Marching Forth!

As a speaker of English it is interesting how the definition and meaning of words can change over time.  It is not uncommon for the meaning of a word understood for hundreds of years to be easily overturned and narrowly re-defined as offensive.  A word which was once neutral can develop an overwhelmingly negative connotation and be viewed as bad in itself.  As a reader primarily of non-fiction by authors spanning hundreds of years, these shifts are not difficult to find. One word that did not always have a negative meaning was "discriminate."  To "discriminate" is akin to a cardinal sin these days, yet see how it is defined in the Webster's 1828 dictionary  (follow link for the full definition):  " To distinguish; to observe the difference between; as, we may usually discriminate true from false modesty.  2. To separate; to select from others; to make a distinction between; as, in the last judgment, the righteous will be discriminated from the wicked....

" My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing ." James 1:2-4 Yesterday the sermon at Calvary Chapel Sydney included this exhortation and encouragement for all followers of Jesus Christ.  God allows trials and adversity of all kinds to accomplish His good purposes.  Instead of being annoyed, frustrated or worried about the outcome we can count it all joy to face trials which test us.  Just like a student sits an exam because he is included in the class, God tests and disciplines us because we are His children He loves. A precious metal is placed in a crucible and intense heat is applied because it is a precious metal which requires further refinement to be even more valuable.  A child of God can know the various trials He allows are not for our destruction but an opportunity for the fruit of...

" This is what the LORD commands concerning the daughters of Zelophehad, saying, 'Let them marry whom they think best, but they may marry only within the family of their father's tribe .'" Numbers 36:6 The daughters of Zelophehad came to Moses with a concern.  Because their father only had given birth to daughters and the inheritance of land was passed down through sons, in years to come their land would pass to a different family and tribe.  Moses brought their case before the LORD who provided guidance in how the issue was to be rectified.  They were free to marry whomever they thought best but were to marry within their family.  Marrying a first cousin was a very common practice in the ancient world and remains a norm in middle eastern countries to this day.  Their obedience to God's directive would ensure the inheritance of land given them by lot would remain in the family for generations to come. This concept of complete freedom within the boundaries God ...

God is always working, and He works miraculously in unexpected ways.  Like Namaan who imagined the prophet Elisha would wave his hand over him to heal him of leprosy and was disappointed when directed to dip seven times in the Jordan river, we can assume the best course of action for God to take.  Dipping in water wasn't nearly as flashy as invoking the power of God with a wave, but God sovereignly required faith by humility and obedience to a basic task Namaan needed to do.  Namaan's miraculous cleansing shows God is faithful and worthy of our trust. Yesterday afternoon I was blessed to see the LORD work in an unexpected way through a lost pair of glasses which were swept away in the surf.  Upon hearing the news, I returned to the area where the glasses had been washed away.  I had no idea where the glasses were, and the chances of me finding them washed on the beach were minuscule.  As I walked alone on the beach with eyes scanning the breaking waves, I p...