Marching Forth!

Preparing for a wedding is a mammoth task.  Coupled with the desire of trying to make everything perfect, the pressure can be overwhelming.  I have found when our expectation is perfection, we will almost always be disappointed--even when we have done our best.  As a groomsman years ago, I remember watching other groomsmen tie and retie their neckties to acheive the perfect looking knot.  What's funny is the ties we wore back then are probably so out of style no one would consider wearing them today. I am amazed at the level of detail people consider and the extensive preparation when it comes to outfits, makeup, accessories, suits and shoes for weddings and special events.  Even as people put a great deal more thought and investment into their wardrobes than I do, God has considered more intricate and intimate details about us and the world we live in.  The God who created all things is the God of details that are bigger than the universe and smaller than ...

When Samuel looked at Eliab, he imagined the anointed of the LORD stood before him.  God immediately corrected the erroneous thinking of the prophet who was impressed by Eliab's good looks and physical height, for God does not see as man sees--focused on the outer appearance--but looks upon the heart.  God easily recognised pride that hid behind a humble fascade and selfishness, arrogance and fear of man that disqualified him to be considered a man after God's own heart.  Hebrews 4:12 explains the piercing nature of God's word:  " For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. "  Man's secret motives, thoughts, unbelief and faith are clearly seen by God. For our benefit the Bible often reveals the motivation of people like in Matthew 14:14 that reads, " And when Jesus went out He saw ...

" Understanding is a wellspring of life to him who has it.     But the correction of fools is folly ." Proverbs 16:22 Our ability to understand is a gift given us by God.  Elihu said in Job 32:7-9 , " I said, ‘Age should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.’   8 But there is a spirit in man, and the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding. 9 Great men are not always wise, nor do the aged always understand justice ."  God who knows all things and created mankind is able to give eternal life and understanding by His grace.  Unless the living God had revealed Himself to us, we could never know Him or experience the abundant life He delights to provide all who trust in Him. Solomon described understanding as a "wellspring of life" to those who have it.  This understanding is more than observing or accepting reality as we perceive it, but it is knowledge of what is true and the desire to submit our lives to it.  This wellspr...

From beginning to end, the Bible is a revelation of the one true God to all mankind.  The Old Testament is a grand epic that foretells the promised Messiah revealed as Jesus in the New Testament, and Jesus Christ is the central figure throughout all Scripture.  Genesis 1:1 says, " In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth ."  The beginning of the Gospel of John says in John 1:1-3 :  " In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made ."  John establishes straight away the divine nature and power of Jesus Christ, that Jesus the Word spoke all things into existence as part of the eternal and supreme Godhead.  The whole Bible is written to lead us to know Jesus Christ as KING OF KINGS and our Saviour. Observing Jesus is the primary and central figure in the Bible helps us better understand the stru...

After Jesus called Matthew to follow Him, Jesus ate at his house and many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with Him.  When the Pharisees saw this they asked His disciples:  "Why does your master eat with tax collectors and sinners?"  Merely asking this question exposed the unbelief and ignorance in these religious leaders.  Their question implied they saw His sinful company as a blight upon His character; it showed they did not believe sinners could be redeemed or Jesus unable to cleanse or change them.  Their response showed they did not believe Jesus Christ was the promised Messiah God sent to seek and save the lost. Jesus answered their query in Matthew 9:12-13 :  " When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance .”  Jesus pointed out the...

I had a great conversation with a new believer in Jesus who was saved this week, and we briefly discussed the importance of reading God's word to grow in maturity.  Just like we need to eat food to uphold the health and strength of our bodies, we need to regularly receive God's word to be strengthend in faith as we obey.  When we read the Bible, it can be quite foreign and strange to us because it is not the way we naturally think, God's ways and thoughts being higher than ours.  Careful reading ought to provoke questions in the spiritually hungry, and we will wonder with the disciples at time how things Jesus said could possibly be true. Reading the Bible with faith in God is key to receiving spiritual benefits from God's word, for divine truth is obscured and even appears foolish to the natural man.  It is important for us to allow the Bible to begin to frame our new worldview as children of God and disciples of Jesus Christ rather than imposing our own opinions up...

