Marching Forth!

A quote from Andrew Murray was recently shared with me from a friend battling cancer, and it is a great reminder how God is sovereign and good regardless of our health, circumstances, or feelings.  Because of the depth of suffering, pain, and sorrow we face in this life unless a person knows God they cannot accept this statement as remotely true.  But for those who know God, knowing they are known by Him, they can affirm the words of Andrew Murray when he wrote: In time of trouble, say, first, He brought me here. It is by His will I am in this strait place; in that I will rest. Next, He will keep me here in his love, and give me grace in this trial to behave as his child. Then say, He will make the trial a blessing, teaching me lessons he intends me to learn, and working in me the grace he means to bestow. And last, say, in his good time he can bring me out again. How and when, he knows. Therefore, say, I am here (1) by God's appointment, (2) in His keeping, (3) under His ...

" Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God. 8 And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am the LORD which sanctify you ." Leviticus 20:7-8 God gave Moses His laws to deliver to the nation Israel so they might keep His covenant.  The context of these verses follow God saying He would set His face against those who did wickedly, defiled His sanctuary, or profaned His holy name.  The peoples of the ancient world worshiped demons and not God, even burning their children alive on altars before images made by hands of men.  God's people were not to imitate these abominable practices of the heathen, and were forbidden in the Law of Moses to make images or representations of man or beast lest their hearts turn from God in idolatry.  God sanctified His people, and thus they were to sanctify themselves. To " sanctify " is to " cleanse, purify, make holy, to set apart, or appoint for sacred use ."  The mistake...

I enjoyed catching up on a sermon preached by Bob Roche when I was away last week which focused on Zephaniah 3.  One thing mentioned that struck me was how a negative can teach a positive.  God summed up sins of His own people Israel in  Zephaniah 3:2 :  " She has not obeyed His voice, s he has not received correction;  s he has not trusted in the LORD ,  s he has not drawn near to her God ."  Because Israel departed from the LORD sin was added upon sin. Although God's people were perverse and polluted, stubbornly refusing to obey God's voice, this implies He continued to speak to them.  God continued to offer correction to His people despite their refusals.  God remained trustworthy and could be found by them if they would repent and seek Him with their whole hearts.  Isn't the loving pursuit of God amazing?  What grace, that He would continue to express desire for the restoration of people who shunned Him? The failures of...

" Hear, O My people, and I will admonish you! O Israel, if you will listen to Me! 9 There shall be no foreign god among you; nor shall you worship any foreign god. 10  I am the LORD your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt; open your mouth wide, and I will fill it ." Psalm 81:8-10 The God who was faithful to bring His people out of Egypt provided for their needs, giving them manna from heaven and water from a rock.  Their survival was completely dependent upon God in the wilderness, and God met all their needs.  God bid His people open their mouths wide and He promised to feed them.  And this, my friends, requires faith. Have you ever heard the loud chirping of hungry baby birds?  Whenever their mum or dad draws near, these helpless and blind birds spring to life.  Though they have no feathers to fly, they certainly are unhindered to make noise!  They instinctively open their mouths wide to eat whatever their parents drop in....