How may one begin to speak of the goodness and the blessings the Lord has for him? I did not expect my God to bring a girl as precious as this along at this point in time. I had not thought of myself as ready or mature, but it seems that I have been prepared for her through this time.

We must remember to be careful and to honour Him, even as we spend time together, for He is the One who weaves lives together best. We must also be careful to not take our eyes off the Lord and only look to each other, for it would grieve Him. We must all eagerly desire God's goodness for us, and trust in His deep, everlasting love for us, and concern for us.

Now I go into the time of learning to treasure, cherish and protect a sister and a daughter of our Father.

*

Over the Public Holiday, I teamed up with Zicong at the gym, and it was very good to have reunited to exercise, and see how each other has grown in the Lord over the past 3 years.

He asked me a question over lunch, on whether I was for evangelism and if I found it difficult to bring people to church.

I told him I didn't like what was being done by those who do evangelism this way, because in doing this they were selling church culture and not the Gospel.

And the church of today is far below the Biblical standard, almost powerless, and heavily impacted by the world's culture. We need to examine the state of the Christian church today, and compare it with the New Testament. Where is the power of the church to impact the community? Where is the power of the Spirit?

We must not be in a hurry to catch people. The Spirit of God is the one who prepares human hearts for the Word of God to be seeded and grown. If we move ahead of time and without wrestling in prayer, and without His Spirit, we will hinder the person.

I think our method should first be to live out the Gospel, preach the Gospel and pray. We need to disciple others.

How much of the Gospel of Christ have we really heard, and how much of the Person of Christ and the character of God do we know.

Bringing people into buildings to sit under the pulpit is of little use, if they are not hearing the gospel and seeing the power of God move in human lives.

What do we use to draw people in? Music, dancing, excitement or the Gospel?
If we give everything other than the Gospel, we are misrepresenting our Christ, for this is the only thing that is of importance. Men come to hear and know the way to be saved.


The disciples of Christ are characterized by our love for one another. It is a different and higher kind of love, that not all of us may have the strength to show. The church community needs to love all its members and practice this broad love on others who are beginning to hunger for truth. There is a need for pliable men who are submissive to God, whose lives become evidences of God's work.


People who come with improper expectations are turned away, but those who come with the genuine thirst that our God and Saviour came to satisfy will also be disappointed and go away thirsty, with no solution to their soul's panting.

We must be careful for we are dealing with human souls that He loves very much. We are accountable to Him for how we build up His people or damage the faith of others and stunt their growth.

For those brothers and sisters who are excited at the goodness of God, instead go into the Word and root yourself in truth and pray for understanding of His message of salvation, that Christ worked to bring to the world, and was promised to Abraham so long ago.

The Richness of His Word.

This recess week has begun by a serious study of His Word, because there have been quite many indications leading me to closely study the book of Hebrews in the New Testament.

It is a recognition of a collation of references towards the book, over the weekend that has compelled me to do so.

I have understood that rich understanding and more knowledge will be found if I submit and commence this study.

*

In Hebrews 1, the writer has established the place Jesus Christ, God's Son, above all the angels and all of creation. He is the Object of our worship and praise. He has proper ownership and possession of all things, of everything. He has inherited authority over all things. He is higher than angels, and exalted higher than Satan.

What struck me, was that there was so much coherence and connectivity in all parts of Scripture, that the Psalms, Isaiah, Colossians, the Epistles and the 4 Gospels are in agreement, of the Sonship of Jesus Christ, and His supremacy over all things.

King David understood that the Messiah was to come from his line and be given an unending kingdom. And he recognized that the Messiah was not just a mere man, but he called Him Lord.

In the beginning of Hebrews 2, it is emphasized that where the message carried by angels to God's people are so important that any violation or disobedience will be met with just punishment, it is also emphasized that Jesus is higher and greater than the angels. Therefore His message of Salvation must be taken even more seriously and is to be believed.

In verse 3, it is written: "How shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?"

Christ Jesus has been approved by and established into His rightful Kingship by His Father and our Father. At Jesus' Baptism and at His Transfiguration, God has declared that Jesus is His Son with His loud voice from Heaven. God is pleased with His Son, and we are to listen to Him.

*

I must not be puffed up by the knowledge and understanding He has given me, but instead, I must grow in love and faithfulness in relation to my Lord and my God.

He is preparing me for His purposes, and may I cooperate with Him as He teaches and changes me.

I write to share the insight given to me, so that we may understand the secret things of God that He has delighted to reveal to us.

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Sometimes I am concerned over God's selection of my partner for me. I wonder if I would like who she is, or how she is like, and I am worried I may not like who He has chosen. Then, the Spirit reminds me that I have sinned.

How may I distrust God, who out of His wisdom beyond wisdom as made it so that my wife will be one who is prepared by Him.

Are God's gifts and goodness not acceptable by my standards?
Can my standards be higher than God's?  Must God meet my human expectations?

I am to look past appearances and love and not doubt the good things He has in store for me, and for her.

Whenever I meet a girl, I cannot help but wonder if they could be the one. Then I remember that I am no longer to be looking for a wife, but instead I am to wait on God for Him to make known and reveal the woman of His choosing to me.

I am then to treat every single girl with the love and tenderness Christ did.

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There is a tendency for me to boast, even while I share, to make myself seem a better man than I am.
This is a disclaimer that I am not at all good, even though I am one who loves to be adored and admired.

