Marching Forth!

I rejoice in the wisdom of God, how He has comprised the body of Christ of many members.  Jesus Christ is the Head, and He grants gifts and talents to each of us through the Holy Spirit.  The book by Os Guinness titled " The Call: Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose of Your Life " explores the call of God upon our lives as Christians.  Though it's been years since I read the book, I remember how he made a distinction between the general call and the specific call upon each Christian.  All of us are called to love God and one another, to forgive, to pray for one another, and to share the Gospel with others.  These are all aspects of the general call we must embrace on the path to discovering our individual calls to specific roles and functions in the church - the Body of Christ. God has seen fit to draw together people of various ages with unique perspectives, different backgrounds and personalities, with distinct talents and weaknesses to make up the ch...

One thing I find very comforting is the redemptive power of God in every aspect of the life of a believer.  Our flesh may cringe and disagree, but the claim of God's Word and the power of Jesus Christ is undeniable.  Paul wrote with confidence in Romans 8:28-29 , " And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose ."  All the things we experience are not good, yet God is able to reconcile them for His purposes.  A Christian, therefore, will never suffer pain or difficulty needlessly.  God has glorious, divine purposes in all He allows. Last night, I started thinking back on the number of permanent injuries I sustained from my time serving with the youth at Calvary Chapel El Cajon.  I held my hands in front of the mirror.  Seeing the unnatural bend in my left thumb, I thought back with a smile to that night at the Centre when Matt broke that thumb during a game of dodge ball....

God's character is revealed in scripture as just, One who does not show partiality.  All excuses or justifications of men are swept away by God's righteous judgments.  Though God put on human flesh in the person of Jesus Christ, God is not like a man that He should change.  His Laws are absolute, and His holiness without fail. This morning I read a most enlightening passage, a verse which stands in stark contrast to the views some have of a gracious God.  2 Chronicles 36:9 says, " Jehoiachin was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months and ten days. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD ."  "Evil" is a word in our society reserved for the worst of the worst.  God summed up the 100 day reign of Jehoiachin in a way no one would dare today - a child merely eight years old - like this:  " And he did evil in the sight of the LORD ."  Heavy, isn't it?  God did not soften His judgment of Jehoiachin because ...

" Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice !"   Philippians 4:4 At Calvary Chapel Sydney, we've been studying through Philippians.  Rejoicing in the LORD is a common theme repeated throughout the book.  It's amazing to consider these words were penned by Paul, a man who had been imprisoned without committing a crime.  In fact, in the book of Acts it states one of the rulers who could have released Paul kept him in chains because he hoped to receive a bribe from him - which Paul did not pay!  Paul had every opportunity to be bitter and angry for "losing his freedom."  Yet Paul had learned the secret of contentment and peace that passed understanding through faith in Christ.  He rejoiced in the LORD always, and exhorted all others to do the same. God uses the circumstances of life to reveal to us the condition of our hearts.  He allows struggles and difficulties to purify and strengthen our faith and resolve to obey Him.  I ...