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.

Quote of the Day

Resolution One: I will live for God
Resolution Two: If no one else does, I still will

- Jonathan Edwards

Verse of the Week

An unprecedented third post in a day. :P But a verse that had slipped my mind at the start of the year that I was just reminded as I was browsing this blog.

1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, his utterance. This man declared to Ithiel—to Ithiel and Ucal:


2 Surely I am more stupid than any man,
and do not have the understanding of a man.
3 I neither learned wisdom
Nor have knowledge of the Holy One.
4 Who has ascended into heaven, or descended?
Who has gathered the wind in His fists?
Who has bound the waters in a garment?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is His name, and what is His Son’s name,
If you know?
5 Every word of God is pure;
He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.
6 Do not add to His words,
Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.
7 Two things I request of You
(Deprive me not before I die):
8 Remove falsehood and lies far from me;
Give me neither poverty nor riches—
Feed me with the food allotted to me;
9 Lest I be full and deny You,
And say, “Who is the LORD?”
Or lest I be poor and steal,
And profane the name of my God.

- Proverbs 30: 1-9 (Emphasis mine)

On Pride and Growing Weary Part II

7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.
9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Galatians 6:7-10

The second comforting thing that was revealed was God's, through Paul, exhortation to not become weary and lose heart in doing good. The amazing thing was that this very verse came to my mind so strongly yesterday as I was having tea with a friend, who shall not be named :P, as we were talking (or lamenting rather) about the state of the church today and of an organization, that shall also remain nameless. Serving in church has not transpired to be the smooth or easy thing that I, in my naivety, had thought it would be. I had thought that after the tumult of the last few months serving in the aforementioned nameless organization, serving in church would seem mild in comparison. Alas, a different environment brings with it a whole load of different and not-so-different issues and problems.

But even as we shared of difficulties in both organizations, there was a growing realization in me that very often God works in ways that boggles human wisdom.

26 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.
27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;
28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,
29 that no flesh should glory in His presence.
30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—
31 that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.”

- 1 Corinthians 1:26-30

8 “ For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD.
9 “ For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.

- Isaiah 55: 8-9

Do not grow weary in serving Him, for He knows the secret things of the heart and He sees what Man cannot see. So often I am tempted to simply want to give up when it seems like nobody is listening or when God seems to be treated so churlishly by those who claim to know Him. I mean, how can you treat the Creator of the UNIVERSE like He is some poor, weak beggar who could really use your help or else He won't be able to get anything done. Or treat Him as a little accessory that you add, like the cherry on top of a cake, to your life and simply ignore Him when His Word and Commandments conflict with your lifestyle or culture, while still claiming to KNOW Him. I would be a hypocrite if I do not also add that this is something that is also a constant struggle in my life, in casting aside all things and to simply fall onto the Rock, which is Christ.

But it pains me greatly to see others around me who could simply care less about the things of God, and that it does not bother them that Christ is not supremely, infinitely valuable to them. Added to the fact that I am a person of impatient disposition, one often loses hope in there every being a genuine move of God through one's church. But yet God promises good to those whom He loves and His promises never fail. Looking back at my life, I see circumstances and decisions that one can only lift up one's hands and say "It is the Lord's doing." Throughout all the days of my life, He has not ceased to do all things to draw me to Himself, regardless of how stubbornly I would run away and hide from Him. How then can I not praise Him and attest to His Goodness? How can I remain despondent and without hope when He works all things for His good pleasure and for our good. For He is Sovereign over all and

"For His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
And His kingdom is from generation to generation.
All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing;
He does according to His will in the army of heaven
And among the inhabitants of the earth.
No one can restrain His hand
Or say to Him, “What have You done?”

- Daniel 4: 34b-35

On Pride and Growing Weary Part I

1 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.
2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
3 For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
4 But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
5 For each one shall bear his own load.
6 Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches.
7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.
9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Galatians 6:1-10

Today was one of the rare days when I have actually gone into a service in church and the scripture passage that was read simply summed up and confronted the issues that I have been facing over the past couple of weeks.

3 For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
4 But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.

Upon reading this, the first thing God reminded me was of the Apostle Paul's letter to the Corinthian church.

6 Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other.
7 For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

1 Corinthians 4:6-7

It is a constant struggle against my flesh, especially in the past year, over the pride and self-righteousness deep in my own heart that never seems to go away. Most likely it's a by-product of my reading of books by John Piper, D. A. Carson and the like, as well as from listening to the many Paris Reidhead, Leonard Ravenhill and Paul Washer sermons, which just goes to show how subtly the Evil One can take a good and excellent thing and make it a snare to the unwary. After a while, it is so easy to be puffed up with knowledge and rather than making you more humble and contrite in the face of an Awesome (in its fullest sense) and exceedingly Gracious God, one takes pride in the fact that he has "attained" a higher level of understanding that makes him "superior" to other believers.

For what does one have that he has not received? Is it not only by His Grace that He has chosen to reveal such awesome truths through preachers like John Piper and Paul Washer to you? For once you were blind and could not discern things that were Spiritual, and God in His Grace removed your blindness that you might see. For I am convinced that if He had never opened my eyes to His Truth a couple of years ago, despite of all those years in Sunday School and BB, I would never have come to Him in my natural unregenerate state. Who am I but a weak pitiful man who would never have sought Him unless He had sought me first. What place then is there for pride, where is the boasting?

14 But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.

Galatians 6:14-15

Amen

Free Will and God's Sovereignty

A good short post detailing Compatibilism over at Cal.vin.st

In Part 1 we concluded that man does not make choices from a posture of neutrality, as this would render all choices without reason, leaving not only the world chaotic, but would prevent the Lord judging decisions as morally good or bad as God judges the motives of the heart. Further, contrary to common opinion, man’s choices are self-determined by his greatest desire at the time, therefore man cannot choose any possible option in any possible scenario. Finally, as man in his unregenerate state does not desire God, rather is hostile toward Him, man will never freely choose God if offered Him unless God first grants Him such a desire.

Concluding this brief introduction to Free Will, today we will define the term Compatibilism, and then look at some Scriptural examples of the ‘will’ (as understood by Compatibilism) in operation; seeing God decree an action, man freely choosing that action based upon his desire, and God then holding man accountable for that action.

Click here to continue reading

Part 1 can be read here.

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Video of a Christian Law School in US. Interesting to watch

Because He is Worthy

"You should believe in Jesus Christ, you should repent and you should serve Him even if He sends you to Hell because He is worthy of repentance, He is worthy of faith and He is worthy of service though you get nothing from it. Do you understand that kind of Christianity? Where it's all about Him, and not about Man."

"I need no other argument, I need no other plea. It was enough that Jesus died, [and] that He died for me."

Is God fair?

