Marching Forth!

It is easy for us to mix up "wants" and "needs" and prove ourselves presumptuous.  There are things we take for granted on the level of basic human rights like good health and a consistent job.  We say things like, "She really needs healing" or "He needs a better job."  But are those pressing issues needs from God's perspective?  Isn't He able to do exceedingly above what we ask or think?  When we are ill we desperately desire health, yet the LORD is able to leverage something awful like illness to accomplish divine purposes beyond our comprehension.  Who is man to assert what God ought to do, the One who does awesome things without number? In my own life (and prayer life too) I have observed a tendency to substitute what I see as beneficial changes in circumstances instead of a closer walk with Jesus and increased faith.  Pains, troubles, and uncertainties are often the impetus for us to seek God with greater fervency, and I suggest...

" As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness ." Psalm 17:15 David saw with eyes of faith the reality of a future no man could imagine unless God revealed it to him.  This reminds me of what Job declared in  Job 19:25-27 :  " For I know that my Redeemer lives, a nd He shall stand at last on the earth; 26  And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, t hat in my flesh I shall see God, 27 Whom I shall see for myself, a nd my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me !"  David and Job both knew the death of the body was not the end.  Their flesh would be destroyed and see corruption, but they would ultimately be raised immortal and incorruptible.  Such is the enduring future for all those deemed righteous through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Job spoke of seeing God, but what caught my attention is David knew he would be raised in God's likeness....

Elijah was a prophet of God who experienced distressing and discouraging times.  After great victory by God's grace against the prophets of Ba'al on Carmel, all gladness was quickly soured by threats from wicked queen Jezebel.  Many preachers and Christians have been incredulous concerning Elijah's response, almost accusing him of forgetting what God had done or minimising the impact of a death threat.  Elijah was certainly a man of God and had the Spirit of God upon him, but he was a man like the rest of us.  At a point the demands and pressures of life can become unbearable.  I have experienced lonely moments like this, when trials immediately deflate us of joy - and my life wasn't even on the line.  A heart at rest in the victory of God can be easily battered and beaten at the whim of disappointing news, and our enemies are not merciful. The prophet, upon hearing the threats of Jezebel, isolated himself from his servant and went on alone.  He des...

" Then those who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: "Hosanna! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD !' 10  Blessed is the kingdom of our father David t hat comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest !" Mark 11:9-10 The scene described in Mark 11  took place when Jesus rode in triumph into Jerusalem on a donkey.  People laid down their clothes and palm branches before Him as before royalty, and even the children shouted, " Hosanna !"  Not being a Hebrew speaker, I needed to look up the word for the definition.  The Strong's Concordance explains the meaning like this:  " oh save!; an exclamation of adoration ."  Jesus was worthy of such adoration and praise, for He is the Saviour God promised who would save people from their sins. The Jews which cried out the words of Psalm 118:25-26  were an occupied and oppressed people by Roman rule.  How they longed for the promised Messiah to...