What does it mean to live a life of self‑denial, dying to self? What does that really mean? Have you ever thought about that? Think of it this way. When you are neglected, unforgiven, or when you are purposely set at naught and you sting and you hurt with the insult of that oversight, but your heart is happy, being counted worthy to suffer for Christ, that is dying to self. When your good is evil spoken of, when your wishes are crossed and your advice is disregarded and your opinions are ridiculed, and you refuse to let anger rise in your heart or even defend yourself, you take it all patiently in loving silence, you're dying to self.
And when you lovingly and patiently bear any disgrace, any regularity, any annoyance, when you can stand face to face with folly and extravagance and spiritual insensitivity, and endure it as Jesus did, that is dying to self. When you are content with any food, any money, any clothing, any climate, any society, any solitude, any interruption by the will of God, that is dying to self. And when you never care to refer to yourself in conversation or record your own good works, or itch after commendation from others, and when you truly love to be unknown, that is dying to self. When you see your brother prosper and have his needs wondrously met, and can honestly rejoice with him in spirit and feel no envy and never question God, though your needs are greater and still unmet, that is dying to self. And when you can receive correction, and reproof from one of less stature than yourself and humbly admit inwardly as well as outwardly that he's right and find no resentment and no rebellion in your heart, that is dying to self.
John Macarthur - Sermon "Winning by Losing: The Paradox of Discipleship"
Showing posts with label Becoming a Better Christian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Becoming a Better Christian. Show all posts
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Saturday, April 09, 2011
A Dream of Denial
There was once a Christian who had a dream.
I saw in a dream that I was in the Celestial City. I was one of a great multitude from all countries and people and times and ages. I found out that the saint who stood next to me had been in Heaven more than 1,860 years.
"Who are you?" I said to him? We both spoke the same language of Heaven, so we could understand each other.
Said he "I was a Christian who lived in the days of the apostle Paul. I was one of those who died in Nero's persecutions. I was covered with pitch and fastened to a stake and set on fire to light up Nero's gardens."
"How awful!" I exclaimed.
"No," he said. "I was glad to do something for Jesus. He died on the cross for me."
Another man beside me then spoke. "I have been in Heaven only a few hundred years. I came from an island in the South Seas. John Williams a misionary, came and told me about Jesus, and I too learned to love Him. My fellow countrymen killed the missionary and they caught and bound me. I was beaten till i fainted and they thought I was dead, but I revived. Then next day, they knocked me on the head, cooked and ate me."
"How terrible!" I said.
"No," he answered, "I was glad to die as a Christian. You see the missionaries had told me that Jesus was scourged and crowned with thorns for me."
Then they both turned to me and said, "What did you suffer for Him? Or did you sell what you had for the money which sent men like John Williams to tell man kind about Jesus?"
And I was speechless. And while they both were looking at me with sorrowful eyes, I awoke, and it was a dream! But I lay on my soft bed awake for hours, thinking of the money I had wasted on my own pleasures; or my extra clothing, and costly car, and many luxuries; and I realized that I did not know what the words of Jesus meant: "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me."
I saw in a dream that I was in the Celestial City. I was one of a great multitude from all countries and people and times and ages. I found out that the saint who stood next to me had been in Heaven more than 1,860 years.
"Who are you?" I said to him? We both spoke the same language of Heaven, so we could understand each other.
Said he "I was a Christian who lived in the days of the apostle Paul. I was one of those who died in Nero's persecutions. I was covered with pitch and fastened to a stake and set on fire to light up Nero's gardens."
"How awful!" I exclaimed.
"No," he said. "I was glad to do something for Jesus. He died on the cross for me."
Another man beside me then spoke. "I have been in Heaven only a few hundred years. I came from an island in the South Seas. John Williams a misionary, came and told me about Jesus, and I too learned to love Him. My fellow countrymen killed the missionary and they caught and bound me. I was beaten till i fainted and they thought I was dead, but I revived. Then next day, they knocked me on the head, cooked and ate me."
"How terrible!" I said.
"No," he answered, "I was glad to die as a Christian. You see the missionaries had told me that Jesus was scourged and crowned with thorns for me."
Then they both turned to me and said, "What did you suffer for Him? Or did you sell what you had for the money which sent men like John Williams to tell man kind about Jesus?"
And I was speechless. And while they both were looking at me with sorrowful eyes, I awoke, and it was a dream! But I lay on my soft bed awake for hours, thinking of the money I had wasted on my own pleasures; or my extra clothing, and costly car, and many luxuries; and I realized that I did not know what the words of Jesus meant: "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me."
