Marching Forth!

" It is not good to eat much honey; s o to seek one's own glory is not glory ." Proverbs 25:27 Honey is very sweet, and it is a sweetener we can feel sick of eating.  Previously in the chapter it said in  Proverbs 25:16 :  " Have you found honey? Eat only as much as you need,  l est you be filled with it and vomit ."  Some people do not process fructose well, and that may be a reason for nausea or vomiting from eating too much honey.   The days of Solomon were long before pasteurisation was a thing, and eating raw honey can also potentially expose eaters to natural toxins bees pick up from poisonous plants or flowers they visit.  I read of rare cases of people being allergic to honey due to the pollen source used by bees.  The point is, we can have too much of a good thing. With this is mind, Solomon used synonymous parallelism to connect seeking the praise of people.  We likely all appreciate being recognised or complimented for a jo...

" Cast your burden on the LORD , a nd He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved ." Psalm 55:22 When David wrote Psalm 55 , he was clearly burdened by many things, including a host of enemies, the oppression of the wicked, and betrayal by a friend.  Unable to fly away from his troubling situation or dread, he sought the LORD he knew would hear and answer him.  Toward the end of the song he turned his attention to the reader and urged all to cast their burdens on the LORD who would sustain those made righteous through faith in Him. To sustain means "to hold."  When people are burdened in a literal sense, it means we are carrying something.  I picture someone encumbered with bags after coming home from the shops or a person carrying a load of firewood on outstretched arms.  When doing work, we like to make our effort and time worthwhile.  Rather than making several trips, we might load an extra bag or log to finish the job more e...

The context of the book of Judges is a time marked by everyone doing what was right in their own eyes.  The focus is primarily on God's people who lived just like the heathen nations round about them.  Chapters 17-18 of Judges tell the story of Micah, a Levite from Bethlehem, and men from the tribe of Dan.  All the characters in the passage are unethical and immoral in their relationship to God and one another, everyone aiming to benefit themselves at the expense of God or their fellow man. Micah's religion was what we call in Australia a "dog's breakfast" because from a biblical perspective it was an absolute mess.  Micah embraced what many people still do today, imagining God would bless and benefit him because of his twisted efforts to honour Him.  Because he did not know God, Micah did not walk in the way God laid forth in the Law of Moses.  He made idolatrous images in violation of the law along with an ephod and consecrated one of his sons as his prie...

A sermon which impacted me greatly concerning the scourge of humanism and the believer's joyful duty to live for the glory of God is Ten Shekels and a Shirt by Paris Reidhead.  In the message he related an incident when a preacher came to him seeking the baptism with the Holy Spirit.  It seemed to Mr. Reidhead this man, who had been successful in Christian ministry without the aid of the Holy Spirit, desired God to be a means to his own end.  He identified with this fellow who came to him looking for God to empower his programs.  Paris related in the sermon: "I looked at the fellow, and you know what he looked like? ME. Just looked like me. I just saw in him everything that was in me. You thought I was going to say me before. No, listen dear heart, if you've ever seen yourself you'll know you're never going to be anything else than you were. "For in me and my flesh there's no good thing" ( Rom 7:18 )." Having adopted a humble posture before the ...

Today I preached at Calvary Chapel Sydney on 2 Corinthians 1:1-7 .  I have been richly blessed in preparing and considering the truths of that passage.  God gave me deeper understanding of His grace, mercy, and comfort through His Word.  It dawned on me how God blesses us whether we recognise it or not.  We can have confidence Paul demonstrated, that even in our trials He will certainly accomplish His redemptive work. When I think of "good works," I think of sacrificing, serving, or obeying God in some area of my life.  I think of things I choose to do because Christ's love has compelled me.  Yet I am learning sometimes a good work can be our response to situations over which we have little or no control.  It is a good work to endure hard times, trusting God has a plan and purpose He will accomplish despite my ignorance.  When Jesus endured the cross He did a good work.  Jesus did not do this for His own benefit, but His sacrifice accomplis...

For those who are interested to hear the background on the call upon my life in Australia, I invite you to visit this link to Calvary Chapel El Cajon's website.  On Friday I shared with those in attendance how God made my call to preach in Australia clear. What is so wonderful about our God is nothing will shift His call from our lives.  Situations can be fluid, changes seem abrupt, difficulties arise:  but the call of God remains.  When Jonah ran from the calling upon his life to preach in Nineveh he ended up in a storm, was thrown overboard, swallowed by a great fish in whose belly he remained for three days, and then was vomited out.  Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah to preach in Nineveh.  No change in calling.  Praise God that He is immutable, cannot be taught, and reigns over all!

Ever wondered how God can be completely just and yet forgive sinners? Tozer lays it down right and proper with this one: http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=823071654412 Click on the green "play" button to listen to the message by this anointed preacher.