My heart is just being reminded to remember that God is in control and that i should not worry about whatever happens tomorrow or in the future, for the future is not guaranteed at all. I am reminded of the great sermon by Jesus in Matthew, i.e. the sermon on the mount where he tells us to not worry about what happens in life, but most importantly is to seek his face.
"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own" (Matthew 6:33-34)
Even though i want to be in a relationship, and particularly with this girl i like, seeing how much of an idol or functional saviour she has become to me, it is really amazing that God has sorta just taken it away from me straight after i finished my exam. I don't know the reason, but i certainly feel a chain just fall off my shoulders. I think God is reminding me to live for what is ultimately worthy. Although marriage and a relationship is very much a gift from God, in the end, if my heart is not right with God, then no matter how good that gift is in the end, it will just lead me to destruction.
God thank you for being patient with me, despite my constant rebellion, you love me not because of anything i did or will do, but because of your son Jesus Christ. God help me seek for righteousness and holiness with the same vigour that i would have pursued selfishness and my own desires. May your will be done that i would be like your beautiful son Jesus Christ. Amen!!
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Personal Devotion - Hebrews 1
Key Verses
"The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven."
"Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom"
"But you remain the same, and your years will never end"
"Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation"
What does this tell me about Jesus, God the Father and the Holy Spirit???
- God speaks through His son Jesus Christ because he is the radiance of God's glory and exact representation of his being
- Jesus has provided purification for our sins and now sins at the right hand of Majesty in heaven (it is finished)
- Jesus is more powerful than any angel and all the angels collectively.
- God is eternal
- God is and loves righteousness
What does this tell me about me??
- That this word is ultimately not about me, my salvation or my being holy, but in fact it is about God and God alone - His glory being shown through all things. That my worship should be towards Jesus Christ solely and not to idols.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, make my heart new, change it like you would that it would become more and more like your son Jesus Christ. Lord God remind me that my life that i am living is not about me and my glory, but it is about Your Glory and Your glory alone. Change my heart Lord, because it is not just wicked and selfish right now, I don't know why my heart is sooo confused but thank you that at the same time you take from me my idols that so easily entangle my heart, please please remind me that my life is not about me, but its about YOU Jesus Christ!!!
"The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven."
"Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom"
"But you remain the same, and your years will never end"
"Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation"
What does this tell me about Jesus, God the Father and the Holy Spirit???
- God speaks through His son Jesus Christ because he is the radiance of God's glory and exact representation of his being
- Jesus has provided purification for our sins and now sins at the right hand of Majesty in heaven (it is finished)
- Jesus is more powerful than any angel and all the angels collectively.
- God is eternal
- God is and loves righteousness
What does this tell me about me??
- That this word is ultimately not about me, my salvation or my being holy, but in fact it is about God and God alone - His glory being shown through all things. That my worship should be towards Jesus Christ solely and not to idols.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, make my heart new, change it like you would that it would become more and more like your son Jesus Christ. Lord God remind me that my life that i am living is not about me and my glory, but it is about Your Glory and Your glory alone. Change my heart Lord, because it is not just wicked and selfish right now, I don't know why my heart is sooo confused but thank you that at the same time you take from me my idols that so easily entangle my heart, please please remind me that my life is not about me, but its about YOU Jesus Christ!!!
Saturday, January 9, 2010
The Love of God is absolutely astonishing!!
How could anyone imagine that Christianity is about sin rather than about the forgiveness of sin? How could anyone look at the cross and see only the shame of what we did to Christ, rather than the glory of what he did for us? The prodigal son had to 'come to himself' (acknowledge his self-centredness) before he could 'come to his father'. The humiliation of penitence was necessary before the joy of reconciliation. There would have been no ring, no robe, no kiss, no feast if he had remained in the far country or returned impenitent. A guilty conscience is a great blessing, but only if it drives us to come home.
This does not mean that our conscience is always a reliable guide. There is such a thing as a morbid, overscrupulous conscience, and it would be mischievous to seek deliberately to create one. Not all guilt feelings are pathological, however. On the contrary, those who declare themselves sinless and guiltless are suffering from an even worse sickness. For to manipulate, smother and even 'cauterize' (1 Tim 4:2) the conscience, in order to escape the pain of its accusations, renders us impervious to our need for salvation.
