Marching Forth!

From a young age, I remember my dad putting into practice the truth of scripture:  "Ask and ye shall receive."  While some parents are content to ask leading questions of their children, it was clear that if I wanted something I would need to ask for it.  More and more these days I notice people don't actually ask for things:  they will hint or resort to manipulative tactics to achieve their ends.  For instance, let's say you see a child struggling to open the lid of a container.  He grunts and groans, making his frustration known.  His mum notices the struggles of her son and says, "Do you want me to open that for you?"  The child nods and brings it to his mum to open.  This is an unscriptural way to deal with this issue.  If a child wants help, he must be required humble himself to ask for it.  God requires no less of His children.  Before long this can become a deeply entrenched habit the boy or parent won't even recognise w...

In this age of information, the irony exists that men have more excuses than ever to doubt.  Conspiracy thrives on the internet and all manner of media with unrelenting force.  People will believe what they want to believe, and it's not hard to find people with all sorts of opinions.  Truth has become a virtual cornucopia which allows the freedom of opposite and conflicting opinions to carry the same weight.  Evidence is open to wide interpretation - if you have the luxury of actually possessing it.  Personal opinion is often the strongest evidence most people's beliefs are founded upon, about as stable as oil and eroding sand.  If we hear it enough, we can be convinced two plus two equals five. The world changes, but people stay the same.  We are naturally parrots upon whom the conspiracy vultures prey.  Conspiracy and doom are big business with books, DVDs, and conferences raking in millions annually.  Funny isn't it, that people who stum...

During my first visit to Australia, I stayed with a wonderful family in Brisbane.  A good portion of the back of the house and porch was covered with a lush, green, passion fruit vine.  I was amazed by the amount of foliage and fruit generated by a single seed.  The vine was enormous, but the connection to the ground was very small.  From what I can remember, my hosts said every year they would give it a big trim.  It would begin growing again, creeping up the bannister and up to the second story with a bumper crop of delicious passion fruit. Jesus said in John 15:5 , " I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing ."  Just like the passion fruit vine's life, growth, and food production depended on the vine's connection to the earth, so we as Christians are only viable when we are connected to Christ.  It would be foolish for the branches to be so awed by their rich foli...

Our eyes are valuable because they enable us to see.  During our waking moments we are almost entirely dependent upon them.  It it difficult for someone who can see to even fathom living without the blessing of sight.  Yet there are limitations even to a set of eyes with perfect vision.  We cannot see through thick fog or solid objects.  Our range of vision is limited by distance and the direction we currently face.  No one actually has functioning eyes on the back of their heads, though some people can make you wonder by their uncanny ability of perception! Man is constantly stretching the boundaries of what he can do and accomplish.  But there will always be a boundary.  The time for a human being running 100 meters will never be 0.00.  Because of the things we can see and do we sometimes forget there is more to the picture.  From our limited perspective, we create expectations of what needs to happen in our lives.  As Christian...

Prince Harry made headlines in Australia because of his partying ways in Las Vegas, often referred to as "Sin City."  Famous for its strip of hotels, casinos, clubs, risque adult entertainment, call girls, and endless buffets, the city of Las Vegas has a adopted a bold-faced lie as its slogan:  " What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas ."  The moniker fits in my opinion because sin is deceitful.  The concept that there is a geographic place on earth where morality and consequences are nil is the fantasy of fools.  Most people leave Vegas with less money than they came, so obviously money stays there!  Even if mobile phone cameras hadn't been invented, Prince Harry and others just looking "to have fun" leave Vegas with far less dignity.  What happened behind closed doors has been shouted from the rooftops with the long reach and permanent smudge of the internet. The potential for scandal is not based upon geographic limits.  A city nor outside influ...

" And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus ." Philippians 4:19 When I was growing up, I wore my favourite clothes and shoes until they wore out.  Silk-screened logos became cracked and faded, and holes grew in my Vans shoes.  One thing I love about the promises of God is that they never become threadbare and worn out from use.  They never lose their lustre or fade.  If anything, the promises of God become exceedingly more precious because our experience proves they are genuine.  God's Word is not to be locked away in a vault somewhere to guard the secrets contained within, but liberally shared and broadcasted everywhere.  Like the bread that Jesus blessed, broke, and distributed to His disciples to dispense, the greater the need the more God supplies. God is a provider for the needs of His people.  He does not give out of His abundance, but " according to His riches ."  This is grace upon grace...

One of my favourite paintings is called "The Parable of the Blind" by Pieter Bruegel.  Painted in 1568, I find the attention to detail and profound symbolism striking.  When Jesus and his followers were criticised by the Pharisees, Jesus saw no need to fight with them.  The painting is an illustration of what Jesus says in Matthew 15:14 , " Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch ."  Who you trust and choose to follow is very important.  There are many people who can see with their physical eyes but are spiritually blind, unable to discern the truth.  The Pharisees substituted the traditions of men for the commandments of God.  They were blind guides who led many to destruction. A teacher can only take a student as far as he knows.  Exceptional students who desire complete mastery over their subject seek to be taught by experts.  Someone who aspires to be a physicis...