Thursday, March 31, 2011
A Lesson on Submission
1Peter 5: 5 In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,
“God opposes the proud
but shows favor to the humble.”
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.
James 4:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.
James 4
1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 3When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.Saturday, March 26, 2011
Sanctus, "I am a Christian"
"I am a Christian."
The young man said nothing else as he stood before the Roman governor, his life hanging in the balance. His accusers pressed him again, hoping to trip him up or force him to recant. But once more, he answered with the same short phrase, "I am a Christian."
It was the middle of the second century, where Christianity was illegal and believers throughout the Roman empire faced the threat of imprisonment, torture or death. Sanctus, a deacon from Vienna, had been arrested and brought to trial. The young man was repeatedly told to renounce his faith. But his resolve was undeterred. "I am a Christian."
When at least it became obvious that he would say nothing else, he was condemned to severe torture and a public death in the amphitheater. On the day of his execution, he was forced to run the gauntlet, subjected to wild beasts, and fastened to a chair of burning iron. Throughout all of it, his accusers kept trying to break him, convinced that his resistance would crack under the pain of torment.
But as Eusebius recounted, "He did not utter a word except the confession he had uttered from the beginning."
His dying words tell of an undying commitment. His rallying cry remained constant throughout his entire trial. "I am a Christian."
Matt 24:13 "But the one who endures to the end, he shall be saved."
The young man said nothing else as he stood before the Roman governor, his life hanging in the balance. His accusers pressed him again, hoping to trip him up or force him to recant. But once more, he answered with the same short phrase, "I am a Christian."
It was the middle of the second century, where Christianity was illegal and believers throughout the Roman empire faced the threat of imprisonment, torture or death. Sanctus, a deacon from Vienna, had been arrested and brought to trial. The young man was repeatedly told to renounce his faith. But his resolve was undeterred. "I am a Christian."
When at least it became obvious that he would say nothing else, he was condemned to severe torture and a public death in the amphitheater. On the day of his execution, he was forced to run the gauntlet, subjected to wild beasts, and fastened to a chair of burning iron. Throughout all of it, his accusers kept trying to break him, convinced that his resistance would crack under the pain of torment.
But as Eusebius recounted, "He did not utter a word except the confession he had uttered from the beginning."
His dying words tell of an undying commitment. His rallying cry remained constant throughout his entire trial. "I am a Christian."
Matt 24:13 "But the one who endures to the end, he shall be saved."
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Forgiveness
During the Korean war, a South Korean Christian was arrested by a young communist leader and was ordered to be shot. However, when the communist leader knew of this Christian who was in charge of an orphanage caring for small children, he decided to spare him and took the man's son instead to be executed.
So, in the presence of his father, the 19 year old son was shot.
Later, when the fortunes of war changed, the young communist leader was captured by the United Nations forces. He was tried and condemned to death.
But before the sentence could be carried out, the Christian whose boy had been killed, pleaded for the killer.
He declared that the communist leader was still young and did not know what he was doing.
"Give him to me." Said the father. "And I will train him."
He was granted the request and the father took the murderer of his son into his home and cared for him for many years.
Today, the young communist is a Christian pastor.
Matt 5:22 "But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgement... will be in danger of the fire of hell."
5:38-41 "You have heard "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth." But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles."
5:43-44 "You have heard "Love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I tell you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."
6:12 "Forgive us our sins, as we also forgive those who have sinned against us."
Luke 23:34. Jesus when nailed on the cross, during his last moments. "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."
So, in the presence of his father, the 19 year old son was shot.
Later, when the fortunes of war changed, the young communist leader was captured by the United Nations forces. He was tried and condemned to death.
But before the sentence could be carried out, the Christian whose boy had been killed, pleaded for the killer.
He declared that the communist leader was still young and did not know what he was doing.
"Give him to me." Said the father. "And I will train him."
He was granted the request and the father took the murderer of his son into his home and cared for him for many years.
Today, the young communist is a Christian pastor.
Matt 5:22 "But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgement... will be in danger of the fire of hell."
5:38-41 "You have heard "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth." But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles."
5:43-44 "You have heard "Love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I tell you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."
6:12 "Forgive us our sins, as we also forgive those who have sinned against us."
Luke 23:34. Jesus when nailed on the cross, during his last moments. "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."
