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Teach Me Lord

2011-09-19T10:17:00.000+08:00

" Teach me, LORD, the way of your decrees,
that I may follow it to the end.
Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law
and obey it with all my heart.
Direct me in the path of your commands,
for there I find delight.
Turn my heart toward your statutes
and not toward selfish gain.
Turn my eyes away from worthless things;
preserve my life according to your word.
Fulfill your promise to your servant,
so that you may be feared.
Take away the disgrace I dread,
for your laws are good.
How I long for your precepts!
In your righteousness preserve my life."
~ Psalm 119:33-40 (NIV)

It's Been Long, My Friend

2011-05-05T23:31:00.000+08:00

That might sound like a weird title, but I miss journaling. It's been about 6 months since my last entry into this space of thoughts and minds.

Much has happened since I'm away. I had gone through a tumultuous period at work where pressure seems to be the only atmosphere I felt. I had gone for a business trip in Beijing for about a month and come back in Mid October to Mid November 2010. I had spend family time with my parents when they came over during Chinese New Year 2011. I had taken a sabbatical from work since 21 March 2011. I had visited my hometown for just over 2 weeks in April and now had just come back from a fruitful mission trip to Cambodia, Baray and Phnom Penh just 2 days ago.

Much has gone by without penning down any thoughts, I feel like I have lost a part of me deep inside the recesses of my brain. At least they should still be there. But one thing for sure, God has been faithful! He has always been faithful! That's my testimony through the time span past. There has never gone a day when I looked back, God has not been faithful!

He has seen me through and through! God be praised!

Lord, You Will

2010-10-11T00:27:00.000+08:00

It's so refreshing to simply spend time in prayer with my dear sister in the comfort of home. I always enjoyed such a time as this.

Thank You Lord for this sweet refreshment of Spirit. It's from You. I look to You with wide open eyes to see your great deliverance, to give you all glory through and through, for You will bring me through this season of challenges especially at work, ministry. You will Lord, I believe and I trust.

Begin and End In Christ

2010-09-23T23:13:00.000+08:00

"Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, "We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled.""
~ Luke 18:31 (NIV)

"In our natural life our ambitions change as we grow, but in the Christian life the goal is given at the very beginning, and the beginning and the end are exactly the same, namely, our Lord Himself. We start with Christ and we end with Him?”. . . till we all come . . . to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ . . .” (Ephesians 4:13), not simply to our own idea of what the Christian life should be. The goal of the missionary is to do God’s will, not to be useful or to win the lost. A missionary is useful and he does win the lost, but that is not his goal. His goal is to do the will of his Lord.
In our Lord’s life, Jerusalem was the place where He reached the culmination of His Father’s will upon the cross, and unless we go there with Jesus we will have no friendship or fellowship with Him. Nothing ever diverted our Lord on His way to Jerusalem. He never hurried through certain villages where He was persecuted, or lingered in others where He was blessed. Neither gratitude nor ingratitude turned our Lord even the slightest degree away from His purpose to go “up to Jerusalem.”"
~ "My Utmost For His Highest", Oswald Chambers

We begin and end with Christ. That also follows that we remain in Christ. Following God's will to our Jerusalem is what matters in our daily goal of life as Jesus had examplified.

God's Life In Your Life

2010-09-20T23:21:00.001+08:00

"Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
~ Matthew 5:48 (NIV)

"The true expression of Christian character is not in good-doing, but in God-likeness. If the Spirit of God has transformed you within, you will exhibit divine characteristics in your life, not just good human characteristics. God’s life in us expresses itself as God’s life, not as human life trying to be godly. The secret of a Christian’s life is that the supernatural becomes natural in him as a result of the grace of God, and the experience of this becomes evident in the practical, everyday details of life, not in times of intimate fellowship with God. And when we come in contact with things that create confusion and a flurry of activity, we find to our own amazement that we have the power to stay wonderfully poised even in the center of it all."
~ My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers

The verse is not meant for us to take human effort in trying to live perfectly. It is in fact impossible. Only by God's grace. The outworking of God's grace in producing perfection in us. God's life manifest.

Scripture Vocabulary

2010-09-03T23:43:00.000+08:00

As I was travelling home tonight from a regular meetup with my brothers and sisters, I was prompted by the Spirit to refresh the scripture memories that I have committed to my mind. I started to recall in my heart one after another. Here is a list of what I would like to commit. I would like to refer to this particular entry as a reference page for my Scripture vocabulary.

"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."
~ 1 Corinthians 13:!3 (NIV)

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails."
~ 1 Corinthians 13:4-7a (NIV)

"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."

~ 1 Corinthians 10:!3 (NIV)

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. "
~ Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)

"so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others."
~ Romans 12:5 (NIV)

"Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!

How unsearchable his judgments,
and his paths beyond tracing out!
"Who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counselor?"
"Who has ever given to God,
that God should repay him?"
For from him and through him and to him are all things.
To him be the glory forever! Amen."
~ Romans 11:33-36 (NIV)

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"
~ 2 Corinthians 5:!7 (NIV)

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,"
~ Romans 3:23 (NIV)

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
~ Romans 5:8 (NIV)

"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse."
~ Romans 1:20 (NIV)

"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will."
~ Romans 8:26-27 (NIV)

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,[a] who[b] have been called according to his purpose."
~ Romans 8:28 (NIV)

"You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks."
~ Matthew 12:34 (NIV)

"Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."
~ 1 Corinthians 15:58 (NIV)

"being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."
~ Philippians 1:6 (NIV)

"Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress."
~ 1 Timothy 4:15 (NIV)

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."
~ 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)

"I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand."
~ John 10:28 (NIV)

"Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete."
~ John 16:24 (NIV)

"You are my friends if you do what I command."
~ John 15:14 (NIV)

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."
~ John 10:10 (NIV)

"The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit[a] and they are life."
~ John 6:63 (NIV)

The Defense of the Gospel

2010-09-02T23:33:00.001+08:00

"Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
~ Acts 4:12 (NIV)

Peter and John boldly presented and defended the Gospel as they faced persecution from the leaders of their time, the Sadducees and Pharisees, even the Roman rulers. It's very interesting to note that the Sadducees, Pharisees and the Roman rulers are not exactly in agreement in a lot of matters, but yet they stood in united front against the Apostles as they went about ministering the Gospel unto the people they encountered.

"When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say."
~ Acts 4:13-14 (NIV)

One Body

2010-09-01T23:56:00.000+08:00

"so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others."
~ Romans 12:5 (NIV)

I suppose this explains the reason why I felt rather disconnected and estranged when I was away from church. We are all formed for God's family and are called to belong to one another. We are the branches stemming from God, being the Vine.

Sovereign God

2010-08-31T23:45:00.000+08:00

"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives."
~ Genesis 50:20 (NIV)

"For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all."
~ Romans 11:32 (NIV)

It's the old classic question on God's will and the autonomy of man. But These verses remind me again that the sovereignty of God goes beyond all things.

Usefulness

2010-08-30T23:56:00.001+08:00

"Jesus Christ is saying here, “Don’t rejoice in your successful service for Me, but rejoice because of your right relationship with Me.” The trap you may fall into in Christian work is to rejoice in successful service— rejoicing in the fact that God has used you. Yet you will never be able to measure fully what God will do through you if you have a right-standing relationship with Jesus Christ. If you keep your relationship right with Him, then regardless of your circumstances or whoever you encounter each day, He will continue to pour “rivers of living water” through you ( John 7:38 ). And it is actually by His mercy that He does not let you know it. Once you have the right relationship with God through salvation and sanctification, remember that whatever your circumstances may be, you have been placed in them by God. And God uses the reaction of your life to your circumstances to fulfill His purpose, as long as you continue to “walk in the light as He is in the light” (1 John 1:7 )."
~ My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers

"However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."
~ Luke 10:20 (NIV)

It's not hard to be distracted by our usefulness in ministry especially when we have been serving in it for some time and we have gained a certain measure effectiveness in it. But God reminds me once again even on this birthday, that the fruitfulness that I may have is because of Him, overflowing from my relationship with Him.

That You Don't Fall

2010-08-29T16:22:00.002+08:00

"So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!"
~ 1 Corinthians 10:!2 (NIV)

"Above all else, guard your heart,
for it is the wellspring of life."
~ Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)

"There is a way that seems right to a man,
but in the end it leads to death."
~ Proverbs 14:!2 (NIV)

"Whoever loves money never has money enough;

whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income.
This too is meaningless."
~ Ecclesiastes 5:10 (NIV)

3 statements today that lingered in my mind.

Guard against "small disobedience"

Guard against indifference

Guard against success

Sacrifice of Worship

2010-08-28T23:58:00.001+08:00

It was a frustrating saturday morning. One of the more terrible starts of day in terms of effectiveness and efficiency. I had to make a wasted detour to a bookshop which was not opened yet. Proceeding from there, I went ahead to my target destination, which was the church sanctuary. While on the way, I received a phone call, checking whether I had with me the church office keys. I hung up the phone to realise that I actually had left the keys at home, and there was noone in the church office at the moment. I was almost losing my sense of emotional stability. I had my sister who could easily be a victim of my lashing out of words of criticality and bluntness. It was a rather emotionally stretching moment as I learnt to exercise self-control and composure under such frustration.

I remembered thinking, "how in the world could I lead the music team to worship God this morning?" It certainly was challenging to challenge my own thoughts. But it was a sacrifice and cost to me to bring my offering of praise and worship, in service of the Almighty God. I learnt that "worship is worship still regardless of my circumstances." Whatever settlement of emotions, pain, struggles is my sacrifice too small to be compared to the magnificence of God who is worthy to be praised.

Disobedience

2010-08-27T23:51:00.000+08:00

"The LORD became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. Although he had forbidden Solomon to follow other gods, Solomon did not keep the LORD's command. So the LORD said to Solomon, "Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees, which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates. Nevertheless, for the sake of David your father, I will not do it during your lifetime. I will tear it out of the hand of your son. Yet I will not tear the whole kingdom from him, but will give him one tribe for the sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen.""
~ 1 Kings 11:9-13 (NIV)

The sequence of events built up towards this juncture in the Scripture marked Israel's history with such indelible scar. Israel was to be torn into two and taken out of Solomon's hands. Such national crisis that resulted from disobedience to God's commands. Our disobedience likely has impacts on others around us. It may not be clearly reflected in the present but in the future.

Idolatry Diagnosis

2010-08-26T23:39:00.002+08:00

"We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true—even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
Dear children, keep yourselves from idols."
~ 1 John 5:20-21 (NIV)

"What do you most highly value?

What do you think about by default?

What is your highest goal?

To what or whom are you most committed?

Who or what do you love the most?

Who or what do you trust or depend upon the most?

Who or what do you fear the most?

Who or what do you hope in and hope for most?

Who or what do you desire the most? Or, what desire makes you most angry or makes you despair when it is not satisfied?

Who or what do you most delight in or hold as your greatest joy and treasure?

Who or what captures your greatest zeal?

To whom or for what are you most thankful?

For whom or what great purpose do you work? "
~ "13 Questions to Diagnose Your Idolatries", Kenny Stokes, "Keep Yourselves From Idols: Part 2", Sermon, 22 Aug 2010

Two or three questions somestimes may not really suffice in digging deeper into our souls regarding the idols in our lives. But 13 questions certainly ensure that you really thought through every question and a number actually provides second chances to the earlier questions. I pray as God reveal, may we learn to acknowledge His revelation and repent.

As How God Loves

2010-08-25T23:39:00.002+08:00

".. Love for God is not something sentimental or emotional— for a saint to love as God loves is the most practical thing imaginable.
“I have called you friends. . . .” Our friendship with Jesus is based on the new life He created in us, which has no resemblance or attraction to our old life but only to the life of God. It is a life that is completely humble, pure, and devoted to God."
~ My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers

"I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you."
~ John 15:15 (NIV)

"for a saint to love as God loves is the most practical thing imaginable." This statement challenges me to consider my loving. Loving as how God loves. That is the ultimate example to follow.

Defiance For Devotion

2010-08-24T23:52:00.002+08:00

"We mistake defiance for devotion, arguing with God instead of surrendering. We refuse to look at the evidence that clearly indicates where we are wrong. Have I been asking God to give me money for something I want, while refusing to pay someone what I owe him? Have I been asking God for liberty while I am withholding it from someone who belongs to me? Have I refused to forgive someone, and have I been unkind to that person? Have I been living as God’s child among my relatives and friends? (see Matthew 7:12 )."

"Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?"
~ Matthew 7:9 (NIV)

This comes down to the root of pride and rebellion against God. When we refuse to submit to God's sovereign wisdom and seek His ways, it tends to be masquaraded as a desire to follow Him. But in essence, it is refusal to obey. Nonetheless, God uses even our refusal to obey to teach us obedience and surrender.

Sin Seizing Opportunity

2010-08-23T22:46:00.000+08:00

"What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "Do not covet." But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire. For apart from law, sin is dead. Once I was alive apart from law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death.

For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good. Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! But in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful. "
~ Romans 7:7-13 (NIV)

"[The] reason why man has the more strong inclination to moral evil when forbidden, is because obedience is submission and subjection, and the commandment is obligation. But natural corruption is against submission and obligation, but loves the lowest kind of liberty as one of those apparent goods that it seeks; and when he disobeys, he looks upon it that he has broke the obligation.

When he thinks of the perpetration of such a lust, and thinks how he is strictly upon pain of damnation forbidden, tied by such strict bonds from it, it makes him exceeding uneasy, the consideration is so against corrupt nature; which uneasiness takes away all liberty of thought, and makes the mind dwell upon nothing but the contrary and supposed good, the liberty, causes [him] to meditate upon the pleasantness of the act, and makes it appear much greater than otherwise it would do."
~ "The Miscellanies" #79, Jonathan Edwards, Adapted from "Why the Law Makes Us Want To Sin More", Tyler Kennedy, Desiring God Blog, 23 Aug 2010

Sin has a certain powerful draw of apparent good that scopes the vision of the one enticed to simply focus on it. By nature, submission and obligation seems to be a deficient part of our DNA of character to begin with. We seem to be oppressed by it instead of redeemed.

But Will God Really Dwell On Earth

2010-08-22T23:59:00.001+08:00

"But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built! Yet give attention to your servant's prayer and his plea for mercy, O LORD my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day. May your eyes be open toward this temple night and day, this place of which you said, 'My Name shall be there,' so that you will hear the prayer your servant prays toward this place. Hear the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive. "
~ 1 Kings 8:27-30 (NIV)

Solomon in His God-given wisdom asked a real question. "Can anything contain God?" It seems like it's contradicting his initial decision to build the Temple for God, which he knew full well, that nothing can contain God. Yet he went on to build it. Why? I'm no exactly too sure as I reflect. But if I were to give my best shot to wonder why, I believe that it is a reflection of a deep desire to bring pleasure to God, as a consistent visible reminder that God is God, of all Israel, of all His people. The remarkable observation that we can make on the very first thing Solomon did, was to pray in dedication of the temple that had been built to the purpose of God's Worship.

Test of The Age

2010-08-21T23:54:00.003+08:00

"Is it possible to glorify God through the enjoyment of music, movies, literature, etc. produced by secular artists?

Yes. I assume the computer you are holding there was probably not built by Christians, and I hope that you are glorifying God as you tap away at it. And of course out from there, there are a 1000 things that we use all day long, and God says, 'whatever you do, whether you eat or drink, do all to the glory of God.' And he knows that you are eating this meat that may have been sacrificed to idols, so that means it was probably butchered by an unbeliever, or handled by an unbeliever, shipped by an unbeliever, it may have been cooked by an unbelieving cook. And here you are savoring the product of all those unbelievers' work because you are in that moment giving thanks to God for it, recognizing that the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof and taking the strength and the joy that comes from it to render back to him.

Now with the arts and with media it is more morally complex than with food. But it is the same principle. The complexity of it is, in those moments what do you do with the moral elements of it that are so contrary to your faith?

I'll just point out one principle because we can talk about this forever. What concerns me is the distinction between entertainment and cultural analysis. To watch something, to study the culture, learn from the culture, be more able to interact with unbelievers for the sake of the glory of Christ is one thing. To just sit and bask in nudity, or bask in fifty f-words, or bask in a world view that is shot through with arrogance to the core, and enjoy it? Hmm. That seems to point to something going on in the heart. And frankly, I have tasted it big time. I think today we are going to have to work at not being shaped by the world because the world has made its world view so scintillatingly attractive.

Movie after movie after movie has come out and most young reformed people are, I would say, indiscriminate. "Let's go to a movie tonight." OK, and then we just choose the best. None of the movies in that theater at that night are any good, probably. But you are just going to do it, because that is what you do. You go to the movies on Friday night, or whatever. And then of course you think, we've got to Christianize this thing somehow.

I just think we need to test our hearts big time. Big time. Why are we able to enjoy hell bound, God ignoring, Christ dishonoring, false world views because we can give it a little twist at the end that it taught us this or that about the world? So, I think the main thing I'm saying there is, test your heart as to whether entertainment is defaulting to the world, or to something more wholesome. We live in an age where we tend to default to the world for entertainment."
~ "Do You Glorify God in Your Movie Watching?" John Piper, "Ask Pastor John, Desiring God

This article challenged my watching attitudes. What exactly goes on in your heart while you watch a certain movie or show?

Christ Awareness

2010-08-20T23:59:00.001+08:00

"A complete life is the life of a child. When I am fully conscious of my awareness of Christ, there is something wrong. It is the sick person who really knows what health is. A child of God is not aware of the will of God because he is the will of God. When we have deviated even slightly from the will of God, we begin to ask, “Lord, what is your will?” A child of God never prays to be made aware of the fact that God answers prayer, because he is so restfully certain that God always answers prayer.

If we try to overcome our self-awareness through any of our own commonsense methods, we will only serve to strengthen our self-awareness tremendously. Jesus says, “Come to Me . . . and I will give you rest,” that is, Christ-awareness will take the place of self-awareness. Wherever Jesus comes He establishes rest— the rest of the completion of activity in our lives that is never aware of itself."
~ My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers

This is what I would call the paradox of Christian living. The unconscious reality of Christ in our lives in complete union with one another. It's interesting how when one thinks that he's got it all, he's actually quite some distance away from it.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."
~ Matthew 11:28 (NIV)

Begging To Praising

2010-08-19T23:53:00.001+08:00

"One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, "Look at us!" So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.

Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. When all the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him."
~ Acts 3:1-10 (NIV)

The transformation is so powerful in the crippled man that he went with Peter and John to the temple courts, praising God. Something fundamental and deep changed within him. From begging (out of misery, hopelessness and helplessness) to praising God. I could hardly imagine possibly if he would actually go back to begging. It's not mentioned anywhere perhaps, but it was just a theoretical imagination. Thus, it brings me to mind of how transformed lives will certainly result in radically different nature than before. Redeemed sinners must not go back to begging (old nature).

The Instrument and Fruit of Justification

2010-08-18T23:55:00.001+08:00

"One of the concerns that I have about justification, and in particular the biblical understanding of imputation (being counted righteous as distinct from actually becoming behavioral in our righteousness—which are both crucial), is that those who are jealous like I want to be for our holiness, our love, our justice and our mercy in the world can begin to build those fruits into the instrument of justification to make sure that it is not separated. But in the process they undermine the very goal that we are both after.

Here's what I mean. I'm arguing, as I think historic protestant Christianity and the Bible argues, that the imputation of Christ's righteousness to me is through union with Christ, where he is for me all that he is, and I am attached to him in that union through faith alone. The only instrument by which I am made a participant in Christ's righteousness is God's acting through my faith. I am born into that relationship through faith alone, not through any of its fruits, like mercy and justice and love and patience and kindness and meekness and so on, which turn me into a useful person in the world.

Now what some people feel, I think, is that if you conceive of justification that way, as being imputed with Christ's righteousness so that you stand perfect before God by faith alone, you have disconnected it from love and mercy and goodness and justice and kindness, such that you can begin to become indifferent to those things. You can begin to think of yourself as holy and let the world go to hell. So to solve that problem, to make sure that justice and love and mercy are all kept closely connected—as they should be, as the fruit of justification—they begin to bring it into the instrument by which we are attached to Christ and they don't make faith clearly distinct as the sole instrument.

The reason I say this undermines what we are both after is because I don't think we can make any progress in holiness if we don't have a profound, deep, powerful assurance that we are accepted by God by faith alone. If you try to make the fruit of justification part of the root of justification, the fruit itself is destroyed. Because I think God has ordained that it is out of a sense of wonder and marveling that God is patient with me through faith alone that I am able to be patient with another person.

If I try to make becoming patient with my wife part of the instrument by which I am attached to Jesus, who then becomes my righteousness and acceptance with God, so that it is mostly his work but still partially my work, then my whole sense of assurance by which I make progress in that patience begins to go down the tubes.

So I'm giving this little video clip just to say that I really believe that Christians have to be loving, they have to be just, they have to be caring. In other words, the fruits of the Spirit really matter. We are not born again if we are not living differently than we would if we weren't born again. I just want to say that the doctrine of justification by faith alone, or imputation through union with Christ along the instrument of faith alone, is the best way forward in that."
~ "John Piper's Concern In The Justification Debate", John Piper, 18 April 2010, Desiring God Blog

Let us not be misled to consider the instrument of justification as part of the root of justification.

Sell Everything

2010-08-17T23:52:00.000+08:00

"When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth."
~ Luke 18:22-23 (NIV)

"Have I ever heard Jesus say something difficult and unyielding to me? Has He said something personally to me to which I have deliberately listened— not something I can explain for the sake of others, but something I have heard Him say directly to me? This man understood what Jesus said. He heard it clearly, realizing the full impact of its meaning, and it broke his heart. He did not go away as a defiant person, but as one who was sorrowful and discouraged. He had come to Jesus on fire with zeal and determination, but the words of Jesus simply froze him. Instead of producing enthusiastic devotion to Jesus, they produced heartbreaking discouragement. And Jesus did not go after him, but let him go. Our Lord knows perfectly well that once His word is truly heard, it will bear fruit sooner or later. What is so terrible is that some of us prevent His words from bearing fruit in our present life. I wonder what we will say when we finally make up our minds to be devoted to Him on that particular point? One thing is certain— He will never throw our past failures back in our faces."
~ My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers

It has been quite a natural inclination to interpret the way the rich man responded with negativity, in that, it seems like he had been lost. No fruit came forth out of that sorrowful realisation. However, if we really think about it, that seeming discouragement is actually a good sign of repentance. It started with the awareness of his current state of affairs and condition of heart. Here, Lord Jesus demonstrated what we call patience and trust in God's timing for harvest.

Salvation

2010-08-16T23:54:00.003+08:00

"And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”"

~ Mark 10:23-31 (ESV)

"And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”"

~ John 3:19-21 (ESV)

"True and saving faith in Christ is not a thing out of the power of man, but infinitely easy. 'Tis entirely in a man's power to submit to Jesus Christ as a Savior, if he will; but the thing is, it never will be that he should will it, except God works it in him."

~Jonathan Edwards, from Miscellanies #71

These passages clearly talk about the monergistic nature of salvation. It begins, continues and persists in God. Praise be to God!

Conscious Repentance, Unconscious Holiness

2010-08-15T22:47:00.002+08:00

"No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God."
~ 1 John 3:9 (NIV)

"The answer to Nicodemus’ question, “How can a man be born when he is old?” is: Only when he is willing to die to everything in his life, including his rights, his virtues, and his religion, and becomes willing to receive into himself a new life that he has never before experienced ( John 3:4 ). This new life exhibits itself in our conscious repentance and through our unconscious holiness.

“But as many as received Him. . .” ( John 1:12 ). Is my knowledge of Jesus the result of my own internal spiritual perception, or is it only what I have learned through listening to others? Is there something in my life that unites me with the Lord Jesus as my personal Savior? My spiritual history must have as its underlying foundation a personal knowledge of Jesus Christ. To be born again means that I see Jesus.

“. . . unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God ” (John 3:3). Am I seeking only for the evidence of God’s kingdom, or am I actually recognizing His absolute sovereign control? The new birth gives me a new power of vision by which I begin to discern God’s control. His sovereignty was there all the time, but with God being true to His nature, I could not see it until I received His very nature myself.

“Whoever has been born of God does not sin. . .” ( 1 John 3:9 ). Am I seeking to stop sinning or have I actually stopped? To be born of God means that I have His supernatural power to stop sinning. The Bible never asks, “Should a Christian sin?” The Bible emphatically states that a Christian must not sin. The work of the new birth is being effective in us when we do not commit sin. It is not merely that we have the power not to sin, but that we have actually stopped sinning. Yet 1 John 3:9 does not mean that we cannot sin— it simply means that if we will obey the life of God in us, that we do not have to sin."
~ My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers

John 3 and 1 John are passages of the Bible that never fail to bring me afresh towards a consciousness of the reality of sin and a heightened awareness of how helpless one is without that power. The power in the new birth. "We do not have to sin." that sentence really struck me as not just a command, but a preference, a distinct desired preference with such drawing strength for it to be chosen. We do not have to sin. No one who has been born again is slave to sin, none of them would be duty-bound to sin.

