I think that it isn't good to have shelved John 3:16 aside, whether by not thinking on it often and thus being unable to recall the wording of this great verse, or to omit the implications of its great promise.
I am looking to study the Gospel of John again, in feebly small steps, conscious that I need to also be mindful of the person, life and sayings of Christ as recorded by the credible "eyewitnesses of His majesty" (2 Peter 1:16).
Pretty words make it appear as it my spiritual life is in good order, but the truth is that I beset myself often, by petty sin in private thought, in attitudes and action. But thankfully there is a means to be cleansed, by the provision of the Lord, although when we sin against others, there is reparation and reconciliation to be made.
In looking at John 3, I find it strangely familiar that Nicodemus, while affirming the Lord Jesus as a "teacher come from God" and God was indeed with Him, did not ask crucial questions for his own salvation.
Like Nicodemus, we acknowledge Christ as a great teacher come from God, but often we do not believe the things He said and taught, and we do not care for doing them.
-What must I do to be saved?
-How do I enter into the Kingdom of God?
-What must I do to be pleasing and acceptable by God's Holy standards?
But the Lord answered these anyway, in first teaching that the spiritual life cannot be lived by the flesh, and that "ye must be born again" (John 3: 7).
At this point, the question to ask would be: How can we be born again?
We, in order to behold the Kingdom of God, must be born of the Spirit (John 3:5).
Luke 19:10 - For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
The ministry of Christ is a form of salvaging, to recover that which was precious, but had been prised from Him.
Salvation can only be found in the Lord Jesus Christ, who has come from the Father.
Can we not consider His message?
1. He descended from heaven - John 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
2. He knows and hath witnessed heavenly things - John 3:12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
3. John the Baptist (another eyewitness who pointed Israel to Christ) testified in John 3:27 - A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.
Jesus is the one who had come from heaven, knowing things pertaining to the Father and salvation, and made it available through preaching to all Israel.
The pivot/hinge is this: to believe on the Person, Word and Testimony of Jesus Christ, that He is indeed come from God, God's Son, who has taught us a way to be saved and to live an earthly life pleasing to Him, in view of the Blessed Hope of eternal fellowship with Him and His Father.
Because He is trustworthy, and we are convinced of the need now to live a life closely in line with the character of Christ, we obey His commandments on how to live our life in relation to God and to men. This obedience is a consequence of our genuine belief.
We are now labourers for the Lord, because we belong to Him, and we desire like Him, that others come to abundant life in Him also, and not miss His salvation.
John 3:16 -
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Candidate: whosoever - anyone who would
"Believeth":take Him at His Word, are convinced that He is indeed who He claims to be, and then apply His teachings onto all our lives.
God's heart towards the world is seen in other Scriptures:
Ezekiel 18:32 - For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.
2 Peter 3:9 - The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Acts 2: 38 Peter's sermon on the day of Pentecost:
"...Repent , and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the promise of the Holy Ghost"
God is not spiteful, but is broken-hearted and longsuffering usward.
God desires and provides for the salvation of all.
Perish: complete decay and ruin, irreversible
Death is defeated, and we have victory through our Lord Jesus Christ, we do not stay dead, either physically or spiritually, but are raised up in power:
1 Corinthians 15: 42-58
raised in incorruption (v.42)
raised in power (v. 43)
raised a spiritual body (v.44)
bear the image of the heavenly (v. 49)
Death is liberation from the flesh; are we persuaded of better things?
God does not condemn people willingly, but that those persons who have rejected Him and His Son, and the clear way to be saved, He honours the decision that they do not want anything to do with His Son and what He offers. Eternal life is found only in Christ, and the two cannot be divorced from the other. We have life, because we have the love and the light of the Lord.
John 1:3 - All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing that was made.
Our life proceeded from Him.
John 1:4 - In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
Why do we not want Christ and His great salvation? Christ Himself tells us:
John 3: 19 - And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.
verse 20 - For everyone that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds be reproved.
Have we been doing good, or evil, and by whose standards? Our individual or societal perception, or the perfect justice and holiness of the God who made us. The Lord who made all things has the best and highest sense of what is truly good and what is evil.
But we have heard the words of life from the Lord Jesus, and He has told us how to be saved, and told us what is the abundant life, and the love of God for the souls of men. Why do we persist in unbelief?
And when we have believed, why do we not make good our profession of faith? This, is a daily struggle, of conformity, and of overcoming the flesh and putting off the old man.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Saturday, October 27, 2012
It has been start and stop, for me to give out a satisfactory piece of writing which will be preserved for posterity, and for me to see again the vainglory of the mental faculties I presently take pride in. It's been a quick year, and there weren't that many records of what I did and thought on this site.
So in case I forget, I may recall more acutely how I think and feel then(now).
In my walk with the Lord, I've grown in some ways, but regressed in some, and the Lord has seen fit in His chastening to bring my thoughts and my actions/ decisions back under submission.
I need to jettison unworthy thoughts that harm my spiritual life; thoughts that are selfish, malicious, rebellious against godly authorities, and slothful thoughts, and of course indecent thoughts.
I learnt again that winning over a person, and keeping the bonds of peace in a friendship is more important than pressing someone else to win an argument.
However, this is not a principle to skimp on truth and focus only on a tolerant "love" that can broadly permit error and sin. There are outstanding issues that we must all come under the submission of the Bible and deal with, because we love God and we love His Truth.
Paul is right in saying that charity (love) is the "most excellent way".
I should not always be so eager to bruise my fellows to show that I have the access to the best truth. If we be faithful students of the Word who abide in Christ, we may have this access to Him.
A few things I wanted to lay out here, so I may be assured that I have them on record/ archive at later times.
There are multiple enemies of the Word today, and anti-Biblical philosophies that many people and even some Christians have soaked up.
These "new perspectives" on the Word are really moves that undermine the authority of the Word of God. If the Bible is neither infallible, verbally and plenarily inspired, or inerrant, then we do not have to obey the Scriptures or the Words of Christ, which He did say, that our obedience was a response of our love and faith towards Him.
John 14:15 - "If ye love me, keep my commandments."
Where we cast doubt on the scriptures, and relegate it to reader subjectivity, obedience becomes the least of concerns. And the authority is shifted from God's meaning to the reader's perusal and preferential selection.
How we see the Old Testament and the Law
There is a growing Christian group that believes that the law is no longer applicable to us, and that we are fully under grace, and that the law is neither applicable to us.
My question to this teaching is that how come the laws and requirements for Israel are not important, but you may claim to have inherited the material blessings and prosperity for Israel that came from obedience toward God with the very same laws and obedience dismissed here.
1. The Law and the Scriptures are important because they testify of God's righteousness and holiness.
God's purpose for creation, and His election of the Jewish people, and His love, longsuffering towards them, and His consecration and sanctification of those who bears His Name.
His just punishment of sin and the later atonement were made an example in the Law, to do with moral behaviour and ceremonial worship.
God's standards are not flushed away by grace, but rather, because of the Spirit that dwells in every believer, we have means to overcome the flesh and follow Him in obedience. Rather than despising the law, we keep the commandments that God hath given to us.
As students of the Word, we are able then to distinguish which laws are meant for the Old covenant, and for Israel, and also which principles and commandments are for our consideration and obedience!
2. The Law and the Scriptures point towards God's Messiah.
Moses, Isaiah, Zechariah, Daniel and so many other prophets and writers wrote of Christ, they foretold of His virgin birth (Isaiah 7:14), His place of birth (Micah 5:2), His tribal identity, His Kingship (Isaiah 9:6-7), His ministry (Isaiah 61:1), His triumphant entry into Jerusalem (Zechariah 9:9), His manner of death (Psalm 22, Isaiah 53) and His glorious resurrection (Psalm 16:10).