Monday, January 03, 2011
Cain's Offering
3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. 4 And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,
We know the story of Cain and Abel well. How so often we identify ourselves with being Abel. That oh, we have learnt from this lesson well, and ought to offer our one tenth, attend sunday services regularly...and that will be enough! Aren't we examples of Abel? Offering offerings that God favours? We are certainly not Cain right? We can't be. We offer pleasing sacrifices to God!
But the Word of God in describes Cain in this way. "He brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord."
Cain offered to God. He offered what he worked hard for. What he labored for. In our terms, Cain would have fulfilled his one-tenth, or marked his attendance in church. But God did not favor Cain's offering.
Does God looks at our offering in a way similar to Cain's offering? Yes, we may have done the deed. But if its not the best, not the most treasured which we offer unto God, it may not be favoured by Him. For He commands us to love Him with all our hearts, all our minds, all our souls and all our strength.
May God have mercy on us often distracted, often hypocritical, often weak, often forgetful people.
We know the story of Cain and Abel well. How so often we identify ourselves with being Abel. That oh, we have learnt from this lesson well, and ought to offer our one tenth, attend sunday services regularly...and that will be enough! Aren't we examples of Abel? Offering offerings that God favours? We are certainly not Cain right? We can't be. We offer pleasing sacrifices to God!
But the Word of God in describes Cain in this way. "He brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord."
Cain offered to God. He offered what he worked hard for. What he labored for. In our terms, Cain would have fulfilled his one-tenth, or marked his attendance in church. But God did not favor Cain's offering.
Does God looks at our offering in a way similar to Cain's offering? Yes, we may have done the deed. But if its not the best, not the most treasured which we offer unto God, it may not be favoured by Him. For He commands us to love Him with all our hearts, all our minds, all our souls and all our strength.
May God have mercy on us often distracted, often hypocritical, often weak, often forgetful people.
Monday, December 27, 2010
A letter to my Sunday School Class of 2010 (2 Tim 3:16 - 4:8)
Dear Sunday School class,
I have enjoyed teaching you all tremendously for these past two years. Teaching you brought me great joy as i see many of you growing both steadily in stature, and more importantly, in truth. I am also thankful for my fellow teachers, bro Jimmy and Moses helping to share God's wonderful truth to you all. I am most confident that the class will reach greater spiritual heights in 2011.
I wish to just use the scripture used for sun sch sun memorization as an exhortation to us all. Its Paul's last words to his fellow worker in Christ, Timothy to whom he has treated very much like a son, and always been a mentor to him.
Being Paul's last words and knowing that he was soon to be executed for the cause of Christ, you can be sure that it will be his heartfelt words that he wants communicated to him.
Be Equipped for Good Work
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
The reason for scripture towards is to equip us to do the good work that God wants us to do. Scripture is not to be just academically understood, intellectually analyzed and left there. Its purpose is to prepare us that we are to live it out by doing good works that glorify God and edifies men.
It prepares us by teaching it to us. But we so often disobey or ignores its teaching. Hence, God through His servants rebukes and corrects us to obedience. We in humility should both accept such rebuke, and have the courage to rebuke others in wrong, that they too are trained to do righteous acts, to be equipped for the good work of God.
Be Prepared to Preach, Correct, Rebuke, Encourage that Man will come to Christ
1 ...I give you this charge: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.
Part of the good work that Paul wants us to do is to preach the word. We are to prepare ourselves to preach at anytime. Do we know how to share the simple gospel facts to a friend? Have we ever done it? Most often, we do not know and we dare not do it. Because we are not prepared. Before an exam, before an interview, we prepare ourselves well. Why not before sharing the most important truth to a friend? Be prepared, and naturally, God will lead us to be able to share powerfully and courageously to someone in need of the truth.
Being prepared enables us to preach powerfully. Preaching involves telling. However, we cannot just stop there. Reflect on our own spiritual lives. Yes, we may understand the gospel facts after being told. But many times, we have fallen and disobeyed God's teachings. That is when we may need to correct and even rebuke someone who is still struggling to acknowledge Christ as Lord. The process of preaching includes telling, correcting, rebuking.
And the last component, encouraging. We tell, we correct, we rebuke and we encourage someone to come to Christ. Continue to follow up with someone by encouraging him to pray, to read the bible, to attend worship service, to come back to biblical truth. This is the entire spectrum of preaching God's truth.
The Problem Today – God's truth compromised for itching ears
3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
We are to preach, by telling, rebuking and encouraging. This is importantly so today, where we see that indeed where many are not putting up with God's truth but instead wants to hear a message that they think its from God and yet fitting for their own lustful desires.
