Grace & Fire

ANOTHER PURITAN PRAYER

2009-04-19T13:05:00.000-07:00

Lord Jesus, give me a deeper repentance, a horror of sin, a dread of its approach. Help me chastely to flee it and jealously to resolve that my heart shall be Thine alone.

Give me a deeper trust, that I may lose myself to find myself in Thee, the ground of my rest, the spring of my being. Give me a deeper knowledge of Thyself as saviour, master, lord, and king. Give me deeper power in private prayer, more sweetness in Thy Word, more steadfast grip on its truth. Give me deeper holiness in speech, thought, action, and let me not seek moral virtue apart from Thee.

Plough deep in me, great Lord, heavenly husbandman, that my being may be a tilled field, the roots of grace spreading far and wide, until Thou alone art seen in me, Thy beauty golden like summer harvest, Thy fruitfulness as autumn plenty.

I have no master but Thee, no law but Thy will, no delight but Thyself, no wealth but that Thou givest, no good but that Thou blessest, no peace but that Thou bestowest. I am nothing but that Thou makest me. I have nothing but that I receive from Thee. I can be nothing but that grace adorns me. Quarry me deep, dear Lord, and then fill me to overflowing with living water.

THE INFINITUDE OF GOD, An Overview

2009-03-05T10:48:00.000-08:00

The Lord is a God of infinite worth. He is infinitely worthy of praise, honour and reverence. Ah, even if all creation were to gather together to praise Him for all eternity, none can give Him the true honour He deserves. Who alone but God can please Himself? Can man please God on his own, without grace? Can man truly honour God as He ought to be? Nay. Man’s praise in finite whereas God deserves a praise that is infinite. Hence, without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). It is only by the faith, which He has created in our hearts, that we can truly glorify Him.

It is also because of God’s infinite worth that sin is dealt with much severity. Dear Christian, have you ever wondered why a single act of sin deserves eternal suffering in hell? Ah, it is because sin of any form is committed against a God of infinite worth. If you commit sin against a person who is infinitely worthy, you will be punished infinitely with little regard to the gravity or frequency of your transgression. Big or small sin, it doesn’t matter. You offend God once and you’re doomed, lest you be forgiven at the cross! You see, Adam sinned only once but not even the innocent soil escaped the curse of the law. Whenever we sin, we offend an infinitely worthy and holy God. This is why sin is dealt with much severity. If God were just finitely worthy, then the punishment for offending Him is also finite. But because God is eternally and infinitely worthy, sin, even in the most subtle form, is punishable only by eternal torment. To make less of the punishment for sin is to make less of the offended One’s worth.

Another angle of the countless perspectives to God’s infinitude is God’s infinite character. Dear Christian, the reason why you will never get bored in heaven is because the One who is enthroned there is infinite! After two centuries in heaven, you will get tired of the streets of gold or the pearl gates. But we shall never get tired of the Lord because He is beyond the grasp of finite minds! We will run after Him, hoping to get to know Him fully but we shall never find an end to such endless conquest! Ah, to the wind with the pearl gates, streets of gold or mansions of many a gem. Run after God because He is infinite! We will never get tired of Him or get enough of Him. Dear Christian, start now! To know Him is eternal life! (John 17:3)

Emanating factors from God are also eternal. Life from Him is eternal (1 John 2:25). Redemption from Him is eternal (Hebrews 9:12). The blood covenant which He made is eternal (Hebrews 13:20). Judgment from Him is eternal (Hebrews 6:2). The Gospel He composed is eternal (Revelation 14:6). The Word that cometh from His mouth is eternal (Psalm 119:89). The righteous laws He formed are all eternal (Psalm 119:160). His established ways are eternal (Habakkuk 3:6). He is the eternal and everlasting God after all! (Genesis 21:33)

Finally, we must already know this at the back of our minds – every attribute of God is infinite! His love is eternal – this is why His elect will be loved forever! His wrath is eternal – this is why the unrepentant will be tormented forever! His patience is eternal – this is why He never runs out of it! His glory is eternal – this is why we can never contain Him! His power is eternal – this is why He remains unrivalled! And so on, dear friends, so on, infinitely!

“To Him (God) belongs eternal praise!” (Psalm 111:10)

What then is the effect of the doctrine of God’s infinitude?

1) God’s infinitude fills us with awe and adoration. Have we ever seen such great God? Can anyone be compared to Yahweh, the Lord God, who sits enthroned above heaven and earth? Oh, the regenerate man would go insane trying to comprehend this great God, let alone His workings!

2) God’s infinitude reveals to us how horrid sin really is. Ah, sin is revolting primarily because it is committed against an infinitely holy God! A Christian who knows of God’s infinitude cannot help but weep even at the slightest of his misconducts.

3) God’s infinitude brings great comfort to the repentant but fear to the unrepentant . For the elect to discover that they are eternally loved by an infinitely worthy God is the greatest comfort in this fallen world. On the other hand, for the unrepentant to discover that they are eternally damned by an infinitely holy God brings disembowelling fear. Ah, in the end times, when the Lord finally shows up, the great captains of this world will run in fear, begging the mountains and hills to fall upon them to hide them from the wrath of the Lamb (Hosea 10:8; Luke 23:30)

4) God’s infinitude promotes boasting in the Lord. Boasting in the Lord is one of the many great fruits of God’s infinitude. The Christian will say with fearless boasting in front of pagans: “Who can be compared to the Lord who is my God? Can anyone measure Him? Can anyone challenge Him? Can anyone bring Him down? Ah, my God is a God of infinite worth, undying and overwhelming. Your gods are dead, having done nothing since you’ve made them!”

5) God’s infinitude develops perseverance even in the midst of trouble. The cry of the Christian believer is this: “Even if I lose everything, even if I’m defeated by all my trials, I shall persevere in serving the Lord, my God, for He is infinitely worthy! He is beyond praise, beyond comprehension, beyond apprehension! Such is the Lord, who is my God and in whom I am bound to!”

THE SOLITARINESS OF GOD, An Overview

2009-03-05T10:43:00.000-08:00

The solitariness of God is defined as God’s independence from all His creations. This doctrine is often dismissed as common knowledge but there are many viewing windows to this attribute, just like His other perfections. We shall look at some of these windows as revealed in His inspired Word.

First of all, God is solitary in His existence. God was all alone in the beginning, fully blessed in Himself and in need of no one. He did not create the universe out of obligation or loneliness. Rather, He created because He chose to create and it pleased Him to reveal Himself to His creatures. We need to work out of need. We need to labour to survive. Even animals of the lowest class have to fight their way in this world to gain food. But the Lord did not work for six days out of need. It was a sovereign act on His part to create the universe, not a need to be fulfilled. One of the greatest tragedies of this age is that we ascribe human traits to the Lord as if He were like us. But does not the Scripture repeatedly declare that He is not like us at all? (Psalm 50:21) The Lord has been alone from the beginning. Every living creature in this world has a respective origin. Even inanimate objects such as the heavenly bodies are born from something. But the Lord God had no beginnings. He has been there all alone – self-existent, self-sustaining, self-blessed. No one created Him. No one obligates Him. No high law controls Him. He is solitary. The Lord is the Law Himself and the sole Determiner of the future.

Secondly, God is solitary in His motivation. God is not motivated by anything outside of Himself. He did not love Jacob because he had some special trait that Esau did not have. The Bible says that He loved Jacob even before he did anything. In fact, Jacob had done more displeasing things than Esau and yet the Lord loved him. Is this because Jacob had some form unforseen merit? Or is it because the Lord chose to love him. To this many will say that God is not fair. And to this I will respond in the words of the Apostle Paul (Romans 9:11-24):

11Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God's purpose in election might stand: 12not by works but by him who calls—she was told, "The older will serve the younger." 13Just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."
14What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! 15For he says to Moses,
"I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." 16It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy. 17For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: "I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth." 18Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.
19One of you will say to me: "Then why does God still blame us? For who resists his will?" 20But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? "Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?' " 21Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?
22What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? 23What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory— 24even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?

The Bible cannot be anymore clearer. The motivation of God for saving sinners is based on His effectual calling and not on some unforeseen merit of man (vs. 11-12). Besides, who are we to talk back to God? (vs. 20) Are we special enough to find favour in His holy eyes? We are sinners, rightfully condemned under divine justice and God has all the right to do what He wills (vs. 21).

Thirdly, God is solitary in His works. As the Creator and Sustainer of all life, He is totally independent of His creatures. He works alone. Salvation is by His grace alone. Redemption is by His mercy alone. Sanctification is by His Spirit alone. He does not need man (Acts 17:25), rather, it is us who needs Him (Acts 17:28). Ah, so if God does not need us, why does He call us into ministry? Dear Christian, He calls us into ministry because He wants us to be a part of His work. The Lord is not calling us for His benefit. Neither does He call us out of a desperate need – as if He had one. He is calling us for our benefit, that we may enjoy the privilege of serving Him and experiencing His good grace.

Fourthly, the Lord is solitary in His counsel. His Word is sufficient to direct our lives. His counsel is independent. God does not ask the opinions of His angels on how to run His universe. He does not consider the thoughts of His creatures as if He needed some counselling. As the prophet declares: “Who has understood the mind of the LORD, or instructed Him as His counselor?” (Isaiah 40:23) The Lord God does not reign through democracy, but through monarchy. The gentiles would find this offensive. But, oh how it would even be more repulsive if the Lord was a puppet of the majority vote! This solitariness is also applied in His revealed and inspired Word. The Bible is sufficient and independent. We do not combine God’s Word with the world’s wisdom and make up our own theology. Neither do we discern or apply the Scriptures through psychology, tradition or statistical data. The Holy Scriptures stand on its own, all sufficient in equipping us for every good work (2 Timothy 3:17).

What then is the effect of the doctrine of God’s solitariness to the Christian?

1) God’s solitariness in His existence should deepen our veneration for Him. Ah, no one is like our Lord God! Even before the beginnings, the Lord God has already existed. He has have always been present – fully clothed in His glory even before the foundation of the world. Who can rival Him or explain such case?

2) God’s solitariness in His motivation humbles us and eliminates our pride. God’s election wounds the proud and uplifts the broken. When the Lord says “Jacob I have loved, Esau I have hated”, He is boldly proclaiming that He is God and if He ever chose to love you that is not because you have some special merit that others did not have. He had loved us because He chose to. Hence, the application of His love is often called grace – the undeserved and the unmerited favour of God. Here is the divine irony and the show of God’s true wisdom – those who come before God’s presence wishing to stir Him by their good works are rejected; while those who come before His presence broken and weeping over their inability to stir the Lord to save them are saved.

3) God’s solitariness in His works grants comfort to the righteous and humbles the carnal-minded. Ah, how comforting is it to find out that the Lord does not need man? How relieving is it to find out that God’s will and purpose will stand whether we are successful in our ministries or not? On the contrary, how humbling must it be for the carnal-minded to find out that the Lord is in need of no one? Ah, carnal people want to be acknowledged. They want to be approved. They want to think that they deserve God’s love or deserve His approval because they helped the Lord. But the Lord is solitary and independent. He shares His titles and glories with no one. Hence, the carnal man is humbled.

4) Finally, God’s solitariness in His counsel establishes the sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures in directing us. The Bible is not only infallible. It is also sufficient. One of the greatest plagues in modern-day Christianity is a denial of the Bible’s sufficiency. Is the Bible sufficient in equipping us to do every good work? Or are we to consult psychologists and anthropologists on how to run the Church? Is the Bible’s Gospel message sufficient in saving sinners? Or do we have to water-down the message to make it more attractive to carnal men? Are the Bible’s instructions sufficient? Or do we have to dilute it with the traditions and the wants of the people? Ah, here are the questions that all professing Christians must answer. We are not to conform our teachings to the whims of carnal men. Isn’t it folly to consult the spiritually dead regarding spiritual matters? Also, we are not to learn from psychologists and sociologists on how to govern God’s people. My dear friends, psychology and sociology were created as a protest to God. They are atheistic in both nature and origin. They may contain some “truths” but they are nothing but half-truths and worldly wisdom. We have nothing to do with them. God’s inspired Word is sufficient in directing us all the way.

THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD, A Brief Reminder

2009-01-26T19:21:00.000-08:00

I am deeply grieved because so little a portion of God is exhorted today even amongst the most sincere of Christians. I, myself, had been a slave to the modern culture of the average Christian. Professing believers today have no business with God. They are more interested in practical steps of how to better their lives. They have no desire to know the Lord. They love the gifts more than the Giver.

A conference on "how to be positive during negative times" will have so many guests, but a conference about the attributes of great God of this universe will have but a few spectators. A book of practical steps on improving your lifestyle will be a bestseller. But a book about who God is, what the Gospel is, what conversion is - the very things that contain the glory of God and build character in the life of a Christian - will be on the worst selling list. Some people might even say, "But we know God already, we do not need to be reminded of His character". Oh my dear friend, listen to what you are saying. No, we only know a fragment of God's nature and we will spend eternity in heaven trying to acquaint ourselves with Him but we will always fall short, never arriving at end of our destination.

I would also submit to you dear readers that in this present age, most of the things we know about God are mere assumptions. About 70% of what we know about God comes from Christian cliches, and when it comes down to the application, we can do no better than a corpse.

One of the greatest need today is to begin rediscovering who God is and how His attributes play in the context of Scripture. To know God is eternal life (John 17:3). Yes, we know God is love, but do we understand how His love works? Do we understand that His love is unconditional and it freely offered to you, not because of some special merit you have above others, but simply because it pleased Him to do so? Do we know how different His love is from man? A correct understanding of God's love will cause the repentant to abhor himself and fall down on His knees in wholesome adoration. But how much do all the teachings in many conferences today have to do with who God is? Is it not true that most Christian gatherings are vain pursuits? We talk so much about principles and steps on how to improve our lives, but when have we passionately discussed the dimensions of God's mercy? Or His wrath? Or His immutability?

Some of us would even say that the attributes of God has no practical application. Oh, can you even hear what your saying? Your saying that the knowledge of the God Almighty, the very One who created you and continually sustains you has no practical value?

I tell you dear friend, if you are seeking practical steps to be holy, pondering on the excellencies of God is the best and only place to start. It is only by knowing Him can you submit to Him and love Him at an even greater degree. And I also tell you that you can start at the attributes of God and find yourself satisfied day after day, but you will never reach the end because the very Centerpiece of your study has no end!

Tired of sin? Study the wrath of God and His abhorrence of evil that you may tremble in reverence and remember not to grieve His heart.

Looking for comfort? Run to the sovereignty of God that you may find assurance that nothing is without His reach.

Feeling lukewarm? Exhaust yourself in the knowledge of God's grace that you may weep over your dull heart, remembering that you deserved hell and yet was saved by grace - the unmerited and undeserved favor of God.

Doubting your salvation? Seek to grasp the unconditional love of God that your carnal doubts be purged and in turn, be replaced by faith, hope and love.

Ah, these are but a few examples of the many ways the attributes of God can be put into practice. But be not deceived! Our primary goal in unveiling the attributes of God has nothing to do with the betterment of our lives - far from it! Our main objective in studying the character, nature and excellencies of the Lord is so that we may glorify Him and acquaint ourselves with Him - taking pleasure in Him as we digest His words daily.

May we all exhaust ourselves in His divine excellencies which are so graciously revealed in Scripture!

Jeremiah 9:23,24
This is what the LORD says:
"Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom
or the strong man boast of his strength
or the rich man boast of his riches,
but let him who boasts boast about this:
that he understands and knows Me.."

THE IMMUTABILITY OF GOD, An Overview

2009-01-20T15:10:00.000-08:00

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)

The immutability of God is defined as God's never changing character. He never grows, adapts or changes. His divine attributes and wholesome decrees are subject to no change or revision. He is immutable - a perpetual Rock, an immovable Stronghold, an unshakable Pillar of might! Creatures are subject to mutations but the Creator is not! Nature is subject to alterations but the Nurturer is not! Puppets are controlled by the strings of the puppeteer, but no archangel, no force in the universe, no power in heaven or below will ever control the Lord. None shall and none can shove Him from His almighty position. He is immutable forever and ever!

God is immutable, foremost, in His nature. He is consistent - there is no conflict in Him. He is constant - subject to no modifications. Our understanding may grow, our characters may develop, but His disposition does not. All His divine excellencies, attributes and perfections are solid, unmoved, unchanged, influenced by nothing outside of Him. His nature is constant with no variability. He does not change like the seasons. He does not grow like the trees. He does not age. Ah, the Lord diminishes not! Nor does He gain anything in the centuries. He is at His peak and at His best. He is in need of no change and is subject to no alterations. He is eternally composed and He will never decay. He has always been the same God. He has always been the same King. He has always been and will always be the same Lord and Ruler. Constant is His love. Constant is His mercy. Constant is His sovereignty. Constant is His compassion. Constant is His glory. Constant is His justice. Constant is His wrath - lest it be dealt with on the cross!

God is also immutable in His power. Ah, God is not bothered by that which bothers us! He was not troubled when a third of His angels rebelled. He scoffs at the armies of men and laughs at those who think they can plunder His kingdom. He is never moved or shaken from His place of power. His power, in all essence, is absolute, concrete, unyielding, unrivalled and unchallenged. None can stay His hand (Dan 4:35) or force Him to give way. His power will never change, never wane or never increase.

Thirdly, God is immutable in His Word. His divine Word, spoken or written, does not change. If He swears to do something by His Name, He will do it. If something is written in Scripture, we can trust that it remains infallible for all time. He will not take His promises back or change His mind all of sudden as if He were a wearied old man pacing back and forth. "For God's gifts and his call are irrevocable" (Romans 11:29). Such is the hope of a praying believer - that God will never change His mind. He will never turn back from His word or give up. Even if there is no current evidence, we can be assured that He will complete His promises to those who avail of them by faith. The Lord will finish the work He began (Philippians 1:6)!

Ah, imagine for a moment if the Lord were a mind-changer? Imagine for a moment if the Lord, like man, changes His direction and decides to condemn the very ones He has chose to love eternally? A terrifying thought isn't it? What if God raised His hands in surrender, exclaiming, "You know what? I'm fed up with humanity. They have been constantly sinning against me, constantly rebelling against me with their lifestyle and constantly provoking me to anger with their ungodly thoughts. I give up. I'll send no help. I'll send mo more hard truth. Those whom I have elected, I will forget. The promises I gave, I will withdraw. I'll leave them to themselves until they wake up in hell."

Oh but the Lord is not as such! If He is such, then He is not "God". If He changes His mind and takes back His words which He has declared, then His foreknowledge is not eternal and He is but a slave to some unknown power. He would be like man, like us in thought and emotion - in need of learning and maturity. But the Lord is not! He is the immutable One.

Some of us would probably say, but what about those moments in the Holy Scriptures when the Lord "relented"? Does that mean He made a mistake? Does that mean He cannot fully anticipate the future and thus relented? More importantly, does it mean that He changes His mind? Does it mean that His immutability is only applicable to some divine aspect but not His entire character? To this I shall answer using the words of Arthur W. Pink,

"Perhaps some are ready to object that we ought to read the following: "And it repented the Lord that He had made man" (Gen 6:6). Our first reply is, Then do the Scriptures contradict themselves? No, that cannot be. Numbers 23:19 is plain enough: "God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent." So also in I Samuel 15:29, "The Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for He is not a man, that He should repent." The explanation is very simple. When speaking of Himself, God frequently accommodates His language to our limited capacities. He describes Himself as clothed with bodily members, as eyes, ears, hands, etc. He speaks of Himself as "waking" (Psalm 78:65), as "rising up early" (Jer 7:13); yet He neither slumbers nor sleeps. When He institutes a change in His dealings with men, He describes His course of conduct as "repenting". Yes, God is immutable in His counsel. "The gifts and calling of God are without repentance" (Rom 11:29). It must be so, for "He is in one mind, and who can turn from Him? and what His soul desires, even that He does" (Job 23:13)... God's purpose never alters. One of two things causes a man to change his mind and reverse his plans: lack of foresight to anticipate everything, or lack of power to execute them. But as God is both omniscient and omnipotent there is never any need for Him to revise His decrees. No, "the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations" (Psalm 33:11). Therefore do we read of "His unchangeable purpose" (Heb 6:17)."

The Lord does not "rest" or "wake up". Nor does He have hands or feet. Yet, the Bible describes Him as such to accommodate the language of men and teach us at our level. Hence, when the Bible says "God relents or repents" it does not mean that God made a mistake, changed His mind and is now "trying" to accomplish things in a "better" way. The Scriptures is clear on Numbers 23:19 and Hebrews 13:8. God is not like us. He does not change. His will is constant. His promises are eternal. Besides, if God were a changeling, its all over! Imagine how confusing that would be? All His attributes are now subject to change. All doctrines are now fallible. Worse of all, we have a God who is not really a "god". He has either no omniscient eye to anticipate everything (so is therefore capable of mistakes) or has no omnipotent hand to execute what He so desires. If God changes His mind due to a failure to see or a failure to execute His will, we have no hope in prayer, no hope in His promises and ultimately, no hope for redemption.

But, then again, the Lord is not like such! He is immutable primarily because He is omniscient and omnipotent. He is moved by no external force or philosophy. He does not make mistakes. He does not relent like an impulsive youth lacking in discernment. Nay, the Lord God is the same yesterday, today and forevermore.

What then is the effect of the doctrine of God's immutability?

1) It grants comfort and security to His children. There is a hope to look forward to. There are promises to claim by faith. There is a never changing God who will fulfill what He has declared. There is a God who will never give up on us. 2 Timothy 2:13 - If we are faithless, He is faithful. We can be assured and encouraged that the Lord's everlasting love for His people (Jeremiah 31:3) will remain everlasting despite our momentary lapses to carnality. God is the Refuge we surely can run to. He never changes and is the same forever!

2) It magnifies the glory of God. The fact that God is an unmovable Rock. The fact that God is an unchanging Being plus the fact that His attributes, power and dominion is unchallenged, uninfluenced and unrivalled by anything outside of Himself - all these facts summed up together causes the believer to fall prostrate before the immutable One. Any revealed attribute, perfection or excellency of God always creates worship in His body of believers.

3) It removes confusion and anarchy which Satan seeks to create. As we have previously elaborated, if God changes His mind, then there is no definite ground for our faith. There will be no absolute truth to uphold. The opposite is also true. When there is the hard preaching of an immutable God, there is order, there is sanity, there is wise counsel, there is hope, there is faith, there is truth - unbendable and unchangeable. There is unity and an absolute sense of divine monarchy.

4) It provides godly confidence and makes it easier for His people to trust in all His declared promises, especially the finished work of Christ. How blessed is the believer who finds confidence and assurance on the cross of Calvary? Eternal salvation for a damned sinner is an impossibility if God were mutable. But He isn't and so is His counsel. The Lord is not a chameleon. We can trust Him - really trust Him! "Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the LORD, who has compassion on you (Isaiah 54:10). We can rely and claim His promises daily without fear and doubt. The people who admire us today may conspire against us tomorrow. But the Lord is not like such, hence, we can trust Him with all confidence.

May the Lord's immutability encourage us to trust and admire Him even more!

A QUOTE THAT IS SO REAL TO ME!

2009-01-17T20:57:00.000-08:00

"Fear of failure is pride" - Paul Washer

I am afraid of failing primarily because failure ruins reputation. This is an accursed weakness of mine and by grace it shall be dealt with much severity by the Lord.

May an ever increasing measure of willingness and dependency on God fill my heart!

PRAYERS FROM THE DIARY OF RUTH BRYAN

2009-01-06T08:03:00.000-08:00

1830

Be pleased, dear Lord, to grant me during the present year–more of Your gracious presence, more tenderness of conscience and fear of offending You; more humility, stronger faith, and more entire devotedness to Your cause. Enable me to leave my temporal concerns entirely with You, to walk by faith, to have my treasure in heaven, and to manifest by my conduct–that I am Your disciple. Let me not grow cold or lukewarm–but may “I lay aside every weight and the sin which does so easily beset me, and may I run with patience the race set before me, looking unto Jesus. Amen.”

1832

“Here I raise my Ebenezer.” Thus far the Lord has brought me. Though the past has been a year of multiplied transgressions and backslidings, I trust, through His abundant mercy, my face is still Zionward, and that my prevailing desire is to be devoted entirely to His service. Take me, dearest Lord, and form me for Your own glory. I feel much bodily weakness. Oh, that through the crevices of this frail tabernacle, I may see some of the glories of the eternal world!

1840

Most dear and precious Christ, I had not thought to see another new-year’s day–but hoped before now–to have beheld You face to face! Like him of old, who was possessed of a legion of demons, I besought that I might be with You. But for a season, You have seen good to withhold the full answer to my request. “May Your will be done!” Glorify Yourself in me, and be much, very much with me, until You shall say, “Arise, my love, and come away,” to be with Me forever! I desire most humbly and unreservedly, in Your own strength, to yield to Your Divine disposal–all I have and am, and to continually lose my wish and will, in Yours. I would lay at Your feet all creatures and created good, with every seeming evil–and embrace Yourself, my Jesus, as my joy, portion, happiness, wisdom, strength, peace–yes, my all in all–for the coming year, or so much of it as I tarry upon earth; and then, as my joyful, blissful portion through eternity! Oh, lead me, Holy Comforter, more into Christ–and out of SELF! I have had much of blessing–but I long and pray for more; in Jesus’ name. Enlarge my expectations more, I beg You–and more I shall receive. “Lord, increase my faith.”

1842

Precious Christ, I come with a large request for 1842: it is that You would be the “Alpha and Omega” of it. Do You not say, “Ask what I shall give you?” Yourself, Lord! You have most blessedly given Yourself to me. But I find sweet liberty to entreat more unfolding, revealing, and opening of Your glorious person, amazing work, and matchless love, than I have yet had; and more losing and treading down of SELF, too–that I may be lost in Your fullness, and forgotten and forsaken in Your soul-absorbing glories. Oh! raise me higher, draw me nearer, that I may daily die, and You live in me more manifestly. I just give myself to You, to live on You, to live in You, to live for You, more and more than heretofore, and that by the power of the Spirit resting on me. I humbly ask that mine may be a large and still-increasing portion; that, under fresh anointings, You, most lovely Jesus, may be more fully known, more loved, more served; for it is to You the Holy Spirit leads, of You He testifies.

Oh, do make this a large, rich, full year! You being increasingly honored in me, and I increasingly lost in You, and made an increasing blessing to Your dear people. An Ebenezer for past mercies befits me; large and magnificent have been Your bestowments; bountiful and constant Your favors to me–a poor worthless nothing! “Bless the Lord, O my soul–and all that is within me, bless His holy name!”

THE LOVE OF GOD, An Overview

2009-01-05T20:02:00.001-08:00

God is love (1 John 4:8). He does not just uphold love or promote it. He is love. He is the very definition of love. There is no being apart from God who truly knows, truly understands and truly practices love in its pristine form.

A father can so love his son to the point that he would give up anything for his child - even his life. A single mother can so love her children that she would work 24-7, find little rest and still do all the housework - all for her children. Ah, but God's love exceeds all these examples - and all the instances that will ever be made! If we sinners know how to give good gifts, how much more will God who is perfect? (Matthew 7:11)

God's love is unconditional. In order to be loved in this world, you have to meet certain conditions. You have to fulfill certain tasks and establish a "lovable" social image for you to be accepted. But God's love is different. His love is governed by no condition, law or obligation. His love is freely given without conditions. If His love were conditional, no one would be loved by God. But bless and praise Him for He loved us sinners and even died for us despite our countless trespasses! (Romans 5:8).