3. The Law and the Scriptures are the New Testament church's basis for teaching.
Jesus and His apostles used the Scriptures and Law as reference for teaching, and the New Testament had not been written yet.
When Christ had risen, He met with the disciples and explained to them about Himself with reference to the Scriptures.
Moses wrote about Jesus -
25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
Peter, in his Pentecostal sermon, preached from Joel, the Psalms of David (Acts 2).
Paul in his epistles cited the Genesis account as historical, that Christ was indeed the Messiah, and the atonement for sin once and for all.
There are many factions that seek to devalue the reliability and authority of the Word, to declassify sins and to have it endorse their lifestyle and teaching.
A careful study of the Scriptures is absolutely important! Is this or that what the Bible teaches?
The Christian is never made more godly or spiritual by the accumulation of knowledge of the Word, but rather by his response to it. Does he skim over the text, or does he take it as the Word of the Lord, and thus for his serious consideration and faithful obedience?
So in case I forget, I may recall more acutely how I think and feel then(now).
In my walk with the Lord, I've grown in some ways, but regressed in some, and the Lord has seen fit in His chastening to bring my thoughts and my actions/ decisions back under submission.
I need to jettison unworthy thoughts that harm my spiritual life; thoughts that are selfish, malicious, rebellious against godly authorities, and slothful thoughts, and of course indecent thoughts.
I learnt again that winning over a person, and keeping the bonds of peace in a friendship is more important than pressing someone else to win an argument.
However, this is not a principle to skimp on truth and focus only on a tolerant "love" that can broadly permit error and sin. There are outstanding issues that we must all come under the submission of the Bible and deal with, because we love God and we love His Truth.
Paul is right in saying that charity (love) is the "most excellent way".
I should not always be so eager to bruise my fellows to show that I have the access to the best truth. If we be faithful students of the Word who abide in Christ, we may have this access to Him.
A few things I wanted to lay out here, so I may be assured that I have them on record/ archive at later times.
There are multiple enemies of the Word today, and anti-Biblical philosophies that many people and even some Christians have soaked up.
These "new perspectives" on the Word are really moves that undermine the authority of the Word of God. If the Bible is neither infallible, verbally and plenarily inspired, or inerrant, then we do not have to obey the Scriptures or the Words of Christ, which He did say, that our obedience was a response of our love and faith towards Him.
John 14:15 - "If ye love me, keep my commandments."
Where we cast doubt on the scriptures, and relegate it to reader subjectivity, obedience becomes the least of concerns. And the authority is shifted from God's meaning to the reader's perusal and preferential selection.
How we see the Old Testament and the Law
There is a growing Christian group that believes that the law is no longer applicable to us, and that we are fully under grace, and that the law is neither applicable to us.
My question to this teaching is that how come the laws and requirements for Israel are not important, but you may claim to have inherited the material blessings and prosperity for Israel that came from obedience toward God with the very same laws and obedience dismissed here.
1. The Law and the Scriptures are important because they testify of God's righteousness and holiness.
God's purpose for creation, and His election of the Jewish people, and His love, longsuffering towards them, and His consecration and sanctification of those who bears His Name.
His just punishment of sin and the later atonement were made an example in the Law, to do with moral behaviour and ceremonial worship.
God's standards are not flushed away by grace, but rather, because of the Spirit that dwells in every believer, we have means to overcome the flesh and follow Him in obedience. Rather than despising the law, we keep the commandments that God hath given to us.
As students of the Word, we are able then to distinguish which laws are meant for the Old covenant, and for Israel, and also which principles and commandments are for our consideration and obedience!
2. The Law and the Scriptures point towards God's Messiah.
Moses, Isaiah, Zechariah, Daniel and so many other prophets and writers wrote of Christ, they foretold of His virgin birth (Isaiah 7:14), His place of birth (Micah 5:2), His tribal identity, His Kingship (Isaiah 9:6-7), His ministry (Isaiah 61:1), His triumphant entry into Jerusalem (Zechariah 9:9), His manner of death (Psalm 22, Isaiah 53) and His glorious resurrection (Psalm 16:10).
3. The Law and the Scriptures are the New Testament church's basis for teaching.
Jesus and His apostles used the Scriptures and Law as reference for teaching, and the New Testament had not been written yet.
When Christ had risen, He met with the disciples and explained to them about Himself with reference to the Scriptures.
Moses wrote about Jesus -
John 5
King James Version (KJV)
45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.
46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me.
47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?
Luke 24
King James Version (KJV)
25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?
27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
Peter, in his Pentecostal sermon, preached from Joel, the Psalms of David (Acts 2).
Paul in his epistles cited the Genesis account as historical, that Christ was indeed the Messiah, and the atonement for sin once and for all.
There are many factions that seek to devalue the reliability and authority of the Word, to declassify sins and to have it endorse their lifestyle and teaching.
A careful study of the Scriptures is absolutely important! Is this or that what the Bible teaches?
The Christian is never made more godly or spiritual by the accumulation of knowledge of the Word, but rather by his response to it. Does he skim over the text, or does he take it as the Word of the Lord, and thus for his serious consideration and faithful obedience?
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Immutability
I cannot put my love for you in simple tones,
No words may do justice to the permanence of
My heart, mind and full person’s
Tendency towards thee.
I have locked eyes on you and thrown away the key;
You are my best and most complete fit,
I think of you when the moon is lit.
And when light replaces dark,
Your fair face I hope to quickly see!
I love to take in your scent, your sound and your smile;
I’ll adore you for a very long while.
My words are not in vain,
Not like our country’s faulty trains.
Quite the contrary really—this poem is thy guarantee,
That Song’s stout heart dances for, and mostly on account of
thee.
I long for the day you and I will be,
The bestest picture of man and woman:
The one our Lord had in mind.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Stucking on this Plane, Waiting for the Next
As persons living in this material world with physical eyes and hears, we are surely engaged in this earthly plane. We have bodies and we feed and dress our bodies.
We are to engrossed in the present and love the things of this world too much; we have no appetite or concern for heavenly things.
The Word says in 1 Peter 2:11, that we are "strangers and pilgrims" in this world, and we would do well to "abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul."
We are not here on this earth for long; we are not native settlers who are immersed in this "culture". This is a culture that goads us to participate in a form of living which has no regard for a Holy God. There is another place we are heading to, and this is a place of permanent residence.
The author of Hebrews is right:
1Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Anything in between our passage from this place to the better place that becomes an unhelpful distraction must be put off. The things we dabbled in, and ensnared us should no longer have any hold on us, we who are bought by His Blood. We belong to Him and our lives are lived in devotion to Him and in view of His coming.
17And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
I read the newspapers about the men who were involved with the teen prostitute these days, and pick out many things from these stories of sin. Sin is destructive and aims to ruin the person, and war against the person and his/her relationships with their beloved people.
These disgraced men gave in to the desires of the flesh and brief illicit pleasures, and now have lost their moral stature in society and surely in their families. They have been subjected to public shame and grieved their families-wives and children.
I look at these men, and I am aware that I may not judge them for their weakness, for the same impulses for wickedness are present in my body and if not for the Spirit of God, I have no resistance to any form of suggestion for sin. In the past, I only lacked the opportunity for sin; my desire was not any less.
Thank God for grace and cleansing in Christ Jesus. Now, if I pretend I no longer contend with sin in such forms, I am a hypocrite and a liar. Praise God that I am a recipient of His grace and mercies, that I have been pardoned and empowered to overcome sin in the flesh. My changed heart seeks to please the Lord and dissociate from wickedness.