Today, people wish to hear messages of undeserved favour, victorious living, living our best life now. These are mainly achieved through freedom from illnesses, being asset rich and having a successful career. They twist the truth for example, saying that when Jesus was born, because gold was offered to Him, He was rich from young. They turn aside, misinterpret and deny the verses that call us to deny ourselves and be willing even to the point of dying for the sake of Christ, DAILY.
God's truth is compromised, twisted, denied into a message of worldly hope, possession and freedom for itching ears.
Our Response to the Problem Today
5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.
Yes we have the problems of God’s truth being compromised today. But we are not to just sit back and despair at the situation. Paul exhorts us to respond, to endure, to discharge our duties, with an alert mind.
Regardless of what debates and defense against falsehood, we are called to have an alert mind. To keep our minds, convictions and actions rooted and steadfast in God’s Word, that we stand on an absolute standard instead of being swayed by waves of men’s words.
When we do this, there may appear hardships. We mind be rejected, criticised, ostracised by family, friends, society. But we are called to endure this. Not for a moment, a day, a week, but even till the end of our lives. And upon endurance, we are called to action. To continue to discharge our duties in the midst of falsehood and attacks.
It maybe certainly difficult to follow this. But we have an example in Paul. And Paul has an example in Christ. Paul continues to exhort us with the example of a living sacrifice.
Being Poured Out like an Offering
6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Paul here re-iterates that we should all be offered as living sacrifices. To be poured out like offerings unto God. To the point of death. Such is the weight of these words. To render all our thoughts, will, bodies, everything we owe unto God. Paul rendered all his thoughts unto God. His will all unto God. His previous riches forsaken for the sake of Christ. His body unto God that he knew he was going to be executed soon for the sake of Christ.
And because he has done these, he can truly say that he has fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith. Such words should not be haphazardly used on anyone’s grave unless he has truly earned it. And more importantly, he has earned the crown of righteousness bestowed upon by God Himself.
The Reward in Store for Paul
8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
When such has lived a life like Paul, there is a reward in Heaven. The reward is a crown of righteousness, given to a good, faithful servant of God. We might give up temporal earthly rewards, but let us fix our hopes upon the ultimate reward awarded by God. This reward is not exclusive only to Paul but all who longed for God’s appearing.
Yes, by God’s grace we are freely saved. But let us not be saved like a man escaping from a house in flames. But let us be saved, with full confidence, with God’s rejoicing in us entering His kingdom, rejoicing in awarding His crown unto us. Because we have served Him well in our current lives.
May this passage of scripture stay with us, to remind us, to mould us, to rebuke us, to encourage us, for the service of God, for the reaching out to unsaved men.
Jason
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Tell, Warn, Exhort, Invite
The Word of God always demands a response. Any effective teacher of it must do more than just dispense facts; he must warn, exhort, and extend an invitation. He may have impressive knowledge of the truth, but if he doesn't have a passionate concern for how people react to it, he is not a worthy representative of Jesus Christ.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Redevoting ourselves
There was a powerful and touching testimony about how a pastor's kid came to really know of the Lord.
We would normally think that a pastor's kid would be saved definitely, having heard stories of Jesus from young. However, thus testimony will change your perceptions, that everyone needs to know of how Jesus died for you on the cross, for your sins, no matter who you are. Perhaps you are already a long time christian. But have we really experienced the love of Christ of the cross for us, till we are in tears?
There was a pastor's son who had average in primary and secondary school. He was the typical pastor's kid who was obedient, not to smart, yet not to stupid, but went regularly to church, served in fellowships.
However, when he went to college, things took a turn. In college, kids typically went to colleges outside of their own state. And that meant that the student had to stay on his own in a hostel for the first time in his life, away from his parents.
This kid moved out and went to college for his first year. He did ok for his first semester. However, for his second semester, his grades took a severe beating. He actually failed several of his subjects.
When visiting back home to this parents and asked about his poor grades, he avoided the question and did not answer his parents no matter how hard they tried. He just kept it a secret as to what caused his poor grades.
Semesters passed after semesters. He still suffered from poor grades. He still kept the matter from his parents. His parents were both angry and sad. Why was he suffering from such poor grades?
He finally graduated. However, it was a border line graduation of the worst degree. He scrapped through. His parents then asked him what he wanted to do in life. He answered that he had no idea. He even answered that he was content on just being a road sweeper. This infuriated and saddened his parents even more. His pastor dad asked him, don't you know that our purpose in life is to do something for Jesus? He remained silent. He didn't know what was his purpose in life. Neither was he interested in doing something for Jesus.