Right Standing

2010-08-14T23:53:00.001+08:00

"And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons:

"My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,"
~ Hebrews 12:5 (NIV)

"Do not quench the Spirit” ( 1 Thessalonians 5:19 ), and do not despise Him when He says to you, in effect, “Don’t be blind on this point anymore— you are not as far along spiritually as you thought you were. Until now I have not been able to reveal this to you, but I’m revealing it to you right now.” When the Lord disciplines you like that, let Him have His way with you. Allow Him to put you into a right-standing relationship before God.

“. . . nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him.” We begin to pout, become irritated with God, and then say, “Oh well, I can’t help it. I prayed and things didn’t turn out right anyway. So I’m simply going to give up on everything.” Just think what would happen if we acted like this in any other area of our lives!"
~ My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers

"Allow Him to put you into a right-standing relationship before God." That sentence stood out much as I asked the Lord what He is speaking to me about tonight.

Lord Jesus, please help me, I want your right standing relationship before God. Moment by moment, may your power and Spirit at work bring me back from my poor standing with You.

The Present Wonder

2010-08-13T23:52:00.001+08:00

"Beware if in sharing your personal testimony you continually have to look back, saying, “Once, a number of years ago, I was saved.” If you have put your “hand to the plow” and are walking in the light, there is no “looking back”— the past is instilled into the present wonder of fellowship and oneness with God ( Luke 9:62 ; also see 1 John 1:6-7 ). If you get out of the light, you become a sentimental Christian, and live only on your memories, and your testimony will have a hard metallic ring to it. Beware of trying to cover up your present refusal to “walk in the light” by recalling your past experiences when you did “walk in the light” ( 1 John 1:7 ). When-ever the Spirit gives you that sense of restraint, call a halt and make things right, or else you will go on quenching and grieving Him without even knowing it."
~ My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers

Tonight's devotion came as a fresh perspective of past oriented reflection. If we continually look back at the same things that have once been such a wonder and amazement to us, one such as a perhaps our conversion experience, we might have been suffering from a deficient fellowship with God. In that, our past should continue to propel us into wonder in the present of our fellowship and oneness with God. If our focal point continues to wander in search and recollection of some past experiences, we may have be in need of a serious reflection of our present condition as a life pilgrim. This would likely surface up some aspects of life in which we are disobeying.

Reason and Mysticism

2010-08-12T23:19:00.001+08:00

"The one created thing which we cannot look at is the one thing in the light of which we look at everything. Like the sun at noonday, mysticism [belief in mystery] explains everything else by the blaze of its own victorious invisibility. Detached intellectualism is (in the exact sense of a popular phrase) all moonshine; for it is light without heat, and it is secondary light, reflected from a dead world. . . . But that transcendentalism by which all men live has primarily much the position of the sun in the sky. We are conscious of it as of a kind of splendid confusion; it is something both shining and shapeless, at once a blaze and a blur. But the circle of the moon is as clear and unmistakable, as recurrent and inevitable, as the circle of Euclid on a blackboard. For the moon is utterly reasonable; and the moon is the mother of lunatics and has given to them all her name. (pp. 17-18, paragraphing added)"
~ "Orthodoxy", G.K Chesterton, Adapted from Desiring God blog post, "The Irrationality of Pure Reason, and Mystery's Victory", Tyler Kennedy, 12 Aug 2010

It's a heavyweight article in the category of philosophy and thought, but I affirm what Tyler shared in his blog post. Reason cannot be the only way, much less the final filler of things we will accept in our theology. However, we will go as far as reason takes us. It's owing to God's supremacy as being that mystery is mystery to us and not to Him, for nothing is mystery to Him. He is the uncreated One, whence the superset of all things exist. The article reminds me that ultimately our supreme authority is the Word of God.

"O Sovereign LORD, you are God! Your words are trustworthy..."
~ 2 Samuel 7:28a (NIV)

Jordan, Jericho and Bethel

2010-08-11T23:38:00.000+08:00

"As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha saw this and cried out, "My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!" And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them apart."
~ 2 Kings 2:11-12 (NIV)

"He picked up the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. Then he took the cloak that had fallen from him and struck the water with it. "Where now is the LORD, the God of Elijah?" he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over. "
~ 2 Kings 2:14 (NIV)

"The company of the prophets from Jericho, who were watching, said, "The spirit of Elijah is resting on Elisha." And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him."
~ 2 Kings 2:15 (NIV)

"From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some youths came out of the town and jeered at him. "Go on up, you baldhead!" they said. "Go on up, you baldhead!"
~ 2 Kings 2:23 (NIV)

There will indeed come a time or probably a point in time thereafter when my Elijah may not be with me anymore. This is part of the overall intention of God in spiritual growth. We must learn like Elisha to journey through our own Jordan, where there is noone else but ourselves, and we must do it ourselves, our own Jericho, where we have witnessed Elijah do things that are powered by God, and we are reluctant to bear the responsibility and yet we must still do it, his own Bethel, where we would come to the end of our resources and the beginning of God's resources, where we must truly depend on Him.

Coming Together of Ideas

2010-08-10T23:52:00.001+08:00

I had a wonderful time of catching up with my fellow ministry leaders over dinner this evening. I had come from a rather stretching day of work and was wondering if I could indeed last through the fellowship. But I thank God that He strengthened me and allowed me to listen and be sharpened in our minds as we share the burdens, dreams and visions that the Lord impressed upon our hearts to share. I am humbled to see how God is pulling our ideas and dreams together through our words simply verbalised. I look forward in anticipation to what God has in store for all of us and will lead us into together.

"As the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts."
~ Isaiah 55:9 (NIV)

Deserved Rest

2010-08-09T23:22:00.000+08:00

This day was a day of rest as I arrived back safely in Singapore in the morning by way of a sleeper train. I thank God for the journey mercy that we may arrive back to our homes without even any difficulty. It has been a memorable, fun-filled time spent together, as we caught up over meals, shopping, chit-chats, games together. It was through a personal decision to let go of my commitments and dedicate a weekend to spend with this group of friends that I have. We had grown up together through our time in university and till now, we had remained in occassional touch through our times of gathering be they for birthdays, casual outings, or get-togethers like this.

Today flew by relatively quickly as I passed this in dreamland. I had actually planned to awake for lunch, but I suppose the body just simply gave in to its deserved rest. I thank God for the sufficient rest and look forward to His grace for tomorrow.

Being Ready For Testimony

2010-08-06T23:22:00.000+08:00

I am thankful that I am able to join my university friends for a vacation trip starting this evening. It would be a good occassion to simply just update each other on our lives. Beyond which, I continue to keep in mind that these friends are those that God has called me to stand as a testimony for Him in the midst of my circle of friends. I'm glad to hear of each other's wedding plans, with some planning and getting to celebrate within the next coming months. On the other hand, I also keep in mind of how increasingly more challenging for them to know Christ as their personal Lord and saviour. Still I know that God is the One who will be at work both to will and to His pleasure. I stand by for His leading and direction as His servant of testimony.

"Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have."
~ 1 Peter 3:15b (NIV)

Purpose

2010-08-05T23:05:00.002+08:00

"Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, "We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled.
...
The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about."
~ Luke 18:31, 34 (NIV)

"God called Jesus Christ to what seemed absolute disaster. And Jesus Christ called His disciples to see Him put to death, leading every one of them to the place where their hearts were broken. His life was an absolute failure from every standpoint except God’s. But what seemed to be failure from man’s standpoint was a triumph from God’s standpoint, because God’s purpose is never the same as man’s purpose.
...
A Christian is someone who trusts in the knowledge and the wisdom of God, not in his own abilities. If we have a purpose of our own, it destroys the simplicity and the calm, relaxed pace which should be characteristic of the children of God."

~ My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers

This devotion interestingly follows up on what I was reflecting yesterday. I need to consider my purpose in my thought, action or deed. There are perhaps many a times that my purpose is not in line with God' purpose. This would also entaills questioning my motivation in doing what I do. Indeed, "a Christian is someone who trusts in the knowledge and the wisdom of God, not in his own abilities." because he is one that depends on, and looks to, God totally for direction, wisdom, purpose, motivation.

Change

2010-08-04T23:27:00.001+08:00

What does it take to have a change in a person?

This is a strong genuine question that I have never really been able to answer properly. I mean, all variables aside, keeping that the person wanting to have and see changes in others is willing and ready to do almost whatever it takes. This qualifier is close to the ideal scenario, but let us grant that assumption.

As I reflect personally, what does it take to change me, myself?

I think it first takes a dissatisfaction of the status quo. It takes a vision of direction of need. It requires the strength of motivation in purpose. It demands faithfulness and dedication of commitment. I find that I can deal with these for myself. I am not perfect, but at least I'm glad to be able to say I should be able to see to it, with God's help.

Now, coming back to the very first question. I have not much clue, given that examples and modeling have been practised. I am asking that question aloud and I ask God to help me with patience and wisdom to see me through this.

I surrender to You Lord this, frequently frustrating scenarios, that truly demands and challenges me. In Your strength I want to carry on, help me rid of any spirit of criticality or judgmentalism.

Seeking His Will

2010-08-03T23:46:00.000+08:00

"...for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me."
~ John 5:30b

"We are not taken into a conscious agreement with God’s purpose— we are taken into God’s purpose with no awareness of it at all. We have no idea what God’s goal may be; as we continue, His purpose becomes even more and more vague. God’s aim appears to have missed the mark, because we are too nearsighted to see the target at which He is aiming. At the beginning of the Christian life, we have our own ideas as to what God’s purpose is. We say, “God means for me to go over there,” and, “God has called me to do this special work.” We do what we think is right, and yet the compelling purpose of God remains upon us. The work we do is of no account when compared with the compelling purpose of God. It is simply the scaffolding surrounding His work and His plan. "
~ My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers

It's the challenge of every Christian. To seek to do God's will. It was not by our own choosing that we enter into a conscious agreement with God's purpose. It's by God's leading and transformation in our heart that we are taken into God's purpose without any awareness of it. God does, however reveal it at times, awakening our senses and thinking to see the work and purpose that He intends. But yet there are times indeed when we do not even make sense of it.

Deliverance

2010-08-02T23:59:00.001+08:00

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
~ John 16:33 (NIV)

"The typical view of the Christian life is that it means being delivered from all adversity. But it actually means being delivered in adversity, which is something very different. “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling . . .” ( Psalm 91:1,10 )— the place where you are at one with God."
~ My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers

There is really nothing wrong as to God's deliverance for Christians. However, we often get into thinking that we will most certainly avoid trouble, pain, inconvenience, struggle, fight. Rather than having an idealist worldview of how a Christian should or would have, we ought to persevere and hold on tightly to the fact that our sovereign God is powerful and strong to control every situation and to ensure that deliverance is certain through adversity.

Find Us Faithful

2010-08-01T23:12:00.002+08:00

Today's portion of encouragement came from this meaningful song.

"We're pilgrims on the journey Of the narrow road
And those who've gone before us line the way
Cheering on the faithful, encouraging the weary
Their lives a stirring testament to God's sustaining grace

Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses
Let us run the race not only for the prize
But as those who've gone before us
Let us leave to those behind us
The heritage of faithfulness passed on through godly lives

Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
May the fire of our devotion light their way
May the footprints that we leave
Lead them to believe
And the lives we live inspire them to obey
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful

After all our hopes and dreams have come and gone
And our children sift through all we've left behind
May the clues that they discover and the memories they uncover
Become the light that leads them to the road we each must find
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful "
~ "Find Us Faithful", Steve Green

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. "
~ Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)

O let the footsteps that I leave bring people towards You Lord.

Hope

2010-07-31T23:54:00.001+08:00

A statement lingered in my mind as I left the place of worship tonight.

"Hope is the anticipation of the goodness of God in every aspect of life impacting my present."
~ Rev. Che An

"Oh, that I might have my request,

that God would grant what I hope for,

that God would be willing to crush me,
to let loose his hand and cut me off!

