is a Christian, but cantankerous.  On the other hand, take some pleasant and popular fellow, but who has never been to Church.  Who knows how much more cantankerous the old maid might be if she were not a Christian, and how much more likeable the nice fellow might be if he were a Christian?  You can't judge Christianity simply by comparing the product in those two people:  you would need to know what kind of raw material Christ was working on in both cases. As an illustration, let us take a case of industrialism.  Let us take two factories:      - Factory A with poor and inadequate plant, and     - ...

" Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice !" Philippians 4:4 Paul exhorted and instructed Christians to rejoice in the LORD always, and this is significant seeing all he had suffered for the sake of Christ and the Gospel.  When Paul penned this letter he was a prisoner though he was innocent of all false accusations leveled against him.  The betrayal by false accusations of his fellow Jews, corrupt Roman governors, and constant persecution did nothing to quench the joy Paul had in Jesus.  Regardless of the circumstances of life, there is always great cause to rejoice in our LORD Jesus. There is a positive optimism of youth that can be lost over time through disappointment, disillusionment and dashed expectations.  As people grow older, face chronic pain and process losing physical abilities, freedoms and mental acuity, attitudes and outlooks can become increasingly bitter.  This can be true concerning faithful Christians who become sour due to prob...

Today I was drawn to the exhortation of Paul to the Corinthian believers that they examine themselves as they gathered together for the Lord's Supper, a feast which was supposed to illustrate the love of Christ and unity with one another.  Hearkening back to Jesus who distributed bread and wine to His disciples on the night He was betrayed that symbolised His broken body and blood that would be shed for them, this practice was incorporated into regular meals.  Paul rebuked the Corinthians because of their divisions, exclusion of others and excess in these gatherings where the poor went hungry and others were drunk! He advised in 1 Corinthians 11:28 , " But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup ."  Each person was instructed to examine himself to ensure each one was obedient to Jesus, united in the fear of God, to love one another and repent of sin.  Paul was not erecting an obstacle to fellowship with God or others:  s...