Quote of the Day

Equally pitiable is the hand religion of the day, when young "converts" are put to teaching a Sunday school class, urged to "speak" in the open air, or take up "personal work." How many thousands of beardless youths and young girls are now engaged in what is called "winning souls for Christ," when their own souls are spiritually starved! They may "memorize" two or three verses of Scripture a day, but that does not mean their souls are being fed. How many are giving their evenings to helping in some "mission," when they need to be spending the time in "the secret of the Most High"! And how many bewildered souls are using the major part of the Lord’s day in rushing from one meeting to another instead of seeking from God that which will fortify them against the temptations of the week! Oh, the tragedy of this hand "Christianity."

How subtle the Devil is! Under the guise of promoting growth in "the knowledge of the Lord," he gets people to attend a ceaseless round of meetings, or to read an almost endless number of religious periodicals and books; or under the pretence of "honoring the Lord" by all this so-called "service" he induces the one or the other to neglect the great task which God has set before us: "keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life" (Prov. 4:23). Ah, it is far easier to speak to others than it is constantly to use and improve all holy means and duties to preserve the soul from sin, and maintain it in sweet and free communion with God. It is far easier to spend an hour reading a sensational article upon "the signs of the times" than it is to spend an hour in agonizing before God for purifying and rectifying grace!

- A. W. Pink

HT: Call It Grace

Running Out of Time

Less than 2 weeks to FYP submission, and I've still not finished my first draft :X.

Starting to hit the panic button.

Sigh............

Because of Your Love

Because of Your Love - Tim Hughes

This is how I know what love is, this is how I know I'm free,
This is how I know salvation: Jesus came and died for me
This is why I come to worship, this is why i lift my hands
This is why I know surrender
Everything I Am

chorus:
Because of Your Love; there's dancing in my heart
Because of your grace I am free
Because of your faithfulness
There's a song that must be sung
And I will sing, I will sing because of You

I will dance, I will dance, because of You
I will dance, because of You

This is why there's joy within me
this is why my spirit sings:
Jesus your my great adventure
You're my everything


You came to save the world
To save the world, to save the world
Your love can change the world
Can change the world, can change the world

On Relationships

The real beauty of a woman is Christ in her.

I know this is a topic that seems to pop up ever so often on this blog, and I would be a liar to say that it is not something that I have contemplated on at great length in recent months. I also do know that I know exceedingly little of what it really means biblically to be in a relationship, and by extension, marriage.

One of the thing that does bother me though, especially in this modern day consumer culture that has infiltrated the church more pervasively than many realize, is the often lack of passion for God. I pray that I am not being hypocritical or arrogant in this aspect, but this is a very grave issue. Oh there is sometimes a passion for the things of God, but rarely will one hear a person declare, "I do not desire for ministry, I do not desire for accolades or status. I desire Him and Him alone, even at the cost of ministry or comfort or status."

What has this got to do with relationships? Much in every way. To find a woman who has set her mind on spiritual things in SG is already hard enough as it is. To find one whom is God-besot, with a desire for Christ motivated by His sacrifice on the Cross and for His Glory, is rarer than the rarest metal on Earth. Do I seek a perfect woman? No, no. For I know that I myself fall short on so many counts. But I pray that God would be gracious to grant me a person who is a fellow bond-servant and slave in Christ. For what else matters? Does beauty or wealth or intelligence matter in light of eternity? Do not all these things pass away with time? Yet the Beauty of Christ in her never fades, but becomes more magnificent with every step taken as eternity draws nearer.

On Salvation

Why should person come to the cross?
Why should a person embrace death, with Christ?
Why should a person be willing to go in identification down to the cross and into the tomb and up again?
I'll tell you why!
Because it's the only way that God can get glory out of a human being.

-Paris Reidhead
1919 - 1992

Why God Deserves to Be Glorified Above All Else

Therefore David blessed the LORD before all the assembly; and David said:

“ Blessed are You, LORD God of Israel, our Father, forever and ever.

Yours, O LORD, is the greatness,
The power and the glory,
The victory and the majesty;
For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours;
Yours is the kingdom, O LORD,
And You are exalted as head over all.

Both riches and honor come from You,
And You reign over all.
In Your hand is power and might;
In Your hand it is to make great
And to give strength to all.

“Now therefore, our God,
We thank You
And praise Your glorious name.

- 1 Chronicles 29: 10 - 13

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight

- Colossians 1: 15 - 22

And no, it is not a by-product of anything.



Proclaim the Glory of the Lord - Steve Green

Proclaim the glory of the Lord
Let every tongue confess He reigns
Lift up His name in praises forever
Proclaim the glory of the Lord
Make known His mighty deeds to all
Take up the call, let every nation know

Chorus:
He is our Messiah, our Savior and our King
Let all our voices join as one
And fill the earth with singing
Glory to our God
His greatness we applaud
Let every race on every shore
Proclaim the glory of the Lord

Proclaim the glory of the Lord
Give honor to the Prince of Peace
For if we cease the stones will start shouting
Proclaim the glory of the Lord
With hands uplifted let us raise
Immortal praise to Him who reigns on high

Nick is

struggling for Joy even in the midst of hopelessness.

Oh Lord you are Sovereign, may you do what seems good to you.

Life Verses

Two verses that I resolve to keep the rest of my life.

"For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, ..."
- Romans 3:23

But,

"Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead,..."
- 2 Timothy 2:8a

Soli Deo Gloria

Psalm 145

I had wanted to write a rather lengthy post, but I think this Psalm speaks for itself. What I highlighted in bold is something that I believe is lacking amongst us older Christians as we interact and train and mingle with those who are younger.

1 I will extol You, my God, O King;
And I will bless Your name forever and ever.
2 Every day I will bless You,
And I will praise Your name forever and ever.
3 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised;
And His greatness is unsearchable.

4 One generation shall praise Your works to another,
And shall declare Your mighty acts.
5 I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty,
And on Your wondrous works.
6 Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts,
And I will declare Your greatness.
7 They shall utter the memory of Your great goodness,
And shall sing of Your righteousness.

8 The LORD is gracious and full of compassion,
Slow to anger and great in mercy.
9 The LORD is good to all,
And His tender mercies are over all His works.

10 All Your works shall praise You, O LORD,
And Your saints shall bless You.
11 They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom,
And talk of Your power,
12 To make known to the sons of men His mighty acts,
And the glorious majesty of His kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.

14 The LORD upholds all who fall,
And raises up all who are bowed down.
15 The eyes of all look expectantly to You,
And You give them their food in due season.
16 You open Your hand
And satisfy the desire of every living thing.

17 The LORD is righteous in all His ways,
Gracious in all His works.
18 The LORD is near to all who call upon Him,
To all who call upon Him in truth.
19 He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;
He also will hear their cry and save them.
20 The LORD preserves all who love Him,
But all the wicked He will destroy.
21 My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD,
And all flesh shall bless His holy name
Forever and ever.

- Psalm 145 (Emphasis mine)

There is so much beauty and knowledge in the Word of God that we would probably never ever be able to discover all there is within it. How much more then will we never be able to comprehend the fullness of God throughout all eternity, even that which is revealed in the face of Jesus Christ.