One aspect of God's character I love is His ability to redeem what we consider avoidable and even unredeemable.  I read a poem in a book titled, "The Saints Should Never Be Dismayed."  While this is a  true statement, we could spend our time beating ourselves up for doing what we never should do--or we could thank God He uses our being dismayed to draw us to Himself.  In the parable of the Prodigal Son, the relationship between the father and son was enriched by the son leaving, losing his inheritance, and choosing to return to his father he trusted to treat him well.  Having always enjoyed the blessings of his father's house he didn't realise how good his father was until he found himself in want.  Sheep should not wander from the Good Shepherd, and sons should not show such disrespect to their fathers, yet God rejoices when the lost are found.  When we are dismayed, let us remember to turn to the LORD. Below is the aforementioned hymn written by Will...

As I tend to think in concrete terms, it was always difficult for me in my younger days to understand what Christians meant when they spoke about "fruit."  Because the Bible spoke about spiritual fruit in a figurative sense, it seemed a very subjective standard legalistic-leaning people were pleased to spell out.  I remember kids in our youth group debating whether we had a responsibility to be "fruit inspectors," that we were the ones qualified to determine whether others were living up to a biblical standard.  While the Bible does provide a clear contrast between obvious works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5 , being able to identify faults in others did nothing to ensure we faithfully walked in the Spirit ourselves! Reading what Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount would have been very helpful for me to read in regards to His warning about false prophets.  He said in Matthew 7:15-20 :  “ Beware of false prophets, who come to you in ...

Jesus exposed the hypocrisy in people who worshipped God in vain, for their motivation was to seek glory from men.  They wanted to be recognised and credited for their piety, to be seen and known as devout and honourable men in the synagogue and society.  The attention they hoped to gain from fickle men for their actions was their meagre reward, and God dismissed them as hypocrites.  The recurring theme Jesus presented addressed the motives of His disciples in giving, praying and fasting, and Jesus assured obedience to God in secret will certainly be seen by God who rewards openly. Jesus said to His disciples in Matthew 6:1-4:   " Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.  2 Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I sa...

During the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told His disciples they were the salt of the earth.  He alluded to the purpose of salt for seasoning food to improve flavour, for flavourless salt is good for nothing.  Clearly tasteless salt lacked the chemical properties of real salt, as genuine sodium chloride always retains its savour.  Salt was relied upon to preserve meat and flavour foods, and "salt" that lacked flavour was proved to be a worthless substitute. Jesus continued in the same vein in verses that followed in  Matthew 5:14-16 :  " You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  15   Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  16   Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven ."  A city built on a hill would be visible because the man-made structure stood out from s...

Toilet training is a rite of passage for parents of young children.  It can be challenging to train little ones to learn to stop playing and use the toilet in the bathroom.  Training children to wake up and go to the toilet at night takes things to another level!  I remember we had friends over who had a toddler still in nappies who we all observed crouching under a table and was strangely still while kids happily ran around.  Within moments he was back to playing with friends--which soon came to an end when he was picked up by a parent because he needed a nappy change. This week while preparing for a Bible study, this memory came flooding back with conviction and spiritual insight.  We studied and discussed Psalm 102 which has this description in my Bible:  " A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed and pours out his complaint before the LORD ."  At times we have all been afflicted, felt overwhelmed and poured out our complaints, but I was c...

In his first epistle, Peter reminded Christians that God's eyes are on the righteous and His ears are open to their prayers--but His face is against those who do evil.  1 Peter 3:13-16 then says, " And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good?  14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you are blessed. "And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled."  15  But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;  16  having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed ."  The apostle urged believers not to be afraid or troubled by threats of others.  When we are questioned concerning our convictions, beliefs and lifestyle, we can share our reasons with a good conscience with meekness. Peter did not say Christ...

Early in my Christian walk, it was common vernacular to say someone was "on fire" for God because of their overt zeal and passion for Christ.  I heard it preached if you were not "on fire" for God, something was wrong with your relationship with God.  This was a source of confusion for me because it seemed to be subjective.  Another problem was it was often determined by comparison with other Christians and was dependent on what we did.  A Christian could be deemed "on fire" because they were more enthusiastic than their peers.  Could it just be an outgoing personality? Another issue I found difficult to navigate was the terminology concerning being "on fire" was not typically taught from Scripture.  The verses I remember people using to emphasise this need to be "on fire" quoted the words of John the Baptist who spoke of Jesus who would baptise with the Holy Spirit and fire.  Some might have alluded to when the Holy Spirit came upon Ch...

