Marching Forth!

I have yet to meet a genuine born again Christian who believes and is convinced he is able to save himself from hell by himself.  To become a Christian means we have confessed we are sinners in need of a Saviour, and Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah sent to seek and save the lost we have chosen to follow.  Like the Galatians who began well by receiving the Gospel yet tried to justify themselves by the works of the Law, there can be Christians who receive Christ and then live as if they can sanctify themselves and can overcome sins privately on their own by willpower--without fellowship with the Body of Christ, the church.  Since God has regenerated us with the Holy Spirit and made us members of one another, how can we operate or function effectively if we are effectively cut off from the Body? It is important to remember more than good theology is needed to learn to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily and follow Jesus.  If all that was needed after coming to ...

Of late I have been impressed with the ability of God to do exactly what He says He will do.  You can count on it:  when God says "I will" do something, there is no doubt He will do it in His time.  God is powerful enough to fulfil His word in the lives of flawed, weak people as well, like when He told Abraham that Sarah would have a son though they were both past the age of siring and bearing children.  The angel Gabriel said to the virgin Mary in  Luke 1:30-31 :  " Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.  31  And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS ."  Without sleeping with a man, Mary would conceive the Son of God Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Even when what God says is humanly impossible, He will be faithful to do it. Today I recalled when I first sensed God's call to pastoral ministry.  I never aspired or desired...

It is easy to recognise the great lengths Jesus Christ went to fulfill His divine purpose to seek and save sinners.  The Son of God willingly chose to put on human flesh and became like us, born of a woman.  Saddled in a human body with fleshly needs and desires, God experienced what it is like to not "feel" like doing something you should do.  Jesus is distinct from all other people on our planet because He always did the will of the Father gladly.  Consider what limitations God willingly put upon Himself to be contained in the body of a newborn in the womb of Mary before being born, was raised in a family, and was told what to do by imperfect people! God left His glorious habitation in heaven and came to earth in the person of Jesus.  There are some people who can afford to travel around the globe first class, but they would rather have others attend to such business.  They would rather stay where they are than go through the inconvenience and expense of ...

In a conversation recently it was brought up how well-meaning people have the idea they must do something to earn God's favour.  At a fundamental level, mankind assumes it falls to us to save ourselves, and our actions carry the most weight of importance.  Because God has created us with the ability to do many things, we naturally rely on ourselves and our own understanding to solve problems and work out a solution.  We imagine we must start doing something, stop doing something or give something to be blessed by God.  We can be depressed by feelings when we fail, and we can be so impressed with our efforts we think God must feel proud of us too. While there are legitimate, big problems in the world, one of the biggest foes a child of God will face in their Christian life is self.  The devil himself pales in comparison to the negative impact of our constantly present, naturally selfish, proud, worldly thinking, habit forming, and insatiable body of flesh we dwel...

Years ago I recall going to an event put on by a parachurch organisation because our church was provided complimentary tickets.  The high cost of the tickets was a concern.  I had never heard of the group before and wanted to investigate personally before considering it for a viable youth event.  A few of us ended up going, and we were not impressed.  What was hailed as a conference to help youth grow in their faith in Jesus turned out to be an extended infomercial.  Instead of praying with youth who went forward to profess faith in Christ, ministry leaders were directed to another room where we were inundated with advertisements and hype videos about upcoming events.  During the final session, buckets to collect offerings were sent around--twice. Despite the focus on marketing and fundraising efforts, ironically this parachurch organisation was declared bankrupt not long after.  The ministry engine that was running on youthful exuberance, volunteers w...

Reading God's word every day provides important reminders that guide our outlook and perspective.  We can be so dependent or reliant on our physical senses we neglect to consider ways God works and accomplishes His purposes in the world.  Every day we observe interactions which leave us wondering, amazed or confused, yet nothing is a surprise to God who knows and does all. My evening reading has been in the book of Judges  and the parts of the life of Gideon and his sons picture Bibles rarely cover.  Though Gideon feared God and trusted in Him, he erred by setting up an ephod in Ophrah fashioned from spoils of war that led to people being ensnared in idolatry.  Devoid of godly leadership after the death of Gideon, the people of Israel did not remember God who delivered them from their enemies on every side, nor did they show kindness to Gideon's house.  With the support of the men of Shechem, Abimelech the son of Gideon was proclaimed as king--something his...

Recently I noticed my ability to focus clearly in my dominant eye suddenly change, so I made an appointment with an optometrist.  It turned out it was not my imagination, for in the six months since obtaining new glasses one of my eyes had changed significantly.  Though unexpected, this was not a surprise as this change aligns with the diagnosis of a rare condition in the optic nerve I received many years ago.  To be sure there were no new problems, I went through a raft of tests which showed no sign for alarm, praise the LORD.  I am thankful to be able to have my vision corrected to see clearly, and God-willing my eyes will continue to serve me well. When I was being fitted for new frames, I spoke with an associate briefly concerning my condition which has no treatment or cure.  I expressed thanks to God for the eyes He has given me, and I will be blessed to use them as long as I can.  The associate shared a story she heard about a wealthy politician whose...

