Marching Forth!

After I injured my knee playing baseball years ago, I was amazed how the body unconsciously adjusts to avoid further pain by compensating.  Without thinking I favoured my other leg and learned how to avoid uncomfortable positions.  By the time I was diagnosed with a torn ACL and and had surgery to replace the ligament, I suffered a significant amount of muscle wastage on the affected quadriceps.  What was once my dominant leg had become less used and weaker due to over-compensation for the injury.   Because the leg hurt I didn't use it as I should even after the surgery, and it took a long time with intentional effort to be restored.  It is natural for us to avoid pain when we can, yet doing so can prevent us from seeking help. The example of the results of over-compensation to avoid pain are not only seen in the physical bodies of people.  A hidden wound in our hearts and minds can lead us to withdraw from social interactions or to over-compensate wit...

Lately I've had some meaningful discussions around the concept of biblical forgiveness.  More than "saying sorry" or "accepting an apology," forgiveness is all about releasing the offender of wrongdoing in obedience to God coupled with a desire to restore relationship with a brother or sister.  Forgiveness involves both parties, for a person must admit they have erred to receive the benefits of it.  I can forgive an offender before he admits he has done wrong, but there must be submission in love to receive that forgiveness in moving forward together.  If we are unwilling to press on in unity with a brother or sister who has admitted doing wrong and asked for forgiveness, it is a fair question to consider whether the forgiveness we are offering is genuine. The reality is offences even among people in the body of Christ can be allowed to simmer.  Like festering wounds without antiseptic, the spiritual gangrene of unforgiveness and bitterness can begin to consume ...

What treasure is found in the pages of God's word!  For the hungry soul there is satisfaction, for those overwhelmed by troubles there is comfort, for the erring there is correction and for the weary there is rest found by faith in God.  In the C.S. Lewis Chronicles of Narnia books, children visiting their uncle enjoyed exploring his palatial residence.  As if this wasn't interesting or amazing enough, when Lucy ventured into a simple wardrobe she entered another land called Narnia that was filled with talking beasts and adventure.  One sentence, one verse, a single word from God in the scripture is like that:  it opens up a new world of wisdom, light, joy and rest for the one who trusts in the LORD. Today I was impacted by a detail I had not considered before in  Psalm 95:8-11 :  " Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, a s in the day of trial in the wilderness,  9  when your fathers tested Me; t hey tried Me, though they saw My ...

Last night when our family read the Bible after dinner, we were treated with this passage about the missionary efforts of Paul and Barnabas in  Acts 14:1-3 :  " Now it happened in Iconium that they went together to the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of the Jews and of the Greeks believed.  2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren.  3 Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands ."  There were a number of interesting revelations of God's wisdom presented here. The first is how God has given believers the opportunity to make known the Gospel of grace so others will also believe in Jesus as LORD and Saviour.  Empowered by the Holy Spirit, God used Paul and Barnabas to bring many Jews and Greeks in the synagogue to saving faith in Christ....