Hopefully these men and the girl in question will come to the realization of the need for a Saviour and the love and grace in Christ, who can wash them of their uncleanness with His soul-cleansing Blood.
Let every one who nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. (2 Timothy 2:19)
*
This is a strange time for me, to make a decisive cross-over, choosing to leave the fellowship of dear people I have been with for about 2 years, and some more than that. I have left my previous Church and moved to another.
We ought to subject ourselves daily under the authority of the Word and not presume we are fully right all times. I cannot overlook the errors that others hope to tolerate for the sake of Christian unity. True unity is not forged by dimming down the lines of difference between diverse groups.
We are to engrossed in the present and love the things of this world too much; we have no appetite or concern for heavenly things.
However we Christians should see beyond the physical things that are temporary and passing away, and be always mindful of the things that are presently unseen, but are eternal.
Things of eternity must become clear concerns to us.The Word says in 1 Peter 2:11, that we are "strangers and pilgrims" in this world, and we would do well to "abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul."
We are not here on this earth for long; we are not native settlers who are immersed in this "culture". This is a culture that goads us to participate in a form of living which has no regard for a Holy God. There is another place we are heading to, and this is a place of permanent residence.
The author of Hebrews is right:
Hebrews 12
1Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Anything in between our passage from this place to the better place that becomes an unhelpful distraction must be put off. The things we dabbled in, and ensnared us should no longer have any hold on us, we who are bought by His Blood. We belong to Him and our lives are lived in devotion to Him and in view of His coming.
1 John 2
17And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
I read the newspapers about the men who were involved with the teen prostitute these days, and pick out many things from these stories of sin. Sin is destructive and aims to ruin the person, and war against the person and his/her relationships with their beloved people.
These disgraced men gave in to the desires of the flesh and brief illicit pleasures, and now have lost their moral stature in society and surely in their families. They have been subjected to public shame and grieved their families-wives and children.
I look at these men, and I am aware that I may not judge them for their weakness, for the same impulses for wickedness are present in my body and if not for the Spirit of God, I have no resistance to any form of suggestion for sin. In the past, I only lacked the opportunity for sin; my desire was not any less.
Thank God for grace and cleansing in Christ Jesus. Now, if I pretend I no longer contend with sin in such forms, I am a hypocrite and a liar. Praise God that I am a recipient of His grace and mercies, that I have been pardoned and empowered to overcome sin in the flesh. My changed heart seeks to please the Lord and dissociate from wickedness.
Hopefully these men and the girl in question will come to the realization of the need for a Saviour and the love and grace in Christ, who can wash them of their uncleanness with His soul-cleansing Blood.
Let every one who nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. (2 Timothy 2:19)
*
This is a strange time for me, to make a decisive cross-over, choosing to leave the fellowship of dear people I have been with for about 2 years, and some more than that. I have left my previous Church and moved to another.
We ought to subject ourselves daily under the authority of the Word and not presume we are fully right all times. I cannot overlook the errors that others hope to tolerate for the sake of Christian unity. True unity is not forged by dimming down the lines of difference between diverse groups.
Rather than the maxim that strives to forge trans-denominational unity: "in essentials; unity, in non-essentials; liberty, in all things; charity", I believe that we must be united in sound biblical doctrine and in the Holy Spirit. Many groups today who profess to be Christian are in error.
We may be able to say that certain conduct and disciplines are not compatible with the Word, by close study. I do not look at disagreements between groups, but disagreements with Scripture.
We must be discerning, exercising care to look the Word and judge rightly what are the things that are commended and commanded by the Word.
I have committed to only doing what the Bible, the Word of God commands and commends. We who have the Word of God are accountable because of what we have understood.
May all Christians not be passive followers, but actively go through the Word to make sure of the things we believe in.
Friday, April 6, 2012
Good Friday
I'm really thankful and also very impressed by my God that He is able to weave the decisions I make in these circumstances into so good an outcome. I love to away, fully knowing, understanding and being able to say: this is the place I was meant to be in all of time. I am here by His intention and by my compliance.
This morning at ABC, I brought my reluctant bones to the North, and to Good Friday service. I was glad to hear the Word and a reminder of the cross; our holy God's saving work, fully completed, once for all. It is huge to meditate upon how huge is this: that Christ is an acceptable sacrifice, without blemish and fully meeting God's standards of perfection. And that His Blood made remission for all sins once for all. At this point, all the sins in all of time were laid upon the Lamb of God: God's Son. He tasted death for every man (Hebrews 2:9).
I was introduced to a new person who came for the service and I had the opportunity to share with him about the gospel of Christ, the Word of God and how Biblical church and worship should be. I thought to impress upon this truth seeker that the Word is authoritative and instructive, and our guide for all manners of living. I was able to bring him through the opening verses of the Book of Romans in close reading, to explain the rich information in each line.
I was very encouraged by his sincerity and his openness, and receptivity to the good community at ABC, so different from mainstream Christianity in Singapore. I had hoped to show him that all men are able to fully understand and study Scripture. It was edifying for my person also; that I could point to my own life as a testament to the Word's transforming power. It is not that I found a right drug, but rather I had taken hold of the truest truth early in my life.
Later, at Agnes' place, I got to look at my essay, eat beautiful scrambled eggs with toast, and speak with her father. This heightened the sense that I was in the place I was supposed to be.
Agnes and I are 5 months in, and by all considerations we are young, new and hasty.
But I'm glad we have entered into courtship with marriage as the goal, and we are increasing our certainty of this, deepening our commitment to one another, and receiving more evidences that this is the Lord's will for us.
Uncle shared with me his values on the things that a Biblical husband and wife, the breadwinner and the homemaker/housekeeper should be. He shared about long term considerations in family planning, where two different people come together as husband and wife, and the types of decision making involved. There is individual preparation before marriage; husband and wife must be able to come to terms and make a committed decision in the household affairs. Building a godly family is aim.
I think there are amazing blessings when we obey God's direction and order, where we submit and give ear to the counsel of our elders. It is fitting and right to do so.
While others may be aghast at what they perceive to be premature commitment, I am acting upon surety and increasing confidence that this is what the Lord has in store for me. That this is the woman that I am to love and care for in the Lord and that I do not take it lightly.
We will respect and involve and defer to her parents in the Lord, that we may be living on principles from the Word.
It is both comforting and blessed to have her father's oversight and also confidence and approval that we may one day be married in the Lord.
I was reminded of my responsibilities as a student and also heard of uncle's concerns about managing and raising a godly family. We should be able to raise children who may "intellectually and willingly" come to faith in Christ. He also reminded me of the need to pass values down to the next generation. I need some sober self-examination to see if I am able to live the Word, share the Word and make decisions based on my trust in the Lord to provide, and whether I have the skills/ knowledge to take care of a household.
I had to try not to smile to openly when he spoke of a day in time where we would be "walking down the aisle". Walking down the aisle - that's what we are working towards. Anything other than that is a waste of time, youth, money, a gross disobedience to the Lord, and a disegard for the Word.
When we obey, the blessings in store for us are sweet and wonderful.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
It is still Today.
What I read affects me and plagues my mind. If something is to linger in my mind and prompt any action, it had better be God's Holy Word. We know this from the Psalms and so many other scriptures:
"Blessed is the man who walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in his law doth he meditate day and night." Psalms 1:1-2
"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord." Colossians 3: 16
"Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they many be as frontlets between your eyes. And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up." Deuteronomy 11:18-19
The Word is a good and important reference for daily living, and the scriptures are God-breathed and powerfully relevant. Who may say that the Old Testament offers no instruction to us under the New Covenant today? The history of Israel and God's relationship with them shows us the patterns for obedience and the faithfulness of God towards His chosen people. If He may un-choose Israel, how will He be faithful, and how may we say that His love endures forever?