Something that has just occurred to me as I am sitting here in the Science Library. Hopefully it is not something outright heretical or blasphemous, but I hope to write it down lest I forget about it later.

It is often heard against those who hold to a more Calvinistic or Reformed leaning of Christianity, terms which are definitely loaded and much debated upon, that God is being inherently "unfair" or "unjust" or "unloving" by decreeing by His Sovereign Will that some should be saved and some should be damned. Or to put it more positively, that God should predestine some to salvation, but otherwise leave the rest of mankind in spiritual darkness.

However, the question that then comes to my mind is this. Is it even "fair" that God should save anyone in the first place. Was it "fair" that "He(God the Father) made Him(God the Son, Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Cor. 5:21) In my understanding, if God wanted to be "fair", He could have, should have, simply condemned all of mankind to eternal destruction. As to the charge of being "unloving", if God had simply saved a single fallen human being in the entire history of mankind, it would be an infinite testament to His Love and Mercy that He would even save that one man. And I would go even further then that, if God had chosen not to save a single man, He would still be God and still be Loving.

Is this not where the whole idea of grace comes in? Since grace is unmerited favour, does it not stand to reason that grace is in essence fundamentally "unfair"? Does not God choose to "have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.” (Romans 9:15) How then can one demand for God to be "fair"? Would that not lead to one's eternal condemnation and separation from God? Is salvation a right or a privilege?

How then does this translate into our evangelism and personal walk with God? With regards to evangelism, I am in no way advocating or promoting the idea of let's sit back and twiddle our thumbs because God will save His elect anyway. God uses the preaching of the Gospel and the work of personal evangelism as a means to save sinful men.

"How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent?" (Romans 10:14-15a)

If anything, the very idea that God has chosen some men unto salvation should give us the utmost encouragement to preach the Gospel, the scandalous Gospel (cf. Romans 1:16), to the world. For if our Gospel is a scandal to the unregenerate man, "to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness" (1 Cor. 1:23b), how then would anyone believe our message unless God so worked in their hearts to remove their spiritual blindness?

"Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city.” And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them." (Acts 18:9-11, emphasis added)

If God had not sovereignly saved for Himself a people, then our work as evangelists would be of utmost despair and uncertainty. For who would believe a message that a carpenter's son, who was born in dubious circumstances, claimed that he was the immortal Son of God, did many miraculous things, even raising a man from the dead, out-taught the greatest teachers of his day without any formal education, and ultimately died a criminal's death on a cross condemned by both the religious and secular establishment; Was resurrected on the third day and appeared to a number of common people, commanding them to proclaim his death and resurrection to all the world before being taken up bodily into heaven. How could such a message have perpetuated for the past two thousand years unless indeed God is the one who moves men by his divine election to believe it. Unless the Holy Spirit moves and convicts men of their sin and their need of a saviour, unless a man is regenerated and his heart of stone replaced with a heart of flesh, all our evangelistic efforts will fail and be of no eternal consequence.

As for our own personal walk, the Sovereignty of God's election is no excuse for complacency, as the derogatory term "Once saved, always saved" seems to have become. Of course the key question to the above is how do you know you are saved, but that isn't quite the point of this post. The point is, should not the very fact of God's unmerited favour being poured upon us be the foundation of our continuous pursuit of Him and a growing desire to know Him, in every sense of the word. How anyone can take God's election as a license to continue in sin and unbelief remains a mystery to me. Should not the fact that God has chosen us unto salvation lead us into a greater and greater expression of praise and worship for the One, who out of the abundance of His Love and Mercy, chose to reveal Himself to us and rescue us in spite of our falleness and sin. What do you have that God needs? If God had a need of anything then He's not God. If Man could somehow work their way back to God then grace wouldn't be grace.

"Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work." (Romans 11:5-6)

In a church that has been compromised by humanism, a man-centered theology (an oxymoron), the doctrine of election continues to hurt Man's pride, that he can somehow work his way into salvation or that he is not as bad as the Apostle Paul makes him out to be in the first three chapters of Romans. While other much much more capable men have debated and written on the points above, I hope that even this short post might reveal even the tiniest bit of His Magnificence and Glory.

All praise be to Him
Amen

Quote of the Day

Christianity at any given time is strong or weak depending upon her concept of God... the basic trouble with the Church today is her unworthy conception of God....

A local church will only be as great as its conception of God. An individual Christian will be a success or failure depending upon what he or she thinks of God. It is critically important that we have a knowledge of the Holy One, that we know what God is like.

A. W. Tozer

From his book, "The Attributes of God, Vol. 1"

On Preaching (II)

A post over at Pyromaniacs that pretty much sums up my feelings after church on most(all?) Sundays.

It is literally a critical moment, a moment of crisis, of judgment. Angels attend! The Triune God is there! Endless ages will reverberate with the impact of what happens next. These people are accountable, you are accountable. All eyes are on you.

What do you do? What do you do with that priceless, pivotal, unbearably freighted opportunity?

Click the above link to read on

Current Sentiment

I asked the Lord that I might grow
In faith, and love, and every grace;
Might more of his salvation know,
And seek more earnestly his face.

I thought that in some favoured hour
At once he'd answer my request;
And by his love's constraining power,
Subdue my sins and give me rest.

Instead of this, he made me feel
The hidden evils of my heart,
And let the angry power of hell
Assault my soul in every part.

"Lord why is this?" I trembling cried.
"Wilt thou pursue thy worm to death?"
"Tis in this way," the Lord replied,
"I answer prayer for grace and faith."

"These inward trials I employ
From self and pride to set thee free,
And break thy schemes of earthly joy,
That thou may'st seek thy all in me!"

- Anonymous

Taken from D. A. Carson's "A Call to Spiritual Reformation"

The hardest thing you're ever gonna have to do as a Christian is this, to look into the mirror of God's Word and see your failures, and believe that God loves you as much as He says He does.

- Paul Washer

Scripture: Support or Source?

We need to draw our messages directly from Scripture rather than set a message and scour the Bible for verses to support it... and we will be on more secure foundations.

- Charles Ng

Okay okay, it isn't really an exact quote, but today as we sat and talked about NS and BB, the planning for the forthcoming Gospel Series for 12th Coy led to the above remark.

And it is true that so often today we plan and preach sermons by setting a topic or agenda and then justifying the topic or message by using a verse here and a verse there. Now I am in no way against topical sermons or messages per se. However, you can see the potential pitfall here. By building Scripture around our message rather than our message around Scripture, we run the risk of relegating Scripture to that of a support rather than the source of our messages or worse, wrenching verses out of context to the detriment of both ourselves and our hearers. One only has to look at the Prosperity or Health and Wealth "gospel", that is slowly and insidiously creeping into many churches in Singapore, to see the danger posed by interpreting Scripture outside of its proper context.

