Marching Forth!

Jesus taught His disciples in  Mark 4:23-25 :  " Then He said to them, "Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.  25   For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him ."  This teaching is affirmed in a parable Jesus told of a master who delivered talents to his servants according to their ability, and while he was away two of his servants doubled the amount given while the lazy, wicked servant buried his talent in the ground.  It was given to the servant who had 10 talents, and it is wise management of resources to take away the talent from the lazy servant and give it to the one who had been faithful. In this passage, Jesus taught those who hear Him--and the implication is to heed all He says--will be given more from Him.  Those who do not listen, however, what he has will be taken away from him....

There are many biblical terms Christians can use that are disconnected from practical experience.  This is reasonable for it is difficult to translate the spiritual meaning into practical applications without dumbing it down to a formula to follow.  As little kids we had the idea the very important part of prayer is to bow our heads, fold hands and close our eyes when these in a spiritual sense are not even requirements to have an audience with the Almighty.  These directives were more practical than spiritual:  bowing our heads was a show of respect, closing our eyes prevented us from being distracted by what we could see, and folding our hands meant we would not be touching others or fidgeting with objects.  From a biblical perspective, the posture of our bodies was never as important as the condition and posture of our hearts in the sight of God. As we continue to read the Bible and grow in understanding, we begin to separate style from substance, identify tr...

I was struck by the first part of God's command to His people in  Exodus 22:29 (LSB) :  " You shall not delay the offering from the fullness of your harvest and the juice of your wine vat.  The firstborn of your sons you shall give to Me."   According to the blessing of the LORD upon His people, they were guided to give.  The command for the Hebrews under the Law of Moses to bring tithes and offerings to God is well-known, but this command not to delay bringing it may be less known.  To delay doing what is right can lead us to forget or put off doing it altogether. Another reason God's people were not to delay in bringing the fulness of their harvest and juice of their vats was the priests and Levites were dependent on offerings to provide for the service of the house of God, for drink offerings that were required by Law.  A portion of what was brought to the temple was also provision of food and drink for those serving in the tabernacle or temple...

It is important when reading, interpreting and applying Scripture we realise no verses or books of the Bible are intended to stand alone, to be understood apart from the immediate context or other verses that complement it.  The Bible contains the word of God spoken to a specific audience which can reveal the unchanging character and promises of God that can be applied to the reader.  I have heard it estimated about 30% of the Bible is comprised of prophecies that can have multiple fulfilments.  Those who fear and trust God ought to take Him at His word, and exposure to the whole Bible with a sound hermeneutic is a valuable resource that prevents confusion and error.  Having the Holy Spirit within us is absolutely indispensable for Bible comprehension. Sunday at church we read Psalm 34:18-19 :  " The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, a nd saves such as have a contrite spirit.  19  Many are the afflictions of the righteous, b ut the LOR...

New South Wales has recently introduced legislation to abolish the "good character references" in sentencing for criminal offences.  Previously when someone was found to be guilty of committing a crime by a court, they could supply "good character references" which would be taken into account and likely minimise the punishment doled out by the court.  People could use their prior good social standing or personal connections to reduce their culpability.  Their past good conduct or ability to find others to write positive descriptions of their character in no way lessens the severity of the crime committed and should not remove strong consequences criminal activity deserves.  Our deeds are better indicators of our character than what people say about us. It may be a surprise to some, yet God's word sets a precedent for this positive change.  God said the wicked man who turned from his ways and did good would be pardoned, yet the one who turned from righteousness a...

" The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, a nd saves such as have a contrite spirit ." Psalm 34:18 Contrition for sin is an important facet of genuine repentance.  When we were kids, the snide tone or snarky  way people said sorry were reasons to reject an apology as insincere.  We wanted people to at least act like they cared when they were apologising for doing wrong.  Conviction of having done wrong is not just a thought that passes through our minds but includes a recurring stab of regret or unsettled feeling inside of us.  The Bible says David's "heart smote him" after he cut off the corner of Saul's robe.  Though he did not kill him as was suggested by his men, his guilty conscience would not let the act pass unnoticed and without repentance. Contrition is not beating oneself up for doing wrong, for this can be from pride as much as anything.  Webster defined "contrition" as:  " 1)  The act of grinding or rubbing to powd...

In Ezekiel 15 , God compared the usefulness of a vine to a tree in doing work and making things.  From the wood of a tree, boards can be milled and structures can be built.  Wood from trees would have been used to make many things:  carts, tools, doors, furniture, crates, ships, musical instruments and much more!  In stark contrast, the building potential of a vine was nil.  Trying to make dowels out of the soft runners would be a pointless waste of time.  In regards to doing work, what the vine was best suited for was to be burned in the fire.  At least it could provide a bit of fuel for a short time until it was reduced to ash. God spoke through the prophet in  Ezekiel 15:6-7:   " Therefore thus says the Lord GOD : 'Like the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so I will give up the inhabitants of Jerusalem;  7 and I will set My face against them. They will go out from one fir...