Can any man hide his sin from the LORD? Can any man veil his mind and heart from the God's sight? I am to be mindful of my subjection to Him, and how my living is an aberration of His goodness, and my mind and heart are offensive to His Holiness.
My eyes and ears store up resources for sin, and my lips, hands and feet execute these meditated sins. But God did not withhold His Son, the only acceptable sacrifice for sins, from me, and let Him go to shameful and painful death on the cross to bear God's wrath that was to be mine, for my sake. I may be able to be clean by the Blood of the Lamb that was shed for me and for others.
Our strength is in the Word, to live redeemed lives in view of Christ and for Christ, who purchased us by His Blood, and made us partakers of the Heavenly Calling (Hebrews 3:1).
I managed to eat with a brother today, without planning for a meeting, and it was good that I was able to know how I may support him in prayer. This week I learned again the importance of encouraging our brethren, that we are to continue to exhort[ing] one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of us[you] be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin (Hebrews 3:13). In the present time, while we are still in the second advent, we are to live carefully and consistently in view of Christ, and in love for others.
I have observed this trend, that we men do not like to work much less labour; and we also have no delight in what we do. We do not want perspiration, we reserve our strength, and work only to feed our lusts and pleasures, and only sometimes our bellies. Other times we steal.
Our attitude for work and for life should be this. It is a tall order, but we have inward empowerment to live like this: "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." Colossians 3:17
We may live in newness of life, because Christ hath delivered us from sin. We have the means to overcome, and live holy, good lives for His sake. We belong to Him; our lives are made possible only by His grace, and we should live for His purpose and in His pattern - of obedience to the Father and to please and honour our Father.
We should not just settle for blind optimism, but a sure and defined hope. The hope that our God and Saviour Jesus Christ is coming for us soon.
"Blessed is the man who walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in his law doth he meditate day and night." Psalms 1:1-2
"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord." Colossians 3: 16
"Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they many be as frontlets between your eyes. And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up." Deuteronomy 11:18-19
The Word is a good and important reference for daily living, and the scriptures are God-breathed and powerfully relevant. Who may say that the Old Testament offers no instruction to us under the New Covenant today? The history of Israel and God's relationship with them shows us the patterns for obedience and the faithfulness of God towards His chosen people. If He may un-choose Israel, how will He be faithful, and how may we say that His love endures forever?
Can any man hide his sin from the LORD? Can any man veil his mind and heart from the God's sight? I am to be mindful of my subjection to Him, and how my living is an aberration of His goodness, and my mind and heart are offensive to His Holiness.
My eyes and ears store up resources for sin, and my lips, hands and feet execute these meditated sins. But God did not withhold His Son, the only acceptable sacrifice for sins, from me, and let Him go to shameful and painful death on the cross to bear God's wrath that was to be mine, for my sake. I may be able to be clean by the Blood of the Lamb that was shed for me and for others.
Our strength is in the Word, to live redeemed lives in view of Christ and for Christ, who purchased us by His Blood, and made us partakers of the Heavenly Calling (Hebrews 3:1).
I managed to eat with a brother today, without planning for a meeting, and it was good that I was able to know how I may support him in prayer. This week I learned again the importance of encouraging our brethren, that we are to continue to exhort[ing] one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of us[you] be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin (Hebrews 3:13). In the present time, while we are still in the second advent, we are to live carefully and consistently in view of Christ, and in love for others.
I have observed this trend, that we men do not like to work much less labour; and we also have no delight in what we do. We do not want perspiration, we reserve our strength, and work only to feed our lusts and pleasures, and only sometimes our bellies. Other times we steal.
Our attitude for work and for life should be this. It is a tall order, but we have inward empowerment to live like this: "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." Colossians 3:17
We may live in newness of life, because Christ hath delivered us from sin. We have the means to overcome, and live holy, good lives for His sake. We belong to Him; our lives are made possible only by His grace, and we should live for His purpose and in His pattern - of obedience to the Father and to please and honour our Father.
We should not just settle for blind optimism, but a sure and defined hope. The hope that our God and Saviour Jesus Christ is coming for us soon.
Monday, March 19, 2012
I must not be too proud to admit that God's Word has had an effect on me. I have presumed often that I am doing well, and am standing firm and am in good relation to my God at all times. I have not examined the areas of my life, and minimized why, how and what I lived (for) according to my own good pleasure.
But it is so blessed that God is faithful and He continually leads, and chastens, restores and comforts. Discipline is not easy to swallow, but God's purpose and wisdom are higher and more lasting than our own time-bound perceptions.
My parents have provided for me all my life, and I was made to realize that I have very little expressed gratitude towards them. I have barely reassured them that I their son, think of them. And while I have presumed that I have made amends for the ways I was an inadequate and difficult boy prior to saving faith, I had never spoken to them and addressed these things. It will be difficult to pull out these old memories of sorrows I have inflicted on them, but absolutely necessary.
I think of the times I was rough, rude and put on hateful attitudes towards them, and I realize that these are outstanding issues I must apologize and put to rest. When we are a little older and know some current information, we begin to despise our parents, or dismiss them.
As the eldest son, I should by example in honouring them, caring for them and obeying them. I have not been consistent in this area, and my sisters are sharp to seize these failures and convict me. While not perfect, I must increase my desire and efforts to love and care for them while I am still under their cover.
I see my grandmother's deep love for my grandfather even though he dominated her in marriage and was hard on her and on his children. She had tender love and concern for him, even while he was not always easy to get along with, much less love. This strength of love, even in a non-Christian marriage is admirable especially because of the circumstances of the union.
I am not willing that these precious parents pass from this life without hearing about the grace of Christ. I do not know how many years they will have with me, but I know that my love for them has not matched their love me, even if I have known the love of Christ. And my small efforts to are feeble.
There is no one else but me to bear witness for Christ, and I must get ready to tell them in the way they may understand well of this 'foreign God' who first died for men, before any of them knew Him.
There are dear family members and friends that I am to love and care for, but I have neither been attentive or sensitive, but shuttled them to my peripheral view. I am to bringing each person, valuing them as my God values them, before Him and appeal to His great love and mercy to work powerfully in them, to lead them to salvation.
My confidence in God's love for me is challenged daily. There is a need to return to Romans 5, to remember how God commendeth His love for us, when Christ laid down His life for all men, while we were still sinners, comfortably godless and cruel. God is a perfect Father who loves perfectly. When we doubt His love for us, we will be robbed of our joy and trust in Him. Our powerful God who is intimately concerned with our well-being and the details of our life gives us great comfort and the strength to live this challenging life in this hostile times.
I must thank God for His deep and sure love for me, even that which I cannot fully grasp, but continually doubt.
I presume too much, that I will be somebody important or prominent. I am a redeemed person who is much less intelligent and qualified than many others. My pride prises me from the dependence and obedience I am to have on Christ. Whether He uses me as a vessel for noble or common use, I must still be prepared in prayer to wait on His deployment of me. I am not more worthy than anyone to know Christ.
It is now more than ever that I realize I have a huge burden; that I may have many spiritual dependents who have never heard of the love of Christ, and of His great triumph over sin that may be applied to us all. I cannot lie and enter into rest prematurely while there is work to be done.
My life has to be lived in reverence of Christ. If I live with a false high esteem of myself, I will seek only to please myself, and place others on a lower plane. But there are people that matter hugely to me that I am omitting now. There must be something done about this.
We are to esteem Christ, living life in conformity to His Person. To be like Christ: firm and gentle, strong and meek, confident and humble, compassionate and prayerful, zealous for His Father's work.