In the words of Arthur W. Pink "There was nothing whatever in the objects of His love to call it into exercise, nothing in the creature to attract or prompt it. The love which one creature has for another is because of something in them, but the love of God is free, spontaneous, uncaused."

The LORD did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the LORD loved you... (Deuteronomy 7:7,8). Such is the mysterious and marvelous inspiration of the psalmist who wrote "Amazing grace! How sweet the sound! It saved a wretch like me!" Or consider the song "What did you see in me Lord that you loved me?!" Ah, the Lord saw nothing in us to love us. None can say "I deserve and earned the love of God!". Such is an atrocious statement for He did not love us because of us. He loved us in spite of us. God did not foresaw some excellence in men who are dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1). Our most righteous works are but filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). But He loved us because it pleased Him. Hence the Apostle Paul's declaration on Ephesians 1:4,5 - In love, He predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will. Dear friends, it is not of ourselves that we were loved for we are but sinners in the eyes of the Holy; but we were loved by Him because of His own pleasure and will! Oh, how I praise and thank God that His love is not based on man! If God loved me because of my own merit, I would be in hell at this moment - for there have been many times when I have vulgarly detested His counsel. There have been countless times where I pursued not His kingdom. But I praise Him that He loves us unconditionally! God alone made a decision to love us in accordance to His own sovereign pleasure, not in accordance to conditions to be met by the creature. How humbling and comforting!

God's love is also eternal. His love never fails. His love is never quenched. As God is unrivaled, so is His love. His love has no limits nor can it be limited. His love does have an ending nor does it have a beginning! Jeremiah 31:3 - I have loved you with an everlasting love. In love, the Lord has predestined His people even before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4,5). How can any man comprehend such love? He loved us even before the foundation of the world?! (Ephesians 1:4) Solomon declares the same about his appointment on Proverbs 8:23. As in the case of Jeremiah, God knew and loved His people even before they were in their mother's womb (Jeremiah 1:5). Such is the love of the Lord for His people! He deserves all the glory!

Thirdly, God's love is immutable. His love never changes. The love of men can mutate over the years but His love does not, cannot and will not. There is not variability in His love. His love is not a "here today, gone tomorrow" kind of deal. If He has declared His love for you, it will remain that way for all time. Seasons change. Time passes. Earthly goods perish. But it is not the same for His love. His love is true and constant.

Fourthly, God's love is holy. It is without blemish. It is perfect and wholesome in its essence. His love is incorruptible. His love is sound. It is not blind or unjust. His love is perfect and those who receive it are made perfect through both justification and regeneration. Contrary to the popular belief, God does not just accept the wicked. God does not wink over sin or treat sinners as if they have never transgressed - far from it! Nay. God's love is pure, thus, the recipients of His love were foremost forgiven through the cross, and then sanctified through the Holy Spirit.

Last but not the least, God's love manifests greatly. His love is real and effectual. It is not just a mere emotional feeling or an intellectual ascension. No. God's love is authentic, existent - hence is articulated in many unforeseen ways. The greatest manifestation of His love is on the cross of Calvary. God's ultimate expression of His love for His people is eternally visible in His Son, who ultimately suffered and died as payment for our sins. It was us who should have been damned. It was us who should have suffered the penalty of our sins. But Jesus took the punishment, the law, the justice, the wrath of the Almighty to reconcile us with Him. If this is not the greatest manifestation of love in this world, I do not know what is.

What then is the effect of the doctrine of God's love?

1) It deepens the believer's love and adoration for God. Apprehending a portion of God's character has always caused the regenerate to fall prostrate in deep reverence and fear.

2) It motivates the believer to walk in holiness with his God. An understanding of God's love fills the believer with madness! The Christian cannot help but follow the Lord who loved him unconditionally.

3) It humbles the believer. Accepting God's love which is undeserved and unmerited is deeply humbling to the creature. It reveals mankind's inability and depravity. A proper teaching of God's love confronts the boastful and instills a spirit of resignation. No believer shall say that he deserved and earned the love of God. Rather, he shall say, with much weeping, that he deserved death and yet was loved by God. Ah, what a joy is it for a sinner to be found in the love of the Lord!

4) It crushes doubt and forms resolution in the heart of the Christian. When this doctrine is made reality, resolution takes precedence over doubt. There is little room for question and mistrust. If we, sinners by heart and deed, are capable of loving people to a degree of self-sacrifice, how much more capable is God who is infinitely good and perfect? Such reality is doubt-crushing and resolve-forming.

5) It grants a strong assurance and encouragement to the believer. God's immutable, never-changing, infinite, eternal and unconditional love produces a grounded assurance to every believer in many ways! A doubting believer who has decided to believe in God's love is assured during trials - whether he wins or loses. A "lonely" believer who has decided to embrace the love of God is never alone. A weak believer who has decided to trust in God's love finds strength. A believer who has transgressed will find peace and joy once He accepts the fact that God loves him no matter what. The examples go on for eternity!

May His love be lavishly proclaimed!

QUOTES ON THE IMPORTANCE OF DOCTRINE

2009-01-02T11:44:00.000-08:00

John MacArthur: Sound, biblical doctrine is a necessary aspect of true wisdom and authentic faith. The attitude that scorns doctrine while elevating feelings or blind trust cannot legitimately be called faith at all, even if it masquerades as Christianity. It is actually an irrational form of unbelief.

Martin Downes, On difference to doctrine: "Evangelicals who are indifferent to doctrine are a danger to Christianity. Church leaders who do not “hold firmly to the trustworthy word as taught” will never be able to bring God’s people to mature godliness (which requires instruction in sound doctrine), nor will they be able to ward off infiltrators who teach another gospel (Titus 1:9)."

Martyn Lloyd-Jones: "There are many today who regard truth and error as matters of small consequence; if a man lives rightly, they say, it matters not much what his beliefs and opinions are. Such statements do not surprise us. Night and day are all one to a blind man. Truth and error are all one to an ignorant man.

Richard Baxter: Take heed to yourselves, lest your example contradict your doctrine…lest you unsay with your lives what you say with your tongues, and be the greatest hinderers of the success of your own labors.

William Webster: "The promotion of unity at the expense of truth is satanic; it is demonic; it is not true unity. It is not the unity of the Holy Spirit for He is the Spirit of Truth. The Scriptural command which we have in Ephesians to promote the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace is given to those who have a common foundation of truth. Truth by its very nature divides. Where you have appeal to unity at the expense of truth all you can produce is uniformity."

Mark Kielar: "I’m always amazed by the people who, despite God’s clear and emphatic commands through the Apostle Paul, say things like, “Ah, we need to forget about the differences in our doctrines, and we just need to love one another.” as though those two are consistent goals. Surely they haven’t come to realize that the only way we can love right is to live right, and the only way we can live right is to believe right."

Leonard Ravenhill: "One of these days some simple soul will pick up the Book of God, read it, and believe it. Then the rest of us will be embarrassed."

Knowing The Gospel Does Not Seem To Matter Anymore

2009-01-01T18:11:00.000-08:00

From John MacArthur, Hard To Believe, pages 187-188

It should come as no surprise that, at this point in time, the enemy of men’s souls—God’s archenemy, Satan himself—has cranked up his efforts to prevent the spread of the gospel. One of his primes tactics is to make the church confused about what the gospel is. It doesn’t do any good to have this fantastic contemporary communication technology, or wealth, manpower, and passion to take the gospel message to the ends of the earth, if you don’t know what the gospel message is. So it’s certainly a wise strategy on the part of the enemy of men’s souls to confuse the church about the message.

Along with many others, I’ve been preaching, teaching, and writing to try and clarify for Christians what the gospel is. They’re not really sure whether Jesus is Lord or not, or whether He needs to be Lord or not. It doesn’t seem to be important these days that people understand the true biblical doctrine of justification by faith alone, through grace alone, in Christ alone. It doesn’t seem to matter to some people that there be repentance of sin, and that we preach repentance. In fact, some people think the idea of repentance is intrusion into grace. They fail to comprehend the doctrine of substitution and imputation, which is the true understanding that God imputed (meaning ascribed or assigned) our sins fully to a substitute who died in our place, and that we contribute nothing to our salvation but lay hold of eternal life by faith in that substitute.

In spite of the absolute clarity of the gospel, even so-called evangelicals can end up with a fuzzy view of their faith because of all the confusion in the air. I’ve heard the pastor of a very large evangelistic church claim, “The Reformation was overrated as to its importance.” No. What the Reformation did was define the gospel and rescue it from its corrupters. Not only do we seem unsure what the gospel is sometimes, we’re not even convinced it’s important to get it right. That is a tragic mistake. Here we are, with all this awesome potential to spread the gospel to the ends of the earth, and we’re not sure what the gospel is!

In the process of stewing about the issue, the church has gotten shallower and shallower. One reason is because churches have proliferated everywhere in which the pastors are personality-driven leaders, men who don’t have the theological grounding to define issues biblically with any depth. Another reason is this tragic and misguided concern not to offend anybody, to make church fun and entertaining, resulting in some kind of synthetic gospel that doesn’t have enough truth in it to save anybody.

Such An Inspired Prayer! Now I Know Why The Puritans Are "Puritans"

2009-01-01T18:04:00.000-08:00

Holy Lord, I have sinned times without number, and been guilty of pride and unbelief, of failure to find Thy mind in Thy Word, of neglect to seek Thee in my daily life. My transgressions and short-comings present me with a list of accusations, but I bless Thee that they will not stand against me, for all have been laid on Christ. Go on to subdue my corruptions, and grant me grace to live above them. Let not the passions of the flesh nor lustings of the mind bring my spirit into subjection, but do Thou rule over me in liberty and power.

I thank Thee that many of my prayers have been refused. I have asked amiss and do not have, I have prayed from lusts and been rejected, I have longed for Egypt and been given a wilderness. Go on with Thy patient work, answering ‘no’ to my wrongful prayers, and fitting me to accept it. Purge me from every false desire, every base aspiration, everything contrary to Thy rule. I thank Thee for Thy wisdom and Thy love, for all the acts of discipline to which I am subject, for sometimes putting me into the furnace to refine my gold and remove my dross.

No trial is so hard to bear as a sense of sin. If Thou shouldst give me choice to live in pleasure and keep my sins, or to have them burnt away with trial, give me sanctified affliction. Deliver me from every evil habit, every accretion of former sins, everything that dims the brightness of Thy grace in me, everything that prevents me taking delight in Thee. Then I shall bless Thee, God of jeshurun, for helping me to be upright.

Taken from The Valley of Vision- A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions

THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD, An Overview

2009-01-01T17:34:00.000-08:00

I have decided to start the year with a series about the attributes of God. By His grace, I have decided to write about His glories which are so vibrantly revealed in Scripture. Of course, no one can truly comprehend the greatness of God, but this should not hinder us from acquainting ourselves with Him. We must know who God is in all His undefiled beauty. Only through such venture can we find real satisfaction. In this series, we shall start with the sovereignty of God.

The sovereignty of God is defined as God’s control and supremacy over everything. He does whatever He pleases and no man can hinder His decrees (Job 23:13). He frustrates the wisdom of the wise and scoffs at the plans of the skilled (1 Corinthians 1:19). There are many devices in man’s heart but God’s counsel alone shall stand (Proverbs 19:21). No one can question God or enslave Him (Isaiah 45:11). He is the unrivalled Creator God and He does everything He pleases (Psalm 135:6) in accordance to His own good counsel (Ephesians 1:11). He grants mercy to those who do not deserve it, and bestows faith on the faithless. Hence, the fearsome declaration on Romans 9:15: “I will have mercy to those whom I will and have compassion to those whom I choose”. Ah, how it makes a mere creation reverently tremble with the knowledge that we are under His mercy! But how equally comforting is it also to know that God is omnipotent and in control!

God is sovereign over times, seasons and events. It was He who caused the sun to stop at the time of Joshua. It was also the Lord who caused time to run 10 paces backwards as a sign to King Hezekiah. It was He who turned the worst act of men, the crucifixion, to the greatest act for men, our salvation. It was He who used the afflictions of Job for his own benefit. He turns suffering into joy and turns the tide of battle wherever He pleases. By the stroke of His hand, a kingdom falls. But by the same hand, He raises a nation in a day! How fearsome, mighty and glorious is this Lord!

God is also sovereign over all creation. Every inanimate entity is under His command. Rain pours when He wills it. Sun shines wherever He pleases. Every living organism in this planet is known to God and sustained by Him. Not a single sparrow falls to the ground without Him knowing (Matthew 10:29). He created the fiercest animals. It was He who made the Ostrich foolish with her young but wise in sport (Job 39: 13-18). God feeds the cubs of lions and directs the eagle to its prey.

With a word, God created the universe. With single utterance, light came to existence. He sustains all life and in Him do all things hold together (Col 1:17). It was He who designed some plants to bear many a beautiful flower; while some to bear not a single one. It was He who ordained that some trees were to die after a few years and some to last for all time. He does all these things for His own sovereign pleasure. Ah, shall anyone question Him or His right to do so?

All men alike are subject to Him. He grants mercy to the wicked as He pleases and none shall question that. He withholds His justice and chooses to be patient even with the most despicable men! It is He who transformed the Gospel persecutor Saul into the Gospel preacher Paul. He sways kings and turns them wherever He pleases (Proverbs 21:1).

The enemy, himself, can only do what God allows. We find out in the book of Job that none can be touched by Satan without God’s permission. It was He who allowed the devil to test Job. It was God who allowed an evil spirit to act treacherously against Abimelech in Judges 9:23. It was also He who allowed Saul to be tormented by an evil spirit for his disobedience (1 Samuel 16:15; 1 Samuel 18:10). God can destroy all evil at this moment. But in accordance to His pleasure, mercy and foreordination, He has decided to restrain His righteous anger until the Day of Judgment.

God alone is subject to worship. He subdues mighty angels with a single word – such as the one sent to destroy a nation in 1 Chronicles 21:17. The demons know the Lord well and they shudder fearfully at the thought of Him (James 2:19). They even run to Him and bow down in fear (Mark 3:11; 5:6). None can withstand God and His righteous rod has no limitations. There is nothing beyond His reach and nothing too difficult for Him to do. Ah, how formidable and comforting is the declaration of the Apostle Paul on Colossians 1:16-17

For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

What then is the effect of the doctrine of God’s sovereignty to the Christian?

1) It increases the depth of our veneration for God. To be affirmed in Scripture that God is before all things results to a higher esteem of His worth. A glimpse of God’s sovereignty causes a regenerate believer to fall prostrate before His holy throne. It evokes a song of praise, a spirit of fear and a deep adoration for God. It removes the belittling of God and sets our hearts straight.

2) It humbles men and puts them in their proper place before Him. How humbling is it to find out that God is in control and not man? How it defeats our sinful flesh to rediscover again and again that it is God who holds all things and without Him nothing can be accomplished? The knowledge of God’s sovereignty is deeply humbling to the creature.

3) It repudiates boasting in self and promotes boasting in the Lord. Paul declares in 1 Corinthians 4:7 “For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?” There is no place for boasting before God when His sovereignty is boldly proclaimed. No one shall say to God “I saved myself. I deserved salvation and I did it on my own will.” Foolish man, there is no one who seeks God (Romans 3:11). It is only by His power that you were able to because faith is a gift from God, not of ourselves (Ephesians 2:8). It is not that we loved God initially, but that He loved us eternally (1 John 4:10). We did not deserve to saved, yet He saved us. This is why salvation is only possible by grace alone – the unmerited and undeserved favour of God.

4) It grants rest, security, and comfort amidst affliction and doubt. Those who embrace the sovereignty of God will find comfort in the midst of trials, knowing their God is in control and that they are suffering for a good reason. They also receive security and assurance in their salvation knowing that even though there are periods of unfaithfulness, none can snatch them from the hand of God (Romans 8:38). They also find rest – Psalm 4:8 “I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.” In these busy days, is it not truly refreshing and relieving to find out that God is in control no matter what?

5) Finally, we shall find the boldness to endure and persevere by trusting in God’s sovereignty. Psalm 56:11 “In God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” This shall be the cry of a believer who has been trained by the knowledge of God’s sovereignty.

Truly the nations are but a drop in a bucket in God’s sight (Isaiah 40:15) and men are but a speck of dust under His palms (Psalm 90:3). God the omnipotent, the omniscient and the omnipresent One is the sole Ruler and Governor of all things! To Him be the glory now and forever!

WHY CHRISTIANS ARE RIDICULED?

2008-12-17T10:49:00.000-08:00

Disclaimer/Warning: (1) Not for lovers of self, but for the lovers of truth. (2) Not for hard hearts that are easily provoked to anger, but for broken hearts who are willing to change and fight the good battle.

We had a Bible study in the College and Career group recently about following God. One of the topics that came out was the persecution of Christians. We stayed on that topic for quite a bit and we shared our own experiences and thoughts regarding persecution.

Why are Christians ridiculed? Apart from the worldly hatred that was specially made for the followers of Christ, I believe Christians are persecuted because of their "lack of trueness". You see Muslims are known for their zeal for alah and they are 'respected' because of such overwhelming zeal. They are ready to give their lives away no matter what the cost. If the glory of alah is at stake, sacrifices are not only necessary but inevitable for them. Buddhists are known for their belief in the spiritual ascension of the soul. They devote themselves to it and they try to abstain and keep themselves pure. They live true to their convictions and beliefs no matter how misdirected are. Professing Christians, on the other hand, have little of what is true which is why the world finds us as objects of laughter. You see, we believe that Christ died for us and paid the penalty of our sins. We believe that we were going to hell but were saved by grace alone. Every other religion is a religion of works - "I'm going to heaven because of my good works. I am a good man." but real Christianity states that - "No one is going to make it in heaven, hence we need a Saviour - Christ Jesus and apart from Him no one will make it". We have the truth right in our desks but do we even believe such things?

You see if professing Christians would actually start believing and doing what they are saying, maybe the world will take us seriously instead laughing at us. Of course, there will always be that worldly hatred directed at the sheep of God but at the least, they will hate us for the right reasons. Christians were never laughed at for their ungodly and hypocritical lives. They were hated for their intimacy with God and enmity with the world. And yes, they will hate us even more but at least, we are hated for being good (Jesus says rejoice at this) instead of being laughed at for being a hypocrite.

The world truly finds us funny. You see, our hymns in Churches every Sunday contain "Jesus saved me from my sins! Amen!" and yet where is the zeal when your no longer in Church? We believe in salvation by grace alone and yet, where is the zeal for the lost? Salvation by grace alone is something big - colossal. Like I said, every other religion is a religion of works. Christianity is the only that believes that no one is going to make it lest we repent and believe in the Gospel (Mark 1:15) - saved by grace alone. Yet if we truly believe that apart from God's grace, no one is going to make it, where is the zeal for the lost? Are we even laboring for them in prayer every night?

I am a Christian but even in my own sight, I find us "funny" sometimes. This isn't just the world's problem. This is our problem. How can even think of revival when the next thing we do is laugh at the worldliness and ungodliness of TV shows? How can we cry out for spiritual abundance when behind God's back we due the very things He hates? I'm sure, the world isn't the only one who finds us funny.

(Told you, this is not for people who love themselves but for people who are willing to live their changed life)

Moreover, special thanks to the modern day evangelist who does not have enough courage to confront the wickedness in the Church and instead makes an excuse - "I'm too loving to tell people the truth or employ any kind of Church discipline.." I found this seriously funny when I heard it. "Too loving?" More loving than Jesus? Jesus told the truth and warned those who were against it. More loving than the Apostle Paul? Paul encouraged a Church discipline with love and compassion to guard the sheep of God from worldliness. Maybe we need to redefine what true love is for the moment. But not only love, but true Christianity as well.

Lastly, my deepest thanks to the modern day evangelist again, who, instead of telling the truth and preaching the Gospel in its fullness, he reduces it down to suit the itching ears of men - and behold, more people in this amplified hypocrisy. This is not Gospel preaching at all. This is gospel marketing. This is not for the glory of God. This is merely to keep the people coming to Church. This is not love for God or the truth. This is obsession with success so that the Church would look "super" in the eyes of the world. What good it is to gain thousands of men through a false evangelical hoop compared to one real convert born from the truth of God? To keep a bunch of people coming for the wrong reasons, such an evangelist would starve the sheep of God. I can assure you, this kind of evangelist will answer to the One who loves the sheep.

I know. I have been hard, satyrical and sarcastic. But are these things not true? Let the way a deliver things not be an excuse for us to ignore what is being said. There is nothing wrong with us repenting - I do and I do it quickly, everyday. I also do not claim to have some form of piety for I have none. There are many times that I have been ungodly. But is it not better to hear the truth than be flattered by a million half-truths and cliches? The truth is the only thing we have.

If we do not stand for the things we believe or even "believe" the things that we preach, I cannot blame the world for laughing at us. As what our Bible study leader said, "We need to be counter-cultural". To the wind with cultural relevance if it makes you fall! If you do not want to be different or peculiar to the world then you want something that God does not want. How can we even think of making the Church look like the world - the very embodiment of what killed our Master? There is an otherness in a Christian because he truly is "other" - born from above, forgiven, set apart and most importantly, saved by grace, all for the glory of God.

"Eternal life does not begin when you enter the gates of pearl. It begins in conversion."
(P.D. Washer)

Grace and peace be with you!

ON THE GOSPEL

2008-11-26T11:56:00.000-08:00

"Do men really believe that there is a gospel for each century? Or a religion for each fifty years? Will there be in heaven saints saved according to a score sorts of gospel? Will these agree together to sing the same song? And what will the song be? Saved on different footings, and believing different doctrines, will they enjoy eternal concord, or will heaven itself be only a new arena for disputation between varieties of faiths?"

"That which is new in theology is not true; the gospel was of full stature at its very birth; no man can add to it or take away from it."

"There are many points and particulars in which the gospel is offensive to human nature, and revolting to the pride of the creature. It was not intended to please man.How can we attribute such a purpose to God? Why should he devise a gospel to suit the whims of our poor fallen human nature? He intended to save men, but he never intended to gratify their depraved tastes."

-Charles Spurgeon (taken from Josh Williamson's blog)

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE STATE OF TODAY'S CHUCH?

2008-11-16T23:10:00.000-08:00

A glimpse on what's going on in the majority of Christian churches of today. Oh, how we desperately need revival!

TEN INDICTMENTS AGAINST THE MODERN CHURCH - BY PAUL WASHER

2008-11-07T20:16:00.001-08:00

Preached Wednesday, October 22nd at the Revival Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. Paul Washer delivers a urgent appeal to the Christians and Churches in North America that many have been believing a false gospel and have false assurance of their salvation. He lists 10 indictments against the modern Church system in America. We need a reformation and revival of a biblical standard! It will not happen unless we stop what we are doing and turn towards God and God alone. The sermon is long but it will provide enough for you to meditate on for months to come.

1. A practical denial of the sufficiency of Scripture.
2. An ignorance of God.
3. A failure to address man’s malady.
4. An ignorance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
5. An ignorance of the doctrine of regeneration.
6. An unbiblical gospel invitation.
7. An ignorance regarding the nature of the Church.
8. A lack of loving and compassionate Church discipline.
9. A lack of teaching and understanding of holiness.
10. A replacement of Scriptures by Sociology and Psychology in terms of family.

Watch the video below

Or watch it in this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_r-bGk8KG8

QUOTES FROM LEONARD RAVENHILL

2008-11-07T08:49:00.000-08:00

"If weak in prayer, we are weak everywhere." — Leonard Ravenhill

"Are the things you are living for worth Christ dying for?" — Leonard Ravenhill

"A sinning man stops praying, a praying man stops sinning" — Leonard Ravenhill

"The only reason we don't have revival is because we are willing to live without it!" — Leonard Ravenhill

"God pity us that after years of writing, using mountains of paper and rivers of ink, exhausting flashy terminology about the biggest revival meetings in history, we are still faced with gross corruption in every nation, as well as with the most prayerless church age since Pentecost." — Leonard Ravenhill

"The Church used to be a lifeboat rescuing the perishing. Now she is a cruise ship recruiting the promising." — Leonard Ravenhill

"My main ambition in life is to be on the devil's most wanted list." — Leonard Ravenhill

"If Jesus had preached the same message that ministers preach today, He would never have been crucified." — Leonard Ravenhill

IS IT RIGHT FOR A TRUE CHRISTIAN TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT?

2008-11-05T17:10:00.000-08:00

First of all, I am not against a Christian running for president. I believe it is possible for God to call a member of His beloved to govern a nation. However, I cannot also incline to the other side of the court and say that Christians should desire political offices. Why? Because there are many universal Biblical facts that show that there is no need for such. I have listed these facts below to help you with your judgment.

FACTS

1) The primary goal of a Christian believer is not to "fix the world". God has never commanded us to gain ground here. Our purpose is not to "fix the world" or "make it a better place" even though we do affect nations positively. Our main purpose is to preach the Gospel and tell people about the eternal God for His glory and the salvation of men.

The Bible describes the world as a place ruled by the prince of darkness, aka the devil, himself. It even goes far to state that mankind would abandon truth and become more wicked as generation goes by. This is indeed a present reality and will go on. Thus, our goal is not to change the world even though we do partially change the world as we live in submission to God. Our goal is to teach people about God and get as many people out of this sinking, rotting place until He comes back to judge the condemned and redeem His followers.

2) Jesus will come back to earth once all have heard the Gospel and the full number of His elect is completed. He will return as a Judge. To those who did not believe, He will come with fire. To those who did believe, He will come with grace. But this is not all. The Bible says there will be a "new heaven" and "new earth". Therefore, it is Jesus who will ultimately fix the world, not us.

This is one of the reasons why I cannot totally go to the other side and openly declare that Christians should run as presidents or senators. If Jesus will fix the world on His return, what's the point of doing it now? Didn't He just commanded us to preach the Gospel and live for Him until He returns? But then again, I also cannot say that Christians cannot run as presidents. If a Christian truly feels it is the will of God for him to run, why not? There are some Biblical references to this. The only thing that should be remembered is that our goal is not to fix the world. Only God can do that and He will do that. Our concern is living for Him on a daily basis, worshipping Him and preaching Him to the lost that they too may join our fellowship.

3) God is sovereign. This is the biggest fact that we have to face. If God is sovereign, what's the sense of running for president even with the good intention of changing the world? Everything is under His control. Should not we just focus on what He has commanded us to do? There's a lot of struggles we have to face to bother ourselves with such a task. Our neighbors.. have they already heard the Gospel? It is better to stick to God's will than go outside of it, even if you have good and pure motives.

4) God is the only who is capable of fixing this world. Even those in the annals of history who have changed the world, believers or non-believers, did so by the grace and power of God.

5) Lastly, God has promised to reorder His universe, cleansing it from the dark horde that governs it and the unregenerate who loves it. He promises a future, which is soon to come, in which He would personally dwell with His people and wipe every tear. There would be no more sin, war, suffering or chaos.