Is it, then, healthy or unhealthy to insist on the gravity of sin and the necessity of atonement, to hold people responsible for their actions, to warn them of the peril of diving judgment, and to urge them to confess, repent and turn to Christ? It is healthy. For if there is 'false guilt' (feeling bad about evil we have not done), there is also 'false innocence' (feeling good about the evil we have done). If false contrition is unhealthy (an ungrounded weeping over guilt), so is false assurance (an ungrounded rejoicing over forgiveness). It may be, therefore, that it is not we who exaggerate, when we stress the seriousness of sin, but our critics, who underestimate it. God said of the false prophets in Old Testament days: "They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. "Peace, peace," they say, when there is no peace. Superficial remedies are always due to a faulty diagnosis. Those who prescribe them have fallen victim to the deceiving spirit of modernity which denies the gravity of sin. To make a true diagnosis of our condition, however, grave as it is, could never be unhealthy, provided that we go on immediately to the remedy. So the law which condemns us is nevertheless God's good gift, because it sends us to Christ to be justified. And the Holy Spirit came to 'convict the world of guilt' but only in order that he might more effectively beat witness to Christ as the Saviour from guilt (John 16:8, 15:26-27).
This does not mean that our conscience is always a reliable guide. There is such a thing as a morbid, overscrupulous conscience, and it would be mischievous to seek deliberately to create one. Not all guilt feelings are pathological, however. On the contrary, those who declare themselves sinless and guiltless are suffering from an even worse sickness. For to manipulate, smother and even 'cauterize' (1 Tim 4:2) the conscience, in order to escape the pain of its accusations, renders us impervious to our need for salvation.
Is it, then, healthy or unhealthy to insist on the gravity of sin and the necessity of atonement, to hold people responsible for their actions, to warn them of the peril of diving judgment, and to urge them to confess, repent and turn to Christ? It is healthy. For if there is 'false guilt' (feeling bad about evil we have not done), there is also 'false innocence' (feeling good about the evil we have done). If false contrition is unhealthy (an ungrounded weeping over guilt), so is false assurance (an ungrounded rejoicing over forgiveness). It may be, therefore, that it is not we who exaggerate, when we stress the seriousness of sin, but our critics, who underestimate it. God said of the false prophets in Old Testament days: "They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. "Peace, peace," they say, when there is no peace. Superficial remedies are always due to a faulty diagnosis. Those who prescribe them have fallen victim to the deceiving spirit of modernity which denies the gravity of sin. To make a true diagnosis of our condition, however, grave as it is, could never be unhealthy, provided that we go on immediately to the remedy. So the law which condemns us is nevertheless God's good gift, because it sends us to Christ to be justified. And the Holy Spirit came to 'convict the world of guilt' but only in order that he might more effectively beat witness to Christ as the Saviour from guilt (John 16:8, 15:26-27).
Five Greek words for sin
1. Hamartia - sin as a missing of the target, the failure to attain a goal.
2. Adikia (inward corruption or perversion of character) is 'unrighteousness' or 'iniquity'
3. Poneria (inward corruption or perversion of character) is evil of a vicious or degenerate kind.
4. Parabasis (More active kind) (similar to paraptoma) a trespass or transgression, the stepping over a boundary.
5. Anomia (More active kind) 'lawlessness' the disregard or violation of a known law.
2. Adikia (inward corruption or perversion of character) is 'unrighteousness' or 'iniquity'
3. Poneria (inward corruption or perversion of character) is evil of a vicious or degenerate kind.
4. Parabasis (More active kind) (similar to paraptoma) a trespass or transgression, the stepping over a boundary.
5. Anomia (More active kind) 'lawlessness' the disregard or violation of a known law.
Continuing Ethic - Matt Chandler (Questions)
Passage 1 John 1:5-10 - 1 John 2:1-2
This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all righteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.
My dear children, i write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense - Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
- Repentance is a life long journey and not just a pray at one point.
- Pursuit of God's grace will lead us to true repentance, not white-knuckled 'i'll do better' religious repentance
- We are reminded that God's grace is what keeps us going - the fact that are able to approach God.
- God is a ruthless God and will ruthlessly hunt me down for my life ... for HIS GLORY and my joy.