It is a high standard, but we may have His Spirit inside of us to help us to live the life of Christ, that the flesh is not willing to, and cannot live out.
But it is so blessed that God is faithful and He continually leads, and chastens, restores and comforts. Discipline is not easy to swallow, but God's purpose and wisdom are higher and more lasting than our own time-bound perceptions.
My parents have provided for me all my life, and I was made to realize that I have very little expressed gratitude towards them. I have barely reassured them that I their son, think of them. And while I have presumed that I have made amends for the ways I was an inadequate and difficult boy prior to saving faith, I had never spoken to them and addressed these things. It will be difficult to pull out these old memories of sorrows I have inflicted on them, but absolutely necessary.
I think of the times I was rough, rude and put on hateful attitudes towards them, and I realize that these are outstanding issues I must apologize and put to rest. When we are a little older and know some current information, we begin to despise our parents, or dismiss them.
As the eldest son, I should by example in honouring them, caring for them and obeying them. I have not been consistent in this area, and my sisters are sharp to seize these failures and convict me. While not perfect, I must increase my desire and efforts to love and care for them while I am still under their cover.
I see my grandmother's deep love for my grandfather even though he dominated her in marriage and was hard on her and on his children. She had tender love and concern for him, even while he was not always easy to get along with, much less love. This strength of love, even in a non-Christian marriage is admirable especially because of the circumstances of the union.
I am not willing that these precious parents pass from this life without hearing about the grace of Christ. I do not know how many years they will have with me, but I know that my love for them has not matched their love me, even if I have known the love of Christ. And my small efforts to are feeble.
There is no one else but me to bear witness for Christ, and I must get ready to tell them in the way they may understand well of this 'foreign God' who first died for men, before any of them knew Him.
There are dear family members and friends that I am to love and care for, but I have neither been attentive or sensitive, but shuttled them to my peripheral view. I am to bringing each person, valuing them as my God values them, before Him and appeal to His great love and mercy to work powerfully in them, to lead them to salvation.
My confidence in God's love for me is challenged daily. There is a need to return to Romans 5, to remember how God commendeth His love for us, when Christ laid down His life for all men, while we were still sinners, comfortably godless and cruel. God is a perfect Father who loves perfectly. When we doubt His love for us, we will be robbed of our joy and trust in Him. Our powerful God who is intimately concerned with our well-being and the details of our life gives us great comfort and the strength to live this challenging life in this hostile times.
I must thank God for His deep and sure love for me, even that which I cannot fully grasp, but continually doubt.
I presume too much, that I will be somebody important or prominent. I am a redeemed person who is much less intelligent and qualified than many others. My pride prises me from the dependence and obedience I am to have on Christ. Whether He uses me as a vessel for noble or common use, I must still be prepared in prayer to wait on His deployment of me. I am not more worthy than anyone to know Christ.
It is now more than ever that I realize I have a huge burden; that I may have many spiritual dependents who have never heard of the love of Christ, and of His great triumph over sin that may be applied to us all. I cannot lie and enter into rest prematurely while there is work to be done.
My life has to be lived in reverence of Christ. If I live with a false high esteem of myself, I will seek only to please myself, and place others on a lower plane. But there are people that matter hugely to me that I am omitting now. There must be something done about this.
We are to esteem Christ, living life in conformity to His Person. To be like Christ: firm and gentle, strong and meek, confident and humble, compassionate and prayerful, zealous for His Father's work.
It is a high standard, but we may have His Spirit inside of us to help us to live the life of Christ, that the flesh is not willing to, and cannot live out.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Music and Lyrics
Music
On the car back to the east, a younger brother asked me today about Christian music and what I thought about a particular band. I surprised myself with what I said to him, that these were thoughts I never completely gave words and air to:
The songs we sing must contain scriptural truth. We are told in the clear words of Scripture in Colossians 3:16 -
Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
We are first told that the Word of Christ must dwell in us richly. We Christians are Word-based people who are to meditate on the Word of the Lord daily and nightly, abiding in them.
Songs have the tendency to linger in our minds and be replayed over and over. They stick easily to us, and we may sing tunes and words without much thought or much restraint. Should the song that flows out of our heads be a worldly one with carnal concerns and desires or one that contains the Word?
Songs today are soulish; they bring about moods, emotions and induce-encourage feelings. They have sway over us, and get us to harmonize with tunes in body and movement. We take in the ideals and the philosophies of these songs without much thought over what they say. They advertise irresponsible fun and overt sexuality.
We have been given good examples of songs we may and should sing. Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs as expressions of praise and adoration. What makes a song spiritual? What are the sounds and the words of the song? I am not musical, but my literary mind will seize hold of the words and place them aside the Scriptures and see if they have any counterpart. For only the Word has lasting value and so much power to instruct His people.
2 Timothy 3:16 - 17
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
God's Word contain the words of wisdom. Modern Christian songs today are doctrinally shallow and contain much emotive expression. It seems as though these songs are designed to train us to feel a certain way and to calibrate our hearts and emotions to feel a certain way. So many lyrics are in the pattern of : "How I love you", "I offer my life to you", "Jesus I love you". Do we need to be conditioned to praise God and love God?
I am wary that we could be singing lies, because we often do not mean or really feel these things, nor do we yearn very much to be as how we sing of ourselves. We do not really or fully love Him, for we are told in the Word that if we love Him we will obey His commands, yet we fail to do so daily. Nor do we offer our lives, or the large parts of our lives to Him. How much movement do we make to live in such an exemplary manner?
We are singing ourselves into ideal emotional states of devotion that we do not have rightly. We do not love God because the feelings of love is cultivated as per the pattern of worldly romance-I feel and thus I love. Our love of our God comes from Him. We grow in a knowledge of the One True God and in His Son, and we love Him in response to His great and deep and wide love of us. We learn of this love from His Word and not from songs that we sing and get ourselves into.
All singing is for worship, not mainly self-expression. So many songs today look to pour out our soul and give public air to how we feel. But we see in Revelation 4 and 5 and in other places that the loud voices of the saints are lifted in praise of our God: "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come." and "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory and blessing."
We are to admonish one another and sing with grace in our hearts to the Lord. Our songs must be able to teach and encourage one another in the faith and in godly behaviour, and exalt our God. We sing in relation to our God.
David's Psalms poured out his feelings, guilt, shame and also joy and gladness, all in relation to the Lord. None of it were vain expressions he did not feel-when he was besieged by enemies on all sides; when he sinned in adultery and murder and when he gave thanks to the Lord.
The songs the Church sings must be wholly different from the songs of the world. How may they sound alike? May what was bred outside of the sanctified Church gain entry to our clean and godly worship?
I can think of rock music as a good example. It grew outside the church and the genre was led by self-destructive rockers who exemplified the spirit of rebellion, having a lifestyle of drugs, alcohol and sex. The music is disquiet and encourages people to 'follow their hearts' and 'do what they really want'.
Can we 'clean' it up and Christianize the lyric and feature it in our worship of a Holy God? I do not agree with the introduction of Christian rock into the Church. Do we need to imbibe what is of the world into our worship to make us current and relevant? Our gospel is relevant and powerful, no matter what age and culture! We do not need to amass cultural capital to endear ourselves to the world that is not dying, but already dead.
Our Spirit is a different spirit. It is unlike the spirit of this world. Songs of the world upset the stillness of our hearts and stir unrest, whereas spiritual songs may bring about a climate of peace to our hearts.
We have 150 good examples of how we are to sing in praise of our God, and express our adoration for Him, and so many more other songs of old, and also in recent times that are rich in His Word and sound in Biblical doctrine.
