Marching Forth!

It is one thing to strap on a parachute and walk to a plane, but it is entirely different experience to jump out of the plane with the expectation of survival because of that parachute.  There is a time when the safety demonstrations are over, the consent forms have been signed, the equipment inspected and fitted, and it is "go time."  I do not believe a skydiver would jump out of the plane who is not convinced the odds of survival are high, but it requires a degree of faith in your training and equipment to do so. It can take a life or death decision for people out of desperation to trust God.  Similar to couch potatoes avoiding physical exercise, the tendency of people is the desire to avoid needing to trust God.  We seek out easy and quick options to overcome obstacles or anything that offers a guarantee of success.  We are ever seeking to reduce risk, limit liability, and make life carefree.  But everyone living faces the necessity of dying, and eve...

Man was created in the image of God but let us never assume He is like us.  Being all-knowing and all-powerful and without sin God is shockingly different to us in every regard.  Psalm 50:21 shows man can presumptuously think erroneously about God because He says, " These things you have done, and I kept silent; you thought that I was altogether like you; but I will rebuke you, and set them in order before your eyes ."  The God who gave us freedom to choose always employs His will to do righteously.  Our thoughts and emotions can be so hardwired into our flesh we don't consider that God cares how we feel but doesn't feel like we do. As I mulled over this concept, I came to the conclusion God does not experience what we call "disappointment."  We are disappointed when our expectations are unmet, yet this cannot be the case for a Being who knows all things before they occur, the One who speaks and it is exactly as He said.  A couple weeks back I d...

Jesus spoke against the Pharisees who did good works to be seen and recognised by men.  They were fond of titles, admiration, to be respected, and to have their expert opinion sought.  Jesus countered this by explaining the conduct He expected of His servants in  Matthew 23:5-12 :  " But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries  broad and enlarge the borders of their garments. 6 They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, 7 greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, 'Rabbi, Rabbi.' 8 But you, do not be called 'Rabbi'; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. 9 Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. 10   And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. 11   But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12   And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humb...

Jacob loved his son Joseph and had a special colourful coat made for him.  The favour his father showed him made Joseph the envy of his 10 older brothers.  It didn't help his relationship with them when he shared dreams where they bowed down before him.  When he obediently went at the request of his father for a status report from his brothers who were shepherds  Genesis 37:18-20 reads, " Now when they saw him afar off, even before he came near them, they conspired against him to kill him. 19  Then they said to one another, "Look, this dreamer is coming! 20  Come therefore, let us now kill him and cast him into some pit; and we shall say, 'Some wild beast has devoured him.' We shall see what will become of his dreams !"  From a great distance Joseph's colourful coat caused his brothers to recognise him and they plotted how they might destroy him.  The obvious favour of his father made Joseph a target. Reading this passage reminds me of sim...