Then I would still have this consolation—
my joy in unrelenting pain—
that I had not denied the words of the Holy One.

"What strength do I have, that I should still hope?
What prospects, that I should be patient? "
~ Job 6:8-11 (NIV)

As I seek the Lord on certain Scripture to reflect on hope, He led me to the above passage. It was an interesting prompting as I generally consider the book of Job to be in the category of more difficult books in the Bible. But God simply told me this, "look at Job and learnt what he had learnt. Hope is what Job had almost lost and gave up on. but I sustained him. I sustained His Hope in me. By my power alone, your hope even if it flickers, diminishes through any season of life, I will sustain you and see you through."

Lord, thank you for the blessed hope I have in You. For your relentless goodness that follow and pursue me all the days of my life, for I shall dwell in Your House forever, enjoying You and glorifying You eternally.

Just The Truth

2010-07-30T23:52:00.001+08:00

"I just want to avoid the train of thought that says, "In order to be a credible Christian you've got to read the Qur'an, or you've got to read the Hindu holy books, or you've got to read the book of Mormon." I don't think so.

Most people don't have the time, the inclinations or the intellectual wherewithal to read all the things in the world. And if you said the only way to have a credible faith in Jesus is to read all the options and discover all the reasons why those options don't suffice, then you'd spend your whole life, or at least a big hunk of it, reading all this stuff.

There has to be a way to read the Bible and see enough self-evidencing and validating truth—Jesus shining forth from the Scriptures winning our trust—that we know this is true and don't have to be threatened by other holy books that we haven't read. If you trust that what you have is honey, and somebody else says, "I've got another brown thing over here that is honey." But you know you already have honey, and you can tell it is honey because you've tasted it. You don't need to experiment with every brown thing that is brought to you in order to be sure that what you have is honey."
~ "Should Christians be willing to read the books of other religions?", John Piper, 27 July 2010, Ask Pastor John, Desiring God

I am affirmed of what Pastor John replied in the above. Most and many people would not be able to discover and exhaust all the posibilities of belief, religion or faith. In fact, to be really honest, about it, it would be impossible. But if the self-evidencing and validating truths shine forth from the Scriptures, they would surely win our trust, by God's power and grace. The Bible is one and only such!

Spiritual Leprosy or God-Desperation

2010-07-29T23:52:00.002+08:00

"The New Testament teaches us that whether or not our treasure is really in heaven is most clearly seen when it costs us our earthly treasures in order to obtain it. But American Christians live in the most prosperous nation in world history and the one in which it costs the least to be a Christian.

This environment can be deadly to faith. It allows false faith to masquerade as real very easily. And its power to dissipate zeal and energy and mission-focus and willingness to risk is extraordinary because it doesn’t come to us with a whip and a threat. It comes to us with a pillow and a promise of comfort for us and our children. The former makes us desperate for God. The latter robs our sense of desperation.
And it’s the lack of a sense of desperation for God that is so deadly. If we don’t feel desperate for God, we don’t tend to cry out to him. Love for this present world sets in subtly, like a spiritual leprosy, damaging spiritual nerve endings so that we don’t feel the erosion and decay happening until it’s too late.

So we must fast and pray for and support the suffering church in the diseases that can set in from harsh adversity. But we must also fast and pray for God to deliver us from the diseases that set in from prosperity. We need him. We can discipline ourselves in various ways. But we cannot manufacture our own desperation. Only God can make us desperate for him.

So God, whatever it takes, increase our awareness of our dependence on you in everything! Keep us desperate for you so that the deceitfulness of sin does not harden our hearts (Hebrews 3:13). In Jesus’ name, amen."
~ "God Make Us Desperate!", Jon Bloom, 29 July 2010, Desiring God Website

Lord, I want to confess that I sense this fear in my heart as You awaken my heart to agree with the above. I sense the fear of suffering, of paying the cost to obey you. Yet Lord, I know it is the truth. Your truth. You have called me to follow You. I am so unworthy Lord to follow You, but even through my lousy attitudes You still love me. Lord, it is such awesome privilege to to be able to hear Your call to obey. Lord, I am unworthy, but not when You make me worthy. I want to obey You with all my heart, my soul, my mind, my strength. Lord. unite all of me to truly trust and obey You. Lord, let not this world rob me of my moment by moment crying out to You. Lord, I need You, I need You in this world, in all circumstances of life. Lord, leave me not to myself for I will rot and die in my flesh. I will not stand apart from You. Father, make me as You awakened me to realise, desperate for You every moment of my life. To be dependent and to know You intimately even through pain and suffering. Lord, I am yours. Take all of me. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Reality Tests

2010-07-28T23:57:00.002+08:00

"No one ever receives a word from God without instantly being put to the test regarding it. We disobey and then wonder why we are not growing spiritually."
~ My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers

It made me realise the above what I just went through. It's scary to think about it sometimes. It's real. The temptations are so real. The tests. I was put to the test. And I wondered why I may not be growing well. It really awakened me to the fact that I am so weak. So helpless without relying and focusing on Him. God I need you. Come to my rescue in my moment of need. Cleanse me and forgive me of my lack of trust in You.

Spiritual Growth

2010-07-27T23:11:00.003+08:00

"If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own."
~ John 7:17 (NIV)

"Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift."
~ Matthew 5:23-24 (NIV)

"The golden rule to follow to obtain spiritual understanding is not one of intellectual pursuit, but one of obedience. If a person wants scientific knowledge, then intellectual curiosity must be his guide. But if he desires knowledge and insight into the teachings of Jesus Christ, he can only obtain it through obedience. If spiritual things seem dark and hidden to me, then I can be sure that there is a point of disobedience somewhere in my life. Intellectual darkness is the result of ignorance, but spiritual darkness is the result of something that I do not intend to obey.

No one ever receives a word from God without instantly being put to the test regarding it. We disobey and then wonder why we are not growing spiritually.
...
The Spirit of God uncovers our spirit of self-vindication and makes us sensitive to things that we have never even thought of before.

When Jesus drives something home to you through His Word, don’t try to evade it. If you do, you will become a religious impostor. Examine the things you tend simply to shrug your shoulders about, and where you have refused to be obedient, and you will know why you are not growing spiritually. As Jesus said, “First . . . go . . ..” Even at the risk of being thought of as fanatical, you must obey what God tells you."

~ My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers

Spiritual growth can be a mystery to some if not most of us. We indeed wonder why sometimes that we do not seem to grow spiritually. First what does it mean to grow spiritually? What are some definitions? Perhaps, growing in the knowledge of God, having greater confidence in God, being more prayerful, being more conscious of sin, self and God, having an increased capacity for obedience, having greater spiritual discernment, serving more readily, willingly and effectively, winning more souls for Christ, impacting others towards godliness, connecting and relating with fellow believers deeper and more strongly?

Well, I cannot pinpoint one definition out of the above or even not in the above. I suppose there are many facets to spiritual growth. But if I were to consider carefully, indeed obedience is one key indicator to spiritual growth as Oswald pointed out.

How am I obeying God today?

Futilitiy WIth Hope

2010-07-26T23:31:00.001+08:00

"When Jesus walked the earth he was not a bouncy, positive-thinker. He was “a man of sorrows” (Isaiah 53:3). And he promised his followers, “In the world you will have tribulation” (John 16:33).

Life is hard. The days of darkness will be many. And you know what? That’s hopeful.
When we find ourselves experiencing “weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities” (2 Corinthians 12:10), something strange isn’t happening to us (1 Peter 4:12). It is what we must expect living in a creation subjected to futility (Romans 8:20).

But it was subjected to futility in hope—hope “that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (Romans 8:21). And yes there is deep groaning as we wait for the completion of our redemption (Romans 8:22-23). But it is a hope-infused groaning, full of anticipation for what is coming.
And it’s this Spirit-empowered dynamic in the soul that allows us to be both “sorrowful, yet always rejoicing” (2 Corinthians 6:10). We expect sorrow from the world and redemption from our Savior, who will work even our sorrows for ultimate good (Romans 8:28)
So in your days of darkness, Jesus understands (Hebrews 4:15) and wants you to take heart:

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)"
~ "The Days of Darkness Will Be Many", Jon Bloom, 26 July 2010

Indeed one thing that is clear in the Bible is that life is not all ideal or utopist. Somehow there is a longing within our hearts for the ideals and when that tips over to the side of imbalance, we begin to respond in disappointment and discouragement as we experience the world in negativity. However, even through the vanities of life, the world including us are not without hope, in Christ. Futility without hope is emptiness. It is through the hope that we have in Christ Jesus, that we may arise from the sorrows of this world into rejoicing.

Summoned

2010-07-25T23:23:00.000+08:00

Lord tonight, I sit here in quietness and stillness before You, confronted with my sinfulness and utter ugliness that you have washed clean. Lord, I confess that I may not have been as available as You urge me to be, in spending time with people, specifically in reaching out to the needy, lifting up the downtrodden, the exploited.

"Lord, your summons echoes true

When you but call my name.
Let me turn and follow you
And never be the same.
In your company I’ll go
Where your love and footsteps show.
Thus I’ll move and live and grow
In you and you in me."
~ "The Summons", Hymn

Lord help me to live empowered by Your Spirit, to respond to Your invitation to partner with You. Show me, teach me, lead me... I pray.. in Your mighty name, Jesus. Amen.

To Be Worshipped

2010-07-24T15:09:00.000+08:00

"Our hearts will not be drawn out to worship if someone just dissects and analyzes the worth and glory of God but does not exult in it before us. Our hearts long for true preaching. Some of us don't even know that is what we are missing.

Like children who grew up in homes where mom and dad never exulted in anything. They never rejoiced or praised or verbally admired and treasured anything. They were always flat and unenthused (except when they got angry). You couldn't tell if anything really moved them deeply and positively. So the kids grow up not knowing what they are missing. That is what many people in the church are like who have never tasted true preaching.

God exists to be worshiped—to be admired and treasured and desired and praised. Therefore, the Word of God is written primarily to produce worship. This means that if that Word is handled like a hot-dish recipe or a repair manual, it is mishandled. And the people will suffer.

The Truth of God begs to be handled with exultation. And our hearts yearn for this and need it. Something in us starts to die when precious and infinitely valuable realities are handled without feelings and words of wonder and exultation. That is, a church starts to die, without preaching."
~ "Advice to Pastors: Preach The Word", Sermon, John Piper

Let your Word burn with passion in our heart and overflow unto others in worder and exultation, O Lord!

My Shepherd

2010-07-23T23:15:00.000+08:00

"The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters, "
~ Psalm 23:1-2 (NIV)

Simple sharing that reminded me of God tonight in 3S:
1. God Supplies ("The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want."
2. God Surrounds ("He makes me lie down in green pastures,")
3. God Sacrifices ("he leads me beside quiet waters")

"The Lord is my shepherd..." I shall be at peace and trust Him.

The Sacrifice

2010-07-22T23:19:00.000+08:00

I read with curiousity indeed an article from Reader's Digest about the story of 2 brothers told from the perspective of one of the brothers, whose brother is suffering from some kidney failure.

It was an interesting read as I learnt about the sacrificial decision and process of the healthier brother had to go through in order to save his sick brother. It was the decision of a kidney transplant, requiring many tests and procedures that he had to go through. What captivated me was that his brother does not seem to be conscious of his bad eating habits and lifestyle, how he does not control his diet and indulges in alcohol. However, even so, his brother committed to save him and the story finished off with him finally receiving the kidney. Thereafter, this brother who had received his new kidney somehow sometimes still go back to the way he lives in the past unconscious of his diet and lifestyle. Still his brother loved and trusted that he would change for the better in time to come.

This story had an uncanny similarity with our God, Jesus who "while we were yet sinners, He died for us". If a human who may not be even a Christian could behave in a similar way just as above, how much more should we as a Christian.

I'm Still Yours

2010-07-21T23:38:00.000+08:00

"If You washed away my vanity
If You took away my words
If all my world was swept away
Would You be enough for me?
Would my beating heart still sing?

If I lost it all
Would my hands stay lifted
To the God who gives and takes away

If You take it all
This life You've given
Still my heart will sing to You

When my life is not what I expected
The plans I made have failed
When there's nothing left to steal me away
Will You be enough for me?
Will my broken heart still sing?