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May we live in expectation of His coming, and so live differently, with our eyes rested on Him.
May we not rebel but fulfill all the purposes He has for us in this life.
May we love others in accordance with the love He has taught us,
May we submit to Christ for we are His possessions,
May we value the things above than the things below.

Whose Hands Are Those That Made Us

I saw this off a friend's wall post, and I could not help but comment and also think.

‎"Every atom in your body came from a star that exploded. You couldn’t be here if stars hadn’t exploded, because the elements - the carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, iron, all the things that matter for evolution and for life, they weren’t created at the beginning of time. They were created in the nuclear furnaces of stars, and the only way for them to get into your body is if those stars were kind enough to explode. So, forget God. The stars died so that you could be here today." - Lawrence M. Krauss


This prompted me to find words to represent the hand of God in Creation. 


I do not believe we are the product of chance or explosions. Whatever explanation for the beginning of life must also fully account for the details of origin and the meaning to and for, life. 


We are too complex and too intelligent and conscious beings to simply burn out like a fuse at the end of our lives. We are a bigger presence than the bodies we have now. We are creative beings that are also emotive and sensitive. 


I do not believe that something as fickle and elusive as chance may be able to create landform, water bodies, and make human beings. Are we then the product of chance. And, by any chance, is chance still at work in this world, where more things are coming into being by the providence of chance? 
Can we also say we have mastered chance, by the way we have taken control of our lives?


This thread of thought has no firm ground to explain why we are what we are and how we are. 


I believe that our very existence and this physical world is too ordered and beautiful to be the work of something other than God. 


However we refuse to submit to the idea that there would be someone higher and wiser and more important than our race, who made us. We also refuse to submit to that Someone.

This rebellion is in our nature. Whichever leadership, government does not please or suit us, we overturn and unfollow them. We do not honour or obey any institution that cannot or will not serve and please us.

We are human-centred - we are the highest and smartest beings and we are the most important.

Romans 1 pegs this down, where we refuse to submit, much less honour or obey God.
Can a subject not pay due homage to his King? Will his King suffer this indifference for too long without teaching him to submit, or else remove him from His court?

We as created beings in the image of God, have the gift of creativity and craftsmanship, that we may too fashion things that are beautiful, because that was what He first did with us.


He is the Alpha and the Omega. He was before all things, and He made all things.
He was before us in the beginning, and I believe He will also be there at the end. 


Most people dare not be sure, but are non-committal to any divinity, and balk at the idea of submitting to any god. How long more, may we avoid this question?

I am a latecomer to Christ, and I have learnt, but am revising this truth that God is first, He is highest.
How many more will see this also.

Love and Hospitality as our Trademark

I think that these years in my life are not just a progression into adulthood but also growing into a Christian man.

Therefore I will write about the segments where I grow, tumble and trip and recover, for it will be helpful for me when I reminisce.

Everyday is a struggle to be faithful and to honour Christ.
By my action, speech and treatment of others, I represent Christ.

In one of my texts to Dong Lin, I wrote that Love is a Christian Trademark. Then when Raj came over to my room, I remembered that Hospitality was one of these trademarks we are to exhibit also. I did what I could to welcome him, in my living space.

I am in a season of sickness, because I have not cared well for myself. Does this season have any bearing on how I relate to God? In all occasions and under all conditions, we are to rejoice, give thanks and praise Him. He lives and I have life in Him.

Do I expect and trust God to heal me? I know He can, but do I believe He will heal me?
Can I ask God to fix my body while I harm it by abuse daily?
Yet this is the process of renewal which out of His grace and discretion, He will give. We sin daily and He shows mercy and gives forgiveness where we repent and submit ourselves to His Word.

My sickness reminds me that my flesh is weak. It also chastens me, that my spirit must be strong. In all circumstances and situations, I must pray. I depend on Him and whether He heals me or not, I will wait on Him.

I must exercise my spiritual freedom and new life to obey and not to return to the selfish, unloving and mean-spirited patterns of the old life. 

Election

At present, I believe, on the basis of Romans 9 and Isaiah 59 and so many other Scriptures, that it is God's sovereign choice and God Himself who works salvation.

I believe that it is God's mercy and not what we may do on our own that will save us. But it is written that Jesus draws all men to Himself (John 12:32).

John 6:65- He went on to say, "That is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him." 

John 6:37, 38, 39 - "All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me but raise them up at the last day."

John 10:27,28,29,30  - "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one."

Luke 13:24 - He said to them, "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, 'Sir, open the door for us.'"


1. God draws, enables men to go near to Christ.
2. Christ safe-keeps all who are given over to Him. No one may snatch them from Him; He will lose none of them.
3. Make every effort to enter through the narrow door.

To reconcile all the above, we may not fully understand what is the reach of His reaping. But we may be confident that His love for us is true - genuine and faithful.

Our hearts must not be hard, and our attitude must be reverential. We must submit to God's authority and go to Him meekly. God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble (Proverbs 3:34; James 4:6). 

For our first and foremost sin was that we "neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him" (Romans 1:21). Honour God and His sovereign authority over us.

Pray with precision. We must ask for mercy and ask God to enable us to go to Him and to bring us to a knowledge of Him and His Word.

Go near to Christ Jesus. Let nothing prevent you from doing so.