It does not mean of course that messages have to be based on a single text with no other additional supporting texts included. But the issue is always context, context, context. For many of us who do not have the breadth and depth of knowledge of the Word of God that comes with much study and years of walking with Christ, it is definitely much safer to stick close to a particular text and preach from it, rather than attempt to cast our nets far and wide and potentially lead people away from Christ.

FYP Update

Just had my half-time project presentation today and it is in such times as these that one truly clings on tightly to the hope that God will do what He wills, and that it is always for our good. Is it then an excuse against human responsibility? No, no. A man reaps what he sows.

One more semester to go.......


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Found two more sermon excerpts on Youtube today. Highly recommended for all who desire Christ above all else.

A Question of Obedience

"...[A lot of] you don't need more light, this will only make it worse for you at the judgment, what you need is more obedience. Some of you have known for years what you should do and you hold back... "

- Leonard Ravenill
1907 - 1994

Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent: “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.”

- Matthew 11: 20 - 24

Hope in the midst of Death

Then He said to another, “Follow Me.”
But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”
Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.”

- Luke 9:59-60

There is a Hope - Stuart Townsend
There is a Hope that burns within my heart,
That gives me strength for every passing day.
A glimpse of Glory now revealed in meager part,
Yet drives all doubt away.

I stand in Christ, with sins forgiven,
And Christ in me, the Hope of heaven.
My highest calling and my deepest joy,
To make His Will my own.

There is a Hope that lifts my weary head,
A consummation strong against despair.
But when the world has plunged me in its deepest pit,
I find the Saviour there.

Through present sufferings, future fears,
He whispers courage in my ear.
For I am safe in everlasting arms,
And they will lead me home.

There is a Hope that stands the test of time,
That lifts my eyes beyond the beckoning grave.
To see the matchless beauty of a day divine,
When I behold His Face.

When sufferings cease and sorrows die,
And every longing satisfied.
Then Joy unspeakable will flood my soul,
For I am truly Home.

*Edit* An excellent article about evangelism by Arthur Pink over at this website (Possessing the Treasure). A must-read.

A Psalm for the new year

A Psalm of David.
Hear my prayer, O LORD,
Give ear to my supplications!
In Your faithfulness answer me,
And in Your righteousness.
Do not enter into judgment with Your servant,
For in Your sight no one living is righteous.

For the enemy has persecuted my soul;
He has crushed my life to the ground;
He has made me dwell in darkness,
Like those who have long been dead.
Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me;
My heart within me is distressed.

I remember the days of old;
I meditate on all Your works;
I muse on the work of Your hands.
I spread out my hands to You;
My soul longs for You like a thirsty land. Selah

Answer me speedily, O LORD;
My spirit fails!
Do not hide Your face from me,
Lest I be like those who go down into the pit.
Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning,
For in You do I trust;
Cause me to know the way in which I should walk,
For I lift up my soul to You.

Deliver me, O LORD, from my enemies;
In You I take shelter.
Teach me to do Your will,
For You are my God;
Your Spirit is good.
Lead me in the land of uprightness.

Revive me, O LORD, for Your name’s sake!
For Your righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.
In Your mercy cut off my enemies,
And destroy all those who afflict my soul;
For I am Your servant.

- Psalm 143

Last and 100th post for 2008

For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.
The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.
Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

-Romans 13: 11b-14

FYP Inertia

One thing I dislike about the December break, especially this year's, is that firstly it flies by so quickly that you wonder now where it all went and secondly, unlike previous December breaks there is still my FYP to finish with a progress report in mid-January. Needless to say, the past two and a half weeks have been less than productive and the inertia to get going again is not helped by the fact that my experimental runs seem to quit on me continuously.

Oh man I wish FYP would be over soon, though what happens after that is a whole other story.

*Edit* One of my experiments just ended and gave me some decent results. So praise God for that. :)

Desire for the new year

An intimacy with God. That is all.

None of Self

Oh, the bitter shame and sorrow
That a time could ever be
When I let the Saviour's pity
Plead in vain, and proudly answered:
All of self and none of Thee!

Yet He Found me; I beheld Him
Bleeding on th' accursed tree,
Heard Him pray: Forgive them Father;
And my wistful heart said faintly:
Some of self and some of Thee!

Day by day His tender mercy,
Healing, helping, full and free,
Sweet and strong and, ah! so patient,
Brought me lower, while I whispered:
Less of self and more of Thee!

Higher than the highest heavens,
Deeper than the deepest sea,
Lord, Thy love at last has conquered;
Grant me now my spirit's longing:
None of self and all of Thee!

- Theo Monod

Taken from Leonard Ravenhill's book, Revival - God's Way

Why? Because we have tried every other way.

- Leonard Ravenhill
1907 - 1994

What sort of prayer requests do you have?

Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.

- Colossians 4: 2-4

I am simply astounded at the Apostle Paul. Even while in prison and suffering deprivation and physical discomfort, his only prayer request to the Colossians was that the Lord might open doors for him to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Should we not be ashamed at our own petty prayer requests for our own comfort?

24 Years of Grace

Even as another year comes and goes,
And the well-wishes come in,
Lord I remember your Grace,
I give you praise for Your Mercy.

Where would I be without You oh Lord my God.
If it were not for Your restraining Hand what would I have become.
Yet You chose to save a wretch like me.
Who is like the Lord? There is no one.

Hold me close to You oh Lord.
Grant me the discipline and the wisdom to seek after You.
That my food would be to do You Will,
And that You would get all the glory You can out of my life.

Amen

Quote of the Day

One fellow said, "I just finished three years in Seminary."
I asked him,
"Did anyone ever preach a sermon on eternity?"... "No."
"Did you ever hear a sermon on the judgment seat of Christ?"... "No."
"Did anyone preach a sermon on "The Bride of Christ?"... "No."
The man burst into tears.
I said, "In God's name, why do you go to seminary? To learn how to bury the dead?"

There is an eternity in front of us! There is a world that now is in more rebellion than ever! "As in the days of Noah" they rebelled against God. For 100 years Noah never preached a new message, he preached repentance, he preached righteousness. Alexander White used to say, "You can preach divine healing, you can preach prophecy, you can preach anything, but you can't preach righteousness; people won't have it."

- Leonard Ravenhill
1907 - 1994

Quote of the Day(2)

I say with all my heart, we’re looking for a painless Pentecost.
We want to invest a dime and get a million dollars back.
Can you drink of the cup? "We are able," and so they drank, and were crucified.

Today it is considered sadistic if you even say that people have to take up their cross. "Don’t tell young people about the cross—they’ll be discouraged." Are you suggesting that Jesus wasn’t smart? "If you’re going to be my disciple, kiss the world goodbye." You see, when people are born again these days, they don’t get separated from the world. Most likely their pastor is the most worldly guy around! But if you’re going to get what He wants to give, if you’re going to get the true baptism of the Spirit, you have to drink of that cup.

