Christ In Us- All christians have the Spirit in us, but how many actually let Christ LIVE in us?
Oh, if only we could only learn to fully, wholly accept the Lord into our whole life: There would never be a struggling, frustrated, sad, depressed christian- for it is through Christ that we have the Victory!
Many christians struggle because they try to live their life 'with God's help'. This is not wrong, but only partially correct: we should let Christ shine through us!
For example, when you have guests in your home, a common phrase used is "Make yourselves at home". However, how many of us truly mean that? Do we actually wish for our guests to go around exploring the house, rummaging through your fridge, lying on your bed, trying on your clothes...? When most people say that, they say it out of courtesy- What they mean is " Stay in this room, and don't touch anything".
Likewise, do we give our Lord free rein of our 'Temple' (body)? Or, do we shut Him in one room and say: "Stay, Don't Touch!" ? When we learn to surrender our all to our Heavenly Father, we will KNOW we have the victory over sin, because the Lord says so in His Word!
Note that this does not mean "Let Go, Let God", an oft-heard phrase that might be used without truly understanding the meaning. Think about the forces of Nature: One of the most basic would be the Gravitational Pull of the Earth- Everything (which has matter) that goes up, will come down. Have you been in an airplane, or a helicopter? These flying machines do not "come down"; they stay up! The Law of Aerodynamics thus overcomes the Law of Gravity.
However, the very second that you take a step out of these flying machines... you will plummet down to Earth - the Law of Gravity has gotten hold of you, now that you are out of the 'protection' of the Law of Aerodynamics! It doesn't matter if you stay 1min, 30min or 1000min in these flying machines: the Instant you step out, you will fall.
For those who haven't guessed, the 'Law of Gravity' is the Law of Sin- Everyone has sin, and are sinners. The 'Law of Aerodynamics' is then the Plan of God's Salvation where He sent His Son to Die for us! Therefore, no matter how long you have let the Lord have control of your life: the moment you let the flesh take control of it again, you will fall as deeply into sin as any other person can. Do not 'Let Go, Let God'! Instead, let us always be faithful, working, running, serving christians in this race to Eternity.
I am running out of time, but here's another illustration:
An illustration of a christian praying "Lord, i know You want me to read the Bible, so please, Lord, give me the desire to read my Bible".. Again, it is not wrong to pray for a desire to read God's Word, but the desire would more likely come when you take the remote, switch the TV off, and pick up your bible. Afterall, no one actually expects the Lord to bring the bible to you and make you read it.
Chew on it (:
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Friday, September 14, 2007
"May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing in Your Sight, O Lord"
Just uploaded this song. Hope it is as much of a blessing to you as it is to me. Don't really have much time to blog as i did, as my exams are coming up.
Hope whoever (if any) reading this blog will be encouraged and convicted by this song. Take heart! (:
Just uploaded this song. Hope it is as much of a blessing to you as it is to me. Don't really have much time to blog as i did, as my exams are coming up.
Hope whoever (if any) reading this blog will be encouraged and convicted by this song. Take heart! (:
Monday, September 10, 2007
2 Timothy 4:1-4
If you would scroll down to the bottom of the page, you would realise that the verse is there- it happens to be a verse i live by; a verse i learnt to memorise, then to love; during a youth camp in my church.
After listening to a lesson from Faith Bible Institute, whereby John Yates (the speaker) emphasised on "CHARGE" in another verse- i suddenly thought of my theme verse and i realised the whole emphasis God places on this verse!
We all know that the Lord wants us to share the gospel with people around us, ec etc.
BUT. Do we really KNOW?
The Lord has CHARGED US to go forth and preach the Word!
Very recently, i struggled to understand the dfference between fear and love- i always felt that i loved God, but i did not Fear Him with an actual Fear that is a magnificent manifestation stemmed from such great awe and respect. (Note: this is not the same fear as the lonesome fear of the dark; or the awful, stomach lurching fear of heights,etc). Likewise, i longed to share the gospel with my family and friends- BUT because i feared for their souls, and i loved God..not because i feared Him!
However, when John Yates emphasised on CHARGE, as an Outright Command, i truly, finally understood the fear that we are supposed to have! The fear comes from fear of DISOBEYING God's outright commands. You see, Man cannot trust his own emotions and feelings, for they are deceitful..at least, i know mine are. Ah, many a time where my anger would get the better of me and i would lash out hurtful words to my parents! Although fear is also a feeling, it (more often than not) stops us from doing something out of spite or anger.
Let me elaborate. I personally think i was born to be a 'spitfire', as some call it. My emotions have always been an immense difficulty to me- i can swing from one end right to the other in a matter of seconds. ( Thank God for granting me the will to control my emotions so i could be a better example to my siblings-in-Christ-- although, of course, i am still struggling) However, i did not DARE to hurl those sarcastic, hurtful words to my parents when i was angry with them, because i was afraid of THE CANE. (which could very well bring me to another sharing about "Sparing the rod, Spoiling the child", but i shan't go into it as of yet.)