In Biblical prophecy, when God declares something to come, it is considered a reality, not a possibility. Thus, it is just a matter of time before these things are fulfilled.

Let us wait anxiously for these things, continuing to do what He has commanded us to do until the full measure of His elect are saved. When all have heard the Good News, He will come back to restore all things, fulfilling all of Scripture.

NOTHING OF THIS WORLD CAN SATISFY CHRISTIANS

2008-10-24T02:51:00.000-07:00

If you're a child of the King, nothing of this world can satisfy you. Nothing!

-Paul David Washer

AN EXPOSED DELUSION

2008-10-23T09:03:00.000-07:00

A realization has to be written. A truth must be spoken. Alas! I know this note will surely grieve many but such an atrocious delusion must be exposed. I must confess: the way we define love in this generation will disgust the Author of it.

How can we tell when people love us? Well, according to the world, "the one who loves me is the one who affirms me, who says that I'm special or who builds me up." Sorry but this is rather a twisted point of view. It is expected though. This thinking is natural; coming from a fallen world where man thinks he is deserving and the beneficiary of everything.

If you would seek the counsel of the Scriptures, you would realize that this thinking is partly right and yet is brilliantly used out of context. The best delusions are mixtures of truth and falsehood. But truth is oil and the world is water. They can never be mixed. Truth mixed with falsehood is no longer true. An example would be the serpent's lie in the garden. Another would be the tempting words thrown by Satan to Christ in the desert. Satan, the great deceiver, was so brilliant in quoting verses. The prince of darkness did so accurately, without a single mistake.. except for one: he used the Scriptures out of context.

So going back, the idea of "the one who loves me is the one who affirms me" isn't true. It is true that those who love us affirm us BUT they do not affirm us by going with the things that we like to do. They affirm us by teaching us the truth.

The principle that says "what sounds good to me is right & what is not is wrong" is not only unbiblical but grossly selfish and immoral. Sorry for the harsh words, but we don't gauge our lives on what sounds good to our ears or what we feel is right. I'm sure you, by instinct, know that. We gauge it on one thing: the truth. The question that we should ask when someone is teaching is not "does it feel right?"; rather, it should be "its painful to hear but is it true? because if it is, then we should conform ourselves to it"

As a Christian, I believe that the Bible is the only absolute truth. My thinking, my philosophy or even my experience does not count unless they are affirmed by Scripture. We must seek to radically conform ourselves to the truth. If not, well, the Bible says, we would be like men building a house on sand. A comical illustration but true to anyone who refuses to submit to the truth.

Aaron Messner enlightens us on one of the signs of genuine love:

For many of us, our rule of life goes something like this: 'To love me, is to affirm me. It is to tell me that I am wonderful. I am special.' I ask, 'Is that really the sign of true love? Is it unconditional affirmation? Unconditional support? Unconditional praise?' You know, that may be a picture of love in our world, but if we look to the Scriptures in an effort to answer these questions, we actually get a very different picture of love. Who loves you? Well, you may be able to summarize scriptural teaching in this way: 'The one who loves me is the one who labors to tell me the truth, and is willing to sacrifice themselves so that I may come to know that truth and conform my life to that truth.' Let me say that again, 'Scripturally speaking, the one who loves who loves me is the one who is willing to tell me the truth, and is not just willing to say what is true but is willing to sacrifice themselves in order to help me come to understand what is true and follow what is true.'

If you really love a person, the last thing you want her to do is to believe a lie. Paul just wrote a very painful letter to the Corinthians but he said he did it out of love "with much weeping". Paul sacrificed his reputation and public image to tell men the truth about themselves and the truth about Christ. Isn't that what real love is? To labor in telling men the truth even at the cost of one's life?

Or consider Jesus, He said the heaviest words in Scripture to His sheep, stuff that made people angry to the point that they wanted to kill him, yet can anyone testify that Jesus never loved His people?

The philosophy of the one-who-loves-me-affirms-me drives much of this world - relationships, family and even preaching. Of course we affirm people and we encourage people because we love them. But to do so by altering the message, flattery, apathy or neutrality is no help at all. Bottom line, those who really care for you are those who will tell you the bare truth given that it is said with much love and humility.

We must soften our hearts to listen to the truth. We must seek to conform our lives to it and delight it in because the truth is all we have. Truth is a blessing, not a curse! Its time for us to stop looking for affirmations in our relationships. Or perhaps, its time for us to stop affirming wrong things or looking for ways to flatter the other party to gain their trust. End point? Love one another in the same way Jesus loved us - by truth, by example and by sacrifice.

ADDITIONAL LESSONS

2008-10-22T07:25:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to write down a few things that I need to remember.

1) God is sovereign. Everything has been ordained and even the problems and frustrations that you face are under His governance. The earth is but God's footstool (Isaiah 66:1; Matthew 5:35). Even the devil is subject to His authority. If the prince of this world who deceive us daily is under God's rule, is there anything else that is not?

2) Blame no one, for God has ordained things to happen. Do not be frustrated with anything, even your Church. Everything has a purpose. Besides, no sparrow falls to the ground without His will. Your job is to be faithful to Him and His Word. That's all you should be worrying about.

3) Submit to every authority for God has placed them there. If they have a problem, God will deal with them. It is not our place to take vengeance. Our place is to obey and trust Him in every situation.

4) God is not the author of sin even though the author of sin is under His divine authority.

5) Where there is dissension, do a mental checklist on the following:

*Ask God is if it is of Him or of the enemy
*Remember, God has ordained it to happen but that doesn't mean that you're just going to sit around and be idle
*Dwell in God's presence through prayer and Scripture as long as you can before making any move
*Love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you, bless those who hate you - this does not mean to tolerate what they are doing, but to make a stand and show that you love them at the same time
*Blame no one. Point fingers on no one or you shall be accusing God Himself. Instead, seek to remedy the situation in God's way.
*Judge not with your mind. See everything from God's point of view and pray unceasingly in accordance to the grace of God.
*Give a call to repentance and be the first one to kneel. Set an example to everyone and show them who your God is with your life.
*If they remain wicked, seek God's will. If they still won't repent, do not pass judgment! Let God do it! Shake the dust of your feet and leave without grudge. Do not hate them for you would be like them if not for God! Instead, plead for mercy and go on to the next area that God would lead you to.

ENTERING INTO A NEW SEASON

2008-10-19T17:57:00.000-07:00

When I got up early this morning, I was surprised to see that the temperature was negative one. It didn't stay like that the whole day but I realized that fall is almost over. The cold, the temperature drops, the morning frosts, all these signs point to one inevitable conclusion: winter is coming.

I love winter. Besides my mom, I have yet to find another individual who shares the same admiration I have for the most hated season of all. I don't play in the snow but I love to see it fall. I admire an empty street filled with nothing but snow. It can be hectic sometimes when snow turns to ice, still, in my sight, it never loses its beauty. The extremely cold temperature is also great. Not only does it allow women to put more clothes on but it also keeps most people at home. I get to see a different side of Toronto. Lastly, the sound of crunching snow when I walk just completes the i-love-winter scheme in my mind.

Anyways, its been a long and hard season for me but one that is beautiful to behold. I've learned a lot and its good to keep them in writing so I can be reminded about them.

January of this year was the month that God opened my heart to a higher level of understanding with the help of a friend.

February to March were the months I struggled with reformed theology, night and day.

April was when God finally revealed what was lacking in me and my mind was set on one thing: tell others about this amazing Gospel that we've lost. Its like "We made a mistake guys. All of us were deceived, but guess what? the food has been on the table ever since.. start asking questions and dig in!!"

May was when I realized that it is not my job to see the results are met. I obey God, He take care of the results.

June was a hard time of revelation. God revealed the many "little" sins that I commit on a daily basis. They were so subtle that I would mistake them for "good".

July, I learned that the Church is Christ's Bride, not mine. God will deal with His Church. But until I learn to love and trust Him completely, He will not step in.

August-September-October were my growing months. I've grown a lot thanks to His unmatched, parenting style. Even my view of growth changed.

Below are some of the stuff I learned throughout this year:

1) We are not growing so that one day we can keep God away and live our lives independently. We grow so that one day we can live without the world, with God alone as our Master. We don't grow out of God. We grow into God.

2) Every authority on earth has been ordained by God. To disrespect them even in thought is a direct offense against God. If they're doing something wrong, God will deal with them. As for us, our role is to obey and submit so that none will have a word against us.

3) Satan did a fine job at us. He did screwed our brains pretty badly. Lots of work has to be done. Start now!

4) Contrary to the popular belief, Christianity is very liberating. God takes care of your needs, you take care of His business. Yep, its only His business that you are called to worry about. What can be more liberating than that?

5) Your family is not perfect but they love you sincerely. They may also not express their love in the way you expect. Nevertheless, honor and cherish them all the time. They should be able to look at you and know that you love them. In my case, I have a bigger duty to them. My goal is that each of them would one day be totally devoted to that Man who shed His blood on that tree.

6) Culture sucks. Filipino or Canadian, it doesn't matter. We gauge our lives not on culture or experience but solely on the Word of God.

7) The tiniest sins that we let pass daily are the deadliest ones. They eat your soul slowly and establish a stronghold that will not be easy to break.

8) If its hard to keep up in your spiritual life, check if you've prayed sincerely, read your Bible and wrestled with the devil.. (learned from a friend)

9) Other Christians can hear God too. Are you so special? hmm I thought so.. (learned from a friend)

10) When you feel alone, despised or miserable, simply remember what you are: you didn't deserve anything yet look at the cross and see what you got.

11) A pure life is the best testimony, best sermon and best apologetic course you can ever offer to unbelievers.

^_^

CHRIST IS ALL IN ALL

2008-10-19T11:58:00.000-07:00

It is ever the Holy Spirit’s work to turn our eyes away from self to Jesus; but Satan’s work is just the opposite of this, for he is constantly trying to make us regard ourselves instead of Christ. He insinuates, “Your sins are too great for pardon; you have no faith; you do not repent enough; you will never be able to continue to the end; you have not the joy of his children; you have such a wavering hold of Jesus.” All these are thoughts about self, and we shall never find comfort or assurance by looking within. But the Holy Spirit turns our eyes entirely away from self: he tells us that we are nothing, but that “Christ is all in all.”

Remember, therefore, it is not thy hold of Christ that saves thee-it is Christ; it is not thy joy in Christ that saves thee-it is Christ; it is not even faith in Christ, though that be the instrument-it is Christ’s blood and merits; therefore, look not so much to thy hand with which thou art grasping Christ, as to Christ; look not to thy hope, but to Jesus, the source of thy hope; look not to thy faith, but to Jesus, the author and finisher of thy faith.

We shall never find happiness by looking at our prayers, our doings, or our feelings; it is what Jesus is, not what we are, that gives rest to the soul. If we would at once overcome Satan and have peace with God, it must be by “looking unto Jesus.” Keep thine eye simply on him; let his death, his sufferings, his merits, his glories, his intercession, be fresh upon thy mind; when thou wakest in the morning look to him; when thou liest down at night look to him. Oh! let not thy hopes or fears come between thee and Jesus; follow hard after him, and he will never fail thee.

“My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness:
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.”

- C.H. Spurgeon, Morning and Evening - June 28 Devotion

CRUSHED FOR THE BEST

2008-10-19T11:10:00.000-07:00

Sometimes we wonder where God is. Sometimes we ask how could He let bad things happen to His people. I used to wonder the same things too until I understood His purpose in me.

God's purpose in us is revealed in Ezekiel 36:

25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

This is the new covenant that God has promised to all those who would repent and believe in the Gospel. I am deeply convinced by Scripture that this is the primary purpose of God to His people. It is not His primary will to grant us earthly prosperity even though we receive such blessings. His deepest desire for us is that we may be "cleansed from our impurities and idols". And what does this mean? Well how do you cleanse a child with dried mud on his face? Do we merely sprinkle water and hope it washes the mud? Nay, we get a towel, wet it and scrub it off. How do we remove impurities from gold? Soak it in chemicals? Nay, that won't really do anything. Gold must pass through a furnace heated below its melting point. In that way, all those impurities will melt away living the real gold intact and unharmed. All these analogies point out to the way God works.

You see first thing you must admit is that you need cleansing. You need serious help. You don't only need to be forgiven for your sins. You also need to be cleansed from your sins. Charles Leiter, one of those old school preachers, once said: "Man has only two real problems. One, he is under the condemnation of sin. Second, he is under the power of sin." Problem number one is solved when we repent and believe in the Gospel (Mark 1:15). We are saved from the wrath to come by grace through faith alone in Christ. But the second problem still remains. How then shall it be resolved? The washing of the Holy Spirit in regeneration. The Son eternally justifies us. The Holy Spirit continually sanctifies us.

We are not just kids with dried mud in our faces or raw gold with many impurities. We are men drenched in sin. Sin has become so natural to us that we don't even know how deep our sin goes. It has corrupted our very natures and believe it or not, prior to conversion, we are enemies of God.

Thus, how does God teach us strength? How will God remove the idols of our lives or cleanse our impurities? He throws us into the furnace with love. God is more concerned with our spiritual state than our self-esteem. He will corner us into a situation where we would have no choice but to trust Him. He will put us in situations where our patience will be tested or real righteousness will be learned. He can take some things from us, especially those we take pleasure from, in the same way He did with Job. Or perhaps, bless us abundantly in such a way that we would be ashamed, realizing that we don't deserve anything.

Looking back at the needle holes I went through, I am glad to have a God who loved me so much that He threw me into the furnace. Make no mistake, He does not wish for us to perish. He takes no joy in watching us suffer. But He loves us so that He does these things not only for our sakes but for the good of His Name. Besides, shouldn't diamonds be cut to make them more beautiful? Or should not the vine dresser trim the vine branches to make them bear more fruit?

More so, does not the Father have the right to discipline His children? Does not the Father have the right to teach His children heavenly manners to prepare them for the coming banquet? Does not the God of this universe have the right to finish the work He began with all His sons that they may be acceptable to Him on the day of judgment?

Let us be thankful in every situation. Good or bad, joyful or sorrowful, all these things work out for good. Our God is a sovereign God and no sparrow falls down to the ground without Him knowing. Believe. Trust. Obey. Lets do all these things like children with fear and trembling; all for His glory.

WHY IS THE CHURCH NOT IMPACTING THE SOCIETY TODAY?

2008-10-19T09:59:00.000-07:00

David Chan offers a Biblical theory: click here.

Bottom line is we must learn to be salty again. By virtue of Christ and our regenerate natures, we are salt and we must continually seek Him in prayer and saturate our lives with His Word to remain "salty".

TEN WAYS FOR YOUTH LEADERS TO HINDER THE CHURCH

2008-10-19T08:21:00.001-07:00

A great video for all Christians, not just youth leaders. With much love and humility, I urge everyone to take heed.

LINK TO THE FIVE SOLAS OF REFORMATION

2008-10-19T08:16:00.000-07:00

Click here to see a post about the five solas of reformation and what is happening to modern-day evangelicalism.

PRAYER OF THE ARMINIAN

2008-10-18T17:19:00.000-07:00

The Arminian can argue as much as he wants that man is free but in prayer, he can never pray as one. Fancy him saying:

“Lord, I thank thee I am not like those poor presumptuous Calvinists Lord, I was born with a glorious free-will; I was born with power by which I can turn to thee of myself; I have improved my grace. If everybody had done the same with their grace that I have, they might all have been saved. Lord, I know thou dost not make us willing if we are not willing ourselves. Thou givest grace to everybody; some do not improve it, but I do. There are many that will go to hell as much bought with the blood of Christ as I was; they had as much of the Holy Ghost given to them; they had as good a chance, and were as much blessed as I am. It was not thy grace that made us to differ; I know it did a great deal, still I turned the point; I made use of what was given me, and others did not-that is the difference between me and them.”

-Charles Hadon Spurgeon

THE SECRET OF CONTENTMENT

2008-10-17T13:14:00.000-07:00

Contentment is a grace that too few have. I also struggle with contentment sometimes. It is easy to be content when everything is going well but when things are not falling into place, this is were it gets tough.

From the ancient times to this present age, contentment has been hard to find. Satan and his angels had the glories of heaven and yet were not content. David had many wives but he still could not sleep contently at night without Bethsheba, a wife of another, beside him. Adam and Eve had the abundance of the garden all to themselves and yet they could not restrain their flesh for a single tree. Haman was the chief favorite of the Persian king but was not content until Mordecai hang on a seventy-five feet high gallows.

Greed, the desire to excel, surpass or possess something which we should not have, is one of the deepest forms of treason against the Holy Deity of Heaven. The urge for things beyond our measure, the desire of a mere creation to act as creator and the longing to be highly praised are the vilest elements of Adam’s blood, which courses through the veins of all his fallen children.

The more we fill ourselves with our wants, the emptier we will be. The more we fill our barns with grain or bury treasures for ourselves, the more discontent and unsatisfied we will be. The fleeting things of this world can never fill us because our hearts were designed for an eternal purpose. We were never meant to please ourselves. God, as an act of mercy, has designed our hearts to be satisfied with Him alone. If God had not done so, we would fall into greater depravity, totally given over to the pleasures of this world.

We were meant for the glory of God. Only by receiving His grace and working for His benefit can we truly be content and happy. A poor man can be happier than any rich king if he knows that God has shown mercy on him. An old widow, barren and abandoned all her life, can still leap in joy when she finds out that God never forsook her. A lone farmer will never tire working night and day if he understands that he is working for a great Savior who is infinitely worthy!

There is little contentment in this world because few know the judgment and condemnation that all men are subject to. We do not fully see the need for Christ or genuinely esteem Him because we do not know how much we have been forgiven. We find so little contentment because we don’t know how much was given to us undeservingly on the cross.

In the words of J.C. Ryle, “Few know their own sin; few feel their desert; and so few are content with such things as they have. Humility, self-knowledge, a clear sight of our own utter vileness and corruption; these are the true roots of contentment.”

How shall we be content? Know the roots of our sin. Know the judgment that we so deserve and understand the holy wrath of God that is so rarely preached in this decade. Do not think well of yourself or let yourself be deceived. Instead, recognize the depth of your depravity. If you apprehend all these, you will have little trouble with contentment. Of course, you will still struggle, but you will realize the worth and value of the Lord of lords more than anything else. Nothing else will mean to you but the glory of God and you shall find yourself running recklessly to Him with pure motives. As the prostitute knelt and wept at the foot of the Messiah, so will anyone who has understood his illness and need for a Savior. Only by such can we truly be healed from greed, dissatisfaction and spiritual apathy.

COURTSHIP VS DATING (PART 2)

2008-10-13T20:59:00.000-07:00

Its been a very busy season for me which is why I was also unable to continue with this series. To be honest, I don't even know if I can finish this series or post something else after this second part.

If you haven't read the first part yet, please click here.

Anyways, unto the next difference..

Difference number 3:
Courtship says "Pursue the woman in whom God is leading you to and direct all your attention and efforts to her alone, considering no one else". Dating says "Yep, go for one woman but be open to others too. Being too exclusive is not healthy for you."

This is pretty much self-explanatory. Plus "Being too exclusive is not healthy" is obviously a lie even though many believe it. I've heard "the being too exclusive is bad" speech from a lot of my male friends and they all know I disagree with it. I don't even have to point to Scripture to disprove such belief. I only have to look at how a healthy, married, God-exclusive, Christian couple looks like or how Jesus, Himself, was exclusive to His Bride (Church).

Anyways, to pursue one woman at the time isn't enough to say "Yeah, I'm a stick to one kind of guy". You also have to be closed to others. Yep, that's right! To pursue one woman means to be closed to others too. This is where it comes down to. You can't promise to give your heart to one lady then open your heart to several behind her back.

I know this sounds hypocritical. Still, if you are seriously courting a woman whom you potentially want to marry, shouldn't you consider only ONE? I know its hard but if you've really matured, I don't see a problem in considering only one girl and no one else.

Besides, trust me, this is all for our benefit. The more you give yourself to obedience, the more you'll find yourself happy. The opposite is true. The more you give yourself to sensuality, worldliness or sexual immorality, the more you'll feel alone, miserable and abandoned. Its just a fact. Ask anyone who's given themselves to worldly thinking.

Difference number 4:
Courtship says "To get to know her, observe her from a distance first as friends." Dating says "Get to know her NOW! Be intimate or else you'll never experience her to see if she's really for you"

I know many of you would argue, "but if you don't intimate with her or at least experience her at a closer level, how you will you know if she's fit for you?"

Against such argument these are my reasons:

1) First of all, intimacy is not a pre-requisite to "knowing a woman". You don't need to be really intimate with a woman to get to know her. I know some of you would say "but we need to experience her at least!". That is acceptable. To experience her as a friend is Biblically sound. However, be warned. Experience does not precede learning. Satan sold the same lie to Adam and Eve and look what happened. "Go! Experience the fruit first then learn! If you become gods, amen! if you don't well, at least you'll learn...", these are the mumblings of the serpent. Give in to this and you'll just be as miserable as Adam and Eve. The Bible says "learn first, then experience". Besides, Christians don't gauge their lives on experiences unless they are weighed against Scripture and found to be right. Christian life is based solely on their Master's Word.

2) Secondly, distant observation in the context of friendship has advantages. Believe me. There are some women there, who as soon as they know that you like them, they'll just change their attitude to gain more attention. And you, being the flirt, wanting to give more attention do the same. Now, of course, not all men or women are like that. In fact, some that I know do it unintentionally. Both sides love the attention so I guess they just "respond".

Anyways, by distant observation (not in the context of a stalker but a friend ^_^) you'll see how she really behaves. You will see her as she really is. There will be no "artificial covering" or "superficial flavoring" hehe. You will see her in a natural setting. According to Joshua Harris, a fellow blogger and a famous author of many books, dating creates an artificial environment where both members of the opposite sex (ESPECIALLY THE MEN) are trying to woo each other through superficial attitudes. I believe this is true and so do you.

3) The context of friendship allows you to experience her in a "normal" relationship without the pressure of "looking good for her" or vice versa. I don't know for you but its deeply liberating. I mean, I don't really need to spend much time thinking if I wore the right shirt or not (horrible example lol) because she's not aware of my feelings and I have no intention of getting intimate with her in anyway. I'm a casual friend who's on the look out. That's all.

But of course, you don't keep your feelings to yourself forever. Although you definitely have to guard yourself while praying, you must also try to examine yourself if you're ready for a relationship while waiting. Are you considering the possibility of marriage with her? Are you willing to go all the way to the altar with her if she decides to make herself vulnerable to you? Are you ready to assume the responsibilities of caring for her and leading her in her spiritual life? These are questions that we have previously discussed in my first entry and they all have to be taken seriously.

That's it for now... 'till next time... hopefully there is still a next time ^_^

THREE RELATED ANSWERS... ONE QUESTION

2008-10-07T20:28:00.000-07:00

We have often heard that "God is worthy" but how is it that this truth no longer holds a strong impact in this present age? The recognition of God's infinite worth has not only encouraged believers but has driven them to their deaths, which they joyfully embraced for the glory of the Lord. Indeed, such is the predicament of every believer who has been mastered by the Gospel.

But why is it that we see so little fire in this present generation? Why is it that despite all our evangelism and the availability of the many resources which the early Church did not have, we find so little motivation even amongst those who truly belong to Him? I believe there are three answers to this one question and we shall examine each carefully.

First is because we have relied on individual verses rather than the whole context of Scriptures. I am deeply convinced by historical evidence that a verse loses its worth and meaning when it is isolated from its Scriptural context and used all the time without taking heed to the entire meaning of the passage. For example, "God is worthy". But how is God worthy? On what basis has He proven Himself to be worthy of praise? If we isolate such a glorious statement from its original context, it loses its meaning. Isolation along with mindless repetition converts an awesome, man-conquering statement into a quaint maxim that has no real power against the darkness.

A perfect illustration for this is when visiting a museum. If you visit a museum with the knowledge of all the artifacts and their historical significances, you would leap with joy for every object you see. As you glance from window to window, you would be overwhelmed with pleasure as experiences and memories flood back to your mind. The next thing you know is that you are running recklessly in an attempt to explore the entire place at once. However, if you visit a museum repeatedly (repetition of a Biblical verse) without understanding the historical significance of the items present (isolation of the verse from its original passage/meaning/context), even an extremely historically significant object such as the ark of the covenant would not interest you in any way.

The second answer is our faulty evangelism. The Gospel preaching of this present age is based on wall street marketing than the Word of God. And I praise God for the many Christians who have realized this and stood up against the seeker-sensitive movement!

Even secular statistics have proven that our post-modern, seeker-sensitive evangelism methods have barely brought genuine conversions. None of these methods work because none of them were meant to work. We have failed to realize the earnest operations of salvation: salvation is of the Lord and so it is a supernatural work of God. Having said that, no amount of coercing can lead a person to Christ. God, Himself, has to move in order for genuine conversion to occur. God the Holy Spirit is the one and only mover in the process of being "born again" which is why it is also referred to as being "born of the Spirit" in John chapter 3. For this reason, Paul states that he can only plant the seeds of the Gospel and Apollos can but water them because it is God alone who can make them grow.

Thus, we can reduce the Gospel to make it more appealing as much as we want or dumb down the cross to facilitate easy-believism, but if God does not move, nothing will happen. On the first place, we should not even alter the message of Christ! Such action is not only a betrayal to God but an insult of the deepest form. It is for this reason that Paul admonishes the Galatians (Gal 1:6-10):

6I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! 9As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!

10Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Take note that Paul repeatedly pronounces a curse to anyone, man, angel or mystical spirit, who changes the message. He then ends in verse 10 "If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ", meaning that the Gospel is not to be changed for the pleasure of men and that all our preaching must be in accordance to the sound doctrine of God.

There is absolutely no reason to water down the Gospel. Such is an atrocity not only against Jesus, who died in the place of the guilty, but against His beloved bride whom He gave His life for. When we reduce the Gospel in accordance to the flesh, we starve the glorious bride, deprive her of the knowledge of her Husband and allow worldly suitors to visit her. God has ordained that the preaching of the Gospel be the means in which men would come to faith and call upon Him (Romans 10:14-15,17). Such is the reason why Paul declares in Romans 1:16 - "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel for it is the power of God unto the salvation of man.."

And let us also not forget that man by nature is at enmity with God. So why on earth would we conform the very Gospel in which we stand (1 Corinthians 15:1) to a carnal and depraved mind that sees itself as wise? To even think of such is not only grossly irresponsible of us but also a crime and treason of the highest form against the heavenly Deity.

Now, as of the third answer to why we see so little fire even amongst those who truly belong to Him, we shall look at but an extension of the second reason. The third reason to the given dilemma is that we see little fire even among the sheep of God because we do not preach the Gospel in full.

This is but a sequel to the second argument. If the second reason says it is because of our faulty preaching, the third reason is because of our lack of preaching. It is not enough that we abstain from altering the message of Christ. We also have to preach it wholly and faithfully based on the full counsel of the Lord. Now, what does that mean?

To esteem God in His perfect beauty, we must first understand His perfect worth. But how are we to understand or realize His perfect worth? It is through the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Yes, but how? How shall we preach the message of salvation? By the full counsel of God. Yes, but what does that mean? It means to take the Word of Truth, toe to toe and preach it toe to toe.