-Leonard Ravenhill
1907 - 1994

*Edit* Found a wonderfully stirring message by Ravenhill that he shared in his last meeting before his death. A must read for all true believers. Read it here.

Quote of the Day

While some are satisfied with a miserably low degree of attainment, and others are not ashamed to live on without any holiness at all—content with a mere round of churchgoing and chapel-going, but never getting on, like a horse in a mill—let us stand fast in the old paths, follow after eminent holiness ourselves, and recommend it boldly to others.

- J.C. Ryle
1816 - 1900

HT: DefCon

Asking Why

Why oh Lord did you call me back to that place?
Is there a purpose, a plan?
Where is the one who seeks after You?
So many have turned aside to things of this world.
Their interests lie more in gods of gold and silver,
In gods of entertainment and sport,
Rather than the One True God.

Why oh Lord have you placed me there?
Where every morning one pleads that you may be present, and that Your Word may be preached faithfully.
No one speaks of You nor of your excellencies.
Even I have so often been lulled into apathy.
My soul grieves for Your Name is not Glorified;
In that place where it was always meant to be glorified.

How long will You tarry from us oh Lord?
If You do not move, we will remain utterly destitute.
Our prosperity and numbers merely blind us from the Truth;
That we are blind, naked and poor.
We have traded your Light for a form of godliness;
But without any power.
We have sold out to the world that crucified Your Son.

But who am I to bring this charge against others?
Am I not guilty of so much of the same?
Be merciful to me oh God and hear my complaint;
For my soul despairs of ever seeing Your mighty Hand move in that place.
How long can I remain here;
In the place where so many despise Your Name without knowing.

But yet Your ways are not my ways;
And Your thoughts are above my thoughts.
You are faithful to preserve Your people;
And no other power may overthrow Your work.
Lord forgive me of my unbelief and doubt;
And lead me in your paths of Righteousness.
That I may Delight in You and dwell in your House;
Forever and Ever.

Amen



I said on Sunday how much I want revival
But then on Monday, I can't even find my Bible
Where's the power
The power of the cross in my life

I'm sick of playing the game of religion
I'm tired of losing my reason for living
Where's the power
The power of the cross in my life

I'm not content just to walk through my life,
Giving in to the lies,
Walking in compromises now
We cry out as a generation, that was lost
But now is found in the power of the cross

Chorus:
We believe in You
We believe in the power of Your Word that is true
We believe in You
So we lay down our cause
That our cross might be found in You

I'm not satisfied, doing it my own way
I'm not satisfied, to do church and walk away
I'm not satisfied, there's no love in my life but You
I'm not satisfied, living in yesterday's hour
I'm not satisfied, to have the form but not the power
I'm not satisfied, Lord I am crucified in You
(Chorus)

So we lay down our cause
That our cross might be found in You

Testimony of Persecution

Dr. Daniel Wong

Memories of Prayer Group 2000

He has come
To bring light into the darkness
He has come
To bring freedome to the captives
He has come
To restore the brokenhearted
It's time to proclaim
The year of the Lord

Prepare the way
Prepare the way for our Redeemer
Prepare the way
Prepare the way for our Restorer
Make ready your heart
Make ready your home
Make ready the poeple of God
Prepare the way

He has come
To bring hope to the hopeless
He has come
To comfort all who mourn
He has come
To heal our every sickness
It's time to proclaim
The year of the Lord

Danger: Read with (spiritual) Caution

An article in Newsweek that is close to making me puke.

Just one quote that I want to pick out from the morass and mess that is a poor excuse for an article.

More basic than theology, though, is human need. We want, as Abraham did, to grow old surrounded by friends and family and to be buried at last peacefully among them. We want, as Jesus taught, to love one another for our own good—and, not to be too grandiose about it, for the good of the world. We want our children to grow up in stable homes. What happens in the bedroom, really, has nothing to do with any of this. My friend the priest James Martin says his favorite Scripture relating to the question of homosexuality is Psalm 139, a song that praises the beauty and imperfection in all of us and that glorifies God's knowledge of our most secret selves: "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made." And then he adds that in his heart he believes that if Jesus were alive today, he would reach out especially to the gays and lesbians among us, for "Jesus does not want people to be lonely and sad." Let the priest's prayer be our own.

What the?!?! Where the heck did these people get such conclusions? As I posted before, the whole problem can be seen in the very first line of the quote. I assume what they mean by more basic really means more important. The whole obsession with self and what self wants. Someone should go back and read Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Issac in obedience to God's command.

*Edit* Isaiah at Word and Verse pointed me to an article rebutting the one in Newsweek. A must-read to get that disgusting taste out of your mouth.

*Edit No. 2* Second rebuttal posted here.

Delighting in the Lord

An excellent post by Charles over at his blog here. Do stop by and read.

To Think Great Thoughts of Him

If there were ever one thing worthwhile that one could set his mind upon, it would without a shadow of doubt be to set it upon Him, the Holy and Risen One, the One who sits at the right hand of the Father in Glory forever and ever.

From where does passion flow from? From what source does Life come? What is the essence of your motivation to worship and serve Him?

So many people in churches today in Singapore wonder why is it that Sunday morning seems to elicit barely a tenth of the excitement and passion that is so often displayed during a football match the night before. The very same people who could debate passionately over the latest football results or fashion trends or stock prices would struggle to stifle a yawn whenever a preacher steps up to the pulpit.

So many leaders in Youth Ministries wonder why their charges seem so dead in their worship and walk with the LIVING God and all their attempts to bring in the latest pop worship songs and/or 'exciting' and 'relevant' 'preachers' only seem to animate the corpse which is their Youth Ministry for a few weeks before the 'fire' dies out again.

"Our youths need passion!" seems to be the battle cry heard so often in countless youth ministries across the country. And so we bombard them with motivational talks and speakers. We tell them funny and/or inspirational stories in order to 'encourage' them to be 'on-fire' for God (however that is defined). We read the latest books on methodologies and ways of 'engaging' youths. We manipulate their emotions using music or by dimming the lights and giving long drawn-out altar calls. We appeal to their sense of 'destiny', of the 'great' and 'wonderful' things that God wants to do through them if only they'll let Him.

How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?
- Romans 10:14

Now one would probably start asking, "Are you saying that our youths do not know who God is? That's preposterous! They've had years of Sunday School and Bible Studies! They prayed that prayer accepting Christ! They already know who God is! Sure, most of them aren't really walking with God as they should walk, and they're not really concerned with the things of God, but the problem is probably that they do not have enough self-esteem or self-confidence. We need to build them up, not tear them down. Teaching on things like repentance and sin and Man's depravity are too depressing for kids who are increasingly 'emo' (how I hate that word). No, no, no. We need to keep telling them how wonderful and good they are. We need to continually affirm them and not harp on their sins lest they leave for some other church. Teaching about God and His attributes just isn't practical enough. And if we were to teach on God's attributes, the only thing I like is His Love. His Holiness, Wrath and Sovereignty are simple too much for me to understand/accept, and I don't think the youths would want to hear about those things, so we'll put them aside and not talk about them. We need to teach them about Spiritual Gifts and Spiritual Warfare since that's what excites them the most and besides, we need to be pragmatic about this."