Two years had passed. This kid actually got a proper job and it was evident in his life that he was a renewed person. What had happened?
One day, with teary eyes, he went back to his parents house and told them all that had happened. The reason his grades dipped in college wss because he was addicted to japanese anime, online games and online chatting.
He indulged in them non stop. Even when he was sleeping, his computer wss still on downloading games and anime. He was addicted. He could not stop. All he could think of was about the computer. He devoted no time to his studies. That resulted in his failing grades.
However, just recently, he attended a church revival meeting. In that meeting, his heart truly was opened and he understood how jesus love for him was so great to the point of dying on the cross, he wept, he wept. He prayed for repentance and a renewed belief in Jesus.
That night, he threw away all his CDs containing downloaded material and any other things that caused his distraction. HE was a renewed person in Christ. He truly understood the love of Christ, and how he was to recipocrate this love by repenting.
Are we long term Christians whom have not truly grasped the love of Christ, the suffering of Christ? Let us redevote ourselves to him this very day. Grasp hold his love for us, on the cross. The lion of Judah. The slained lamb worthy of all our praise.
We would normally think that a pastor's kid would be saved definitely, having heard stories of Jesus from young. However, thus testimony will change your perceptions, that everyone needs to know of how Jesus died for you on the cross, for your sins, no matter who you are. Perhaps you are already a long time christian. But have we really experienced the love of Christ of the cross for us, till we are in tears?
There was a pastor's son who had average in primary and secondary school. He was the typical pastor's kid who was obedient, not to smart, yet not to stupid, but went regularly to church, served in fellowships.
However, when he went to college, things took a turn. In college, kids typically went to colleges outside of their own state. And that meant that the student had to stay on his own in a hostel for the first time in his life, away from his parents.
This kid moved out and went to college for his first year. He did ok for his first semester. However, for his second semester, his grades took a severe beating. He actually failed several of his subjects.
When visiting back home to this parents and asked about his poor grades, he avoided the question and did not answer his parents no matter how hard they tried. He just kept it a secret as to what caused his poor grades.
Semesters passed after semesters. He still suffered from poor grades. He still kept the matter from his parents. His parents were both angry and sad. Why was he suffering from such poor grades?
He finally graduated. However, it was a border line graduation of the worst degree. He scrapped through. His parents then asked him what he wanted to do in life. He answered that he had no idea. He even answered that he was content on just being a road sweeper. This infuriated and saddened his parents even more. His pastor dad asked him, don't you know that our purpose in life is to do something for Jesus? He remained silent. He didn't know what was his purpose in life. Neither was he interested in doing something for Jesus.
Two years had passed. This kid actually got a proper job and it was evident in his life that he was a renewed person. What had happened?
One day, with teary eyes, he went back to his parents house and told them all that had happened. The reason his grades dipped in college wss because he was addicted to japanese anime, online games and online chatting.
He indulged in them non stop. Even when he was sleeping, his computer wss still on downloading games and anime. He was addicted. He could not stop. All he could think of was about the computer. He devoted no time to his studies. That resulted in his failing grades.
However, just recently, he attended a church revival meeting. In that meeting, his heart truly was opened and he understood how jesus love for him was so great to the point of dying on the cross, he wept, he wept. He prayed for repentance and a renewed belief in Jesus.
That night, he threw away all his CDs containing downloaded material and any other things that caused his distraction. HE was a renewed person in Christ. He truly understood the love of Christ, and how he was to recipocrate this love by repenting.
Are we long term Christians whom have not truly grasped the love of Christ, the suffering of Christ? Let us redevote ourselves to him this very day. Grasp hold his love for us, on the cross. The lion of Judah. The slained lamb worthy of all our praise.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
The importance of knowing a book in the bible's background
As we read books of the bible, it's useful to get the background of the book when it was written. Why did the author write the book? In what circumstances was the author in when it was written?
In doing so, we really can appreciate more strongly the author's point as well as get the intended meaning correct.
For example, when we read 2 Timothy, if we know that this was Paul's last letter before he was to be martyred, that it was written when he was imprisoned in a cold roman jail with chains, we would read it in a different light.
A man in his last moments would definitely say the most important points to his most intended recipient. So you can appreciate from thus that 2 Timothy was paul's most dire words to his young co laborer in Christ.
But though Paul was in such a hopeless situation as most would see it, we see that he had actually the ultimate hope in him. That he would be with God soon and be given the crown of righteousness, for he had fought the good fight, ran the good race and kept the good faith.