If I lost it all
Would my hands stay lifted
To the God who gives
And takes away

If You take it all
This life You've given
Still my heart
Will sing to You

Even if You take it all away
Youll never let me go
Take it all away
But I still know

That I'm Yours
I'm still Yours

Oh, I'm Yours
I'm still Yours
I'm still Yours"
~ "I'm Still Yours", Kutless, from the album "It is Well"

The above song has been on my mind for months now. It has touched me deeply to know the God who said,

"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."
~ John 10:28 (NIV)

God's Harmonious Decrees

2010-07-20T22:48:00.000+08:00

"God decrees all things harmoniously and in excellent order; one decree harmonizes with another, and there is such a relation between all the decrees as makes the most excellent order. Thus God decrees rain in drought because he decrees the earnest prayers of his people; or thus, he decrees the prayers of his people because he decrees rain.
I acknowledge, to say God decrees a thing "because," is an improper way of speaking, but not more improper than all our other ways of speaking about God. God decrees the latter event because of the former, no more than he decrees the former because of the latter.
But this is what we [mean]: when God decrees to give the blessing of rain, he decrees the prayers of his people; and when he decrees the prayers of his people, he very commonly decrees rain; and thereby there is an harmony between these two decrees, of rain and the prayers of God's people.
Thus also,
when he decrees diligence and industry, he decrees riches and prosperity;

when he decrees prudence, he often decrees success;

when he decrees striving, then often he decrees the obtaining of the kingdom of heaven;

when he decrees the preaching of the gospel, then he decrees the bringing home of souls to Christ;

when he decrees good natural faculties, diligence and good advantages, then he decrees learning;

when he decrees summer, then he decrees the growing of plants.
Thus, when he decrees conformity to his Son, he decrees calling; and when he decrees calling, he decrees justification; and when he decrees justification, he decrees everlasting glory.
Thus all the decrees of God are harmonious; and this is all that can be said for or against absolute or conditional decrees. But this I say, it's improper to make one decree a condition of another, any more than the other a condition of that; but there is a harmony between both."
~ "The Harmony of All God's Decrees", Tyler Kennedy quoted Jonathan Edwards

The infinite wisdom and perfect ways of God noone can fathom. It's unthinkable how God thinks, designs, architects decrees.

"The grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of our God stands forever."
~ Isaiah 40:8 (NIV)

So Little War

2010-07-19T23:40:00.001+08:00

"I hear so many Christians murmuring about their imperfections and their failures and their addictions and their shortcomings and I see so little war! "Murmur, murmur, murmur, why am I this way?" MAKE WAR! . . . If you wonder how to make war go to the manual. Don't just bellyache about your failures. Make war!"
~ John Piper, "How To Kill Sin Part 2", Sermon

I'm confronted by the words above. It made me realise how true that is of me. So little war?!!! It's more of a statement then a question for me. I see my complacency, my self-justification, my utter sinfulness in making myself look and sound right, and even rationalising it to myself.

"Why are you sleeping?" he asked them. "Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation."
~ Luke 22:46 (NIV)

The words of this passage urged me to be a fighter against the temptations and to fight against it. It's a simple statement of "get up and pray...". But it means much from the perspective of a soldier or a fighter.

To An Unknown God

2010-07-18T22:55:00.001+08:00

"While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, "What is this babbler trying to say?" Others remarked, "He seems to be advocating foreign gods." They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, "May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean." (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)

Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.

"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.' "
~ Acts 17:16-28 (NIV)

What are we distressed with?

For Paul, He was distressed with the condition of the city that he was visiting, Athens. To be more precise, His Spirit was provoked. He was greatly disturbed to see of the rampant idolatry around him. Are we able to identify with Paul?

What are we usually provoked with?

He was convinced in his mind to share about the God that He believed in. He challenged the worship of the people that he met. It was no doubt offensive to them, but Paul went ahead to share of his deep convictions.

Are we distressed with the way Paul was?

Are we provoked as how Paul was?

Paul wanted to make His known God known to men of Athens as he shared through his distress and provoked spirit.

3 Simple Statements

2010-07-17T17:06:00.000+08:00

"Don't be so choosy."

"Escaping the call for the next season?"

"Afraid of commitments?"

These are 3 simple statements that struck me ever since last night. The first of which was spoken by a close friend. That somehow struck me.

I shall continue to wait upon the Lord for His eventual conviction on this pressing but not urgent matter.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."
~ Philippians 4:6 (NIV)

Meeting Together

2010-07-16T23:53:00.002+08:00

It was a wonderful evening of get together with my beloved group again. It's great to be able to be in fellowship in the sharing of our lives together bearing each other in prayer and worshipping God together. I miss them. I miss the local community of faith ever since I left this home and then came back again. It really impressed deeply upon my heart of how I need them and to be closely accountable and in fellowship with them.

"Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. "
~ Hebrews 10:25 (NIV)

Casual Eatout

2010-07-15T23:57:00.002+08:00

It was a wonderful evening of catching up and building rapport over dinner with my fellow colleagues. Even though the food was rather an interesting choice in light of my condition of sore throat and coughs, we still nevertheless enjoyed the company. I ended of carrying on with my catch up with a smaller group of them over simple ice cream near home.

I look forward to more of such casual outings and gatherings and trust that God will continue to bring our relationships stronger that we may work better with each other both within and without work.

Work Concerns

2010-07-14T23:07:00.001+08:00

It's with a certain concern about how my work circumstance is turning out. I have at hand two of my teammates who are not really getting along well. In fact, there is one particular person whom I myself find rather challenging to work and synergize with. Tension had arisen over the past 2 months or so. Even people who are not directly in work relation with him do have a certain similar sentiment towards him. There have been times that I had to be some sort of peacemaker to cool things down and to ensure that our work still can carry on unhindered effectively.

But I trust that God would help us strengthen any good working relationships and better any ailing rapport. It's been a challenging task of balancing the demands of work, but it's been manageable thus far. God be praised.

Reflections of Home

2010-07-13T23:50:00.001+08:00

It's the return to the usual lifestyle back here in Singapore. It's quite an adjustment I must say back in Beijing. Life here is certainly more comfortable and heartwarming. This I think, is the feeling of homesickness that is starting to be relieved. It's certainly good to be back within the community of faith. I enjoyed the Sunday service and fellowship over chats and casual outings. I don't think I can really be disconnected with her for a long period of time. This indeed shows a certain affinity and close bonds that have been built over the years. We are indeed created to belong to others and others to belong to ourselves.

Eternity

2010-07-12T23:57:00.001+08:00

A simple thought came to my mind that goes like "Eternity without God is meaningless". It just kept sticking in my mind following the Sunday sermon. There is always a longing for eternity in the human heart. But if that eternity is simply just eternity without God being the centre of eternity, it would have lost its entire meaning, much like nothingness. Truly, from Him alone can we derive meaning out of anything.

Angry Enough To Die

2010-07-11T23:48:00.001+08:00

"But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry. He prayed to the LORD, "O LORD, is this not what I said when I was still at home? That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Now, O LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live."

But the LORD replied, "Have you any right to be angry?"

Jonah went out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. Then the LORD God provided a vine and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the vine. But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the vine so that it withered. When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah's head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, "It would be better for me to die than to live."

But God said to Jonah, "Do you have a right to be angry about the vine?"

"I do," he said. "I am angry enough to die."

But the LORD said, "You have been concerned about this vine, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?""
~ Jonah 4 (NIV)

Jonah was angry! He was angry enough to die! I can't really recall if I have ever felt that strong emotion, to the point of death. Could it be just simply rhetoric? But even so, the thought of it sends a very strong message. Here we can learn that Jonah was so concerned about himself that he was so full of excuses and can't stop finding ways to try to escape from obeying God's commands. Here I also learnt that in times of such strong emotion, we will easily and quickly focus on ourselves rather than God, that the slightest of irritation could bring a disaster of emotions that may follow. This also reminds me that I need to keep a check on the reservoir of emotions that are within me to ensure that they are in good balance away from the extremes, readying myself to be useful to God at all times.

Parents Trip

2010-07-10T23:05:00.001+08:00

Today is rather tiring, as I continued on from my late arrival last night or early this morning to the parents outing trip with my cell group. I don't really know why I still persevered on even though I could simply have said that I wouldn't be coming. I believe it was the joy and excitement of being able to interact and build better relationships with the various unbelievers. It was a trip that we organise annually to bring our parents out for a getaway from home. I enjoyed the fellowship and the opportunity to get to know some that I hadn't known before.

Trip Thanksgiving

2010-07-09T22:58:00.001+08:00

I thank God for the journey mercy and the clearing of weather that we may fly out of Beijing. We were grounded at the airport for about 3.5 hours, not being allowed to be in the air. We had to stay in the airplane for that entire duration. It was uncomfortable trying to sleep in such a limited personal space. But still I thank God for the opportunity to fly among his winds. This marks the end of the trip away from home. It's going to be some adjustment back to the usual lifestyle that I have before I went on this trip.

I also want to thank God for keeping me and my colleague safe as we travel around the big city, He has protected us from any harm that might befell us. We had a good time of building rapport and synergizing together for the work that we share.

The Cooling Coal

2010-07-08T23:53:00.001+08:00

It's been about 2 weeks that I've been away from home. It feels like I've gone for some holiday, or some getaway. But the more significant observation that I made is how I live without the community of faith that I'm so used to living around and with. I sense a certain disconnection between the community and even distance with God. Among the most significant lessons that I learnt through this trip is that I cannot survive without constant communion with God, and also the critical importance of being in connection with the community of faith. I'm reminded of how burning coal slowly cools off when separated from the rest of the burning coal. This is how I incrementally feel as I progress through the 2 weeks.

Drawing on Grace, Now

2010-06-26T23:02:00.001+08:00

"As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain."
~ 2 Corinhians 6:1 (NIV)

"The grace you had yesterday will not be sufficient for today. Grace is the overflowing favor of God, and you can always count on it being available to draw upon as needed. “. . . in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses”— that is where our patience is tested ( 2 Corinthians 6:4 ). Are you failing to rely on the grace of God there? Are you saying to yourself, “Oh well, I won’t count this time”? It is not a question of praying and asking God to help you— it is taking the grace of God now. We tend to make prayer the preparation for our service, yet it is never that in the Bible. Prayer is the practice of drawing on the grace of God. Don’t say, “I will endure this until I can get away and pray.” Pray now — draw on the grace of God in your moment of need. Prayer is the most normal and useful thing; it is not simply a reflex action of your devotion to God. We are very slow to learn to draw on God’s grace through prayer."
~ My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers

Future grace is now. It's arriving every single moment of life in the Christian. And that grace given today will be sufficient for the day, not yesterday, not tomorrow, but simply today. That statement caught me, "Prayer is the practice of drawing on the grace of God."

May I learn to humbly draw on His grace every moment.

Sorrow

2010-06-25T23:11:00.001+08:00

""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. Father, glorify your name!"
~ John 12:27-28 (NIV)

"Sorrow removes a great deal of a person’s shallowness, but it does not always make that person better. Suffering either gives me to myself or it destroys me. You cannot find or receive yourself through success, because you lose your head over pride. And you cannot receive yourself through the monotony of your daily life, because you give in to complaining. The only way to find yourself is in the fires of sorrow. Why it should be this way is immaterial. The fact is that it is true in the Scriptures and in human experience. You can always recognize who has been through the fires of sorrow and received himself, and you know that you can go to him in your moment of trouble and find that he has plenty of time for you. But if a person has not been through the fires of sorrow, he is apt to be contemptuous, having no respect or time for you, only turning you away. If you will receive yourself in the fires of sorrow, God will make you nourishment for other people."
~ My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers

Sorrow is an essential ingredient of depth in one's soul. May God grant us His courage and strength to trust in His goodness out of all things, including sorrow.

The Fact Of Sin

2010-06-24T23:28:00.001+08:00

"Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on me. But this is your hour—when darkness reigns."
~ Luke 22:53 (NIV)

"Not being reconciled to the fact of sin— not recognizing it and refusing to deal with it— produces all the disasters in life. You may talk about the lofty virtues of human nature, but there is something in human nature that will mockingly laugh in the face of every principle you have. If you refuse to agree with the fact that there is wickedness and selfishness, something downright hateful and wrong, in human beings, when it attacks your life, instead of reconciling yourself to it, you will compromise with it and say that it is of no use to battle against it. Have you taken this “hour, and the power of darkness” into account, or do you have a view of yourself which includes no recognition of sin whatsoever? In your human relationships and friendships, have you reconciled yourself to the fact of sin? If not, just around the next corner you will find yourself trapped and you will compromise with it. But if you will reconcile yourself to the fact of sin, you will realize the danger immediately and say, “Yes, I see what this sin would mean.” The recognition of sin does not destroy the basis of friendship— it simply establishes a mutual respect for the fact that the basis of sinful life is disastrous. Always beware of any assessment of life which does not recognize the fact that there is sin."
~ My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers

Sin will continue to have a hold of some parts of our lives until the work of sanctification is completed in us. But one thing for sure, is that the power of sin is no longer binding on the Christian, whose life has been purchased and redeemed by the blood of Christ. Till the completion is reached, we need to acknowledge that sin is still part of our lives, polluting our nature.