- Obedience to God's command is walking in the light
- God is not trying to get after us - ready to pounce once we have done wrong.
- The more wicked that we see our hearts as - the more electric we see God's grace upon us to forgive us.
- We will not then walk in self denial.
Questions
1. Are you a liar? Are you a religious moral liar that is in need of repentance?
2. Am i just good???
3. Are there things that i don't want to do that the Lord is convicting me to do??
4. What does this reveal about the state of my heart????
5. Is repentance a continuing ethic in my life??? or have i grown cold to the Lord????
Father, Please Forgive me for all my sins Lord, by the Blood of Your Son Jesus Christ ... your Name be praised ... that you get the glory in my life and that i am just a mere servant peasant in front of you. God, please forgive me for my continual disobedience, but lead me in the right direction, towards fruitfulness and glory to Your highest name. God grab hold of me as you have already done and lead towards YOU, lead me towards Your mercy, grace, peace and love, and NEVER let me go Lord. NEVER. God remind me by Your Holy Spirit that i am undeserving and only by your grace alone am i saved, remind me of my sin and its gravity in front of a majestic God, Never let me forget and never let me grow Cold. God push me towards forgiveness and get rid of stubbornness towards forgiveness of my Dad. May i continue to forgive him in my heart continually and one day forgive him to his heart. Lord i know you can change my parents heart, not for my sake but for Your Glory, but most importantly, May Your Will Be Done!!!
In Your Great Lord Precious Son's Name Jesus Christ i pray!!!
AMEN!!!
This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all righteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.
My dear children, i write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense - Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
- Repentance is a life long journey and not just a pray at one point.
- Pursuit of God's grace will lead us to true repentance, not white-knuckled 'i'll do better' religious repentance
- We are reminded that God's grace is what keeps us going - the fact that are able to approach God.
- God is a ruthless God and will ruthlessly hunt me down for my life ... for HIS GLORY and my joy.
- Obedience to God's command is walking in the light
- God is not trying to get after us - ready to pounce once we have done wrong.
- The more wicked that we see our hearts as - the more electric we see God's grace upon us to forgive us.
- We will not then walk in self denial.
Questions
1. Are you a liar? Are you a religious moral liar that is in need of repentance?
2. Am i just good???
3. Are there things that i don't want to do that the Lord is convicting me to do??
4. What does this reveal about the state of my heart????
5. Is repentance a continuing ethic in my life??? or have i grown cold to the Lord????
Father, Please Forgive me for all my sins Lord, by the Blood of Your Son Jesus Christ ... your Name be praised ... that you get the glory in my life and that i am just a mere servant peasant in front of you. God, please forgive me for my continual disobedience, but lead me in the right direction, towards fruitfulness and glory to Your highest name. God grab hold of me as you have already done and lead towards YOU, lead me towards Your mercy, grace, peace and love, and NEVER let me go Lord. NEVER. God remind me by Your Holy Spirit that i am undeserving and only by your grace alone am i saved, remind me of my sin and its gravity in front of a majestic God, Never let me forget and never let me grow Cold. God push me towards forgiveness and get rid of stubbornness towards forgiveness of my Dad. May i continue to forgive him in my heart continually and one day forgive him to his heart. Lord i know you can change my parents heart, not for my sake but for Your Glory, but most importantly, May Your Will Be Done!!!
In Your Great Lord Precious Son's Name Jesus Christ i pray!!!
AMEN!!!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Bible Reading (06 Jan 2010) - Phil 1
6 "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"
Knowing that God is doing the work in me and not me myself is very comforting, i believe it is slowly bringing me peace in my heart in order to fully lay down everything to him, because he has full control and i can trust that what he is doing is most glorifying him and joyful for me, even if it seems like painful torture each day. He will save and sanctify me in due time.
20-22 "I eagerly expect and hope that i will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If i am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me."
John is dead, but Jesus Christ is alive in John, i am no longer living for myself, but for the glory of Jesus Christ that he be exalted because of His blood that has brought me salvation. To live is Christ and to die is gain - this will mean fruitful labor for John Chen, but He knows whats best for me and this is whats best for me no matter how much my flesh hates it. My flesh has died and now i am alive through Jesus Christ.