I had a friend who went to a chiropractor regularly for various adjustments, and for awhile he swore by the benefits he received--albeit temporary.  After time passed, however, he stopped going to his chiropractor due to negative side effects:  his thigh became permanently numb.  When the negative side effects outweighed the benefits of regular treatments at his chiropractor, he began to consider other options.  This illustrated to me how we can undergo treatments based on recommendations of others that do not benefit us in the long run.  I do not use this example as an indictment against alternative therapies or treatments, but to illustrate what offers relief from pain up front can result in numbness.  What was intended to help can lead to lasting harm. What can be physically true concerning therapies, remedies and medical treatments can be applied to our lives spiritually.  When philosophy, ideology or the wisdom of the world are substituted for the...

The history of Israel provided in the Bible reveals the responsibility God put upon parents to teach their children to know God and walk in His ways by their obedience.  After God reminded His people of His Law given to Moses,  Deuteronomy 5:32-33 tells us:  " Therefore you shall be careful to do as the LORD your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.  33  You shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God has commanded you, that you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall possess ."  Notice the manner of teaching was different than what we are accustomed to in schools or even in churches, where people are given a lecture or a sermon with words:  the way parents were to teach their children was by being careful to do as the LORD commanded them and to walk in all His ways. The LORD God revealed how obedience to His commands would benefi...

" If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.  25   And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand ." Mark 3:24-25 When scribes from Jerusalem made light of the miraculous deliverance Jesus wrought when He cast out demons, claiming Jesus cast out demons by the power of Satan, Jesus gave a simple illustration to show how ridiculous and foolish this claim was.  If Satan drove out demons, he would be actively undermining and destroying his own kingdom.  Before too long, he wouldn't have a kingdom, authority or subjects at all!  When a homeowner knows he is being robbed, he will rise and defend his household and property:  he will not gag or tie himself up and sit quietly in a corner.  To bind him requires someone stronger than himself, and Jesus is infinitely more powerful than Satan. Today I meditated upon the principle Jesus held forth in these verses concerning kingdoms and houses, that if divided against its...

Years ago I attended a conference at a church in Riverside that boasted a terrific lineup of well-known and influential pastors.  One of them told a memorable story that always stuck with me.  He shared while he was in seminary, a notable day for each student came when they were called upon to preach during chapel with all students in attendance.  What made this an especially momentous occasion was all the learned scholars and professors who taught at the seminary were present and provided individual feedback.  Needless to say, for many budding pastors wanting to impress their cohort and professors with their Scriptural acumen and oratory skill, this was their time to shine. The pastor said he spent a great deal of time preparing for his talk, and that there was one professor in particular he wanted to make a good impression on.  He prayed as he poured over the Bible and his notes for hours, and he spent a great deal of time and effort to perfect every aspect of...

During a holiday many years ago, I attended a Catholic Mass with a good friend who told me what to expect and do as the service went on.  When it came time to receive communion, he encouraged me to go forward with other parishioners and cross my arms to "receive a blessing" from the priest.  In good faith I followed the advice of my friend and did something I never observed anyone else do before.  The sign of the cross being waved over me was a little thing compared to the blessing that was already provided by Christ spoken of in Psalm 32:1 :  " Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered ."  Jeremiah 17:7 also reads, “ Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD ."  How blessed we are in Jesus Christ! The fact a blessing is made available during mass for visitors and those unable to partake of communion demonstrates people desire blessing.  We Christians frequently pray for blessing--that God would bl...

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 established immediately the divine nature and power of Jesus Christ, and 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 st...

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...

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...

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...

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?"  ...

People can have romantic notions about being more "serious" concerning their relationship with God.  This can include fanciful ideas of prolonged fasts, voluntarily giving up all hobbies for scripture memorisation, or doing something drastic like moving to Siberia.  I have heard people express they would have to pray or read the Bible more if they had a different role in the church, but I don't believe having a role with more responsibility does anything to fundamentally change a person.  God does not require outrageous things of His people, just simple obedience in following His example like it says in  Micah 6:8 :  " He has shown you, O man, what is good; a nd what does the LORD require of you  b ut to do justly,  t o love mercy,  a nd to walk humbly with your God ?" At Calvary Chapel Sydney we spoke about the Rechabites, how they were obedient to their father Jonadab hundreds of years later to not drink wine.  God used the Rechabites ...

It is a blessing Christians can reflect well upon God after we are born again by faith in Jesus.  Many times I have heard people testify it was the profound, positive change in a friend or spouse who gave his or her life to Jesus that was instrumental in them coming to follow and trust in Jesus themselves.  In my own family, the words of  1 Peter 3:1-2 were fulfilled in time after my mum was born again and transformed from within by the Holy Spirit:  " Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives,  2 when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear ."  My dad was not saved by faith in Jesus after being relentlessly Bible-bashed, but the love of Jesus expressed through his wife was instrumental in winning him over. People will know we are Christians by our love for one another, yet our conduct, attitudes and words can at times be far fro...