Marching Forth!

First impressions can be most misleading.  Many deep friendships I now have did not start off that way.  The initial snapshot we have of others, the conversation we walked in on, a few words spoken misunderstood, can give us a very jaded and unfair picture of reality.  This same thing happens when it comes to knowledge of God.  God's character is complex and multifaceted, and it is easy for people to grab bits and pieces out of biblical context to create a monstrous caricature in their minds.  Some can only see God as a mushy "God of love" and others see Him as always furious, ready to dole out judgment for the slightest trespass.  Only through scripture and the power of the Holy Spirit can a man begin to know God.  Those who are known of God on earth can know Him, but our knowledge, experience, and sight is incredibly limited.  Through eternity those saved by the blood of Jesus will be ever growing in our knowledge, appreciation, and worship for ...

In the biblical history of the Jewish people we see well illustrated the importance of who sat on the throne.  The one anointed as king wielded great influence on the lives of the people:  some walked according to God's laws, and others encouraged idolatry and great abominations.  What is true for nations has spiritual implications for individuals.  The one you pay homage to will dictate your spiritual health and vitality.  When self sits on the throne, there can be no true peace.  It is only when Jesus Christ is elevated to His rightful status in our lives as LORD and Saviour that all begins to be put right. After Adam's sin in the garden, man was separated from God.  God promised He would deliver His people from the oppression of sin and tyrannical rulers if they would love Him and walk in His ways.  A day came when the people demanded to have a king like the other nations, rejecting God as their divine ruler.  The majority of these king...

The theme of the primary camp at Kedron last week was "Fruit."  In preparation for the talks I assembled an assortment of interesting fruit facts.  One day I did a demonstration and showed how to easily remove pomegranate seeds using a knife, bowl, and wooden spoon.  Less than half of the kids had ever seen a pomegranate before, and they enjoyed sampling the fruit.  From what I can tell, a pomegranate is an "aggregate fruit" that is technically a berry.  Believe me, botany is not for the timid.  It is very complex and at times confusing, so I tended to share fruit facts I could understand and easily explain.  There is much about fruit I don't know! The following day we had a local television chef and personality come and visit.  The kids were very excited to see a professional chef they had seen on TV.  He came with loads of different fruit and asked questions about them.  What did he hold up?  A pomegranate!  "Do you kids kn...

Convenience often comes at a price.  You can purchase milk at the corner store near your house, but it will likely cost more money than at major shops.  The cost for convenience can extend beyond mere monetary cost as well.  It may be convenient to buy fast-food off the dollar menu, but it is often not as healthy or nutritious as food prepared yourself at home.  Most of us will weigh the cost of convenience and decide accordingly.  If ordering five pizzas delivered is only a $3 fee, you may well choose that option.  But if it is a three dollar charge per pizza, you may decide pickup is the way to go! We've heard the sad story of a "relationship of convenience," a relationship sustained by motives other than love and affection for their spouse.  Dealing with strife and contention with little effort to reconcile seems easier and cheaper for some than going through a formal split.  When reading the Bible, I came across such a situation with the Isr...

" And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me ." 2 Corinthians 12:9 God allowed a messenger of Satan to trouble Paul, for in Paul's weakness God's strength was made perfect.  The grace of God was sufficient for any situation Paul might experience.  In His wisdom, God allowed Paul to suffer - and not without divine purpose.  Through experience Paul knew by God's grace when he was weak, he was strong.  Human weakness, coupled with humble faith in Jesus Christ, promotes supernatural strength for God's glory. What the world perceives as weakness is sometimes the embodiment of strength.  Life on earth is made to be "survival of the fittest" where the biggest, strongest, and fastest rule.  We are taught to fight for our rights, showing no signs of weakness.  With pride to fuel our att...

Last evening I returned with Abel from a week spent speaking at a primary camp hosted at Camp Kedron.  "Fruit" was the theme, and it was amazing how many great activities the kids enjoyed.  We all learned a lot about fruit, and more importantly I trust everyone learned a lot more about God.  I did! One incident summed up the grace of God demonstrated through the camp perfectly.  Before each session, I shared some interesting "fruit facts" with the kids.  I am no botanical expert, but I did spend literally hours scanning articles and websites to learn more about various fruit.  One day I brought a pineapple, also called the "King of Fruit."  I showed them how the crown can be twisted off, dried, and planted to grow a new pineapple plant.  It is not a single fruit but a sorosis, a multiple fruit where the flowers grow flesh and are pressed closely together.  I pointed out the leaves at the bottom of the pineapple, that when picking one out yo...

God sees the big picture.  This is quite the opposite of man, whose tendency leans towards self-focus and immediate gratification.  Our physical eyes may have "perfect" vision, yet we can be spiritually shortsighted to the point of blindness.  To enter in to all God has for us requires us to trust Him.  We must be convinced He intimately knows us, our needs, and what is best. After God led the children of Israel out of slavery in Egypt, He intended to bring them into the land He promised to give them.  When they arrived at the doorstep of Canaan, they sent spies into the land for 40 days.  10 out of 12 brought an evil report of the land.  They acknowledged it was a good land but there were giants and massive strongholds.  In their shortsightedness they looked at the giants and their own relative physical stature and strength rather than the power of God who had done mighty wonders to miraculously deliver them from Egypt.  The people cried a...