Marching Forth!

 " Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down ." Daniel 4:37 The almighty God opposes the proud whoever they may be.  King Nebuchadnezzar experienced exactly what James said, that God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.  When the heart of Nebuchadnezzar was haughty and proud as the king of an empire, God was able to bring him down without a struggle.  For 7 years the king who reveled in his glory and majesty was reduced to behaving like a beast without understanding.  After God brought Nebuchadnezzar low, at the end of his time he humbled himself before God who restored him to his throne.  For him, humiliation was the path to saving faith in God, humility and wisdom. The psalmist described the proud soul in  Psalm 10:4-6 :  " The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his t...

A main theme in the book of Jeremiah is the need of God's people to repent of sin and return to the LORD.  The fact the prophet addressed people of Israel who were in a covenant with God is compelling for all Christians who are partakers of the new covenant in Christ's blood.  I don't know if there is a worse feeling for Christians who know they are in unrepentant sin and harden their hearts against God and His word.  I imagine this is a reason people can be averse to going to church and hearing God's word preached--for lack of contrition for sin and refusal to repent makes them resemble uncomfortable children awaiting punishment.  I would rather be on the other side of discipline, having apologised and embraced parents who affirmed their love for me.  The sting of discipline was quickly over as I went my way walking on air, everything set right again with parents who loved me enough to correct me. When God brings brokenness for sin and we finally yield to His ...

There is a phrase I hear occasionally, and I have never liked it.  It is a phrase often used to justify what could be called "progressive" yet is often dismissive of other valid perspectives and nothing more than thinly veiled ideology.  I read the city of Sydney has outlawed installation of gas ranges in the CBD and will only allow electric cooktops to avoid "being on the wrong side of history."  This is complete silliness to me, for the vast majority of electricity production in NSW is supplied by coal.  Since natural gas is cleaner burning than coal and produces less carbon dioxide, wouldn't it be more environmentally conscious to cook with natural gas rather than electricity generated primarily by burning coal?  Should we try to impress future generations and alienate those who cook with gas as careless for the environment or clueless today?  Do we look down upon those in previous generations who cooked their food over wood or charcoal?  Those who ...

The old cliche goes, "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink."  From the perspective of someone who has never owned a horse, what I draw from this adage is sometimes we are incapable of making animals or anyone do what they are unwilling to do.  A horse is a big, strong animal, and for a horse to drink it must be willing to stoop to the level of the water and utilise muscles to swallow.  Leading a horse to water may sometimes be a bridge too far, much less forcing a horse to drink! I recently considered something Jesus said in regards to willingness and faith.  He spoke of poor Lazarus being comforted in Abraham's bosom while a rich man was tormented in Hades.  The rich man asked Abraham to send Lazarus from the grave back to his brothers to warn them they were headed to eternal damnation so they might avoid torment.  Abraham replied in  Luke 16:31 :  " But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither w...

Today I had a chat with friends who planned to go and see an area famous for its jacarandas in bloom.  As I thought it over, it dawned on me I could not remember seeing any jacarandas recently, which are known for their bright purple flowers--messy but beautiful!  On my way home from church I decided to be on the lookout for jacarandas, and I was shocked by how many I had driven by and not noticed.  After hearing about jacarandas in bloom, it seemed wherever I looked they were easy to find.  They were so prevalent it was incredible I had failed to notice seeing them bloom this spring. My attention being drawn to jacarandas reminds me of what God does when we are born again by faith in Jesus and read His word.  The Holy Spirit opens our eyes to see Jesus throughout the whole Bible.  Jesus is not merely central to the Gospels but every book of the whole Bible, for His character, power and wisdom are clearly revealed.  As the Creator and Saviour of the wo...

One of the first commercial jobs I worked was on the Four Seasons Resort in Carlsbad, one of the few 5-star hotels and resorts in San Diego.  It was nestled in the hills of Carlsbad and overlooked the highly acclaimed Aviara golf course designed by the legendary Arnold Palmer.  After the job was completed, I returned to the site after operations were in full swing to do some final touches.  It was a totally different world:  a dirt carpark once full of work trucks and portable toilets was paved and adorned with Bentley and Rolls-Royce cars.  The delicious smell of lobster bisque simmering in the kitchen wafted across the rooftop.  In a staff room I noticed a white board that listed all the VIPs they were preparing to host that day--people who were known locally and internationally.  My name was not on the list, by the way. :) While I was given access to the Four Seasons Resort to do my job, I did not feel welcomed there.  It was not a place where ...

When I was a kid, the annual Mother Goose Parade in El Cajon was a big deal.  It brought people together from all over San Diego to participate in a parade that included High School marching bands, people riding horses, floats, clowns and even Shriners in small cars.  The sense of excitement for a main street to be shut down for a community event seems to have gone by the wayside these days, as events (planned and unplanned!) have pivoted from parades to protests.  Instead of bringing people of a community together, it seems gatherings now draw people with intent to oppose one another and are loud and proud about it.  A planned protest gives rise to a counter protest with police in the middle, trying to prevent mayhem as people wave signs, shout slogans and hurl abuse at one another. Protests, for all the noise and spectacle, seem to have less clout than petitions, which are more for the sake of expressing solidarity than providing real change.  Petitions, parad...