In simple words, if we are to preach the Gospel we must realize that we must first start with the carnal and deadly condition of all mankind. We must preach sin, judgment and hell. Only then can man truly understand his depravity and realize the worth of this great God who hath saved Him from His own wrath.

We have heard that preaching is about sowing seeds, but this is only partially true. Preaching does not only involve sowing seeds but plowing the soil as well. How shall the soil be prepared to receive the seeds if we do not labor in plowing the land? The same thing goes for our preaching. As the apostles and the prophets of old did, we must prepare the hearts of men for receiving Christ by preaching about sin and its eternal consequences. The prophets and the disciples have labored night and day for this single, honorable task. Yes, such burden did all the great men of God in our past bore even unto their graves.

We are to preach about man's condemnation for him to see the need for salvation. How shall unbelievers seek the keys when they do not know that they are prisoners? Or how shall they comprehend and esteem the worth of the Messiah if they do not know that they were captives of the dark, dead in their trespasses? Shall we not also warn them about the words of the prophet Jeremiah: The heart is deceitful above all things... (Jeremiah 17:9) and command their ears to listen as Christ did? And isn't this real love for both God and men? To tell men the truth at the cost of our lives is one of the deepest forms of love because such action exhibits genuine selflessness towards our fellowmen and true devotion to the one true God.

Ah, even our beloved brother, the crucified thief, who was the very proof that salvation is not of works, realized that he deserved such torment. Thus, he saw his desperate need for Christ and so cried out to the Messiah to "remember him when His reign cometh".

Our hearers must realize their disposition against an infinitely holy God that they might recognize their desperate need for a Savior. They must also understand that they, as with the entire race of Adam, are all guilty and rightfully condemned under the wrath of the Lamb unless we repent and believe in the Good News (Mark 1:15). Only by man's recognition of his sinfulness and need to repent can he truly embrace the Gospel by faith and be saved.

With much love and humility, let us preach the Gospel wholly and faithfully that many may hear and be baptized under the Name hallowed above all. Let us join our Master in the scandal, teaching everything He has taught us.

Soli Deo Gloria!

A LETTER FROM ANOTHER

2008-09-20T19:16:00.000-07:00

Below is a letter from my best friend, my brother and a fellow recipient of the sovereign grace that grants what no man deserves. I am but filled with joy to hear from "another" who knows Him as I do if not more, loves Him as I do if not more and serves Him as I do if not more.

What grace is this indeed!
___________
Hi Mike,

Happy Birthday!!!

Let me tell you about my birthday hope and wishes for this new year in your life.

Whenever I think of you I always think of myself. Everything I wish for myself and pray for myself I pray and wish also for you, and more. If I would pray to God to give me a greater burden for His church, I'd increasingly pray more that He would be more gracious in the same for you. If I would pray to God to give me a greater anguish for His Word and His people, I pray more so for you. If I would pray to God to give me greater boldness and wisdom in Christ, I would pray that it would be more for you. I pray the best for you. And as it is God's appointed method to put us through pain, hurt and heart ache in able to conform us to the image of the Lord Christ Jesus, I pray that He would do so increasingly in your life.

Never was there a time in my life that I felt more comfortable to be "me." To be just me. I never felt so free from insecurities, ego and vanity. Never in my entire life before this time. When we give so much of ourselves and give ourselves away for the cause that is Christ, I feel peace. There is no greater goal. Having said that, I can't thank the Lord enough that He has predestined our lives to be entwined together, that in hardships and sorrow He would, at times that I needed the most, send you. To use you that you too may give yourself away for my sake, in simple words, in a simple letter, in a simple article, above all else as we would do to the Lord.

What grace is this to be alive and well? The great privilege to be able to see and hear the wonders of the Gospel. What grace is this? In the words of John, "What manner of love is this?" How joyful I am that you have been given another year dear brother! How joyful I am that even to this day you hold fast to the truths of Scripture! How joyful I am that even through fire and brimstone, by grace alone, you still press on.

Stand firm, Mike. Stand strong. I pray that the Lord would grace you with so much more. An ever increasing love for His Word. An ever increasing love for His Gospel. An ever increasing love for His people. An immensely more increasing love for Him.

May you go deeper, higher and wider... that you may see, grasp and understand, like never before... the heights, the depths, and the extents of God's love for us, His people.

May the Lord keep you. May His grace shine upon you and give you peace.

Yours for His sake,
JM

SALVATION: A DEMONSTRATION OF GOD'S POWER

2008-09-05T21:50:00.000-07:00

We have heard that salvation is a demonstration of God's love and mercy for His elect. True that salvation magnifies the essence of God's mercy and undeserved favor. The extent of God's great love for His people can be seen through the cross of Calvary, where the only begotten Son gave up His life for hell-bound sinners, such as myself. Ah, but we also should not forget about the sovereignty of God, manifested in the work of the Son, transforming the devil's most wicked trap to God's most sovereign act. How the cross reveals the infinite beauties of God's character!

In this season of grace and empowerment, the Lord has advanced my faith in His power. No wonder the Apostle Paul proudly boasts with all delight and passion in the Book of Romans, "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God unto the salvation of man"! Ah, yes, salvation is a supernatural work of God where He regenerates a spiritually dead corpse to the glory of His Name. If only Pastors could grasp the essence of this whole truth, there will be no more need to resort to psychological manipulation, Gospel reductions to suit the flesh, cheap invitations or easy believism to coerce a person to go to the altar. There will be no more need to entertain men to keep them coming.

A true prophet of God knows that he stands hopeless in a dead valley and has no choice but to speak the Gospel which he hath received, boldly with tears of grief and joy, trembling with the knowledge that if God does not move, no true conversion will succeed. Ah, yes, if only we Christians could grasp this, all foolishness that man can be dead while under the power of God would fade! All our pathetic heresies that deny the power of God by saying that saved men can be both owned by the devil and Jesus will be lost! The doctrine of "carnal believers" will find no space in our pulpits and our Churches would flourish, rid of corruption!

Apprehend the power of God unto the salvation of men, blessed believer, and you would no longer need to search for motivation in any other place but the finished work of Christ. The terrible and glorious event in Golgotha will be our one and only inspiration and hope, driving us to forever worship Him in His holy presence. There will be no more need to confirm His sovereignty, His holiness, His wrath, His love, His mercy, His justice or His power. I cannot say this enough - How indeed does the cross reveal the full counsel of God!

How merciful and loving is this God?! How sovereign is He?! Yes, we are the victims of God's grace! We, sinners, are now glorified saints, walking in inexpressible gratitude and persevering for all eternity! Ah, let us follow Him! Let us glory in such things! Oh blessed believer! How blessed are thee?! As Bro. Paul Washer says, to the wind with your problems! To the wind with your insecurities! To the wind with your worries! To the wind with you! Look what's ahead of you dear Christian!! Look what's ahead of you!

Saved one of God, you are a living demonstration of His power! You are a speck of dust breathing holy breath if God has indeed converted you with His untamed power! Ah, remember that power! For the power that gave you life in your deadness, the power that changed your wicked soul, the power that freed you from the strong man, the power that continually works in you until this very day so as to conform you to the image of its Source, all that power is the power of the almighty and omnipotent God! Oh dear believer! What more can you ask?? Shall you still seek these silly things that men crave? Shall you still concern yourself with the dung of this world that offers no true satisfaction? You owe every breath and beat of your heart to God! You will never be satisfied by your lusts because you were never meant to be satisfied by them! Only He can truly give you joy and peace! Cast down all your weights, you men and women of God, and sprint until you've emptied your hands and filled them with wounds! Pray earnestly, labor for God, discipline your body to make it your slave, box not against the air but against the principalities of this world and know that you have a great God behind you! Esteem Him as He ought to be and recognize every other activity as absurd unless done for His glory!

COURTSHIP VS DATING (PART 1)

2008-09-02T21:33:00.000-07:00

For some reason and partly because of my "nudging" friends out there, "courtship" has been constantly in my mind. I guess I'll have to blog about this to express my thoughts on this matter.

So yeah, why do I firmly believe in courtship and reject dating? Well to make my point easier, I'll just illustrate the differences and you decide which is more Biblical of the two. To be honest, dating isn't even Biblical or "cultural".

Recreational dating is a modern day phenomenon. It is non-existent 100 years ago (go ask your good great grandmas about this ^_^), which means its not even in secular culture or history. Dating is a "testing the waters" kind of thing where a man can go out with a girl without assuming the responsibility and at the same time, go out with her without even thinking of marriage as the end goal. In other words, its just "recreational". I'm not trying to sound godly here. I am guilty of this too. (sigh) We men really need to grow up. Or should I say boys?

Anyways, enough with my vicious talk ^_^ Time to see the difference between dating and courtship. (I don't believe I can write about all the differences since each difference needs a lot of explanation for clarity, so I'll just write about at least two for now and just continue when I get the free time again.. ^_^)

By the way, this note is generally for men who are dead serious with women. It may be a little helpful to women too but you'll find most of the content directed to men. Some of the things here may also be offensive. I'm always open to comments so please feel free to comment if you happen to read this note.

Difference number 1:
Courtship says pursue a woman only if you are ready to assume the responsibility of caring for her and you are considering marriage as a possible end-point of your relationship. Dating says, "test the waters, you don't really have to bother yourself with marriage, as long as you're both happy, that's it".

This may be hard to hear but I really believe there's no sense in courting a woman unless you are READY to assume the responsibility of caring for her and you are CONSIDERING the possibility of marriage. Any other reason outside the above mentioned is selfish, inconsiderate, unfair and immature. I'm not saying that you should be constantly thinking of marriage or obsessed with progressing to that end. My point here is that, if you're not ready for marriage or your not even considering her as a future spouse, why court her?

I also mentioned being ready to "assume the responsibility of caring for her". This doesn't just mean that you can provide for her financially. The responsibility of caring for her also goes beyond giving her time and attention. What I mean here is that you are spiritually able to lead and protect her with your life. Yep, no misspelled phrases or exaggeration. As men and initiators, we must be able to lead our women spiritually and protect her purity from our flesh with all the strength we can muster. Sure,we all have problems with lust, but this is exactly why spiritual leadership is the first measure of courtship. If you know that your still not "man enough" to lead her, then humbly drop it for now, seek the Lord in prayer, trust Him and allow Him to work in you BUT continue praying for her as you grow in holiness and discernment. Perceive your "singleness" as a time of prayer and growth.

Difference number 2:
Dating says, "When your heart starts to beat for a lady, its a green light. Its a GO signal to pursue her. Do what you feel is right and you'll be fine". Courtship says the opposite: When your heart starts to beat for a lady, it is not a GO signal to start a relationship. It is a yellow, caution signal. It means its time to be cautious of your feelings and prepare yourself for Biblical manhood/womanhood.

Yes, the feelings that we have for the opposite sex are from God. God has created them and ordained that both members of the opposite sex should feel them. But to interpret such feelings as a go signal is foolish. First of all, feelings should not be the basis of our decisions. "Doing what you feel is right" sounds good in movies but in reality, that's utter crap. "What you feel is right" isn't necessarily the right thing. Most importantly, Jer 17: 9 says that the human heart is wickedly deceitful. Your heart can deceive you and we've seen that far too many times already.

Now what does it mean to be "cautious of our feelings"? This means to keep our feelings in check and to guard our hearts from misplaced passions that may arise from such attraction. This also means to never allow your emotion to interfere with your spiritual life and service to God.

I also mentioned about Biblical manhood and womanhood. Although both may be a part of a whole another topic, I'd like to define Biblical manhood and womanhood briefly. I would define Biblical manhood as a stage where a boy is starting to assume the responsibilities of a man and is preparing himself to lead a woman spiritually, which means being capable of assisting her in growing in sanctification and protecting her from things that may harm her relationship with the Lord, with her family and her ministry.

For Biblical womanhood, you can just check this link: http://www.heartcrymissionary.com/resources/articles and look for the article "Becoming Esther", written by Charo Washer, wife of Pastor Paul Washer and one of the godliest women of this generation.

Well, this is it for now.. I'll see if I can still continue with the series.. this will be a looong one though ^_^

CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER

2008-08-31T18:05:00.000-07:00

I love watching movies. This may sound secular and to some extent, a bit worldly, but I believe that through watching films, you are exposed to a myriad of fictional but realistic characters that deal with life. Thus, you are compelled to exercise discernment and if possible, relate to the given characters with sober judgment. Films, in a way, are windows to the minds of our present generation. Indeed, you can distinguish a nation from a country by the quality of movies it produces for the yearly film festivals.

Sadly, most films today are just a waste of time. I still watch them though for the entertainment and curiosity, the latter being my primary reason. I'm not so much of a critic and I hate giving negative comments but I seriously think that movies have a become a bit imbalanced nowadays. A bit too much of humor can be harmful, especially if there is no discretion. A few years ago, I would love to go and watch a humorous film for the fun and laughter. But now, after seeing the "dirty, sticky humor" of modern day films, I'd rather not. In fact, I'd be much afraid to watch such films and choose to flee so as not to increase the garbage in my already polluted mind.

So with the little free time I have, I've been searching for some good old movies (2006-2007) that I might have missed. Finally, I found one of the romance-epic types that is not only powerful, astounding and magnificently done but deeply perplexing as well.

A MUST-SEE FILM!

"Curse of the Golden Flower" reminds me of "Hero" and "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", two of my favorites among the traditional romantic epic types and if I may add, the BEST ones out there so far. I rarely blog about movies even though I love viewing them. The primary reason is because though I'd love to see all the movies out there, I seldom deem a film as "worthy". You can practically count the movies I have wrestled with. Even those famous romantic films that gets the entire crowd wiggling fail to enter my list of favorites. This is not because of my high, mighty or arrogant judgment but simply because the love and the overall romantic air present is simply unprofound. In harsh and bold words, such films are superficial and immature.

Now back to "Curse of the Golden Flower", I would give it a rating of 10/10 for the storyline (which is why it has entered my favorite list on the first place). The story and melding of characters have always been the delight of my wary eyes. I'm not going to spoil the film but the script and observable themes are simply amazing. Heroism, deception, honor, ambition, pride, skill, nobility, illicit affair, the demands of the law and many more themes were brilliantly drawn throughout the film. It wasn't a typical battle of good and evil but an honest contest of characters with well drawn charisma and realistic states.

Each of the three brothers symbolize three very different men with totally different insecurities, aims and affections. The youngest one is the most innocent and impulsive of all three, thus, the most easy to corrupt. The middle son obviously has committed an unknown trespass and was banished to the frontiers of the war, away from home for three long years. He among the three has advanced to the farthest, growing in maturity, skill and honor. The eldest, though the favorite son and crowned prince, has a weak heart that is easily flailed by infatuation, emotion and dread. When cornered, his honor melts and his but little wisdom loses its ground. The empress, seductively beautiful with an ever increasing sense of wisdom has been a slave to her insecurities. A typical woman of tradition and beauty, I must say, the queen has the same problems of a woman who seeks to be fulfilled emotionally and physically. Lastly, the king, the father and the warrior, all three in one, powerful, wise, outwardly virtuous and dead cunning but has failed to truly conquer human depravity and all its corruption. All of such characters plus a few twists, a bed of dark secrets and cunning maneuvers are all part of its well crafted plot. Not to mention its deeply woven soundtrack which creates a temporal melody of tradition and sorrowful bondage.

The central theme, for me, is devotion and heroism as demonstrated by the middle son, followed by the sad theme of deceit and cruelty, and lastly, how love, when not given in its due terms or fulfilling the requirement of both spouses, results to further pain within the family, insanity among its members and ultimately, tragedy in all essence.

Ah.. indeed.. it was worth the watch...

FROM CHARLES SPURGEON

2008-08-31T14:47:00.001-07:00

...and now I address the children of God. Spiritual liberty, brethren, you and I enjoy if we have "the Spirit of the Lord" within us. What does this imply? It implies that there was a time when we had not that Spiritual liberty—when we were slaves. But a little while ago all of us who now are free in Christ Jesus, were slaves of the devil: we were led captives at his will. We talked of free-will, but free will is a slave. We boasted that we could do what we pleased; but oh! what a slavish and dreamy liberty we had. It was a fancied freedom. We were slaves to our lusts and passions—slaves to sin; but now we are freed from sin; we are delivered from our tyrant; a stronger than he has cast out the strong man armed, and we are free.

- C. H. Spurgeon

FROM JOHN CALVIN

2008-08-31T14:45:00.000-07:00

"Seeing then that we are so corrupted in our souls and that there is neither thought nor affection which is not utterly perverted, let us not think it strange that God with his own mouth pronounces us dead, despite the fact that through our own foolish pride we imagine that there is some life in us. And that is the very thing that St. Paul deals with now in saying that the Ephesians were partakers of the above-mentioned grace, though they were dead through their own sins and iniquities. [Eph. 2:1-5] As if he should say, In order that you may the better esteem the value of God's grace and what it brings with it, do not think only upon your present state, but consider what would have become of you if God had left you such as you were in yourselves and had not succored you at all, but had let you follow your own course. Consider what your nature is, for you were dead, and there was no hope that you would ever be quickened again, because it is not in the power of man's own free will to give himself life again when he is dead already. Know therefore that God drew you out of the pit of total ruin, in other words out of the bottom of hell, when he vouchsafed to adopt you to be his children and to call you to the knowledge of His Gospel."

- John Calvin

RANDOM NOTES ABOUT MISSIONS

2008-08-29T17:03:00.001-07:00

All notes taken from Paul Washer's Sermon about Missions:

-yes you belong to our Church were God is working but is God personally working in your life? Is your character being refined by Him as an individual?

-our problem is not a lack of zeal for missions, it is bigger than that, it is lack of zeal for God

-we are not strategists and missiologists, rather we are theologians and prophets and are primary task is not to do missions, our primary task is to take the truth, God's truth as revealed in God's Word, to the world

-not to be just culturally sensitive to the places that we go but to be Biblically sensitive.. and not to be pragmatic and doing what we think will work, but to do what is right, in accordance to Scripture, whether it works or not.

BELIEVER, THERE IS NO BENEFIT IN SIN!

2008-08-29T16:16:00.001-07:00

Believer, there is no benefit that can be derived from living outside the will of God. What benefit can you get from sin?! What joy can you draw from it?! For you, regenerate man, who is under the ownership of the Lord of lords and the King of kings, worldly pleasures are no longer pleasures. They are deceiving, temporal and wickedly crafted bouts that take your mind away from eternal things. They bring disgust to the eyes of the heavens and pain in your life.

Stop sinning man of God, flee from temptation and offer your body wholly as a living sacrifice. Stand on His truth and believe in His overcoming power that triumphs over sin. You are no longer what you were before so do not put on the things that you wore before. Rather, put on Christ, because His image is what you are now. Though you have been an eaglet in a chicken farm, rise and fly as an eagle for that is what you really are! The Scripture says, you are the salt, you are the light and you are the branch. You are not like the salt, like the light or like the branch. You are the salt, the light and the branch. You are recreated in true righteousness, holiness and godliness. These are the Words of God so there is no reason for you to doubt.

Be sober at all times, calm, serious and unaddicted to the world and its vices. Free yourself from every snake wrapped around your body and every leech stuck in your flesh. Christ did not just die for you to atone for your sins. He also lived a perfect life for you so upon repentance, His righteousness is imputed in you. You are not only saved from hell but also saved from sin! So then, let us follow Him. Let us know Him. Let us seek Him. And let us live for Him until He bids as to come home. Amen.

SPIRITUAL TRAINING

2008-08-29T15:15:00.000-07:00

In the past months, God has been pressing upon my soul the reality of spiritual training. Even after regeneration and years of walking with God, we are still highly vulnerable to both sin and deception primarily because our new natures are housed in a body of unredeemed flesh. Secondly, it is because our senses, natural reactions and even the deepest expressions of our hearts are so trained in sin, deeply corrupted by our old sinful selves.

It is true that there is great magnificent power in regeneration. A regenerate man is a new creation. He is eternally changed possessing the same Holy Spirit that hovered across the waters in the beginning and the same incorruptible nature of Christ. But he still has to undergo a lot of "unlearning" in his life. He has to discipline his body to make it a slave to his new nature. He has to renew his mind constantly so as not to believe the deception that "there's not much difference in being a Christian" or "being like Christ is just a dream". He has to abstain from the things of this world and refrain from learning from the ruler of this fallen world. Ultimately, he has to learn more about God through His Word, seek Him constantly in prayer and have fellowship with his fellow believers so as to have every aspect of his new life influenced, sustained and completed by God, Himself. Obedience then comes as a by product of sanctification.

All the efforts of God are directed into a single act: to conform His children to the image of His Son so that Jesus Christ, as said in the Epistles, would be the first born among many. And as God conforms you to His image, subdues you by His will and guards you zealously from the devil, you will find yourself cleansed from your ancient idols and He glorified in the highest place. As He works in your life, God is glorified by all creation for taking such a puny, wicked object and transforming it to a saintly, godly being. And you in turn also glorify Him with your testifying life and ultimately, find yourself glorified through Him and by Him who has worked in you. All these are results of His great power, infallible character, divine love, sovereign mercy and perfect holiness. What an impossible God! Truly He deserves all praise!

Believe not a lie, discipline thy body and be conformed to His image, always seeking to be governed by His will throughout your entire existence.

A RACE BEYOND GOLD MEDALS

2008-08-25T17:52:00.000-07:00

For athletes, the Olympics is not just a contest of skill. It is their life. They have trained their entire life for that moment. They made sure they ate the right kind of food. They made sure that their height, weight and other physical attributes are in complete harmony, nothing in excess or lack. They woke up early in the morning to train callously. They read journals about their specific events. They suffered their bodies to attain the physique of a champion. They have indulged themselves in every form of knowledge, technique and practice to advance their speed, flexibility, stamina and strength. Winning the Olympics has become their life, dream and purpose.

Watching young athletes strive for the gold made me realize how great our mission is. If a small earthly event such as the Olympics can be the life, dream and purpose of athletes, how much higher is the standard for us Christians who have an eternal calling from an eternal God? I am compelled to ask myself: how much time and effort am I investing in conforming my character to the image of Christ? Dear Christian, is God your life, dream and goal?

As believers, we are running a race that men know not of. The Prophet Jeremiah says, we race against horses, not men. Every follower is destined to run the race of his Master. It is not a secret that such race may cost the believer’s career, reputation and even his life. What has preaching the Gospel cost you? How many scars have you endured for advancing His Kingdom?

Indeed there are many blessings in the life of a Christian but such blessings do not always come in earthly prosperity. Our ultimate purpose is to glorify God in this dark and fallen world. We are to advance His Kingdom so that all will hear and see the one true God who deserves all praise. We are to expand His saving knowledge for the sake of His Name. Our lives should be an example and testimony to the living God. In this manner, watching unbelievers will find no cause for conflict and be led into repentance.

In six years of walking with the Lord, I’ve realized how holy God truly is. There was never a time in my life where I had esteemed Him in the way He deserves. My very existence is but a gust of wind against a high and mighty wall. The Lord deserves everything we have. Every bit of thought, utterance and act should exist for the glory of His Name. Our possessions, baseball mitts, comforters, cabinets and even our frying pans should be slaves to Christ. Your home, your car, your office desk, your television set, everything that you own and hold dear should be held in captivity to the Lord of lords. How high indeed is our Lord that no mouth or hand could ever truly praise His Name!

If athletes can train hard everyday, manage their diet and discipline their lives to develop their potential beyond normal statistics, why can’t we do the same in kingdom terms? We are not mere Olympians. We may be the least in this world but we are the most privileged in His land! Oh, how I wish to be a fiery Christian, subdued by the cross and constantly dwelling in the presence of the consuming flames of God? But how many times do I find the world more pleasurable than God? Indeed, I had used His grace in several occasions as an excuse to pursue carnality. Ah, how the incorruptible mercy of God, undeserved and perfected in Calvary, which we are generously commanded to embrace, is the only hope that we ever have.

The day would surely come when moths and dusts would eat our unredeemed flesh and our liberated souls will meet our Maker in the sky. But before that glorious day comes, we are to be what we are: slaves of the living God. Ah yes, on earth or in heaven, we are but trembling bondservants to His Word, always concerned with His will, constantly seeking Him in prayer and knowingly working to spread His fame among the nations.

THE CHURCH, THE GOSPEL AND CULTURAL RELEVANCE

2008-08-21T20:07:00.001-07:00

I know I can be a hypocrite at times but I'd rather stand up for the truth than dwell in falsehood. My allegiance is to my Father not to men. I'd rather be called a judgmental, hypocritical evil incarnate by men than be called an unfaithful servant by God. For what are words of men compared to the Words of God? IS there any comparison between the two?

Ah, once again, I am compelled to speak of those brick buildings that claim to bear the Name of Christ. Why indeed do we want to make the Church relevant to men when the Bible teaches that it is not and that's the way it should be? Isn't separateness from the world one of the marks of the true Church? The Bride of Christ is the Bride of Christ. She is not everyone's property. Neither is she called to please men. She answers to one Person alone and that Person is Jesus Christ. As believers who also happen to be part of her, we should protect her from the taunts of the crowd through intense prayer and sound preaching.

Jesus dresses His bride with His fabric. He laid down His life for her. He purchased her with His blood of the Cross. Who gives you the right to conform her to the world so that she'll have more suitors when she only needs Christ to sustain her? Do we have such a low view of the Church of God that we have to give a cheap prosperity invitation so that men would walk down the aisle and say a prayer? Or are we just afraid that the mob might kill us if we preach the true Gospel that truly glorifies Jesus and satisfies His sheep?

Dear Christian, even if you do not see the results, even if your Church is half empty, please do not lose heart and preach the Gospel faithfully. Do not be swindled by the crafts of Satan. Lest Scriptures says so, do not bring forth a teaching that feeds goats. Feed the lambs of God with wine, meat and honey. Disregarding doctrine, upholding prosperity teachings, introducing pop culture and removing the offense of the cross interest the carnal and wicked mind because such acts are carnal and wicked! Such pursuits bring no glory to God and are forms of betrayal to Christ and His teachings. They are signs of spiritual prostitution and lack of faith in the hand of God to operate in the life of a sinner.

The message of Christ is for the pleasure of Christ even though it gives life to dying men. It is not relevant to men because it is intentionally not meant for men. It is for the glory of God. The salvation of man is just a by product of the preaching of the Gospel. Are we not like like those foolish and bewitched Galatians who loved a watered-down teaching when we disregard doctrine, embrace pop culture and make the Gospel more relevant to men than God? In fact, we are worse than them. At least they understood the holiness of God even though they combined faith and works in terms of salvation.

The Gospel is the Gospel. It needs no enhancement, packaging, reduction or addition. Of course, we can use different approaches and methods of sharing as long as we remain faithful to the teaching, preaching Christ crucified, the depravity of men, the regeneration of the saints and the grace of God that gives no room for works.

GOD IS HOLY

2008-08-21T19:02:00.000-07:00

One of the greatest problems in modern day Christianity is our low view of God. God is holy. In Hebrew, to be holy means "to be separate". Therefore, when the Scriptures speak of God's holiness, it does not only pertain to His morally perfect character but also to His uniqueness, being separate and different from everyone else.

