Marching Forth!

Experiencing fellowship with God today should be a Christian's prime focus.  Living in obedience to God is evidence that I am His, and He is mine.  Eternity weighed against the temporal is more important in a sense, but if I do not fear God and love Him today my sense of eternal security could be a product of self-deception.  If I genuinely love God, I will obey Him and desire to spend time with Him now and gratefully join with others in the Body of Christ in worship.  I will desire to have a deeper understanding of God and take practical steps to draw near to Him. 1 John 1:6-7 reads, " If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin ."  My theology does not assure me entrance to heaven, but the blood of Jesus Christ applied to my soul by grace throug...

Ultimately God is the One who prepares and sustains people in ministry whether locally or abroad.  There are unique challenges faced by those who are led to serve in a foreign field.  Recognising and preparing for these changes will aid you immensely in overcoming all by God's grace.  When shrubs or trees are transplanted they can experience shock, and moving a family across the ocean can be shocking as well.  But the glorious truth is Christ is the best husbandman, and the fruitful tree He prunes so it might bear more fruit. I never aspired to foreign ministry, but it is something God has called me to embrace.  Answering the call has been rewarding beyond belief.  Such aspirations will eventually end up disillusioning and burdensome when of the flesh.  Travel and living abroad has a romantic appeal to some, like a boy who becomes temporarily infatuated with a girl.  But those for whom God has opened a door no man can shut to a foreign field, h...

God is not looking for men but for a man, said J. Oswald Sanders in the classic Spiritual Leadership .  He seeks one person to fully surrender to the work of the Holy Spirit within his regenerated heart.  Are you willing to pay the price to be the man upon whom God shows Himself strong?  Sanders wrote, " But not all who aspire to leadership are willing to pay so exacting a price.  However, God's conditions must be complied with in secret before He will honour a man in public ." (Sanders, J. Oswald. Spiritual Leadership . Rev. ed. Chicago: Moody, 1980. 21-22. Print.)  If we desire to lead others in following Jesus, it is important we take those necessary baby steps when the camera is not rolling and no one is cheering. Last night during the discipleship course at Calvary Chapel Sydney, I was reminded how tempting it is to offer God sacrifices over simple obedience.  The Holy Spirit is persistent, and His conviction is not ignored without internal strife an...

We live in a world under the sway of Satan, and he has been a liar, murderer, and destroyer from the beginning.  Consequently, this world today is far from a reflection of the glorious perfection which initially marked God's creation.  This is nothing new.  Even when Christ walked the dusty roads in Israel, there was no shortage of political problems.  His cousin was arrested for criticising Herod's unlawful marriage, and was beheaded because of a rash oath Herod made to a dancer!  My point is, Jesus could have enacted an "anti-Roman" platform which would have garnered great support among the Jews.  But He didn't.  Jesus went around doing good, preaching repentance and the kingdom of God. The apostle Paul had no shortage of difficulties from governments, assassination plots, unlawful arrests, beatings, and incarcerations.  The issues he was privy to by true and false brethren in the church were countless.  Yet Paul did not become an "anti" ...

I have seen the phrase "celebrate pride" often of late, but I cannot from a biblical perspective be persuaded to do so.  Pride is always a precursor to destruction, and therefore I have great concern for all who rejoice to embrace it.  Much of my young life was poisoned with pride and self-righteousness, and pride would have ruined me completely apart from the grace and mercy of God.  Those who celebrate pride celebrate their own destruction.  Pride was found in Satan in heaven, and he will ultimately be cast down to hell. John warned Christians in 1 John 2:15-17 , " Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever ."  Pride is of this world, and t...

" Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven ." James 5:14-15 It is the prayer of faith God will answer.  There is no special power in elders to pray, as if elders in the church know the secret words or a better chance because of tenure to acquire God's favour from any who are born again.  It is not the long-winded prayer of an orator which beckons the ear of God.  It is not a prayer of a professional, nor of someone whose prayers have been answered before.  There are no healing properties in oil applied to the sick which brings a miraculous cure:  it is the simple prayer of faith in God.  Prayer duration and diction do not enter into it, but a heart and mind compelled through faith.  Faith demonstrated by obedience ...

In the classic film "The Princess Bride" based on a novel by William Goldman, a young woman found true love in a servant who worked for her.  When she made requests of him he would always answer, " As you wish ."  The Grandfather, played by Peter Falk, read this line from his book:  " That day she was amazed to discover that when he was saying 'As you wish," what he meant was, 'I love you .'"  True love is always displayed through action, and Westley showed he loved Buttercup by his faithful service. Being a hired hand, it may be said Westley did not have a choice whether he obeyed Buttercup or not.  But Westley certainly did have a choice.  It could have cost him his position or had other negative consequences, but Westley had the freedom to choose.  The same can be said for all people concerning belief, trust, and obedience.  God has given every person the freedom to choose who we will serve.  There are ultimately two final choices:...