Marching Forth!

There is much about our lives we take for granted.  The fact we fill our diaries with plans suggests we expect to live and undertake future activities.  The reality is our future is wholly in the LORD's hands and we may not rise from our beds:  one day our bodies will lay down never again to rise.  It is good to recognise the sovereignty of God who sustains us as James exhorts us in  James 4:13-15 :  " Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit"; 14  whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. 15  Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that ." Did you see that?  If the LORD wills, we shall live !  Our lives on earth and for eternity depend upon the God who is our Life.  We do not know what will happen tom...

As a carpenter for decades my dad has worked on many impressive sites.  One notable home he helped build in Julian was featured in San Diego Home/Garden Lifestyles Magazine  described as " zero-carbon-footprint, fireproof, concrete house with an observation tower and compound curves everywhere ."  It is like a house I have never seen which masterfully combines vision, building skills, architecture with artistry and stunning presentation.  The opportunity to work on such a grand and monumental design is a rare privilege because the house is so unique .  For a builder it is an honour to contribute labour and lend skills to complete a project of overwhelming quality and scope. It is easy to be impressed by the pictures of magazine-worthy homes in person or on glossy pages, yet the kingdom of God is far more glorious being divine and eternal.  However, the kingdom of God in this world under Satan's sway is not as glamorous:  it involves walking by faith in...

 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...