Marching Forth!

" I have loved you," says the LORD. "Yet you say, 'In what way have You loved us?' Was not Esau Jacob's brother?" says the LORD. "Yet Jacob I have loved; 3 but Esau I have hated, and laid waste his mountains and his heritage for the jackals of the wilderness ." Malachi 1:2-3 Over the weekend a visiting pastor referenced this statement from the book of Malachi.  He said some people fault God for hating Esau, but they would do better to question his love of Jacob - the conniving, supplanting, deceitful heel-catcher!  God is not unrighteous to hate sin and those who commit abomination.  Yet God has shown mercy and grace to all through the sacrifice of His own Son, Jesus Christ.  His love for Jacob was all of grace.  Man cannot question God's sovereign choices, nor can man rightly blame God for any evil.  When we are faced with difficult questions or situations which seem impossible to reconcile, we should not abandon faith for what w...

I have entered the final day of my trip to New Zealand.  It has been an absolute delight visiting with friends, speaking with the students from the Calvary Chapel Bible Institute, and witnessing the power of God to transform minds and lives.  Most of the week has been filled with rain, but this morning is clear and sunny.  My time here has been inspiring and refreshing as I have received and held forth the timeless truths of God's Word.  I cannot be the same, for I have tasted and seen again the goodness of God. When I travel, one of the aspects I enjoy the most is being an eye-witness of God's work in every place.  There is not a place in the world outside the reach of God's miraculous power to redeem and save.  No one is beyond the love, mercy, and grace of God to transform.  I heard the testimony of someone yesterday who God delivered months ago out of addictions and a destructive lifestyle.  This person was trapped in a generational cycle of...

This morning I read 1 Samuel 27, the passage when David and his men fled to the land of the Philistines to seek refuge from King Saul.  After ingratiating himself with Achish the king, David persuaded him to give him some land.  Achish complied and gave David the town of Ziklag.  For the space of time David remained in Philistine territory, he lived a double life.  He was outwardly loyal to Achish but secretly remained loyal to Israel and God.  He and his men would go on raids of the native inhabitants of the land and when asked by Achish David would lie, "Oh, we went on a raid in the south of Judah."  He would give some of the spoil to Achish, who became absolutely convinced of David's allegiance and sword. I think some can make the mistake of seeing a God-fearing man like David playing the hypocrite and believe this scriptural account is an endorsement of this behaviour.  I do not believe David was right in living a double life, and I do not believ...

" Now it happened afterward that David's heart troubled him because he had cut Saul's robe."   1 Samuel 24:5 Observe the tenderness evident in the man after God's own heart!  When King Saul persecuted and pursued David, seeking to kill him, David was presented with an opportunity to kill Saul.  Men loyal to David goaded him on, telling him that moment was a fulfillment of God's word to deliver all his enemies into his hand.  Yet David refused to kill Saul and would not allow any of his men to do so.  Instead, he cut a piece from Saul's clothing as a sign he had opportunity to kill Saul but did not.  It seemed justifiable to David at the time as a sign he harboured no ill will against Saul. But later, David was troubled by his actions.  He was convicted by the Holy Spirit and regretted what he had done.  He would not lift up a finger against God's anointed, nor even speak poorly of him:  how dare he damage Saul's robe?  Some would...

It has been nearly three years since God moved me and my family from southern California and transplanted us in Sydney.  I can say by God's grace we are looking healthy as a unit, like a well-established tree.  The leaf-casting season was short, and I'm not aware our leaves even drooped as we drew up water through well-tilled earth!  Our roots have shot down deep into good soil, and the loving Body of Christ has been a huge part of that on both sides of the Pacific.  We have had exceptional support from family, friends, and from so many at Calvary Chapel Sydney.  When I think of all God has done from establishing the boys at a great school, strengthening my marriage, and granting us permanent residency, I am in awe. For almost the entire time our family have been in Australia, we have lived in one house.  It was certainly a God-send, granted at the time we needed it most.  There have been issues scattered over that time with an occasional repair requ...

Our family recently signed up for private health insurance.  There were many reasons we did so.  The primary reason was that if we did not to opt for private health insurance in Australia within the first 12 months of being permanent residents, there would be a sizable rate increase we would have to pay for the rest of our lives.  Basically, the government strongly advocates private health care as well as public.  The cost of private health care through Bupa is about half of what we were paying for international health care through Aetna, so we're actually saving money! There are many benefits to private health coverage I was aware of, but there was a promotion I was not aware of.  After signing up for Bupa, we were given the choice of three gifts:  a $200 New Balance shoe vocher, 20 movie tickets, or a Fitbit One wireless activity and sleep tracker.  After mulling over the options, we decided to go with the Fitbit One.  It's an amazing piece of...

" For thus says the LORD to the house of Israel: "Seek Me and live; 5 but do not seek Bethel, nor enter Gilgal, nor pass over to Beersheba; for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nothing. 6 Seek the LORD and live, lest He break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and devour it, with no one to quench it in Bethel. " Amos 5:4-6 A few nights ago I came across this passage.  It illustrates one of the common pitfalls of God-fearing people:  seeking fulfillment through ritual rather than seeking God.  Amos was a working man turned prophet through the call of God.  Amos issued many warnings to Judah and Israel because of their idolatry and sin God would certainly judge.  God gave Amos a series of visions to share with the people to aid their understanding.  Through Amos, God predicted the dispersion of His people and their ultimate restoration. I don't know what is worse because they are both bad:  unbelievers w...