Marching Forth!

As I reflect upon my recent trip to the United States for a pastor's conference, I have a renewed appreciation for the Bible.  It is the divinely inspired, living and authoritative Word of God.  No man could ever exhaust the wealth of wisdom contained within those pages.  There is always more for us to learn and obey.  Though God's Word does not change, it changes us and remains relevant still.  To every person in whom God has breathed a living soul have these words been written. A danger grows from our familiarity with passages, phrases, and events in the Bible.  When we listen to a sermon or read the Word, we can fall into the trap of simply confirming our current beliefs.  Instead of reading for the purpose of entering into God's presence and listening for the still small voice of the Holy Spirit, we read only to stroke our spiritual pride.  There is a big difference between agreeing with God's Word and believing it .  A man might agree ...

" And David built there an altar to the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called on the LORD; and He answered him from heaven by fire on the altar of burnt offering ." 1 Chronicles 21:26 It's easy to gloss over a passage like this and miss the significance and personal application for us.  I confess I have missed it many times!  It is beautiful when God by grace removes the scales from our eyes and we see clearly something we never noticed before in His Word.  I pray today this is true for you and me. David chose to number the people of Israel and the thing displeased the LORD.  After admitting his sin, king David was given three choices by God:  three years of famine, three months of being destroyed before their enemies, or three days of divine pestilence.  David chose to fall into the hands of God for three days " for very great are His mercies ."   A grievous plague broke out and seventy thousand of the children of Israel...

I attended the Calvary Chapel senior pastor's conference for the first time in Murrieta, California.  The week was marked with great teaching and a tremendous time of fellowship with other pastors.  Another highlight for me was searching through the old volumes at the used bookstore.  Among the books I purchased is the Bible pictured here, printed by Samuel Bagster and Sons in London around 1860. When I pulled this Bible off the shelf, a huge smile spread across my face.  As I turned it over and over in my hands, I was struck by the craftsmanship of the volume.  The gilt pages were etched with beautiful designs and the leather cover was also decorated with intricate patterns.  As I opened the book to examine it further, one thing became apparent:  this book had never been read!  There was no staining of the pages, no oil residue left from fingers, and no marks of any kind.  Apparently it had been a gift given to Reverend Benjamin Darcus who...

I recently arrived in San Diego and am preparing to head north to the Calvary Chapel senior pastor's conference in Murrieta, California.  I'm looking forward to catching up with friends, meeting fellow co-labourers in Christ, and seeking God through times of study and worship.  I don't know how free I will be to blog, but as I was reading this morning I came across a fresh passage I thought I would share. It is no secret that a tendency in people exists to elevate men because of their wealth, fame, or abilities.  Unfortunately this can be common in the church as well.   Men are praised and revered for their preaching or their gifts as musicians and singers.  Sometimes we think people are chosen to serve God in a particular role because of their unique and special talents.  A verse which shatters this misconception is found in 1 Chronicles 16:41.   When David brought the ark of God into the place prepared for it, the writer explains why certain m...