Marching Forth!

God is present in the everyday situations of life, and sometimes we are given insight to see Him at work that brings encouragement.  Looking back on God's faithfulness to people in the pages of scripture, through the testimonies of others and our own experiences, we can rest assured God will be faithful to us presently and in the future forever.  Though the future is uncertain, we can know without a doubt our good God knows us and will preserve us going forward. Recently I reminisced over a challenging move that took place years ago.  Several fellows from church and I organised to help a family move house.  This move was a struggle because the family moving was not sufficiently prepared, it was on a weeknight, and we needed to travel a long distance--and we were all slated to work early the following day.  In our initial discussion, we were told to be extra careful with a bureau and a large matching mirror.  The furniture had been in the family for a long t...

" What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not !" Romans 6:15 In the movie The Princess Bride , a hired swordsman named Inigo  wondered if his boss knew what "inconceivable" meant because he repeated it over and over.  " You keep using that word ," he said.  " I do not think it means what you think it means ."  There is debate over whether the swordsman was showing his ignorance, that he ironically instructed his "genius" boss or accurately identified hyperbole.  The fact is, people can mean different things by saying the same word or phrase.  "Taking out the trash" may mean carrying rubbish from inside the house to outside or also include hauling the bins to the kerb for pickup.  Not understanding the full implications of a word or phrase can lead to misunderstanding or a job only half done. Sometimes I feel a bit like Inigo when I hear people talk about not being "under the Law....

Because Timothy was a man who had genuine faith in Jesus, Paul urged him in  2 Timothy 1:6-7 :  " Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.  7  For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind ."  Paul had been instrumental in Timothy receiving the gift of God, the filling with the Holy Spirit Jesus promised to give to all who trust in Hm.  In addition to producing the fruit of the Spirit in the life of a born-again believer, the Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts to each one according to the will of God.  Paul reminded Timothy to "stir up the gift of God" that was in him without fear, the the Spirit He has given is of power, of love and of a sound mind. Timothy was exhorted to stir up the gift of the Spirit as one fans coals that began to smolder back into flame.  The Holy Spirit provides the fuel to let the light of the Gospel shine before men thro...

Though people of faith in God mentioned in Scripture had experiences different to ours, they are relatable because we trust the same God.  Many times the situations people faced were far more extreme than our current struggles and troubles, and this ought to inspire great confidence that God is able to help us in all He allows.  In my youth I was foolishly distracted by flaws or inconsistencies in God's people in scripture rather than emulating steps of faith they took and the LORD who helped them overcome all.  One such person is David, a man after God's own heart.  He was not a perfect man, but who among us is?  His steadfast faith could put the most stalwart among God's people to shame. While on the run from King Saul, David and his men spent over a year in Philistine territory.  After their return from the field of battle, they were shocked to find their city Ziklag a burnt ruin, all their wives and children taken captive along with their possessions....