Marching Forth!

Back in the '90's, the unfortunate term "deadbeat dads" came into vogue to define dads who didn't rise to the subjective expectation of what a dad should be.  Dads who refused to pay child support, denied they even had a child, or shirked their responsibility to raise their children in the eyes of their ex-wives, girlfriends, or the courts, were labeled as such.  Now I read the politically-correct revised term is "deadbeat parent."  Whether it is dad or mum who chooses to neglect the God-given privilege and responsibility to raise their children, the kids are the biggest losers. I have lately been thinking about my responsibility to disciple my own children, striving to raise them in the nurture and admonition of the LORD.  Kids need more than food, water, love, and affirmation from their parents; they need much more than quality time, holidays, recreation, schooling, sport, social interaction, and a bed to sleep in.  Jesus said that man shall not live...

Humans have a tendency to focus on the wrong things.  Sometimes it requires a near-death experience before we realise our priorities in life are skewed.  It takes losing something to appreciate what we had.  In the Bible we see this same shortsightedness demonstrated.  2 Chronicles 16:12 documents the case of king Asa:  " And in the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa became diseased in his feet, and his malady was severe; yet in his disease he did not seek the LORD, but the physicians ."  God is the one who heals, but Asa looked instead to men God had given wisdom and understanding.  When Peter was called by Christ to step out of the boat and onto the Sea of Galilee, he took his eyes off of Jesus and instead focused on the waves and was filled with fear.  Even the crippled man who lay by the pool in Bethesda didn't recognize the power of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  When Jesus asked him if he wanted to be well, listen to his answer in John...

" For there is not a just man on earth who does good and does not sin ." Ecclesiastes 7:20 History is littered with examples of well-intentioned people who believed they could create utopia, a sort of "heaven on earth."  I find the definition of "utopian" in Webster's 1828 edition to be most revealing:  " ideal; chimerical, fanciful; not well founded ."  There is no possible way to usher in utopia through force.  Governments and religious groups who have attempted this have only ended in death and disaster.  Utopia cannot be obtained through any human means, for all humans are flawed and fail.  Even when we obtain the thing our heart desires, we become dissatisfied.  King Solomon personally understood this fact:   Ecclesiastes 5:10 reads, " He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity ." Education is not the answer for our ills.  If they were honest, mo...

When our family lived in the USA in 2005, our family hosted a Chinese student who brought us some hand-picked green tea as a gift.  For me, that is what put loose tea on the map.  I would wake up early, put the kettle on, and drop about 10 tiny green balls of dried leaves in the bottom of my mug.  As I poured in the hot water, the dark green leaves floated to the top and slowly unfurled.  It always amazed me how big the leaves would grow, kind of like those tiny plastic dinosaur toys which absorb water and grow large.  It wasn't long before I had finished the tea.  I was never able to find the same brand or type of loose tea again, much to my disappointment. This week our family went to a meal at a friend's house and I was offered a cylinder of unwanted tea our hosts had received as a door prize at a company gathering.  My eyes lit up as I examined the tea.  "It's supposedly good quality, but we won't drink it," I was told.  The red tin had...

" Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it ."   Proverbs 22:6 Those God has blessed with children have the important responsibility to train our children to serve, honour, and worship God.  We cannot relegate the meaning of training to only include what pertains to this temporal life, like household chores, manners, social behaviour, or instilling a good work ethic.  Deuteronomy 6:6-8 explains that teaching children of God through His Word and modeling worship of God is the primary role of parents, contrary to what many believe today:   " And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes ."  God delivered His Word so we might know...

While watching the Australian Open on television yesterday, several times an ad to promote the new season of "The Biggest Loser" (Australia edition) was shown.  A woman spoke of how she needed to love herself and be self-confident before she could be a contributor to a loving relationship.  After the woman tipped the scales at over 150 kilos, shame was evident on her face when she saw her weight revealed in large digital numbers for all to see.  "Sorry Mum," she said sadly, embarrassed for her mum as much as herself. I have started working through the Biblical Counseling Foundation's Self-Confrontation manual of late.  Part of the role of the manual is to lay the foundation for a biblical world view through scripture.  One of the rhetorical questions asked in the preface is, " Don't I have to learn to love myself before I can love others ?"  The conclusion is terse and shocking for those who would answer in the affirmative:  " Questions lik...

I've been thinking about the mutually beneficial relationship between a shepherd and his sheep.  A shepherd is not motivated about what is best for himself, but what is best for the sheep.  It is in his best interest to provide safe pasture, free from noxious weeds and potential predators.  The shepherd will seek clean, slow moving water for the sheep to drink.  He will apply medicine to infections, rising up early and staying out late.  A good shepherd puts the needs of the sheep over his own.  He does not labour to manage the flock because it is convenient.  If he tends the sheep with care for their safety and health in mind, they will yield valuable wool in good time. Romans 8:28 says, " And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose ."  Jesus is the Good Shepherd, and Christians are sheep of His flock.  All things the Good Shepherd allows in our lives will ...