How it grieves my heart to see ignorance abroad and the crafts of Satan at work in this present generation! When God appears to man, He always presents Himself as a holy God. If only we could understand such holiness, we would not doubt the sufficiency of Scriptures. Knowing the Bible comes from a holy mouth, every professing believer would look at it with a holy reverence that causes them to cultivate their lives with it. Neither would men think less of the Gospel or reduce it when they know it is a message delivered and made true by an infinitely holy Being who deserves all praise.

Men need to know how holy God is because that is what God truly is! God is holy. He is different. He's not just a bigger or better version of you. He is completely different from you. If only we could understand this, it will change everything: our view on sin, our worship services, the way we preach, the way we live... everything!

Knowing God is holy is seeing the enormity of your sin. Such applied understanding will make you esteem His Name above all other names. As Isaiah, upon hearing the cries of the seraphs "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord!" cried out "Woe is to me!" so shall you, blessed believer, call curse on yourself and be broken over your sin when you grasp His holiness. How I am ashamed of myself. If not for the cross, I would find no reason to get up in the morning. I would simply cry out under my blanket for mountains to bury me and hide me from His just and holy wrath.

Knowing God is holy will also change the way you worship Him. You will never have to decide between wearing dress shoes or sandals when attending Sunday services. You will never have to ponder about what to wear or how to act. With a firm, Scripture-grounded understanding of His holiness, you will run to your closet and choose the best clothing that you can find. And even after finding it, you will look upon it in disgust and shame knowing that even though it is fit to wear, it brings no true pleasure to the Father.

How you would live trembling with a holy reverence all the days of your life if you truly knew His holy Name through His holy book by His Holy Spirit! There would be no need for you to ask, "How then shall I live?" You will fear Him, acknowledge Him, cherish Him and worship Him, hating everything that He despises, from curse words to swearing, from worldly movies to ungodly character, from Gospel reductionism to pop cultural Christianity. For the instinct of the regenerate heart is to fall flat on the ground in worship, pursuing eternal things that magnify His glory while the instinct of the flesh is to run in the opposite direction, masquerading dislike for holiness as freedom.

Ah, yes! Holiness means to be separate. To live separated from the world unto Christ, abandoning oneself and the pleasures of this world while dwelling in the holy presence of God with a humble confidence that stems from Calvary. This is what freedom truly is: not to be your own master but to be a slave to a holy Being who is eternally good. True freedom is to bring every thought in submission to His Word and to subdue every ounce of your will, bringing your entire existence in captivity to Christ Jesus. Ah, how this will finally be a reality when He comes again!

I'M BACK... AGAIN

2008-08-16T18:00:00.000-07:00

Its been a hellish period for me. Weeks of depravity and carnality has demented my famished soul. I've been pursuing the things that I know were wrong. I've been walking in the dark, as if I were a pagan, blind, lost, clothed with the fabric of sin. I am ashamed of my flesh. I am pitiful, worldly, lacking every ounce of spiritual clarity and resolution.

I have been given a great motivation that never runs dry, a strong discernment from a Word that never perishes and an awing heart from the Most High, but how so weak is my flesh?! How I so easily give in to laziness, to idleness, to worldliness, to sin, to carnality, to godless chatter, to ungodly passions that bringeth me away from His presence. I have openly defied the decrees of heaven with full knowledge of His glory. How so weak is this unredeemed flesh? Indeed, how so weak am I?

I've been through so much lately. Wrestling with the devil has weakened my resolve. Too many times have I used His sovereign grace that is able to keep me blameless as an excuse to indulge my soul with the things that God hates the most. Too many times have I derived pleasure not from His infallible Word, but from the world that seeks to hide the face of Christ, esteem Him not and distract the minds of His elect from eternal objects. Too many times have I placed myself in a comfortable pattern of living, pleasing the flesh, living in deceit, allowing the constant pressures of the enemy defile the temple of His Most Holy Spirit. Too many times have I run for comfort, not into the arms of God, but into the pits of past that were supposedly crucified with Him. Too many times have I openly rebelled against the Lord of lords and the King of glory, who maketh the greatest captain weak and the weakest slave strong! Indeed, how so weak am I?

In this battle in which I hope to finish soon in accordance to the delaying hands of the Lord, I seek not only genuine repentance but continual renewal of character. I seek to be better, to be conformed into the image of His Son so that I may be a complete slave to His will. How I dearly wish that every thought that springeth from my mind and every word that cometh from my mouth be but powerless captives of Christ, the One who is holy and just. Ah! What struggle indeed has befallen me, a hell-bound sinner but saved by grace, regenerate but still of the flesh.

As I listen to Him once again, I hear the voices of those angels that fly passionately in no idle circle, crying, night and day, dawn and dusk, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts! The earth is filled with His glory!" And I take one look at the change in my life, from sinner to an undeserving saint, eying every aspect of His imperishable seed that deserves not to be planted in my heart, ah yes, just one look at me and His cross and I would forever fall down on my knees mimicking the voices of His sound and refined multitude. How indeed does the cross and the changes brought by it makes me want to joyfully treasure Christ Jesus as the one true Master!? How I am drawn to advance His kingdom in this generation of folly and deceit?! How I am compelled to concern myself with one thing: His holy and good will, which is both my food and my life, the reason for my existence and my very sustenance.

Things have changed. I've decided to embrace my destiny once again. From the ashes of despair, the mounds of insanity and the chapels of hatred, deceit and lust, I'm back, old but new, deeply grieved but overjoyed, pressed but strengthened, empty but filled, lost and found again by the Lord who speaketh Words of kindness and love, holiness and justice, mercy and grace.

Its good to finally be back.... again....

WHAT DOES GOD'S UNCODITIONAL LOVE MEAN?

2008-08-09T21:31:00.001-07:00

God's unconditional love does not mean "He loves everyone and everything". This notion is not found in Scripture. It is also disastrous so assume such because this would mean that He would love the devil. No. He is discriminate in His love. "Jacob I have loved, Esau I have hated", says the LORD.

I know "God loves the devil but the devil just won't allow God" is an ear-tickling theology. But it is not valid since the "God loves the devil" principle is never found in Scripture. The opposite is actually written. In Psalms 5, God says that He hates all workers of inequity. This in fact also includes us which is why for us to be forgiven, His wrath was poured unto His Son in Calvary.

So, then, what does God's unconditional love mean? It means that God's love is not based on the recipient's merit or virtue. He loves those whom He chooses to love out of His abundance, not because the recipient had some merit that others did not have or the recipient had somehow obligated God to love him.

God did not love us because we deserved it or because we earned the right to be loved. Neither did God love us because He was obligated to. Nay. God loves whosoever He pleases based on His own nature, which is by definition - love.

Unconditional does not mean - universally applied. What it means is that it is not regulated by any condition, good or bad, existing in the recipient.

This is what unconditional love means - His love is totally dependent on His choice alone, not the existing attributes of its recipients.

I'M TIRED

2008-08-04T23:22:00.000-07:00

I want to go home and find my place of rest
I'm tired of all these tests, I'm just tired
Loneliness has always been my greatest ally
In finding You and pursuing Your good will

But I'm tired Lord, I'm just tired
Will you take me home with You?
Can you just empty this unredeemed flesh?
To free my soul that longs to see You?

There's no sense of me being here
There's no real life in here, there's no real joy here
There's nothing but empty brick buildings
There's nothing but me struggling

All this is a sham, a hoax, a dream
Shall there be life in this dead valley?
Shall there be movement in this city?
Shall there be a trace of pure joy in my life?

Nay, my only joy is in You
My only joy is in You
So take me home that I may truly live
That I may see You and bow endlessly
I'm tired of myself Lord..
Close these curtains and let the old man sleep

THINKING ABOUT MY FUTURE

2008-08-04T22:54:00.000-07:00

When I was a new Christian, I thought all there was to Christianity was to serve God. To pour out your entire being in service to Him, this was my motto. As I grew up, I realized that there were far more important things than service. There were far greater things than virtue or knowledge. But now things are different. I have been enlightened by His Word and from that day onwards, everything has changed.

I am deeply sad. It hurts to see my brothers and sisters struggle in ignorance. How I pray for them dearly.. that their eyes would be opened to the painful truth.. that they're ears would hear the once glorious message of life.. and be satisfied with Him alone.

The Church, the bride of Christ, has been muddled throughout the ages. And although the promise of Christ remains, she is in dire need of revival. Her pulpits must be cleansed. Her courts must be brought into light. There is an urgent need to restore her to her former beauty and strength.

I cry out to the Lord to bring these dead bones back to life, as He did with some of us. If not for Him, I would still be blind, wandering the world with no power to overcome and no cause to believe.

But I believe. I believe in Him. No sadness or grief can take away the joy that I have with Him. I have been born again, raised from the dead with a new nature. It is not I anymore. I hold to His finished work on the cross and His sovereign grace that is able to keep me safe until the end.

Even if everything falls out of place and nothing seems right, I have no need to worry. All I have to do is to be still and pray that He moves. How glorious would that day be? The day when He would show up, take His rightful place and cleanse His Church from the piles of deception she embraced. One day, its going to happen. Perhaps in my time or generations after me, nevertheless, it shall come.

I am proud of my generation. To see reformation going on everywhere just makes me want to bend my knees in worship. How merciful is He to bother Himself with such puny beings?

To God be the glory...

WINTER LEAF

2008-08-04T19:37:00.001-07:00

If I were to describe you in the simplest prose
You'd be the winter leaf, a captivating mystery
You'd have the softest voice, the sweetest whisper
Chaste in inner beauty, of which I could not bear

And if you are of such, I'd be the summer leaf
Who wishes to bring you the deepest warmth
Perhaps an unattractive opposite, distant in time
And no matter how much I gain, I'd never rhyme.

In utmost gratitude to Him, I see you everyday
Yet I know I'll achieve nothing so I try to look away
But my eyes find yours, though seasons apart
Hopelessly wishing for your tender heart

I wish to wait, to hope, though it means pain
To lift you in prayer, though it means strain
I'd do anything for you.. to prove that I'm true
And even if I'm rejected again and you call it a day
I'd have no regrets, you were worth the risk
Coz' I know that I can live no other way
But to make you believe and stay

WE SHOULD NOT GO AROUND CONDEMNING PEOPLE?? RIGHT?

2008-08-03T21:20:00.000-07:00

"We shouldn't go around condemning people. Jesus did not come to condemn men but to save them. For goodness sake! Its not working! Drop the microphone and just tell them you love them and encourage them. Help them with their needs. Joy and laughter should be the center of our lives not condemnation and negative preaching."
-- from an "anonymous Christian"

Here is my response to this common argument.

First of all, the Gospel is the Gospel. We cannot water it down, reduce it or adjust it to the standards of men. The message of God, whether you like it or not, is an offense to the flesh because it reveals the enormity of your sin and the holiness of God. If you take away the sinfulness of man and the command to "repent of all your sins" in your evangelism, you are no longer preaching the Gospel. Instead, you are preaching a gospel that does not change life, gives false security and brings no genuine conversion.

Second of all, it depends on how you define "condemning people". If condemning people for you means something like "You are all going to hell! Repent and believe! God is angry! He is angry with all of you!", I would agree that such evangelism is no longer a message of life even though it is true that we all deserve hell. But if "condemning people" for you means explaining the wickedness of every man, convincing the unbeliever that he or she deserves the wrath of God and that he is unable to save himself, then I see no problem. In fact, failure to mention the sinful nature of mankind, the wrath of God or the need to repent in our evangelism is a betrayal to God, His Word and to the person you are sharing the Gospel with.

Thirdly, lets take a look at the phrase "Jesus did not came to condemn the world but to save." This is true but used out of context. On Jesus' first coming, He came to save the world, not to condemn it. So its true BUT!!! on His second coming, He will come to condemn no longer to save (the very opposite of His first coming). So to say that Jesus does not condemn is one side of the coin because we all know that He is coming back to judge the world, laying his hands on his elect and casting unbelievers on the lake of fire.

Fourthly, lets take a look at the phrase "For goodness sake! Its not working!" This is true but neatly twisted (again -- sigh). Its true that even if the true Gospel is preached it will never work.

The Gospel is foolishness to man. Who would believe a message that openly declares man's disobedience and depravity? Who would believe that God came in the form of man to save mankind from their sins? Who would believe that Jesus received the eternal condemnation that we were supposed to take? Who indeed? No one. Unless God moves, opens the heart of the person and changes his very nature, no one would believe or receive such an "absurd" message.

In the same way a fish does not know its wet, men are not aware of their sin or the enormity of it. They do not know how holy and infinitely worthy God is that is why they do not understand why they deserve His wrath.

The Bible says that we, in our unregenerate state, are blind, are unable to save ourselves, have no interest in God's kingdom, are God-haters, are children of the devil, are slaves to sin, are fallen creatures of despair and last of all, depraved sinners who according to Job, drink down inequity as if it were water. That's what we are in our unconverted states.

Men simply do not want the truth nor want to receive it so its true that preaching does not work. Even if the full counsel of our Lord were preached in the most eloquent tongue, it still won't work. Men are dead and are unable to respond to divine stimuli. So what now? How is it that men, upon hearing the Gospel, are internally changed and saved if it does not work?

Its simple: Ezekiel 36 and all those verses in the Old and New Testament that explain the new covenant answers it. God moved! God moves to change the nature of the unbeliever so that he can hear and receive Christ! He regenerates man supernaturally!

Preaching the true Gospel is both the deepest burden and greatest comfort to the preacher. It is a burden because when a true preacher stands before unregenerate man, he knows that if God does not move, there will be no true conversion and his words would be puny gusts of wind against solid stone statues. But it is also his greatest comfort, because he knows that his work is resting on the power and sovereignty of God. He does not have to entertain men to keep them awake or conform his message to the whims of the crowd. He simply preaches diligently in accordance to the will of the Father and relies on the Holy Spirit to move on his behalf. He knows that if God does not move, nothing will happen. But He also knows that if God does move, there will be true conversion. So his work, burdensome it may be, is resting on the shoulder of God.

For the fifth point, lets examine the phrase "Drop the microphone and just tell them you love them and encourage them" First of all, who said that preaching the Bible's testimony against unregenerate men is NOT love? Who said that convincing men the truth about their sinful natures is NOT love?

Would you prefer a doctor who hides the truth because they want to encourage their patients? Or would you want a doctor who will tell you the raw truth about your state, risk his reputation, put himself and his entire career on the line in the name of love?

We do not need preachers who will feed our flesh and starve our souls. We need preachers who will feed our souls and starve our flesh. We need men of God who know Him and are willing to put themselves in the line for the sake of telling people the truth.

This is what true love is: to tell men the truth about themselves, to explain the reality of hell which all deserve and convince them of the cross of Christ that redeems the vilest offender and finally, to expound the Biblical process and assurance of conversion. This is true love. Not to skip the issues about their disease, let them jump into evangelical hoops, give them a false security and share a masterfully twisted gospel that causes their sight to become worse, leading the astray even more.

On the issue about encouragement, lets take a look at how deluded this idea is. One thing you have to understand is this: if its the truth, whether it bring you down or lifts you up, its the truth. It doesn't matter if you want to hear it or not. If the Bible says something, you ought to listen hard and listen well. We have this false notion that if something bring you down, its bad.

My dear friend, Jesus called Peter "Satan" and many times did he emphasized his lack of faith and discernment. This would have brought anyone down. I'm not saying we should discourage our brothers. What I am saying is that, we shouldn't focus on how it affects us. Instead of asking, "Is this negative or positive?" we should ask ourselves "Is it true or not?"

When the Bible says all have sinned, its true and we ought to praise God that His Word is true. In this deep statement, "All have sinned" we find ourselves guilty, "falling short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). Yes it brings us down. Yes it hurts us and reveals the enormity of our sin. Yes it brings guilt and shame but is this not the work of God? Is this not the will of God? To create repentance in your heart? Don't you see that repentance starts with being broken down over sin? It begins with realizing your unfaithfulness to a faithful God and ends with you crying to God to save you?

The issue here is not whether it uplifts you or not. The issue here is whether it is true or not. And if it is true, you ought to praise God that you can still hear the truth shared in this fallen world.

Would you rather have the people be deceived and think well of themselves? Or would you rather have them hear the truth no matter how painful it may be so that some of them would fall under the conviction of God, repent and in the end, be saved by the Lord from the eternal fire?

For the sixth point, lets now take a look at the phrase: instead... help them with their needs. Dear sheep of God, the greatest need of man is God. Their greatest need is to to hear the truth about Him, the truth about themselves, the reality of hell, the meaning of the cross and the miracle of regeneration. This is their greatest need! To deprive them of their greatest need is one of the greatest crimes in the pulpit.

Finally, lets take a look at "Joy and laughter should be the center of our lives not condemnation and negative preaching." The fallacy of such statement is not hard to understand. Joy and laughter are not the center of our lives. God is the center. And being with God does not mean you will receive earthly prosperity all the time. Yes, there is a promise of heavenly fortune but that is but a small gift compared to the one and only gift that matters: Christ.

And because preachers no longer talk about the real Jesus and instead offer a jesus who does everything they want, winks over their sin and hugs sensuality, the sheep of God starve and they no longer see why Jesus is the greatest Gift of all.

About negative preaching, it depends again on how you are going to define such. If negative preaching to you is telling people what they really are and what God really is, then you're lost. But if negative preaching for you is talking all about condemnation without explaining the finished work of Christ on the cross or the reality of regeneration, then I am inclined to agree that, indeed, such preaching is negative and not helpful.
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I hope I was able to shed light in the issue of "preachers condemning people".

Lord willing, I'll be posting more question-answer type of articles to address most of the issues in modern day Christianity.

MY PRAYER FOR THE CHURCH

2008-08-02T18:54:00.000-07:00

Dear Father, before Your Most Holy Presence I come. I beseech Thee, trembling and afraid but with confidence and assurance that I can run into the forbidden space that no angel could dare enter, all thanks to Your Son, Christ Jesus, who formed grace, appeased Your wrath and forged Your holy Nation by His atoning blood.

Before Your throne I stand, weak but strengthened, lost but saved, in danger but rescued, all in accordance to the finished work of Your Son on the cross of Calvary. Oh how blessed is the one who looks at Thee! How privileged is man to look upon Thee, forgiven and enslaved to Your will! Praise be to Your Name, Lord! His Excellence of excellencies, Comfort of my comforts, Sword of all swords, mighty King of glory, all hail Your blessedness! Angels sing and chant endlessly about Your glory revealed through I, a depraved and puny man!

Lord of Hosts, let my prayer for Your will and kingdom be heard. Out of the sheer mercies of Your throne, I beg Thee to beautify Your Church, that she be aware of Your divine presence, Your flaming holiness, Your unspeakable wrath, Your perfect justice, Your incorruptible love, Your magnificent grace, Your awesome power, Your endless patience, Your sovereign kindness and Your unmatched Lordship over all things, both the living and the dead, from the ends of the universe and the unseen halls of the heavens.

Lord of Power, if it is Your holy will to deprive the Church of her food, that she may starve, learn to seek You in weakness and resolve, then let it be done in accordance to Your good will and purpose. But if it would please You more to bring her to the full counsel of heaven, uplifting her through pristine awareness, glorified, sanctified, with the knowledge of Your attributes, Your will and Your supernatural power on salvation, from justification to the regeneration of sinners, let it be so for the glory of Your sacred Name.

Father, a gentile such as I, adopted to Your family, grafted in the branches of Your blessed tree, remembers clearly Your sacred oath, the new covenant that Ezekiel and Jeremiah spoke of with much fear and trembling. The new covenant set by our Lord, author and finisher of our faith, who maketh man a slave to Your will, persevering till the end, with a changed heart, mind and nature that seeketh You and genuinely desireth Your pleasure... Oh how I wish that these truths be spoken in Your Church, unmarred and undefiled by the wiles of ignorant men and carnal principalities.

Lord of glory, make it easier for Your sons and daughters, that we, the weakest but strongest of all, be found, justified and sanctified, with the full knowledge of Your counsel declared in the Holy Writ. May Your Gospel be continually preached truthfully, powerfully and Biblically in the pulpits of men, in accordance to the foolishness You've declared for the glory of Your Most Holy Name.

Father of goodness, do you delight in Your elect stumbling because of their ignorance and weak stance? Oh yes indeed! For You are God and we are but creatures of despair. Everything You do is right and everything You do has a great purpose, let it be to shatter Your people in pieces to prepare them for eternity, deprive them of Your knowledge that they may starve and cherish You alone or be blessed with overflowing awareness of Thy Word, constantly walking with You in prayer that is not arrested by ignorance. Oh Father! You alone know what is good for us! You alone are right! Let Your will be done! Cover the world with Your knowledge! Let Nations fear You!

Dear God, we, Your elect, petition for the advancement of Your kingdom here on earth, the fulfillment of Your will, the lifting of Your Name, all for the glory of Your Son, in whom You had given all things, that He may wear the crown of preeminence. Let every man know You are a holy God, just and merciful, loving and kind, slow to anger and eternally patient. Let the world repent and be graciously spared, if it pleases You, if not then allow us to at least know You before we are cast into the flames of eternal sorrow. For You are holy and just, the sovereign Lord above all.

No prayer pleases You Lord unless Your hovering Spirit transforms the disabled language of men into the divine language of heaven. Translate mine into Yours, conform my life into Your will, let Yourself be found and in Your mercy and unrivaled compassion, fix our eyes unto You, the only One who really matters in this world of absurdities. Let our names be glorified that men would see us with hatred but know that we are of You. Let we, Your elect, glorify You in every tongue, work and lifestyle we could muster in this fallen world. Allow us to thrive in You alone, dwell in Your presence, with Your Son as the center of our joy and praise, cherished alone in His rightful place in our sensitive hearts that irresistibly respond to You, the divine Maker.

Let Your Church be glorified. Let there be total reformation in our preaching and exegesis, lifestyle and ministry, family and friendship, marriage and eldership, manhood and womanhood, all for the glory of Jesus the Messiah, the Holy One, the sent One and the only One who deserves praise and glory.

Father, in Your infinite blessedness and glory, lift us up for the sake of Your own Name. Let nothing strangle us, no serpent defile us, no evil dominate us, no problem pierce us, no lie deceive us and no sin draw us away and instead let us be placed in Your rich shelter, the fragrance of the Christ, that even if we struggle and fail, be deceived and sin, be cast down in loss and poverty, Your Name be glorified and proclaimed in accordance to Scripture, the Word, Your very breath that giveth life to dead bones. Do all these for Your glory that if an angel might look upon us, he would fall flat on his face worshiping You for Your unfathomable love that is holy, sovereign and motivated by no one outside of You.

Lord, revive Your Church, cast us into repentance and faith, sorrow and joy, despair and hope, sadness and gladness, all for Him who set us free from the just curse of our lineage. Let us be saved as one, regenerate as one, breathe as one, live as one and be knowledgeable and fruitful, with much pleasure and pruning. We hold on to the promises of Your new and fulfilled covenant that driveth all heavenly beings to bend their knees in worship and awe, amazed by Your sovereign decisions and actions. By Your Word we believe, have trust and live. By Your Spirit we thrive, exist and worship. We have irrevocable victory by Emmanuel, whom we imitate, cherish and behold as the Giver and Taker of all life, the just and holy Judge of the white day and the Husband of the Bride, Your Church born in Zion the mountain of the Lord, glowing and fragrant with the true Gospel of the Lamb. To all these I say, amen, in the Name of the beginning and the end, amen to the Lord of lords and King of kings.

WHY, OH LORD, WOULD YOU WANT ME TO LIVE?

2008-07-30T21:35:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking too much lately. I've gone through a lot of needle holes these past months, struggling against my flesh. I know I'm dislocated. I know I'm not in the right position. I have failed.

I've been asking God the single question each day... "Why oh Lord would you want me to live?" Hehe I know this sounds like a suicidal note. But as a regenerate Christian who has learned to love the Lord and despise sin, the question makes utter sense.

Why would God want me to live? Because God needs me? Nah.. The God of Scripture doesn't need man. He is self sufficient and needs nothing from His creations. Isaiah 66:1-2 says, "Thus said the Lord - Heaven is My throne, earth is my footstool... Did I not create all things?"

Why would the Lord want me to live? Because my life is valuable? Nah.. The God of Scripture knows that my life is not a righteous life. Angels would applaud if I'd be put away so as to end my carnal mind and wicked flesh.

Why would the King of glory want me to live? Because I can give glory to His Name? Nah. He has several angels crying out day and night, "Holy, holy, holy" is the Lord. Earth and mountains praise His invisible hand. What am I compared to the Seraphim? What am I compared to the four creatures of revelation that sing unknown songs of praise? And even if His creations are granted the will to disobey His will, His glory shall be known. In heaven or hell, all life will confess His lordship and supremacy above all.

So then what is the answer.. ah.. its simple: God wants me to live so that He can demonstrate His greatness amongst others. It is the same for every man. God does not purpose His elect to live so that they can have their best lives now. He purposes His children to live to demonstrate to all creation His magnificence.

How in the world can God infinitely love an infinitely undeserving generation? Angels mutter.
Why in the world does God allow puny men that bring more profanity than praise, to live when He has a host of burning angels that praise Him for all eternity? The Seraphs cry out.

Why or How? When God takes a vile mass of humanity, forgives them, cleanses them and changes them to His image, His divine character is made visible and esteemed above all. His love, justice, holiness, mercy and sovereignty are revealed and joyfully cherished when He saves, frees and sanctifies unholy men. This is why I exist. I, along with His elect, am the living proof of God's love. I, along with His royal priesthood, am the demonstration of His holy and immutable mercy and kindness. This is my role that I share with His Church.

A jar of clay before the hands of its Maker. That's all I am.
A polished vessel of His glory. A reminder of His unconditional love. A statue that lived. A depraved soul that was set free. A man rightfully condemned but receiveth undeserved favor.

And every angel who takes a look at me, remembering my old state in comparision to my current existence, falls flat on their face, marvels at the Lord and wonders, "How great is Thy love, oh Lord? "How great is Thy mercy?" "How infinite is Thy kindness?" "How patient is Thy hand?" "How just is Thy sight?" "How sovereign is Thy will?" And the endless song goes on forever in an eternity of eternities.

LOSS OF TRUTH

2008-07-29T08:41:00.000-07:00

No words in the language of man can fully define my current state. No paradox can explain how Paul can say that he is weak but at the same time strong. We can use all the logic of this world and conclude that "perhaps, the apostle Paul first experienced weakness then after, he experienced strength because its impossible to experience two opposing factors at the same time.. isn't it?" In the same way, we seal in different compartments the attributes of God. God is angry but at the same time, this God is love. And since we do not understand what both of these attributes mean, we declare it as a mystery that shouldn't be touched upon, hide it in the face of men and say that God can choose to be angry but instead, He loved you. Why is it that God cannot hate and love at the same time? Hate and love are not opposing factors. They are compliments. If you love children, how can you not hate abortion? If you say you love holiness and yet you are neutral and apathetic towards the things of this world then you're either insane or deceived by your own heart.

God can never be sealed in a box. He is infinite. Every attribute He has is real and at work all the time. He is not a machine wherein, He chooses to shut down His anger then loves. Both His wrath and love exists. This is what happens when we remove theology from the picture and mix the Holy Writ with the scrolls of men. The absolute concept of God is lost and what replaces it is a bunch of watered down truths that will lead your further from understanding Him and His sovereign will.