Tune: ASSURANCE, Meter: 9 10.9 9 with Refrain
On the car back to the east, a younger brother asked me today about Christian music and what I thought about a particular band. I surprised myself with what I said to him, that these were thoughts I never completely gave words and air to:
The songs we sing must contain scriptural truth. We are told in the clear words of Scripture in Colossians 3:16 -
Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
We are first told that the Word of Christ must dwell in us richly. We Christians are Word-based people who are to meditate on the Word of the Lord daily and nightly, abiding in them.
Songs have the tendency to linger in our minds and be replayed over and over. They stick easily to us, and we may sing tunes and words without much thought or much restraint. Should the song that flows out of our heads be a worldly one with carnal concerns and desires or one that contains the Word?
Songs today are soulish; they bring about moods, emotions and induce-encourage feelings. They have sway over us, and get us to harmonize with tunes in body and movement. We take in the ideals and the philosophies of these songs without much thought over what they say. They advertise irresponsible fun and overt sexuality.
We have been given good examples of songs we may and should sing. Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs as expressions of praise and adoration. What makes a song spiritual? What are the sounds and the words of the song? I am not musical, but my literary mind will seize hold of the words and place them aside the Scriptures and see if they have any counterpart. For only the Word has lasting value and so much power to instruct His people.
2 Timothy 3:16 - 17
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
God's Word contain the words of wisdom. Modern Christian songs today are doctrinally shallow and contain much emotive expression. It seems as though these songs are designed to train us to feel a certain way and to calibrate our hearts and emotions to feel a certain way. So many lyrics are in the pattern of : "How I love you", "I offer my life to you", "Jesus I love you". Do we need to be conditioned to praise God and love God?
I am wary that we could be singing lies, because we often do not mean or really feel these things, nor do we yearn very much to be as how we sing of ourselves. We do not really or fully love Him, for we are told in the Word that if we love Him we will obey His commands, yet we fail to do so daily. Nor do we offer our lives, or the large parts of our lives to Him. How much movement do we make to live in such an exemplary manner?
We are singing ourselves into ideal emotional states of devotion that we do not have rightly. We do not love God because the feelings of love is cultivated as per the pattern of worldly romance-I feel and thus I love. Our love of our God comes from Him. We grow in a knowledge of the One True God and in His Son, and we love Him in response to His great and deep and wide love of us. We learn of this love from His Word and not from songs that we sing and get ourselves into.
All singing is for worship, not mainly self-expression. So many songs today look to pour out our soul and give public air to how we feel. But we see in Revelation 4 and 5 and in other places that the loud voices of the saints are lifted in praise of our God: "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come." and "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory and blessing."
We are to admonish one another and sing with grace in our hearts to the Lord. Our songs must be able to teach and encourage one another in the faith and in godly behaviour, and exalt our God. We sing in relation to our God.
David's Psalms poured out his feelings, guilt, shame and also joy and gladness, all in relation to the Lord. None of it were vain expressions he did not feel-when he was besieged by enemies on all sides; when he sinned in adultery and murder and when he gave thanks to the Lord.
Psalm 111
1Praise ye the LORD. I will praise the LORD with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.
2The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.
3His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever.
4He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD is gracious and full of compassion.
5He hath given meat unto them that fear him: he will ever be mindful of his covenant.
6He hath shewed his people the power of his works, that he may give them the heritage of the heathen.
7The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure.
8They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness.
9He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.
10The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.
The songs the Church sings must be wholly different from the songs of the world. How may they sound alike? May what was bred outside of the sanctified Church gain entry to our clean and godly worship?
I can think of rock music as a good example. It grew outside the church and the genre was led by self-destructive rockers who exemplified the spirit of rebellion, having a lifestyle of drugs, alcohol and sex. The music is disquiet and encourages people to 'follow their hearts' and 'do what they really want'.
Can we 'clean' it up and Christianize the lyric and feature it in our worship of a Holy God? I do not agree with the introduction of Christian rock into the Church. Do we need to imbibe what is of the world into our worship to make us current and relevant? Our gospel is relevant and powerful, no matter what age and culture! We do not need to amass cultural capital to endear ourselves to the world that is not dying, but already dead.
Our Spirit is a different spirit. It is unlike the spirit of this world. Songs of the world upset the stillness of our hearts and stir unrest, whereas spiritual songs may bring about a climate of peace to our hearts.
We have 150 good examples of how we are to sing in praise of our God, and express our adoration for Him, and so many more other songs of old, and also in recent times that are rich in His Word and sound in Biblical doctrine.
Close
I am highly demanding of Christians and of leaders especially. While mindful that we fail daily and depend so hugely on His grace and mercy to even get through our day, I could be very severe on these fellow vessels of His love, Spirit and grace.
I speak before I understand, I judge before I know completely. This is something I need to work on, that I withhold grace and refuse to bear with others who are younger believers in the faith.
I suppose when I use the upper key "Church" I refer to the universal body of Christ, and not any local body or community, even though the observation is made of the congregational groups of churches.
An example of a spiritual song and hymn.
Blessed Assurance
Text: Fanny J. Crosby, 1820-1915
Music: Phoebe P. Knapp, 1839-1908Tune: ASSURANCE, Meter: 9 10.9 9 with Refrain
1. Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! O what a foretaste of glory divine! Heir of salvation, purchase of God, born of his Spirit, washed in his blood. Refrain: This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long; this is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long. 2. Perfect submission, perfect delight, visions of rapture now burst on my sight; angels descending bring from above echoes of mercy, whispers of love. (Refrain) 3. Perfect submission, all is at rest; I in my Savior am happy and blest, watching and waiting, looking above, filled with his goodness, lost in his love. (Refrain)
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Friday, 2 March
I cannot coast on and wrongly assume that I am on the right course at all times. If I grow distant from my firm ground, I will veer into dangerous territory.
I have been made alive by Christ; I must live in Christ. I cannot pretend I knoweth not my Saviour and then turn back to sin. I also cannot pretend I have no way of knowing God and discerning His will. I have His Word.
I am to be a wholely new creature, with new appetites and new desires. I cannot feed on the same vain things that do not honour God but encourage sensuality and faithlessness.
Jesus is the Bread of Life. For awhile we eat of the land, taking physical food. However we who are alive in the Spirit need to feed our Spirit. We live "not by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God". (Matthew 4:4) The Word of the Lord brings us life. Outwardly we are decaying, but inwardly we are being renewed daily. (2 Corinthians 4:16)
Our renewal of this inward (spirit) life comes from partaking in Christ. We must drink His blood and eat His flesh. His body broken for us; His life poured out for us - so that we who were far off, separated by our sinfulness may be brought nigh by His blood. (1 Corinthians 11:24-25; Ephesians 2:13)
If I do not live my faith, how will I die for my faith?
Our faith is not one of convenience. When it is easy to obey and go His way, I do. Where it is difficult to, I may or may not have the strength and discipline to go the way in line with His will and righteousness.
I do not have a good heart attitude when I relate with people, in work and ordinary circumstances. I am grudging, unwilling, and only invest my heart minimally in them, whereas Christ poured Himself out for us.
We are to observe all things that Christ has commanded us; not some and not just a few. (Matthew 28:20) Our motivation to do so should be that we love Him, we treasure His words, we believe and trust Him; His Divinity, His character, His promises. We are not compelled, but propelled by love to live the new life in the Spirit He has given to us.
I have moved into what Tozer says is the "noble language" of the King James Version. I am an admirer of him and other wise and godly men who defer to the King James. While I am young and my biological RAM can input new verses, and also for FBI, I will go this way. It also does not hurt when an exceedingly lovely and precious lady has gifted me a leather Bible.
I have been made alive by Christ; I must live in Christ. I cannot pretend I knoweth not my Saviour and then turn back to sin. I also cannot pretend I have no way of knowing God and discerning His will. I have His Word.