Without faith it is impossible to please God, and those who have placed their faith in Jesus will often be challenged to trust God more than we ever imagined.  All who are born again Christians have trusted in Jesus for forgiveness and salvation, yet our tendency is to continue to rely on our own understanding, to operate within the realm of what seems possible.  One amazing aspect of our God is He is the God of the impossible, for when there is no human solution He can easily accomplish what we never thought to ask or entered our minds. In the book True Discipleship by William MacDonald, there is a great excerpt credited to C.H. Mackintosh that bears repeating: "Faith brings God into the scene, and therefore it knows absolutely nothing of difficulties--yea, it laughs at impossibilities.  In the judgment of faith, God is the grand answer to every question--the grand solution of every difficulty.  It refers all to Him; and hence it matters not in the least to faith w...

Recently I was given a great reminder of the importance of our reference point.  I have been working on a small retaining wall lately, and it has been challenging puzzle to solve.  I have spent days and nights trying to come up with the ideal layout, materials and drainage to retain soil as well as keep water from flowing into the garage.  Our soil tends to drain quite well, but when we have a massive downpour the surface water needs a place to go quickly--or else it will rush right into the garage. I decided to go with concrete sleepers rather than a block wall, and it was no small undertaking to find a local supplier with the material I was looking for.  After many trips picking up gravel and concrete, I dug the post holes and encountered some unexpected complications.  The area I was digging into had drainage pipes running through it I needed to be careful to avoid.  I was not able to place posts hard against the footing of the garage because the foundat...

After Jesus washed the feet of His disciples, He explained to them in  John 13:13-15 :  " You call me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am.  14   If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.  15   For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you ."  The things Jesus did as Master and LORD set an example He intended His disciples to follow.  This is not always true for children who watch their dad light a fire or their mother stir frying using a wok on a hot burner.  When Jesus washed feet, it was the task all the disciples figured was beneath them and best left to others.  That was the task Jesus embraced for the good of all, and He commanded each of them to follow His example in humble service of one another.  The fact Jesus has filled Christians with the Holy Spirit means we are able to discern opportunities our flesh cannot, and He empow...

During the 90's in San Diego, there was an investigative journalist on KUSI named Michael Turko who responded to consumer complaints.  His segment called " The Turko Files " was a big hit, and he was known for shouting, "It ain't right!" as he made waves to set things right.  He was a consumer advocate who brought shady business dealings to light.  Even if those who complained did not receive just compensation, Turko used his platform to expose fraudulent practices and push for justice. Despite laws, written policies, training of employees and aims to provide quality goods and services, mistakes will be made and customers can be short-changed or cheated.  When it comes to business, government, relationships and life in general, there are no shortage of things which could lead us to rightly say, "That's wrong!"  Many times there is nothing we can do to change the past or things that seem unfair to us today--like restrictions or bans on items, ex...

I've been reading through the book of Zechariah in the mornings, and it is impressive how often messianic prophecies connected to Jesus by the Gospel penmen pop up.  The fulfillment of biblical prophecy supplies strong evidence of the veracity and trustworthiness of Scripture.  Bible prophecy is not like general predictions people make, who proudly claim they "called it" when they were not specific and ignore the fact they also contradicted themselves numerous times.  In God's word, He provided many statements over a thousand years meticulously recorded for our benefit so we could identify the promised Messiah and Son of God Jesus who is the Saviour of the world.  The New Testament in many places expressly states how Old Testament prophecy was and will be fulfilled by Christ, and here are a few examples. Zechariah 9:9 states, " Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salv...

