Marching Forth!

The band U2 had a popular song in my high school days which repeated, " But I still haven't found what I'm looking for ."  After climbing mountains, scaling walls, speaking the tongues of angels, and holding the hand of the devil, the desire for satisfaction remained insatiable.  There was still something Bono was looking for but not able to find.  Perhaps he didn't know exactly what he was looking for!  God made a promise to His people who sought Him in  Deuteronomy 4:29 after they turned to the LORD wherever they had been scattered:  " But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul ."  Again God promised in  Jeremiah 29:12-13 , " Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart ." A lot of times the things we are seeking are not God and likely ...

" Trust in the LORD with all your heart, a nd lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge Him, a nd He shall direct your paths ." Proverbs 3:5-6 The tendency for me to trust self is something God has been bringing to my attention lately.  Trusting our own judgments and feelings is as natural to man as breathing - something our bodies do without even having to think about it.  Before the moment of decision we must determine to trust God and have our ways submitted to His will.  God has promised to direct the paths of those who trust Him, but if we do not admit and deal with our sinful habit to lean on our own understanding we will choose wrong.  A.W. Tozer gives good insight in his book The Crucified Life: Sometimes a trial comes along, and we run to the Bible, pull out a quote and say, "According to this Scripture right here, we got it."  We have certain confidence in ourselves.  We think we know exactly what is going on....

" The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a  broken and a contrite heart-- these, O God, You will not despise ." Psalm 51:17 If you were described as having "fallen to pieces" or that you experienced a "complete breakdown," would it paint you in a positive or negative light?  We hate to be seen without makeup and are embarrassed to be seen as weak.  When our emotional or physical capacity overflows and we collapse in a heap, it does not present the independent, tough, and resilient persona this world values.  If a team leader was "breaking down" regularly under the pressure of business we would suggest that person should take a break.  This passage written by David in response to his sin reveals a very different picture, how a broken spirit and contrite heart are acceptable in God's sight and not to be ashamed of. Think of the many sacrifices which people in scripture delighted to offer God.  They brought Him gold, silver,...

It is easy for us to mix up "wants" and "needs" and prove ourselves presumptuous.  There are things we take for granted on the level of basic human rights like good health and a consistent job.  We say things like, "She really needs healing" or "He needs a better job."  But are those pressing issues needs from God's perspective?  Isn't He able to do exceedingly above what we ask or think?  When we are ill we desperately desire health, yet the LORD is able to leverage something awful like illness to accomplish divine purposes beyond our comprehension.  Who is man to assert what God ought to do, the One who does awesome things without number? In my own life (and prayer life too) I have observed a tendency to substitute what I see as beneficial changes in circumstances instead of a closer walk with Jesus and increased faith.  Pains, troubles, and uncertainties are often the impetus for us to seek God with greater fervency, and I suggest...

" As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness ." Psalm 17:15 David saw with eyes of faith the reality of a future no man could imagine unless God revealed it to him.  This reminds me of what Job declared in  Job 19:25-27 :  " For I know that my Redeemer lives, a nd He shall stand at last on the earth; 26  And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, t hat in my flesh I shall see God, 27 Whom I shall see for myself, a nd my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me !"  David and Job both knew the death of the body was not the end.  Their flesh would be destroyed and see corruption, but they would ultimately be raised immortal and incorruptible.  Such is the enduring future for all those deemed righteous through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Job spoke of seeing God, but what caught my attention is David knew he would be raised in God's likeness....

Elijah was a prophet of God who experienced distressing and discouraging times.  After great victory by God's grace against the prophets of Ba'al on Carmel, all gladness was quickly soured by threats from wicked queen Jezebel.  Many preachers and Christians have been incredulous concerning Elijah's response, almost accusing him of forgetting what God had done or minimising the impact of a death threat.  Elijah was certainly a man of God and had the Spirit of God upon him, but he was a man like the rest of us.  At a point the demands and pressures of life can become unbearable.  I have experienced lonely moments like this, when trials immediately deflate us of joy - and my life wasn't even on the line.  A heart at rest in the victory of God can be easily battered and beaten at the whim of disappointing news, and our enemies are not merciful. The prophet, upon hearing the threats of Jezebel, isolated himself from his servant and went on alone.  He des...

" Then those who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: "Hosanna! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD !' 10  Blessed is the kingdom of our father David t hat comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest !" Mark 11:9-10 The scene described in Mark 11  took place when Jesus rode in triumph into Jerusalem on a donkey.  People laid down their clothes and palm branches before Him as before royalty, and even the children shouted, " Hosanna !"  Not being a Hebrew speaker, I needed to look up the word for the definition.  The Strong's Concordance explains the meaning like this:  " oh save!; an exclamation of adoration ."  Jesus was worthy of such adoration and praise, for He is the Saviour God promised who would save people from their sins. The Jews which cried out the words of Psalm 118:25-26  were an occupied and oppressed people by Roman rule.  How they longed for the promised Messiah to...

Last night at youth my wife Laura shared an observation from a book:  in museums and art galleries there are often glancers and gazers.  Some are so intent on seeing everything they breeze through the exhibits, perhaps only briefly pausing for something which catches their interest.  The visit to the museum is a task to be completed, and with the aim of seeing everything possible only a cursory glance will do.  For gazers, however, spending quality time with a work of art cannot be rushed. They are content to contemplatively view a painting from various angles for hours.  They can be seen sitting or standing staring at the canvas, even writing down notes.  The glancers think of such people, "What are they looking at?  What of interest can they see in that ?  Am I missing something?" If I must choose a side which fits my natural bent, I tend toward the glancing side.  I am largely a destination oriented person.  Scenery is nice, but it...

It is amazing what a change in perspective will do.  I can adequately paint a wall with the right equipment, but I have never learned how to paint artistically.  Artists are able to see what others cannot and have the ability to bring an empty canvas to life with colour and detail.  It impresses me how people mix oil paint and use brushes to create pictures with a photographic and textured quality.  Bob Ross on KPBS often said anyone could paint, and I suppose he is right depending on how you define "painting."  I can apply paint to a canvas like a child, but I haven't painted anything recognisable yet.  I have seen paintings done by apes and elephants far superior to my efforts. Perhaps I am easy to impress, but I always enjoy presentations when an artist basically attacks the canvas with quick swipes, splatters, and flourishes.  After a minute, when I still have no idea what is being painted, suddenly the artist with a quick flip of the canvas br...