Marching Forth!

 During a visit to Israel years ago our group went to an ancient "tel" which is an artificial mound of accumulated rubble that was inhabited by successive victors.  It was common for those who sacked a stronghold to break down the clay structures and rebuild on top of them, effectively wiping the previous civilisation from the map.  Archaeologists determined the tell we toured had at least 24 layers, a depth of destruction and loss through the violence of conquest.  It was ironic that the victors were nowhere to be found as the mound was a ruin of its former glory which passed away long ago. The ruined tels in Israel paint a stark contrast from the kingdom of God established by Jesus Christ.  The Messiah Jesus came to earth not with angelic armies or chariots of fire but as a humble baby born in Bethlehem.  He did not send His disciples into battle with swords and bows.  He sent them as lambs among wolves without supplies for the journey, walking by fa...

" Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 35  And Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting, because the cloud rested above it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle ."  Exodus 40:34-35 As an apprentice tradesman I was taught concerning safety and confined spaces.  When I worked on ships at industrial facilities this was especially important with the high concentration of burning, welding and cutting.  All employees were warned about the dangers of these spaces collecting invisible gases which could render a worker unconscious and even prove deadly.  We were told if we saw a "man down" in a confined space not to attempt their rescue without first alerting emergency personnel who had the proper breathing equipment.  There have been cases where workers rushed in to help their co-workers only to be overcome by the fumes themselves. In all the years I worked on ships there wer...

" Dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD , but a just weight is His delight ." Proverbs 11:1 As I read through Proverbs it is no wonder people connected righteousness with good works.  The contrasts are extreme between right and wrong, good and bad, the wise and wicked.  A tree is known by its fruit, a child known by his doings, and it follows a righteous man will do righteously.  The error entered in when people imagined themselves to be righteous because they did right things.  Both Cain and Abel offered sacrifices to God:  Abel's offering was accepted and Cain's rejected because God looks upon the heart.  Samuel was ready to anoint the eldest son of Jesse named Eliab king because of his stately bearing, yet God had refused him and chose David, the youngest of Jesse who was tending sheep. Proverbs 11:1 says God delights in a "just weight" which conveys honesty in business.  In one sense focusing on the fine-tuning of scales misses the po...

When I was born to my parents years ago, they didn't choose me from a litter.  I also did not have the choice of my parents or whether I would have a brother or sister:  God sovereignly brought us together as family and I learned to live with and love them all despite our differences.  A day came when I sought the permission of Laura's parents and asked for her hand in marriage.  After being united by God in matrimony new branches were added to the families we were already connected to.  God has graciously given us sons who are growing up and perhaps will someday enlarge our family even further. My views concerning the church, the Body of Christ, align well with this approach to family relationships that acknowledges the wisdom and sovereignty of God.  Even as I did not choose my parents, I did not choose my Sunday School teachers, pastor or church I grew up attending and later served in.  A day came when the LORD guided me and my family to settle in A...