I am to be a wholely new creature, with new appetites and new desires. I cannot feed on the same vain things that do not honour God but encourage sensuality and faithlessness.
Jesus is the Bread of Life. For awhile we eat of the land, taking physical food. However we who are alive in the Spirit need to feed our Spirit. We live "not by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God". (Matthew 4:4) The Word of the Lord brings us life. Outwardly we are decaying, but inwardly we are being renewed daily. (2 Corinthians 4:16)
Our renewal of this inward (spirit) life comes from partaking in Christ. We must drink His blood and eat His flesh. His body broken for us; His life poured out for us - so that we who were far off, separated by our sinfulness may be brought nigh by His blood. (1 Corinthians 11:24-25; Ephesians 2:13)
If I do not live my faith, how will I die for my faith?
Our faith is not one of convenience. When it is easy to obey and go His way, I do. Where it is difficult to, I may or may not have the strength and discipline to go the way in line with His will and righteousness.
I do not have a good heart attitude when I relate with people, in work and ordinary circumstances. I am grudging, unwilling, and only invest my heart minimally in them, whereas Christ poured Himself out for us.
We are to observe all things that Christ has commanded us; not some and not just a few. (Matthew 28:20) Our motivation to do so should be that we love Him, we treasure His words, we believe and trust Him; His Divinity, His character, His promises. We are not compelled, but propelled by love to live the new life in the Spirit He has given to us.
I have moved into what Tozer says is the "noble language" of the King James Version. I am an admirer of him and other wise and godly men who defer to the King James. While I am young and my biological RAM can input new verses, and also for FBI, I will go this way. It also does not hurt when an exceedingly lovely and precious lady has gifted me a leather Bible.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Carried Along in Time
Instead of only living in time, sometimes it seems as though we are carried along the motion of time. We are hustled from week to week and month to month; bleeding hours and minutes. It is now March 1.
I have had so many points in the last two months to look back and compare my situation this year with the last.
Last birthday, I went to bed quiet; this birthday, I had someone lovely to tenderly care for me, good friends and a sugary cake. I barely registered the 22 candles.
Last recess week I was mostly in hall and had much different company and different routine. This time round, while falling behind on work, I was able to take care of the home environment and get rid of the clutter that had crept up on me as I lived past two decades.
Managed to go to Hakim's to give him a card. Although it was an extension of a long day, it was worth it to convey my love for an important friend on his birthday.
I enjoyed dinner with Agnes' parents, because it's a good opportunity to spend time with them and know them better. I am not looking to prise her away from them, but rather we should be closer and dearer as we go along.
Several things that trouble/ bother me:
or
2. Love the world & sin, hate governance, shun the Word, abuse grace, live by personal feeling, and having no close relationship with the Lord.
I have had so many points in the last two months to look back and compare my situation this year with the last.
Last birthday, I went to bed quiet; this birthday, I had someone lovely to tenderly care for me, good friends and a sugary cake. I barely registered the 22 candles.
Last recess week I was mostly in hall and had much different company and different routine. This time round, while falling behind on work, I was able to take care of the home environment and get rid of the clutter that had crept up on me as I lived past two decades.
Managed to go to Hakim's to give him a card. Although it was an extension of a long day, it was worth it to convey my love for an important friend on his birthday.
I enjoyed dinner with Agnes' parents, because it's a good opportunity to spend time with them and know them better. I am not looking to prise her away from them, but rather we should be closer and dearer as we go along.
Several things that trouble/ bother me:
- Biblical Christianity or the lack thereof.
- My responsibility at having received the gospel and not sharing the message of salvation with others. Will friends and dear ones say of me, when there is no grace left, "You had light and truth, why did you not share it with us?"
- How to live:
or
2. Love the world & sin, hate governance, shun the Word, abuse grace, live by personal feeling, and having no close relationship with the Lord.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Excerpt
"I know that you are very important to me and that at this point, I cannot imagine how it would be like not having you in my life. The details of your life, how you feel and what you think matter greatly to me. If you are sad or happy, I will be affected, because we are emotionally and I think in more ways than we know, much closer now. I very much want to continue building our relationship in Christ and take it longer than we see at present. It will not be easy; from another perspective it will even be hard. Sometimes I may be discouraged. But when I look at where we are hoping and praying to be at, I am reminded that our faith and love is being built and refined."
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Our Lives are Purposed.
I opted to live today very differently and stay home. The purpose was to have some mental clarity, helped by distance from others, and to clock more sleep, and to spend time in prayer so I may be worked on by His Spirit, and to finish the invisible, but tangible list of to-dos.
I made a phone call today to Lim Boon Kai, to rouse him from his sleep with a birthday greeting. I know it is very heartening to have someone remember your birthday. I recognize him as a dear friend, and a loved person in the many phases of my younger life, and very hopefully, my longer adult life. I remember how we were in school together and it is very good to have accumulated a close friend as him.
May every birthday be a landmark, showing much growth and maturity, and very much of God's great blessing in his life.
It took me a while to get into the Word, but there was a very great reward today after I had gone before it, and studied the clear words of Scripture. We are to learn from the Words of Christ Jesus.
I was reminded that the central theme of my life is my labour for Christ and His gospel. This is my life's purpose, to bring glory to His very great Name.
My attitude to this process of life was corrected.
While I am struggling with this life and the troubles that come along with it, I read -
The Word reminds me to rest my heart and trust fully in Christ Jesus; He is preparing us to dwell with Him forever. He is truthful and faithful, and He will come back to bring us to be with Him. I must not allow this hope to harmed in any way.
We walk on the same way as Christ did, in Him and through Him, also to go to the Father. We are to be reconciled to the Father, our Father.
Christ's Words bring us the full measure of His joy in us. And in preparing His disciples for His death, departure, and ascension, He prayed for them this way,
The disciples received over the Great Commission from the Lord. They were not to be taken or removed from the hostile climate of the world, and instead of being exempted from the human life, they were enabled to do the work for the gospel they had been left with, and were guarded as they were sent out.
Christ Himself said this -
27 “Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name!”
I may not be exempted from life, and it is not right to ask that I be taken out of this time and world. My life is purposed.
In the same attitude of my Lord, while I am troubled and in difficult circumstances, my prayer must be higher and better, to ask God to glorify His Name above my present circumstances.
My labour is for God's glory. I am not to hope that my life can be passed over quickly, but to work for the gospel, that Christ Jesus and other better men have poured out their lives to advance.
If you are a friend, pray for me, to be wise, loving and faithful to the Lord. That He will make known clearly His will for me in this time and in this life. Your brotherly kindness and love for me is very appreciated!
I made a phone call today to Lim Boon Kai, to rouse him from his sleep with a birthday greeting. I know it is very heartening to have someone remember your birthday. I recognize him as a dear friend, and a loved person in the many phases of my younger life, and very hopefully, my longer adult life. I remember how we were in school together and it is very good to have accumulated a close friend as him.
May every birthday be a landmark, showing much growth and maturity, and very much of God's great blessing in his life.
It took me a while to get into the Word, but there was a very great reward today after I had gone before it, and studied the clear words of Scripture. We are to learn from the Words of Christ Jesus.
I was reminded that the central theme of my life is my labour for Christ and His gospel. This is my life's purpose, to bring glory to His very great Name.
My attitude to this process of life was corrected.
While I am struggling with this life and the troubles that come along with it, I read -
John 14
1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”The Word reminds me to rest my heart and trust fully in Christ Jesus; He is preparing us to dwell with Him forever. He is truthful and faithful, and He will come back to bring us to be with Him. I must not allow this hope to harmed in any way.
