Marching Forth!

" So all the work that King Solomon had done for the house of the LORD was finished; and Solomon brought in the things which his father David had dedicated: the silver and the gold and the furnishings. He put them in the treasuries of the house of the LORD ." 1 Kings 7:51 Isn't it wonderful when God weaves a thread through your day?  Before going to church this morning, I read this passage during my devotional time.  There was a wonderful connection between this scripture and the message I later preached, not only confirming God's Word but the powerful operation of the Holy Spirit. As I read this passage, I considered the word "dedication."  When I thought of dedication, I though of Hannah dedicating her pre-conceived son Samuel for the LORD's use.  Though she delivered Samuel as a child for service in the tabernacle, Samuel had a choice to either serve God or rebel.  He chose to honor God with his life and became a prophet mighty in word and deed, an...

As I watched television last night, a man climbed a platform to be recognized with an award of excellence in Australian Rules Football.  The round medal was connected to a ribbon to be worn around the neck similar to medals awarded during the Olympic games.  The recipient bowed his head as a smiling presenter carefully placed the medal.  The man slowly stood up, and raised a fist in triumph as he acknowledged the cheering crowd.  It struck me that while the athletes generally receive the glory or recognition, the game of Australian Rules Football is bigger than each individual player.  Awards given for excellence are even greater than the star players.  The man literally had to bow to receive the award from the presenter who represented the league which gives the player any credibility at all! The Olympic games are greater than any single athlete.  That spectacle of sport is a bigger stage than any personality.  The greater the stage and the hig...

As a eating enthusiast, I enjoy cooking and baking a great deal.  The quality of ingredients used plays a key role in creating an edible masterpiece.  I appreciate an omelet packed with delicious contents, a well-formed Snickerdoodle, or sweet zucchini bread with a crack down the middle.  Though I have met with relative success in the kitchen, there have been occasions where everything seemed to go very wrong - like the time I put in a cup of sugar instead of a tablespoon in the pancakes.  Sometimes failures in the kitchen are not the fault of the cook.  When the oven will not heat up to the correct temperature, baked goods will not rise property.  If baking powder or yeast is very old, it will affect the amount of rise and texture.  Both ingredients for baking and medicines have a "use by date" because their effectiveness is directly tied to their freshness. But what about faith?  Is old faith just as good as new faith in Jesus Christ?  N...

The picture on the front page of the Rouse Hill Times this past week caught my eye.  On a hospital bed lay a man propped on pillows with a ventilator tube in his throat and a serene smile on his face!  Above the picture of this young smiling man the headline read:  " Selfless - He's 18 and paralysed, but he only wants to help others ."  Inside I read the inspirational story of Blake Nixon, a young man who days before this Christmas was left a quadriplegic as a result of a tragic car accident.  Though his circumstances have been harder than most could imagine, joy radiates from the smile on his face.  Instead of focusing on his lack of ability or drowning in sorrow, Blake decided to have his head shaved to benefit the Leukemia Foundation's World's Greatest Shave campaign. This is not the first time Blake has endured tough obstacles in his life.  His mother passed away in 2007 due to breast cancer.  Few people his age have endured these kind of st...