Much of the confusion that is happening today is because we have explained the things of God using the logic of man. We take a principle out of the Bible and expound it using worldly logic and godless psychology.

God loves sinners but He hates workers of inequity. Therefore, His hatred for sin, all the condemnation of His wrath was placed on His unblemished Son. Did He hate? Yep, His hatred was there only to be appeased by Christ. Did He love? Absolutely! He did this to demonstrate His love.

God is love but this same God comes with indignation towards sin. Why can't we understand the two sides of the coin? Why can't we see God as He truly is?

Well first of all, most of professing Christians are unregenerate. Sadly, they'll never understand Scripture because as said in the Scriptures, the devil has veiled their minds so that they wouldn't see. In our unconverted states, we do not desire the truth or are willing to receive it. Therefore, we alter it to make it "receivable" and "acceptable". We fashion the truth and convert it to a deadly dose of poison.

Second of all, we've taken away the Gospel and changed the message. The Gospel is the backbone of all teaching. It does not only reveal the entire redemptive plan of God. It also presents and magnifies His holy attributes. When the true Gospel is preached, understanding how God's hatred and love compliments each other is but a small task. But since we've watered it down, no understanding comes into our minds. And since we receive nothing, we fashion a clouded understanding based on the teachings of this world. What do you get? A god who wants to save men but cannot do so. A beggar jesus who wants to do good things in your life but isn't sovereign enough to do so. A man who is totally free and is the sole determinant of his destiny.

Lastly, we've not only taken away the Gospel but we've also removed doctrine and theology from our Churches. We've decided to give what the goats want to the sheep of God. And because of this, the very flock of the Lord starves for the hard truths of Scripture. Also, by removing both theology and doctrine, we lose all means of explaining the Holy Writ. And what do we get? Godly truths explained in worldly terms that feed the flesh and starve the soul.

How we need revival desperately in this age...

THE LORD OF GLORY

2008-07-26T12:02:00.000-07:00

What a great God do we have! No adjective in human tongue can describe the Lord of Hosts without minimizing His glory. The Gospel that commands everyone to repent and believe in the book of Mark is also the same message that portrays God’s attributes, magnifying His insoluble glory among the nations.

Hear ye Him! Hear the Gospel!

Picture this for a moment. God creates the universe. He creates the heavens and the earth. Every creation was bounded to His command. He speaks and they tremble and obey Him. He passes and they bow in reverence. Then man, created in the image of God, decides to join the devil in rebellion. A puny creation, a bag of dust believes a deception, disobeys his Maker and damns his generation for an eternity of eternities. He was cursed but not forsaken. A Saviour is to come. But man did not hold on to this hope. Adam was given a name below every other name and even the innocent land could not escape the fierce anger of God. Man no longer was an image of the Almighty. He was now a lawbreaker, a sinner, a child of wrath and a depraved fool bound in chains of inequity. Adam and Eve did not became gods as what they had intended to be. Instead, they became the opposite: the antithesis of God.

Every creature would fearfully bow and obey their Maker but man would not. He was given over to his depraved mind and he constantly sought to please himself. He wasn’t satisfied. He went on and on for decades. He instinctively knows that he has offended the Lord but man’s generation, his sons after sons, was bounded in sin. In the same way a fish is not aware how wet it is, man doesn’t know the depths of his sin. His corruption extends to every other creation that comes in contact with him. His sin has damaged his will and very nature. He couldn’t break free from the cycle nor realize his helpless and condemned state. The whole race of Adam fell and every man was given over to the great deceiver.

But a commotion was happening in heaven. The principalities of heaven, the seraphs and the angels were all murmuring in shock. Something which has never happened before is about to come to pass. The God of splendour is to come in flesh to save man from the Father’s wrath.

Angels, with mouths wide open, could not bear witness to such an act. Man deserveth death as the Scripture says. Man has offended an infinitely holy God so isn’t it right for man to be placed in a state of infinite condemnation? But the Lord spoke, “Yes, indeed. Sin deserves eternal judgment in hell. But My plans are not like yours. The condemnation that I place on man for his betrayal, I will now put on My Son, in whom I am well pleased. I will make a Name for Myself and a people for Myself. I shall give them what they do not deserve so that they will know that I alone am God and I ordain things based on My own good counsel.” The citizens of heaven shut their mouths in unbelief. They could not even raise a finger in protest. “How great is this God?!” they all pondered trembling. “The only begotten Son, who did nothing wrong, is to be punished in place of sinners? He is to drink His Father’s wrath which every man should rightfully drink for all eternity?”

The Son of God descended on a virgin. Both true God and true man, He spoke. The whole world has never heard such a voice. They rebelled. They got angry. They just couldn’t believe. Everything the Son has said was against their very natures. In protest, they demanded crucifixion. Jesus was betrayed, tortured and murdered in the sight of many as the prophet Isaiah foretold. He was hated and killed without cause. The Son of God died. He died hanging on a tree as if He were a criminal. The angels were weeping but ready to bombard the earth with the justice of heaven. They were waiting for the signal to strike. It did not come. Heaven was silent until the third day. Jesus, our Captain of salvation, rose from the dead. Indeed, He has authority to lay His life and take it up again. He blesses His apostles and sends them to the world to proclaim the Good News.

He ascended into heaven. He knocked on the door once again saying “Father, it is finished!” The door opened without a sound. There was no singing. Every resident of heaven bowed in silent worship as the Lord of glory swept among them wearing human clothes. How the angels envied men who have received the greatest and most precious gift of all! With no permission needed, the Son of God took His place at the right hand of the Father. All heaven rejoiced. The time of silence has passed. In worship, every knee bowed and confessed the glory of the Lamb. They sing “holy, holy, holy” is the Lord with closed eyes and still lips. From the Son’s command, the Holy Spirit was sent to the earth to convict all men, regenerate life, dwell in every believer and prepare the chosen ones for the coming banquet.

The Lord has prevailed. The devil has lost. With little time left, Satan seeks to hide every bit of information that concerns the one true Lord. He puts away doctrine and hunts the men of God who would dare speak about the glories of heaven. He waters down Christianity until it becomes a kilometre wide and an inch deep. He presents a false image of god that comes without hostility over sin and winks over sensuality. He fashions a worldly christ in accordance to man’s demands. He creates a jesus who walks with no holiness and or a rod of righteousness. He lets morality and tradition take over Christianity so that Christians would concern themselves with their performance and ethics not to know God more based on His own testimony in Scripture. Satan continues to give theology an ugly, unpractical image so that men would not seek it and creates a masterful scheme that would go as far to deceive the very elect of God. And anyone who studies God’s Word and preaches it with no reduction is labeled as an overzealous monk who’s heavenly but no earthly good.

On the other hand, heaven continually rejoices. On bended knees, they all wonder. The seraphs, which stand in close proximity to God’s holy throne, would have to hide themselves, well dressed and veiled. They could not even look at the holiness of God with their bare eyes. And yet man, this little, disobedient and ungrateful creature, who has profaned God openly without even recognizing what he has done, upon genuine conversion can enter the Most Holy Place? Oh! How the finished work at Calvary brings sorrow and joy over the saints!

And this great Gospel, which angels could not even utter without much weeping and praise, will stem forth from unclean lips? What a privilege! What a great God! What a Gospel! What else can you desire but a great and holy God such as the One in Scriptures? What else could you possibly want? Is there any stronger pleasure than knowing and cherishing the Lord of lords and King of glory? To the wind with all your problems in marriage! To the wind with all your insecurities! To the wind will all the earthly prosperity you so desire! To the wind with all of us and praise be to the Lord!

Do you want to know what I really want in this life? In contrary to what I was last year, I no longer want to be great writer or a person who’s going to change the world. I just want to sit down and enjoy God. Yes! I just want to be with Him. I just want to be free from sin and to sit beside Him to love and cherish Him as the greatest joy of my life! Believe me or not, I don’t care much about revival or if the Church would successfully rediscover the hidden truths. I’ve worked hard for revival and I’ve always prayed for it in tears but my greatest happiness is God. I desire revival and the salvation of His elect badly but the desire of my desires is to sit alone with Him. In just six years of walking with God, I feel old and tired but at the same time, I feel as if I am the most fulfilled man on the face of this planet. And indeed I am, among a multitude of redeemed sinners.

I wait anxiously in peace for His coming. I know God has still much to do in my short life but I can't shut myself from craving the time where I would be just one with the Lord. How I wish I'd be rid of this unredeemed flesh soon and worship Him in all His fullness! How great would that day be!

THE GREATEST FREEDOM

2008-07-23T22:24:00.000-07:00

Christianity is not a religion of restraint. It is a religion of freedom. Sure it restrains the flesh but hey! isn't your soul more free with the shutting of the flesh? Christianity is to remove every snake wrapped around you and to untie every rope holding you back. It is freedom from this world, from worries, from carnality and from the agony of an eternal judgment.

The greatest freedom is to be a slave of a perfectly holy God. What a privilege it is to be a slave of the Lord! A slave to a gracious God no longer worries about himself, his needs or his future. They are all taken care of! He does not have plans to prosper himself nor does he indulge in absurd activities that bring no real fruit. He no longer enjoys the pleasures of this world. He no longer finds his generation attractive or relevant. Because the gracious Master promises to provide everything, the only concern a slave of God has is to do His Master's will. No wonder Christ could cast down any burden! Isn't He the only load? Oh, Jesus is my great load that brings no heaviness! How light is His heavy yoke!

"Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and its righteousness and the rest will be added unto ye."

How the world is truly veiled as Scripture foretells! Woe to the world's definition of "liberty"! How foolish to assume that the more you are dressed in accordance to our sensual culture, the more relevant and liberated you are! Is this not proof that you are a slave to sensuality? And how wicked to proclaim that freedom is to be under no law! Even if grace is under no law, it is not lawless and neither does it produce lawless men!

"A slave of God... Seek ye first... Cast unto Me your burdens... Do not concern yourself with the things of this world... My yoke is light... My grace is sufficient... A slave of God" I find such truths so liberating. I no longer have to concern myself with what to eat or where to live by. I don't even have to worry if I worked hard enough or think that "maybe this could have happened if I was better". No, His grace is sufficient and I am but a slave under a sovereign God. All I am about is complete submission to His will as the Holy Spirit drives me into His hands. I don't have to concern myself with the world, with reputation or with the the carnal things of this planet. I run this race, spending all of my energies on conforming to His will. That's all. That's all my life is about. Doesn't that bring unspeakable joy and comfort to a regenerate heart? Doesn't that fill your day with madness? To be free from worries? My dear Christian, no angel or demon, not even death or hell can bother your sleep. If you are of the Lord, rejoice and be glad! Esteem His Name, cherish His Kingdom and press on the things that further His glory. That's your only concern. That's your only life. And even in doing His will, there is also a promise of sustaining grace. As if salvation were not good enough, the Father provides more than the escape of judgment! He provides the greatest gift: Himself. What unspeakable joy, unmerited privilege and unbelievable honor to be a slave of God!

Live and be free.

BLESSED IS HE WHO LOOKS AT THEE

2008-07-17T18:34:00.000-07:00

I am grieved with the things that I witness in modern day Christianity. I wish to write something that will talk about the greatness of God but how can I when my heart, transformed by the grace of our Lord, is buried in sadness? There is comfort, peace and joy in knowing God but to see His elect struggling in ignorance, how can I not weep? How can I not weep over the fact that this great God who is infinitely worthy of praise is not highly esteemed?

But in my weeping I find the greatest comfort and joy in my life. My soul is resting at the sovereignty of this holy God who maketh earth a mere footstool. I can rest, knowing that He, above all things, can do anything that He pleases in accordance to His good and holy will. What majestic God! What a Lord who governeth this universe?

There are so many days were I would stop mid-sentence in prayer. Before the throne, with empty hands and in the shallowness of my mind, I would lay and say nothing. I would just look into Him and say, "blessed is he who looks at Thee".

Even the Seraphs could not look at this infinitely blessed God without covering themselves and trembling in reverence and yet I, by the merit of the Lord Jesus, can stand justified without the veil of separation. What magnificent proof that God blesses those whom He wishes to bless, under no obligation and solely based on His own holy will!

Oh, how I wish His Church be rekindled! How I wish for the time where the King would step in and take His rightful place in this new order who seeks to deprive the selected lambs of their precious food. Oh I wait anxiously in peace! Those who switch hard meat with junk and those who water down sweet honey into a bunch of spoiled filth, know that the Lord has restrained His wrathful hand in accordance to His own pleasure. And those who have been given over to the Spirit which empowered Christ, preaching madly and feeding His lambs faithfully with the food that cometh not from man's mouth, know that the Lord whom you serve shall come soon in full glory. Fast, keep yourselves pure and be encouraged that His Word shall not come back in vain without its purpose accomplished.

My restless heart has found its satisfaction in Thee, Lord of Lords. Do as you please. May we, Your elect, be less and broken as You become the only One that matters in us. May we be lost in love and passion for You and the things you care about. May we be dead and alive, restless and peaceful, mourning and celebrating and finally, one with You in reverence worship and truth, as You had made us a part of Thee.

HEARTCRY MISSION CONFERENCE

2008-07-03T11:30:00.000-07:00

This is another "must see" video of HeartCry Mission Conference sharing the work of God and what is truly essential in missions.

HeartCry Mission Presentation 2006 by Paul Washer

LINK: http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=15242003

LOVE IN THIS WORLD

2008-07-03T08:50:00.000-07:00

Love in this perishing world is also perishing. The only way to sustain our love for our loved ones is to continually seek the grace of God through His Word. Do not believe is trivial things such as "True human love lasts forever". The only love that will last for eternity is the love of our Father. Anything we define as love that is outside of our Father's love is absurd. Our love, as powerful and heartfelt as it may be, is only a shadow of God's love and fidelity for His people. If we still have not accepted that our love is bound to fail, we will only be disappointed at our failures.

"But lo, I am here" says the Lord. It is true that we fail but it is also true that God, in this life or the next, is with us. Yes, we may utterly fail in our duties or lose control in anger with our loved ones but God, who is faithful, will make things right for His children. In a sense, we are to accept that we are failures. But now that we have the Lord in our new regenerate life, we are to enjoy victory.

For children, love your parents failingly, accepting that you cannot love them as God does but victoriously, accepting that by the grace of our Lord, anything is possible.

For young men, seek to love your young women in a godly relationship that is fully grounded on the Word of God. To love them means to lead them in spiritually and to cut down anything in your relationship that is of the flesh. In diligence and humility, with trembling knees and a worshiping heart, continually approach God's blessed throne together in prayer for guidance, renewal and sustenance.

For husbands, love your wives with continual dependence on God and His Word. Persevere and believe that God has a purpose for everything. Seek also to depend on one another in everything. Be as one body, one mind and one spirit as you worship Him daily.

For grandfathers, its time to pass your love, memories and wisdom to the next generation. Be glad, your time here is almost up.

Have peace with the Lord.

Mike

GROWING UP

2008-07-03T08:19:00.000-07:00

One thing I can say about growing up is this: its not what we think. In my early Christian years, I have so craved to grow. I wanted to mature quickly. I wanted to be on fire. I wanted to be smart. I wanted to be strong. In the end, I realized that I wanted everything but God. I was in love with the fellowship, the maturity, the preaching and the knowledge you gain in the circles of Christianity. I never realized that there is only one thing that really matters: God.

In our growth as regenerate folk, no amount of desire, effort or works can truly make us grow. Unless we fully understand that spiritual growth is by the grace of God alone, He will not allow us to move on the the next level. Our God, Who is a Consuming Fire, will never allow us to grow until we have realized that it is by His power alone that we can grow. He will destroy anything, even the good things, that take your heart away from Him or replace Him as your source of strength.

There are many times where the knowledge that I gained took the place of God in my life. You know what He did? He showed me the failure of all my knowledge until I was down on my knees begging for His grace to sustain me. There were also many times in my life where my desires to be matured got the best of me. It was as if all there was to Christianity was growth and maturity. You know what He did? He prevented me from advancing further to stop me from enjoying the power of regeneration. Whenever we take our eyes off Him, He shows up and does what He always does to those He loves: prune. To truly grow means to be pruned constantly by the Vine Dresser. Spiritual growth means to becomes less of this world and more like Christ.

The Lord knows how I deeply desired power in the form of knowledge, supremacy in the form of faith and maturity in the form of emotional discernment during my early stages. During those years, I was still drenched with the world which also explains why I mentioned power and supremacy in such a way. I didn't realize that it was all up to God. I didn't realize that it was all about Him. I didn't realize that I was in the way. I was arrogant and self-centered. I created an image of Christianity thats all about "who is the greatest among us" rather than "who is the least among us". I've went through many roller coasters trips just to understand these truths. I was adamant on doing it my way. I thank God that He is sovereign and that indeed, no stubborn man can bend His will.

MY EARLY CHRISTIAN YEARS

2008-06-29T14:45:00.000-07:00

I don't know exactly why but the Lord has suddenly, out of nowhere, flashed memories in my mind of my early life as a Christian. What a splendidly crafted, fun past! Its not fun as in fun but worldly fun. I know I'm beginning to sound like a secular guy but that was really my early Christian life. Fun isn't even an appropriate term to describe it. Still, after getting to know God more and understanding His sovereign will, I can't help but joyfully describe my early Christian years as "fun". I was the most superficial, selfish, worldly and ungodly Christian that has ever lived. I wish I could share some of the stuff I did but its just too embarrassing and besides, I'd rather keep my funny, worldly moments all to myself so I can selfishly savor each memory. I just hope I'll still remember all these things when I get to His dwelling place so I can see His glory in His own work. Or maybe.. I won't remember them anymore because its either no longer necessary or simply not worth the space in my mind. Perhaps after seeing the full glory of the Lord in heaven, I'll just forget everything else and in amazement bend my knee and worship. Perhaps heaven, where the full presence of God rests, may be too overwhelming that every memory I had would just fade or be utterly forgotten because they find no place in comparison to the incomprehensible sight of our lowly Messiah holding the scroll of seven seals.

Its hard to believe that the Lord has brought me this far. Well, this isn't really far. I'm still worldly, fleshly and weak. But I am grateful for all these because there is no better way to see the glory of God than in your weakness. Indeed I have a new nature and my heart has changed a lot over the years but I'm still the same little boy who loved dinosaurs and had an entire collection of toy concrete-mixers. Its just great to look back at all those things you did. Good or bad, troublesome or not, these are the stuff that you did and experienced. There are things that I did that I am not proud of.. sure. But hey this isn't about me, right? This is about God invading my life with His grace and power. If it was all about me, woooh, how I wish to be be dead right now.

Its amazing what God can do in your life. And I know this is just a foretaste of what is to come. How anxious am I to those better days yet to come! But I would still enjoy moment after moment in this life I was blessed with. There's no sense in just waiting for Him. You've also got to enjoy His company here on earth. Preaching, praying and sharing, all in the while experiencing His greatness and worshiping Him. Besides, this life will be my last. Never again will I experience this same life in this same world. After His coming, there will be no more struggles, so why not enjoy struggles while we still can? Such struggles glorify the Lord more than anything else! Angels would trade their lives to experience God's greatness here on earth. They wonder, "What is it like to experience the Lord there in man's world? Is the Lord more glorified there than up here? What is it like to be regenerate or to struggle with the flesh?" I know.. this isn't Biblical but who can tell? Maybe those burning angels indeed envy us, His elect. Why not? We are clothed in the fragrance of Christ Jesus and His love is marvelously revealed on the cross where all our sins were hatefully nailed. Will they not envy us who see the glory of God through our sufferings and misfortunes, which they do not experience? Will they not envy us who are filthy and yet are unconditionally, sovereignly loved and graciously conformed to His image? All I am left to say to God is: "Great job God! How in the world did you domesticate such a beast? Job well done! hehe PS We're waiting for your return! Till you do, we'll do as we're told."

THE END OF ALL THINGS

2008-06-14T13:57:00.001-07:00

Its been a while since I've written something. I've been so tired flexing my muscles in the packaging industry I work in. I've also been so exhausted struggling and searching for answers. Last two weeks were monumental not only because I barbarically stood up and spoke to God's people without thinking, but also because I've been reminded of the totality of God's glory.

The more I walk with God, the more I see how great He truly is and the more I realize how empty, unholy and fleshly I really am. In my six years of walking with such a blessed Being, I've seen and experienced many storms and struggles. I've done things I am not proud of. I've sinned against Him more than a pagan does. I've wept, prayed and wrestled with the devil. Most of my battles ended up in loss but all of them led me to a more profound relationship with the Lord.

The way God works truly astounds me. He takes care of His children well. He sometimes breaks their hearts to cleanse them of their idols (Eze 36:25) as He does with me most of the time and I praise Him for being such. If He did not, I would be brimming with more idols that a heathen could ever have.

Whenever I address delicate issues about repentance, holiness, conformity to God's Word, regeneration and evidence of salvation, I am labeled as a legalist or a person who's trying to add something to Jesus' work on the Cross. I am just tired of explaining myself all over again.

The last thing I would ever want for God's people is to be work-centered. A believer who becomes his own god or makes his work the basis of his joy is not only a form of idolatry but also a direct insult to God. So the only reason why I point to rules, emphasizing sin and godliness is so that we would see the greatness of God. I stress delicate issues regarding holiness, repentance, ministry, the way we preach the Gospel or the meaning of the cross not for the sake of works, but so that we would reverently bow to God in worship.

We can never see God with our own eyes. The Scriptures are there to break our self-righteousness and idols to leave us with empty hands in order for us to cling to Christ alone. As a little boy of God (I will never be able to live up to this name), I have always stressed correct doctrine, proper exegesis and correct Gospel preaching. But these are not the end. Theology, radical obedience, ministry or missions are extremely important but they are not the end. They are only small fragments of what Christianity truly is. That does not make them less important but before the End, who is God, everything else loses its value.

The last thing you would want from a prophet is to tell you what you want to hear. I admit that I have been hard and harsh sometimes. In the emails that I have sent to my brothers and sisters in Christ, I would appear to be nothing more than a "Gospel ranter". I believe I have made wrong choices of approach and I dearly apologize for such. However, I can never take back what I said. God forbid that I tell a lie and water down His truths. I fear Him more than the scorn of men.

You might be wondering then why should we give importance to works when they mean nothing before God's grace? My dear friend, like I said, works, the evidence of salvation, are important because through them, we are enabled to see the glory of God with a clearer perspective. When we repent of our sins, drop all forms of self-righteousness and admit our sinful and helpless condition, we see the glory of God. In our brokenness, we realize that God is all and is the only One that matters in life. Secondly, works have to be stressed because we are so earthly minded. For example, if I say Christianity is about experiencing God, how will men understand that? Its true but isn't it rather vague? Not to mention that every man has his own version of "experiencing God". Shouldn't I also stress the hard truths of Scripture from the meaning of the cross to conformity to His image? Thirdly, we have to be constantly reminded of the things of God. The Bible in the book of Job describes us as people who drink inequity as if it were water. Even upon conversion, we still drink sin and are so accustomed to it that we have to be constantly reminded of God's warnings, reminders, commandments and instructions.

Back to the main issue: the end of all things is God. Yes, it is important to stress repentance and obedience but these are only means to God. Experiencing Him, dwelling in His presence, communicating with Him, thinking of Him and living in Him are the real deals in Christianity. Its all about Him. God forbid that Christianity would be about something else.

READING THOSE OLD BOOKS WRITTEN BY LONG DEAD MEN???

2008-06-07T00:55:00.000-07:00

I've been skimming lately through the classical works of our Christian forefathers. I have grown to love contemporary books and yet, seeing the classical works, for instance of Jonathan Edwards, filled my heart with joy and grief. Joy because such forgotten works that are often labeled as "old-fashioned" when they are not really, are so full of truth! This brings me to the reason of my grief. What has happened to our age? How the flesh and the demands of the world have corrupted our writings!? How I wish most contemporary writings would be as the writings of old: unusually strong, true and totally grounded in Scripture.

Reading the majority of modern day Christian books right after spending some time in the libraries of Pink and Tozer would deeply grieve a regenerate heart. How did it ever come that the truth was replaced with half-cooked, flesh-pleasing, crowd-sensitive conjectures? What have we done? What have we become? Should false fire ever be in place of the Spirit in the Lord's altar? Or could true fire from heaven fall on His people, amidst all the noise and clamor the world has generated?

The undying classics that we label as "old" and "inapplicable" are the most essential ones. I can go as far and say that such writings are the true ones and the last bastion of the Gospel here on earth. They have survived the mockeries of our wicked generation, have been tested by time and they have been blessed by the Lord as an act of mercy to His people. If He did not freely act to preserve His absolute truth, the world, in all its hatred for Christ, would eliminate or worse, pervert His Gospel in no time, leaving His elect wandering in the darkness forever.

These "old" books written by godly men such as Edwards and Spurgeon, who have long passed to the next life, should be redeemed and reincorporated in our Church if the glories of salvation is to be understood and witnessed. Such fundamental, hard and Scripturally grounded truths are so rich that a hungry believer would wish he had lived in such classical times when the true Gospel was still abound, when preachers still swept the land with much plowing and sowing, when virtue still dominated sensuality and the words "repent and believe the Good News!" (Mark 1:14) were graciously heard.

Let me close in the words of Theoden of Rohan, a heathen king in the book the Lord of the Rings, "How did it come to this??"
-- -- -- --
Here is a great archive for your study:
http://www.davidcox.com.mx/library/mobile/Authors.htm

Its all free and I encourage you to contribute or donate to this awesome e-book site.

WHAT IS GOSPEL REDUCTIONISM?

2008-06-02T12:34:00.000-07:00

Gospel reductionism is watering down the glorious message of God by removing some parts, altering some elements (especially the ones about our sinful natures) or changing the entire message based on the preference of the unbeliever. This is the main reason why most Churches are filled with empty, lost and carnal people. Gospel reductionism brings false conversion. The Lord warns us that if His message of salvation is altered in any way, we would not only be condemned but we will also get superficial, ignorant and phony conversions.

We must preach the fullness of the Gospel starting with the holy justice of God along the fall of man, down to the the nature of the atonement and the Spirit's work of sanctification REGARDLESS of the people's whims or personal preference.

Here are several reasons why preachers reduce the Gospel:

1) They have no confidence in the Word of God so they change it to suit their purposes
2) They are afraid of being rejected to they take away those issues about sin, condemnation and the wrath that is to come
3) They love to please the crowd
4) They are totally ignorant of the true Gospel
5) They have poor theology that is more based on a godless culture than the Word of God

Some of the most popular, well-loved examples of modern day gospel perversions:

1) "Jesus died for you on the cross. Now, do you want to have a relationship with God? Do you have a relationship with our loving Jesus? If not, ask Jesus right now to come into your life, say sorry and thank Him for the cross"

2) "Who loves Jesus? Raise your hand if you want Jesus! Now, pray this prayer and you shall be saved!"

3) "Jesus loves you and He died for you because He wants you to enjoy life with Him in heaven. He want you have your best life now so He was crucified. Would you like to repeat a prayer and ask Him into your life?"

4) "Do you know you're a sinner? (yes) Do you love Jesus? (yes) Do you want to get to heaven? (yes) Do you want to ask Jesus in your life? (yes) Now that you've asked Him into your life, you are saved."