We walk on the same way as Christ did, in Him and through Him, also to go to the Father. We are to be reconciled to the Father, our Father.
Christ's Words bring us the full measure of His joy in us. And in preparing His disciples for His death, departure, and ascension, He prayed for them this way,
John 17
13 “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify[b] them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.The disciples received over the Great Commission from the Lord. They were not to be taken or removed from the hostile climate of the world, and instead of being exempted from the human life, they were enabled to do the work for the gospel they had been left with, and were guarded as they were sent out.
Christ Himself said this -
John 12
27 “Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name!”
I may not be exempted from life, and it is not right to ask that I be taken out of this time and world. My life is purposed.
In the same attitude of my Lord, while I am troubled and in difficult circumstances, my prayer must be higher and better, to ask God to glorify His Name above my present circumstances.
My labour is for God's glory. I am not to hope that my life can be passed over quickly, but to work for the gospel, that Christ Jesus and other better men have poured out their lives to advance.
If you are a friend, pray for me, to be wise, loving and faithful to the Lord. That He will make known clearly His will for me in this time and in this life. Your brotherly kindness and love for me is very appreciated!
Saturday, February 11, 2012
I will not always have something edifying to share, though I must be careful so my personal expression may not harm the faith of any persons.
None of this life is easy, but some things are harder than others. I would like to be doing well in all areas or at least give off the projection that I am, but looking like you are doing well uses up too much effort-energy I do not have.
A year ago today, I was in Hendon Camp, feeling extremely sorrowful because my friends were ORD-ing and I did not have the chance to say goodbye to them because I was in airborne training. I eventually went back to my office on a Sunday and saw their Post-It messages on my wall, bidding me goodbye.
This means that I have been an Army Regular for over a year, and I look back to wonder if I had made the best/right choice, in staying on with the force. I certainly wondered then, when my friends left service for good.
I see that I was able to do so many additional things in the later part of the year, beyond the 1 Year 10 Month expiry date, and took on assignments, activities that friends envied. Although my decision-making was not made with complete acknowledgement of the Lord, He has been gracious in my placement and my predicament.
However, I'm growing surer that everything in this life must be based on Biblical principles. How we live and why we live must be in obedience and conformity to Christ. He has redeemed us from wickedness for Himself. Our lives are not our own independent ones, but lived most to the fullest through submission and trust in our God.
The areas of doubt and vexation are new and heavy, but I need to continually acknowledge that my God has sovereignty over me, and that I must be in line with His Word, and that His will be done, on earth as it is in heaven, and especially in, on, through my person.
While I am unsettled and in some distress, I know what to hold on to, and where my strength and my life comes from. My God is trustworthy, even while men may not be believed easily.
I believe, the powerful Word of God is a powerful authority. We must be as faithful to it as possible. We do not allow so much room for modern culture or changed times to affect the principles and recommendations the apostles imparted and made to the early church.
Must the Gospel be reinvented or re-represented to be relevant to our very much "advanced" society? I do not think we are advanced at all, in the spiritual sense. Rather our civilisation's improvements give room for more wickedness and godlessness. We may not say that now society and culture is different, so we take/use the Word differently.
If anything, we are more godless today and our human strengths has increased our pride. We stand on our own independence and intelligence now. God is not necessary. We are progressive, but we are more destructive. The Word however, is still accurate about the condition of men even today.
I am still vexed, but I will need to continue exercising my trust and dependence on Him, and wait upon Him to direct my paths. He has been good and faithful to me. I am to put my confidence and hope in Him.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Love and Forgive
I had not yet expected the increase in loading with this new year and new season, and I recognize more and more that without God's help, I cannot do any, if not all, of the things well.
I need to do well in faith, in school and in body, not neglecting any of my family, friends and my girlfriend. I have done poorly in these, one way or the other.
How may I take up a hobby and suspend my care for these people and affairs? I should not have time to engage in small activities that are small and will be of no consequence when lined up against these.
My best energies cannot be used to please myself alone.
My eyes ordinarily see only myself. If I live only by what I see and what I care to see, I will neglect and harm others, as I live my day out.
I must not give in to anger easily, but instead love in tenderness, gentleness and kindness.
Love covers all offenses; it does not blame or hold wrongs against one another. It does not invoke jealousy or guilt.
We may not love perfectly, but we may learn more and more from our God, who is Love.
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son[b] into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for[c] our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
Our hearts must turn to God. Our hearts should be hearts that seek the LORD, even in joy, or in sorrow and anguish. We must bring our feelings and emotions before the Lord, those feelings that we can or cannot help feeling. We are not to think of our problems apart/ away from God. We are to pray in all things. Prayer is our first and best response.
We are in human company and we bruise, offend one another daily. We need to forgive and love those who harm us, and even more so if they are our friends.
We are not to bear grudges or store in our minds and hearts the offenses of others. We do not count their wrongs against them but love them past these. Love keeps no record of wrongs.
It is necessary to forgive, for in Matthew 6:14-15, Jesus said:
14 For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
And He said this, after having taught us how to pray. We are instructed to pray and ask God to "forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors".
Jesus says this absolutely, and in the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant in Matthew 18, Jesus said that unless we forgive our brother who has sinned against us from the heart, there will be no canceling of debts.
We must forgive others, just as how God forgives us - He has done it first. We are to love uncommonly, with uncommon strength and uncommon motivation, all received from our God, who is Love.
We are to pray for God to fill us with His love for Him and for others, that we may have the strength and love to forgive others who have done us wrong.
I may not do this by myself, for I do not have much love. But God will pour His love into my heart by His Holy Spirit, already given me.
Christ lives in us; we must also live in Christ.
May His love be made complete in each of us.
I need to do well in faith, in school and in body, not neglecting any of my family, friends and my girlfriend. I have done poorly in these, one way or the other.
How may I take up a hobby and suspend my care for these people and affairs? I should not have time to engage in small activities that are small and will be of no consequence when lined up against these.
My best energies cannot be used to please myself alone.
My eyes ordinarily see only myself. If I live only by what I see and what I care to see, I will neglect and harm others, as I live my day out.
I must not give in to anger easily, but instead love in tenderness, gentleness and kindness.
Love covers all offenses; it does not blame or hold wrongs against one another. It does not invoke jealousy or guilt.
We may not love perfectly, but we may learn more and more from our God, who is Love.
1 John 4
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son[b] into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for[c] our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
13 We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. 17 In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
Our hearts must turn to God. Our hearts should be hearts that seek the LORD, even in joy, or in sorrow and anguish. We must bring our feelings and emotions before the Lord, those feelings that we can or cannot help feeling. We are not to think of our problems apart/ away from God. We are to pray in all things. Prayer is our first and best response.
We are in human company and we bruise, offend one another daily. We need to forgive and love those who harm us, and even more so if they are our friends.
We are not to bear grudges or store in our minds and hearts the offenses of others. We do not count their wrongs against them but love them past these. Love keeps no record of wrongs.
It is necessary to forgive, for in Matthew 6:14-15, Jesus said:
14 For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
And He said this, after having taught us how to pray. We are instructed to pray and ask God to "forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors".
Jesus says this absolutely, and in the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant in Matthew 18, Jesus said that unless we forgive our brother who has sinned against us from the heart, there will be no canceling of debts.
We must forgive others, just as how God forgives us - He has done it first. We are to love uncommonly, with uncommon strength and uncommon motivation, all received from our God, who is Love.
We are to pray for God to fill us with His love for Him and for others, that we may have the strength and love to forgive others who have done us wrong.
I may not do this by myself, for I do not have much love. But God will pour His love into my heart by His Holy Spirit, already given me.
Christ lives in us; we must also live in Christ.
May His love be made complete in each of us.
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