Then..i simply grew up. And now that i am not afraid of the cane (i am a "swingin' seventeen" now), i realise it has become so terribly hard for me to control my emotions! And why is that? Because, i lost the FEAR that was in me. i did not lose the LOVE for my parents- in fact i think my love for them grew by leaps and bounds- but i simply lost the Fear of them. And that alone makes it so difficult for me to control my anger when it comes in such a rush..
Thus, i have come to the same conclusion regarding this matter. Many of us, no doubt, long to "Preach the Word" to our dear loved ones, but we probably face the same problems:
1. "I Don't know what to say! What if i offend, or say the wrong things, or they ask me a question i dont know how to answer?"
Well, i DO feel the same way too. But you then must understand that sharing the gospel is also borne from a spiritual aspect- God has to be involved in this! Precisely because God knows that often, Man are so full of such doubts.. that is why He chooses to use us! (Remember, God chose a donkey -an "Ass"- to ride through he streets where everyone was welcoming Him). 'Sharing the gospel' does not in any way mean 'using your own strength to preach the Word'.
Prayerfully, my sharing has helped overcome yr doubts. But when i first heard it, it did not really quell my huge doubts about this. For that, then, there is another way out. As C.H. Spurgeon said.. i quote a long paragraph from his sermon you can find here (this is the back part of his sermon) :
The peculiar form of usefulness which the Religious Tract Society lays hold upon, is admirably adapted to those persons who have but little power and little ability, but nevertheless, wish to do something for Christ. They have not the tongue of the eloquent, but they may have the hand of the diligent. They cannot stand and preach, but they can stand and distribute here and there these silent preachers. They do not feel that they could subscribe their guinea, but they may buy their thousand tracts, and these they can distribute broadcast. How many a little one in Zion has spent his life in doing this good, when he could not perhaps have found any other good within his reach.
Is not that such a great relief for those who earnestly seek and yearn to be able to pluck up the courage and witness? (: Even if you lack the eloquence of speech (no doubt, it might be a talent given, but to touch other's hearts with that eloquence is a gift), this does not mean you give up and dont do anything! As he also states:
the very earnestness in the Christian will cause confusion, unless you lead forth that earnestness to its proper field of development. I have always found that where there is a quarrelsome Church, it is sure to be an idle Church, and where men are always “at it,” they have very little time to find fault with one another. When we fuse iron, the two pieces will soon weld, bring two cold pieces together, and the stoutest arm and the heaviest hammer can never weld them. Let our Churches be united and they will be earnest; let them be cold, and they will be dashed to a thousand shivers.
I urge you, brethren, that you do not think this "giving out of tracts" as such a simple matter! For many others have started out that way- why, i would not be surprised if CH Spurgeon himself started out giving tracts. For he says:
Let each one of us, if we have done nothing for Christ, begin to do something now. The distribution of tracts is the first thing. Let us do that and attempt something else by-and-bye. Are we, on the other hand, diligently engaged already in some higher service for Christ, let us not despise those steps which helped us up, but let us now assist others with these steps that they too may rise from the grade of service which is theirs to a higher and a greater one. Let us in fact encourage this society at all times with our contributions and with our prayers.
Yup! I have been greatly encouraged by his wonderful sermon and would wish you all to read through his sermon.
On a lighter note, (for those who very kindly read through the end), do pray for me as i seek the Lord's will in my life! (:
After listening to a lesson from Faith Bible Institute, whereby John Yates (the speaker) emphasised on "CHARGE" in another verse- i suddenly thought of my theme verse and i realised the whole emphasis God places on this verse!
We all know that the Lord wants us to share the gospel with people around us, ec etc.
BUT. Do we really KNOW?
The Lord has CHARGED US to go forth and preach the Word!
Very recently, i struggled to understand the dfference between fear and love- i always felt that i loved God, but i did not Fear Him with an actual Fear that is a magnificent manifestation stemmed from such great awe and respect. (Note: this is not the same fear as the lonesome fear of the dark; or the awful, stomach lurching fear of heights,etc). Likewise, i longed to share the gospel with my family and friends- BUT because i feared for their souls, and i loved God..not because i feared Him!
However, when John Yates emphasised on CHARGE, as an Outright Command, i truly, finally understood the fear that we are supposed to have! The fear comes from fear of DISOBEYING God's outright commands. You see, Man cannot trust his own emotions and feelings, for they are deceitful..at least, i know mine are. Ah, many a time where my anger would get the better of me and i would lash out hurtful words to my parents! Although fear is also a feeling, it (more often than not) stops us from doing something out of spite or anger.
