No Light in You?

Mark 4:21 - Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed?

A saved soul has the light of God. This light will help us repel the darkness of sin. The light will shine through our lives. This we have to work out our salvation - display it, demonstrate it and show it. When that happens we will have the power to overcome sin. The light of God is not to be hid from our lives.

Faith without works is dead - it would be hard not to commit to good work where there is faith. The addiction to God and good work is a natural result of the salvation of God. The trial of our faith, example that of Abraham (Hebrew 11:17), is a testimony of true salvation. We will not do anything to grief the Holy Spirit. 

We will also be given the ability to discern the true and separate from the false. We heard the teaching of God and we build our lives up based on our faith. We have the spirit. We hear; we understand; we apply in our in lives. 

The question then is - if someone could not overcome sin and does not seem to display or demonstrate good works in his/her life, it therefore means that he/she is not saved? Is there no spirit in such a person? Is this person therefore not saved at all? "Truth will out"! It will be seen, ultimately, whether someone is saved or not. The truth will be seen one day! 

Church Camp Day 3 Devotion - Vengeance Belongeth

Romans 12:19

Vengeance belongs to the Lord, have we practiced vengeance ourselves and robbed the Lord of His rights? People who take vengeance into their hands tend to be disturbed and troubled spiritually, not recognising their places with respect to God's. They will end up suffering more and hurt others along the way. Let the Lord take His veangeance in His own time for it is His full right. 

Have not the Bible taught us this good doctrine? Have not the church taught their followers well? It all boils down to the application. The doctrine cannot remained as head knowledge but we need to take the words we hear and apply it in our lives, making it alive. As with all doctrine, applying them will internalise it and make it alive for us, that others may know we are different, because we have Christ. 

Church Camp Day 2 Devotion - Huperetes

Luke 1: 1-2

Luke wholeheartedly believed in the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, even as it is delivered through to the eye witnesses. He asked that we have perfect understanding of all things and make an order out of the truth given to us. (Verse 3)

Like Luke, we are called to be a huperetes (servant/minister) of the Word, to have perfect understanding of the Word. 1 Cor 4:1 - a minister of Christ. We must be a diakonos (deacon) to the Word, to spread His word and do His Will. 

"If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant (diakonos) be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour." John 22:26. 

May we be a doulos (slave) to God and his Word, forever bonded to His Will and follow Him unto the end. 

I am in the Father

John 14:8-11

Man recognise and acknowledge that Jesus existed, as a great teacher, prophet. However this is not enough to describe Jesus, grossly insufficient. He is fully God, and only when you recognise this fact, then would you truly appreciate who Jesus is. His disciples saw the miracles He did, their belief was based on physical demonstration. Only when Jesus taught them the teachings of God and shared his resurrection then they would believe these teachings by faith. For us, we need to have faith to believe in all things.

"He that hath seen me hath seen the Father". Jesus is in the Father, and we just need to believe in His words and we will be able to see the Father. Walk by faith and by faith we will see the Father.

Let's Grow

Hebrew 6 1:8

Are you alive or are you dead? And we are not referring to physical condition. You are alive spiritually? Are we dull of hearing? (Verse 11) Are we sensitive to God's work in our lives? We are truly dead if we hear nothing, felt nothing.

"Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God" (v1) We need to leave the foundation of salvation and works and grow with faith unto holiness in Christian living. Our lives must change and people around us must see the change. We must continuously strive to live a sanctified life, centered on Christ,with the word of God as our guiding light.

When Jesus Comes to Dinner

 This story comes through an email, a very good illustration of God's teaching -" Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." Matthew 24:40.

Ruth looked at the envelope again. There was no stamp, no postmark, only her name and address. She read the letter one more time...

Dear Ruth,

I'm going to be in your neighborhood Saturday afternoon and I'd like to stop by for a visit.

Love Always,

Jesus

Her hands were shaking as she placed the letter on the table. "Why would the Lord want to visit me? I'm nobody special. I don't have anything to offer."

With that thought, Ruth remembered her empty kitchen cabinets. "Oh my goodness, I really don't have anything to offer. I'll have to run down to the store and buy something for dinner."

She reached for her purse and counted out its contents. Seven dollars and forty cents. "Well, I can get some bread and cold cuts, at least." She threw on her coat and hurried out the door.

A loaf of french bread, a half-pound of sliced turkey, and a carton of milk...leaving Ruth with a grand total of twelve cents to last her until Monday. Nonetheless, she felt satisfied as she headed home, her meager offerings tucked under her arm.

"Hey lady, can you help us, lady?" Ruth had been so absorbed in her dinner plans, she hadn't even noticed two figures huddled in the alleyway. A man and a woman, both of them dressed in little more than rags.

"Look lady, I ain't got a job, ya know, and my wife and I have been living out here on the street, and, well, now it's getting cold and we're getting kinda hungry and, well, if you could help us, lady, we'd really appreciate it."

Ruth looked at them both. They were dirty, they smelled bad and, frankly, she was certain that they could get some kind of work if they really wanted to. "Sir, I'd like to help you, but I'm a poor woman myself. All I have is a few cold cuts and some bread, and I'm having an important guest for dinner tonight and I was planning on serving that to Him."

"Yeah, well, OK lady, I understand. Thanks anyway." The man put his arm around the woman's shoulders, turned and headed back into the alley.

As she watched them leave, Ruth felt a familiar twinge in her heart. "Sir, wait!" The couple stopped and turned as she ran down the alley after them. "Look, why don't you take this food. I'll figure out something else to serve my guest." She handed the man her grocery bag.

"Thank you lady. Thank you very much!" "Yes, thank you!" It was the man's wife, and Ruth could see now that she was shivering.

"You know, I've got another coat at home. Here, why don't you take this one." Ruth unbuttoned her jacket and slipped it over the woman's shoulders. Then smiling, she turned and walked back to the street . . .without her coat and with nothing to serve her guest. "Thank you lady! Thank you very much!"

Ruth was chilled by the time she reached her front door, and worried too. The Lord was coming to visit and she didn't have anything to offer Him. She fumbled through her purse for the door key. But as she did, she noticed another envelope in her mailbox. "That's odd. The mailman doesn't usually come twice in one day." She took the envelope out of the box and opened it.

Dear Ruth,

It was so good to see you again. Thank you for the lovely meal. And thank you too, for the beautiful coat.

Love Always,

Jesus

The air was still cold, but even without her coat, Ruth no longer noticed.

Conversation with God

This passage came through an email. Simple yet meaningful. We must not forget the sovereignty of God. He alone governs the universe; He alone governs our life.

Me: God, can I ask You a question?
God: Sure
Me: Promise You won't get mad ... ... ... God: I promise
Me: Why did You let so much stuff happen to me today?
God: What do u mean?
Me: Well, I woke up late
God: Yes
Me: My car took forever to start
God: Okay
Me: at lunch they made my sandwich wrong & I had to wait
God: Huummm
Me: On the way home, my phone went DEAD, just as I picked up a call
God: All right
Me: And on top of it all off, when I got home ~I just want to soak my feet in my new foot massager & relax. BUT it wouldn't work!!! Nothing went right today! Why did You do that?
God: Let me see, the death angel was at your bed this morning & I had to send one of My Angels to battle him for your life. I let you sleep through that
Me (humbled): OH
GOD: I didn't let your car start because there was a drunk driver on your route that would have hit you if you were on the road.
Me: (ashamed)
God: The first person who made your sandwich today was sick & I didn't want you to catch what they have, I knew you couldn't afford to miss work.
Me (embarrassed):Okay
God: Your phone went dead because the person that was calling was going to give false witness about what you said on that call, I didn't even let you talk to them so you would be covered.
Me (softly): I see God
God: Oh and that foot massager, it had a shortage that was going to put out all of the power in your house tonight. I didn't think you wanted to be in the dark.
Me: I'm Sorry God
God: Don't be sorry, just learn to Trust Me.... in All things, the Good & the Bad.
Me: I will TRUST You.
God: And don't doubt that My plan for your day is Always Better than your plan.
Me: I won't God. And let me just tell you God, Thank You for Everything today.
God: You're welcome child. It was just another day being your God and I Love looking after My Children

Ready for Christmas?

“Ready for Christmas,” she said with a sigh,
As she gave a last touch to the gifts piled high,
Then wearily sat for a moment and read,
Till soon, very soon, she was nodding her head.

Then quietly spoke a voice in her dream,
“Ready for Christmas? What do you mean?
Ready for Christmas when only last week
You wouldn’t acknowledge your friend on the street.

“Ready for Christmas, while holding a grudge?
Perhaps you had better let God be the judge,
Why, how can the Christ-child come and abide
In the heart that is selfish and filled with pride?

“Ready for Christmas when only today
A beggar lad came and you turned him away
Without even a smile to show that you cared?
The little he asked – it could have been spared.

“Ready for Christmas? You’ve worked, it is true,
But just doing the things that you wanted to do.
Ready for Christmas? Your circle’s too small –
Why, you are not ready for Christmas at all!”

She awoke with a start and a cry of despair,
“There’s so little time and I’ve still to prepare.
O Father, forgive me, I see what You mean,
To be ready means more than a house swept clean.”

Yes, more than the giving of gifts and a tree,
It’s the heart swept clean that He wants to see;
A heart that is free from bitterness, sin –
Ready for Christmas – and ready for HIM.

Alice Hansche Mortenson

The Knots Prayer

Dear God,
please untie the knots
that are in my mind,
my heart and my life.
Remove the have nots,
the can nots and the do nots
that I have in my mind.

Erase the will nots,
may nots, and
might nots that find
a home in my heart.

Release me from the could nots,
would nots and
should nots that obstruct my life.

And most of all, dear God,
I ask that you remove from my mind
my heart and my life all of the am nots
that I have allowed to hold me back,
especially the thought
that I am not good enough.

Amen.

(author known to God)

Excerpts from Spurgeon (2) - The Trial of Your Faith

“The trial of your faith.” 1 Peter 1:7

Tried faith brings experience. You could not have believed your own weakness had you not been compelled to pass through the rivers; and you would never have known God’s strength had you not been supported amid the water-floods. Faith increases in solidity, assurance, and intensity, the more it is exercised with tribulation. Faith is precious, and its trial is precious too.

Thank God for what grace you have; praise him for that degree of holy confidence whereunto you have attained: walk according to that rule, and you shall yet have more and more of the blessing of God, till your faith shall remove mountains and conquer impossibilities.

Taken from Spurgeon's daily devotion, Nov 12.

Thought: We all hated trials and blamed God for them as we inevitably fail them so badly each time. Little do we know, such trails and the corresponding failures strengthened us and made us stronger in our faith. God knows we needed this, for without faith, it is impossible to please God.

Asking God for Help…Unceasingly

“Pray without ceasing” I Thess 5:17

Satan’s attack is unceasing, what’s your counter attack? Ask God for help… unceasingly! Every actiosn, words, thoughts are more than just ‘dealing with the situation’. It is a spiritual warfare! So long as you are tempted to sin by 1 wrong thought, word or action, Satan wins! How weak we are, when facing such attacks? How sinful we can be, trying to deal with it by ourselves!

Praying is to ask God for help. He listens, he cares, he is in control. The realisation of having sinned is like a pail of cold water splashing unto your soul. You instantly wake up to the fact that you failed God, yet again! Why do we allow ourselves to reach that stage, when we could have prayed the minute we need to make a decision to react? Why do we not rely on God for strength, wisdom and ability? Truly, we are sinners.

Pray! Pray unceasingly, pray without stopping, ask God for help. He listens, He answers, He protects. This is His promise to us. Such blessed assurance!

Taken from an old post dated December 27, 2009

Excerpts From Spurgeon (1) - Fountain of Life

"With Thee is the fountain of life."—Psalm 36:9.

THERE are times in our spiritual experience when human counsel or sympathy, or religious ordinances, fail to comfort or help us. Why does our gracious God permit this? Perhaps it is because we have been living too much without Him, and He therefore takes away everything upon which we have been in the habit of depending, that He may drive us to Himself.

We are like the prodigal, we love the swine-troughs and forget our Father's house. Our Lord favors us with a famine in the land that it may make us seek after Himself the more. The best position for a Christian is living wholly and directly on God's grace- “Having nothing, and yet possessing all things." Having nothing of our own to trust to, but resting upon the merits of Jesus. When we are brought to a thirsting condition, we are sure to turn to the fountain of life with eagerness.

Morning and Evening, Spurgeon. 16 October.

Thought: Have we stray away from God so much that he needs to chasten us in this manner? God, please have mercy on your people! Call us back, for we are as lost sheep, searching desperately for our shepherd!

Resurrection from the Dead

At a memorial service, after delivering a message based on the miracle performed by Jesus on Lazarus' resurrection from the dead...

Bereaved wife: Pastor, can Jesus raise my husband from the dead now?
Pastor: Yes, He can, but He will not do this now.

Long pause, and then the bereaved wife walked away. The Pastor was puzzled at this question, but did not pursue it. After a few weeks, at another occasion...

Bereaved wife: Pastor, do you recall I asked you the question, whether Jesus can raise my husband from the dead?
Pastor: Yes I did.
Bereaved wife: Pastor, I am glad that Jesus will not raise my husband from the dead now.
Pastor: ...why?
Bereaved wife: My husband accepted the Lord shortly before he was called Home. Prior to that, he has led a very sinful life. If he is raised from the dead, he could have gone back to his old ways and sin again. It is better now that he is with Him in the Heavenly Home, and sin no more.

What matters is not how long you live your life, it is how you live your life that matters. If you continue to live in sin, then it is already one life too many!

God's Providence, Blessings and Gifts

The pride of life is one of the three greatest sins of man. The sole goal of a person without God is to amass wealth. Wealth not only in terms of money, but possessions, status and recognition. Few realized that man - naked as he come, naked will he go.

A spiritually right person will realize that he is but only on a short journey of three score and ten years on this earth, before he finally reach his destination. On this short journey, God may bless him with gifts and provisions so that the journey is a God-glorifying one. Man is but a steward of such provisions and gifts that are graciously given by God. Like the parable of the good servant, man needs to guard these provisions, make best use of them and multiply them for God's purpose and use. For he knows that one day he will stand in front of God and be counted.

"Well done my good and faithful servant, come thou into the kingdom of heaven." Oh how we yearn to hear our Saviour say...

Originally Posted on MONDAY, JANUARY 17, 2011

Unfair? A Reflection on God's Permissive Will

Recognizing that nothing in this world ever happens by chance, it is then logical for us to acknowledge God's sovereign will on all things that happens in this world.

If by having a "new doctrine" make a school "new", then we would have tons of schools sprouting up like mushrooms. If a school, by having new theories, new inventions, new thinkings, new paradigms; they are then deemed to be a different school from the previous that they came from, then no schools would encourage any new thoughts!

The absurdity of the verdict for this case is just that; and worst. There simply isn't any doctrine adopted by the college that is new! If VPP is new, then it is as new as the bible since there are so many verses from both new and old testament that supported VPP. To miss this point entirely is simply an indication of the lack of Holy Spirit's illuminating work. Unfortunately this is so for the Judge.

The lesson learnt is this - wait upon the Lord and abide in Him, trusting that he will provide according to His will. All things works for the good of those that loves him. Fret not, fear not, depress not, for our treasures are in heaven and we will see our Lord face-to-face very soon.

Originally Posted on SATURDAY, JULY 3, 2010

Tossing a Coin - A Q&A with Pastor

Q: Is tossing a coin the same as casting lots? Is tossing a coin biblical? Can we use tossing of a coin to know God's will?
A: No, tossing a coin is like gambling, it is not biblical.

Q: Why?
A: We should be guided by the Word of God and not by gambling. It is like deciding between 2 girls to marry. So you flip a coin and pray that head is this girl and tail is that girl. So when the girl asks you why you want to marry her, you say "I flip a coin!" Ridiculous. You can flip a coin for trivial matters that is not life and death, like in a football match, deciding who goes first; but not important life decisions where you need to be guided entirely by God's commandment.

(My view: this is true – what if both girls are non-believers and you decide to flip a coin. “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” 2 Cor 6:14. God’s will for you could be neither head nor tail!)

Q: But isn't tossing the coin like leaving it up to God to decide on the outcome, similar to casting lots in the bible? It’s it like voting done in churches now?
A: We do not know exactly how the lots were casted in the bible as it did not go into details. Voting in churches firstly is required by law. Secondly it is done with the guidance of God’s word. The Board of elders carefully examine each candidate for election and only shortlist those that are eligible. Then they will allow the congregation to vote between the candidates, but the decision largely lies in the board of elders who are guided by the biblical principles of the eligibility of the candidates. There is extensive application of God’s word in the whole process.

(My view – I think the voting only decides the final candidate, but all shortlisted candidates have already been carefully chosen with God’s help, so exactly who the final candidate is does not matter all that much.)

Bottom line - "That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.” Luke 4:4. But how do we know the will of God then? We need to read and study to understand his will. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Tim 2:15. So only with more reading and studying you will be able to discern the truth and know God’s will for you.

Originally Posted on SUNDAY, APRIL 4, 2010

The Greatest Love Story

True love is when someone is willing to sacrifice for you. Imagine...

"You are the worst criminal ever born. You live your life with the only aim of breaking all the laws ever existed and you enjoyed every minute of it! One day, you got caught, after being tried and convicted of your guilt, you finally realized how bad you are... You felt sad, remorseful and hated yourself for being such a person as you are.

However, all is lost for the wages of sin is death. No one on this earth could ever save you. You are indeed the most wretched soul on earth. You deserve to die!

Suddenly you heard the greatest most wonderful news... you have been pardoned of all your sins! Someone just took your place and atoned your sins! Someone died in your place! Someone who loved you that much that he is willing to carry all your sins and died for you! You almost cannot believe this, but it is the truth..."

How could you not be touched? You could not help but be wholeheartedly grateful to your Saviour! The only thing he asked you to do is to believe in him. Believe and you shall be saved! So easy... salvation is given to you so rich and free!

The Saviour is none other than Jesus Christ the Lord! He saved you from being a condemned sinner! Believe and you shall have everlasting life!

Will you believe?

Originally Posted on FRIDAY, APRIL 2, 2010