Now do you realize what the problem is in so many of our youth ministries? It's all about Man and not about GOD!! We assume that the Gospel is merely something small and trivial or, God forbid, about giving Man his best life now. So many youths enter youth service to sing a bit of 'christian' karaoke and leave utterly deceived into thinking that they have worshiped in the presence of the Most High God. They have completely no conception of the Majesty and Beauty of the One who hung on that tree, the Lion-Lamb who is worthy of all praise and honour and worship forever and ever amen. They have no passion to worship Him because they do not know Him! And why? Because no one is telling them!

O may the Lord be merciful and forgive us for the frivolous and nonchalant way we have treated His Son and His Cross. That the Lord may open our eyes to the reality of the sacrifice shown on Calvary, to understand just a fraction of what it means to say He shed His own blood for my soul.

Stamping Eternity on Your Eyeballs

If there is one thing that the Lord has ever led me to consider more often than not, it will usually be on the frailty of Man. As one of my favourite preachers so often says, "Yesterday I was 9, today I'm 43, tomorrow I'll be 90."

Life, as we know it on this earth, is but a passing dream and all the things that glitter, all the things that Man so often desires for in this life, are but dung and refuse that moths and rust will destroy. Man is but a vapour that appears for a little while, then vanishes away with the rising of the sun.

So often, and especially in a culture as materialistic and consumer-orientated as this one, people would chase with such passion after luxuries and things of gold and things of silver rather than the God who is infinitely more precious than such trinkets. People would rather get excited over a football game and expend so much time and resources in order to imitate their favourite football or movie stars, while sitting as cold as a stone in church and despising the Son of God whom we are all called to imitate. I know this, because I am so often guilty of the same thing.

Why do you boast O Man in your strength? Is it not a passing phase? (and a short one at that). Will your strength last forever? Why do you boast O Man in your wisdom? Are you able to number all the stars in the sky? Are you able to count all the hairs on your head? Are you able to determine the length of your life? Why do you boast O Man in your wealth? Are you able to take it with you into the next life?

Why do you boast O Woman in your beauty and flaunt it for others to see, thus dishonouring the Lord who created you? Is it not true that, as a Mayfly that is born in the morning and then dies in the evening, all physical beauty quickly passes? Do not all beautiful women one day grow old and ugly?

Why do you boast in your youth O young person? Do you really believe that you will remain young forever? Do you believe that there will always be a tomorrow for you to repent and turn back to God? Why O Why do you live life as though there would not be a Day when you would be called to account.

Thus says the LORD: "Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD."
- Jeremiah 9: 23-24

Away with such trivialities! Away with such things that will not last! Pursue that which is eternal, that thieves cannot steal nor rust destroy. Pursue the treasure that is Christ, who hung on a tree crushed by His Father so that wretches such as you and I may be reconciled to God. Pursue with eternity in mind, knowing that one day all Man will stand before God to account for all that he has done. Woe to the one who is not found in Christ on that Day, for while he may beg with whatever might he has, there will no more mercy and grace left for him on that great and terrible Day.

And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word.
- 1 Kings 18:21

John Piper on Augustine and Lust

The Lord Scoffs

A passage that delights me no end.

Why are the nations in an uproar
And the peoples devising a vain thing?
The kings of the earth take their stand
And the rulers take counsel together
Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying,
"Let us tear their fetters apart
And cast away their cords from us!"
He who sits in the heavens laughs,
The Lord scoffs at them.

- Psalms 2:1-4 (NASB)

Who is like the Lord? There is no one.


*Edit*
Found a few interesting articles (yes I know I should be studying) by Pastor Voddie Baucham regarding youth ministry. Read more about it here. (In case you're wondering, he holds that youth ministry is unbiblical)

Exams are here again

Well I guess it is time for me to actually sit down and study properly for the exams. I hypothesize that the amount of time spent studying for an exam is inversely proportional to the time spent in Uni.

P.S. I must praise God for giving me decent marks for History module CA though I really did not have the "form" that I had with previous history modules.

P.P.S. A must read tract by J. C. Ryle, especially in view of the coming Christmas Day. "What Think Ye of Christ?"

Great blog for Women

Especially in relation to values like modesty.

Read it here.

More than doctrine, do you desire His presence

Something that I desperately needed.

Have mercy oh Lord on me, a sinner.

Is this just the beginning?

Church attacked in Michigan.

Link Here

On Sunday morning, amidst worshiping congregants and following unifying prayers that our President-elect be granted wisdom as he prepares to lead our nation through difficult global, social and economic challenges, the Michigan left declared open war on peaceful church goers.

They did it with banners, chants, blasphemy, by storming the pulpit, by vandalizing the church facility, by potentially defiling the building with lewd, public, sex acts and by intentionally forcing physical confrontations with worshipers.

I WIll Praise Him

Despite the terrible week and my unfaithfulness, and the prospect of an even worse week ahead, I will praise and rejoice in Him who sustains my every breath. And these two verses that will always remain in my heart come what may, they give me every reason to be glad.

Though the fig tree may not blossom,
Nor fruit be on the vines;
Though the labor of the olive may fail,
And the fields yield no food;
Though the flock may be cut off from the fold,
And there be no herd in the stalls—
Yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will joy in the God of my salvation.
The LORD God is my strength;
He will make my feet like deer’s feet,
And He will make me walk on my high hills.
- Habakkuk 3: 17-19

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- Romans 8: 38 - 39

Amen

Interview with Paul Washer

Ten Indictments

A message well worth the two hours.

Do not be Ashamed

Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me. Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.
- 2 Timothy 1:8 - 14

I am truly thankful to God for graciously allowing the few of us to gather and read His Word as well as having brothers in Christ, who when it is said that we need to come back to the Gospel give a hearty "Amen" instead of giving me the "what the heck you talking" look.

Reading 2 Timothy chapter 1 today, one is struck by Paul's focus on the Gospel of Christ, which is echoed throughout most (if not all) of his letters. And in verse 8 he begins with "do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord." Immediately verses like Romans 1:16 spring to mind. (For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.) How often are we ashamed by the Gospel of our Lord. How often do we tweak it by adding or taking away from it in order to appeal to a wider audience. As Paul Washer so often puts it, this Gospel of ours is a scandal and therein lies the power of it. I seriously feel it is ludicrous for us to think we should help God make His message more acceptable to carnal men, to pander to their sinful desires and lusts. I mean come on, is God so weak and feeble that unless we help Him with a bit of PR no one would come to Him?

