Marching Forth!

At Bible study last night we read Proverbs 17:28 which says, " Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; when he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive ."  As we discussed the meaning and personal application, it dawned on me yet again the common tendency to make Christianity more about behaviour than the condition of our hearts.  A superficial application of this passage would be, "I want to be wise, or at least appear wise to others.  Speaking less is the key to other perceiving me as wise!" The meaning of the phrase "holds his peace" basically means to remain silent.  But there is a deeper meaning revealed in scripture.  Ephesians 2:13-14 says, " But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation... "  Understanding that Jesus IS our peace puts a completely different spin ...

" Wisdom is in the sight of him who has understanding, but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth ." Proverbs 17:24 The book of Proverbs is packed with verses which compare and contrast wise and foolish.  Jesus said a wise man hears His words and puts them into practice, but the foolish man hears His words and ignores them.  A fool says in his heart, "There is not God" and lives accordingly - as if he is god.  According to the biblical description, a wise man is one who has humbled himself before God and has chosen to adopt His ways.  He is circumspect, conscious of God's sovereignty, provision, and love.  He seeks, heeds, and obeys God's guidance.  A fool may be wise in the wisdom of the world, but it is foundation of shifting sand.  Jesus said those who build upon man's "wisdom" embrace certain destruction. Once a person is born again through the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit takes up residence inside them.  An inn...

As we trek along in our walk with Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit our eyes are opened to see aspects of our lives that are contrary to God's ways.  In our flesh dwells no good thing, and it is only natural to persist in fleshly attitudes, thoughts, words, and deeds in varying degrees.  The fact it is natural does not mean it is beneficial or permissible.  In this body of flesh we need to be supernaturally transformed, and only through the Holy Spirit with our full cooperation is it possible. I have been teaching through 1 Corinthians at Calvary Chapel Sydney , and much of the epistle addressed and sought to correct sin in the Corinthian church.  Paul affirmed the Law was written for our sakes as well as the Jews ( 1 Cor. 9:10 ).  He cited many examples of sinful behaviour in the children of Israel that lead to their destruction, despite being blessed and privileged by God.  One of the sins was particularly impressed upon my heart was that of compla...

Whilst driving, I saw the name of a local company written on a truck:  "A Cut Above Constructions."  Immediately I began chewing on an idea:  isn't that what everyone is looking for in anything?  We are always open to a better deal, and nothing is better than the best deal!  We want the best prices, service, quality, and value for money.  This same approach can be brought to the search for a home church.  There are people seemingly doomed to be church vagabonds, never connecting, always open to a better deal.  Wouldn't you want your church to be "a cut above?"  Who wouldn't? I started thinking about my home growing up.  The idea of looking for a better deal doesn't work when it comes to "home."  I didn't have a choice who my parents or siblings were, where we lived, the design of our house, menu, what appliances we owned, or if the lawn mower had a bag attachment.  Now that would have been nice!  But seriously, I never t...

Do you realise God gave the Law to His people and also to you?  Because it is often said "we are not under the Law," a devaluing of it has occurred.  Whilst it is true those who are in Christ Jesus have entered into a New Covenant in Christ's blood through faith, the Law is completely relevant to us today.  We are not obligated to "keep" the letter of the Law, but the principles are just as true and righteous today as ever.  We are no longer under the authority of the "schoolmaster" of the Law ( Galatians 3:24-25 ), but we can still learn much from that teacher.  The Law focused on external righteousness, but Jesus came to establish righteousness within us through faith in Him.  Instead of outward conformity, God desires inner transformation leading to outward godliness through the Holy Spirit. Jesus said in Matthew 5:17-18 , " Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For ass...

I was raised in a generation of Christian believers who emphasised the grace of God and I am most grateful.  Looking back, perhaps this strong emphasis was in response to legalism and the error of a works-based salvation.  I remember many times being taught the fruit of the Spirit is a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit within a born-again follower of Jesus Christ.  This is true.  Whilst it is true that striving to do through the flesh what only God can do through the Spirit is futile, the opposite error can creep into the hearts and minds of Christians:  we do not need to be intentional or sometimes take drastic steps in obedience to the Holy Spirit or God's Word.  Paul subjected his flesh under the Holy Spirit as a slave driver, and then he disciplined himself to live a holy life of obedience to God.  I see in Paul an intentional approach that for much of my early walk might be better described as "passive carelessness."  I suspect I'm not the...

I have always been impressed with pioneers who embraced the risk of the unknown and uprooted their family in the hope of a better life.  Many sold their land, packed everything into a wagon, and started a new living from scratch.  It was a hard life, and many of the early pioneers in the States were on their own.  They faced dangers from wild animals, prairie fires, freezing winters, and hacked an existence out of the bush.  I enjoyed reading the Little House on the Prairie book set as a kid, amazed by the diligence of the hard-working Ingalls family. Something I have been thinking about lately is the relatively recent emphasis on "church planting."  I believe being led by the Spirit is a critical factor in seeking to fulfill your calling.  It is important to examine our personal motives through the lens of scripture.  It is interesting all Christians are called to make disciples, yet I do not see any specific call in the Bible to plant churches....