Sin Or Christ

2010-06-23T23:53:00.000+08:00

"He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not."
~ Isaiah 53:3 (NIV)
"We have to recognize that sin is a fact of life, not just a shortcoming. Sin is blatant mutiny against God, and either sin or God must die in my life. The New Testament brings us right down to this one issue— if sin rules in me, God’s life in me will be killed; if God rules in me, sin in me will be killed. There is nothing more fundamental than that. The culmination of sin was the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, and what was true in the history of God on earth will also be true in your history and in mine— that is, sin will kill the life of God in us. We must mentally bring ourselves to terms with this fact of sin. It is the only explanation why Jesus Christ came to earth, and it is the explanation of the grief and sorrow of life."
~ My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers

That either Christ or sin will reign in me is a fundamental fact of life. They are mutually exclusive, with the exception that Christ can reign increasingly against sin. Sin does not eliminate Christ, as it has no power over Him, but only the reverse is true. That enables christians to live increasingly victorious lives, with Christ conquering more and more of life in oneself.

The Powerful Rescue

2010-06-22T23:55:00.001+08:00

"Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,

and he saved them from their distress.
He sent forth his word and healed them;
he rescued them from the grave.
Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for men.
Let them sacrifice thank offerings
and tell of his works with songs of joy. "
~ Psalm 107:19-22 (NIV)

I had just finished watching an animation movie, Toy Story 3, though I had not watched the earlier 2 yet. I enjoyed it. It was filled with much fun and laughter. But there was a part of the movie that really captivated me. It was when the toys were on their way to the incineration fire at the garbage processing plant, they trusted the bear to help them press the 'stop' button. Instead of pressing the button, the bear actually in his evilness, abandoned them to the fire. As the toys were reaching the end of their existence, a large scoop controlled by 3 of their friends, came down and picked them up, rescuing them from the fiery death. This reminds me of how God powerfully rescues His people from damnation and death.

The Ministry of the Inner Life

2010-06-21T23:09:00.000+08:00

"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light."
~ 1 Peter 2:9 (NIV)

"How long is it going to take God to free us from the unhealthy habit of thinking only about ourselves? We must get to the point of being sick to death of ourselves, until there is no longer any surprise at anything God might tell us about ourselves. We cannot reach and understand the depths of our own meagerness. There is only one place where we are right with God, and that is in Christ Jesus. Once we are there, we have to pour out our lives for all we are worth in this ministry of the inner life."
~ My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers

The simplicity of faith in life is often clamoured with effort. Self-effort that is. Somehow, we seem to get caught in trying to do our best in our Christian journey, in obedience with God. Reliazing that the the redemptive work of Christ is done and nothing needs to be done further somehow threw us into a hyper-surrealism of having too good to be true happening. But indeed, the simplicity of the fact is that it is done. Yet there is much that is outpouring from the fountain of God's grace in transforming every step of the way.

On What Basis Are We Living

2010-06-20T23:47:00.001+08:00

"The field commander said to them, "Tell Hezekiah,

" 'This is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: On what are you basing this confidence of yours? 5 You say you have strategy and military strength—but you speak only empty words. On whom are you depending, that you rebel against me? 6 Look now, you are depending on Egypt, that splintered reed of a staff, which pierces a man's hand and wounds him if he leans on it! Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who depend on him. 7 And if you say to me, "We are depending on the LORD our God"-isn't he the one whose high places and altars Hezekiah removed, saying to Judah and Jerusalem, "You must worship before this altar"? "
~ Isaiah 36:4-7 (NIV)

"When King Hezekiah's officials came to Isaiah, Isaiah said to them, "Tell your master, 'This is what the LORD says: Do not be afraid of what you have heard—those words with which the underlings of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me. Listen! I am going to put a spirit in him so that when he hears a certain report, he will return to his own country, and there I will have him cut down with the sword.' " "
~ Isaiah 37:5-7 (NIV)

King of Assyria was planning an attack on the nation of Judah. He tried to intimidate the king and the people through bold words of insults to God. He even used the rebellious actions of Israel to hurl doubts and insults about the God that the nation of Judah worshipped.

This passage reminds me that people around us are watching to see how we live our lives in obedience to what we profess to believe, how consistent our lives are before our God. Surely, we may not be perfect through this life, but as we walk ever closer to God, He will let His light shine towards others around us.

Following Jesus

2010-06-19T23:50:00.000+08:00

The last session of which sums up the entire journey of the camp as a church. It's taken from the following passage.

"Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.

And He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men."
Immediately they left their nets and followed Him.
Going on from there He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and He called them.
Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him. "
~ Matthew 4:18-22 (NASB)

We focused on the highlighted verses in the above as our food for reflection. We are reminded that following Jesus is not supplemental, but rather it's fundamental. It's not an add-on to our life, but it is the core of our being. Here we learnt 3 fundamental principles afresh:

1. To follow Jesus Fully (Allegiance):"Immediately they left the nets and followed Him..."
The disciples left their sense of security, sense of identity, in fact their core of being as fishermen. If Jesus is not Lord of all our life, then He is not Lord at all in our life.

2. To follow Jesus Gladly (Abandonment): "Immediately they left the nets and followed Him..."
Very often when we read the word "immediately" in the English translation, it gave us a certain meaning of suddenness, abruptness of action. But in this case, the more accurate translation actually carries the meaning of awesome delight and priviledged joy of response. The disciples responded with such great delight and joy that they "immediately left the nets and followed Him...". God does not need us, but He wants us to follow Him. We don't have to do it, but we get to do it. We have nothing to lose, prove or hide.

3. To follow Jesus Only (Abiding): "Immediately they left the nets and followed Him..."
There is a tendency for us to jump directly to what God calls us to do before spending time to carefully reflect on what God has done for us. When we do this, we often respond to God's call with a sense of burden rather than joy and privilege. But God calls us to abide in Him as the branches clinging strongly to the vine.

God is stretching out His hand to reach you, inviting you to serve with Him. How are you responding today?

Servant Leadership

2010-06-18T23:24:00.001+08:00

"But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God. "
~ Acts 20:24 (NIV)

Among the most significant things that I learnt from the camp was from the third session, on Transformational Servant-Leadership.

There are essentially 5 principles that Edmund shared that struck me deeply as affirmations and new perspectives.

1. A Sense of Destiny - "... That I may finish my course..."
This has got to do with directional intention and intensity. Passion is the key word here. The word "Passion" is paraphrased by Eugene Peterson as "long obedience in the same direction".

2. A Dissatisfaction of the Status Quo - "... That I may finish my course ..."
This concerns about finishing well what has been started. This propels one to keep progressing ever closer to the goals of the service.

3. A Sacrificial Spirit - "... I do not consider my life on any account as dear to myself ..."
This has got to do with the willingness to sacrifice. A minister ever said in his own words, that service essentially means "bent knees, wet eyes, broken heart".

4. A Humble Boldness - "... the ministry which I received from the Lord ..."
This reminds me that the ministry of serving is neither earned nor reserved. We should neither be boastful nor fearful.

5. A Burning Focus - "... to testify solemnly of the Gospel of the grace of God ..."
This strengthens me to concentrate on serving with purposeful intention and motivation.

Do you serve on your terms or God's terms? That was the key question that ends the session.

How Much More

2010-06-17T23:34:00.001+08:00

"One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples."

He said to them, "When you pray, say:
" 'Father,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins,
for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.
And lead us not into temptation.' "
Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.'
"Then the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!""
~ Luke 11:1-13 (NIV)

This is perhaps a familiar passage but maybe. It may also be known as the Disciples' prayer as how Jesus simply taught them to pray. It is not a prayer formula. I noted that Jesus did not chide at the request of the disciples when they asked Jesus to teach them to pray. But the seeming key content of the passage was actually simply an introduction to a greater lesson that Jesus wanted to teach them through a parable of contrast, namely to illustrate that God is not like the way it is described, but rather God is the generous God who is so willing and ready to answer our prayers with more than we can ask or imagine.

We also learnt that the word 'persistence' used in the translation actually carries the undercurrent of 'shamelessly bold' in its meaning.

It is very interesting to note the way Jesus ended the parable by asking "If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" The Holy Spirit? How in the world does the Holy Spirit come to be related and even become the key content in this big question. It is not hard to understand that indeed the Holy Spirit is the best gift that God can ever give us. This question actually can lead us to many further threads of discussions. This is the God of the how much more that we worship.

Until I enter The Sanctuary

2010-06-16T23:20:00.000+08:00

"till I entered the sanctuary of God;

then I understood their final destiny.
Surely you place them on slippery ground;
you cast them down to ruin.
How suddenly are they destroyed,
completely swept away by terrors!
As a dream when one awakes,
so when you arise, O Lord,
you will despise them as fantasies.
When my heart was grieved
and my spirit embittered,
I was senseless and ignorant;
I was a brute beast before you.
Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory.
Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.
Those who are far from you will perish;
you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.
But as for me, it is good to be near God.
I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge;
I will tell of all your deeds."
~ Psalm 73:17-28 (NIV)

This psalm offers a spiritual compass that we may reflect on. There were 2 inner struggles as recorded in the psalmist's words in v13-16 "I give up but I can't..." and "I try to understand but I can't..." They were troubling thoughts, seemingly irreconcilable.

v17 is the pivot, or rather the turning point of the psalmist. "till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny."

v18-20 teaches us that his evaluation of life was from the wrong perspective. There was the great paradigm shift from the temporal to the eternal perspective. This has often happens to the reality of the Christian living, in that the temporal of this world has robbed the eternal throne of the heart.

v21-22 teaches us that his orientation in ilfe was of the wrong desire. Coveteousness, the love of money, material possessions, worldly achievements were what the world desires. But God has to be the ultimate satisfaction of our soul.

v23-24 teaches us that his capacity for life was of the wrong foundation. It is not about us, it's all about God. Life is like a sponsorship that is entrusted to us.

Here we learnt from Asaph the 3 key lessons from his inner reflection. I thank God for Edmund Chan whom has been used by God to teach these precious lessons.

A Troubling Psalm

2010-06-15T23:14:00.003+08:00

"Surely God is good to Israel,

to those who are pure in heart.
But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;
I had nearly lost my foothold.
For I envied the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
They have no struggles;
their bodies are healthy and strong.
They are free from the burdens common to man;
they are not plagued by human ills.
Therefore pride is their necklace;
they clothe themselves with violence.
From their callous hearts comes iniquity;
the evil conceits of their minds know no limits.
They scoff, and speak with malice;
in their arrogance they threaten oppression.
Their mouths lay claim to heaven,
and their tongues take possession of the earth.
Therefore their people turn to them
and drink up waters in abundance.
They say, "How can God know?
Does the Most High have knowledge?"
This is what the wicked are like—
always carefree, they increase in wealth.
Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure;
in vain have I washed my hands in innocence.
All day long I have been plagued;
I have been punished every morning.
If I had said, "I will speak thus,"
I would have betrayed your children.
When I tried to understand all this,
it was oppressive to me"
~ Psalm 73:1-16 (NIV)

This is a troubling psalm. Asaph was the Psalmist. It seemed rightly so that a lot of Christians may have at one point or another in their life thought the way the Psalmist had thought as in the above. Asaph was a spiritual leader, and not just the King of the nation of Israel. In a series of rhetoric and common knowledge and statements of faith, that God is good, he confessed that he was troubled by the way the wicked and those who do not honor God prospers and had a carefree life. Asaph could not understand what He saw and witnessed. It troubled His heart and He felt defeated.

There are indeed times in my life that I feel like Asaph, not knowing how to handle the reality of life.

P.D.A

2010-06-14T23:10:00.001+08:00

"Personal Revival
Divine Appointments
Active Obedience"
~ Edmund Chan

That is the call word now as a church learns to internalise what we learnt through the camp. I trust that this simple P.D.A word is able to stay sticky through God's enabling in our heart as we learn. May God grant us His personal revival in us, empowering us to respond to His divine appointments through active obedience.

