Marching Forth!

In the New Testament, the apostle Paul explained one purpose of the Law of Moses in  Romans 3:19-20 :  " Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.  20  Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin ."  While all sin is contrary to God and His righteous ways, it is completely natural for all those born into it.  The Law gave commands and prohibitions that guided the conduct of people, yet laws written on tablets of stone could not govern or transform hearts.  Thankfully God who knows the heart has given Christians the Holy Spirit who convicts us of sin the Law never explicity mentioned. During my recent study in the book of Jeremiah, it occurred to me how self-pity is a sin I have not always recognised in myself or others.  Self is at the centre of countless si...

Last night at Bible study we discussed the crucifixion and burial of Jesus in Matthew 27 .  Typically Roman crucifixion was reserved for the worst criminals, and after being taken down from the cross their bodies were treated as unclean refuse and left to rot.  Matthew tells us a wealthy disciple of Jesus named Joseph of Arimathea went to Pilate and asked for His body.  After Jesus was confirmed dead by Romans, Joseph was granted permission to take the body of Christ. Matthew 27:59-60 says, " When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,  60  and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed ."  The Gospel of John adds in  John 19:39-42 :  " And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds.  40  Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips...

I read a passage in Jonah this morning that illustrates the tendency of people to rely on his own strength to save themselves.  After Jonah attempted in vain to flee by ship from God who commanded him to go to Nineveh and preach against the city, the LORD whipped up a tremendous storm.  The mariners feared for their lives and threw their cargo overboard to save themselves as they each cried out to their gods.  The captain roused sleeping Jonah (ironically sleeping and silent when only his God hears and answers prayer), and it was determined by lot he was responsible for the tempest.  He admitted he had brought disaster upon them by disobedience to God.  The terrified men asked what they needed to do to restore calm. Jonah 1:12-13 says, " And he said to them, "Pick me up and throw me into the sea; then the sea will become calm for you. For I know that this great tempest is because of me."  13  Nevertheless the men rowed hard to return to land, but t...

Years ago when I worked as a foreman, some of my colleagues were bemoaning the chronic bad behaviour of our employees.  Workers were showing up late, taking long breaks and production had fallen off.  No matter how much they complained, begged or threatened their workers, their efforts to "right the ship" had little to no effect.  Perhaps the workers would immediately make a show of work, but the second their foreman left the room everyone reverted back to their careless, meandering ways.  Our workers had been conditioned to do as they wanted because there were no consequences besides complaining. As a relatively new foreman at that company, after observation and consideration I asked:  "Do we have a disciplinary policy?"  They affirmed the corporation had a policy in place.  Then I questioned, "Why aren't we putting it into practice?"  Somehow the implementation of the formal disciplinary policy of our company had been neglected, and it took time...

When I bought milk during a recent shop, my mind drifted back to an interview I heard on ABC radio years ago.  For a long time the cost of 3 litres of milk was $3, and the host was interviewing listeners if they were in favour of increasing the cost $.50 to support Australian dairy farmers who were doing it tough.  The majority of those calling in were surprisingly supportive of the idea as $.50 was not asking much.  Shortly thereafter, the cost of milk was increased $.50--along with all other dairy items. This was something that was not discussed in the ABC interview.  Their pitch to consumers was to increase the cost of milk to help dairy farmers, but the host did not mention that this possibly could or would impact everything milk was used to make.  Since I buy groceries on a weekly basis, I immediately noticed a corresponding increase in other products like cheese, cream, yogurt, sour cream, milk chocolate and ice cream.  A proposed fifty-cent in...

As a spectator, I have watched world-class athletes have what we call in Australia a "shocker."  My eyebrows went up recently when I saw clip from a baseball game when a routine ground ball skipped by an excellent outfielder and roll all the way to the wall, allowing 4 runs when it should have been only one or two.  It was surprising to see a player of such calibre make such a fundamental error, but we have all failed to execute simple tasks we know we are capable of doing--whether on the sports field, while cooking dinner, at work or school.  Today I had a bit of a shocker at church when I sent the wrong verses to the sound team and then forgot to edit my own notes.  Let's just say, things did not run smoothly. Our God is glorious, perfect and majestic in all His ways without error, and He has chosen to use people who are flawed, weak instruments to serve Him and to do His will.  It is fitting that we do our best to honour God by applying ourselves to give Him ...

There is a classic sketch where Bob Newhart is a therapist who repeatedly and agressively urges his client to "Stop it!" when she shares how fear is negatively affecting her life.  It would be wonderful if we could simply break the power of addictions, fear, worry and anxiety by willpower alone, but often our experience shows us we lack the ability to fundamentally change ourselves.  Newhart's character put the onus of change on his client who found herself unable to change--and that is why she sought professional help.  While the dialogue and delivery in the sketch is hilarious, it illustates how hopeless and helpless people can feel when their deliverance and healing depends upon them doing what they cannot do. I was very encouraged by a Bible passage I read recently in  Psalm 94:18-19 :  " If I say, "My foot slips," Your mercy, O LORD , will hold me up.  19  In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul ."  The p...