Let me elaborate. I personally think i was born to be a 'spitfire', as some call it. My emotions have always been an immense difficulty to me- i can swing from one end right to the other in a matter of seconds. ( Thank God for granting me the will to control my emotions so i could be a better example to my siblings-in-Christ-- although, of course, i am still struggling) However, i did not DARE to hurl those sarcastic, hurtful words to my parents when i was angry with them, because i was afraid of THE CANE. (which could very well bring me to another sharing about "Sparing the rod, Spoiling the child", but i shan't go into it as of yet.)
Then..i simply grew up. And now that i am not afraid of the cane (i am a "swingin' seventeen" now), i realise it has become so terribly hard for me to control my emotions! And why is that? Because, i lost the FEAR that was in me. i did not lose the LOVE for my parents- in fact i think my love for them grew by leaps and bounds- but i simply lost the Fear of them. And that alone makes it so difficult for me to control my anger when it comes in such a rush..
Thus, i have come to the same conclusion regarding this matter. Many of us, no doubt, long to "Preach the Word" to our dear loved ones, but we probably face the same problems:
1. "I Don't know what to say! What if i offend, or say the wrong things, or they ask me a question i dont know how to answer?"
Well, i DO feel the same way too. But you then must understand that sharing the gospel is also borne from a spiritual aspect- God has to be involved in this! Precisely because God knows that often, Man are so full of such doubts.. that is why He chooses to use us! (Remember, God chose a donkey -an "Ass"- to ride through he streets where everyone was welcoming Him). 'Sharing the gospel' does not in any way mean 'using your own strength to preach the Word'.
Prayerfully, my sharing has helped overcome yr doubts. But when i first heard it, it did not really quell my huge doubts about this. For that, then, there is another way out. As C.H. Spurgeon said.. i quote a long paragraph from his sermon you can find here (this is the back part of his sermon) :
The peculiar form of usefulness which the Religious Tract Society lays hold upon, is admirably adapted to those persons who have but little power and little ability, but nevertheless, wish to do something for Christ. They have not the tongue of the eloquent, but they may have the hand of the diligent. They cannot stand and preach, but they can stand and distribute here and there these silent preachers. They do not feel that they could subscribe their guinea, but they may buy their thousand tracts, and these they can distribute broadcast. How many a little one in Zion has spent his life in doing this good, when he could not perhaps have found any other good within his reach.
Is not that such a great relief for those who earnestly seek and yearn to be able to pluck up the courage and witness? (: Even if you lack the eloquence of speech (no doubt, it might be a talent given, but to touch other's hearts with that eloquence is a gift), this does not mean you give up and dont do anything! As he also states:
the very earnestness in the Christian will cause confusion, unless you lead forth that earnestness to its proper field of development. I have always found that where there is a quarrelsome Church, it is sure to be an idle Church, and where men are always “at it,” they have very little time to find fault with one another. When we fuse iron, the two pieces will soon weld, bring two cold pieces together, and the stoutest arm and the heaviest hammer can never weld them. Let our Churches be united and they will be earnest; let them be cold, and they will be dashed to a thousand shivers.
I urge you, brethren, that you do not think this "giving out of tracts" as such a simple matter! For many others have started out that way- why, i would not be surprised if CH Spurgeon himself started out giving tracts. For he says:
Let each one of us, if we have done nothing for Christ, begin to do something now. The distribution of tracts is the first thing. Let us do that and attempt something else by-and-bye. Are we, on the other hand, diligently engaged already in some higher service for Christ, let us not despise those steps which helped us up, but let us now assist others with these steps that they too may rise from the grade of service which is theirs to a higher and a greater one. Let us in fact encourage this society at all times with our contributions and with our prayers.
Yup! I have been greatly encouraged by his wonderful sermon and would wish you all to read through his sermon.
On a lighter note, (for those who very kindly read through the end), do pray for me as i seek the Lord's will in my life! (:
First Post
Hmm. Hey there, world. i kinda wonder who (of my friends) will ever find this blog..heh.
Anyway, this shall be a different blog. Different in what way- i am not sure myself yet, but it shall only concern spiritual things. Perhaps, when my heart is ready and filled totally with the Invisible Realm of the 'heavenlies', this blog shall naturally become my one and only blog as my heart is completely filled with the One and Only God, whom i pray and hope, with all my heart, that my dear family members and friends will get to know Him.
"The harvest is ripe, but the labourers are few.." Who will be a Gideon? Lord, i do- teach me and guide me in Your wonderful Ways.
Anyway, this shall be a different blog. Different in what way- i am not sure myself yet, but it shall only concern spiritual things. Perhaps, when my heart is ready and filled totally with the Invisible Realm of the 'heavenlies', this blog shall naturally become my one and only blog as my heart is completely filled with the One and Only God, whom i pray and hope, with all my heart, that my dear family members and friends will get to know Him.
"The harvest is ripe, but the labourers are few.." Who will be a Gideon? Lord, i do- teach me and guide me in Your wonderful Ways.
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