If you had been to Cambodia and visited the tuol sleng prison, where thousands of people were prisoned with the end in mind being execution, and seeing their tiny and dirty cells, you can never imagine that you will still have hope if you are imprisoned there.
Yet Paul had. When people of this world thinks that he gave his life for nothing, he actually gave it for everything, that while in chains, then Word might be preached even more fervently because of his example.
So with all this background, when we read 2 Timothy now, it would be in a different light and we can almost feel it coming to life.
The word of God is not just boring texts. Get a bible handbook or study bible that introduces a book's background, and the text will come alive, that we can understand it better, proclaim it better, defend it better, obey it better.
In doing so, we really can appreciate more strongly the author's point as well as get the intended meaning correct.
For example, when we read 2 Timothy, if we know that this was Paul's last letter before he was to be martyred, that it was written when he was imprisoned in a cold roman jail with chains, we would read it in a different light.
A man in his last moments would definitely say the most important points to his most intended recipient. So you can appreciate from thus that 2 Timothy was paul's most dire words to his young co laborer in Christ.
But though Paul was in such a hopeless situation as most would see it, we see that he had actually the ultimate hope in him. That he would be with God soon and be given the crown of righteousness, for he had fought the good fight, ran the good race and kept the good faith.
If you had been to Cambodia and visited the tuol sleng prison, where thousands of people were prisoned with the end in mind being execution, and seeing their tiny and dirty cells, you can never imagine that you will still have hope if you are imprisoned there.
Yet Paul had. When people of this world thinks that he gave his life for nothing, he actually gave it for everything, that while in chains, then Word might be preached even more fervently because of his example.
So with all this background, when we read 2 Timothy now, it would be in a different light and we can almost feel it coming to life.
The word of God is not just boring texts. Get a bible handbook or study bible that introduces a book's background, and the text will come alive, that we can understand it better, proclaim it better, defend it better, obey it better.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Zeal
Romans 9:11
Never be lacking in zeal, but serve God zealously.
Never be too piled up in excelling in academics that you lack zeal to serve.
Never be too tempted and chasing after profits, that you lose the true blessings of God.
Never be too envying of people, that you forget the graces of God on you.
Never let anything, diminish your zeal for God.
Never be lacking in zeal, but serve God zealously.
Never be too piled up in excelling in academics that you lack zeal to serve.
Never be too tempted and chasing after profits, that you lose the true blessings of God.
Never be too envying of people, that you forget the graces of God on you.
Never let anything, diminish your zeal for God.
Overcoming evil with good
Romans 12:9-21
Repay evil with good.
Love those who shame you.
Love those who suspect you.
Love those who criticize you.
Love those who gossip about you.
Love those who who shame you.
Love those who hurt you.
Love those who take advantage of you.
Love those who kill you.
Paul did this. Stephen did this. Jesus did this. God commanded this.
Blessed is he who hears, and DOES the Word of God.
Repay evil with good.
Love those who shame you.
Love those who suspect you.
Love those who criticize you.
Love those who gossip about you.
Love those who who shame you.
Love those who hurt you.
Love those who take advantage of you.
Love those who kill you.
Paul did this. Stephen did this. Jesus did this. God commanded this.
Blessed is he who hears, and DOES the Word of God.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Turning away from a life of sin
Living as Children of Light
Sermon preached on 15 aug by rev Teo kiak hock. My sermon notes.
There was a recent news article on husband and wives. Wives attempted to wake their sleeping husbands up but on several attempts, the husbands continue to sleep. However, when the wives mentioned that they are checking their husbands SMS, immediately, they woke up with some even responding if they had seen the photos.
Some of the husbands were Christians. Now how can this be? Why is it that professing Christians can still be leading a life of such sin? Using paul's terms, we have not put off our old self and put on the new self. We keep going back to our old sinful ways. That is why Paul said in Ephesians 4:17-19
17So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.
Paul is giving us a warning here. A warning not to go back to our old ways of sin. For the consequences of that is separation from God. And with separation, our sinful selves will harden itself and we will continue to lust for more and more sins.
The downfall of a Christian is not sudden but slowly, progressively degrading. You start initially to console yourselves that skipping a service is ok, then skipping two, then more, and finally, the only service you go to is the funeral service. Sin slowly creeps in unnoticeably. Be warned against this great danger.
Paul proceeds to tell us practical examples on how we can avoid turning back to a life of sin.
First:
25Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.
