Marching Forth!

God is more than impressive, for He is awesome beyond comprehension.  It is amazing God our Creator has revealed Himself to us in the person of Jesus Christ, speaks to us in His word, and helps guide us by the power of the Holy Spirit.  His ways and thoughts are completely above ours, and at most we merely perceive the edges of His marvellous works ( Job 26:14 ).  Because the divide between God's miraculous abilities and ours is so vast, we often bring Him down to our size through unbelief.  When we feel helpless, we assume help cannot be found.  God is not always presently in the front of our minds, so we tend to lean on our own understanding and abilities rather than placing our confidence in God. I was immeasurably blessed by a passage I recently read in  Jeremiah 33:19-22 :  " And the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying,  20  "Thus says the LORD : 'If you can break My covenant with the day and My covenant with the night, so that t...

" Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying,  27  "Behold, I am the LORD , the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me ?" Jeremiah 32:26-27 At Bible study last night we discussed how God's thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways are not our ways; He is altogether higher and His plans are beyond us in every aspect, for the LORD God who created all things rules over everything.  One of the great difficulties people face who personally believe and know God is that He answers our prayers in ways we could not have predicted.  God's greatness defies our expectations and always exceeds them immeasurably.  Though we know this, we would be lying when God does His wonders to say, "I knew it!"  We would be better served simply praising God who is awesome and wonderful in all His ways. The question God asked Jeremiah was a rhetorical question the prophet and all God's people ought to take to heart.  In theory we ascribe to the absolut...

After Job suffered tremendous personal loss and was afflicted with boils head to toe, his wife was incredulous he clung to his integrity.  She scornfully said, "Curse God and die!"  His response is provided in  Job 2:10 :  " But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips ."  Despite his pain and troubles, Job did not accuse God of doing wrong or sin with His lips.  He praised God who gave him life rather than cursing Him.  Though Job did not understand why such awful things befell him, he was convinced God remained only good. This morning I was reading in the book of  Micah how God would come down to the earth with the mountains melting before His presence like wax before flame and that the valleys would be torn in two.  The God of Israel would reduce the capital city of Samaria to a heap, throw down the...

Last night at Bible study we discussed the crucifixion and burial of Jesus in Matthew 27 .  Typically Roman crucifixion was reserved for the worst criminals, and after being taken down from the cross their bodies were treated as unclean refuse and left to rot.  Matthew tells us a wealthy disciple of Jesus named Joseph of Arimathea went to Pilate and asked for His body.  After Jesus was confirmed dead by Romans, Joseph was granted permission to take the body of Christ. Matthew 27:59-60 says, " When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,  60  and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed ."  The Gospel of John adds in  John 19:39-42 :  " And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds.  40  Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips...

I read a passage in Jonah this morning that illustrates the tendency of people to rely on his own strength to save themselves.  After Jonah attempted in vain to flee by ship from God who commanded him to go to Nineveh and preach against the city, the LORD whipped up a tremendous storm.  The mariners feared for their lives and threw their cargo overboard to save themselves as they each cried out to their gods.  The captain roused sleeping Jonah (ironically sleeping and silent when only his God hears and answers prayer), and it was determined by lot he was responsible for the tempest.  He admitted he had brought disaster upon them by disobedience to God.  The terrified men asked what they needed to do to restore calm. Jonah 1:12-13 says, " And he said to them, "Pick me up and throw me into the sea; then the sea will become calm for you. For I know that this great tempest is because of me."  13  Nevertheless the men rowed hard to return to land, but t...

As a spectator, I have watched world-class athletes have what we call in Australia a "shocker."  My eyebrows went up recently when I saw clip from a baseball game when a routine ground ball skipped by an excellent outfielder and roll all the way to the wall, allowing 4 runs when it should have been only one or two.  It was surprising to see a player of such calibre make such a fundamental error, but we have all failed to execute simple tasks we know we are capable of doing--whether on the sports field, while cooking dinner, at work or school.  Today I had a bit of a shocker at church when I sent the wrong verses to the sound team and then forgot to edit my own notes.  Let's just say, things did not run smoothly. Our God is glorious, perfect and majestic in all His ways without error, and He has chosen to use people who are flawed, weak instruments to serve Him and to do His will.  It is fitting that we do our best to honour God by applying ourselves to give Him ...

