Marching Forth!

No matter how much warning is given, inevitably people are not ready for when disaster strikes.  There are times without number I have seen interviews of people talking about their near brush with death because they did not evacuate in time to ensure their safety.  Whether speaking of a tsunami, flood, fire, hurricane, there is a common phrase said by those interviewed:  "It just happened so fast.  We didn't have any time."  Please don't misunderstand my point:  many times tornadoes, earthquakes, or fires can be so fierce and unexpected that there was not even enough time to jump into the bathtub.  I don't want to trivialize or appear to blame victims in any way for being swept up in a disaster. But the brutal irony is that in some disasters which require rescue or some lose their lives, time was actually on the side of the victims.  Their death was preventable, had they heeded warnings in a timely manner.  In some cases, warnings of severe...

In Gene Edward's book A Tale of Three Kings , he shows how God breaks a man before He uses Him.  David is cited as a chief example of a broken man and the means God uses to break men:  circumstances, people, being misunderstood and wrongly judged.  On Wednesday night I heard a message on brokenness.  A man who is self-assured, self-confident, and self-reliant is unfit for use in the hands of the Master Potter.  There is no salvation in self, only destruction.  God is wise, loving, and good to break us from what kills us. As pastor Drew preached from the Word concerning Moses and Peter, he used a clay pot smashed by a hammer to illustrate the breaking process.  Moses was raised as a prince in Pharaoh's house and had all the benefits of royalty, while his countrymen toiled under harsh oppression in Egypt.  God used being misunderstood by the Israelites, fleeing for his life from Pharaoh after killing an Egyptian, and 40 years of tending the sheep ...

This morning Drew and I returned from a four-day jaunt to New Zealand to speak at the Calvary Chapel Bible Institute.  It was a blessing as we enjoyed the fellowship of Jesus Christ with staff and students alike.  It is a wonderful privilege to catch a small glimpse of what God is doing in another part of the globe. My first impression when flying into New Zealand was lush, green beauty.  Ironically, the Bible Institute is located directly across the street from a thermal pool and spa resort called, " Hell's Gate ."  On one side of the road people are spreading their beliefs concerning Ruaukoto, the Maori god of earthquakes and volcanic activity, while on the other side people are teaching the Good News of Jesus Christ, the One True God.  The demons worshiped by the Maori people have great power and influence over man, but the Almighty God is both Creator and Supreme Ruler.  Demons can copy God to a fixed point He ordains and deserve no worship.  2 S...

Every Christian knows we are pitched in a spiritual battle.  Our flesh, Satan, and the world under his sway resist and rage against obedience to Jesus Christ and the Word of God.  It is only through the power of the Holy Spirit and faith in Christ that we can overcome.  Though our awareness or sensitivity to this battle against satanic wickedness and obedience to God might at times be muted, other times we become acutely aware of how much the devil hates God and all those who trust in Him. Jesus was condemned and crucified an innocent man, though He had only always done what had pleased the Father.  After He rose from the dead and ascended to heaven, the Holy Spirit was sent to fill and come upon Christ's faithful followers to instruct and empower them to live for God's glory.  Men who once cowered behind closed doors for fear of reprisal from the religious leaders boldly preached Christ crucified and risen.  On one occasion Peter and John were arrested b...

Last night I was reading in Exodus 34 about how Moses communed with God on Mt. Sinai as God wrote the 10 Commandments for a second time upon tablets of stone.  After 40 days, Moses descended from the mount, carrying the two tablets inscribed with the finger of God.  Unbeknown to Moses, his face literally shone from the time he spent in the presence of God.  This frightened the people, even Aaron his brother, to the point that he needed to cover his face with a veil when addressing the people.  Otherwise no one would come near him!  Exodus 34:33-35 explains, " And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face. 34 But whenever Moses went in before the LORD to speak with Him, he would take the veil off until he came out; and he would come out and speak to the children of Israel whatever he had been commanded. 35 And whenever the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face shone, then Moses would put the vei...

In recent decades much emphasis has been placed on the ease and simplicity of receiving eternal salvation through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  The downside of this is a neglect of preaching repentance and the necessity of living wholly for God.  People used to agonize in repentance for months with many tears before receiving salvation, and today people quickly raise a hand while all heads are bowed.  The devil would much rather us make church attenders than disciples of Jesus.  He would be happy for people to have their heads crammed with theology and doctrines rather than simple obedience to love God, love others, and make disciples of all nations. Servants serve.  Service involves sacrifice and work.  Jesus is the One who said, " If any man come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me " ( Luke 9:23 ).  That sounds like a huge life adjustment for most people.  No man should come to Christ so he might have a better...