Secondly, Paul tells Timothy to not be ashamed of him, a prisoner. While alluding to both his status as a prisoner of Christ as well as a prisoner of Caesar, the statement is clear. Do we despise men who preach the hard truths? Do we rather prefer men who teach things that would tickle our ears and feed our selfish desires?

The third thing, and the one that really struck me today, was Paul's request for Timothy to "share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God". Are we not all then called to suffer for the Gospel's sake? So often we, myself included, would rather choose to sit back and relax. To take the easy rather than the hard path. And yet, Paul tells Timothy to share in his sufferings, by the power of God no less.

And Paul ends it off so beautifully, "I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed." And I know in whom I have believed, the Lord high and lifted up, the Lord mighty in battle. That is why I am not ashamed.

Is not My Grace enough?

It is often at times when one is so overcome with activities and projects that one feels he does not even have the strength to go on. When the future looks so bleak or uncertain and it does not even seem possible that one would be able to provide for himself, much less a spouse or his parents.

It was at a time such as this that I found myself in this week. Granted that a large part of it is due to fact that I can't seem to discipline my time properly, I felt so overwhelmed by the stuff I had to do for Uni and worrying, as I always do, about the future.

And as I was jogging today (I truly was!), it was as though God suddenly pointed out, "Is My Grace not enough?" Immediately it was like flashes of my past came flying past my mind's eye. The times when I struggled during BMT both physically and spiritually. The time when I passed the 2.4km run for the first time and fell to my knees thanking Him upon crossing the finishing line (the Sergeant thought I was going to faint or something). The terrible morning and evening runs in OCS. The 16 weeks I took to pass IPPT in AFS. The time when I so nearly gave up on my faith because I had felt so completely cut off from God. And yet looking back at it all from where I am now, seeing the path that the Lord had laid for and guided me on by His Providence, how can I deny that the Lord is good.

I am under no illusion that the path ahead would be any less rugged and hard than the one behind me, but indeed my soul finds rest in God alone and the work that He begins, He will finish it. What will happen in the future? O Lord God, you know.

May He receive all the Praise He deserves.


My soul finds rest - Psalms 62 by Stuart Townsend

My soul finds rest in God alone,
My Rock and my Salvation.
A fortress strong against my foes,
And I will not be shaken.
Though lips may bless and hearts may curse,
And lies like arrows pierce me,
I'll fix my heart on righteousness,
I'll look to Him who hears me.

Chorus:
Oh praise Him, Hallelujah
My Delight and my Reward,
Everlasting, never failing,
My Redeemer, my God.

Find rest my soul in God alone,
Amidst the world's temptations.
When evil seeks to take a hold,
I'll cling to my salvation.
Though riches come and riches go,
Don't set you heart upon them.
The fields of hope in which I sow,
Are harvested in heaven.

I'll set my gaze on God alone,
And trust in Him completely.
With every day pour out my soul,
And He will prove His mercy.
Though life is but a fleeting breath,
A sigh too brief to measure.
My King has crushed the curse of death,
And I am His forever.

Regeneration vs Decisionism

The true and proper way of evangelizing. A must watch for all who are distressed over the countless multitude being deceived every week by false gospels and false christs.

Why can't we have conferences like these in Singapore

How I pray that one day we could have conferences and preachers of God's Word like this.

True Church Conference 2009

If you share my passion for the building of true churches for the glory of God, then join us February 19-22, 2009, and pray that God will allow us to dive into His Word examining and experiencing the wonderful grace of repentance. Repentance is not a doctrine of which to be fearful but one for which we should be deeply grateful! After all, receiving grace to turn from darkness, condemnation, and despair to find light, justification, and hope is not a bad thing but a wondrously good thing!

Striving not to build great churches but true churches…for the glory of God,

I will not hear your prayers

“ To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?”
Says the LORD. I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
And the fat of fed cattle.
I do not delight in the blood of bulls,
Or of lambs or goats.
“ When you come to appear before Me,
Who has required this from your hand,
To trample My courts?
Bring no more futile sacrifices;
Incense is an abomination to Me.
The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies—
I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting.
Your New Moons and your appointed feasts
My soul hates;
They are a trouble to Me,
I am weary of bearing them.
When you spread out your hands,
I will hide My eyes from you;
Even though you make many prayers,
I will not hear.
Your hands are full of blood.
- Isaiah 1: 11 - 15

Basically what it feels like right now

His Word will not return Void

“ For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD.
“ For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
“ For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,
And do not return there,
But water the earth,
And make it bring forth and bud,
That it may give seed to the sower
And bread to the eater,
So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
“ For you shall go out with joy,
And be led out with peace;
The mountains and the hills
Shall break forth into singing before you,
And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree,
And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree;
And it shall be to the LORD for a name,
For an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”
- Isaiah 55: 8 - 13

May the Word of the Lord be preached faithfully to all the Nations.

Blessed be the Name of the Lord

*Edit* The Book of Isaiah is a really incredible book. And to think that I've only ever read seriously a few chapters here and there from it. Isaiah 55 is indeed one of the most complete Gospel Calls ever given for Man.

Fitting God into a mould?

Dogs,Crumbs and a Faith to Emulate (Jeff Noblit)



From here

"I'm not here to damage your self-esteem, I'm here to obliterate it" - Jeff Noblit

From East To West

Though I do not agree with some of the lyrics theologically, the reminder that our sins have been removed as far as the East is from the West is timely.

What is Man compared to God

A month or two ago my church youth service had a guest speaker from another church come and give a sermon based on overcoming fear of spirits and demons. While I do not want to go into what the details of the sermon were (though I can say I did not quite agree with the focus of the whole thing), what really stuck to me was what he said at the end of the sermon.

I can't quite recall what was the topic leading up to it, but he said that if someone thanks him for preaching, he does not believe in saying "Thank God", because "God could probably preach better than him", but rather to just say "you're welcome." While I definitely agree that God could do a better job preaching, or in fact doing anything on his own rather than relying on weak, sinful Man, the way he seemed to dismissively ridicule the very act of thanking God has rankled me up till this day.

Just to address the first part quickly, why would God choose to work though weak Man rather than on His own, one must first accept the fact that whatever God does is for His own Glory and Name's sake and that God is jealous and passionate for His Glory. Once we accept this fact, then the answer becomes clear. While yes, God will get Glory when He works apart from Man, but how much more Glory and Praise does God receive when not only does He accomplish what He accomplishes by His own Hand, but He is also able to use and empower weak Man for His purposes. It is in fact a double honour to Him. Just like prayer, if God gives you something without you praying for it He receives Glory for providing, but if He gives you something that you have prayed for, does He not receive the added Glory of answering prayer? Kind of answers the question that people always ask that if God is going to provide for His people anyway, why do we still need to pray for provision.