Dive Deep Serve Wide

2010-06-13T23:36:00.002+08:00

"The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen."
~ 1 Peter 4:7-11 (NIV)

That is the theme verse for the church camp this year. It is my great privilege to be able to attend this event and look in anticipation to what God will teach me through the camp.

"Dive Deep Serve Wide"

That is the church camp theme. Initially I didn't really like the word in the theme. It gave me the sense of being involved in too many things or ministries. But as I reflect again, how I see the theme statement, it should mean that in our service, it has an eternal impact that is as wide as the Love of God and far-reaching significance in the lives of others. May God teach me and all of us to dive deep and serve wide.

Spiritual Measles

2010-06-12T22:22:00.000+08:00

"Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?"

They said, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?"
"Come," he replied, "and you will see." So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour."
~ John 1:38-39 (NIV)

"Our self interest rises up and our abding with Him is past."

That really sets me thinking and reflecting on how my life journey with Him has been. Somehow, there are those days or even moments in life that I seem to emerge from the sitting in the sofa of God's presence and then go on about without really much staying in the living room of His Spirit.

"Where our self-interest sleeps and the real interest is awakened. “They . . . remained with Him that day . . . .” That is about all some of us ever do. We stay with Him a short time, only to wake up to our own realities of life. Our self-interest rises up and our abiding with Him is past. Yet there is no circumstance of life in which we cannot abide in Jesus.

“You are Simon . . . . You shall be called Cephas” ( John 1:42 ). God writes our new name only on those places in our lives where He has erased our pride, self-sufficiency, and self-interest. Some of us have our new name written only in certain spots, like spiritual measles. And in those areas of our lives we look all right. When we are in our best spiritual mood, you would think we were the highest quality saints. But don’t dare look at us when we are not in that mood. A true disciple is one who has his new name written all over him— self-interest, pride, and self-sufficiency have been completely erased.

Pride is the sin of making “self” our god. And some of us today do this, not like the Pharisee, but like the tax collector (see Luke 18:9-14 ). For you to say, “Oh, I’m no saint,” is acceptable by human standards of pride, but it is unconscious blasphemy against God. You defy God to make you a saint, as if to say, “I am too weak and hopeless and outside the reach of the atonement by the Cross of Christ.” Why aren’t you a saint? It is either that you do not want to be a saint, or that you do not believe that God can make you into one. You say it would be all right if God saved you and took you straight to heaven. That is exactly what He will do! And not only do we make our home with Him, but Jesus said of His Father and Himself, “. . . We will come to him and make Our home with him” ( John 14:23 ). Put no conditions on your life— let Jesus be everything to you, and He will take you home with Him not only for a day, but for eternity."
~ My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers

Sustained By The Perfection

2010-06-11T23:59:00.001+08:00

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."
~ Matthew 11:28 (NIV)

What a very familiar verse to reflect on, but it's with such strength that it refreshes me tonight. "I will get you out of bed - out of your listlessness and exhaustion, and out of your condition of being half dead while you are still alive. I will penetrate you with the spirit of life, and you will be sustained by the perfection of vital activity"

Wow. That is God's message to me tonight even as I will be preparing for bed soon.

"Have you ever come to Jesus? Look at the stubbornness of your heart. You would rather do anything than this one simple childlike thing— “Come to Me.” If you really want to experience ceasing from sin, you must come to Jesus...
“. . . and I will give you rest”— that is, “I will sustain you, causing you to stand firm.” He is not saying, “I will put you to bed, hold your hand, and sing you to sleep.” But, in essence, He is saying, “I will get you out of bed— out of your listlessness and exhaustion, and out of your condition of being half dead while you are still alive. I will penetrate you with the spirit of life, and you will be sustained by the perfection of vital activity.”"
~My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers

Ask Amiss?

2010-06-10T23:58:00.002+08:00

These few devotions recently have been speaking directly at me. It must be the work the Spirit, drawing me closer to Him.

I'm warned tonight of the danger of living by experience. God does allow us experiences of Him through which we live and not see as the ultimate goal of life.

"If you ask for things from life instead of from God, “you ask amiss”; that is, you ask out of your desire for self-fulfillment. The more you fulfill yourself the less you will seek God. “. . . seek, and you will find . . . .” Get to work— narrow your focus and interests to this one thing. Have you ever sought God with your whole heart, or have you simply given Him a feeble cry after some emotionally painful experience? “. . . seek, [focus,] and you will find . . . .”

“Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters. . .” (Isaiah 55:1 ). Are you thirsty, or complacent and indifferent— so satisfied with your own experience that you want nothing more of God? Experience is a doorway, not a final goal. Beware of building your faith on experience, or your life will not ring true and will only sound the note of a critical spirit. Remember that you can never give another person what you have found, but you can cause him to have a desire for it.

“. . . knock, and it will be opened to you” ( Luke 11:9 ). “Draw near to God . . .” ( James 4:8 ). Knock— the door is closed, and your heartbeat races as you knock. “Cleanse your hands . . .” ( James 4:8 ). Knock a bit louder— you begin to find that you are dirty. “. . . purify your hearts . . .” ( James 4:8 ). It is becoming even more personal— you are desperate and serious now— you will do anything. “Lament . . . ” ( James 4:9 ). Have you ever lamented, expressing your sorrow before God for the condition of your inner life? There is no thread of self-pity left, only the heart-rending difficulty and amazement which comes from seeing what kind of person you really are. “Humble yourselves . . . ” (James 4:10 ). It is a humbling experience to knock at God’s door— you have to knock with the crucified thief. “. . . to him who knocks it will be opened” ( Luke 11:10 )."
~ My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers

Pauper In Spirit

2010-06-09T23:53:00.001+08:00

"For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."
~ Luke 11:10 (NIV)

Tonight's devotion humbled me to think and reflect on my own way of thinking. Asking is like begging I learnt. And that specifically applies rightly to our spiritual reality. God wants us to be paupers in spirit, desperately dependent and in need of Him, more of His Spirit.

"Ask if you have not received. There is nothing more difficult than asking. We will have yearnings and desires for certain things, and even suffer as a result of their going unfulfilled, but not until we are at the limit of desperation will we ask. It is the sense of not being spiritually real that causes us to ask. Have you ever asked out of the depths of your total insufficiency and poverty? “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God . . . ” ( James 1:5 ), but be sure that you do lack wisdom before you ask. You cannot bring yourself to the point of spiritual reality anytime you choose. The best thing to do, once you realize you are not spiritually real, is to ask God for the Holy Spirit, basing your request on the promise of Jesus Christ (see Luke 11:13 ). The Holy Spirit is the one who makes everything that Jesus did for you real in your life.

“Everyone who asks receives . . . .” This does not mean that you will not get if you do not ask, but it means that until you come to the point of asking, you will not receive from God (seeMatthew 5:45 ). To be able to receive means that you have to come into the relationship of a child of God, and then you comprehend and appreciate mentally, morally, and with spiritual understanding, that these things come from God.

“If any of you lacks wisdom . . . .” If you realize that you are lacking, it is because you have come in contact with spiritual reality— do not put the blinders of reason on again. The word ask actually means “beg.” Some people are poor enough to be interested in their poverty, and some of us are poor enough spiritually to show our interest. Yet we will never receive if we ask with a certain result in mind, because we are asking out of our lust, not out of our poverty. A pauper does not ask out of any reason other than the completely hopeless and painful condition of his poverty. He is not ashamed to beg— blessed are the paupers in spirit (see Matthew 5:3 )."
~ My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers

Afloat Upon God

2010-06-08T22:42:00.000+08:00

"Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them."
~ John 13:17 (NIV)

Tonight's devotion spoke with such strong clarity on spiritual growth. It felt like God's spirit is urging me upon some deeper things of my spiritual journey with Him. Examine my sluggishness in any aspect that I might have been spiritually distracted.

"Be determined to know more than others. If you yourself do not cut the lines that tie you to the dock, God will have to use a storm to sever them and to send you out to sea. Put everything in your life afloat upon God, going out to sea on the great swelling tide of His purpose, and your eyes will be opened. If you believe in Jesus, you are not to spend all your time in the calm waters just inside the harbor, full of joy, but always tied to the dock. You have to get out past the harbor into the great depths of God, and begin to know things for yourself— begin to have spiritual discernment.

When you know that you should do something and you do it, immediately you know more. Examine where you have become sluggish, where you began losing interest spiritually, and you will find that it goes back to a point where you did not do something you knew you should do. You did not do it because there seemed to be no immediate call to do it. But now you have no insight or discernment, and at a time of crisis you are spiritually distracted instead of spiritually self-controlled. It is a dangerous thing to refuse to continue learning and knowing more.

The counterfeit of obedience is a state of mind in which you create your own opportunities to sacrifice yourself, and your zeal and enthusiasm are mistaken for discernment. It is easier to sacrifice yourself than to fulfill your spiritual destiny, which is stated in Romans 12:1-2. It is much better to fulfill the purpose of God in your life by discerning His will than it is to perform great acts of self-sacrifice. “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice . . .” ( 1 Samuel 15:22 ). Beware of paying attention or going back to what you once were, when God wants you to be something that you have never been. “If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know . . .” ( John 7:17 )."
~ My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers

Abide In Him

2010-06-07T22:18:00.000+08:00

"Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it."
~ John 14:11-14 (NIV)

"Am I abiding? Am I taking the time to abide? What is the greatest source of power in my life? Is it my work, service, and sacrifice for others, or is it my striving to work for God? It should be none of these— what ought to exert the greatest power in my life is the atonement of the Lord. It is not on what we spend the greatest amount of time that molds us the most, but whatever exerts the most power over us. We must make a determination to limit and concentrate our desires and interests on the atonement by the Cross of Christ."
~ My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers

The Dynamite

2010-06-06T23:12:00.000+08:00

"...continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose."
~ Philippians 2:12b-13 (NIV)

Tonight's devotion speaks with such deep insight into the complexity of our nature.

"Your will agrees with God, but in your flesh there is a nature that renders you powerless to do what you know you ought to do. When the Lord initially comes in contact with our conscience, the first thing our conscience does is awaken our will, and our will always agrees with God. Yet you say, “But I don’t know if my will is in agreement with God.” Look to Jesus and you will find that your will and your conscience are in agreement with Him every time. What causes you to say “I will not obey” is something less deep and penetrating than your will. It is perversity or stubbornness, and they are never in agreement with God. The most profound thing in a person is his will, not sin.

The will is the essential element in God’s creation of human beings— sin is a perverse nature which entered into people. In someone who has been born again, the source of the will is Almighty God. “. . . for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” With focused attention and great care, you have to “work out” what God “works in” you— not work to accomplish or earn “your own salvation,” but work it out so you will exhibit the evidence of a life based with determined, unshakable faith on the complete and perfect redemption of the Lord. As you do this, you do not bring an opposing will up against God’s will— God’s will is your will. Your natural choices will be in accordance with God’s will, and living this life will be as natural as breathing. Stubbornness is an unintelligent barrier, refusing enlightenment and blocking its flow. The only thing to do with this barrier of stubbornness is to blow it up with “dynamite,” and the “dynamite” is obedience to the Holy Spirit.

Do I believe that Almighty God is the Source of my will? God not only expects me to do His will, but He is in me to do it.
~ My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers

I thank God for speaking through His Word and His servan't Word so clearly tonight. May The Dynamite of obedience to the Holy Spirit enables and empowers me to do what He desires me to.

RIghteousness, Holiness, Redemption

2010-06-05T23:44:00.000+08:00

"It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption."
~ 1 Corinthians 1:30 (NIV)

If there is any righteousness, holiness and redemption, it could be the work of God. Not of ours. That is the basis of Christianity. it is monergistic, working out singularly without having any help from others apart from itself. That is the work of God. Noone can help God. Noone can add, remove or change what God's work is. That is the essence of the point here.

May God be glorified!

Exceptional Thing

2010-06-04T23:59:00.001+08:00

"Never will I leave you;

never will I forsake you."
~ Hebrews 13:5 (NIV)

"“I will never leave you . . .”— not for any reason; not my sin, selfishness, stubbornness, nor waywardness. Have I really let God say to me that He will never leave me? If I have not truly heard this assurance of God, then let me listen again.

“I will never . . . forsake you.” Sometimes it is not the difficulty of life but the drudgery of it that makes me think God will forsake me. When there is no major difficulty to overcome, no vision from God, nothing wonderful or beautiful— just the everyday activities of life— do I hear God’s assurance even in these?

