Marching Forth!

Over 20 years ago I cut this ad out of a magazine because I thought it was weird and hilarious.  I still do.  The punchline in small print at the bottom reads, " Not even the best intentions can guarantee finesse 'n' success ."  If there was ever a photo worth more than a thousand words, this might be it. As the picture illustrates, best intentions do not guarantee a good outcome.  A classic example of this from the Bible is seen in the life of David when he decided to bring the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem.  His intentions were admirable, but the lack of preparation and negligence in the execution of the deed resulted in the sudden death of Uzza.  The party atmosphere was immediately hushed by death and the frustration of David's best intentions angered him.  He decided it was not the time to bring the Ark into Jerusalem.  Ultimately there was a good outcome, for during three months after the tragedy David sought guidance from th...

I remember the first prayer meeting I ever attended.  I was impacted to see men taking time to speak with God together when there were many other things we could have been doing that Saturday.  It was a men's breakfast hosted at our church, and based on the location I was 11 or 12 years old.  I was a follower of Jesus at the time, but it seemed odd to gather in a circle and pray as a group - for what seemed a very long time.  Time flies away when you are in the presence of the LORD, and having matured I have grown to relish it.  Gathering with fellow believers in one accord to seek God and to commune with Him is precious. In reflecting upon times of prayer, the best times were those spent praying.  It is ironic praying can be the very thing neglected when Christians gather to pray.  Much of the time that could be spent praying is often taken up by personal sharing or discussing how we should pray.  Isn't it strange that we have access to the A...

" Indeed heaven and the highest heavens belong to the LORD your God, also the earth with all that is in it. 15  The LORD delighted only in your fathers, to love them; and He chose their descendants after them, you above all peoples, as it is this day. 16  Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff-necked no longer ." Deuteronomy 10:14-16 Many times in scripture God referred to the children of Israel as "stiff-necked."  God was gracious to choose the Jews as His inheritance, honouring the covenant He made with Abraham.  God did not choose them because they were the greatest, and they were not the most stubborn.  Like all people they inherited the sin nature of Adam which leads to sin and death, and all people today share this in common. When we say we have a "stiff neck," it is typically a reference to tightness in our physical neck.  Being "stiff-necked" presented a picture to the Jews in ancient times we mig...

" Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever !" Deuteronomy 5:29 This verse shows the heart of God longs to bless those He greatly loves.  He is not a cosmic killjoy intent on ruining the lives of people, nor does He deny fun out of selfishness or spite.  We do not argue the fact on earth what goes up must come down, that there exists natural laws which govern gravity our opinion cannot influence.  It is fine for a scientist to tell us why the force of gravity as it stands is important to sustaining life on earth, but this provides little comfort for the one who falls down. The force of gravity is not the only law God has established on earth.  There are spiritual laws the wise consider in addition to physical ones.  Deuteronomy 5:29 shows there is a clear correlation between obedience to God and blessing which endures.  ...

It may not be easy to read genealogies in the Bible, but the impact of them cannot be ignored.  Included in the Bible are reckonings of generations from Jesus all the way back to Adam the first man created.  Every name is a link in the chain which validates the creation of the world, man, and every living thing by God.  Though the names are hard to pronounce and may seem to have little significance to us personally, the fact genealogies exist and can be confirmed by secular sources is awesome.  For those who read them there are wondrous truths nestled in them, like coming across a tree loaded with ripe fruit when hungry. Today I read of valiant men of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh who went to war.   1 Chronicles 5:20-22 says, " And they were helped against them, and the Hagrites were delivered into their hand, and all who were with them, for they cried out to God in the battle. He heeded their prayer, because they put their...

When it comes to things of God, the natural man is unable to comprehend ( 1 Cor. 2:14 ).  Misconceptions and errors abound in the haphazard approach unbelievers and even Christians can take to the Bible.  Because it is compiled of sixty-six individual books written by different people inspired by the Holy Spirit there is perfect unity.  Perhaps due to being organised in Old and New Testaments people can view the Old as outdated and the New as more relevant.  No scripture can be wrenched from the context of a chapter without reconciling it with the book and the overarching truth and themes of scripture. Context is key to understanding or interpreting anything, and it is amazing how easily this practice is ignored in the quoting of scripture.  People quote scriptures to support their position or oppose others without even knowing when, why, or to whom it was spoken in the first place.  Sceptics produce countless of these tired chestnuts to accuse, and sa...

" To Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided; and his brother's name was Joktan ." 1 Chronicles 1:19 This is an intriguing verse because in a few words it says something which both agrees and contradicts modern scientific thought.  It is commonly taught the continents today were once connected to one another but over time they split and drifted apart.  This is believed to have taken an incredibly long time according to the current rate of movement.  Scripture affirms the division of continents and islands happened, but it took very little time at all. Eber had two sons and one he named "Peleg" which means "earthquake."  He was named this because " in his days the earth was divided ."  At the time of Peleg's birth the seismic activity was so pronounced Eber named his son Peleg.  It was in the days of Peleg - during his lifetime - the earth was divided.  Perhaps the movement of t...