So then if these are but perversions, what is the TRUE GOSPEL of Jesus?

This is the Gospel in summary: Brother I have a great news for you but before I can tell you that lets first get in to Scripture about what it says about man. Brother, man is sinful, corrupt and helpless. He is in bondage with sin and he has continually offended the Lord in his thoughts and actions. And because of this, he is on a way to hell, a place where God's wrath is manifested. (I don't believe you! --This is a typical response, see how the real Gospel creates conflict?). No my friend, its true, God is holy and just and if you look at these passages you would realize that the wages of sin is eternal death. He would be a corrupt judge if He lets you go for your crimes. (No! What about good works?) You cannot be saved by good works because the problem is not your works. The problem is your vile and sinful heart that needs to be changed and converted.

But you know? Here is where the Good News comes in. Someone paid the price of your sin! Someone died for you on the cross! and that Someone is the Son of God in human form! He paid the price of your sins on the cross! He was wounded for your transgressions and His life became an atonement for your wickedness! (What! God did that?) The wrath of God which should be poured out to us because of our inequities was instead poured out to His Son. Yahweh offered His Son as a sacrifice. The Son of God was tortured and killed so that we can be forgiven and reconciled with the Father. This is all for the glory of His Name and for the salvation of His people. (What great God! So what must I do to get saved?) REPENT AND BELIEVE THE GOSPEL!!! You are saved by the grace of God alone through faith in Him! Now, if you genuinely have been changed by God, your life, your heart and your thoughts would start to change. If there is no inward change in your life, you had nothing from me here today and we have to talk again.

HEAVENLY THINKING

2008-05-30T23:00:00.001-07:00

I was on my way for a job interview when the Lord brought my thoughts into a forgotten stream of truth. "You're just passing through", He whispered as I was taking the subway train in my formal wear, ready to meet my possible employer.

I thanked the heavens for His great revelation. How marvelous are His words! This world is not my home! I'm just passing through. I am a pilgrim of this world so why should I be overly concerned with such worldly things. Why should I live as if I truly belong here when I am not? Shouldn't I prepare my heart for eternity? Shouldn't I pursue the eternal and godly things as Jesus has instructed?

It all came to me. A few decades more or maybe even tomorrow, I'll be leaving this perishing world. Each day could be my last so why should I live storing riches here? Even if I am successful in my endeavors, death would physically eat my body. So why not live each day as if it were my last? Why not live each day, savoring every moment, good or bad, joyfully with the Lord? Anytime could be my last and my victory is secured so why still cower in fear of the unknown? Why not radically sprint in this life I was born to? Shouldn't I walk as if I will never walk again? Shouldn't I preach as if I will never preach again? When the Lord comes, there will be no more preaching or evangelism. There will be no more standing up for the truth. There will be no more persecution or trouble. There will be no more tears for revival. There will be no more weeping in prayer. There will be no more time to run and hide. Its judgment day. The sea and land would give up the dead. The books of life would be opened and those names that were written, those who belong to the Lord, will live forever with Him, adoring His unfailing magnificence.

The Lord of lords that leadeth a host of fiery angels is soon to come. Soon everything will be over. In this life, I have become a stranger. The moment I was given the mark of the Lamb, I have become a pilgrim. Yes, my flesh still exists and craves the world. But the Spirit will soon complete its work in my heart and so I have great confidence that I would be "fleshless" before the throne of the Almighty on that day.

"What would He be like?" I wondered. My thoughts were far gone. I was still on the subway train marveling at the greatness of the Gospel. We are not just forgiven! We were purchased by His sacrifice! We're free from the power of darkness! We are His now! Not only are we forever cleansed but we can finally enter the enter the Holy of holies and worship Him in Spirit and truth! We have an unspeakable future with the great Creator of life! We, who deserved to die, have a hope to look forward to!? We, His elect, have been given a new life and a new nature. How did it come to these? My heart was leaping with joy! Oh, Lord, how I thank Thee and Thy Cross! What would I do without Thee? The depths of His mercy are truly unfathomable. One thing is for sure: all these are for the glory of His Name.

As I stepped out of the train, wild and free in pondering, it dawned on me. I'll enjoy every remaining time here on earth with the Lord as I wait for His return. With this in mind, I walked out of the subway into the bus stop, more than ready to face another beautiful day.

I Am Nothing

2008-05-30T22:21:00.000-07:00

When the Scripture reveals my true nature and my experience proves such disposition, I am at ease. My flesh screams for room before the throne of God but the Spirit, Who is always strong, declares the sovereign holiness of the Almighty.

Truly there is nothing left for man. Not a hand to raise or a head to bow... absolutely nothing. The pain of not being of true use and not being of significance is a pain that shatters the carnal wickedness that dwells in me. Now I truly understand, "In me dwells no good thing", and allow me to add that in the Lord dwells everything of purity. No blemish. No flaw. Perfect in every aspect, corner and surface.

This Lord that the Bible boasts about is not a Lord who works by synergy or transaction. He sovereignly does as He pleases. He breaks and reforms, crushes and restores, hardens and saves and the endless list goes on throughout the pages of eternity.

A true believer would shout at the top of his lungs: "Woe is to me! Undone am I! Yet my Lord is mighty and there is none like Him." And he would close with the words: "Nothing else do I bring, only to the Cross I cling." In his heart he joyfully wonders: "I am unclean to the bone and condemned.. but how did He ever come to love me, save me and even adopt me? I cannot tell. Surely by His sovereign choice He saved me, so that His power may be known and that His merit alone may be recognized, not the works of man."

This dark torment of helpless, hopeless and insignificant void is my Lord's pleasure for such turbulent river of hurt breaks the son of the serpent from the curse of pride and self-esteem. How I praise the God of creation that His Spirit works in such a way that I would submit to His will in pain, for it is against the depths of my rotting filth, but pleasure, for it agrees with the new nature which is another amazing gift from Christ.

If the Lord's angel would speak His thundering voice, it would start with an "I" and end with an "I". He is God, I am not. He is holy, I am not. He is everything that is not of me. I am simply the opposite of His being, if not for His tremendous power of salvific grace.

In the end, I am but an insignificant ant under the shade of the mighty oaks. I am well and blessed beyond words! Now I understand what Paul truly meant when he said "When I am weak, I am strong." It is not just because in our weakness is the strength of God found. Neither is it also just about being humble and submissive to the churning forces of His throne. Thirdly, it is not just about losing your energy that you may take up the strong armor of the Lord. So what is it about?

Its about: I am nothing but God is everything. And since I am His, I too share in what He has; not in terms of control but in terms of enclosure. As a sandwich gets trapped in a sandwich bag until it is eaten by its Maker so does a sinner gets trapped in grace until it is consumed by the Holy Fire of God. So then, I am weak, oh yes trapped in sin, but was saved by grace, oh! what marvelous, incomprehensible act? And now strong not by merit or achievement but by the power of Christ's deliverance alone.

I am truly nothing. What great torment! And yet it is also my greatest comfort because my Lord is everything! I may painfully be an empty shell but look! I can and shall be filled! And despite such loss, the glory and responsibility is of God, not of man. I am free from everything and at peace with Him by Him, through Him, in Him and for Him. So though the pain comes, the peace drawn from such is eternally rewarding. It is all about God.

GROWING IN ACCORDANCE TO THE SPIRIT'S PACE

2008-05-27T16:31:00.000-07:00

One of the things that I've learned when it comes to spiritual growth is to be patient with the will of the Father. Too many times have I rushed and have done things to perpetuate my growth. I couldn't wait for the hand of God and I wanted to grow in faith badly. What were the results? Confusion, loss and bitterness.

It is true that a Christian must grow in the likeness of Christ but the only determinant of our growth pace is the Holy Spirit, the resident of the regenerate heart. He works inwardly through our daily experiences or the truths of Scripture.

Ah, I am so far from what God wants me to be. And I feel that I am just wasting my life. How in need am I of ever increasing godliness desperately. But lo, God has promised to clothe His Church and prepare her for the coming wedding. So I wait in the will of God, striving in vain to the things that matter and never giving up on the crown set before the narrow path.

Regenerate Or Degenerate?

2008-05-25T01:28:00.001-07:00

“What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such a faith save Him?” -- James 2:14

This New Testament passage has become a cliché because of its repeated use. The common interpretation for this verse is that genuine faith will always lead to good works. But there is more to this passage than we can ever think of. It pertains to the Holy Spirit’s work of regeneration.

When a person gets saved by grace through faith upon hearing the Gospel, he is forgiven of his trespasses by God. In addition, God, by His Holy Spirit, regenerates the man in lieu of His new covenant (Heb 10:15-18). Regeneration is synonymous to sanctification and it is the theological term used to define the supernatural transformation brought about by the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer. This inward transformation brings about outward manifestations such as repentance, hatred for sin, separation from the world, passion for God, obedience, conformity to the Scriptures, devotion, perseverance and so on. Regeneration is a process of change and it explains the journey of a former sinner into a blameless saint.

Man is granted a new nature the moment he repents, accepts his hopeless case before the living God and believes in Christ, the one True Lord and Savior. This new God-given nature is completely different from the old and sinful one. It is because of such Spirit-driven nature that man is said to be “born again” or “born of the Spirit” (John 3). The Holy Spirit’s work testifies on behalf of the convert. A new believer begins to change and see the world in a different way. He starts to hate the sin he once craved and pursue the things of God with a fiery passion. He seeks God desperately and his lifestyle is that of godliness in conformity with the truth that is in Christ Jesus. He does all these by the continual work of the Spirit.

Click on the chart to enlarge. Although the chart looks like a cycle, regeneration is not a cycle. It is a one-way finished work. The only way the chart points back to a pure heart is because mankind used to have a pure heart (before the fall of Adam and Even) and also because the end of regeneration is a pure heart (our pre-fall state). Follow the chart by its numbering and observe its stage. It is the simplified work of God bringing sinful man back to His image and likeness.

Make no mistake, a regenerate Christian is not perfect. In fact, a practical indication of regeneration is continual battle with sin. However, in the believer's struggle, there is an overcoming of sin. In other words, a regenerate believer can still sin but he cannot remain in sin.

If the work of regeneration is not a reality in a person's life, then that person isn’t really saved from the wrath of God that is to come. Salvation is not a flu-shot. It is not a one-time act where you repent and believe. The evidence that you repented and believed when you heard the Gospel is that you are still repenting and believing until this very day. The bottom line of James 2:14-26 is that it is impossible to be saved and yet live like the rest of the world. He is not suggesting that faith is not enough to save you. We are saved by faith alone by the grace of God (Ephesians 2:8-9). However, genuine faith will always bring good fruits. A faith that brings no fruits is unreal.

Regeneration takes place to those who have been saved so that the fullness of God’s glory might be revealed as he plucks out our stubbornly wicked hearts and gives us new, sin-hating and God-loving hearts. We can placidly hold on to this truth for God is faithful and He will finish the work that He began in us (1 Corinthians 1:8-9). The completion of God's regenerative work will be on the day that we stand before the throne of God in heaven.

To have a new relationship with God also means to have a new relationship with sin. As Paul Washer, American Pastor and founder/director of Heart Cry Missions, always asks:

"Has God done such a work in your life that the sin you once loved, you now hate? And the God that you once rebelled against, you now love?"

For those who say yes, I urge you to continually seek the Truth and conform yourselves to it. For those who say no or are not sure of what to say, its time for you to get saved and make regeneration a flourishing certainty in your lives.

One does not pour new wine into old wineskins. Old wineskins must be made new first because they will burst when they come in contact with new wine. It’s the same thing for our hearts. We have to be saved and changed by grace through faith before we can truly belong to God. If no transformation has occurred in our lives, we still do not have the wine of salvation. To be unregenerate means we are still drunk with the inequities of the world.

In closing, salvation and regeneration come hand in hand, there’s no separating the two. It is impossible to be saved and not be inwardly changed. To belong to God means to live a transformed life in accordance to His Word. Let us be divorced with the world and be married with Christ.

Gospel For Asia

2008-05-25T00:22:00.001-07:00

Gospel for Asia is an international mission ministry that was introduced to our Church on our Missions month last April 2008. I was truly touched in how God saved and called hundreds of native missionaries to preach the Gospel among the unreached. Their lives and testimonies are truly heart-breaking. Their God-given zeal and the way they preach the Gospel has been what we've been lacking at this present age.

Our speaker at that time was Rev. Martin Lamb and he showed us a powerful video of a certain native missionary who struggled alone for years preaching the Gospel in the hopes that God would save his village. He was tortured with no outside help. He had no food or possessions except for his Bible. Just like the apostles, he survived with his Bible and faith in God. He always prayed in his small, empty room and he spent his entire day preaching and ministering to the people. The villagers cursed him and did not take heed to God's Word. Eventually, it was the kids who got attracted to his ministry. The villagers saw the changes in their children and they began rediscovering the Gospel with him.

I didn't see a native guy working for God in the video. I saw a prophet of God fasting, praying and preaching the Gospel with all his heart for the glory of his Maker. His life reminded me of the lives of the Old testament prophets and the late and well-hated puritans. I'll try to get a hold of this video. The guy in this video represents many of the other native missionaries who are currently preaching the Gospel to their fellowmen.

There is also a book introduced by Gospel for Asia that I haven't finished yet, but I strongly recommend it: Revolution in World Missions by K.P. Yohannan. It is a very powerful and life-changing book. It is so true, convicting and so filled with love. Praise God!

GET A FREE COPY OF THIS BOOK by mailing your name, address and email to:

Gospel for Asia
245 King street E
Stoney Creek, Ontario L8G 9Z9

They'll send it to you in two weeks. Gospel For Asia is a really great ministry and my mother is currently supporting one native missionary. I'm planning to support one too. I also have an extra copy if you want. You can just email me your receiving address at mike.borja@yahoo.ca and I'll mail it to you for free. You can also visit their site at www.gfa.org.

The author of the book, K.P. Yohannan, is a native missionary leading the Gospel for Asia. He isn't the same one I mentioned in the video above. Below are the links to some of his videos I found in YouTube. I started weeping at his first statements. Even before listening to his message, I knew what he exactly meant. How we truly need revival especially here in North America!

K.P. Yohannan Video sermon part 1 -- click here to view
K.P. Yohannan Video sermon part 2 -- click here to view

I praise the Lord for His great mercy and awesome grace. He is calling people and starting an underground revival. Oh Praise God! His love is everlasting! Enjoy and be blessed!

On Missions: Communicating the Gospel

2008-05-24T23:34:00.000-07:00

Mission is not just about employing the right strategies or sending the right number of missionaries. It is about communicating the true Gospel. We can employ the best strategies in the world or have as many missionaries in the field but if we are not communicating the truth, then our task becomes pointless.

We live in an age where the Gospel is treated as a small thing. One of the greatest sins of our generation is Gospel reductionism. As Paul Washer said, “We reduce the Good News into a 5-minute speech about getting to heaven. We never mention the reality of sin or the terrifying condemnation that comes with it. Then we wonder why our converts don’t have a zeal for God when we haven’t preached the fullness of the Gospel.”

There is no greater thing than the Gospel. Salvation is not about making a transaction with God by repeating a prayer and getting a ticket to heaven. It is about repenting and giving your entire being to Christ upon hearing that He was punished for our crimes.

It is impossible to come to Christ without being broken over sin. Nor is it possible to be saved without an understanding of our total depravity. It is true that we are saved by faith alone but genuine faith brings about repentance. In other words, salvation is not about repeating a prayer but desperately crying out to God in faith and with an understanding of His Son’s work on Calvary.

Modern preachers rarely talk about repentance and commitment to Christ for fear of criticism. Modern Christianity has been more about "getting what you want" than "giving up everything". The Bible is clear about the message of salvation. It is an offense to man but a soothing aroma once fully embraced. It reveals our eternal disease that results to perpetual judgment. But it also proclaims God’s saving grace through Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross. If we reduce the Gospel into some sort of “Jesus loves you and He wants you to be in heaven, would you like to repeat a prayer and live with Him forever?” kind of speech, we would get false conversions. I have said this many times: an unbeliever’s willingness to repeat a prayer or get to heaven means nothing if they haven’t thrown themselves on the foot of the cross in repentance.

It is only through the darkness of man that the love of God can be truly understood. If we do not explain the reality of sin and hell, have we not deprived men of their sight and made them worse? Ever wonder why prostitutes and convicts, upon hearing the Gospel, gain an overwhelming passion for God? It’s because they were broken over their sin and they readily repented. So upon hearing the message of Jesus’ propitiation, they put their faith in Christ and their hearts exploded with joy and they cannot help but fall flat on their faces in awe.

I have been preaching the Gospel for five years in outreach programs. My life has been marred with criticism and persecution. I glory in all these things for I am not ashamed of the Gospel. I could have preached a half-cooked Gospel that would be agreeable to men. I could have made them laugh instead of weep over their sin and cry out to God. But if I do so, have I not perverted the Gospel and insulted Jesus? Mission is about unveiling the truth to the people regardless of their preferences. We can employ strategies to improve our approach as long as we do not water down the message. If revival is to be witnessed, then the fullness of the Gospel must be preached.

How do you know if God is calling you to minister?

2008-05-24T23:08:00.001-07:00

You will know if God is calling you when He has placed a heavy burden in your heart. I guess the follow-up question you would be asking is how would you know if such burden is from God? Well, there are two ways to find out. First is to allow time to test it. Do not make spur of the moment decisions and rush into the mission field or pastoral ministry. Take it seriously, pray hard for it and let time test its authenticity. Emotions, no matter how great, will pass or recede in months but a burden from God will never pass. Emotions weaken over time but a genuine burden from God will become worse throughout time. God's sovereign will for His people happens exactly as it is. The Bible also says that no one can run from the will of the Father. Jonah is a good example for this one. No one in Scripture was able to successfully evade the will of the God, not even His Son Jesus.

If your burden from God gets worse over the months, if you can't sleep well or you're constantly disturbed by it, continue praying and seek the counsel of godly men. There is a good chance that your distress is caused by God and He is truly calling you.

But if the heaviness of your heart, elation or distress ceases over the months, it is not really the will of God. It is possible that you were drawn by emotion. You must still be open to the possibility of God's calling. But at the moment, be assured that it is not or "not yet" His plan for you.

The same principle should be applied when your trying to find out if something is God's will for you. Pray, fast, seek counsel and give it time. The most important of these is prayer. Remain in constant communion with God.

Understanding the Arminian god and the God of Scripture

2008-05-24T15:18:00.000-07:00

In my opinion, there are two general reasons why many hold on to the Arminian god. The first reason is ignorance. Arminians are not fully aware of the attributes of the God of Scripture. They are also unaware of the essence of Calvinism which is why they see the doctrines of grace as abominable heresies. In the eyes of a man, God's presence is an overwhelmingly strange but beautiful sight. A mere glimpse of His holiness is enough to cause fear and surrender on the part of the beholder. The Arminians think otherwise. They view God as a powerful yet "incapable lord" with eternal wrinkles on His forehead in the hopes that men would look at His Son. They exemplify His omnipotence but deny His sovereignty above all. A variation of Arminianism accepts God's sovereignty but strictly believes that He totally respects man's will and does not choose to override it in any way even if He is capable to do so. If this is the case, not only has God become a servant but He has also been nothing but a slave to the free will of man. If His plans are based on the foreseen choices of man, hasn't He lost His throne and have been nothing more but a pet to man's choice? If He isn't sovereign, how can He accomplish what He sets out to do? How can He guarantee salvation? Another argument here is that if we are to believe in the Arminian god, then we are also to believe that there might be errors in Scripture since man, a fallible and degenerate being, was left alone to his will to write and preserve the scrolls from which the Bible came.

Nay, the God of Scripture is sovereign (Romans 9). He sits in a throne and He exercises mercy on His elect based on His own pleasure. Man has no vote and neither can he cause the mind of God to change. God is sovereign and everything that occurs in His universe, whether good or bad, has been permitted to happen to accomplish His high, grand and incomprehensible purpose. Even Satan cannot tempt man beyond what God allows (See book of Job). Do you think man could not be stopped if the Lord wanted to? Is our will that great that our Creator has no choice but helplessly watch? God is not watching the maze. He is actively participating in the maze.

Where in Scripture was the sovereignty of God limited? Every text of the Bible portrays the sovereignty of the Lord over all creation. But the Arminian mind has been blinded so that it cannot comprehend such truths. I too used to be an Arminian so I know what it means to be ignorant and blind. If the Spirit has not touched my eyes, I wouldn't see or comprehend the way God accomplishes His task. I am convinced that every true believer starts out as an Arminian. Most remain and die as such. Yet some, as they get older and grow in Christ, begin to understand their total depravity and inability to break free from sin. They later acknowledge God's sovereignty and embrace reformed theology.

The second reason is that Arminians are also afraid that they might falsify God. In my opinion, Reformed theology, at first glance, appears to be a series of miscommunicated truths. I even believed that those who uphold Calvinism are Bible-obsessed heretics. I did not understand nor see the extent of the Lord's power during that time. A well versed Arminian is afraid of the five points of Reformed theology. Since I used to be an Arminian, allow me to elaborate the Arminian's fear and the Calvinistic stand.

On the fifth point, the doctrine of the perseverance of saints:

I was afraid that if I were to accept that salvation could not be taken away, I would disregard the cross and be carnal. I was frightened that accepting such belief would drive me to throw away the commandments since I would "inevitable persevere" in the end anyways. What a small mind do I have? I did not understand that a true believer is a regenerate working craft of the Spirit. And the reason why regenerate men are destined to persevere in the end is because a God of infinite worth and power is behind their strings. If a person whom God justifies and regenerates fail, the reputation of the Lord would be lost and His ability to carry man till the end would be a fallacy. Those who apparently fall away never had true faith to begin with.

The doctrine of the perseverance of saints is slightly different from the "once saved, always saved" view which is advocated by some evangelicals in which, despite apostasy, unrepentant and habitual sin, the individual is truly saved if they accepted Christ at any point in the past. This is not what the Bible teaches. It is true that a true born again Christian that is saved by God's grace can still sin. He can even temporarily go back to his sinful habits. However, he cannot stay in sin or live in continuous carnality. Whenever a true believer steps out of the path, the Spirit residing in his body convicts him to the point that he experiences godly sorrow, breaks down over his sin and then comes back to Christ in repentance and awe.

On the first point, the doctrine of man's total depravity:

Being raised in Arminian theology, I was also afraid of man's total depravity. I could not accept that man has no free will to choose God until God made me experience the depths of depravity. He left me on my own will and I was totally powerless against sin. All I had were temporal triumphs but in truth, I was a slave to my nature. Our nature dictates our will. In the same way a dog can bark and not purr, man can only sin and not choose God without any divine intervention. We are still "free" but only within the boundaries of our sinful natures. Unless God holds your heart captive by His truth, you cannot be free from sin. You will sin and sin and sin and sin and sin. You can try to stop but in the following weeks your thoughts would betray you and you would fall again. You cannot break free from the cycle nor save yourself. The Bible is clear: we had all become helpless slaves of inequity and even our good works are filthy rags before the Lord (Isaiah 54:6).

I praise God that He hath revealed to me His wonderful and saving truth on Calvary. He opened my eyes so I could have made a choice. He was the prime mover. It wasn't synergism. It was monergism. Embracing the reality of man's inability and depravity made the rest of the doctrines of grace easier to accept.

On the second point, the doctrine of unconditional election:

Again, viewing this doctrine made shout "heresy" in my mind. This made me think that if God unconditionally elects people and saves a particular number, He would not be fair. I could not understand what the Lord meant when He said "Jacob have I loved, Esau have I hated" when they haven't done anything yet. And even after they were born, God loved Jacob when he was the greater sinner of the twins? Then I finally understood. It was because God chooses men based on His own pleasure. He did this to demonstrate that His choice is not based on man's merit.

Another point that I'd like to emphasize is that the real unfair part is not that He hated Esau.
You see all of us have sinned and we have continuously offended God with our thoughts and deeds. Deny it as you want but the Bible says we deserve condemnation under the holy wrath of God (Romans 1). But He did not leave us condemned even though it was rightfully so. Out of His sheer mercies came a Savior who satisfied His justice and successfully redeemed His elect with His suffering and death. So the "real" unfair part is that He hath elected a people for Himself at all! He could have left us all to our depraved minds and let our deeds condemn us on judgment day. Yet He did not! He redeemed for Himself a people who did not love Him initially for His own Son so that Jesus would have the pre-eminence above all creation. So God in unconditionally electing a certain number of people is not unfair because He predestines. He is "unfair" because He even cared at all. But take note, God was not unfair because His Son drank the cup of His judgment. Thus, there is no more condemnation left for His elect.

On the third point, the doctrine of limited atonement:

The term "limited atonement" raises a lot of eye brows in the evangelical world so I prefer to call it the doctrine of particular redemption. This was not hard to accept for me because I understood the finished work of Christ on the cross. The substitution of Christ and the nature of the atonement should also be fully examined before one could fully grasp this doctrine.

The doctrine of limited atonement is the teaching that Jesus' substitutionary atonement as definite and certain in its design and accomplishment. The doctrine is driven by the concept of the sovereignty of God in salvation and the Pauline understanding of the nature of the atonement. Christians view the atonement as a penal substitution (that is, Jesus was punished in the place of sinners), and since, it would be unjust for God to pay the penalty for some people's sins and then still condemn them for those sins, all those whose sins were atoned for must necessarily be saved.

Moreover, since in this scheme God knows precisely who the elect are and since only the elect will be saved, there is no requirement that Christ atone for sins in general, only for those of the elect. However, I do not believe that the atonement is limited in its value or power (in other words, God could have elected everyone and used it to atone for them all), but rather that the atonement is limited in the sense that it is designed for some and not all.

On the fourth point, the doctrine of irresistible grace:

The term "irresistible" seems synonymous to "forceful", thus, even among the evangelicals, it is easily dismissed or misunderstood. I prefer to call it the doctrine of "sovereign grace" or "efficacious grace" to emphasize superiority and effectiveness of God's grace to sustain and restrain man from beginning to end. I also didn't have problem with this once I have been convinced by Scripture that God is truly sovereign over all.

The doctrine does not hold that every influence of God's Holy Spirit cannot be resisted but that the Holy Spirit is able to overcome all resistance and make his influence irresistible and effective. Thus, when God sovereignly purposes to save someone, that individual certainly will be saved.

In conclusion, all people are entirely at the mercy of God, who would be just in condemning all people for their sins but who has chosen to be merciful to some. One person is saved while another is condemned, not because of a foreseen willingness, faith, or any other virtue in the first person, but because God sovereignly chose to have mercy on them. Although the person must believe the gospel and respond to be saved, this obedience of faith is God's gift, and thus God completely and sovereignly accomplishes the salvation of sinners.

In practice, we, Christians, teach sovereign grace primarily for the encouragement of the church because they believe the doctrine demonstrate the extent of God's love in saving those who could not and would not follow him, as well as squelching pride and self-reliance and emphasizing the Christian's total dependence on the grace of God. In the same way, sanctification (a.k.a. regeneration) in the Biblical view requires a continual reliance on God to purge the Christian's depraved heart from the power of sin and to further the Christian's joy.

Note: Some statements are indirectly/directly quoted from the works of John Calvin and other reformed preachers

The Blogger Is Back!