We should not tell lies. We lie for two reasons. First, we lie because we are afraid. Second, we lie because we are greedy. Ananias and sapphire lied for greed of money and face. They envied barnabas who offered everything he had and sought to earn the same respect. We should not lie because God is truth and we should live in truth which includes telling the truth.
The other practical lesson Paul teaches is about anger.
26"In your anger do not sin"[a]: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27and do not give the devil a foothold.
It is not wrong to get angry. What is wrong is to sin in your anger. Many great man in the bible got angry. Moses got angry when he saw the Israelites worshipping the golden calf. Jesus got angry when he saw his temple being exploited as a market place for people to make profits.
Also, we should rage for a prolonged period as it gives rise to rage and bitterness.
Hence, how do we turn away from a life of sin?
21Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Be taught the truth. Know the truth. Meditate on it, flush it constantly into our minds. Like how flushing clean water into any polluted source clears it.
Also, be made new in our attitudes. In our emotion. To thirst, to love, our God. Understand how much he loves us. Finally, renew our will to serve Him.
Sermon preached on 15 aug by rev Teo kiak hock. My sermon notes.
There was a recent news article on husband and wives. Wives attempted to wake their sleeping husbands up but on several attempts, the husbands continue to sleep. However, when the wives mentioned that they are checking their husbands SMS, immediately, they woke up with some even responding if they had seen the photos.
Some of the husbands were Christians. Now how can this be? Why is it that professing Christians can still be leading a life of such sin? Using paul's terms, we have not put off our old self and put on the new self. We keep going back to our old sinful ways. That is why Paul said in Ephesians 4:17-19
17So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.
Paul is giving us a warning here. A warning not to go back to our old ways of sin. For the consequences of that is separation from God. And with separation, our sinful selves will harden itself and we will continue to lust for more and more sins.
The downfall of a Christian is not sudden but slowly, progressively degrading. You start initially to console yourselves that skipping a service is ok, then skipping two, then more, and finally, the only service you go to is the funeral service. Sin slowly creeps in unnoticeably. Be warned against this great danger.
Paul proceeds to tell us practical examples on how we can avoid turning back to a life of sin.
First:
25Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.
We should not tell lies. We lie for two reasons. First, we lie because we are afraid. Second, we lie because we are greedy. Ananias and sapphire lied for greed of money and face. They envied barnabas who offered everything he had and sought to earn the same respect. We should not lie because God is truth and we should live in truth which includes telling the truth.
The other practical lesson Paul teaches is about anger.
26"In your anger do not sin"[a]: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27and do not give the devil a foothold.
It is not wrong to get angry. What is wrong is to sin in your anger. Many great man in the bible got angry. Moses got angry when he saw the Israelites worshipping the golden calf. Jesus got angry when he saw his temple being exploited as a market place for people to make profits.
Also, we should rage for a prolonged period as it gives rise to rage and bitterness.
Hence, how do we turn away from a life of sin?
21Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Be taught the truth. Know the truth. Meditate on it, flush it constantly into our minds. Like how flushing clean water into any polluted source clears it.
Also, be made new in our attitudes. In our emotion. To thirst, to love, our God. Understand how much he loves us. Finally, renew our will to serve Him.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Live - ers of the Word
No one really wants to hear what we have to say about the love of Jesus until they’ve seen it in our lives (Matt. 5:16).
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
人 种 的 是 甚 麽 ， 收 的 也 是 甚 麽 。
最近阅读大布道家Moody先生的文字刊物。
太造就人了。现在才知道为什么他当时会成为那么多宣教室，牧师，传道的榜样。被他的道激励，忠心，勇敢的侍奉上帝。
刊物的主题是来自加拉太書 6:7-8 的经文
”人 种 的 是 甚 麽 ， 收 的 也 是 甚 麽 。顺 着 情 欲 撒 种 的 ， 必 从 情 欲 收 败 坏 ； 顺 着 圣 灵 撒 种 的 ， 必 从 圣 灵 收 永 生 。”
简单来说，我们要种属灵的种子，必收的庄家就是来生的永生，今生接圣灵的果子。
但如果我们所种是情欲的种子，可能有段站罪中的快乐，但必收的是懊悔，痛苦，死亡。
什么是种情欲的种子？不旦旦只是，贪婪，淫乱，撒谎，高傲，所谓严重的罪，当你所种的对象(object)，不是上帝的时候，那就是种情欲的种子了。
愿我们“顺 着 圣 灵 撒 种 的 ， 必 从 圣 灵 收 永 生”。撒种属灵的种子，必收的是上帝的同在，恩典，怜悯，今生接圣灵的果子。影响人归主。
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Can one just be a believer and not a disciple of Christ?
