Marching Forth!

This morning I read an article written in 1868 which holds forth a simple truth:  all who labour for the cause of Christ will have hard times.  We will experience opposition and setbacks while we are doing God's will.  It is a commonly held misconception among Christians that when we do something for God, He should make it easier.  Yet God does not remove from us the very trials which perseverance proves our faith to be genuine to us and a lost world.  Trials are opportunities for our growth and for deeper trust and reliance upon God moving forward. C.H. Spurgeon had no shortage of difficulties in his ministry which was greatly blessed by God.  When there is opportunity we can certainly expect adversity.  Spurgeon was deeply troubled by an  incident at the Surrey Music Hall where he was slated to speak and many people died in a panic.  Nature itself may seem to labour to hinder us by inclement weather.  He experienced loss when a stro...

" There is one who makes himself rich, yet has nothing; a nd one who makes himself poor, yet has great riches ." Proverbs 13:7 Social media is strewn with people displaying luxurious cars, watches, and jewellery.  There is enviable status attached to celebrity, money, and branding.  People seem to love showing off their homes, bodies, collections, and exotic holiday locations as they "live the good life."  The old adage goes, "Money can't buy happiness," yet the pictures and captions labour to paint a different picture.  It's a fair question:  if we are not happy with what we have now, what's to say we will be happy with more? We can only eat so much at once, but our appetites for more are insatiable.  Isn't the good life more than the pursuit of happiness? King Solomon penned the Proverbs, and this powerful, wise, and famous man knew what he was talking about.   1 Kings 10:14 tells us how much gold Solomon received annually...

" And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn ." Zechariah 12:10 When Jesus preached and performed miracles, people wondered in amazement:  "Is this the Son of David?"  He was of David's line and was born in Bethlehem, but this question is concerning His identity as the Messiah, the Anointed One sent by God to be a Saviour and Deliverer.  After Jesus claimed to be sent by the Father  John 7:31 reads, " And many of the people believed in Him, and said, "When the Christ comes, will He do more signs than these which this Man has done ?"  It would be the death and resurrection of Christ which was the ultimate sign He is indeed the Christ, the Son of God. Last night I read through Zechariah 12 , and God spoke thro...

Despite having the solid truth of the scripture, it is possible for myths to worm their way into common Bible teaching.  I do not know the motives of those who do so at the first, but the human tendency to parrot stories without critical thought is prevalent.  As a kid I remember being told in Sunday School God was unapproachable in holiness.  This was illustrated by the chief priest wearing bells on his robe so other priests could hear him beyond the veil in the most holy place in the temple.  I was told a rope was tied to an ankle so if there was a prolonged silence (because the priest had offended God and been struck dead!) his corpse could be hauled out without endangering anyone else.  Perhaps you have heard a similar tale?  You might be interested to learn there is no scriptural evidence to support this idea and much which contradicts it. This morning I read the scripture where God laid out in great detail the clothing of the high priest.  I...

Last night at youth we discussed impact of our worldview in interpreting scientific evidence.  A participant in the conversation bravely asked something like, "Can you be a Christian and still believe in evolution?"  Though many young people in our group go to Christian private schools, belief in Darwinian evolution is largely believed and advocated by teachers and students alike.  I explained God has allowed a wide latitude of beliefs and practices among His people, and a belief in evolution does not strip anyone of their position as a follower of Christ.  The grave concern I have for all who do so is their willingness to substitute the ideas and philosophies of men for the plain Word of God. Evolutionary thinking is not the problem here.  The issue at stake is the authority of the Bible.  I have never heard anyone use the Bible to remotely prove their case for evolutionary theory - because evolutionary theory did not arise from the scripture.  Sti...

I recently saw a trailer for an upcoming movie titled "Life" which seemed cliche:  scientists go to Mars seeking "life" and initially celebrate after discovering it, but it turns out this form of life is a deadly threat to humans.  It struck me as amusing how man's quest for "life" beyond our planet is not only found in science fiction films, but is the aim of many scientists today.  I don't know what is crazier:  the fact we haven't found living organisms on other planets or the fact the earth is absolutely teeming with them. Pretty much everywhere on the earth, life is found flourishing.  Trees, grass, mammals, bacteria in the dirt and in the air, from the deep places in the sea to the highest mountains, in birds which soar above the clouds or human beings in aeroplanes, life on earth is everywhere.  Places completely unsuitable for human life are packed with other living creatures quite at home.  Look inside both living and dead things an...

Years ago, God used a piece of wood to convict me of my lack of faith in Him.  When I bought a pool table second-hand, a few old cues were included by the seller.  One of the cues was warped to the point it was not worth repairing.  As I went to throw it away, however, I was impressed by the solid feel in my hand.   This wouldn't be a bad club , I thought to myself.   If someone broke into my house, I would feel capable of defending myself with this in my hand .  So I discreetly stashed my improvised personal defence system in my bedroom. It wasn't long before I started thinking:  hasn't God promised to defend me and my family?  Was it possible I was trading divine protection and safety for my own strength?  Wouldn't it be better to do my part to responsibly secure the home with locks and lights and entrust myself to His care?  My club wouldn't do me any good if I was asleep, but the God of Israel does not slumber or sleep.  A cl...