I grew up in an era where action movie heroes were popular that featured muscled actors like Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger who barged into trouble with guns blazing.  For 90 minutes, viewers were treated to stunts, explosions and cringeworthy puns as the body count rapidly multiplied.  Today the ladies have taken centre stage to fill the role of the tough, death-defying and emotionally impotent heroines who take the lives of human beings and aliens as casually as we take a sip of water.  It is exceedingly rare to see a modern film where action heroes betray a shred of what could be considered fear when there is only a step between them and death.  This could be seen as weakness , and we can't have that! In Braveheart (a work of fiction loosely based on history), I found it refreshing for the courageous protagonist William Wallace, on the eve of his execution, to be shown on his knees in prayer to God and confessing he was afraid.  He prayed G...

There is a local bridge that attracted the attention of a community Facebook group due to an odd reason.  Someone, for some reason, had climbed the supports of the bridge to fly an Australian flag.  Days passed and I was surprised an individual or local council had not had it taken down.  From a liability standpoint, it makes sense to remove the flag to deter additional people from risking their health in scaling the bridge to fly a flag.  When the flag was finally removed, people on the online forum noticed and the majority lamented it was gone.  Overnight, on each side of the bridge Australian flags were attached near the footpath.  After these were taken down, 10 Australian flags took their vacant spot--5 on each side! The bridge was flag-free until around Australia Day when one Australian and Australian Aboriginal flag were displayed by one another on each side of the bridge.  It wasn't too long until the Australian flags were taken down, but the A...

I have seen pictures of religious annual festivals where people traditionally re-enact the crucifixion with people nailed to a cross.  It is one thing to do a stage production where the crucifixion of Jesus is shown, but for me it goes too far to shed real blood in a demonstration when Jesus already shed all His blood to provide atonement once for all sinners when He laid down His life ( Hebrews 10:10 ).  The cutting and piercing of the flesh was a pagan practice in the Old Testament and was forbidden for God's people in the Law of Moses, and the mutilation of the body does nothing to sanctify anyone or honour God by obedience.  The aspect of crucifixion not copied in the festival was the whole point of the brutal Roman method of execution:  the killing of a person. Perhaps some view people with hands nailed to crosses as pious and devout to voluntarily suffer such pains out of devotion to Christ.  I am reminded of Paul's words to believers who put themselves un...

The choices we make are more indicative of our convictions and beliefs than what we say.  Many times we have observed people rail against evils in society or the church who are later exposed as partakers of those very things.  Perhaps being outspoken against a particular sin is an attempt to distract from their  own indulgence in it or is a vain attempt to convince themselves of something being sin they want to avoid because their flesh finds it alluring.  Since we cannot plumb the depths of the hearts of mankind, we can only guess concerning the motivation or intentions of others, and it is infinitely more profitable to honestly examine our own hearts, repent of sin and seek to do what pleases God than guesswork about others.  What is in our hearts will find its way out, for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The Bible shows how actions speak truer than words.  Yesterday I read a passage that illustrates this fact in  Exodus 9:20-21 t...

How indescribably good is the blessing all Christians have in God's word delivered to us!  Sometimes when I read words written in a message or email it is impossible to decipher the tone or the intent of the writer.  I have read bios that give details about a person but I still do not know them at all.  There have also been many people I thought I knew who ended up being completely unlike my assessment or changed so drastically they were a stranger known in name alone.  God and His word do not change, and therefore what God has revealed about Himself can be known and relied upon.  Adopting a worldview with the lens of Scripture guides us to discern truth from error. Recently I was told of a situation that illustrates this well.  Many times God-fearing people believe God has spoken to them, and while God is never wrong--sometimes we are.  I heard of a conversation between believers where one person believed God had said they would always be alone, and ...

Recently I watched a couple of films that bore a strong resemblance to one another.  Both had female protagonists who were independent (but had the support and friendship of an animal), were disobedient to authority, and headstrong.  Though the films had different directors, they both emphasised the repeated choices of the heroine in the tales to refuse to do as they were told, to disregard societal norms as despicable constraints, and went on to either kill or become what the masses feared.  Both these girls were visionaries, seeing what other people could not, overcame their naysaying peers, and avoided negative consequences for their rebellious ways.  Following their own hearts and going their own way worked out in the end with their desires being satisfied. The irony in both the stories was the girls who wanted to go alone couldn't succeed alone--not that they ever came to that realisation.  The parallel plot and themes between the films demonstrated how unp...