Slowly but surely I have been making progress on little projects around our house.  There's been ongoing patching and painting, setting pavers, improving drainage and recently I have been constructing a small retaining wall.  Between ongoing maintenance, church-related work and projects around the house, it has been a very busy season of methodically chipping away at tasks with slow, almost undiscernible progress. After I set forms on Saturday to pour concrete, the thought crossed my mind to do a bit of concreting on Sunday afternoon to have a jump on Monday's tasks.  A conversation I had yesterday at church gave me pause, however, as I was reminded how the things we do--or choose to wait to do--can be done unto the LORD.  Growing up, as a family we always abstained from doing physical labour on Sunday beyond going to church morning and night.  This was something I carried over into my working career as a witness for Jesus in the workplace, that when interviewin...

There are certain words that are commonly found in the Bible and nowhere else.  We do not hear people in business, politics or in casual conversation use such words, nor do we see them in advertisements or on signs of protesters.  One such word is "lovingkindness" that describes the faithful love and kindness of God combined at full strength.  As if this is not a sufficient description, we can also observe a plural version of "lovingkindnesses" (which spell check flagged as incorrect!) as found in  Psalm 25:6 :  " Remember, O LORD , Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindnesses, f or they are from of old ."   Because God is awesome and words can only begin to portray the vastness of His love, goodness, mercy and favour, lovingkindness is a word that attempts to describe our indescribable God. Last night I was reminded of one of those looping scripture songs that were especially popular in the 70's and 80's taken from  Psalm 63:3-4 :  " B...

When women went to the tomb of Jesus to anoint His dead body, an angel asked them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead?"  After His decease they noted the correct location where the body of Jesus was laid, yet because He rose from the dead they were looking in the wrong place.  It struck me how people can do a similar thing in their desire to hear a word from the LORD.  Our modern mindset can be to view something "old" as outdated or unsupported and the "new" is superior.  People easily become bored with the familiar, and they look to something new to grab their interest.  God forbid we would take this approach with the Bible, the timeless word of God! Looking back upon the history of Israel, God revealed Himself to the Jews and gave them His Law.  Though afraid when His presence appeared at Mt. Sinai, their awe and fear of the glorious living God seemed to wear off quickly.  We observe when people like the high priest Eli or King Saul refused t...

When my dad worked in construction, it was common for him to take weeks off work during the year to pack up his tools and help repair and rebuild homes destroyed by hurricanes in the south with International Relief Teams .  He paid his own airfare and took unpaid leave to bless and help others pick up the pieces after hurricane Andrew and Katrina.  One might think my dad thought much of himself with all the time, money and comfort he sacrificed to use his God-given talents to help others near or far in Jesus' name.  He didn't.  In fact, he told me about a time he was convicted over an alarm clock of all things. Best I can recall, there was a trip he went on with IRT when he either forgot his alarm clock or it wasn't working properly.  He never had a "smart" phone to use as an alarm, so he was annoyed to be without it.  In the midst of his frustration, he shared with me how the LORD gently spoke to his heart:  "You don't trust me to wake you up?"  ...

During the reign of King Darius in Persia, God-fearing people who resettled in Bethel sent word to the prophet Zechariah with a question:  should they continue to fast on the 5th month as they had while in captivity in Babylon?  We are not told precisely what their motive was that prompted this question.  Perhaps fasting seemed unnecessary since they were back in the land of their inheritance.  Would God be displeased if they left off this tradition they had kept dutifully for decades?  Was there any benefit of fasting any longer? Zechariah 7:4-7 states, " Then the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying,  5 "Say to all the people of the land, and to the priests: 'When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months during those seventy years, did you really fast for Me--for Me?  6 When you eat and when you drink, do you not eat and drink for yourselves?  7 Should you not have obeyed the words which the LORD proclaimed through...

Humility and meekness are characteristics of God's people who are led by the Holy Spirit in wisdom.  Jesus humbled Himself by coming to earth in the likeness of mankind, made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Himself the form of a servant.  Serving was a way God demonstrated His active love that gives with the good of others in mind.  On the night Jesus was betrayed, He girded Himself with a towel and washed the disciples' feet and provided an example we all should follow.  Then Jesus gave His own blood on Calvary's cross and demonstrated His love for sinners--for you and me--by dying to provide atonement.  God is exalted and glorious above all, and all authority and power is His, yet He always remains humble and meek at the same time.   James 3:13 says, " Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom ."  In Jesus we observe One who has all wisdom and understanding,...