People acquainted with me know that I enjoy cooking, especially baking.  From when I was relatively young, my mom taught me how to make pancakes and waffles from scratch.  Since then my love for baking and sharing with others (not to mention eating!) has continued to grow.  Some days I will simply open my Betty Crocker cookbook for inspiration and make something I've never made before.  The house favorites these days are pancakes, Wacky chocolate cake, pineapple upside-down cake, sour cream coffee cake, and lava cake.  It's shocking with all those cakes I can still fit into my pants!  To tweak a quote my Grandpa says affectionately about "Ol' Uncle August, a Lutheran minister who only lived to be 96, he preached moderation:  one cake at a time." Last night I was reading to our family from Hosea and was intrigued by Hosea 7:8 :  " Ephraim has mixed himself among the peoples; Ephraim is a cake unturned ."  God had commanded his people not to...

" Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, darkness which may even be felt." 22 So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. 23 They did not see one another; nor did anyone rise from his place for three days. But all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings ." Exodus 10:21-23 God performed signs and wonders in Egypt to reveal Himself in power and glory.  Led by God, Moses demanded that Pharaoh let the Israelites go, who for 430 years lived in Egypt.  Towards the end of their time in Egypt the children of Israel suffered severe oppression and bondage as slaves.  Again and again the might of God was manifested through miraculous plagues.  The same pattern was repeated over and over:  Moses demanded Pharaoh let the people go, God would send another plague upon Pharaoh and the people of Egypt, Pharaoh w...

Sometimes the most simple, basic fundamentals of a life in Christ are the easiest to forget.  Yet God, according to His unchanging, faithful character, does not forget anything.  He fully knows what He has said, and He remembers perfectly what we have said.  It is not uncommon for me to wake up in the middle of the night with perfect clarity.  Perhaps I have just experienced a vivid dream, or perhaps I remember something that I need to do.  Yet with the dawn of the day clouds drift through my memory and I find myself in a thick fog, unable to remember one detail of my thoughts which seemed at the time so clear and unforgettable.  God does not share my forgetfulness. Being a Christian is much more than words affirming the reality of our faith.  Following Christ is more than a desire to remain in God's will.  So much of our struggles and troubles come not from temptations or trials, but through our lack of obedience.  We all know we ought to ...

More often than we think, God's Word stands in direct opposition to what we naturally think.  Every person understands how it feels to be fatigued and physically exhausted.  The combination of sleeping or eating poorly coupled with hard work simply wipes us out.  The lack of rest can make us drowsy, sluggish, and cranky.  There is a limit to what our bodies can handle, and too much stress can lead to becoming physically ill or having a nervous breakdown.  When Moses embraced the responsibility of leading the children of Israel, his father-in-law Jethro saw the warning signs of overwork.  Exodus 18:18 records his perception, " Both you and these people who are with you will surely wear yourselves out. For this thing is too much for you; you are not able to perform it by yourself ."  The threat of burnout didn't cause Moses to quit, but to delegate some of his workload to other men anointed by the Spirit for such ministry. Many people who serve in chu...

In recent Sunday mornings past, my son Abel and I are typically the first to arrive at Calvary Chapel Sydney to open and set up.  Not this week, however!  We were greeted by a large lizard which had parked itself in front of our building! And a little closer... The lizard allowed us to come right up to him.  About five minutes after we arrived, he waddled off.  I wish I could have captured his clumsy, floppy gait on camera!  Next time, I'm going to try to pet him.  Living in Australia has taught me a valuable lesson in the importance of conservation and appreciation for native wildlife.  Even the leaves God creates are beautiful!

My wife Laura has been reading through The Saving Life of Christ by Major W. Ian Thomas.  So many conversations we have had of late involve faith in Christ and the crippling effect of unbelief.  Yesterday we discussed our tendency as humans to ask for what God has already offered.  Minutes after talking over the subject, Laura returned and read this quote from The Saving Life of Christ on page 136:  " Remember, He does not give you strength - He is your strength!  He does not give you victory - He is your victory!  He cannot be your life without being all you need, for "in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.  And ye are complete in Him" (Col. 2:9-10a).  Then count upon the fact - and stop asking for what you have !" For some of us, we trust in God for our justification but think our sanctification is up to us.  Obedience to God is a necessary hallmark of true faith, for good works will always accompany legitimate faith....

While praying this morning, I was reminded of when Peter was released from prison.  Herod had killed James the brother of John.  When he saw how it pleased the Jewish leaders, he also arrested and imprisoned Peter.  Acts 12:5-10 relates the details of Peter's miraculous release:  " Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. 6 And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. 7 Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, "Arise quickly!" And his chains fell off his hands. 8 Then the angel said to him, "Gird yourself and tie on your sandals"; and so he did. And he said to him, "Put on your garment and follow me." 9 So he went out and followed him, and did not know th...