"So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth." - 1 Corinthians 3:7 (ESV)

However as I stated above, what really irked me was the way he dismissed the acknowledgment of God. While not explicit in the statement, one could sense the lack of reverence and knowledge of how lowly Man is. When one reads the accounts of God's conversations with Man in books like Job, Jeremiah and Isaiah, one is completely blown away by the awesomeness and "incredibleness" of God.

"LORD, what is man, that You take knowledge of him? Or the son of man, that You are mindful of him? Man is like a breath; His days are like a passing shadow." - Psalm 144: 3-4 (NKJV)

"Sever yourselves from such a man, Whose breath is in his nostrils; For of what account is he?" - Isaiah 2:22 (NKJV)

From where does Man's life come from? Or where does he receive understanding? Is it not all from God and by the Grace of God? Why then does Man boast in his wisdom or in his accomplishments? Man is but a breath of air and he is not even assured of taking another without the Grace of God.

I know there are many definitions of Sin, but one that seems to come to my mind often is this, Sin is anything, whether action, thought or motive, that is not for or acknowledges the Glory of God.

"So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." - 1 Corinthians 10:31 (ESV)

God gives grace for Man to preach His Word. God gives each and every breath a Man breathes. Do you dare, even for one nanosecond, to take any glory for yourself in whatever you do. While I thank God indeed that He can use preachers like Paul Washer, John Piper and Don Carson as He does, I am ever wary not to idolize the man, but to instead look to the God who gives these man such wisdom and strength and say that He is indeed Worthy to be praised.

Your Best Life Now?

It is,...... if you're not a Christian

Contending for THE Faith

Just finished MacArthur's book "The Truth War" today after basically devouring almost two-thirds of the book in a marathon 4 hour session while at a super long wedding dinner. Based around the Book of Jude, MacArthur highlights the urgent need for the Church to rouse herself from her apathy to sound doctrine and to contend earnestly for the Apostolic Faith. Combined with today's bible study on 1 Timothy 4, as well as with certain unsavoury events that have occurred over the past couple of weeks, there is indeed the need for all true Christians to stand up and be willing to defend the central tenets and sound doctrines of biblical and historical Christianity.


"Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,..."
- 1 Timothy 4: 1-2

Opening the chapter, it is abundantly clear that there will be deceiving doctrines and counterfeit gospels. In fact, if there is one thing that quite a number of the Epistles touch on, aside from Christ and the Gospel, it is the warning to hold on to sound doctrine and teachings. There are so many false prophets and false christs running around today and the carnage they leave behind is plain to see.

" If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed. But reject profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness....... These things command and teach. Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine..... Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you."
- 1 Timothy 4: 6 - 16

It is interesting, and indeed quite sad, how we so often take verse 12 out of context, especially in youth ministries. We use it to justify and encourage youths to "move in the spirit" and to contribute in youth ministry, not realizing the context that Paul is writing to Timothy. While yes indeed physical age should not be a barrier to one's serving in church, Paul's emphasis seems to be on the doctrine that Timothy should use in nourishing himself and in the teaching of others. How many times have we used this verse to call youths out and then directed them to the reading, studying and meditating on God's Word? Have we ever instructed them to give themselves ENTIRELY into the study of doctrine and that the fruit of such study will be evident to all?

What has happened to our doctrine? In our ignorance we had elevated doctrine to a higher plane that only few could understand and relegated its teaching to something of secondary (if indeed it is that high) importance. We would rather concentrate on "applying the Word" and on motivational speeches and "catering to people's needs". If indeed that one can only discover who God truly is through His Word with the Holy Spirit, how many people in the church really know God?

Because we would rather cater to itching ears and unregenerate hearts, so many people are left ignorant of who God truly is and they are carried with every wind of (unsound) doctrine. Some of the more apparent issues would of course be things like the health-and-wealth gospel, feminism, "carnal christianity" or lukewarmness and backsliding. So often in the Church, especially in an Asian context like Singapore, we would rather compromise on sound doctrine than to hold fast to what is True. All in the name of "unity" and harmony.

In deciding to stand for the Truth, one is faced with a hard question. Are you willing to forsake all that you have in contending for the Faith? Are you willing to lose all your friends and earthly reputation for the sake of standing up for the Truth? Are you ready for the barbs and gossips and rumour-mongering that will inevitably crop up once you make a stand for God? But yet, this is a stand that all who trully love the Lord and His Glory will have to make, for in a sense, there is no middle ground.

*Edit* My friend here just so happened to have written on the importance of doctrine on the same night as I wrote this post. He probably does a much better job of articulating the issue at hand than me because he is a doctor-to-be and I am just in a glorified polytechnic (As I always like to call NUS Science :P)

Some Thoughts

A video that Charles introduced to me some time back. Finally decided to post it here for the benefit of all who pass by. Will comment on some thoughts I have on it later, God willing.

The Prosperity Gospel and John Piper

"God is most glorified in you when you are most satsified in Him
in the midst of loss, not prosperity"
- John Piper

*Edit* I dun think I will comment on this just yet. Hopefully will do so
sometime during the coming week

Life's Thin Thread

It is indeed a tragedy that while life hangs literally by a thread for all Man, we would rather preach and talk about "happy" and "inspirational" things or give motivational self-help pep talks every Sunday. Rather than confront people with the Truth of God's Word, with their sinfulness and rebellion against God, we would instead endeavor to build up their self-esteem or soothe their wounded pride. We would rather give them painkillers instead of giving them the bitter medicine that saves.

"For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified." -1 Corinthians 2:2 (NKJV)

But while I may go on my usual tirade on the almost pathetic state of preaching in churches nowadays, I have decided instead to look at something just as sobering, if not more so.

One would have read in the newspapers today about two deaths that would seem almost in direct contrast with each other. One is of a man who has lived for over eight decades and who has for almost all intents and purposes been in the twilight of his life for at least a decade if not more. The other is of a boy, just twenty years of age, not even old enough to vote, who seemed to have his whole life ahead of him. One died in his sleep, the other died doing pull-ups. One had seen all and done all. The other thought he was going to see all and do all.

Yet one thing in common they had was that both had just the day before talked, laughed and/or cried with others. Both had plans for the future, one to run for the 2011 elections, the other to become an air force technician. And now, both of them are gone. To heaven or hell, who knows? But that is not the main point here.

Anyone who has followed the news over the past month would also recall the death of a 15 year old girl and her supposed 23 year old god-father after jumping from a HDB flat. Or the 16 year-old boy who so wanted to get a thrill driving that he went and sneaked out with his brother's car. Dead after crashing into a tree. I know an acquaintance of mine who at 21 years of age is suffering from two separate cancers. My class rep back in JC died at 20 from Leukemia suddenly just as it seemed he would recover.