There is a classic sketch where Bob Newhart is a therapist who repeatedly and agressively urges his client to "Stop it!" when she shares how fear is negatively affecting her life.  It would be wonderful if we could simply break the power of addictions, fear, worry and anxiety by willpower alone, but often our experience shows us we lack the ability to fundamentally change ourselves.  Newhart's character put the onus of change on his client who found herself unable to change--and that is why she sought professional help.  While the dialogue and delivery in the sketch is hilarious, it illustates how hopeless and helpless people can feel when their deliverance and healing depends upon them doing what they cannot do. I was very encouraged by a Bible passage I read recently in  Psalm 94:18-19 :  " If I say, "My foot slips," Your mercy, O LORD , will hold me up.  19  In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul ."  The p...

When it comes to ministry and money, I am very cognisant it can be a huge stumbling block to people inside and outside the church.  I find persistent fundraising appeals by Christian ministries can feel like harassment, and it is disgusting when preachers dangle financial prosperity for those who give to support their lavish lifestyle.  In fitness culture, people put stock in the chiseled or ripped physique of their trainer at the gym, and at some churches people are drawn by professional productions, opulent wealth, and prosperity of pastors because they desire to obtain those results for themselves.  Unfortunately the "gospel" put forth by some is a false gospel, for it shifts the focus from Christ and all He has done to ourselves, our entitlements, and how to be prosperous now. Though envy, greed and selfishness can creep into a person, ministry or a church, this does not invalidate the responsibility and privilege of Christians to regularly and gladly give according t...

I remember watching a show that interviewed centenarians and to what they credited with their advanced age.  The ironic thing was many of them admitted habits and choices of food and drink that would not be considered healthy--like smoking cigars and cigarettes, eating chocolate, drinking beer, and downing shots of whisky or Worcestershire sauce.  There were some healthier habits credited, like walking, swimming and dancing, but for the large part I doubt there was any medical or scientific evidence to support things people swore by. In God's wisdom, Jesus came to earth and did miraculous works and signs that could not possibly be attributed to anything or anyone other than Him.  When else did mud placed on the eyes cure blindness?  At what point in history did water turn to quality wine in an instant?  There was no formula Jesus followed, no magic incantations, amulets, charms or gathering of obscure items to bring cures.  His power over demons, illnesses,...

Sometimes I think about how different life would be if the country I lived was ruled by a king and all people were subject to him.  Needless to say, it would be so different from what I am accustomed to it is impossible to fully grasp the implications.  In Bible times, kingdoms flourished or were run into the ground due to how the king ruled.  Subjects in large part were at the mercy of their king who held their lives in his hand with God-given authority to administer justice upon evildoers and to reward faithful servants. King Nebuchadnezzar was a man who was not at all squeamish to rule with unchallenged might and power.  Those who served him well could be promoted, but any who offended or opposed him would be destroyed immediately.  The king was used to having his way, and when he gave a command the wise among his people took him seriously.  This was evident after he made an image of gold in the plain of Dura, and he commanded all his officials to gather...

" For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.  8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us ." Romans 5:7-8 One thing I enjoyed at the San Diego County Fair was to watch demonstrations of various products.  People crowded around a fellow with a headset who demonstrated the sharpness of a knife by slicing a tomato, and then sawed the sole of a boot in half and drew it across raw metal to produce shavings.  People were amazed when he went back to the tomato and sliced it perfectly.  People were drawn in by the demonstration, and seeing the sharpness of the knives before their eyes prompted people to pull out their wallets to buy the wonder blades. When Jesus was crucified outside the city of Jerusalem, all sorts of people flocked to see the Roman execution.  As they watched the proceedings--cruelly designed for agonising pain and humiliation-...

This morning's sermon contained a warning from God to the children of Israel who departed from God through idolatry without repentance.  Through the prophet the LORD said in  Jeremiah 27:14-15 , " Therefore do not listen to the words of the prophets who speak to you, saying, 'You shall not serve the king of Babylon,' for they prophesy a lie to you;  15  for I have not sent them," says the  LORD , "yet they prophesy a lie in My name, that I may drive you out, and that you may perish, you and the prophets who prophesy to you ."  False prophets were saying articles taken from the temple would soon be returned and they would not serve Nebuchadnezzar.  God said if His people believed the lie and refused to submit to the yoke He fashioned for them--to serve the king of Babylon--He would forcefully drive them from the land He gave them as an inheritance.  If they would not submit to God's word voluntarily, they would be driven to go where they did not wa...