When I consider creation and all God has made, it is evident He thought of everything.  The more we learn and discover concerning our galaxy, planet, living things, cells and all else that is studied and marvelled over, there is order, an array of complex systems and invaluable interactions we observe.  It is saying something where there is ongoing research into how things work so well in nature with an aim to design and manufacture products that can begin to approach this impossibly high level of function.  Sheer chance and random processes cannot reasonably account for the stability of elements, the information packed in a living cell, and the existence of plants, creatures and people that reproduce after their own kind. Based on these observations and many more, it is easy for me to ascribe the wisdom, power and foresight required to create our world and all that is in it to the living God revealed in the Bible.  Nothing the eternal and all-powerful God says or do...

Recently there has been an uptick in reports of young people riding illegal e-bikes on the street, and it seems the authorities are unsure what to do about it.  On Friday I saw a group of youths riding on the street as they dangerously weaved through traffic.  Youths on motorbikes in NSW have been emboldened of late because the police will not pursue them due to safety concerns.  The problem is, those who are guilty of dangerous, unlawful driving are not caught and believe they are within their rights to hoon around with impunity.  Apparently, this problem will be addressed by new legislation later this year to limit the kind of e-bikes people can buy or operate--and "crush" bikes that exceed the speed limitations--that is, if the authorities can catch them! The problem I see of dealing with hooning by more legislation is that laws on the books are not being presently upheld.  How will more laws do anything to aid the enforcement of current laws?  Adding m...

I recently read an article from the perspective of a marriage psychologist who said one of the most surefire evidence of a marriage in trouble was when the couple openly shows contempt for one another.  Webster defined "contempt" in the 1828 Dictionary as:  " The act of despising; the act of viewing or considering and treating as mean, vile and worthless; disdain; hatred of what is mean or deemed vile. This word is one of the strongest expressions of a mean opinion which the language affords ."  Contempt is the opposite of love, for it is hardened hatred, disgust and without regard or respect for another person.  Contempt is the fruit of unresolved conflict, bitterness, and resentment, and this corrupt outlook reveals a lack of love and grace. It has been said that "Familiarity breeds contempt," but it has also been observed a closer relationship with someone can result in greater appreciation and mutual respect.  Should our relationships be soured becau...

" Am I a God near at hand," says the LORD , "and not a God afar off?  24  Can anyone hide himself in secret places, s o I shall not see him?" says the LORD ; "Do I not fill heaven and earth?" says the LORD ." Jeremiah 23:23-24 God is omnipresent and omniscient:  before there was time on earth God was everywhere and knowing all things--even beyond our universe.  Solomon and the children of Israel knew God's presence was not contained to the Holy of Holies or a temple made with hands.  At the same time, the temple was viewed as a focal point of God's attention because His presence dwelt among His people.  Wherever Jews were in the world, they prayed in the direction of the temple in Jerusalem to acknowledge their God who rules over all. God made it clear to Jeremiah He was not merely a God near at hand but also afar off.  There was no place where anyone could hide from His presence, for He filled heaven and earth.  Not one sparrow could fall...

When I was in high school, for 3 years I was part of the cross country team that competed against other schools in a weekly 5K run.  Over 3 decades have passed since I raced, and this morning I decided to run the 5K fun run course our suburb hosts every week.  Let's just say, long gone are the days of running 30-40 miles a week for training that kicked off with an easy 7 or 8 minute warm up before stretching!  I was pleased simply to continue jogging nonstop for first half and averaged 10 minutes a mile throughout.  While I was jogging, puffing and walking, the LORD brought some observations to mind concerning the race of life God has prepared for all of His people to run with joy. I was never close to being the fastest, most technically sound or best runner on my cross country team, and yet there is a massive contrast between my ability and endurance back then compared to now.  The same can be true concerning our walk with Jesus Christ, that we can go from ener...

Sometimes a verse spoken out of context can provide impetus to study and analyse passages of Scripture more carefully.  It seems people are pleased to quote fragments from the Bible to condemn others, justify themselves or to gain credibility--even when they think little of God or the Bible as a whole.  For instance, I read a news article that quoted from John 8:32 where Jesus said, " The truth shall set you free ."  The writer went on to list things the passage did not say.  Infinitely more important than what the Bible does not say is what God does say and the message Jesus intended to convey. In the passage that preceded this well-known quote, Jesus proclaimed He was the light of the world.  The Pharisees opposed Jesus, and they complained He bore witness of Himself and thus His witness was not true.  Later people asked Jesus who He was really in  John 8:25-32 :  " Then they said to Him, "Who are You?" And Jesus said to them, " Just what I ...