I am just a believer, not a disciple of Christ.
Can one just be a believer and not a disciple of Christ? In other words, can I just be a level 1 Christian who has once acknowledged Jesus as my saviour but do not really commit my life to Him? I live the way I want, I go to church once in a while, or perhaps on some occasions, even manage to attend multiple services in a week especially during times like Christmas and Good Friday where you know that you just have to get into the 'mood'.
I carry on living the way I want, unfortunately committing the sins that I have always done, but hey I can always just recall back to the moment, where I acknowledged Christ as Saviour. Well don't they always say that once saved always saved?
Who are the disciples of Christ? The disciples or 'level 2' christians are the ones who really heed God's commands to bear the cost of being a disciple, bearing the cross, giving up everything for Him. But really these are the preachers, pastors, missionaries and others whom have devoted their whole lives to God and His call to carrying their own cross. I am just a level 1 christian. I am not called to serve full time needless to say serve more than just one sunday service per week! The bible calls two levels of christians, the believers and the disciples. And I am just contented at being a believer. It allows me space to be the hypocrite that I am, living the way I want, commiting the sins i have always done, but yet, just at a convenient time, I confess my sins to Jesus and immediately, my sins are forgiven and I have the blessed assurance of heaven, though my glory might be less than others (which I am fine with). Or so is it?
Does the above describe you? Can one just be a believer and not a disciple of Christ? Can the believer bring out all the theologies, justification by faith, pre-election, once saved always saved and re-assure himself that non-committal living to Christ can still gain him access to one of the heavenly rooms that Jesus has prepared for him?
Why do we reject being a disciple of Christ? Why do we in the first place have this fallen reasoning that there can be two levels of Christians, the believer and the disciple? For one, being a disciple demands on us. But can one really just be a believer? Is being a believer different from being a disciple? Let's look into the bible and see what Jesus says.
We are familiar with the passages stating the cost of discipleship. Jesus states that if anyone wishes to come after him, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow him (Lk 9:23). He states that disciples should be willing to lose their lives for Jesus (Lk 9:24), not to lose their lives while chasing after things of the world (Lk 9:25), not to be ashamed of him and his words (Lk 9:26). Now who exactly is Jesus talking to here? Just a concentrated group of deeply convicted fervent disciples? No. In Mark 8:34-38, the gospel book records a similar passage of the cost of discipleship. Verse 34 records clearly, "Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."
Jesus was preaching to the crowd. The masses. The multitudes. Everyone. Jesus is preaching the cost of discipleship to everyone. Not a selected group of 'more fervent' christians.
Another passage reiterates this. Luke 14:25-35 records the teaching of discipleship to large crowds.
25Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. 27And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
Jesus wanted to make true disciples. He never softened his message to majority preferences who are contended just to be believers. Instead, he plainly declared the high cost of discipleship. He made several bold demands that would discourage the half hearted.
Even IF there are indeed distinctions between a level 1 and level 2 christian, didn't Luke 10:27 tells us to love our Lord our God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our strength and with all our mind? With this, how can we not be hypocrites and still say that yes we abide by this but yet we still want to be level 1 christians?
The great commission at the end of the gospel of Matthew tells us to make DISCIPLES of all nations. And what to teach the disciples? That they obey all of Jesus commands (denying oneself, taking up his cross daily etc.). The great commandment for evangelism is to make disciples, not just believers.
Are we not all Christians? Do you call yourself a Christian? Who are Christians? Take a look at Acts 11:26. "So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch."
Who are Christians? Disciples.
There is no difference between a believer and disciple. No distinguishing between a level 1 or level 2 christian. Simply said, Believers = Disciples = Christians. Do not let our fallen reasoning control us, but let the bible speak for itself to us, and may the Holy Spirit guides our hearts to accept this truth, to obey as what Jesus commanded. To live as disciples.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Going to Dead Sea Scrolls Exhibition
We will first go to Bank Negara of Indonesia to remit money for the maid, then we will go for lunch at Beppu?? (mummy is hitting me)
And then we will go to the Arts Museum to see the Dead Sea scrolls where the rest of the church members will join us.
Then after that, we will go to Mummy’s friend’s baby who is celebrating his one year old b-day.
Ok, what a boring post this is, well to test Windows Live Writer 2009. Get your free copy now. It comes with many other useful applications like a photo gallery. Well of coz, google still rules.
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