2008-05-23T11:42:00.000-07:00

I looked at my old posts and I guess I got frustrated. They were slightly undoctrinal and they had many errors in grammar. I don't usually care when I write and I'm usually message-oriented. I didn't care much about parallelism or word count. Still, for some obsessive reason, I started deleting my older posts. Suddenly, I just realized that almost all my other older posts have the same problem in parallelism!

Some people say writing is hard. For me, its the editing that really racks the brains. You can write once and forget about it. Editing is ever changing. You look at an article one day, fix it and reorder some stuff, then the next day you look at it you reorder something again! Its insane! In my opinion, editing works best for a person with a clear, objective and firm mind set. But for people like me who occasionally switch from dry to hyper mode, I guess it doesn't work.

Going on with the story, things got worse. I started noticing every detail of my blog, from borders, colors to template. What the??!! I said to myself. What is going on? I had never cared for such things. I used to be contented with a neat and decent blog. Colors or templates didn't matter much. I needed a break.

Anyways, now I'm back. Those weeks of mindless obsession have passed. My best friend helped get back to my senses. He didn't address my irrational behavior. I doubt he ever so through me. My writing just made it looked exaggerated but it wasn't a major ordeal. I won't even consider it to be a minor ordeal. I guess I just needed a break.

So now that I'm back, let me share some of the things I've learned about writing. The Lord used my best friend to get me back on track. These learnings may mean nothing to you but for me, given the experience I just had, they are priceless.

1) Let the Spirit direct the flow of your writing all the time!

2) Do not hold on to "writing ethics" that much! God is not glorified with word counts, colors or skins. He is glorified by the message you share and your testifying, regenerate life.

3) Writing is not about pleasing the readers. Whenever pleasing the crowd becomes your priority, its no longer called writing. Its called advertising.

4) There is no perfect category or label. Write as you please and put it under the category that suits it best. That is all.

5) Couple your writing with prayer. They don't work together nor do they "synergize" with each other. Communion with God through prayer is the most important thing. Whether you are writing or not, be in constant communion with Him.

6) Live true to your writings. Some of them may not be doctrinally sound. Be firm in your belief and if you make a post that doesn't seem Biblically correct, correct it if you can but do not delete it. Keep it and if someone points it out, apologize for it or state what you actually meant. Keeping undoctrinal posts would help remind you of your former self. These old posts that have "missed their mark" will remind you of how God has changed your thinking in the past few months.

7) Because of my fear of not being Biblical, I had avoided the subjective and emotional side of writing. Do not fear the subjective side of writing! Writing is also an experience, not just a system of correct data presentation.

8) Lastly, enjoy writing for the glory of God. Be reminded of His great works and promises and live constantly in devotion to Him. When your fuel burns out, it is God saying, "Son, its time to rest. Come to me and I shall give you rest."

As always, enjoy and be blessed! Its good to be back hehehe

THE SAFEST POSITION

2008-05-17T23:28:00.000-07:00

The safest place to be is to take sides with God against yourself. Let your lifestyle be in conformity to His infallible Word. Allow the Holy Spirit to dictate your life. Let go of your pride, ego and your notion that you can save yourself or make things right. Let go of your self-absorption, self-proclamation and self-sufficiency. As Jim McClarty says: stop standing up to God and saying "I want what I want when I want it". Admitting defeat and surrendering to Him are the right responses to His sovereignty. God delights in the humble and repentant. He alone knows what is best for you and so trust His will. Let go and cling on to Him.

Read more about godly surrender here.

Men: Unbelieving folk

2008-05-17T21:54:00.001-07:00

God has revealed to me a basic truth: we are an unbelieving folk.

Before we knew Christ and His redemptive work on the cross, we did not believe. We ignorantly justified ourselves and pursued our faulty versions of happiness. In the same way a fish is not aware of how wet it is, we were unaware of our depravity. We refused to accept our sinful natures. We knew there was something wrong. We knew that we had an illness that rightfully condemns us under the eyes of the Almighty. Our thoughts openly accuse us. We compared ourselves by ourselves and we found nothing wrong. We desired the darkness and succumbed to our own desires. Despite the glory of the Creator manifested on His creations, we did not look towards the sky nor genuinely gave thanks (Romans 1:18-32).

But when God came and revealed the truth about His Son, we, His elect, were exposed. Our sins were exposed. Our sinful natures and our desires to live in continuous carnality were revealed. We fell on our knees and repented. We worshiped the Father who sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. He purchased us and until this day, He faithfully continues His good work in us. He continually molds us to His desire, reordering the very faculties of our souls. We are His handicraft.

However, despite seeing the power of Christ unto salvation, we still do not fully believe. Many times we cry out for proof. We ask God to convince us of His sovereignty when the cross ultimately reveals that nothing is impossible for Him. We are pathetic, always in need of evidence even though His Word has revealed so much already. This is what I meant when I said we are an unbelieving folk in the start.

Please don't get me wrong. I am not bitter over our helpless state. In fact, I rejoice in such weakness for as Paul states, "when I am weak, I am strong". Let us glory in our inability to fully discern and accept His attributes. His light is exalted in our ignorance and loss. Only through darkness can a light be honored. In the same way, through our fallen bodies, we see the glory and extent of His grace and love.

I do not believe that we can truly appreciate such an infinitely worthy Being. We are unable to do so with our finite minds. We also cannot grasp the depths of His truths nor harness it. Unless His Spirit breaks the opaque shroud that blinds our hearts, we would not see. This gives me a self-impression of helplessness. Still, I rejoice in such weak condition. For in my weakness, His strength is seen. Only through my flaw can the richness of His glory be wholly viewed and understood. It is through our unrighteousness that God's righteousness is made clear (Romans 3:5). In the same way that oil is appreciated through water, so will God's righteousness stand out in our faults.

PS: Please don't get me wrong, we do not sin to increase grace nor do we stay in sin to see the holiness of God (Romans 6:1-2). Instead, upon hearing the Gospel by the power of the Spirit, we are changed, thus we are new creatures (2 Corinthians 5:17) no longer craving for the things of the world but of God.

The Fragrance Of The Coming Revival

2008-05-12T21:52:00.000-07:00

I've been looking through different blogs lately and I am surprised to find out that Christians are starting to seek the buried truths of the Gospel. Some are even proclaiming the true message of salvation with the boldness and love that our forefathers had. Others are exposing the fancy heresies that we, Christians, have ignorantly adopted and embraced. A lot of people are waking up. We can see the sword of God plunging through the hearts of men in Christian forums and blogs. We can hear the screaming of preachers over their websites. God is reviving our land! He has heard the cries of His people!

I am deeply convinced that the merciful Lord is brewing a revival for the coming generation. I do not think that the truth would last anyways if He doesn't make a move. As He did throughout history, He would faithfully take action and will not let the truth about His Son vanish or be trampled on. He will see us through and make sure that the message is preached to His scattered elect.

We live in an age where the Gospel of Christ is rather vague, simplified or altered in accordance to the listeners' preference. How great it is that the sovereign will of the Lord can never be overridden by the counsels of men nor can it be nullified by a multitude of decisions. What great God! How could I have ever believed in the Arminian god? A god that sits on a throne but cannot exercise the powers of a sovereign ruler? Nay, the God of Scripture is sovereign and He shares His throne with no one.

Its feels so good to see Christians seeking God desperately. They are no longer contented with those powerless, crowd-pleasing pulpits. The twisted and half-true preachings of the Gospel ignorant have created an empty void in the lives of many true believers. They're no longer happy with what they are being fed with. They had enough of those repentance-skipping, man-friendly hoops. They want God and His Word. Their new natures are screaming for answers and they're re-entering the fences of Biblical truth.

Its true that many emerging church movements have been appearing here and then. Many false messiahs and fancy doctrines have been continually charming the people's minds. It is also undeniable that the seeker-sensitive movements are gaining ground and are rapidly evolving into mega-churches. Gospel reductionism is also rampant and extensive even among true believers in Christ. Nevertheless, God is faithful and He will provide a way for His elect to meet His Son on the cross. How the glory of the Lord is revealed when His merciful hand is extended to our impoverished minds?! I can say nothing more but praise His Name! I can hear the sounding trumpets of the coming revival. It won't be long until the Gospel is unearthed from the scoffs of men. When this happens, the land shall be offensively plowed and the seeds would be sufficiently sown in their fullness once again. The fragrance of Christ will invade the land. His starving people will find the promised milk, wine and honey and His glorious Name would be renowned as it should be. The great God of the old and the new testament is on the move! What else can we expect? Shall we not consider revival as a forthcoming reality?

One Of The Greatest Acts Of Faith

2008-05-12T15:57:00.000-07:00

"One of the greatest acts of faith is to look into the mirror of God's Word and see yourself as you really are: an unworthy sinner that is rightfully condemned AND then to still believe and dare to believe that God loves you as much as He says He does." - Paul Washer, Southern Baptist Pastor and founder of the HeartCry Missionaries

How true! This is so true for me! I look at myself and I say, "Whoa! How could God ever love a wretch like me?" This is why I love the song "Amazing Grace" so much! It exalts God's glory over man's depravity!

It really takes a lot of faith to believe that God indeed loves you after you have fully accepted the Scripture's testimony against an unconverted man's rotten and God-hating nature. In fact, you cannot do so unless you have fully grasped the essence of the cross.

One of the hardest things to do after the revelation of God's wrath against the godless is to believe without doubt that your sins are forgiven and that you can enjoy an unblemished relationship with such a holy and just God. People who can say easily that they love the Lord do not understand their depravity. Because if you really understand the reality of sin and the kind of bondage you once had with it, saying "I love you Lord" takes tremendous effort.

I am so thankful for the work of Jesus on the Cross not only for its tremendous implications but also because, just by looking at it, I have the assurance that I am graciously forgiven and loved. One of the reasons why God publicly displayed the suffering of His Son is so that His elect would be truly convinced that He loves them as much as He says He does.

Why Does God Choose The Weakest Of The Weak?

2008-05-12T15:35:00.000-07:00

There are several reasons why God chooses the weakest of the weak:

1) We are more ignorant of God's glory than we think we are. So in order for His glory to be known among all creation, He uses the weak. He delights in the weak because it is through them that His splendor is revered.

2) He uses the weak to shame and humble the wise. He does this so the wise of this world may look unto Him in awe and reverence.

3) He chooses the weak so that He can take the full credit of His work as it should be. If He uses the strong, in our foolishness and ignorance, we would give the credit to the "strong man" and not to God, who maketh the weak strong and maketh the strong weak.

4) He uses the weak to make us realize that He chooses men based on His own sovereign will and pleasure. He does not choose men out of an unforeseen merit or strength. Neither does He select men based on some special virtue that he has over the others. He simply chooses whom He pleases unconditionally and He makes such choice known by choosing the weak.

Christianity Is Giving Up

2008-05-12T13:57:00.000-07:00

Giving up every self-righteous act, stopping all efforts of self-justification and accepting the Bible's testimony against man's helpless and corrupt nature are acts of repentance. However, even after we have repented, believed and have been born again, the process of giving-up goes on for the rest of our lives.

As all Christians do, I so often struggle with sin. I hate all kinds of sin. I just can't stomach it. And the sad part is, no matter what I do, I can't avoid it. The reason why I truly believe in the doctrine of man's total depravity is not only because it is written in Scripture but also because I had totally experienced it. Sin is in our very core captivating our souls. It is not something we can ward off with our own hands.

Whenever I sin, the Holy Spirit crushes my heart and I can't help but weep and praise His Name for loving me despite such wicked nature. Falling in sin even in thoughts is heart-wrenching, painful and sickening. And after falling so many times, I realized that I truly have nothing to hold on to but God and His promise that He will finish the work that He began in me.

Through our wretched states, we can truly see the utmost glory of God. The fact that He loved an unworthy soul such as I, speaks of wonders. Oh! How deep is His love indeed?! Who can fathom His infinite splendor? All I can say is that I give up. Oh yes! I give up! I am helpless, unclean and undone. And I am going to heaven by the merit and virtue of Christ alone. My soul can be repaired by the power of Christ alone. My life belongs to Him. He is in charge. If He sovereignly wills that I should suffer or indulge myself in the darkness so that I would see and appreciate His holiness even more then let it be done. I trust Him and wait in joyful hope for the completion of His restorative work in me. I stand blissfully helpless before His presence like a bottle tossed into a great, fierce ocean. Let Thy waves carry me Lord and let Thy will drown my soul so that I may see Thine beauty and worship Thou at Thine fullness.

In conclusion, Christianity is not about unveiling an ancient tool that will satisfy your felt needs. It is about giving up, surrendering and holding on to Christ alone. Christianity is deliberately raising your empty hands and saying, "I give up. I am a sinner and I am rightfully condemned. Oh Holy One, do as you please for I am undone." and then submitting to the call of Christ with an awareness that you were unconditionally spared and loved out of His sovereign choice alone. Jesus suffered and died not only to save us from the law or free us from the bondage of sin. He died so that we may see the extent of His love and give Him the due glory He deserves. To Him be the glory now and forever!

The Greatest And The Only Motivation

2008-05-08T22:22:00.000-07:00

Where does our motivation for following Christ come from? From our favorite verses? From the promised rewards we undeservingly get in heaven?

The greatest and the only motivation in our Christian life is what God has done for us in the person of Jesus when He paid the penalty of our sins with His blood. He suffered and died for us on the cross. This alone should make us weep over our sin and rejoice upon His great love and mercy. He offered His life when we had nothing to offer but depravity and rebellion. Isn't that the greatest motivation? Isn't the full glory of God manifested on our lowly Jesus?

We so often miss the single greatest truth. Even true believers have searched for motivation in books, positive self-help seminars, 10-step pamphlets and Bible verses. They've scoured all over the globe looking for answers not knowing that Calvary alone has the answer. Isn't salvation enough to motivate us for eternity?

We so often treat the Gospel as if it were merely Theology 101 and then we wonder why the Spirit isn't active in our lives. We reduce the Gospel into a prayer of transaction with God. Angels marvel at the Gospel! They sing songs of praise to the Lamb night and day yet, we treat the Good News as if it were nothing more than a repeated prayer that books you a V.I.P. seat in heaven. Dear friends, the willingness of an unbeliever to be saved by repeating a prayer means nothing if he hasn't thrown himself on the foot of the cross in repentance and awe. We are so blessed that God hasn't poured out His anger on us for mocking the work of His Son as He did with the Israelites before us. He sees the filth of man every day but He patiently restrains His wrath until the end of times where all of us would give an account on our deeds here on earth. Oh how terrible would be that day for the hardened and how glorious would be that day for the elect!

I have been a Christian for five years and not once did the value of the sacrificial work of Christ diminish. This is because time does not erode the Gospel nor does it dissipate its glory. The Gospel is a message of infinite value thus, the longer we live by it, the more we see the insurmountable glory of God. I have always found myself overwhelmed at the foot of His Son.

There is no greater thing than the Gospel. Every attribute of God, from His justice and holiness down to His love, mercy and grace, is manifested in the Gospel. Our happiness should not be based on our performance or what we do for God but what God did for us in Calvary when He offered His Son willingly as a sacrifice for us, workers of inequity. True motivation and prosperity comes from looking into the precious blood of the Lamb with a repentant and worshiping heart. Look into Christ. In Him alone will you truly be satisfied.

What Does It Mean To Be Open-Minded?

2008-05-08T12:54:00.000-07:00

Being open-minded does not mean being open to other beliefs outside of the Bible. The Bible is clear and it is the one and absolute truth. There is no other book like it and nor will there ever be. Being open-minded basically means that you are considering the fact that your interpretation of Scripture might be inappropriate or out of context. It does not mean that you readily accept every other belief or consider anything outside of Scripture. The Bible clearly teaches that we are to test the spirit whether it is in the truth or not. And how do we do such? By comparing it to the standard which is the Bible. In closing, open-mindedness simply means to be teachable but at the same time discerning of the truth of Scripture. It does not mean to universally accept everything that sounds good but to learn a greater and deeper truth within the context of Scripture.

Humble Orthodoxy

2008-05-07T18:49:00.001-07:00

A common misconception among Christian believers is that devoting oneself to the study and practice of the truth leads to arrogance and insensitivity. Christians who study doctrines are usually viewed as insensitive, arrogant and self-gratifying separatists.

If you study the truth at an intellectual level, I do not contest that you will indeed end up as an arrogant, insensitive separatist who cares more about intellectual glory than the Kingdom of God. However, if you study the truth and at the same time, embrace it with a practicing heart, then self-denial, humility and zeal for God would be the concluding effects. Genuine orthodoxy results to godly effects, not man-centered defects.

It is understandable if non-believers or seeker-sensitive "Christians" alike disregard the orthodox way. We know that these people do not uphold the Gospel and are therefore not truly saved by the grace of our Lord Jesus. They are mere self-esteem buffers, not Gospel hardened folk who act in accordance to the Spirit's bidding. They water down the Gospel into some sort of special formula to success on this earth. In return, they get emotional movements instead of genuine conversions. Their places of gathering are empty buildings filled with empty men who think they're rich. Their pulpits are nothing more but market stools for negotiating the truth. I would understand if these kind of people refute the study of doctrines or the strict practice of it. Their adherence is not to the truth but the wisdom of the world. But if true, born again Christians do not have the desire to indulge themselves in the truth of God, then we know there's a problem.

Studying the truth, living it and representing it constitute the Christian walk. And the more we explore the buried truths of Scripture, the more we find ourselves humbled before God. Unless you are merely studying the truth with an intellectual passion and an egocentric purpose of self elevation, it is impossible to remain arrogant or apathetic after embracing the offense of the Gospel. Every doctrine branches out from the Gospel, from the depravity of man down to God's justice, mercy and sovereign grace. Even the doctrines of the deity and the humanity of Christ are clearly exposed in It.

Orthodoxy gives birth to self-denial, repentance and humility. Most importantly, it reveals the infinite glory of the Triune God. A seeker of truth who finds and grasps the Gospel's meaning cannot help but deny his very existence and marvel at the greatness of the everlasting God of Scripture. Is there any room for arrogance to grow? No. Is there any ground for man to be given credit? No. Man is but a slave of its Creator. He is either given into the pleasures of his depravity or thrown on the foot of the Cross. The truth speaks of the glory of God alone, not of man. Although man, upon conversion, is undeservingly rewarded and given the great privilege of being a part of God's glorious reign, these are all done for the glory of His Name. This is what "humble orthodoxy" is all about.

All misconceptions about the pursuit of doctrines, radical conformity or the "legalistic" orthodox ways are nothing more but ill-fated attempts to drown the truth of Christ. To devote oneself to the truth and find himself denied but satisfied that his God is given the utmost glory is the essence of humble orthodoxy. In addition, speaking such hard truth in the spirit of love, not of arrogance or anger is a foreseeable outcome of the denied but satisfied believer. Amen to God, the Cause and End of humble orthodoxy.

The American god and the God of Scripture

2008-05-06T22:23:00.000-07:00

Almost every person claims to be a believer of the God of Scripture. However, looking at the fruits of their faith will tell us that there seems to be a problem. I do not have doubts that they have faith. I also do not have doubts that they indeed believe in a god. The question is what kind of god do they believe in? Who is this popular god that is well-loved and well-praised by all? Allow me to introduce the American god through the voice of poetry.

The American god and the God of Scripture

This American god is loved by the world
He just accepts everyone as they are
There's no need to change, repent or worry
All you have to do is say you're sorry

He'll tolerate your sin so don't be grieved
His words don't hurt, he isn't negative
He wants everyone to be happy and nice
So just smile and roll the dice

He's really good, he provides success in earth
He'll give what your heart desires from birth
He isn't a selfish god like what those Christians think
All they want is for you to shrink

Don't fear him, he is a lovable sight
Why do Christians love to fight?
They're jealous, they just want to bite
Follow your feelings and you'll be all right

This American god is a god of pleasure
He promotes equality and freedom
Every man for himself, he'll respect your choice
He understands your not perfect
So stop striving, that's the secret!

Pursue your pleasures, this is the kingdom
Be alive! Everyone's born with wisdom
Christians teach man is lost and empty
They teach man is sinful and unhappy
But this American god doesn't care
He's down with all the things you dare

But this American god is also the angel of light
He is deceptive, who loves to wear white
He doesn't want people to change or repent
He wants all God's laws bent

The God of Scripture is of love and mercy
He does not tolerate sin, He says your a sinner
But He sent His Son to be a Redeemer
So that we, sinners may be cleansed and be given a new life
Only then can we be justified
Only then can we be declared right

We are fallen, no one wants to hear that
Even though their very thoughts contain immorality
Deny it as much but we all drink inequity
Set a child free and discipline him not
Ten years after you'll have a monster
Do you have to teach a child to be bad?
No, it comes naturally
For our very natures are bent to sin
We are not beautiful, we need to be changed
We need help, we need to be saved

Upon this realization, you have repentance
If you accept your depravity, your no longer ignorant
Denounce th American god and you'll never be sorry
But this is just the first step in the Christian journey
Because the trouble has just began

We are sinners and we have offended God
Because God is just, He must do what is right
A criminal must be punished for his crime
Same thing with us, we are eternally damned

So what do we do? There's no hope for us?
Sin is inevitable, everyone does it
And so the consequence of sin remains
The judgment of God that so many deny is to come

Well, because God is love He sent a Saviour
To suffer and die in your place, for you and your sins
Do you now understand the love of God?
He loved us despite our sinful hearts
He sent a Saviour to save us
Now repent and throw yourself into Christ
Accept your sinfulness and the love of Christ

He was nailed because of you
So have faith in Him that is true
But if your faith has not produced any fruit
Your faith is unreal, it has no root

Run to God and be clean
Persevere in faith, live by Him
Only then can you be truly free
Only then can you be truly happy

The Christian Walk In A Nutshell

2008-05-03T21:17:00.000-07:00

The Christian walk is to grow in love in the likeness of Christ, by Christ, in Christ and for Christ.

"The" - function word to refer to a definite, particular or unique object/noun/verb; strong emphasis

"Christian" - one who was saved by God through grace from His judgment that is brought about by man's sinful state. A Christian has been purchased by the sacrifice of the great Lord Jesus on the cross and he also possesses the Holy Spirit that continually works within him, transforming him into the image and likeness of Christ. The work of the Spirit brings fruits (e.g. repentance, godliness, wisdom, fortitude, etc.) that inevitably manifest in his life.

"Walk" - (verb) not idle or stagnant, pressing forward constantly with an overcoming of sin; (noun) a manner of living, a lifestyle

"To grow" - to increase, expand or develop into maturity; this means that Christians are initially immature and unregenerate and they need to learn, unlearn and be transformed constantly in their lives here on earth

"Love" - devotion or affection; the greatest attribute; possessing every Christian virtue with the exception of love makes everything else meaningless; every godly virtue and commandment branches out from love; every act of God is based on love (and yes, even the terrible judgment in the great white throne of God in revelation is an act of love)

"To grow in love" - to develop and mature in the context of love

"To grow in love in the likeness of Christ" - to develop and mature in the context of love and also in conformity to Christ; in other words, to become like Christ

"By Christ" - focusing on connotative meaning, what I meant here is that "we are to grow in love in the likeness of Christ by the power of Christ". It is impossible to be like Christ without the power of Christ that is exercised by the Holy Spirit. Even after receiving the saving grace of God, our very character has to be changed because sin has done so much damage in the very corners of our soul that we are constantly under its unholy influence. We need to be recreated by the Holy Spirit. He works in the very faculties of our soul, bringing about changes that manifest in our lives. He does not only change our attitude or perspective towards things, He changes our very nature so that every perspective, attitude and characteristic is conformed to God's desire.

"In Christ" - focusing again on the connotative meaning, what I meant here is that "we are to grow in the likeness of Christ not only by His power but also in His presence". We are to grow in His company, within His domain. This also means to experience and worship Him as we live in communion with Him.

"For Christ" - This means that a Christian truly belongs to Christ, not the world or any other "principality". We are not only slaves to righteousness but to Christ, Himself, the Source of all righteousness. Like Paul, we are bond servants of Jesus. We are made for Him and meant only for Him. He owns us and we personally delight in His ownership. All the laws and commandments that we are to obey have been created out of love. And all of them have one main purpose: to love God and worship Him in spirit and truth. Regeneration is just a means to our Great End that has no end: God. After the work of regeneration is complete, we are to live with Him as true bond servants (as we did on earth), worshiping Him day and night in heaven, throughout eternity. We do so not only because the Spirit irresistibly drives us or God commands it but because, we, given our new, completed natures, truly want and love Him.

Not Works But Character

2008-05-03T20:45:00.000-07:00

I took me years before I truly understood the meaning of growing in Christ. I praise God that He revealed to me what it really means to grow in Christ. A lot of believers miss the point when they live the Christian faith. I, myself, believed that conformity to Christ is the key but my lifestyle spoke more of works than character. Whenever I did not meet my goals, I would feel so crushed and useless before God. What I did not understand is that in the beginning, we are already powerless. Our works are important. Obedience is important. Meditating on the truth and discovering the revelations of God in your life are important. Ministries are important. Missions are important. But all these things are meaningless if we are not growing in Christ-like character. To live in conformity to Christ and wear the fragrance of the Gospel all the days of our lives is the most important thing. Christianity is not just about doing the right thing and avoiding the wrong thing. It is about living under the lordship of God and humbly wearing the magnificent attributes of Christ. As Paul Washer says, "Christianity is not just about what we do. Its about what we are." If we serve in Church yet our lives remain in the world, have we not nullified the meaning of Christianity? Have we not made our cries for revival senseless?

Being active in Church is not all there is in our faith. It is being spiritually active in every moment, wherever we are, as we maintain a close communion with God and live in accordance to the likeness of His Son. Though good works are the fruits of our faith, we are not to be work-centered men. We are to be men and women of God. Men and women who like Christ, dwell in His presence and live by His Word.

For us, the elect, making Christ a reality in our lives is a continual but victorious struggle. It is a struggle because by doing so we go against our former selves. We are also powerless in such struggle. Unless the Spirit empowers us there will be no true movement in our lives. However, it is also a victorious scheme because it is the Spirit that does the work. If God's Spirit is at work, what more can we expect other than victory? We may fail at times but victory will come in the end because our faithful God will finish the work He began in us.

To enter the Christian life is by faith alone in Christ. To live it is to fully submit to the power of the Spirit as He builds Christ-like character in our lives. All of these ultimately lead to worship.

As converts of the true Gospel, we can hold on to the promise that He would finish the work of regeneration, making sure that all the elect perseveres in the end. As a carpenter chips away the ugly blots of wood in his handicraft and finishes his work with a pleased smile, so will God chip away our badness as He supernaturally recreates our hearts and upon completion, look at His great work, pleased as in the day of creation. Isn't it great? Its not enough that we are free from the condemnation. We are also transformed into the likeness of Christ Jesus! What overwhelming reality! And after our character has been made perfect, we would be free from our vile flesh! We, the unworthy, would be fully made acceptable in the presence of God. It wouldn't be long before the Spirit completes His work on earth and the judgment of God passes. After which, we would be completely free from all this corruption. There would be no more mourning over sin. There would be no more preaching. There would be nothing else to do but the very thing we were created for: to worship and adore God, the great and glorious Being who is infinitely worthy of praise. What great hope! What great future! What great God!