Marching Forth!

I read a discourse to working men called "The Great Strike" by W.R. Bradlaugh who spoke of a young woman who had been a prodigal.  After making a decision to follow Jesus Christ as LORD she returned home at midnight and was surprised to find the door unlocked.  She found her mother praying for her.  After an embrace she expressed her surprise the door was unfastened.  "That has never been fastened since you went away," the mother said.  "I knew you would return, and it should never be said my child came home and could not get in."  Bradlaugh used this to preface the following heartfelt message for doubters, infidels, and those who have departed from Christ: That is just how our Heavenly Father acts.  He neither slumbereth nor sleepeth.  He is ever ready to receive the wanderer.  Friend, sin has separated you from a father's love and a father's care.  But though you have wandered from God, Jesus, the Good Shepherd, has gone after you, ...

" We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9  persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed-- 10  always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. " 2 Corinthians 4:8-10 This was a description of the Christian life by the apostle Paul, one who suffered according to the will of God.  But where suffering abounded, consolation from God was greater still.  It was God who enabled Paul to endure and He is faithful to help us as well. Paul was pressed on every side, perplexed, persecuted, and struck down.  Blows were landed physically and spiritually upon him yet he was not crushed, did not despair, was not forsaken or destroyed.  It could be said he was upheld and sustained, encouraged by hope in God, experienced God's presence, and was delivered.  The victory obtained through Christ's death and resurrection were...

" I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service ." Romans 12:1 Over the past few days I enjoyed a getaway with a delightful group of men in Newcastle.  During that time we studied through portions of the Bible and this was one of the first passages we read.  As we discussed this verse, I was struck with the implications of what it means to be an acceptable sacrifice to God. Those of us who love and desire to please God have an interest in what we can do to make efforts to demonstrate this.  Whilst this verse is a directive to do, it is largely overshadowed by what God has already done.  Understanding this fills us with gratitude, thanks, and humility at the grace and mercy of God that enables us to be in any way acceptable before Him as a living sacrifice or servant.  We are brethren of Christ and children of God by the mercies of God...

I was privileged over the last week to speak to kids about Jesus Christ, some of whom admittedly had never heard anything about Him.  It was fun to focus on the life of Christ and His amazing deeds which revealed He was indeed the Son of God sent as a Saviour.  While camp is a great opportunity to be intentional about speaking of Jesus, it is good for us to approach every day with the same focus. D.L. Moody wrote about the great zeal of the blind man healed by Jesus.  He could have remained silent because of the opposition and pressure of the Jewish religious leaders, but his boldness and courage rivalled that of Peter and John before the Sanhedrin after being filled with the Holy Spirit.  Moody points out the fault of silence among those who have had their eyes opened by Christ, a fault I have been guilty of myself: It is a very sad thing that so many of God's children are dumb; yet it is true.  Parents would think it is a great calamity to have their chil...