Marching Forth!

While preparing for the discipleship course at Calvary Chapel Sydney, I was struck by the words of Jesus speaking to His disciples in  Mark 14:27 :   " All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: 'I will strike the Shepherd,  a nd the sheep will be scattered. '"  Consider how Jesus appealed to scripture to confirm what would indeed happen.  His appeal to the truth of scripture shows how powerful and unfailing it truly is.  Being the Son of God Jesus could have appealed to His own prophetic gift or even His judgment of the loyalty and courage of His disciples.  Yet He didn't.  If it is written, it will most certainly be done. Now Peter didn't believe what Jesus said.  He didn't believe the Word of God applied to him given his feelings at the time.   Mark 14:29-30 reads, " Peter said to Him, "Even if all are made to stumble, yet I will not be." 30  Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to ...

God gave me the blessing as a child to be raised by loving parents.  My parents were always there for me, but they raised me in a way looking to a future when I would be required to stand on my own feet.  My mum used to tell us she expected us to be married someday, but she raised us to be bachelors with the ability to cook, clean, and make good financial decisions.  My dad saw to it I knew how to mow the lawn, wash cars, and do an oil change myself.  I don't recall ever asking my parents for money, and it likely is because they taught me if I wanted money there was work I could do to earn it and be disciplined to save it myself. Though my parents taught me to be independent, it was always in the context of being dependent upon God for strength, provision, and wisdom.  My parents continued to be involved in my life as I grew up but never were what I would consider meddlesome.  If I had a conflict with others they did not insert themselves to protect me....

As I drove home from church this afternoon I heard a familiar refrain with a twist:  " You've got the whole world in your hands ."  It was set to the tune I used to sing in Sunday School as a lad proclaiming God has the whole world in His hands and all is under His authority.  It turned out to the be an ad by ABC Radio promoting a new app that puts the " whole world in your hands ." It occurred to me that this perspective has appeal to people from the beginning.  What was the temptation dangled before Eve in the Garden by Satan?  "You will not die but shall be like God, knowing good and evil." ( Gen. 3:4 )  From the beginning man has wanted to be like God.  We have an insatiable appetite for knowledge and the supposed power it brings.  We want to sit in God's judgment seat and do what is right in our own eyes.  The false idol of every age has been self.  It is not self-hatred but the sin of self-love which ensnared men in its tendrils...

Lately, for whatever reason, it seems people are highly concerned about the hypocrisy of others.  I hear them talk about it. and I see people pointing out the hypocrisy of others on Facebook.  Everyone seems to have burning observations about the recent election which are focused on the behaviour of other people.  I imagine you have seen this phenomenon too so I likely do not need provide examples.  People are boasting, complaining, angry, shocked, mourning, accusing, slanderous, gleeful, resigned, or couldn't care less.  As I observe others I do well to first examine my own heart and motives, knowing what the Bible says about me. After Paul explained how God is holy and we are all under His judgment for sin, Romans 2:1 begins with this zinger aimed at the self-righteous:  " Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things ."  God's ju...

Last night I was reading through Zechariah when Joshua the high priest was standing clothed in filthy garments before the LORD and His angels with Satan opposing him.  Satan is an accuser of the brethren, and likely in his mind he had a valid point given Joshua's filthy appearance.  But God rebuked the devil and did not debate the fact Joshua was indeed filthy.  God compared to Joshua being a " brand plucked out the fire ," and if you have ever touched wood which has been scorched you know soot and ash is nigh impossible to clean.  God knew full well Joshua's condition before He brought Joshua into His presence.  God's grace would prove abundant. Now the part of the story which opened my eyes with excitement is in Zechariah 3:3-4 :  " Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and was standing before the Angel. 4 Then He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, "Take away the filthy garments from him." And to him He said, ...

" Thus says the LORD: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the LORD. 6 For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see when good comes, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land which is not inhabited. 7 "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD. 8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit ." Jeremiah 17:5-8 In Australia the upcoming United States presidential election is big news.  People ask me all the time for my thoughts on the election "as an American."  As someone who has called Australia home for six years, I feel a bit distant from the pulse.  But I tell you the truth:  the problems facing the United States are beyond th...

" For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works ." Titus 2:11-14 Grace is a gift of God Christians ought to receive with joy and walk in.  A quick search revealed 17 books in the New Testament begin with a salutation which mentions grace and peace together.  It is only by the grace of God we can have peace with God.  Paul wrote in   Romans 5:1-2 , " Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,  2  through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of Go...