Marching Forth!

Heaven is God's throne and the earth His footstool.  He has the power to raise up kings and depose them, to overthrow nations and establish them.  God brought the nation of Israel out of Egypt with a mighty hand and gave them land in Canaan by lot.  It is interesting to me God made Israel a great nation with clearly defined borders.  God could have given His people all the land on the planet, but He didn't.  He established boundaries for His people, something we ought to consider in our own lives too.  We should be content with our station and all God has graciously provided instead of always seeking to expand.  Godliness with contentment is great gain. Not only did God provide boundaries for the land of the nation Israel, but He provided them His Law.  God's Law was to govern people's actions, words, duties, and the worship of God.  Left to their own devices and driven unchecked by the lust and wickedness of people hearts, they would beco...

It was probably around 9pm when I answered an unexpected knock at the door whilst still living at my parent's home.  The open door revealed a boy in his late teens wearing a laminated badge on a lanyard.  He carried a folder, and beside him was a large box filled with candy and other items to sell.  He went into his spiel before I could say anything, something to the effect of:  "Would you be willing to buy some items to keep teens like me out of gangs and off the streets?"  The irony of the situation was not lost on me:  a teenager was selling stuff door-to-door late at night to keep teens off the streets!  It seemed to me this industrious young man was not at risk of being drawn into a gang or homelessness.  He appeared ambitious and driven to excel, one who was a positive influence on others rather than being dragged down himself. People have the ability to influence others in powerful ways, for good or evil.  When high-energy kids join...

Before crossing the Jordan river and entering the Promised Land, the Israelites obeyed the command of the LORD to war against the Midianites.   Numbers 32:1-5 reads, " Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of livestock; and when they saw the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead, that indeed the region was a place for livestock,  2 the children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spoke to Moses, to Eleazar the priest, and to the leaders of the congregation, saying,  3 "Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Shebam, Nebo, and Beon,  4  the country which the LORD defeated before the congregation of Israel, is a land for livestock, and your servants have livestock." 5 Therefore they said, "If we have found favour in your sight, let this land be given to your servants as a possession. Do not take us over the Jordan ." The situation played out like this:  the Israelite tribes of Reub...

As a person who tends to remain at one church for extended periods, I often wonder about the metrics people use to determine which church is ideal for them.  At the onset I am unsure if an ideal church actually exists since all individual members (including the seeker) are in various stages of maturity and growth.  And if we ask the question, "What is the best or ideal church for me?" if "me" is the central or primary point of emphasis clearly my ideals are skewed.  There are both practical and spiritual aspects to consider.  Is the meeting place reasonably close to my home?  Are the doctrines taught biblically sound?  What I find most concerning is though there are many Christians denominations and groups of all kinds, some can't seem to feel comfortable or fit anywhere and thus are not engaged in regular fellowship with other believers.  Maybe comfort isn't the best metric to use. Over the years I've heard things I didn't expect, like:  "I...

Everyone seems to have different opinions about what is "wrong with the world."  I have heard some claim religion is to blame for wars and conflicts, but such would be hard-pressed to argue with the biblical definition in  James 1:27 :  " Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world ."  There is a lot in this world which defiles heart and soul, and many things done in the name of religion are sinful in God's sight.  Therefore it is not religion itself that is the problem, but sin in the hearts of people where the issue lies.  All religions are not equal or valid in God's sight, even as the end cannot justify the means.  There is only one way to salvation and eternal life, and it is not gained through observance of a "religion" but through faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus often said things which amazed those who followed Him.  After a rich ...

" A man who has friends must himself be friendly, b ut there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother ." Proverbs 18:24 The friend you desire is the friend you ought to be to others.  C.S. Lewis wrote something profound in his book The Four Loves :  " The very condition of having Friends is that we should want something else besides Friends ." (Martindale, Wayne, and Jerry Root. The Quotable Lewis . Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2005. page 236)  If all you want is a friend - like a child who is glad to have a neighbour for an hour and then for them to go home - then it should be no surprise you find friendship rare.  Friends are not a commodity to possess but a fellow to walk alongside and encourage through life.  Yet if a person offers intimacy and accepts others with the same love reserved for family, this is a friend worth having.  Friendship is a gift of God we can cultivate which knits hearts together with a connection truer than that o...

In many aspects of our Christian walk before God we bear a degree of responsibility.  Knowing this, it is possible we might begin to place more emphasis on our efforts or knowledge and create a subtle shift from simple faith in God.  It is true knowledge of God and His Word is intrinsic to faith and obedience, yet we are compared to one currently seeing a dim reflection of reality.  Even when we are able to view a picture or video in High Definition it could only portray a fraction of the details which could be known:  what led to the scene, the people involved, the outcome, and the future. I am blessed God has plans, purposes, and the miraculous ability to perform them all in His way and time.  God declared through the prophet in  Isaiah 46:9-11 , " Remember the former things of old, f or I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, 10  declaring the end from the beginning, a nd from ancient times things that are not ...