Marching Forth!

" I entreated Your favor with my whole heart; be merciful to me according to Your word ." Psalm 119:58 Even when we have learned, God continues to teach.  There is always a deeper level - a more personal application - for biblical truth beyond where we stand.  The necessity and value of an undivided heart is a theme I have often been reminded of lately.  Unless we come to a place of rest and complete neutrality on an issue when seeking God, clear direction from our heavenly Father will often elude us.  It is not that God has abandoned us, but our preferences cloud our judgment.  We can stumble through a self-induced fog, straining for clear vision of the path laid before us.  As long as we hold to our plans and ideas - even with the thought of bringing God glory - clarity of sight and sureness of footing will remain out of reach. In wrestling with God over direction of my life and even the church, only after I wholly yielded myself to God's plan did ...

The longer I follow Christ, the more I am struck by His objective claims.  The world says there are "many paths to God," but the Bible proclaims the opposite.  In our modern-day culture of relativity, people hate the idea of anyone claiming to possess absolute truth.  That is why people hated Jesus.  He stood up to the religious leaders of the day, boldly proclaiming He was the Son of God.  He transcended all earthly rulers in wisdom and power.  He performed mighty signs and wonders, and rose from the dead in glory.  He said without apology or caveat in John 14:6:  " I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me ."  No politician, prophet, or lunatic spoke as this Man.  In Christ we find no comfortable middle ground with this world. Following Jesus Christ is an exclusive, narrow way.  He will receive every sinner who repents and receives Him through faith.  The Gospel is incredibly simple...

While busy with custodial duties at church, I was listening to a talk by Britt Merrick, pastor of Reality Carpinteria.  He spoke from experience about how joy and suffering are coupled in the Christian life.  Instead of God removing suffering from life, He allows Christians to embrace genuine joy in the midst of suffering.  Just yesterday I finished reading a biography of Mrs. Spurgeon by Charles Ray.  Susannah was a godly woman who not only endured suffering, but continued to persevere and be profitable for God's glory in the midst of acute long-term illness.  She was a woman of maturity and faith, one who learned to trust in God no matter what.  In the book, there is an object lesson she shares which spoke deeply to my heart.  Ray begins this quote from Susannah on page 81: At the close of a very dark and gloomy day I lay resting on my couch as the deeper night drew on, and though all was bright within my cosy little room, some of the external dar...

" You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen ." 2 Peter 3:17-18 After I read this passage, I was led to consider the connection between grace and knowledge.  Without knowledge we are unable to appreciate or even acknowledge grace.  For instance, salvation by grace through faith is an unmerited gift from God.  Because of His great love for us, God the Father chose to satisfy divine justice through the sacrifice of His own Son Jesus the Christ on Calvary.  What a gift!  Not only can man be forgiven for his sins by repenting and trusting in Jesus as Saviour, but the righteousness of Christ is freely credited to each Christian born again through the Holy Spirit. There was a time when I was ignorant of God and His grace....

While driving yesterday, I caught sight of a heart-warming scene.  A man was mowing the grass in his front yard.  That in itself was not an unusual thing to see.  But what brought a smile to my face was his little boy, probably about three years old.  This boy industriously pushed a large plastic cart back and forth accross the turn, glancing occasionally at dad from his "work."  The riding toy had a handle at the back gripped tightly by the youngster.  Tongue sticking out in a concentrated effort, the boy was completely absorbed in mowing the lawn.  Some would say the boy was not actually "doing" anything.  It's true that his train toy was completely ineffective at cutting grass.  But the boy was doing something.  Best he could, he was working with his dad - and teaching me a lesson as well! It is natural that this boy would delight in emulating his father.  Doing something like dad was fun in itself, and it is a great joy to ser...

People are into power.  Who wants a gutless car when you could have one with power instead?  There is a longing in the human heart to control.  This desire for power can seep into our walk with Christ as well.  The other night our family read of Simon the sorcerer in Acts 8 who for a long time had captivated the people of Samaria with sorcery.  Philip preached the Gospel to the people and his words were attended with powerful wonders and signs no one could deny.  Though a sorcerer, even Simon was convinced by the truth of the Gospel and believed.  Peter and John then came to the city, desiring the new believers would receive the Holy Spirit.  When they laid hands on Christians, they received the baptism with the Holy Spirit. The text does not say if Simon also received the Holy Spirit.  But he was not one to stand by idly when actual power from God was potentially available!  He offered Peter money and said in Acts 8:19 , " Give me t...

Revenge is a common themes in books, shows, and films.  From "Gladiator" to "Taken," "The Princess Bride" to "The Count of Monte Cristo," the desire for revenge fuels the plot.  Revenge films begin similarly:  the stage is set by a great injustice, the protagonist is introduced, and characters are developed.  Before too long we sympathise with the protagonist(s) and hope the bad guys reap what they have sown.  The only good resolution in a revenge movie is suffering and death for those who have done wrong.  People want those who have done wrong to suffer.  This is our natural inclination.  Hollywood is happy to pander to common appetites. Have you ever considered how ungodly and unbiblical the concept of revenge is?  We read in the Bible of people taking revenge, but they were not commended by God for their violence.  He says in Ezekiel 18:32 :  " For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies," says the Lord GOD. "Therefore...