We have the idea that God is going to do some exceptional thing— that He is preparing and equipping us for some extraordinary work in the future. But as we grow in His grace we find that God is glorifying Himself here and now, at this very moment. If we have God’s assurance behind us, the most amazing strength becomes ours, and we learn to sing, glorifying Him even in the ordinary days and ways of life."
~ My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers

Right in the very ordinariness of life, God's glory is reflected. I think I do belong to the category of people of may subscribe to what Oswald said in the last paragraph. It takes intentional effort to think out of it. Yes, right in the everyday living, God is at work and glory is reflected to Him.

Theophilus

2010-06-03T22:44:00.000+08:00

"Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught."
~ Luke 1:1-4 (NIV)

I note that target audience, Theophilus has several possibilities as I studied tonight. Theolphilus according tot he Coptic church of Alexandria refers to a Jew of Alexandria who was a Roman official of some sort, that explains, the salutation "most excellent". Another possibility is that the person refers to a high priest of the Temple of Jerusalem in the time of Luke. Yet another possibility, which gives a unique perspective is that the word Theophilus is actually a greek word that means "Friend of God", "loved by God", or "Loving God". This does bring a fresh different perspective of how Luke might have intended to write to a larger set of audience namely, christians.

Sandpaper Matter

2010-06-02T23:25:00.000+08:00

"Who, then, is the man that fears the LORD ?

He will instruct him in the way chosen for him."
~ Psalm 25:12 (NIV)

That is the Word for tonight. I shall let it settle in my mind and heart whatever that God wants me to learn out of that. But I just want to note and commit a matter that feels like sandpaper to me. It's been such a constant stepping on toes and brushing off shoulders. Finances. I almost can't really believe that I need to speak my heart out on this matter with my sister. It's such a weighing matter. God grant me the patience to deal with her. Whatever her perspective, I just have to strongly adapt to be able to take whatever responsibility or 'come what may' situations. Goodness, I feel rather stretched on this. It's a little tiring to be an elder one. God's strength still be mine. Him be praised.

For God

2010-06-01T23:49:00.000+08:00

"He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?"

I said, "O Sovereign LORD, you alone know.""
~ Ezekiel 37:3 (NIV)

"It is much easier to do something than to trust in God; we see the activity and mistake panic for inspiration. That is why we see so few fellow workers with God, yet so many people working for God. We would much rather work for God than believe in Him. Do I really believe that God will do in me what I cannot do? The degree of hopelessness I have for others comes from never realizing that God has done anything for me. Is my own personal experience such a wonderful realization of God’s power and might that I can never have a sense of hopelessness for anyone else I see? Has any spiritual work been accomplished in me at all? The degree of panic activity in my life is equal to the degree of my lack of personal spiritual experience."
~ My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers

Indeed it is much easier to do something for God than to trust in God. But then again, that is one serious prideful statement that one can ever make. To be able to do something for God, means that we are able to accomplish beyond what we can do, things only He can do. Somehow, this statement kind of bites back the the Christian to wonder, can he do anything at all? Sure he can. But the things of God. Certainly not. Not if the power and strength is not from above.

Leaf By The Blowing Wind

2010-05-31T23:59:00.002+08:00

"But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men. He did not need man's testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man."
~ John 2:24-25 (NIV)

"Put Trust in God First. Our Lord never put His trust in any person. Yet He was never suspicious, never bitter, and never lost hope for anyone, because He put His trust in God first. He trusted absolutely in what God’s grace could do for others. If I put my trust in human beings first, the end result will be my despair and hopelessness toward everyone. I will become bitter because I have insisted that people be what no person can ever be— absolutely perfect and right. Never trust anything in yourself or in anyone else, except the grace of God.
...
God came as a baby, giving and entrusting Himself to me. He expects my personal life to be a “Bethlehem.” Am I allowing my natural life to be slowly transformed by the indwelling life of the Son of God? God’s ultimate purpose is that His Son might be exhibited in me."
~ My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers

Putting our trust in God is one single top priority in our practical attitude of life. Without which, we simply will be despairing and hopeless, or even deceived. The happiest people are those who put their trust in God for their worries and cares are rested in the hands of God, they simply follow His leading like a leaf gracefully flying, being directed by the blowing wind.

Yes But

2010-05-30T22:53:00.004+08:00

"Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family.""
~ Luke 9:61 (NIV)

"Jesus Christ demands the same unrestrained, adventurous spirit in those who have placed their trust in Him that the natural man exhibits. If a person is ever going to do anything worthwhile, there will be times when he must risk everything by his leap in the dark. In the spiritual realm, Jesus Christ demands that you risk everything you hold on to or believe through common sense, and leap by faith into what He says. Once you obey, you will immediately find that what He says is as solidly consistent as common sense."
~ My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers

"Yes, but..." is a statement that sounds contradicting when it is used towards God who is acknowledged as Lord of our lives. This would be a constant lifelong working out in us as we learn to respond to Him in wholehearted confidence, assurance and conviction of His leading.

Union With Jesus

2010-05-29T23:24:00.003+08:00

"In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God."
~ John 16:26-27 (NIV)

"In that day you will ask in My name . . . ,” that is, in My nature. Not “You will use My name as some magic word,” but—”You will be so intimate with Me that you will be one with Me.” “That day” is not a day in the next life, but a day meant for here and now. “. . . for the Father Himself loves you . . .”— the Father’s love is evidence that our union with Jesus is complete and absolute. Our Lord does not mean that our lives will be free from external difficulties and uncertainties, but that just as He knew the Father’s heart and mind, we too can be lifted by Him into heavenly places through the baptism of the Holy Spirit, so that He can reveal the teachings of God to us."
~ My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers

The emboldened statement struck me tonight. The fact that God's love towards is possible is because of the union with Jesus that is complete and absolute because of the cross of Christ, effecting that upon us.

The Retreat Walk

2010-05-28T23:02:00.008+08:00

I began my queit time by taking a walk with God and talking with Him. I told myself I would find a comfortable place that I could simply let myself be at ease. I kept walking, past through the environmental dstractions. 10 minutes have passed and I realised that finding that place indeed takes some effort as some have no proper sitting place, some with unwelcoming smell, some with noisy kids, some with crowds.

Eventually I spotted a lonely stone bench under a partial shade of tree. Oh well, I think this might be it. Ah, never mind, let this be it. It's been 15 minutes. The first thought that came to my mind, is how intentional and deliberate our desire to be with God alone has to be. Just finding a place already requires some effort. So I sat down after a superficial check for any strong presence of ants. The next thought that arrived was "I don't have to find the perfect place and time for me to be alone with God, but rather my God-given desire for Him needs to be far stronger that all else will fade and place in comparison."

It was retreat day 2010 with Rescue Lighthouse. What a wonderful day!

"God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
Selah
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah"
~ Psalm 46:1-7

"How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD Almighty!
My soul yearns, even faints,
for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
...
Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you.
Selah
...
Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.
...
They go from strength to strength,
till each appears before God in Zion."
~ Psalm 84:1-2,4,5,7 (NIV)

Complete Me

2010-05-27T23:56:00.000+08:00

Past days have been rather emotionally expressive for me in this space. I just thought of saying a little prayer personally.

Dear Lord,
Whenever I look back and find that my days have not been well spent and may not be pleasing in your sight, I sense regret and disappointment of my self. Why is it that I need to detour and go through those displeasing things that I may look back in regret and disappointment? This I know as impatience of myself and independent moments of my life on you. I know Lord that the paths for which I am to traverse, You already know from afar. You know all the thoughts of me and what I will and will not do.

Lord, cleanse me. Cleanse me of whatever mess I have made. Only You O Lord I can turn to. Mould me, shape me, transfrom me to what You want me to be, ever more like You till your work on earth is done. May Your glory fill every corner of my heart just as it fills the earth. May Your holiness compels me by Your grace to love You more each day, every morning, every evening, every night, till in Your likeness I wake. Complete me.

Work Pre-occupation

2010-05-26T23:57:00.001+08:00

Still the thought of work piling up somehow got the better of my mind as I left my office. It sort of pre-occupied my mind. I sense that my perfectionism does come back to haunt me in some subtle ways, coupled with my determination to make sure things are done properly and well. Work is challenging in the sense of working it out with fellow humans, as always the case is.

It strikes me how fragile working relationships can be if not maintained well and how easily your work performance is affected by it. I saw some illustrations of some happenings in the office.

God will see us through still.

Stay On Guard

2010-05-25T23:59:00.000+08:00

This was a tiring day as I spent time after work catching up with my colleagues over computer gaming. I didn't feel like coming here to jot these down. But now that I am, looking backwards, I remember feeling "rather vulnerable in tiring conditions". Mentally and psychologically. The body and mind usually just wants to succumb to do whatever desire that comes to mind.

"Stay on guard" was what came to mind.

Fell As Though Dead

2010-05-24T23:48:00.004+08:00

"When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last."
~ Revelation 1:17 (NIV)

"It may be that, like the apostle John, you know Jesus Christ intimately. Yet when He suddenly appears to you with totally unfamiliar characteristics, the only thing you can do is fall “at His feet as dead.” There are times when God cannot reveal Himself in any other way than in His majesty, and it is the awesomeness of the vision which brings you to the delight of despair. You experience this joy in hopelessness, realizing that if you are ever to be raised up it must be by the hand of God."
~ My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers

I won't and am not surprised that that is the initial posture of all who will meet God face to face. God has raised us up so we may face the throne of holiness and grace face to face.

Heal Their Land

2010-05-23T23:57:00.001+08:00

"if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
~ 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV)

It was my joy and privilege to catch a glimpse of heaven through this day's global prayer meeting, at the Global Day of Prayer 2010. The vision is 3-fold, Loving God who has first loved us, serving our neighbours, bringing healing to the nations.

It was humbling once again to be reminded of Great Love poured out through Amazing Grace. It was God who had first loved us, that we may know Love and begin to love Him. This sums up the crux of tonight's meeting as people of God.

They May Be One

2010-05-22T23:34:00.001+08:00

"that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me."
~ John 17:21 (NIV)

"When we understand God’s purpose, we will not become small-minded and cynical. Jesus prayed nothing less for us than absolute oneness with Himself, just as He was one with the Father. Some of us are far from this oneness; yet God will not leave us alone until we are one with Him— because Jesus prayed, “. . . that they all may be one . . . .”
~ My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers

In all things that happen, there is always a higher purpose. That is God's purpose for us, which may or may not be known to us at that time, or in even in time to come. But if God, that we believe is wise, good and all-powerful, which He is, then, we may be well at rest.

Fiery Passion

2010-05-21T23:59:00.001+08:00

Tonight was especial. I really enjoyed the session of chating and catching up with a fellow brother in Christ, who is very passionate about outreach and welcoming newcomers into the community of faith. We surfaced out several issues that are existing within our church. Some of the notable ones were, the insufficient people who are really passionate of reaching out and welcoming one another, the shortage of people to follow through with a new believer, the weak vision that we may have as a church.

This is a session that I always would look forward because through it, God strengthens me through like-minded people, fanning the flame for His Kingdom, keeping our fire burning and spreading.

"Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. "
~ Revelation 22:12-13 (NIV)

Stand Firm

2010-05-20T23:59:00.001+08:00

"By standing firm you will gain life. "
~ Luke 21:19 (NIV)

"When a person is born again, there is a period of time when he does not have the same vitality in his thinking or reasoning that he previously had. We must learn to express this new life within us, which comes by forming the mind of Christ "
~ My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. "
~ Romans 12:2a (NIV)

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes."
~ Ephesians 6:10-11 (NIV)

Out of the wreck I rise

2010-05-19T23:57:00.006+08:00

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?..."
~ Romans 8:35 (NIV)

Nothing...

Only God. If He wills it. It's a theoretical and philosophical thought.

Tonight's message is strongest assurance of all that God is in Christ Jesus.

"God does not keep His child immune from trouble; He promises, “I will be with him in trouble . . .” (Psalm 91:15). It doesn’t matter how real or intense the adversities may be; nothing can ever separate him from his relationship to God. “In all these things we are more than conquerors . . .” (Romans 8:37)
...
Either Jesus Christ is a deceiver, having deceived even Paul, or else some extraordinary thing happens to someone who holds on to the love of God when the odds are totally against him. Logic is silenced in the face of each of these things which come against him. Only one thing can account for it— the love of God in Christ Jesus. “Out of the wreck I rise” every time."
~ My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers