Thought For The Week

Arrgh!!! So Many Things To Do!!!

2008-12-21T03:22:00.000-08:00

It is supposed to be the “most wonderful time of the year!” But why are we so busy? So stressed? In between our regular workload, school, and family obligations, we still have several hours long of shopping to do, gifts to wrap and deliver, heavy traffic congestion to contend with when we visit our loved ones and close friends, write letters and cards to our family and relatives who live far away, attend (and host) the obligatory office parties, neighborhood get-togethers, barkada parties, church socials, school programs…

Add to the fact that everybody is experiencing some sort of financial crunch. Business is slow and difficult; jobs have no security. No wonder many of us would wish to be Scrooges at this time of the year.

Do you know that when Jesus arrived on earth as a baby during the first Christmas, the situation was no different from the one we are experiencing at the moment? It was a busy time in Bethlehem as they were conducting the census. People from all over the empire were traveling to their ancestral hometown. They were probably jostling each other for souvenirs to buy and take away, spaces to rest and sleep, as well as sites to see. (That was why there was no more space in the inn for the God of the universe to be born.) Nobody realized, nobody noticed the birth of a Baby who would be the Savior of the world; except for a few shepherds.

Are you like the innkeeper, who was busy attending to his guests that he relegated the Baby to the manger? Are you one of those people, who are busy buying and sightseeing that they did not notice the special Baby at all? Or are you one of the shepherds, who upon hearing the good news, dropped everything important just to see and visit the Christ Child?

This is the season to remind ourselves that Christ came to earth to bring peace, joy, love, salvation. It is time to change our priorities and perspectives as well. Learn to quiet down and seek Him, so that we may be able to make this season truly the most wonderful time of the year!

search string: “TRUTH”…

2008-12-14T02:59:00.000-08:00

Modern man can get any information at his fingertips. In a few blinks of an eye (depending on the speed of your modem and internet connections), you can access all the information available in the World Wide Web. Google (and googling) has replaced the need for traditional library research work. Wikipedia has replaced the traditional Encyclopaedia Britannica for quick references.

Convenient? Definitely. Good? Perhaps, but not entirely. For instance, emailing has replaced the traditional snail mail. It is good in the sense that emails can be transmitted to the recipient in a matter of nanoseconds, compared to snail mail which may take weeks. However, the art of handwriting has been replaced by speed on the keyboard, and that replacement is not exactly good.

Wikipedia as a source of information may or may not exactly be reliable. Contents of the traditional bulky encyclopedia were well-researched and well-documented, edited by many scholars and experts in their respective fields. The contents of Wikipedia, on the other hand, are volunteered by diverse sources. Sometimes it does give us the useful information we need, but Wiki does not guarantee its sources’ accuracy. More often than not, their articles may be written by any Tom, Dick, or Harry who simply has a web site. How do we know if it is reliable? Check the source, and the source of the source.

Google the word Jesus and you get 191 million references! Google the word Bible, you get 115 million results! Each of these sites has varying opinions and views about Jesus and the Bible. Not all of these sites are written by theologians, Bible scholars, seminary professors, or Biblical archeology and history experts. Which of these millions of sites are reliable then? Check out their source.

What should be our ultimate reliable source? The Bible!!! The Living Word of God (Hebrews 4:12) is the ultimate source of Truth and its standards should be our guideposts for living. The Bible is God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16). It is the Word of God written down for you – His child -to read. It is unchanging. It is timeless. Throughout these two millennia, His Word still applies. It is inerrant – completely, totally. Wikipedia has received a lot of criticisms for many of its inaccurate contents. But the Bible has stood for Truth up to this new century, and will still be the Truth until the end of time (Mark 13:31).

Be like the Bereans, (Acts 17:11) who were described to be noble-minded. Receive the Word with great eagerness and examine the Scriptures daily, so that you would know what is true, what is good, what you need to know, and what you need to do.

CMN Breaking News: Neighborhood Water Station Not Charging…

2008-12-07T02:53:00.000-08:00

Imagine that you are living in a dirty, polluted city. (Probably like Manila, a hundred times worse). But near your home, is a water fountain, always gushing out fresh spring water. It is free flowing, inexhaustible, clean and cool. It is very, very accessible. So, you enjoy the fountain, you enjoy the water. You keep coming back to the water. (It is free anyway!) It refreshes you and your whole family. It gives strength and energy to your life. Because it is the best water in the world, and there is none like it, you will never, ever choose any other water source or any other drink except the spring water from this fountain. You enjoy it so much, you tell other people about the wonderful qualities of the water. Soon, more and more people come to enjoy the water. This makes the water fountain very, very valuable. This is good, because soon, the water fountain will transform the dirty and polluted city into a cleaner city.

Do you know that in the Bible, God pictures Himself as a mountain spring of clean, cool, life-giving water? (John 4)

Your relationship with God should be like example of the fountain of spring water described above. We do live in a disturbing and dirty world whose priorities and values are different from the standard imposed by our Creator. By the abundant grace of God, we are given the water of life – Jesus Christ. We should enjoy this water and enjoy sharing the water of life with our family and friends. This is what God commands us to do.

And yet, why is it that we often look for other sources of water? Other sources of happiness? Other fountains can only provide temporal, fleeting happiness. Why do we put our trust in money, possessions, positions, titles and worldly pleasures? Do you know that it is a sin if you prefer the other fountains rather than the life-giving water of God?

Without God and a life of intimate fellowship and dependence on Him, our soul becomes like a desert, a parched land. The sad thing is if you keep indulging in other fountains, you will not even realize that you are already dehydrated to the point of sickness and death.

It is time to evaluate our lives and recognize the One True source of life-giving water. May we be like the Psalmist (Psalm 42:1) who says “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for Thee, O God.” And if we do so, Jesus has promised that we will be blessed, for “those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, they shall be satisfied.” (Matthew 5:6)

Saddam’s Grandpa knew GOD?!

2008-11-30T11:34:00.000-08:00

Have you heard of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon (present day Iraq)? Daniel (of the lion’s den fame) served under him. He reigned at around 605 B.C. At that time, his kingdom was known as the Babylonian Empire. He was a brilliant military strategist. He was the one who conquered the southern kingdom of Judah, his kingdom stretched from Egypt to Middle Asia to Southern Europe. He was also a brilliant architect. He built many bridges, aqueducts, temples and other structures considered modern and innovative at that time. He is famous until now because he was the one who built the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the wonders of the ancient world.

Like most men who have accomplished much, he was puffed up with pride. One day, as he was strolling around his magnificent palace, he reflected to himself and said “Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence, by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?” (Daniel 4:30) While the words were not yet finished in the king’s mouth, a voice from heaven came saying, “Sovereignty has been removed from you. You will be driven from mankind, and your dwelling place will be with the beasts of the field. You will be given grass to eat like cattle, and seven periods of time will pass over you until you recognize that the Most High is the ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes.” (vv 31-32) In just an instant, everything came true. He began eating grass like cattle. In no time, his hair has grown like eagle’s feathers and nails like bird’s claws. After the period of time, the once mighty King’s reason was returned and he finally acknowledged and blessed and praised and honored the One True God, who has dominion over all kingdoms, in all ages.

The great Nebuchadnezzar learned in a very hard way that accomplishments must not lead to pride, but to the exaltation of the Lord God, who is the author of everything. If the Lord is so insistent that a pagan king assign all glory to its righteous recipient, how much more should we, His children, take care to do the same?

Whatever our worth may be, whatever things we can do, whatever we have, we have to recognize that all these things, including our very lives, are from God. Everything depends on Him and Him alone. Our appropriate response should not be pride or self-fulfillment but adoration and worship and praise for our great God who is the source of all.

Jewelry

2008-11-23T11:29:00.000-08:00

Remember Abraham sent a faithful servant back to his former homeland, Nahor, to get a wife for Isaac from his relatives there? By the water well, when Abraham’s servant realized that Rebekah was the woman Isaac was to marry, he immediately got out the jewels he had brought along for the occasion. He gave her two gold bracelets and a gold nose ring. (Rebekah must have quickly slipped the jewelry on and run home excitedly to tell her family about what had happened by the well.) A nose ring! Probably, it was an acceptable form of jewelry during the Old Testament times. But nowadays, if you wear a nose ring, people would label you a rebel, a punk, or something else.

The Old Testament mentions jewels and jewelry many times. Both men and women wore jewelry. They commonly wore “armlets, bracelets, signet rings, earrings, and necklaces.” (Numbers 31:50). The Israelites took their jewelries from the people with whom they were at war (when they won the war, of course). 2 Samuel chapter 8 records David gaining a big amount of gold, silver, and bronze when he conquered the nations surrounding Israel. He dedicated all of it to the Lord. His son Solomon also used gold, silver, and bronze to build the fabulous temple in Jerusalem.

The New Testament, however, specifically mentions jewelry only once. Peter was speaking to wives, but this is also applicable to men. “Your adornment must not be merely external – braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.” Don’t we look in the mirror everyday to check our outward appearance? But how often do you examine your inner condition, which is more important to God?

People nowadays are always concerned with outward appearances, including believers. It is not a sin to be well-dressed (Proverbs 31:22), but it is wrong to be obsessed with outward appearances at the expense of inner beauty. A beautiful woman who lacks inner beauty and character is like a pig with a gold ring in its nose, according to Proverbs 11:22.

It is wrong for a believer to place too much value on external appearances. It is also wrong to seek man’s approval rather than to strive to please God. Remember, God always looks at your heart. So, clothe yourself with a gentle and quiet spirit. Like the Proverbs 31 woman, strength and dignity should be our clothing. We should open our mouth in wisdom. Teaching kindness should be on our tongue. We should not eat the bread of idleness. After all, charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a person who fears the Lord, he shall be praised.

Think Green

2008-11-16T11:22:00.000-08:00

Green is “in” nowadays. We should add “greens” to our diets. It means we should eat more vegetables and fruits, rather than “red” meat. We should adopt a “green” lifestyle. In our homes, we should use less chemicals so that we do not contribute to water pollution; plant more “greens;” turn off lights and appliances we do not use; use less plastic. There are many other ways to turn “green.” It simply means to do all these little things in order to protect and preserve whatever our planet Earth has left of its resources.

Many people ask, what is the use? What is the effect of deliberately thinking and doing “green?” They cannot see the immediate benefits of going “green” so they do not want to invest time and effort to do it. These people do not realize that by helping protect the Earth, they are helping themselves and their children to have healthier lives as well. Is it not true that using less chemicals would save our lungs from toxic fumes? Is it not true that having some plants around the house would immediately give us more oxygen? And the simple act of turning off lights and appliances would not only lower our electric bills, but also save some carbon for the Earth as well.

People view prayer in the same way. Many people do not consistently pray; they do not invest time and effort to pray because they do not see the benefits of regular prayer. They do not realize that prayer would benefit their own spiritual lives. Instead of prayer being as natural as something we do everyday like breathing or eating, it seems that we only pray when there are problems or crisis in our lives – which should not be the case.

We should continually devote ourselves to prayer (Col 4:2). Pray unceasingly. Pray with passion and persistence (Luke 11:9). Pray with thanksgiving (1 Thess.5:18). We are commanded by our Lord to do so.

Prayer deepens our faith. It deepens our fellowship with God, increases our dependence on Him. It gives us confidence that God will open the door and give us a way (Col 4:3) Prayer will give us direction (Luke 6:12-13). Sometimes, prayer forces us to wait. Instead of feeling frustrated, we will learn to accept God’s time and God’s will. Prayer opens up our spiritual eyes. It enables us to see what God is doing and how He is doing things; helping us realize that God’s ways are indeed higher than ours. Prayer aligns our heart with God’s heart. It changes our characters, our thoughts, our priorities, our actions. Prayer enables us to move forward, to be the person that God wants us to be. Without prayer, we cannot accomplish anything! Prayer will enable us to truly experience the glory of our Father in Heaven.

With all of these benefits of prayer, we cannot afford not to pray!

Gold Medals

2008-11-09T11:20:00.000-08:00

Josh Davis won three gold medals in swimming at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, then two silver medals at the 2000 Games in Sydney, where he was captain of the U.S. swim team. Of course Michael Phelps won more gold at this year’s Beijing Olympics, but Josh Davis has won a lot more than the Olympic gold.

In his book, The Goal and the Glory (2008), he shared the glory of winning the Olympics, the joy and celebration as the medals were hung on his neck. He shared the feeling of pride and pageantry as he faced screaming fans, endless interviews, TV cameras. In his own words, “everybody who saw us treated us like gods.”

However, what happened the morning after?

“When I woke up the next morning, all the excitement, all the hype, all the adrenaline … it was all gone! Granted, I was still living in the Olympic Village, eating the free food, and looking forward to some more races, but the mood was drastically different from the night before. I had finally tasted the best the world had to offer, and it was sweet … but oh, so short! Having had a taste of glory, I now felt empty. It was sobering to experience the shock of a high so high followed by a low so low.”

“I looked for encouragement and perspective in God's Word, turning to 1 Peter 1:7: "Your faith is of greater worth than gold." I found comfort in the knowledge that my relationship with Jesus is infinitely more valuable and more precious than gold. Matthew 6:19-21 adds these words: "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven…For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." I realized then that my medal wouldn't last forever, but it was good to know that there is something that will.”

“Several people over the years have accidentally dropped my medal, and it is dented and scratched. Meanwhile, my cool monogrammed Olympic suitcase is falling apart, my Olympic towels are starting to unravel, and some of my Olympic clothes have bleach stains. This wear and tear reminds me that, eventually, everything material in this world will fall apart. God's Word reminds us that there are only three eternal things: God, his Word, and the souls of men and women. And when we invest our lives accordingly, by serving God and others in and through his love, we are storing up gold medals in heaven that will last forever.”

Meanwhile, Josh Davis is looking forward to his awards ceremony in heaven. He knows and understands that his Olympic ceremony experience will pale in comparison to that awaiting him in heaven.

My Loaf of Bread

2008-11-02T05:38:00.000-08:00

In the aftermath of World War II, there were millions of orphans in Europe. Their government had to build orphanages and provide for these children. They were quite successful. The orphans received the best care available, including the healthiest food and drink.

However, at one orphanage, the administrators noticed that after just a few weeks, the children could not sleep. Even if they received good meals, had adequate beds, the children remained awake all night. The administrators were disturbed that the children were disturbed! They interviewed the children and soon found out the source of the problem and the solution to it.

The attendants began placing a small loaf of bread into the hands of each child at bedtime. In a matter of days, the children were all sleeping through the night, reassured by the bread that there would be food for tomorrow. The children had been anxious because their experience with the war had taught them that having food one day does not translate to having food the next day. The presence of bread dispelled their fears.

Philippians 4:19 is the loaf of bread that God places in your hands each day. “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus.” Do not fear like those orphans of the war. Do not be anxious for the future. While you ought to plan wisely and save prudently for the future, you should remember that you are not alone in securing your future. God will meet all your needs.

This assurance from God should also affect the way you give. If God were to ask you to take all your savings right now and invest them in His Kingdom, you should be able to be confidently obey Him, knowing that He will always take care of your needs.

God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor. 9:7). That means He looks at our hearts, not at the amount of what we give. We do not share out of our own sense of righteousness, or out of duty, pressure or fear of punishment. We share because we love God and we are happy to obey Him. “He who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” 2 Cor. 9:6

Resource: Whose Money Is it Anyway? By John MacArthur.
Word Publishing © 2000. pp.81-82

Surprise!

2008-10-26T05:36:00.000-07:00

On December 7, 1941, the Japanese attacked the Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. More than two thousand American soldiers were killed and it crippled the Pacific Fleet of the U.S. Navy. Why did one of the strongest fighters in the world suffer such a devastating defeat? Because it was a surprise attack. The Americans were not ready.

This is similar to the Devil’s work. Satan wants to catch you by surprise so that he may achieve similar devastating results. Satan will not present something ugly and bad and entice you to do things his way. He will present something seemingly good, seemingly harmless, seemingly beneficial to you. But in reality it may be something that is not good for our spiritual health. It will prevent us from good. It may take away our time with God, or it may hinder our spiritual growth, etc. He will lull you into complacency. You will fail to notice anything wrong and then when the hard problems come, you will be surprised at what hit you. Just like the U.S. army, you might take a long time to recover.

As soldiers of God’s army, we have to be prepared to respond to Satan’s attacks. How? Paul gave us many instructions in many of his letters. Example, in 1 Cor. 16: 13-14, he commands us to “Be on alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.” Simply obey this and do your best for Christ.

Be on alert, be wary, be careful, be discerning of the seemingly “good” things. If not, you will only be distracted by temptations and be swayed by false teachings. Exercise spiritual discernment by being diligent in reading God’s Word. Evaluate all things in the light of the principles and truths that you find in the Bible. Stand firm in the faith. Fight against doubt. Fight against discouragement. Pray, pray and pray, always ask for the power of the Holy Spirit to guide us everyday. Act like men, be mature. Do not remain spiritual babies. Grow up by feeding on God’s word. Be strong. Realize that you cannot be strong by your own effort. Yield your life to the Holy Spirit and He will strengthen you. Let all that you do be done in love – love for God, and love for His people. Our God is love, we should be love too.

Love

2008-10-19T00:50:00.000-07:00

During Jesus time, there were two prominent Jewish groups. You have heard of them – the Sadducees and the Pharisees. The Pharisees were the conservative middle class, highly educated and very legalistic. They believed all of the Old Testament and loved to debate (and show-off their knowledge) about the Laws.

Naturally, they could not resist testing Jesus, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And Jesus answered, “You shall LOVE the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment” (Matthew 22:35-38)

Heart, Soul, and Mind – with every part of you, wholly, totally, completely, unreservedly.

God gave Himself to you in Jesus. Jesus loved you and He laid down His life for you on the cross. Having received that love, God wants you to love Him with your heart, soul, mind, and body; that is, with all of your passions, your eternal being, your emotions, your thoughts and reasoning, and all of your physical strength. God wants you to love Him with your whole being. By doing so, you express your love and gratitude; you return God’s love toward you in Jesus Christ.

To love God begins by being loved by God. We learn to love because God first loved us (I John 4:19). You will never love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength until you allow His love to cover and transform each of those areas of your life. Simply surrender in obedience to the Lord’s will.

This is often hard to do. We often want to be in control of our own lives. We depend on our strength to achieve. We want to do something big for God, or to accomplish something good for God. Often, we do these out of guilt, or fear, or duty. Only when we have experienced the unconditional love of God and understood the depth and width and immensity of it, can we respond in love to Him. Our worldly culture is based on performance and merits. Yet God sees your heart. God knows what is in your mind. God still loves you and wants you to love Him. Is there any other proper way to respond to this God except by loving Him and obeying Him with our whole being?

You Want to be Famous?

2008-10-12T10:46:00.000-07:00

Just one month ago, the international TIME Magazine featured its much-awaited, annual list of the world’s most influential people – the TIME 100. The list includes leaders and revolutionaries such as the Dalai Lama, Russian, Chinese and American presidents. It also includes people they label as heroes and pioneers such as the double-leg amputee sprinter Oscar Pritorius and the last lecturer at Carnegie Mellon University Randy Pausch. Scientists and thinkers include Facebook developer Mark Zuckerberg, NASA Chief Michael Griffin. Taipans include Apple’s Steve Jobs, Amazon.com’s Jeff Bezoz and Pepsico’s Indra Nooyi among many others.

After their 1 week of fame, (admittedly, some will have longer fame than others) where are the 100 people now? Do the TIME readers still remember them today?

There is nothing wrong with doing good things, thinking and trying many ways to change the world and make it a better place for everybody to live in. In fact, it is good to discover new medicines and new technology to give the sick and needy people cure and hope for a better future. It is good that the magazine acknowledges the achievements of these movers and thinkers; and make more people aware of the needs of the world.

BUT, (and there’s a big BUT here,) as Christians, we should have a higher purpose than what the world has (to do good works or to have momentary fame?) Our purpose is as unchanging as the rock on which our faith stands – that is to glorify God in our life.

To glorify God in the big things we do, whether we discovered a cure for a disease or landed a big account. To glorify God in the small things we do, like opening a car door and assisting an elderly up the stairs. To glorify God in the things we say, to uplift a depressed friend, to encourage a co-worker, a classmate. To glorify God in the way we live. Our lives should be shining testaments to God’s glory – that is our purpose. After all, our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20). Our hearts should be there as well.

The Model Father

2008-10-05T10:43:00.000-07:00

God Almighty is your Heavenly Father, and He is the perfect example of what it means to be a dad. Looking at each of the letters that make up the word “father,” consider some of the characteristics that set Him apart and provide a model for our human dads.

F —Forgiveness is a huge part of your relationship with your Father. He is willing and able to forgive you of any sin you commit if you will only ask Him. It’s comforting to know that nothing you do is ever so bad that God won’t forgive you (Romans 8:38-39; 1 John 1:9).

A —He is active in your life all the time. God is always at work around you. Ask God to show you what He is doing. You will be amazed at all that is going on. More important, the invitation is open for you to get involved with Him. (John 5:17).

T —Time for you. While humans get too busy to do this or that, God always has time for you. Whenever you feel lonely, struggle with a problem, want to share a thought, or need to deal with a concern, He is there for you. (Jeremiah 33:3).

H —God knows your heart, and He loves you anyway. Proverbs tells us that the heart is deceitful above all things. Many people don’t like to be around you if you aren’t in a good mood or if you make mistakes. God wants to hang out with you anytime, and He alone is able to change your heart to be all you were created to be (1 John 4:9-10,19).

E —Everywhere sums up God’s place in your life. If you’re a Christian, there is nowhere you can go where He isn’t with you. Whether other people are there or not, God is by your side. (Romans 8:35-39).

R —Rest and Read. These are two areas where most people could use a little work. Rest is important to you because it’s easy to become so busy that you don’t take time with the Lord. He wants you to set aside daily time to rest in Him and to read His Word. The Bible is His letter to His children. The best way to get to know your Father is to spend quality time resting and reading all about Him in the Word (John 14:21; Psalm 46:10).

All these attributes of God’s character make Him who He is. If you have been blessed with an earthly dad who has a lot in common with our Heavenly Father, be grateful. If you have missed out on a relationship with an earthly dad, be thankful that God is there for you and wants to meet the needs in your life. Let God know how much He means to you. Happy Father’s Day!

Excerpted from: A New Twist on an Old Day. Rachel Lovegood. www.lifeway.com

Lowly Shepherd, Great King

2008-09-28T10:40:00.000-07:00

David is one of the most interesting, and inspiring characters of the Bible. He was a shepherd, a giant killer, a mighty warrior, a talented musician, and the greatest king to lead Israel. David also had a dark side to his character. He was guilty of adultery and murder. Even with these moral and personal failures, God said of David, “He was a man after my own heart.” Why is David called a man after God’s heart?

David consistently declared the glory of God. Many of the Psalms record David’s praises. He abounded with expressions of praise more than anyone mentioned in Scripture. Hebrew 13:15 reminds us that an acceptable sacrifice is fruit of our lips. It is not enough just to know that God is great. We must express our worship to God.

Another characteristic we see of David is that he had always depended on God’s provision. In the famous battle with Goliath, David refused to wear King Saul’s armor not only because it does not fit but because he knew God will protect him, with or without the armor. While living in exile, David demonstrated tremendous trust in God’s sovereignty by refusing to kill King Saul. David patiently waited for God’s timing.

David always desired to seek God’s presence. Psalm 119 describes his personal desire to study the Scriptures, to meditate upon God’s word. David’s poignant confessions of sin are examples of his desire to dwell in the presence of God. His greatest fear was being separated from the God he loved. Do you desire God’s presence every moment of your life?

David never stopped believing that almighty God desires to manifest His power and glory through him. Very few Christians live with a desire to experience the supernatural power of God. Most are content to attend church, sing a few songs, and learn some biblical principles that make their life easier. But David believed God wanted to demonstrate divine blessing, through his life as a shepherd and as the king of Israel. It is what the Lord Jesus prayed for his followers that they would bear much fruit for the Father’s glory (John 15:8).The Bible is clear that God is pleased by lives that demonstrate great faith. Hebrews 11: 6 declares that it is impossible to please God without faith. Can other people see God’s power in our lives through our faith?

David captured the heart of God because he expected great things from God by attempting great things for God. David had many flaws, but he also had amazing faith that pleased God. May we all learn to be like David, to seek God’s heart all the days of our life.

Excerpted from: Guarding Your Heart: Following The Heart Of God by Steve Andrews. www.lifeway.com

Hey Boss, uh...are all Christians Like You???

2008-09-21T10:21:00.000-07:00

Does a good “Christian Boss” exist? Or is he an oxymoron? Can one be a Christian and a productive employer at the same time? Many businessmen are saying that if they provide fair wages to their employees, treat them nicely, the employees are likely to abuse the kindness, productivity will slow down and the business will no longer be viable. On the other hand, what kind of Christians are we if we do not exemplify a Biblical standard in our business lifestyle? How are we to witness and share the gospel of Christ if our work habits and business ethics are not exemplary?

Through Moses, God revealed His will for Israel as a theocratic nation. Israel's civil laws regulated how masters should treat their slaves. Although these laws were written at a time when people mainly lived in an agricultural society, they expressed many principles that can be easily applied to a modern industrial workplace. Here are some examples:

The Law requires that employers treat slaves humanely. Leviticus 25:43 states regarding a freeman sold into slavery: "You shall not rule over him through rigorous labor." Furthermore, his family has to be provided for (Leviticus 25:41) and his master is not permitted to make him perform degrading tasks (Leviticus 25:39). Similarly, righteous employers make sure that their employees are not overworked or asked to perform dishonorable tasks.

Leviticus 19:13 further states: "You shall not oppress your fellow and you shall not rob; the wages of a worker shall not remain with you overnight until morning." This means that an employer must pay employees on time. Withholding payment due workers is a violation of Bible law.

The Bible requires the master to give his or her slave a severance gift known as hanakah. The Bible states (Deuteronomy 15:13-14): "Do not send him away empty-handed. You shall give him a severance gift from your flocks, from your threshing floor, and from your wine cellar ..." An ethical employer should realize that it is certainly appropriate for employers to reward loyal workers who have been with a firm for numerous years.

Christian employers should demonstrate good work ethics in the marketplace. It is sad that many Christians fail to do this. Our witness in the world is severely weakened as we act like the rest of the world. Read the Bible, and by its standard, evaluate yourself, have you been a good employer? What changes are you going to implement in your business so that you will be a better employer? Sir… Ma’am…??

“Heigh-Ho! Heigh-Ho! It’s Off to Work We Go!”

2008-09-14T11:51:00.000-07:00

Do you enjoy your work? Do you enjoy the things you do everyday? Is your career going well? Or do you dread getting up in the morning to face another dreary day? Do you look forward to Friday and Saturday nights just because there is no work the following day? Do you feel tired just by thinking of work? Do you lack the motivation to go to work?

If you are like most of the ‘normal’ people on earth, you probably belong to the latter category of people who do not particularly enjoy work. In fact, you would have thought that work is the curse of Adam. This is actually a secular world-view and very far from the truth.

If you read Genesis carefully, you will see that God established work before the fall. God placed the first humans in the garden to "cultivate and keep it." (Gen.2:15) This work assignment was given before sin entered the world. Man was not made to sit around and do nothing. We were made to do work! Therefore, work is not the curse of Adam as a punishment after he sinned. God blesses work even after the fall. If work were evil, God would never encourage His people to engage in it. In Colossians 3:23, we are told to “do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men.” See? God expects us to enjoy our work!

Here’s another surprise for you! We are not exempted from work in eternity. Read Isaiah 65:17-25. The prophet is talking about the new heaven and the new earth in these passages. It says the saved will “build houses,” “plant vineyards and eat their fruits.” “The chosen ones will long enjoy the works of their hands. They will not toil in vain.”

As Christians, we are called to be different from the world. Our view of “work” should be aligned with God’s will and plan for us. If God wants us to work and enjoy our work, then we should obey. We should view work as a blessing and thank God for the opportunity to be able to do the work He assigns us. This view is not limited to our ministry assignments but to our secular workplace as well.

In fact, our attitude regarding work from Mondays to Saturdays is even more important. We are called to be the light and salt of the world. People are looking to see if what we say as a Christian aligns with how we live, how we behave as a Christian. Do we view work as other people do? If so, then we are no different from non-christians.

So, pray for your work, your job, your career. Pray that God will bless you and use you for His Kingdom right where you are working.

I Give You the Best!

2008-09-07T11:48:00.000-07:00

Every parent wants the best for their children. Not just to have the best of what the society and the world has to offer, but to bring out the best and the good in our children. However, as Christian parents, should this be our goal as well? Do you know what our primary parenting goal is?

Let us look at the Bible’s most popular parents – Mary and Joseph. Have you ever considered it amazing that when our God came to earth, He entrusted Himself, His education and His care to human parents? Apparently, Joseph and Mary must have done a fine job (with God’s grace of course) as Luke recorded it in Chapter 2, vv 40 & 52, “and Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” So, what are their parenting secrets? How did they raise Jesus successfully?

Go back to v 41. “Every year, His parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover.” The context showed that Mary and Joseph had provided a climate in which spiritual development was the all-important encompassing reality – not just some once a week obligation. Go back further and look at vv 21-24. You will note the repetition of an important phrase – “just as it is written in the Law of the Lord” (vv 22 & 24). Jesus’ earthly parents followed God’s law at every point in their nurture of the Son God had given them. It is important that we as parents should study the Bible because it is filled with all the principles we need in the nurturing of our children.

Mary and Joseph also parented in a balanced manner so that Jesus increased in both wisdom and stature – intellectually, spiritually and physically. Jesus grew up with a godly worldview provided by His parents. We should also teach our children that all truth comes from God, and that God’s truth should be the basis of all our actions in life. Jesus was also trained physically. Even if His parents knew that He is God’s Son, He was not exempted from any menial carpenter’s works. Many parents pressure their children to develop in one or two areas of life but often neglect the others. Example, some parents push their children to excel in the academics but neglect sports skills.

Jesus had "favor with God." This indicates that Jesus had been parented in such a manner that He had a passion to please the Father and accomplish His will. "Favor with people" tells us that Jesus knew how to relate to others. We can see this throughout His ministry. Children flocked to Him. He felt equally at home with the outcasts and the upper castes. This tells us His parents had ensured that He had good social skills.

Our primary parenting goal then should be to assist our children in developing an intimate and loving relationship with our God. We should have them grow in wisdom and in stature, in favor with God and men. So that they may know and understand that our lives are to be lived for His honor, for His purpose, for His glory.

Promise!

2008-08-31T23:42:00.000-07:00

People come in different shapes and sizes. So do parents. Some of us are blessed to have parents who are God-fearing and loving. Some of us do not. Some of us have parents who are strict disciplinarians; some have parents who are not. Some parents are generous, some are stingy. Some are logical and fair. Some are quite unfair. Regardless of what our parents look like, or behave like, regardless of their parenting style, they all have one thing in common: All parents love their children and would give the best for their children.

Whoever our parents are, whatever kind of person they are, whether we have close relationship with them or not, we are called to Honor our parents. (Exodus 20:12)

This is the only commandment that comes with a promise “so that you may live long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.” The promise of long life – interesting, isn’t it? In what way does honoring our parents promote long life? If we live honorably, and if we do honor our parents and elders, our own children will see our model and thus will inherit the “promise” in the form of their values, character, and attitudes. In this sense, regardless of how long our physical bodies live on earth, our moral and spiritual legacy will remain with our children, and if we truly did it right, with our children’s children.

As an adult, how do I honor my parents?

Compared to other cultures, the Filipino-Chinese people often do not have problem showing their filial piety. We obey their wishes even if we do not always agree with them. We try to make them happy. We live with them and if not, we visit them often. Though, it doesn’t always mean giving up our own life so that things can always be comfortable and convenient for them. We do try our best to make things comfortable and convenient for them.

Honoring your parents means that you acknowledge them as the people God used to bring you into the world. Honoring your parents means honoring the place God gave them. It involves treating them with dignity and respect. It involves doing nothing to intentionally embarrass, hurt, or disgrace them.

Honoring your parents is something that is first between you and God. Whether your parents feel honored or not won’t be the measure when you stand before God. The measure will be your heart’s intent. Do you do it sincerely? Or do you show up simply because you are obligated? Do you honestly love them or do you consider them simply a part of your responsibility?

Honor your father and mother. This is one of the Old Testament’s greatest pearl of wisdom. In it lies your life, your future and your children’s future.

WALKIE-TALKIE OR INTERCOM?

2008-08-24T10:31:00.000-07:00

Until you know that life is war, you cannot know what prayer is for. Prayer is for the accomplishment of a wartime mission. It is as though the field commander (Jesus) called in the troops, gave them a crucial mission (go and bear fruit), handed each of them a personal transmitter coded to the frequency of the General’s headquarters, and said, “Comrades, the General has a mission for you. He aims to see it accomplished. And to that end he has authorized me to give each of you personal access to him through these transmitters. If you stay true to his mission and seek his victory first, he will always be as close as your transmitter, to give tactical advice and to send air cover when you need it.”

But what have millions of Christians done? We have stopped believing that we are in a war. No urgency, no watching, no vigilance. No strategic planning. Just easy peace and prosperity. And what did we do with the walkie-talkie? We tried to rig it up as an intercom in our houses and cabins and boats and cars --- not to call in fire power for conflict with a mortal enemy, but to ask for more comforts in the den.

Satan’s aim is that nobody be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. And one of his key strategies is to start battles in the world which draw our attention away from the real battle for the salvation of the lost and the perseverance of the saints. He knows that the real battle, as Paul says, is not against flesh and blood. So the more wars and conflicts and revolutions of “flesh and blood” he can start, the better, as far as he is concerned.

We must seek for ourselves and for our people a wartime mentality. Otherwise, the Biblical teaching about the urgency of prayer, and the vigilance of prayer, and the watching in prayer and the perseverance of prayer, and the danger of abandoning prayer will make no sense and find no resonance in our hearts. Until we feel the desperation of a bombing raid, or the thrill of a new strategic offensive for the gospel, we will not pray in the spirit of Jesus.

taken from "Let the Nations Be Glad" by John Piper

THE BOTTOM LINE

2008-08-17T10:19:00.000-07:00

World evangelization is for God. It is common to work out of a concern for the many needs of people, either to see them saved from hell, or to see them brought to communal wholeness, or both. Such compassion is biblical and necessary. However, our love for people takes on balance and power when our overriding passion is for God to be honored and thanked personally by the people transformed by the power of the gospel.

Jesus was moved with great compassion, as He saw the multitudes as abandoned sheep, but He did not respond to the naked need. He deliberately recast His vision of the same lost crowds with a different metaphor. He saw the people as being “His Harvest.” Who can comprehend God’s delight in the fullness of the fruit He receives from people’s lives? Jesus began to do just that. From that vision He implored the Lord of the Harvest to send out laborers to bring God His Harvest (Matthew 9:35)

Mission efforts which draw their motivation from compassionate response to human needs will only go so far. Believers need to be nurtured into a far-reaching jealousy for God’s glory. With confident certainty that God will fulfill His promise, we can be deeply moved by needs, while acting boldly for God’s purpose.

The ultimate value of salvation is not to be seen in what they are saved, but rather what they are saved for. People are saved to serve and glorify God. However accustomed we may be to seeing people as being of paramount importance, the Bible is clear: The rationale for mission is the absolute worthiness of God.

taken from “The Story of His Glory” by Steven C. Hawthorne

Mission's Vision

2008-08-10T01:02:00.000-07:00

Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever.

Worship, therefore, is the fuel and goal of missions. It is the goal of missions because in missions we simply aim to bring the nations into the white-hot enjoyment of God's glory. The goal of missions is the gladness of the peoples in the greatness of God. "The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad!" (Psalm 97:1) "Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! Let the nations be glad and sing for joy!" (Psalm 67:3-4)

But worship is also the fuel of missions. Passion for God in worship precedes the offer of God in preaching. You cannot commend what you do not cherish. Missionaries will never call out, "Let the nations be glad" who cannot say from the heart, "I rejoice in the Lord... I will be glad and exult in You, I will sing praise to your name, O Most High" (Psalm 104:34; 9:2) How can people who are not stunned by the greatness of God be sent with the ringing message, "Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; for He is to be feared above all gods." (Psalm 96:4)?

This truth is the lifeblood of missionary inspiration and endurance. William Carrey, the father of modern missions, who set sail for India from England in 1793, expressed the connection:

"When I left England, my hope of India's conversion was very strong; but amongst so many obstacles, it would die, unless upheld by God. Well, I have God, and His Word is true. Though the superstitions of the heathen were a thousand times stronger than they are, and the example of the Europeans a thousand times worse; though I were deserted by all and persecuted by all, yet my faith, fixed on the sure Word, would rise above all obstructions and overcome every trial. God's cause will triumph."

Carey and thousands like him have been moved and carried by the vision of a great and triumphant God. That vision must come first. Savoring it in worship precedes spreading it in missions. All of history is moving toward one great goal, the white-hot worship of God and His Son among all the peoples of the earth. Missions is not that goal. It is the means. And when this sinks into a person's heart everything changes. The world is often turned on its head, and everything looks different -- including the missionary enterprise.

-- taken from "Let the Nations Be Glad" by John Piper

I Love You, Will You Marry Me?

2008-08-03T12:45:00.000-07:00

In the first century, during the New Testament time, when a young Jewish man reached marrying age and his family selected an appropriate wife for him, the young man and his father would meet the young woman and her father to negotiate the “bride price,” the figurative cost of replacing a daughter. The price was usually very high.

When the negotiations were complete, the custom was for the young man’s father to pour a cup of wine and hand it to his son. His son would turn to the young woman, lift the cup and hold it out to her, saying, “This cup is a new covenant in my blood, which I offer to you.” In other words, it was his way of saying, “I love you, and I’ll give you my life. Will you marry me?”

The young woman had a choice. She could take the cup and return it and say no. Or she could answer without saying a word—by drinking the cup. This act was her way of saying, “I accept your offer, and I will marry you and give you my life.”

On the night of the Last Supper, Jesus and his disciples sat down together celebrating Passover. The disciples knew the liturgy very well; they had celebrated Passover all their lives. When it came time to drink the third cup of wine, the cup of redemption, Jesus lifted the cup as the disciples would expect and offered traditional Seder thanks. The same words are used to this day: “Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, for giving us the fruit of the vine.” And then he offered it to them but said something they probably did not expect: “This cup is a new covenant in my blood, which I offer to you.”

It’s hard to know what those disciples thought that night. Maybe a few chuckled a bit at Jesus making a marriage proposal, which must have seemed totally out of place in a Passover Seder. And yet, they may have understood Jesus’ willingness to die, be buried, and eventually raised to say, “I love you, and as my Father promised your fathers, I’ll pay the price for you. And in response will you love me back by giving me your life?”

When we celebrate the Lord’s Supper, we must be mindful of Jesus’ offer. He still says, “I love you.” He proved the extent of his love by dying on a cross for our sins. He says to us, “I offer you my life. Will you be my bride?” The taking of the cup is a solemn moment, a sentimental memento, for it is in that moment that one looks to the Heavenly Father and says, “Yes, I accept your offer, and I give you my life in response.”

It was our sin that nailed him to the cross. He was an innocent victim. He did not deserve to die. We did. But he took our place. And so that we will never forget, we gather at the table, to remember him. We taste the bread and sip from the cup to recall the life that was taken, the sacrifice that was made, and our part in the tragedy.

Have you taken the cup? Have you accepted Jesus’ offer? Have you given your life in response? Do you remember when you did that? Is it as vivid in your mind today as the day you prayed to invite Jesus in your heart? That moment needs to be etched on the recesses of your mind. This is something we cannot forget.

Excerpted from: The Symbols: So You Will Never Forget. Rick Ezell. www.lifeway.com

Yes, Dear!

2008-07-27T00:31:00.000-07:00

In the beginning was Eve who gave some forbidden fruit to her husband, who was with her, and he ate (Genesis 3:6). To be fair, Eve simply handed over the fruit; she didn't insist that Adam eat it. Adam decided to eat it and mankind fell. With the fall of our first parents came all sorts of marital problems.

Look at Abram and Sara. When Sara was not able to conceive, she took her maidservant and gave her to Abram to be his wife. (Yikes! No modern woman would do that!) But that was the custom of their time. Sara said “Go.” And Abram agreed. But God did not call us to follow our culture. We are called to follow Him. Abram and Sara should have trusted God’s timing and provision but they did not. Hagar and Ishmael later gave their family some serious problems.

Look at Isaac and Rebecca. Isaac loved Esau and Rebecca loved Jacob. Instead of loving both sons equally and fairly, they played favorites. They became a divided family.

Look at Jacob and Rachel. When she could not give birth, she developed a foul temper. She demanded from her husband, “Give me children, or I’ll die!” Did Jacob comfort her? No! He instead sought solace in his other 3 wives. (Yup, read their story again. Jacob had 4 wives: Leah, and her maid Zilpah, Rachel and her maid, Bilhah.) No wonder their children could not get along.

Though these men (and women) did great things for God, their marriages were far from perfect. Why? Simply because they did not submit to one another. In doing so, they disobeyed God in their marriages.

The word submit is surely one of the most difficult and disliked words in the Bible, especially by modern women. Perhaps because submission means to be under someone else’s power, and surely, nobody want their rights and identity trampled upon. But Paul says in Ephesians, "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ." (Ephesians 5:21) It is something Paul thinks every Christian can and should do – both men and women.

The key words are, “out of reverence for Christ.” When you submit to your husband, you are submitting to Christ. When you love your wife, you are submitting to Christ. Submission doesn't mean you go along with everything your partner orders. Submission means trusting your husband to make the right decision for the good of the marriage and for the family. Submission and loving means that the husband will put his wife’s and his children’s interests first when he makes decisions, as he leads the family, God’s way. Submission is not following blindly when you're being asked to do something that violates Scripture, your conscience, or common sense. Submission is simply taking into consideration your partner’s well-being and happiness, thinking of your partner instead of yourself. We cannot do this loving on our own – because we are fallen beings, we are naturally selfish. That is why we have Christ as our model and the Holy Spirit as our strength. Wrap your marriage in prayer, with God’s Word as its anchor. Surely, you will experience marriage made in heaven.

Do You Love Me?

2008-07-20T22:49:00.000-07:00

“I’m going fishing!” Peter said one day after the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was saying to the other disciples that he was going back to his old fishing business. (Of course at this time, this group of disciples was not aware of the Lord’s resurrection yet.) Since Peter was the leader, the rest followed him dutifully to the boat. But you know from the story found in John 21 starting at verse 2, even if they worked hard the whole night, they caught nothing.

“Have you caught anything?” a stranger called out to them at dawn on the next day. “Cast the net on the other side of the boat and you’ll catch some fish.” They did what the stranger suggested and boy! Did they catch some fish! The nets were so heavy they could not even pull the nets aboard the boat!

John said, “It is the Lord.” Peter got so excited that he jumped off and swam ashore. Jesus invited them for breakfast – perhaps prepared supernaturally. As Peter and the other disciples sat and ate with Jesus, Peter must have thought, “What a fool I am! I have been disobedient again. I have failed again.” Peter had virtually failed every test the Lord had given Him. Remember just a few days back, he denied the Lord three times. He had repented but now, he tried to go back to what he used to do instead of doing what the Lord wanted him to do. He just could not succeed. Does this sound like us?

Then Jesus asked him, not once, but three times, “Peter, do you love me more than these?” These meaning – the boat, the nets filled with the catch, the fishing business. This could have been the question our Lord Jesus Christ is asking from us. Do we love Him more than these? More than what He already gave us – our family, our homes, our business, our work, our church? Do we love our Provider more than what He had provided for us? Deep in our hearts we love Him, and yet, just like Peter, why do we serve Him poorly?

Peter was grieved after the Lord probed for the third time. “Lord, You know all things. You know I love You. Look into my heart.” Aren’t you glad that even if we fail again and again, we have an omniscient God who knows us well? But this does not give us any excuse for not serving our Master. The Lord taught Peter, not once but three times “Tend my sheep.” It seems just like Peter, we do need repetitive lessons in obedience. Do we love God? Then we should show our love through our actions, through our lives.

“Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.” 1 John 3:18 NASB

Illustration taken from: The Keys to Spiritual Growth. John MacArthur. Crossway Books ©2001. pp. 108-109.

Are You Filled?

2008-07-13T22:46:00.000-07:00

We know and we believe and we profess in our faith the Blessed Trinity – God in three Persons. Yet, in our conversations about God we tend to emphasize the first two Persons of the Trinity more than the third. We frequently begin our prayers with the words “Our Father,” and end them with “In Jesus’ name.” How often do you hear a prayer addressed to the Holy Spirit? Perhaps the reason for this is that “Father” and “Son” are easier to visualize; but “Spirit” (especially the King James translation “Holy Ghost”) is less personal and more mystical. But the Holy Spirit is a Person. The Spirit is God Himself, energizing, leading and communicating with us day by day.

The Spirit guides us by opening our understanding when we read the Bible (John 14:26; 16:13), interpreting its message in a new and fresh way each time we read it. The Spirit guides our prayer lives, compensating for the inadequacies we feel when we attempt to commune with God (Rom. 8:26–27).The Holy Spirit infuses the life of a Christian with spiritual energy, turning our potential for loving others into reality (Rom. 5:5), strengthening faith, cultivating assurance (Rom. 8:16). We cannot do anything, we can never be productive in our Christian life if we are not filled with the Holy Spirit.

All believers possess the Spirit (1 Cor.6:19, Rom.8:9). You do not have to ask for the Spirit. He is in you and has been in you since the time of your salvation. You just have to be “continually filled” with the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:8). Being filled with the Spirit is not a one-time experience. Being filled means continually letting the Spirit of God, who is already in you, control you, to be totally under His influence.

How can that happen? You surrender your will, your mind, your body, your talents, your time, your treasures – every area of your life – to the control of the Holy Spirit. To be Spirit-filled is to be Christ-conscious. It means living every moment as if our Lord Jesus Christ is beside you. And you let Him guide your choices as you go on your everyday life.

True joy is the inevitable result of being Spirit-filled. All people like to be happy, to feel good. There is nothing wrong with that. God also wants joyous, excited and uplifted people. The problem lies in how this joy will be generated. Things of this world can bring you momentary happiness. But true joy can only be acquired if you allow the Holy Spirit to fill you. Are you filled?

References: The Keys to Spiritual Growth. John MacArthur. Lighthouse Books, 2005; and www.lifeway.com

What? Why? How?

2008-07-06T22:41:00.000-07:00

Imagine yourself to be one of Jesus’ disciples just minutes after Jesus ascended to heaven. The past 2 months have really been an emotional roller coaster ride. After spending three years with this man, you were convinced that He is the Messiah, the Savior, but He had to be unbelievably crucified. You were still not over this depression when you found out that He had risen! Yes! Indeed! He is the Messiah! You have just spent forty wonderful days with the risen Christ! Now that you are expecting Him to finally restore the kingdom to Israel, He’s gone! You are still staring dumbfounded into the blank blue sky where Jesus was lifted up moments ago, defying the laws of gravity. Then the angels came and asked, “Why are you still staring into the sky?”

Why? Why does He have to leave again?

This is because His redemptive work is finished. He had also succeeded in changing a group of unreliable followers into fearless evangelists – those eleven men who had deserted him at death, would now proclaim Him with intense force that would reach the ends of the earth.

If you read through the Gospels, you will see that He had planned this from the beginning. He had been hinting at His departure right from the start of His ministry. (John 6:62; John 13:1; John 17:13; John 20:17) It was obvious for all but the clueless disciples. He had said during the Last Supper, “It is for your good that I am going away.” He had to depart in order to transfer His work to other bodies – our bodies – the new body of Christ. The mission that God assigned to the Son, the Son was now entrusting to the disciples – to us. Our work? The Great Commission – “Go therefore and make disciples of ALL nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you…” Matthew 28:19-20 NASB

This commission was repeated in Acts1:8 “…and you shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” How did the fumbling disciples succeed in this seemingly difficult task? The disciples could not do the work on their own. They had to wait for the coming of the Spirit a few days after Jesus had ascended.

Our Christ had sent a helper – the Holy Spirit to work in us, so that we might succeed in this unfinished work. We are not truly left alone. He has promised in Matthew 28:21,”I am with you always, even to the end of age.” Jesus is still doing His work in this world (through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit). Only now, he teaches and works through us – the church. You can see it working throughout these past two centuries, and will continue to do so until the day of His appearing again.

We will not be able to do the work Christ commissioned us to do of we do it on our own efforts. We need to tap on the power of Christ and the Holy Spirit. We need to turn it on – with regular prayer and Bible reading and daily devotions. Only then, can we get the energy and the guidance to continue Christ’s work on earth.

Ten Started Out, One Came Back

2008-06-29T12:03:00.000-07:00

Are you familiar with the story of the ten lepers whom Jesus healed? Their story can be found in the 17^th chapter of Luke, starting at verse 11. As Jesus was passing by a village in between Samaria and Galilee, the ten lepers begged for healing. Jesus just told them to show themselves to the priests. It may seem like a strange command because lepers were quarantined and isolated from ordinary people. But the lepers obeyed. They started out in an act of faith heading for the priests. And as they went, they were cleansed. Ten of them were cleansed but one turned back, “glorifying God with a loud voice, and he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him.” And Jesus said “Were there not ten cleansed? But the nine - where are they?” He said to the leper who returned, “Stand up and go, your faith has made you well…” In Greek, it says, “your faith has saved you.”

Ten got healed, one got saved. It is a wonderful story for one but it is a tragedy for the other nine. It illustrates that how ugly ingratitude is, being unthankful...How is it that these people could so quickly forget the very one who was the source of their cleansing? Perhaps because it is the sin of fallen man. It is the very nature of men to feel unsatisfied with what they have. But ingratitude should not characterize God’s people. We can understand that nine lepers who didn't know God could be thankless. We can understand a world of thankless people. But it is hard to understand a thankless Christian when we know what the Lord has done for us. Take note that Jesus was looking for the other nine. God expects us to have a thankful heart. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 gives a very brief command, “In everything, give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Jesus Christ.” This is what God desires from us.

Therefore, as Christians, when you are disappointed and feel depressed and you fuzz and fume and complain and feel stressed out with every little problem in your life that does not turn out the way you want to, you are sinning against your Creator and Savior. You ought to be overwhelmed with God’s bountiful grace, your heart overflowing with thanks, your mouth shouting with praise for the glory of God.

As believers, we know that God is at work in our lives. So, whatever happens to us, whatever may come into life should be treated with joy and gratitude. We ought to be thanking God for every large blessing, every small blessing, every small goodness, every large goodness, every good time and every bad time, every little thing, every little challenge that God gives us.

Just like the Psalmist, everyday you should be able to “enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and Bless His name. For the Lord is good; His loving-kindness is everlasting and His faithfulness to all generations.” (Psalm 100:4-5 NASB)

Alien

2008-06-23T04:46:00.000-07:00

What do you think would happen if an alien being really did visit our world - how would the world react? You don't have to wonder; someone from another world did visit planet earth, & we responded by crucifying Him. It's not that Jesus was strange - He looked like any other man; it's not that He was out of step with the culture - He came as a Jew to Jews.

Jesus Christ wasn't the problem. He embodied true humanity & united it with the essential nature of God in one perfect Person. The problem was in a world of sinful men that would not accept a visit from the Creator. Jesus didn't compromise Himself or His teaching to the world of men, & that made them angry.

Jesus' integrity to God's character & God's truth really frustrated the Jews - He wouldn't line up with their system of works & self-righteousness. He rejected their interpretations of the Law (Matthew 5:21-48); He rejected their superficial & hypocritical righteousness (Matthew 6:1-18); He rejected their love of money (Matthew 6:19-34). He just wouldn't cooperate with them - To do that would require compromise, & Jesus was the epitome of integrity.

Integrity to the truth & integrity to godly character - that's what should characterize you if you are a follower of Jesus Christ. Integrity is the badge of every true believer. That badge might bring you into conflict with the world, because the world is characterized by compromise.

Your Christian testimony is tied up to your complete devotion to God's Word as the highest authority - no matter what the consequences may be. God draws the elect into the kingdom through Christians who prove to be different from the world - who reveal their true allegiance by their commitment and obedience to God's standards.

Those who maintain a life of integrity will be blessed by God. It is the way we represent Christ on earth as His ambassadors. We identify with Him by standing apart from the world, not compromising God's truth or His character in how we live our lives, in how we conduct ourselves in His church. And when we identify ourselves with Him here on earth, He will confess us before His Father in heaven and will one day receive us to Himself.

Adapted from The Power of Integrity (c) 1997 by John MacArthur.

What does it take to run for Christ?

2008-06-15T23:04:00.000-07:00

“…forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal. ...” Philippians 3:13-14

Make up your mind to do it. When we decide to follow Christ, all else becomes secondary. Some things we give up entirely -- sinful lifestyles, unhealthy habits, unholy relationships. Other things we place on the altar of God’s will, saying, “Lord, these are for Your service.” There may be sacrifice and hardship, but remember that the Lord wants to give you “a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11).

Make up your mind to pursue Christ with all your heart. “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13).

Stick with the training. We need to know the rules of the game, so study your Bible every day. And we need to develop our spiritual muscles, so exercise every day -- exercising godliness, self-control, and righteousness. We intentionally apply the truths we find in our Bibles to everyday life. We say “no” to other opportunities and demands in order to make room for Christian activities. We wake up early on Sunday mornings and go to church. We wake up early through the week to have our morning devotions. We seek opportunities to serve the Lord. We love. We forgive. We exercise faith, trusting God when things go badly in life. We memorize Scripture so that we can offer others an encouraging word.

The Bible says, “Spend your time and energy in training yourself for spiritual fitness. Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is much more important, for it promises a reward in both this life and the next” (1 Timothy 4:7-8).

Run for the prize -- persevere. Don’t give up. Have you tried repeatedly to have your daily quiet time? To trust God with that anxious care or weakness? Be determined, and sooner or later you will work through to victory. It’s time to say, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13) and then begin to run the race with endurance (Hebrews 12:1). Get back into shape. Be swifter, higher, stronger for Christ and His Kingdom.

“Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” 1 Corinthians 15:57 NASB

Excerpted from: On the Way to the Finish Line by David Jeremiah, www.lifeway.com

O Magnify the Lord!

2008-06-10T01:18:00.000-07:00

Some years ago, a sociologist accompanied a group of mountain climbers on an expedition. Among other things, he observed a distinct correlation between cloud cover and contentment. When there was no cloud cover and the peak was in view, the climbers were energetic and cooperative. When the gray clouds eclipsed the view of mountaintop, though, the climbers were sullen and selfish.

The same thing happens to us. As long as our eyes are on His majesty there is a bounce in our step. But let our eyes focus on the dirt beneath us and we will grumble about every rock and crevice we have to cross. For this reason Paul urged, “Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up and be alert to the things going on around Christ – that is where the action is. See things from His perspective.” (Col 3:1-2 MSG)

Paul challenges you to “be alert to the things going on around Christ.” The Psalmist reminds you to do the same, only he uses a different phrase. “O magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt His name together.” (Psalms 34:3)

Magnify. What a wonderful verb to describe what we do in the chapel. When you magnify an object, you enlarge it so that you can understand it. When we magnify God, we do the same. We enlarge our awareness of Him so we can understand Him more. This is exactly what happens in the chapel of worship – we take our minds off ourselves and set it on God. The emphasis is on Him.

“Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.”

Excerpted from : The Great House of God, by Max Lucado, W. Publishing Group, 1997, pp 161-162

Design

2008-06-01T23:02:00.000-07:00

God created humans who have free will. This means creatures who can go either wrong or right. If a thing is free to do good it is also free to be bad. And free will is what has made evil possible. Why, then, did God give them free will? Because free will, though it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having. A world of automata – of creatures that worked like machines – would hardly be worth creating. The happiness which God designs for His higher creatures is the happiness of being freely, voluntarily united to Him & to each other.

Of course God knew what would happen if they used their freedom the wrong way; apparently He thought it worth the risk. The better stuff a creature is made of, the cleverer & stronger & freer it is – then the better it will be if it goes right, but also the worse it will be if it goes wrong. And well, it did go wrong. Satan put into the heads of our remote ancestors the idea that they could be “like gods” – could set up on their own as if they had created themselves – be their own masters – invent some sort of happiness for themselves outside God, apart from God. And out of that hopeless attempt has come nearly all that we call human history – money, poverty, ambition, prostitution, war, classes, empires, slavery – the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy.

The reason why it can never succeed is this. God made us; invented us as a man invents an engine. A car is made to run on gasoline & it would not run properly on anything else. Now God designed the human machine to run on Himself. He Himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn, or the food our spirits were designed to feed on. There is no other. That is why it is just no good asking God to make us happy in our own way without bothering about religion. God cannot give us a happiness & peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing.

Excerpted from: Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis, Macmillan Publishing Co.,1952 pp. 37-39.

Brand New

2008-05-25T04:27:00.000-07:00

The Bible tells us that God wants to sanctify us & transform us into the express image of His Son Jesus Christ. He wants to make us into a better & more holy people - both on the inside & the outside.

The first thing each Christian must know is exactly what it is that God wants to change about us. If you don’t know exactly what it is God wants to do with you in this sanctification-transformation process, then you will have a hard time cooperating with Him. There are a million self-help books on the market, but there is only one Book that will tell you exactly what it is that God wants to do with you on the inside to change you for the better - the Holy Bible. Your job is do qualitative, meditative study of God’s Word everyday.

The Bible tells us that we are to put on positive qualities, put away negative qualities operating in our personalities. Example - I have a problem with bad temper. The first step I should do is to find the specific verses from the Bible on this topic. After knowing that God wants me to have more self-control, then I will have to work at this problem. If someone cuts me in traffic, instead of getting angry, I will just bite my lips, start to have more self-control. I will not flip the other car off, I will just let go. Maybe at the beginning I may not always be successful but if I try again, I will, in time lessen the number of times I lose my temper.

This transformation process is completed "by the power of the Holy Spirit." The Holy Spirit lives on the inside of each believer. It is His job to mold, shape & transform us into the kind of holy & righteous people that God would really like all of us to become in Him. Many Christians already know this. They then wonder why there has not been much change in their personalities after they have been saved. Where is the Holy Spirit? How come He is not removing some of my negative qualities? The reason is that they have not spent enough time doing their part. They have not spent enough quality time in the Word of God & they have not made any real effort to try & change for the better. Our spiritual growth is a partnership. God works in us to will and to act, & we, for our part, cultivate His presence, which makes His influence more powerful, and clear. We also make right choices which confirm into our character what God is doing in us. God, on His part, empowers & encourages us in these choices. Let God do His work on you and you will become a much better person, a much better Christian.

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Romans 12:1)

The Power of Christ

2008-05-18T08:56:00.000-07:00

Just as our acceptance with God must come through the righteousness with Christ, so our power to live the Christian life must come from Christ as well. Too often we try to grow by our own willpower & self-discipline. We assume that if we read the Bible enough & pray enough, we will grow. We approach the Christian life much like a student approaches a difficult course in college – just buckle down & try harder. That attitude assumes that we have the ability within ourselves to grow into maturity as believers. But as Jesus indicated in John 15:5, we have no ability within ourselves to grow. All the ability must come from Him.

Think of an electronic appliance that you use either for personal care or in the kitchen. I think of my electric shaver. That shaver has within its case a small motor that causes the shaver to do its job. But that motor has no power of its own. It is completely dependent on an external source of electric current. Without the supply of that power, it is useless.

You & I have been given a new heart at the time of our conversion. A fundamental change has indeed taken place in our inner being. We really are new creations in Christ. To stay with the shaver analogy, we now have a new motor designed to receive the electric current. But the power is still outside of us. It resides in Jesus Christ & is applied to our hearts by the Holy Spirit as we depend on Him.

That is why Paul makes such statements as “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength,” (Phil 4:13) & “To this end (that is, pursuing his ministry) I labor, struggling with all His energy which so powerfully works in me,” (Col 1:29).

Paul expected to grow in his spiritual life, & he expected to be fruitful in his ministry. His confidence, however, was not based on his own ability or determination but in the fact that he could rely on the power of Christ working in him to enable him.

Excerpted from: Growing Your Faith, by Jerry Bridges, NavPress Ministries, 2004, p 22.

Why the World Does Not Need Superman

2008-05-13T00:57:00.000-07:00

After Lex Luthor defeated Superman on the island made of kryptonite, Superman fell down to the sea. In that very touching scene where Superman was sinking half-dead in the waters, we hear the voice of his dead father Jor-el “I sent you to this planet, even if its people are cunning, vicious & deceitful; because deep down inside, there is some good in them.” This statement was repeated in another scene. Deep down inside there is something good about us earthlings. Is there?

Jor-el made a big mistake. There is nothing good inside Lex Luthor. Lois Lane turned to another man when Superman left. Even Perry White, the editor, callously prepared 2 front-page headlines, just in case Superman dies – despite the fact that Superman saved his life a few hours ago… And consider this - even Superman himself was thinking of coveting someone else’s wife!

No. We human beings have nothing good inside us. We strive to do good & yet, we always stumble. There is none righteous, no, not one. (Rom 3:10) For all have sinned, & come short of the glory of God. (Rom 3:23) The fall brought mankind into an estate of sin & misery.

Superman says he can hear the people crying out for help. And he tries to help them – physically. He keeps them safe from fire, from earthquakes, bombs & even car crash. But the next day, & the next, there will be more fires & more disasters. Superman does not & cannot give us the help we need. He does not understand what we need. In our sinful state, we did not know what we needed either.

God heard man cry many thousand years ago & He, our gracious Creator, who knows our very hearts & needs, sent us a hero, who is so powerful that He can create the whole world & yet became small to become a human baby; who is so mighty that He can create many miracles & yet humble enough to die on the cross; who owns the whole universe & yet gracious enough to include us in His eternal kingdom. This hero alone can open our eyes, enlighten our minds & make us realize our need for salvation. And when we repent & turn toward Him, He causes a change in our lives for forever. This is the kind of hero we need – Jesus Christ, our Lord & Savior.

Huh? My Attitude?

2008-05-05T00:59:00.000-07:00

There are people who think that since they are already saved, they can continue living however they want to & do whatever they want to. They have obviously been misguided. But then, there are many “sincere” Christians who want to be mature & more ‘godly’, so they load up their lives with so many “have to’s.” “If I’m going to grow, I have to do this,” “The pastor said I have to do that.” I have to be more mature, more disciplined, more committed…

When we think this way, we are in danger of substituting duty & obligation for a loving response to God’s grace.

This should be clear: We should seek to practice commitment, discipline & obedience. We should be thoroughly committed to submission to the lordship of Jesus Christ in every area of life. But we should be committed in these areas out of a grateful response to God’s grace, not try to earn God’s blessings.

Our reason & motive for commitment, discipline & obedience is important to God, perhaps even more important to Him than our performance. David said to Solomon, “You, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, & serve Him with wholehearted devotion & with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart & every motive behind the thoughts.” (1Chronicles 28:9 NIV)

God searches the heart & understands every motive. To be acceptable to Him, our motives must spring from a love for Him & a desire to glorify Him. If we view our efforts as a duty or obligation, or because we fear the consequences if we do not do our ‘Christianly’ duties or we do these things to gain favor with God or so that we can ‘look good’ to the other people in the church, we are not pleasing God.

We should look to the cross & find inspiration to obedience, commitment and discipline. Our actions then will naturally reflect a grateful response to the grace He has already given us through Jesus Christ.

Reference: Balancing the Christian Life. Charles C. Ryrie. The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago, 1994.

What is Repentance?

2008-04-28T03:48:00.000-07:00

In the New Testament, John the Baptist began his public ministry, as did Jesus, with a call to repentance (Matthew 3:1-2; Matthew 4:17). When Jesus sent forth messengers to proclaim his gospel, he commanded them to preach repentance (Luke 24:47; Mark 6:12). Teachings on repentance are found in the New Testament in Peter, (Acts 2:38); Paul, (Acts 20:21). God wants everyone to repent (2 Pet. 3:9; Acts 17:30). Indeed, failure on the part of man to heed God's call to repentance means that he shall utterly perish (Luke 13:3).

So what is repentance? What does it mean to repent? Let us see from the example of little 5-year old Jason. One day, he broke his older sister’s art work while playing with it. Atsi was very angry and frustrated because she still has to submit that work to be graded at school. Jason was told earlier not to touch Atsi’s things. So Jason was clearly in the wrong. But he was truly sorry for what he did. How do we know he is repentant? Repentance involves the following:

Recognition of one’s own sin as sin. Jason knew that it was wrong to play with Atsi’s things. He knew and acknowledged that he broke the artwork. Even if he claimed that it was an accident, he knew it could have prevented it if he did not touch it in the first place.

Remorse. He was sorry for it. He apologized to Atsi several times. He was also sad.

Desisting from sin. He promised not to do it again. And for several days, he really stayed away from Atsi’s things.

Restitution. He tried to help Atsi do her artwork again. At first they tried to repair the damage to the original work, but the results were not nice so they started all over again. Jason helped by fetching things needed for the work.

Confession. He did not try to hide his mistake. He did not wait for Atsi to tell mommy. He told mommy about it when she came home. And he also said sorry to God during their family bedtime prayer.

Vital Signs of a Healthy Church

2008-04-20T06:19:00.000-07:00

1. Presence of unity and harmony. Though the church is composed of many members, everyone can settle differences in a peaceful manner and work together as one body toward our common goal of glorifying our God.(1Cor 12:12, John 17:20-23, Eph 4:1-6)

2. Absence of favoritism, status and prejudice. There should be no ‘second class’ citizens nor ‘preferred customers’ in the church. Each one is treated the same way, regardless of appearance, race, gender, career or financial status.(Gal 3:26-28)

3. Emphasis on individual dignity and mutual variety. Each person possesses unique talents & gifts which could be different from another person in the church. Therefore each member of the church is special and can contribute differently, complementing each other to build up the body of Christ. (1Cor 12:14-20)

4. De-emphasis on independence and self-sufficiency. Each member of the body cannot function alone. Each person cannot attain spiritual maturity alone. We need the help of God firstly, and then, the fellowship of other Christian brothers and sisters, as accountability partners, as small group partners, etc. (1 Cor 12: 21-23)

5. Supportive members. When a member is hurt, other members can empathize and provide support. When a member triumphs, other members rejoice with him. (1Cor 12:25-26)

6. Exaltation of Christ as Head and Supreme Authority. The church – the Body has only one head – Jesus Christ. The church therefore should be doing what He commissioned us to do. (1 Cor 12:27)

Reference: Growing Deep in the Christian Life by Charles Swindoll, Zondervan Publishing House, 1995.

What is a Church?

2008-04-13T22:59:00.000-07:00

A church is a creation of Christ. He builds His church (Matt 16:18) using Spirit-directed pastors and leaders (Eph 4:11-13) and arranges members in it according to His will (1Cor 12:18). Therefore spiritual leaders and members should have respect for the pastor and every member God has placed in their church.

A church is a living body of Christ with many members (1Cor 12:27). The church is not a building or an organization. It is a group of people built up into a body.

A church is uniquely related to Christ as Head of the body (Eph 1:22; 4:15-16). All matters in a church are to come under His lordship.

Members of a church are uniquely related to every other member of the church (Eph 4:11-16; 1 Cor 12). All members are interdependent on one another. All members need each other.

A church is on mission with Christ in our world carrying out the Father’s redemptive purpose. (Matt 28:18-20; 2Cor 5:17-20) “We are God’s fellow workers.” (1 Cor 3:9)

Throughout the New Testament, God expresses some of His desires for the church.

1. God wants His people to be holy and pure.

“Do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’” 1 Pet 1:14-16

2. God wants His people to display unity.

“Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. (Eph 4:3)

3. God wants His people to love each other.

“This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another…Let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth…This is His command: to believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and to love one another as He commanded us.” 1 John 3:11, 18, 23)

Excerpted from: Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby & Claude King, 1990. pp.163, 164.

At Your Service!

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

Imagine yourself as the manager of your office, or the mistress of your house. If your factory worker or your housemaids are not doing their jobs, What would you say to them? What would you do? At the end of your life here on earth, you will stand before God. He will evaluate how you have lived your life, how you have served Him. Will He say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant?” and reward you with many crowns; or will you be full of excuses? “I was too busy…”

What is holding us back from serving God?

God has already given you talents and abilities – which we call gifts - and everything else you need in order to do His work. You just have to discover them.

How?

Listen to your heart. What is your passion? What is it you love to do? What do you enjoy doing? Is it singing? You can volunteer in the choir. Do you love being around children? Volunteer to teach in the children’s ministry.

Use your abilities. What is it you’re able to do? What are your talents? Do people naturally tell you their problems? Be a counselor. Are you a good encourager? Volunteer to do house visits. If you are not sure, you can experiment with different areas of service. You’re not going to know what you’re good at unless you try it first. So go ahead and volunteer. You will discover many things about yourself in the process.

Consider your personality. Get feedbacks from people close to you. Are you an introvert or an extrovert? Do you like routine or variety? Do you like working with people or by yourself? After you’ve evaluated yourself, you can choose which ministry will fit your personality.

Examine your experiences. God gave you different experiences of joy and pleasure, pain and disappointments for you to learn from them and for you to use them for His glory. Consider how God would want you to use those experiences to serve others.

Pay attention to needs. When the pastor announces the need for people in this or that ministry, volunteer! Opportunities to serve never last long. Many people never serve because they fear that they may make mistakes or that they are not ‘good enough’ to serve. But you see, God does not expect perfect work. He does expect faithful work though. Go ahead and talk with our church pastors. Tell them you are available to do whatever work that needs to be done.

Serve the Lord with gladness. Serve the Lord with a grateful heart. Serving the Lord, our God and Savior is the highest use of our lives. Know that God has promised honor and reward for those who serve Him.

FAQs about Spiritual Gifts

2008-03-25T08:25:00.000-07:00

What are Spiritual Gifts?
These are the abilities and talents that the Holy Spirit bestows on the body – the Church. 1 Cor. 12:11

Does everyone get the Gifts?
Yes. Each and every Christian has gifts. But each one of us received different gifts. (1 Cor 12:4) No one person has all the gifts (12:14-21), nor is any one of the gifts given to all people. (12:28-30) Therefore each one of us in the Body needs each other.

What are the different kinds of Gifts?
This is a short list of the gifts taken from Paul’s writings. But this summary is not exhaustive. These are just samples of the gifts God has given us.
Rom 12:6-8 1Cor 12:4-11 Eph 4:11
Prophecy, wisdom, apostles, Service, knowledge, prophets, faith, teaching, evangelists, exhortation, healing, pastors, working of miracles, Giving aid, Acts of mercy, ability to distinguish spirits, Various tongues, Interpretation of tongues

Why are there different kinds of Gifts?
We cannot all be pastors at the same time, nor can we all be singers at the same time. Each one of us received different gifts so that we may serve in different ways in the Body of Christ. The Holy Spirit gives gifts to each one as He determines. (1Cor 4:11) God has arranged the parts of the body -each one of us- the way He wants us to be. (1Cor 4:18-20)

Why is it that some people have more gifts than others?
These people just SEEM to have more gifts than others. It may be because they are using their gifts more than others; or maybe because their gifts are more conspicuous and obvious too. But ALL gifts, big or small, are important in the Body of Christ. (1Cor 12:22-26)

Can I use these gifts for myself?
You can use your gifts for you to be mature spiritually and for you to be equipped and prepared to serve the Lord. The gifts are given primarily for the edification of the whole Body, not merely for the enjoyment or enrichment of the individual person possessing the gifts. (1 Cor 12:7; & 14:12) Whenever you use your gifts, acknowledge the giver. Remember that as Christians, our life’s purpose is to glorify God. Use your gifts to glorify God.

How can I know the Will of God?

2008-03-10T08:02:00.000-07:00

If you haven't asked this question openly or secretly you are probably not a Christian. Most Christians struggle with this question at one time or another. A boy asks if this girl is God’s will to be his spouse or not, a lady asks if this career move is God’s will or not. Has the will of God been a mystery to you?

The very first thing you must do is to look at the Word of God. The Scripture is a record of common people who found the will of God. These people were not special men. Moses stuttered, Jacob was a compulsive liar. Joseph was a spoiled brat. Paul had a disability. You will not find anyone born naturally gifted or talented among them. But all had one thing in common – they knew and did the will of God. They were willing to do God’s commands. They were willing to learn from Him and available to be sent by Him.

Do you have a willing heart? A willing heart to do His will?Sacrificing what you enjoy and desire in order to obey Him? God does guide His people. He guides us generally by His providence. Are you willing to trust Him?

Do you have a regular time of prayer and reading the Word of God? God's will is expressly revealed in His Word. It is indeed a foolish and inexcusable thing to neglect the Scriptures. Bible study and prayer show us what God expects in daily living. There are no gray areas in the Bible. You just have to learn and follow the Scriptural principles in the Bible and act on them. Examples of principles: no sexual immorality, do not be yoked with unbelievers, do not repay evil for evil, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks. It is true the Bible does not mention movies, or make-up or the maximum speed limit on the highway. But we can make judgment calls based on the scriptural principles. For example, the Bible clearly says we have to treasure life. Therefore, we will be careful behind the wheels of a car, at all times. All decisions and judgment calls that we make should always be based on Scriptural principles, done prayerfully, and with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Be on guard against the temptations that may come your way. For instance, when a man chooses a woman to court, he usually considers the physical looks first and probably the intelligence or wealth. But has he considered whether she is a Christian or not? The Bible says this should be the first consideration, the other factors become secondary. Knowing God’s will for most part, is simply walking in the Spirit and being obedient to God’s word. Probably most of the time, the problem is not in knowing God’s will but in the willing ness to listen and obey.

God’s ultimate will for your life and mine is for us to be conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus. This goal NEVER changes. It is the point we are trying to get to - it sets our direction. It is a life-long process. If you let God lead you everyday, you will be successful – not as the world defines success. In the end, you will be happy and fruitful. Who would not want to hear “Well done my faithful servant!” from our Master?

Managing Your Money

2008-03-02T23:13:00.000-08:00

Perhaps you've heard the tale of the three bricklayers who were working on a project. When asked what they were making, the first said, "$18 an hour." The next replied, "We're making a wall to help support the roof." But the third said, "We're building a cathedral for worshipping God!" They were all engaged in the same task, but only one of them caught the bigger vision.

Let’s imagine a new version of the story that features investors contacting their brokers in order to make some investments. A spouse, or one of their children, comes along and asks what they're doing. One says, "Oh, just placing some mutual fund orders." Another replies, "I'm investing for our future." But the third responds, "I'm managing God's money for His glory."

Do you have a big vision for your stewardship duties? Or do you think of it as merely paying the bills, putting some money into an investment account, and giving to the church? If it's the latter and your money management routine seems humdrum, you've lost sight of the big picture. Your financial decisions have the potential for life-changing blessings and eternal impact—for you, your loved ones, and those you minister to through your giving. Make better decisions and, like the faithful stewards in the parable of the talents, your efforts will bring a smile to the Master. Make indifferent or undisciplined decisions and you'll have wasted a lifetime of opportunities.

What are our stewardship duties? We should assign a high priority to giving generously to the Lord and His kingdom work. Live within your means. Be responsible in your use of credit. Build a contingency fund. Learn the basics so you can invest wisely.

Taken individually, none of these tasks is particularly difficult, but they all require self-discipline. They take effort and a degree of sacrifice. But the end result is worth it. Not only because we will enjoy greater success in money matters, but more importantly, living up to our potential brings glory to our gracious God.

John Piper put it this way: "God made us with the highest creaturely purpose in mind—to enjoy and display the Creator's glory. This is why we were made ('All things were created through Him and for Him'). This is why we eat and drink ('So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God’). This is why we pray ('Whatever you ask the Father in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son'). This is why we do all good deeds ('Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven').

That is why we exist—to display the glory of God.... When we fulfill this reason for being, we have substance. As in all things we do, we should manage our money… for the glory of God.

Excerpted from: Managing Your Money for the Glory of God. Austin Pryor. www.crosswalk.com

A Worried Christian?

2008-02-24T22:16:00.000-08:00

We all have to admit that worry is a common temptation in life--for many, it is a favorite pastime. We worry about our children. We worry about our parents. We worry about our business. We worry about what other people will think, or what other people will do. Here in the Philippines, we often worry about our safety. But do you know that worry is a sin? It is neither insignificant, nor inconsequential. It is absolutely contrary to faith in Christ.

Jesus categorically prohibited worry in a familiar portion of the Sermon on the Mount--Matthew 6:25-34. Three times in that short passage He commanded, "Do not worry!", and the way He said it shows he truly understands us. In verse 25 He acknowledges worry as a common practice. However, to continue worrying about anything, or to start worrying in the first place, is to violate the Lord's command.

If you worry, what kind of faith do you manifest? "Little faith," according to Jesus (Matt. 6:30). Now if you are a child of God, by definition you have a Heavenly Father. To act like you don't--nervously asking, "What shall I eat? What shall I drink? With what shall I clothe myself?"--is to act like an unbeliever in God's eyes (vv. 31-32).

Think about it this way: Christians who worry believe God can redeem them, break the shackles of Satan, take them from hell to heaven, put them into His kingdom, and give them eternal life, but just don't think He can get them through the next couple of days. That is pretty ridiculous, isn't it?

Worry is devastating. When you worry you are saying in effect, "God, I just don't think I can trust You." Worry strikes a blow at the person and character of God. When you worry, you are also saying that you do not believe the Bible and God’s promises that it contains. When you worry, you are choosing to be mastered by your circumstances instead of by the truth of God. The trials of life pale in comparison to the greatness of salvation. Jesus wants you to realize it doesn't make sense to believe God can save you from eternal hell, but not help you in the practical matters of life.

When you catch yourself worrying, go back to Scripture. Study the Word of God to find out who He really is and how He has supplied the needs of His people in the past. That will build confidence for the future. Let God's track record in Scripture and in your own life assure you that worry is needless because of God's bounty, senseless because of God's promise.

Understand this: God gives you strength one day at a time. He gives you what you need when you need it. God is gracious. He is the same yesterday, today, tomorrow and forever.

Adapted from: A Worried Christian? By John McArthur © 1993
www.gty.org

How About Habakkuk?

2008-02-17T06:23:00.000-08:00

Habakkuk was a very unusual name indeed – interestingly spelled, uniquely pronounced. Even for a Jew, his name was not quite that common. But this minor prophet, who administered to Judah (the southern kingdom many centuries ago), has more in common with you and me. He raised questions and problems that still concern the modern Christians today.

Now Habakkuk had a problem...a big problem. Judah, the people of God were unfaithful to God. They were not just unfaithful, they were downright sinful and wicked. And the prophet Habakkuk did not understand why God doesn't intervene. God was not coming down with a great move of salvation and restoration, and He was not coming in judgment, and Habakkuk did not understand how God can just look at this and not act. Is this not the same question many people ask today? The world is indeed more evil than the time of Habakkuk. Our society is full of blatant plunderers, hypocrite dictators, murderers and robbers without fear and conscience. Why is God allowing these things to happen?

God’s answer can be found in chapter 1, verse 5: “Be astonished! Wonder! Because I am doing something in your days – you would not believe it if you were told.” In other words, our God is doing something. He is not just sitting in His Heavens. He is in full control of the world. We just would not believe it if we had known.

God’s answer to Habakkuk? He will allow the Babylonians to attack and destroy God’s people. This was not the answer Habakkuk expected. Because the Babylonians were even more wicked than the Judeans. At first he did not understand why God seemingly is not acting on the problem and now, he did not understand why God was doing what He was doing. This is the same dilemma many people are encountering now. Why is God doing this? Why is God not doing this? It does not make sense.

We can learn something from how Habakkuk solved his dilemma. He confirmed what he knows is true about God “Art Thou not from everlasting, O Lord, my God, my Holy One?” (1:12) What does Habakkuk mean? He's reaffirming that God is eternal, God is sovereign, God is perfect and God keeps all His promises. And on the rock of his knowledge of God he finds security and peace. “Though the fig tree should not blossom, and there be no fruit on the vines… Yet I will exult on the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.” (3:17-18)

"The righteous will live by...his faith." Habakkuk 2:4b

Not Yummy?!

2008-02-10T21:05:00.000-08:00

The Old Testament, particularly the Law of Moses has a long list of clean and unclean foods. (The whole of Leviticus chapter 11 is exclusively devoted to it.) Eating and drinking do play significant roles in Old Testament times. If you look at the list now, it would seem that these people were obsessively concerned with their diet. Some have interpreted these regulations primarily as a regimen for healthy eating, some have dismissed these outdated laws, and claim that we can already eat and drink almost anything now since we are already covered by New Testament grace. On the other hand, we can learn something from this. The list reminds us that we are addicted to an unwholesome diet. It is truly hard to stay away from delicious food that will cause a rise in our cholesterol levels and trigger heart attacks.

Why is it that we still long for food which only seems good, mouth-watering, pleasing to the palette though we know is not healthy for us? To put it bluntly, why do we want to eat the food which will eventually kill us? Why are we consumed by our appetites?

This is because righteousness is not our natural food. We are like our first parents, whose hunger for forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden led to the fall of our race. Our tastes have been captivated by other delicacies. We log onto the internet and feast our eyes on things which degrade our souls. We turn on our televisions and get drunk with wine of violence and fill our stomachs with empty idleness.

So God takes steps to help us get over our taste for food that does not satisfy. Christ taught us the Lord's Supper, using hunger and thirst to point us to better fare. "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me," This positive symbolism of the Lord's Supper is powerful: Christ alone can satisfy. Christ alone can sustain. All that we hunger for must be found in Him.

Those who bring their hunger to Christ will be filled with His righteousness. The only way to obtain righteousness is to receive it. Even if we wanted to work for it, we could not expend enough effort to obtain it. Even if we wanted to buy it, we could not offer enough money; neither can we get it by loan. Only way: Just get hungry… for Christ, and then you will finally be filled.

Adapted from: Eat, Drink and Be Hungry by John Koessler
Christianity Today © 2007

Walk the Talk

2008-02-03T21:58:00.000-08:00

Imagine for a moment that you are living in the New Testament times. Let’s say that you are now there before Jesus started His public ministry. You need to buy fish for your family so you walk along the shores of Galilee. You meet Peter and his partners James and John selling their catch. You are wary to buy from them because you know they have sold poor quality fishes in the past. But this batch seems very fresh. You agree on the price of 10 denarius for a pail of fish. When you arrive home you found out that underneath the top mound of very fresh fishes, Peter has also included rotten fishes at the bottom of the pail! You have paid full price for half a pail of fish!

Four years later you hear about this same Peter who is preaching about a risen Jesus. How are you going to view this Jesus? You probably won't give much credence to Peter’s message because of your personal experience with him. (It is a good thing this whole episode did not happen.)

Fast forward now to twenty first century, in our daily lives at home or at work, all the little things we do and say have an ability to reinforce the message and the Christ we stand for, or make it totally ineffective. In Christianity, as in parenting, it is important to “walk the talk.” When we teach our children to do what we say, we should be able to provide the model for it, or else our message becomes ineffective. Look at the example of Jesus. The four gospels are full of them. Jesus delivers. He keeps His promises. Thousands of people look up to Him. People believed Him. They can sit for three days straight, without food, just to hear his words. He is sensitive to the needs of other people. He lived and preached a simple message of God’s love. And He is very effective.

Sadly, in our business community these days, many businessmen have low opinion of Christians. Why? They use their “Christianity” to gain people’s trust. They do not pay their debts on time or follow-through on their promises.

Understandably, there will be times when we are unable to perform or deliver what we promised due to outside factors. The key to turning these potentially negative circumstances into a witness for Christ is communication. For instance, if we are unable to pay a bill on time, we must communicate with those we owe and make a good faith effort to resolve it within our means.

Do your words mean anything to those who hear them? Do you make commitments and fail to follow through on them? What would others say about how you follow through? Ask the Lord today to show you how you are doing in this area. Remember: Walk the Talk.

M is for Micah

2008-01-27T22:24:00.000-08:00

Very few people know who Micah is. Being a minor prophet, he is not as popular as Isaiah or Jeremiah. Very few people read Micah, too. His book is not as action-packed as Jonah or as romantic as Ruth. But he has a message that is as relevant today as it was during his time.

Micah was a country boy who prophesied in the days of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah – the Southern Kingdom. He was a contemporary of Isaiah. While Isaiah ministered to the elite (to the kings of Judah at the capital), Micah took his message to the streets… that is, to the ordinary people, like you and me.

Micah states exactly what many, to this day, wonder about how to please God. In Micah’s time, the people of Israel and Judah believed that if their gods were given the right amount of animal sacrifices and religious rituals, then the gods would repay them with rain, good harvests and success in battles. It was like “deal or no deal” -- “I give you this much, so you will surely bless me more.” As long as the people kept doing the right religious stuff, they could live how they liked and God would be ok with it. How many times have we, consciously or unconsciously thought the same way? How many of us go to church on Sundays but then, still continue living the “worldly way” from Mondays to Saturdays?

The people of Judah, at that time thought that they could get away with it. The rich and those in power were exploiting the poor. Judges could be brought by bribes, merchants used deceptive weights. There were many corrupt rulers, false prophets and ungodly priests. Micah warned them of their coming judgment – captivity. No one believed him then.

Micah spoke out against their wrong beliefs. His great theme is that God is a God of justice and love. God expects the rich and the powerful to show justice in the way they treat the poor and the weak. He does not want thousands of animal sacrifices. He does not want empty mechanical worship. What does God require?

He has told you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justice, to love kindness,
And to walk humbly with your God?
Micah 6:8

God does not look for big-time external displays. What is required? Slow down and read the list aloud: To do justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God. Period.

Little Plant

2008-01-20T21:36:00.000-08:00

Then the Lord said, "You had compassion on the plant for which you did not work, and which you did not cause to grow, which came overnight and perished overnight. And should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as many animals?" Jonah 4:10,11 (NASB)

We often think of Jonah as the story of a runaway prophet and how God used a big fish to get him back on track. But that's just the main story line. There is a subplot to this story that is just as important and it reveals to us a lot about the compassion of God.

Jonah had nothing but contempt for what God calls “that great city” of Nineveh. You cannot blame him though. For Jonah after all, is an Israelite, a prophet from North. And Nineveh was the capital city of the mighty Assyrian empire – Israel’s greatest enemy. To preach a message of repentance to the notoriously cruel Assyrians would be like helping Israel’s enemies. The reason he didn't want to go preach there was that he was afraid the wicked people of Nineveh might actually listen to him, repent, and God would spare them. That's the last thing he wanted to have happen. He really wanted God to destroy them for their wickedness. He felt so righteous about this that he went off and pouted after preaching to them, sitting on a hill overlooking the city waiting for God's wrath that never came.

While he sat there in the hot sun getting madder by the minute, God caused a vine to grow up and give shade to him, but no sooner had He done this than the plant withered and died leaving Jonah once again exposed to the hot sun. This angered Jonah all the more, and that was when God brought to his attention the 120,000 people and many cattle in the city of Nineveh who were worth a lot more than Jonah's silly little plant, and his poor self exposed to the hot sun. “Should I not be concerned about that great city?”

Do we have this Jonah-like attitude of contempt for people we do not like? For people whom we feel deserve the judgment they will get for their sins? This is a dangerous attitude to have, because just like everyone else, we are also not righteous enough, we also deserve the judgment of God. Our only hope is the grace of God. That was Nineveh's hope, too. That is also the hope of everyone else. Do we have a hard time seeing it applied to someone we despise? Remember the great compassion and mercy of God to a wicked city. May we also learn to have just a fraction of that compassion and share God’s love to anyone and everyone alike.

A Higher Standard by Max Lucado

2008-01-14T00:39:00.000-08:00

Most of my life, I’ve been a closet slob. I was slow to see the logic of neatness. Then I got married. Denalyn was so patient. She said she didn’t mind my habits… if I didn’t mind sleeping outside. Since I did, I began to change.

I rediscovered the muscles used for hanging shirts and placing the toilet paper on the holder. My nose was reintroduced to the fragrance of bathroom air fresheners. By the time Denalyn’s parents came to visit, I was a new man. I could go three days without throwing a sock behind the couch.

But then came the moment of truth. Denalyn went out of town for a week. Initially I reverted to the old man. I figured I’d be a slob for six days and clean out on the seventh. But something strange happened, a curious discomfort. I couldn’t relax with dirty dishes in the sink. When I saw an empty potato chip bag on the floor, I actually bent over and picked it up! And I put my bath towel back on the rack! What had happened to me?

Simple. I had been exposed to a higher standard.

Isn’t that what has happened with us? Isn’t that the heart of Paul’s argument (Romans 6:1-7)? How could we who have been freed from sin return to it? Before Christ, our lives were out of control, sloppy, indulgent. We didn’t even know we were slobs until we met Him.

Then He moved in. Things began to change. What we threw around we began putting away. What we neglected we cleaned up. What had been clutter became order. Oh, there were and still occasional lapses of thought and deed, but by and large He got our house in order.

Suddenly we find ourselves wanting to do good. Go back to the old mess? Are you kidding? “In the past you were slaves to sin – sin controlled you. But thank God, you fully obeyed the things that you were taught. You were made free from sin, and now you are slaves to goodness.” (Romans 6:17-18).

“For God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey Him and the power to do what pleases Him.”
Philippians 2:13 NLT

Excerpted from : Experiencing the Heart of Jesus. Book 1.
Max Lucado © 2003 OMF Literature Phil.
pp.186-187.

Heart Monitor

2008-01-07T23:29:00.000-08:00

Are you familiar with a Holter heart monitor? It’s a little contraption the size of a Walkman that is strapped around a patient’s waist for 24 hours. It has seven cords plugged into it, each one attached to an electrode taped somewhere on the patient’s body. The little monitor has a battery-powered computer chip in it that records every heartbeat for 24 hours so that the doctor can check the behavior of the heart over the course of an average day. The patient is encouraged to continue his normal routine, even play sports as long as the contraption does not get wet. With loose clothes on, no one could tell that the person is wearing anything special.

In a spiritual sense, our hearts are being monitored all day, all the time. “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7) God’s got a lifetime, (more than) 24-hour heart monitor attached to each one of us and He knows our condition at any given time.

Spiritually speaking, our heart condition is a very complex matter. The Bible says our hearts are deceitful and desperately wicked and the situation is worse than we can ever understand (Jeremiah 17:9). But our hearts can also love God and desire to please Him. David was known to have had a heart after God even when he committed one grievous sin after another. One thing’s for sure, only God can fully know our hearts. “But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives” (Jeremiah 17:10).

This knowledge is both uncomfortable and comforting at the same time. Uncomfortable, because God knows the worst about us, (even the secrets that we want to be buried six feet under); but comforting in that He still loves us in spite of it.

So, what do we do now? We rejoice because we have a gracious God who accepts us for who we are. And because of this wonderful love, we will strive to be His best children we can ever be; to carry out His mission in the world – to be the light and salt of this world. In doing so, we do not and cannot rely on our own deceitful hearts. While living out our daily lives, in making day to day decisions, we need to rely on prayer and a daily review of His word through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We cannot live a life that is acceptable to God without relying on Christ and on His revealed Truth – the Bible.

At the Threshold of the New Year

2007-12-30T07:30:00.000-08:00

It is the time once again to review the year that has passed and to look forward with anticipation to the coming year ahead. There is always an underlying excitement whenever this time of the year comes. This is because deep within each of us, there is a yearning for fresh starts. When things are going well, a new start gives us a chance to continue our momentum. When things are not going well, a fresh start enables us to hit the reset button and begin again ... with a new screen, a clean slate, and fresh start. God provides us this fresh start because of his grace and steadfast love. He built into our lives new days, new weeks, new months, and new years. Each is an opportunity for a fresh start filled with new opportunities to escape the traps of the past and to find the love, joy, hope, and peace that his Holy Spirit longs to bring into our lives.

So it's going to be a bright new shining year. What are you going to do with it? Where is God calling you to go in your life with this new start? What opportunities has he placed in your path for this new adventure? In what ways will you passionately serve him in the days ahead?

Many people make New Year's resolutions ... then routinely break them. Experts say that these resolutions really hold sway over thoughts a mere three days or so. However, as believers in the risen and exalted Lord, we know that fresh starts can be forever. Transformation from one degree to another can be a daily event. (2 Corinthians 3:17-18) Take a look at Jonathan Edwards, the 18th-century revivalist, who sat down at age 17 and penned 21 resolutions by which he would live his life. (Well, he did not exactly do this at a new year’s eve, but at a new era of his life.) Throughout his lifetime he would add to this list until, by his death, he had 70 resolutions. He put at the top of his list: "Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God's help, I do humbly entreat Him by His grace to enable me to keep these Resolutions."

Jonathan Edwards didn't casually make New Year's resolutions with an expectation of eventually breaking them. Each week, he did a "self-check." He regularly summed up how he was doing and sought God's help in the process.

Christ calls us to commit to actively work at becoming conformed to His image. This coming year resolve to become a person committed to a godly transformation. Prayerfully set your heart toward the work of the Lord and his future for you. Commit your ways to him and keep your eyes open for his glory in the days ahead. Resolve, just like Jonathan Edwards, “That I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God's glory, in the whole of my duration.”

Happy New Year!

How the Grinch Did Not Steal Christmas

2007-12-25T09:06:00.000-08:00

It is a children’s Christmas classic by now, the wonderful story of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” written by Dr. Seuss. Are you familiar with the original version?

“Every Who down in Who-ville liked Christmas a lot, but the Grinch, who lived just North of Who-ville, did NOT!”

Why you ask? Perhaps, said Dr. Suess,
“It could be that his head wasn’t screwed on quite right.
It could be, perhaps, that his shoes were too tight.
But I think the most likely reason of all
May have been that his heart was two sizes too small.”

The story, of course, is really about how the Grinch didn’t steal Christmas at all. Yes, he stole the trees, the gifts, the food, the stockings, the lights and the greenery. By the time the Grinch returned to his wickedly lonely home on top of the mountain overlooking Who-ville, all he left behind was the snow, a few hooks on the wall, and a speck of food so small, even the Who-ville mouse turned up his nose at it.

But, much to his surprise, when the good folks of the village woke up on Christmas morning, they joined hands in the street and sang their songs of Christmas as if it didn’t matter that the gifts were gone, that the food was missing, and that the decorations had been stolen.

High on his mountain fortress, it puzzled the Grinch to no end to realize that despite all his work, despite all his evil intent, he hadn’t stolen Christmas at all.

”And the Grinch, with his grinch-feet ice-cold in the snow,
Stood puzzling and puzzling: "How could it be so?
It came without ribbons! It came without tags!
"It came without packages, boxes or bags!"
And he puzzled three hours, `till his puzzler was sore.
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before!
"Maybe Christmas," he thought, "doesn't come from a store.
"Maybe Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!"

And what happened then...?
Well...in Who-ville they say
That the Grinch's small heart
Grew three sizes that day!”

May this simple children’s book remind us again that Christmas is not about the gifts and parties and decorations. Christmas will still be with us even without the trappings and festivities and commercialization and stress that come with it. Even if Dr Seuss did not specifically mention it, we Christians know that indeed, Christmas is something more… Christmas is Christ! May we all give more time and effort to find the Christ of Christmas. Then, maybe, like the Grinch, our hearts will grow bigger, fuller and happier, too.

Source: “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” Dr. Seuss, © 1957

How Silently, How Silently, the Wondrous Gift is Given...

2007-12-16T23:26:00.000-08:00

If you were given a choice to be born again as a baby to any family, in any culture, across any generation, what would you choose? It would be interesting to be born the son of the Queen of England or the Crown Prince of the Middle Kingdom (Ancient China). Or perhaps to be the next Albert Einstein or Bill Gates… And yet, our God, the creator & ruler of the whole universe chose to be born to a poor carpenter’s family at a time when his people were ruled & persecuted by a foreign empire.

Think about the circumstances surrounding the original Christmas more than 2000 years ago. Our present Christmas arts show cute lambs, a manger filled with hay, calm beautiful faces of Joseph & Mary. But the real nativity scene presented by the gospels seemed grim & stark - anything but peaceful.

Think about the pregnancy – who would believe the virgin conception? We knew nothing of Jesus’ grandparents. What must they have felt to have an unmarried pregnant daughter? How many times did Mary review the angel’s words as she felt the Son of God kicking inside her uterus? How many times did Joseph doubt his encounter with the angel? Maybe it was just a dream? And all these 9 months they have to endure the shame & ridicule of family & villagers who could plainly see the changing shape of Mary. And the Roman census – it would have sufficed for Joseph alone, as the male head of the household to show up for the census. Did Joseph drag his pregnant wife along to Bethlehem to avoid her giving birth alone in her home village, because they knew no one there would support her?

Think about the birth – This is the birth of a Jewish family’s firstborn boy! Traditionally, this should be a much celebrated affair with the whole village rejoicing with the family. But Jesus’ birth in an animal shelter had no sterile facility, no doctor, no midwife, not even an extended family member present. There was nowhere to lay the newborn King’s head but a feeding trough. The only people who knew about His birth were a few illiterate shepherds – nobodies in the Jewish community.

It seems that God arranged the most humiliating circumstances possible for His entrance. (It may also be noted that He also had a most humiliating exit – the crucifixion.) This is something we, humans cannot imagine. Our God did not come down as a raging whirlwind or a devouring fire but as a baby who could not speak nor eat solid food. And why did He do all these?

Because He loves us, He came down to save us so that He can reclaim us back to become His children. Forever.

“How silently, How silently, the Wondrous Gift is given…”

Every Team Needs A Coach

2007-12-09T23:19:00.000-08:00

Today is the day set aside to honor all the fathers who provide, however modestly, for their families; who are generous, who care deeply for their wives and children, who rejoice when the children learn from their mistakes, and who express their affection freely. If all these fathers, even if they are not Christians, are able to be good fathers, then all the more, the Christian fathers should be able to become even better fathers because we have a model of our Heavenly Father and we can access the wisdom from the Word of God. Christian fathers get their strength from the relationship they enjoy with their Heavenly Father. They are aware that following Biblical principles in parenting will have positive influence on their children.

The foremost of these principles is carrying the Leadership role in the home. If parenting is a teamwork (of both mother and father and in some cases, of extended families), then, this team needs a coach – and that duty falls on the shoulders of the father.

Give priority to this task. Too many fathers have allowed other things to become more important than leading their family. They usually delegate more crucial decision-making and home-related activities to their wives. Stu Webber in his book “The Four Pillars of Man,” wrote, “A man’s greatest title is not Dr. So and So, or Professor, or General, or Mr. Vice-President. The highest office in the land is not in the White House. (He’s an American). It is in your house!”

Actively participate in bringing up your children. A father’s influence increases when he is close to the process of guiding children. You can inform from a distance, but you influence through personal involvement. Fathers must be involved in all areas of nurturing our children not just providing for tuition payment or driving the children to school. Fatherhood is not a sometime thing. Instead it is an “all the time thing.” When Moses instructed Israel about the father’s role in leading children, he stressed the ongoing aspect of parenting. Deuteronomy 6:1-9 says to lead children to fear the Lord by instructing them when you sit at home, walk along the road, lie down, and when you get up.

Chuck Swindoll, in his book “The Strong Family,” described the greatest contribution that a parent can make “is to help your child cultivate a lasting and meaningful relationship with the Living God. If your child is launched from your nest secure in Christ and confident that he has been designed by God to fulfill a special calling, equipped with the tools to handle the demands of everyday life, then you have done your job.”

Safeguards

2007-12-03T03:10:00.000-08:00

We are not going to talk about the popular soap whose advertisement includes a “conscience” reminding the mother of the house to use proper hygiene to protect the health of the family. We are going to talk about proper ways to protect the spiritual health of every believer. There are so many entertainments, distractions and temptations offered by the world today. We, as humans are also vulnerable to such attractions. It is truly hard to remain steadfastly moral and upright as Christ wants us to be. We have to proactively build “safeguards” into our lives to protect us from the “germs” of immorality and sinfulness.

Develop Accountability Partners. Enlist at least 2 friends and be transparent to them. They can be your spouse, your best friends, your prayer partner or Bible study leader or group-mates. Choose wisely. They should be Christians, people with integrity, act responsibly, who can keep secrets and give you good advice, who are not afraid to check on you and correct you when you do wrong things. The more people you are accountable to, the more likely you will think twice when you are tempted to do wrong.

Consider the Consequences. Christians are not exempt from temptations and sinning. We should always be on guard, think and reflect on the consequences – what would happen if we do give in to temptations. A careless, selfish decision may cost us our reputation, maybe our friendship, or our family and most importantly, our relationship with God. Think of the sin’s painful aftermath, the long and tedious restoration process with other people and with God. The more you think about the consequences, the less likely you will be tempted to sin.

Use your Time Wisely. An idle mind is the devil’s playground. When we have nothing to do, or when we feel bored, we are more likely to do the wrong things. For instance, if you find yourself with free time, develop a productive and relaxing hobby. Or go into sports to develop a healthier physical body. Better yet, read the Bible and inspirational books. Or listen to soothing and inspirational or classical music. Occupy your mind and your time with good things and you will turn out to be a better person.

Finally, Pray and ask others to pray for you as well. No matter how many intentional safeguards you put into place, nothing can be better than God putting His own safeguards around you to surround you and protect you. God is gracious to protect you and cover you if you ask Him and if you ask others to intercede for you. For the Lord God always answers our prayers for our own good, and in ways we cannot ever imagine.

Obedience vs Skill

2007-11-25T22:18:00.000-08:00

The Philistines were attacking. David wanted to know how to respond. His first inquiry of God revealed that he was to attack the Philistines straightaway and God would give him victory. David followed God’s instructions and gained victory. Shortly after, the Philistines mounted another attack. “So David inquired of God again, and God answered him, ‘Do not go straight up but circle around them and attack them in front of the balsam trees.’” (1 Chronicles 14:14)

David was a well-trained warrior, a strategist. Yet, we find that David’s dependence on God to direct his efforts was very great. In fact after he won the first battle, he went right back to inquire again. This is the most important lesson we can learn from this story.

How many times have you or I made decisions, perform our daily work and projects based only on our own skill and ability? How many times have we truly sought the details of God’s will in our daily lives? David could have simply assumed that since he won the last battle, surely God would give him victory in the same manner. No. David had learned that communicating with the living God is the only sure way of victory. His skill was not enough. He had to have God’s blessing.

How many times have we worked in our daily lives the same way each time only because it was the way we did the last time? What if God has a better way? What if God has a better plan than ours? “So David inquired of God…” These are the important words that we are to learn from. We must be in such relationship with God that we are constantly inquiring of His mind on every matter. When we do this, we can expect the same results that David achieved – success in our endeavors and recognition by God.

“So David’s fame spread throughout every land and the Lord made all the nations fear him.” (1 Chronicles 14:17) This is the reward of obedience to God. We do not have to build a name for ourselves. God will see to it that we are honored for our obedience. He wants to make known those servants who are willing to obey Him at all costs.

Excerpted from: TGIF: Today God is First by Os Hillman
©2003 by Acts29 Publishing, p 203.

Happy Mother's Day!

2007-11-21T00:02:00.000-08:00

As we celebrate Mother’s Day, let’s look at history’s most famous mother. The Bible is filled with lessons on parenting. And as we look at Mary, the earthly mother of Jesus, we may learn some lessons on motherhood. Mary was called to her task, just as mothers today are called by God to do their task.

A mother called by God submits completely to God’s will.

When Mary was only a young lady, she was confronted with the challenge to be completely submitted to God’s will. When Gabriel gave her the angelic message that she was to carry the Christ, Mary was stunned. "How will this be," she asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" The angel explained what God would require of her and Mary replied, "I am the Lord's servant, may it be to me as you have said." (Luke 1:34-38)

The key phrase? “I am the Lord’s servant… ” Mary never wavered from her complete submission to God’s will. Was she nervous? Certainly. Was she worried about the forthcoming scandal? Of course! How was she going to explain everything to Joseph? Would anyone believe her? Was she unsure of her own abilities? Who wouldn’t be? What does she know about taking care of babies? Was she anxious about the prophecy that part of her future would include pain? Most probably. But Mary, unlike a lot of parents in the world today, was completely committed to God. She had no room for commitment to anything else. She set aside her own fears and committed her whole future to God, trusting God completely. And that made her a mother worth imitating.

A mother called by God does not have to be perfect.

Despite the fact that she was the mother of Jesus, Mary wasn’t perfect! Remember? In Matthew 12:46-50 while Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. This is where Jesus replied, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers? Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven, he is my brother and sister and mother." If Mary had truly understood the task of Jesus, would she have tried to interrupt him, stopping the ministry of Jesus, even for a little while? That was a mistake on Mary’s part.

We, as mothers (or fathers) have also made mistakes in the past, we’ll certainly make a mistake or two today, and we’ll make more mistakes tomorrow. Still, we are called by God to be mothers (or fathers) – to bring up our children His way. And through it all, God will love us, work with us, and accept us. Because God called us to be parents, we will be blessed.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Knowing the Scoop

2007-11-11T20:16:00.000-08:00

Ignorance is not bliss. Especially in our fast-paced information world right now, we need to be competitive. We need to know as much as we can about everything from science to culinary arts or to whatever is happening in our neighbor’s backyard. Knowledge is power, or more accurately, knowledge is control – so that we would know how to act appropriately in any situation. If this is true for the secular world, all the more this applies to our spiritual life.

Throughout the Bible, God’s repeated command to His people is to learn, study, grow, equip our mind with His Word. 1 Peter 3:15 exhorts us to be “ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give account for the hope that is in you.” How do we defend the truth if we do not know the truth?

Knowing the truth of God is very important. Knowledge will give substance to faith. Knowing that our faith is not based on feelings or someone else’s opinions but is based on God’s truth – the Bible, provides stability to our spiritual life. Knowledge will help us detect and confront errors. In this age of many religions and cults, we will not be intimidated and led astray by false teachings. Knowledge will also comfort us during times of testing. We will not panic. We will not doubt. Knowledge will also help us grow to spiritual maturity. As we follow God’s truth, we are going to be transformed and be more Christ-like.

We are responsible for nourishing ourselves with the truth – through reading the Bible and listening and learning Biblically sound doctrines, joining a Bible Study. However, knowledge alone can also be dangerous. Knowledge just for knowledge’s sake is incomplete and can turn into pride. The Bible frequently warns us against being full of knowledge and becoming “puffed up” because of it. Knowledge can also be dangerous when it remains theoretical. God gave us His truth so that we may put it into practice, not simply store it up. It does not matter if we can memorize a lot of verses from the Bible but if we do not apply His Word to our daily lives, then this kind of knowledge is useless. Knowledge can be inadequate if it is not balanced by love and grace. After all, it is by love and grace that we were given knowledge in the first place. Without grace and love, knowledge may lead to arrogance and discrimination “I know more than you do.” Finally, knowledge without the Spirit of God is tragic. Without the Holy Spirit, we will not gain discernment and wisdom.

What can you change in your daily schedule that will help you and give you more time for spiritual nourishment? Plan ahead. Give top priority to this end so that you can gain not just knowledge, but wisdom.

Reference: Growing Deep in the Christian Life by Charles Swindoll
Zondervan Publishing House © 1995, pp. 19-49

Gethsemane

2007-11-04T23:03:00.000-08:00

Today we celebrate Christ’s resurrection. We rejoice because our Lord is alive! Most of us use holy week for rest, relaxation & vacation. However, in our rejoicing, we often forget that He died first – and suffered first. All the four gospels devote nearly a third of their length to the climactic last week of Jesus’ life. This must mean that His death is something we should pay attention to. When the Son of God died on planet earth, nature itself trembled – the grounds shook, rocks cracked open & the sky went black.

The movie “The Passion of Christ,” depicted His physical suffering in violent, gory, bloody details. But the gospels (Matt 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:39-46; John 18:1) showed another side of His agony that happened in a garden of olive trees called Gethsemane.

After the Last Supper, Jesus and His disciples proceeded to Gethsemane. It was probably cool & peaceful under the moon and stars, the disciples felt sleepy. But Jesus took Peter, James & John and requested them to keep Him company while He prayed. Why? Matthew said He was “sorrowful & troubled.” Mark said He was “deeply distressed.” (NIV) Now, this request was something out of the ordinary because Jesus had often gone off by Himself to pray. He would even send the disciples away in a boat so that He could spend the night alone with the Father. When His disciples failed Him, He did not conceal the hurt: “Could you not keep watch for one hour?” Three times during this night Jesus prayed & pleaded, “Take this cup from me…” He was in anguish – His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. Jesus’ struggle was probably about fear of pain & death. In His humanity, that was to be expected. But since He knew that He was going to be restored after the third day, the pain & death was probably not the main issue. Philip Yancey in his book “The Jesus I Never Knew” wrote that there was more at work - Jesus was looking at a new experience: God-forsakenness. From this night up to the resurrection, God would turn away from Him.

After several hours of torturous prayer, Jesus came to a resolution “Not what I will, but what You will.” Jesus experienced sorrow, fear, abandonment, maybe even desperation. Still, He obeyed and endured because He knew that at the center of the universe lived His Father, a God of love He could trust regardless of how things appeared at that time. This love sustained Him as He carried His cross, as He felt the lashes of the whips, the crunch of fists against his body, the piercing of the crown of thorns on His head and the nails into His hands & feet, the slash of the knife against his flesh.

Think about it. Jesus is not powerless. If He had insisted on His will and not the Father’s, He could have called down legions of angels to fight the Holy War on His behalf. He can merely say the word and skip His personal sacrifice. But He did not. What happened in the garden of Gethsemane - showed our God was willing to relinquish power for the sake of Love – His awesome Love for us.

“God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV

Transformers

2007-10-31T08:28:00.000-07:00

Are you familiar with the world of Transformers? It was very popular these last ten years. The movie version will be showing soon and it is now being promoted as the next blockbuster movie of 2007. Children are so impressed with this robotic world on TV where Autobots can transform into land vehicles while the Decepticons can transform into flying war machines. Another version of the show has the robots transforming into dinosaurs, bugs, and other different kinds of animals. But no matter how impressed we are with the creativity of the artists and producers behind this cartoon show, this kind of transformation is nothing compared to the kind of transformation we Christians experience with Christ.

What makes the Christian transformation so special is that we cannot do this on our own power. The Autobots at least knew they had to transform in order to survive. We did not even know we had to change in the first place. The whole process is in God’s hands, not ours. Think about it. Jesus had the chance to surround Himself with the best and the brightest the world has to offer. And yet He chose you and me. This is not only impressive, it is humbling. How then should we respond? With infinite gratitude and thankfulness that should be reflected in our daily lives.

When Jesus started His ministry, He could have chosen the most energetic, the most dedicated and those with the most teachable hearts. A quick peek into the hearts of all the people would have revealed those with natural gifts for preaching, teaching, evangelisms, missions and so on. And yet look at the men and women who surrounded Jesus in the New Testament. They lacked understanding. They kept missing the point. They were always failing. Even during Jesus’ trial and crucifixion, they left Him. (Hardly what we would expect in a ministry team.) And yet Jesus chose them. Why would Jesus choose these “failures”? Because He loved them and His love transformed these “failures” into people God used mightily. We too are being transformed – to be more Christ-like, not because of anything we did, but because He loves us. We are transformed by Love – the infinite love of Christ.

Another aspect of this transformation is that it is continuously ongoing as long as we live. This is good news! We just keep getting better and better. As long as we allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives, we can bear the real fruit of the Spirit and be real-life Transformers that God wants us to be.

Thermostat vs Thermometer

2007-10-21T23:09:00.000-07:00

Do you know the difference between a thermostat & a thermometer? Both have something to do with temperature but they are fundamentally different. Inside the house, a thermostat is something we set that dictates the temperature in a room. (In this country, it is a part of the air conditioner that we fiddle with to make the room as cool as we want it to be.) A thermometer simply tells us what the room temperature is.

People are either thermostats or thermometers. Most people are simply thermometers. They tend to reflect the culture around them. They buy what other people buy, say things that others say, wear things that others wear, & value things that others value. There might be slight variations but most people do not set the ‘climate’ for the world they live in. They just mirror back that climate. Christians are called to be thermostats. We should be able to set the social climate in which we are placed. And how do we do this? By living according to the values & principles which our Maker, & Savior has set for us in the Bible. All people, including non-Christians respect other people who are values-driven & principle-centered. When they see authentic Christians who value God’s Word & live life God’s way, they will be influenced. Christians should be the pacesetters. We should influence rather than be influenced. We should be thermostats instead of thermometers.

Years ago, a boy grew up in a Jewish home, watching everything his father did. His father didn’t realize the influence that he had. They attended a synagogue until their family moved to another city & there was no synagogue nearby. The father decided to switch religious beliefs. It was only a way of meeting business contacts anyway. This father’s failure to live by values outside of his own benefit led his son to question morality, ethics & his faith. As the boy grew, he believed that religion was a “crutch” for the masses. He wrote that money was behind anything meaningful in the world. The boy’s name was Karl Marx & he led millions of people into a destructive belief that finally crumbled in the end.

As Christians, our ‘label’ can already influence others – our children, family, friends, co-workers & other people we come in contact with. We should allow God to set our thermostats – for the good of others & for the glory of God.

Adapted from : Habitudes. Dr. Tim Elmore © 2004 Campus Crusade Asia Limited. pp. 33-40

GIGO

2007-10-14T22:03:00.000-07:00

Chances are, you or a family member own a computer. You use it in your home or in the office. It is hard to imagine living life without one these days. They are wonderful when they’ve been given the right “input” – information, data and programs stored inside the hard drive. You just store everything you need and call it up whenever you need it: phone numbers, email addresses, documents for school, business information etc. Your computer can give you access to the internet where you can retrieve information from anywhere in the world. It is all there at your fingertips.

Unfortunately, the computer can be your enemy. It depends on what you have done with it. When you try to locate a document you need, you won’t find it unless you stored it there. The internet, with all its valuable information can also be a disaster. Garbage can be found in it – like pornography or disturbed people in the chat rooms looking out for potential victims.

Our minds work like sophisticated computers. They are laptops with great memory. They are portable and you take them with you wherever you go. Along the way, you store information in them: people you meet, books you read, pictures you see. Good or bad.

That is why we as Christians should be disciplined about what we invest in our minds & hearts. We do not feed on garbage. Remember GIGO – Garbage In, Garbage Out. We should work hard avoiding the wrong materials, so that what comes out – is right. We should work hard at investing the right materials (e.g. great speakers, encouraging music) inside. (Hint: the best material is obviously the Bible!) As humans, we naturally act on the stuff that fills our minds. We become preoccupied with thoughts & eventually we want to act on those thoughts. That is why so many rapes happen after men watched pornography night after night. And it explains the more violent tendencies of our children today – they are more exposed to violent scenes on TV. The Indiana University School of Medicine has studied how the images we see impact our brains. They found out that normal adolescents who had higher level of exposure to violence in the media had reduced levels of cognitive function. In other words, the more violence they saw, the less thinking, learning, reasoning & emotional stamina they have. The garbage they fed into their minds has affected what’s coming out. Their little laptop computer inside has stored the wrong information.

Be careful what you store inside your mind & heart. Remember: Garbage In, Garbage Out

Adapted from : Habitudes. Dr. Tim Elmore. © 2004 Campus Crusade Asia Limited. pp63-70

Trustworthy Answers

2007-10-08T05:04:00.000-07:00

Franz Kafka, the brilliant German novelist, once described a fictional bombed-out city of rubble where death & ruin were everywhere… people crushed under debris, where they lay dying in agony. In the middle of this total holocaust, one solitary figure sits in a bathroom. Kafka calls him the defiant fisherman. He sits on a toilet seat with a fishing line dangling in the bathtub. There is no water in the tub, & obviously no fish, but the defiant fisherman keeps on fishing anyhow. That, said Kafka, is what man’s search for truth is like: a futile quest for something that isn’t really there. It is a worthless pursuit for meaning, while the whole world is dying all around us.

It was a hopeless picture, but that is exactly what it’s like to look for truth apart from the Bible. Man cannot find truth by himself. He is spiritually dead & unresponsive to God (Ephesians 2:1-2).

The last fifty years have produced an information explosion unparalleled in human history. Any information you want is available with one click of a button. Yet with all we have learned & with all the volumes that have been written, including all difficult subjects ranging from microbiology to astronomy; modern knowledge has been unable to shed any new light on the most basic questions facing the human race – on life, death, God, man, sin, heaven, hell, love, joy & peace. This is exactly the situation the Bible ascribes to mankind in the end times: “always learning, but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 3:7).

The problem is that spiritual answers cannot be deduced by human reason alone (1 Corinthians 2:14). It’s not that spiritual truth is irrational or illogical, but human wisdom is defective because it is tainted by man’s sinfulness and unable to perceive the things of God.

That is why the Bible is so important. It gives us the answers we can’t find on our own. It is God’s Word to mankind. The Bible gives us trustworthy answers from an unchanging God. If you are looking for the transformation of your soul; if you are in need of true wisdom and real joy; if you long for eternal life, the only place you’ll ever find it is in the pages of God’s Word, the Bible.

The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul.
The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
Psalms 19:7

adapted from : Trustworthy Answers in Untrusting Times by John MacArthur. © 2006

A Model of Truth

2007-10-02T00:41:00.000-07:00

Remember Peter? The apostle who boasted that he will never deny the Lord (Matt 26:33-35) & then denied Christ 3 times? He slept when he should have prayed (Matt 26:40). He denied when he should have defended (Matt 26:69-74). He ran when he should have stayed. We remember Peter as the one who denied Christ, as the one who turned & fled. But do we remember Peter as the one who wept bitterly (Matt 26:75)? Who returned & confessed?

Think about it. How did the New Testament writers know of his sin? Who told them of his betrayal? And more importantly, how did they know the details? Who told them of the girl at the gate & the soldiers starting the fire? How did Matthew know it was Peter’s accent that made him a suspect? How did Luke learn of the stare of Jesus? Who told all four writers of the crowing rooster & the flowing tears?

The Holy Spirit? That is for sure. Each four gospel writers learned about all these from divine inspiration. It is also highly probable that at least 1 writer learned of the betrayal by an honest confession. After the rooster crowed, Peter was struck hard in his heart, he wept, and it was not just plain crying, it was in bitter anguish. He probably went back to the room where Jesus had broken the bread & shared the wine, (or wherever the disciples would be hiding) & shared with them his experience the previous hours & got “these things off his chest.” He repented. He returned. He told the truth. And soon enough, he was able to be one of the top apostles.

The same thing happens in our walk with God. Unconfessed sin leads to a state of disagreement with God. You may be God’s child but you don’t want to talk to Him sincerely. He still loves you, but until you admit you have sinned, there will always be a barrier between the two of you. Unconfessed sin hinders joy. Confessed sin releases it. Confession does not create a relationship with God, it simply nourishes it. Admission of sins does not alter our position before God, but it does enhance our peace with God.

The Lord’s Prayer includes “Forgive us our sins…” because it is an integral part in our walk with God. We will never experience the real joy that is in the Lord until we honestly pray in our hearts “Father, forgive me” just like Peter did.