Father, Dad, please help me, i am in such disarray and have absolutely no passion to live life anymore, i just feel absolute nothingness, i wanna just lay down and die. I am sorry that i am not appreciating this gift you have given me, but sometimes it just feels like torture. I pray God that i would not question your actions, but please comfort me as you lay down your sovereignty. Please comfort me with your faithful love. I TRUST, I TRUST, I TRUST in your Lord that you are not torturing me but you are setting me up to most glorify your name and allow me to have joy forever. God please make my paths straight and headed in the right direction, and not in the path of destruction, please rescue me from my sin and cleanse all that filth in my mind. God i want to honour you with 100% of my heart and not just a part of it. God cleanse me from ALL MY IDOLS THAT SEEM TO HAVE SUCH A GRIP ON ME!!! ... Cleanse me Lord ... Cleanse me Lord, make me not self righteous but truly humble in awe and worship of Your Great Name Jesus Christ. Holy Spirit cleanse me!!! ... that Jesus Christ and not John Chen is exalted!!! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!!!
Knowing that God is doing the work in me and not me myself is very comforting, i believe it is slowly bringing me peace in my heart in order to fully lay down everything to him, because he has full control and i can trust that what he is doing is most glorifying him and joyful for me, even if it seems like painful torture each day. He will save and sanctify me in due time.
20-22 "I eagerly expect and hope that i will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If i am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me."
John is dead, but Jesus Christ is alive in John, i am no longer living for myself, but for the glory of Jesus Christ that he be exalted because of His blood that has brought me salvation. To live is Christ and to die is gain - this will mean fruitful labor for John Chen, but He knows whats best for me and this is whats best for me no matter how much my flesh hates it. My flesh has died and now i am alive through Jesus Christ.
Father, Dad, please help me, i am in such disarray and have absolutely no passion to live life anymore, i just feel absolute nothingness, i wanna just lay down and die. I am sorry that i am not appreciating this gift you have given me, but sometimes it just feels like torture. I pray God that i would not question your actions, but please comfort me as you lay down your sovereignty. Please comfort me with your faithful love. I TRUST, I TRUST, I TRUST in your Lord that you are not torturing me but you are setting me up to most glorify your name and allow me to have joy forever. God please make my paths straight and headed in the right direction, and not in the path of destruction, please rescue me from my sin and cleanse all that filth in my mind. God i want to honour you with 100% of my heart and not just a part of it. God cleanse me from ALL MY IDOLS THAT SEEM TO HAVE SUCH A GRIP ON ME!!! ... Cleanse me Lord ... Cleanse me Lord, make me not self righteous but truly humble in awe and worship of Your Great Name Jesus Christ. Holy Spirit cleanse me!!! ... that Jesus Christ and not John Chen is exalted!!! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!!!
A Slice of Infinity (January 4, 2010)
Whatever else Nicodemus and Pascal have in common in their nighttime encounters with Christ, one thing is certain. Whether a dramatic encounter or a subtle introduction, conversion is far more than an evening or an instance. A beloved professor of mine spoke of Christian conversion as a verb that arrives in several tenses. We have been justified, we are being sanctified, and we will be glorified. That is to say, on the Cross, Christ became our sacrifice, and the work is finished. God has declared his children righteous because we are united to his Son. But Christ is also our moral influence, the message of the gospel is transformational, and we are continually being sanctified through the Holy Spirit. To the one who has been united with the Son, the daily indwelling of Christ is a gift and a sign of the message that is presently being worked within us. Furthermore, what a Christian will be in Christ through the process of sanctification and the promise of justification has not yet been fully revealed, but there are signs all around of the hope and glory that is to come in Christ Jesus.
The Incarnation boldly assures us that Christ is always near. He can come nearer still and forgive you completely and instantaneously. He will also walk with you over a lifetime, transforming and shaping you according to the will of God. Whether by fire, water, or Spirit, in an instance of spiritual certainty or a lifetime of wordless mystery, Christ comes near not to beckon better children but to make new creations.
The Incarnation boldly assures us that Christ is always near. He can come nearer still and forgive you completely and instantaneously. He will also walk with you over a lifetime, transforming and shaping you according to the will of God. Whether by fire, water, or Spirit, in an instance of spiritual certainty or a lifetime of wordless mystery, Christ comes near not to beckon better children but to make new creations.
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