Why this morbid fascination with death you may ask. It is not so much that I "like" reading or hearing such things, but rather that every time one reads of such things, one cannot help but think of all those youths who live their lives as though they would never die, never would be called to account for what they had done in their lives. When one is young, death often seems so far away or something that will never come. "I can repent tomorrow and get my life in order, but today I want to enjoy myself." What tragedy! They believe that tomorrow will always come, not knowing that no one can have assurance that he will wake up the next morning. Is it not all the more urgent for them to know the Gospel. To repent and believe before it is too late. Before that Day when the trumpets will sound and grace will be taken away and the dead will be judged before Christ. Maybe that is why I so detest preaching that tells Man to come to Christ so that he can get his best life now, or so that he can be blessed with so much material and worldly blessings that will turn to dust eventually.

"By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God."
- Hebrews 11: 9-10

Life indeed is so fragile. Man, like a flower, is here today, then gone tomorrow. Like a vapour he appears for a little while, then vanishes away. All the material goods one stores up for himself in this life, in the end moth and rust destroy and one's enjoyment of earthly delights fade away into nothingness with time.

And yet, we would rather continue pursing such things. Is it not madness? Indeed I am so often the maddest one of all, for so often does my heart stray from the magnificent obsession that is Christ to things of silver and things of gold.

If only youths and people in general would consider the fragility of their lives more seriously, then hopefully they would become sober and self-controlled and seek with all earnestness the one thing that will last into eternity and beyond. So that one day when you swing out into eternity on a scarlet thread, that scarlet thread, which is Christ, will be enough.

Video uploads

Some stuff that I edited from the web for my friend. Thought that I might as well post it here.

All to Jesus (Paris Reidhead)


Revival Hymn (Various)

The Holiness of God

Someone highlighted this video to me and I helped merge both parts so that it becomes one continuous video.

On Women and Authority

As a add-on to my last post, I saw this post over at the Christian Research Network. The actual blog is reformation 21.

*Edit* Another interesting read here.

Voddie Baucham on Sarah Palin

Saw this on the Def.Con. blog and I really never thought that such a thing could ever happen. Someone who actually stood up for the Truth *gasp* on international television. *double gasp*

Quote of the Day:
"I am a herald of the Truth of the Gospel, and my job is to teach the Gospel according to what the authors have said, not according to what I think the culture wants to hear."

- Voddie Baucham

I Will Never Be the Same Again

An old song that I wonder why the church nowadays doesn't seem to sing anymore. Probably because we do not seem to believe anymore in a God that changes and regenerates Man, or that a true Christian is a new creation in Christ, with a heart that seeks to glorify God's name above all else.

May the Lord bless you mightily through this song.



I will never be the same again,
I can never return, I've closed the door.
I will walk the path, I'll run the race
And I will never be the same again.

Fall like fire, soak like rain,
Flow like mighty waters, again and again.
Sweep away the darkness, burn away the chaff,
And let the flame burn to glorify Your name.

There are higher heights, there are deeper seas,
Whatever you need to do, Lord do it in me.
The Glory of God fills my life,
And I will never be the same again.

The Beauty of God's Word

It is indeed a joy and even a certain amount of ecstasy when one reads the Bible and the words seem to jump out of the pages or verses that you may have read a hundred times before suddenly seem to give new insights or revelations.

Over the past couple of days I have been doing concurrent readings of 1 Corinthians and 1 Timothy and in the mirror of God's Word, so much error in my thinking and theology have been exposed and indeed I praise God for the grace that He has given in revealing them to me. There is so much that the Lord is leading me to consider and I hardly know where to start or what to write down first, but I shall try to put in a coherent manner despite my own messy way of thinking.

"What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth."
- 1 Corinthians 3: 5-8 (ESV)

As I have shared before, so often I have fallen into sinful pride, in thinking that I was someone, a boy who knew more about God's Truth than most of his peers and the only person whom God could use to preach the truth in his church. But as I read this passage again, what is the man whom God uses but a person He so chooses to pour out His Grace upon? As one of my favourite preachers said, "I always remind myself [if ever I become proud in my own preaching] that God can speak through rocks and donkeys." Indeed the Lord uses the foolish to confound the wise and the wisdom of this world is folly to God.

In addition to this, this morning when I awoke there was this subtle yet obvious temptation in my flesh to dabble again in lustful thoughts, a habitual sin in my mind that has plagued me for more than a decade. And as I struggled against it as I always do, I read the two passages of 1 Corinthians that I had earmarked for today. And lo and behold, chapters 5 and 6 contained Paul's warnings against sexual immorality. Needless to say, the temptation subsided really quickly after that. May the Lord grant me the grace to remain holy as He is Holy.

"Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s."

- 1 Corinthians 6: 18-20

I have more thoughts regarding some things in 1 Timothy that God has impressed upon me regarding the false ascetism and super-spirituality that so often I have mistaken as closeness to God, but I shall probably write it down another time God willing.

One other thing that the Lord seems to be pressing upon me is whether, in my cynicism and caution, I have in a way despised or "quenched" the Spirit. While I believe that God is the indeed the God of miracles and a God who heals, there is a certain part of me that seems over-cautious and unbelieving when dealing with what is often termed now as "moves of the Spirit". Now I do dislike the way certain people seem to treat God and the Holy Spirit with a certain amount of irreverence or as a miracle vending machine that they can pull miracles out at will, but there is a sense that I may have become too judgemental and in the process may have inadvertently blasphemed against the work of the Holy Spirit.

“And anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven."

- Luke 12:10

May the Lord grant me wisdom and mercy in discerning this.

Where is your focus?

The Kingdom of Heaven is like a Treasure (Paul Washer)


"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field."

- Matthew 13:44

Just and Justifier

Quoted from this blog (Defending. Contending.)

How can God ever “justify the ungodly” without becoming an abomination to Himself? “He who says to the wicked, ‘You are righteous,’ peoples will curse him, nations will abhor him [Proverbs 24:24]. How can God say to sinners like us, “You are righteous,” without violating His own character? How can God ever save us from Himself and His own righteousness and justice? . . . Repentant sinners know that they deserve to be punished, and that it would not be right for them not to be. They know that God cannot just “sweep their sins under the rug” and forget about them. Hence, the cry of their hearts is, “How can a just God ever smile upon me? How can this burden of guilt be removed? How can God pronounce a blessing upon me? How can a man like me be in the right before God!” There is only one answer to this dilemma. Someone has to pay for the sinner’s sins. Justice must be satisfied. Either it will be satisfied by the sinner’s own suffering forever in Hell, or it must be satisfied by someone else on the sinner’s behalf.

- Charles Leiter