During the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught what is commonly called the "Golden Rule" to His disciples in  Matthew 7:11-12 :  " If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!  12   Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets ."  God is good and the generous source of all good things.  Jesus pointed out since sinners are able to give good gifts to their children, our heavenly Father is infinitely more inclined and able to give good things to those who make their requests known to Him. Because God gives good gifts to those who ask Him, Jesus said whatever we want others to do to us, we ought to do also to them.  The opposite of this can be true.  If there is something we do not appreciate, we avoid doing the same to them--even if it seems they deserve such treatment.  When I ...

As I was driving the other day, I saw a family walking on the foopath parallel to my car.  I was stopped at a red light, and dad was leading the way.  What I noticed right away was the boy who followed behind his dad, imitating in an exaggerated fashion dad's normal gait with swaying shoulders and swinging arms.  The way he was walking did not look like his dad to me, but he clearly was doing his best to copy him.  His extra long strides, carefully timed to his father's steps, made his head bob up and down as he tried to keep pace with his shorter legs. It is natural for young children who look up to their parents to imitate them, to want to be like them.  This also ought to be true for those who are made children of God by faith in Jesus Christ.  John 1:11-13 says of Jesus, " He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.   12  But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His nam...

Fulfilled prophesies provide strong evidence for the veracity of the Bible and demonstrate God's power to know and do all He has promised.  It is one thing to accurately predict the outcome of a game, whether a medical treatment will be effective, or how tall someone will grow to be, but it is entirely another thing to predict something that is obviously impossible.  Speaking of His physical body, Jesus said to those who questioned His authority:  " Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up ."  The apostle remarked in  John 2:22 , " Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said ."  We observe Jesus and the Scripture foretold His death and resurrection, and the knowledge, promises and power Jesus displayed to do what is impossible moved people to believe in Him. This morning I read Ezekiel 37 when God used an illustratio...

My Bible reading in the evenings these days has been in the Legacy Standard Bible, a relatively new translation that seeks to " preserve the American Standard Version while incorporating recent discoveries of Hebrew and Greek textual sources and rendering it into more current English ."  The biggest difference from other versions I am familiar with is the heavy use of "Yahweh" in translating the Tetragrammaton rather than "LORD God."  Yesterday I came across another distinction, as the showbread in Exodus 39:36 was called, " the bread of the Presence ."  This refers to the 12 large loaves of holy and consecrated bread that were placed on the table of showbread on every Sabbath and were to be eaten by the priests in the holy place. The table of showbread was one of three articles in the holy place in the tabernacle along with the altar of incense and the lampstand (Menorah).  As I thought about all these articles, each one required maintenance:  ...

As a little kid at church, I remember hearing a lot of adults express a desire to preach in front of the congregation.  During the "Jesus People Movement" in southern California (I didn't know was a thing at the time), it was common for people to be saved and in some cases relatively quickly move into serving in pastoral ministry because of the volume of people coming to faith in Jesus.  For years I observed men regularly attend church for a season and become involved in serving, but when it seemed there were no openings or opportunities to be a pastor, they moved on.  I do not judge or condemn anyone for doing their best to follow God's leading.  People came and went, and I continued to encounter the perspective that to be most useful and profitable in a church, being a "full-time" pastor was the prime position.  Perhaps this calling would provide validation and respect people craved.  If that's what they hoped for, I suggest they would have been disapp...

Shortly after the death of Aaron the high priest, the Hebrews were discouraged as they took the long way around the land of Edom rather than passing through.  They spoke against God, Moses and said they loathed the food God provided daily.  Moses said God sent venomous snakes among the people that bit them, and as a result many people died.  Finally the people came to Moses and admitted their sin in the matter, and asked for Moses to pray God remove the snakes from them.  God gave a curious answer to Moses' prayer in  Numbers 21:8-9 :  " Then the LORD said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live."  9 So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived ." The people asked the snakes be taken away, yet God directed people to look upon the bronze serpent crafted by...

Because we are people with needs and desires, we need to be intentional to express thankfulness to God.  If we are primarily focused on what we lack, we might not consider how God has always been faithful to meet our needs--regardless how we feel at the moment.  When we focus on what others have and we do not have, we can become bitter and without gratitude for all God has done for us.  Should we focus on what we have, we are easily lifted up with pride when our possessions exceed others or we can feel down when we have little by comparison. I was reading through ministry material today that reminded me how thankfulness is worship.  When we worship God, freely giving Him the honour and glory He is due, it works to humble our hearts before God.  Those who humble themselves with thanksgiving and gratitude to God are those He will lift up.  We do not express gratitude to God with the aim to gain but with contentment and joy for who He is, all He has done and ...

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...