I've recently started a new routine of Bible reading in the evenings inspired by something I read in a George Mueller biography.  He said that he had read through the Bible 200 times, and 100 of those times he read on his knees.  Now there was a man who was thoroughly convinced of the truth of God's Word, the importance of seeking to hear God's voice and obtain answers to prayer through reading, and the correct attitude of the heart in approaching God in humility.  So many times we ask God for direction and wisdom, but how often do we actively seek the answer in God's Word?  Now it's your turn to be inspired by the Holy Spirit to do just that! During my reading last night, I was struck with a statement by the heavenly visitors when the LORD appeared to Abraham in the plains of Mamre.  Upon seeing these who had the appearance of men, Abraham ran to meet them and bowed himself to the ground.  Genesis 18:3-5 records the conversation:  " My Lord, if I ha...

Early in his life as a Pharisee, Saul thought he was doing a great work for God by fiercely persecuting the church.  It was only after Jesus confronted him on the road heading to Damascus that Saul saw that in persecuting Christ and His followers he was persecuting God Himself.  Saul was later converted as a follower of Jesus, baptised, filled with the Holy Spirit, and became widely known as Paul.  The same fire and tenacity was there, but Paul had been tempered and honed by Jesus Christ.  Never again did Paul go on a fleshly rampage or crusade against evil.  Instead he was led and empowered by the Holy Spirit and his words were seasoned with love and grace. The same ill which affected young Saul as a Pharisee ironically afflicts many professing followers of Jesus to this day.  In trying to make a strong stand for Jesus they do much damage to the cause of Christ.  I'm sure you've seen the websites with animated flames, the screen filled with wordy ar...

Information and knowledge becomes more widespread and easily accessible with each passing moment.   For those who think the ills of mankind reside in ignorance, this is an indictment against them.  Though information is readily available, people still face the same problems which have plagued them from the beginning.  Man knows the truth but lives in conscious opposition to it, convinced that the truth does not apply in his unique case.  He lives in denial of God's existence, embraces subjective relativism to avoid guilt, and lives as if he is a god.  Generation after generation impales itself upon lust, greed, power, and pleasure, always learning but never receiving the truth of the Gospel through faith in Jesus Christ.  There is a way that seems right to a man, but the end of that way is death. This tragic saga is not only perpetuated by those who reject God and His righteous commands.  Through the prophet Hosea God lamented, " My people are destro...

In the church today we find an undeniable, brutal irony:  believers filled with unbelief.  Christians are often termed "believers," so this claim might at first seem surprising.  But we don't have to look beyond ourselves to know with certainty that we too can beset with this sin.  Do you see unbelief in God and His Word as a sin?  It is among one of the worst faith-killing, power-sapping, glory of God-robbing sins a man can cultivate.  To add to the danger, there is no sin more easily justified by our flesh than unbelief.  We can be full of unbelief but perceive ourselves as strong, unwavering believers. Familiarity with God's Word ironically provides an impetus to unbelief.  We assume that because we can repeat verses verbatim we have in belief appropriated all God has granted us by grace.  Through much hearing we become dull and senseless, finding more interest in reading the commentary in our study Bibles than by listening carefully for...

An oxymoron is a "combination of contradictory or incongruous words."  Some common examples are "jumbo shrimp," "seriously funny," "modern history," and "long shorts."  I visited a website which claimed to have an exhaustive list of oxymoronic statements, but from a biblical perspective they are missing at least one:  world peace. At the end of the halftime show during the Super Bowl, the words "world peace" were emblazoned across the field.  Those are completely incongruous terms.  The world's idea of peace is a world without war or conflict, unity of heart and spirit, a place free of suffering, racism, bigotry, nepotism, or hate.  This is certainly a sublime desire.  But this idyllic life cannot be realized in a world full of sin ruled by Satan, the prince of darkness.  In scripture, the world's ways and humanistic philosophies are always at war with God's ways and perfect wisdom.  There is not a square inch of...

As I grow older, I am amazed by some of the things my brain has tucked away.  What blows me away is how a single day, action, or statement has made a permanent effect upon my life.  Both good and bad things in my past can have a positive influence on me today and the rest of my time on earth.  I remember being corrected harshly as a child by the church secretary for asking her about her age or the embarrassing feeling when I unwittingly touched a toupee of my Sunday School teacher.  I remember Coach Lib sitting down the cross country team to discuss philosophy, and Mr. Kennedy dropping a metal trash can on the floor at Emerald Junior High.  I remember taking a friend to Taco Bell to cheer him up, and putting my foot in my mouth more times than I care to reflect upon.  We would all likely agree that every day we have a chance to make a positive, permanent influence on the lives of those around us for the glory of God.  The trouble is, because we can't m...

" But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. 8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins ."   1 Peter 4:7-8 One little word makes a huge difference.  This is one of the verses from the King James Version I have been memorizing lately.  In the New King James Version, the last part of verse 8 is a quote taken from Proverbs 10:12:  " Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all sins ."  I am most familiar with 1 Peter 4:8 in the NKJV which reads, " And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins."  As I repeated the verse a few times according to the KJV, I began to consider the difference between the use of " a multitude " or " the multitude ."  Though I am not a Greek scholar by any means, upon further examination the original Greek in this passage does not contain the defi...