The Question of Reason

Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written,

"What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him"

— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.

The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. "For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.

- 1 Corinthians 2: 6-16

How is it that two similar people may be exposed to the same Truth and yet have two completely opposite responses to it? Both may be very intelligent people, but when faced with who God is, one responds in fear and adoration while the other dismisses any notion of God with disdain. What separates the one from the other?

Sometimes I wonder at the use and effectiveness of reason in apologetics and/or evangelism today. This is not to say that one should not use reason nor that Christianity is an unreasonable Faith, but do we place too much trust in the use of reason?

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

- Romans 1: 18-23

God's works are plainly seen. From the largest galaxies in the universe to the smallest components of the atom; from the amazing complexity of the human body to the tiny crystal-like structure of snow-flakes, there is much in the natural world that will and should fill the human mind with awe and wonder. Who could create such things in all their myriad shapes and sizes and beauty. Such is the sin of men that they would do everything in their power to disown the God who made them rather than bow the knee in worship.

Why does one believe and the other disbelieve? Why does one who, upon seeing and hearing of the sinfulness of men and of their utter depravity and hopelessness, turns and throws himself upon the mercies of Christ while the other does all that he can to convince himself of mankind's "inherent" goodness and lack of need for a saviour? Is the one who disbelieves "wiser" than the who believes? Is the one who believes of a more gullible nature? Surely not, for there are men with great minds and mighty intellects that have responded in faith to the Gospel and there are multitudes of men of low learning who have spat and trampled upon the Blood of Christ.

So what then separates those whom respond in faith and those who do not but grace?

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

- Ephesians 1: 3-6

This was done so that no man should boast of himself, but that if he should boast, to boast in the Lord (cf. 1 Cor. 1:31)

How then do men believe? No doubt God is a God who uses reason (cf. Isa. 1:18) and the Apostle Paul himself reasoned with those in the synagogues or marketplace (cf. Acts 17:2,17, 18:4,19), but I've come to realize the limits of Reason. One could provide 101 reasons for the resurrection of Jesus Christ or for the infallibility of Scripture, but they can no more turn a man to Christ unless God, in His Mercy, opens his eyes and understanding to spiritual things.

And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

- 1 Corinthians 2: 1-5

To Him who is able to save and save to the uttermost.
Soli Deo Gloria

I walked in the sunshine with a scholar who had effectively forfeited his prospects of academic advancement by clashing with church dignitaries over the gospel of grace. “But it doesn’t matter,” he said at length, “for I’ve known God and they haven’t.” . . . [Not] many of us ever naturally say that in the light of the knowledge of God which we have come to enjoy past disappointments and present heartbreaks, as the world counts heartbreaks, don’t matter. For the plain fact is that to most of us they do matter. We live with them as our “crosses” (so we call them). Constantly we find ourselves slipping into bitterness and apathy and gloom as we reflect on them, which we frequently do. The attitude we show to the world is a sort of dried-up stoicism, miles removed from the “joy unspeakable and full of glory” which Peter took for granted that his readers were displaying (1 Peter 1:8). “Poor souls,” our friends say of us, “how they’ve suffered”—and that is just what we feel about ourselves! But these private mock heroics have no place at all in the minds of those who really know God. They never brood on might-have-beens; they never think of the things they have missed, only of what they have gained. . . . When Paul says [in Philippians 3] he counts the things he lost “dung,” he means not merely that he does not think of them as having any value but also that he does not live with them constantly in his mind; what normal person spends his time nostalgically dreaming of manure?

- J I Packer from Knowing God (Bold mine)

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A recommended article on 2 Cor. 12: 1-10 to be read.

Thanksgiving

I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

- 1 Corinthians 1: 4-9

For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers,

- Ephesians 1: 15-16

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.

- Philippians 1: 3-5

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven.

- Colossians 1: 3-5a

We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.

- 2 Thessalonians 1:3

I really thank God for the internet, even though it is abused,corrupted and all manners of vile stuff is placed in it. Why so? Because through it one can read of countless stories and testimonies to the manifold grace of God. In (nearly) all of his letters to the churches, the Apostle Paul begins in offering thanks to God for the grace given and displayed in those churches even though some were in great disarray (Corinth) or were churches which he had never visited and of whom he has heard of their faith only through hearsay (Colossae).

In that day and age when communication from one end of Asia Minor to the end could take months, the Apostle Paul was ever ready to glorify God for even the smallest evidence of His Grace and Power working in a people. How much more than should we, who through the mere click of a button are able to read and know about the mighty works of God from across the globe, give Him even more praise.

I was reading this story from the HeartCry Newsletter that made me stop and marvel at the beauty of a simple child-like faith.

It has been a joy to receive an uninterrupted flow of testimonies about how God has shown Himself strong on behalf of our HeartCry family in Eastern Europe. In spite of high taxes and a rising cost of living resulting in privation, our brothers and sisters have been supernaturally sustained. Earlier this year, one of our missionaries from Moldova wrote:

“One evening when the children had the flu we decided to have a vapor inhalation. I remembered the way we did it when I was just a little child. We took a brick and made it very hot in the fire. We placed it under a table on which we had put a blanket and we poured tea on the brick and breathed the hot air. We did the same with the children. We even prayed under the table. My little son Felice prayed and thanked God for the day. When he finished, the other children whispered ‘Amen’. Then he continued: ‘Lord we thank You for the brick’.”

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

- 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18

Oh how ungrateful we are of God's exceedingly great mercies and Grace which He has given unto us. We sing that His mercies are new every morning, but do we consider them with reverence? Every breath of air that we breathe, every beat of our heart. The sun that sets in the West returns to rise in the East once again. The rains that fall, not to wipe out sinful humanity, but to bring life and produce from the earth.

Lebanon would not suffice for fuel, nor are its beasts enough for a burnt offering.
- Isaiah 40:16

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A dedication to those whom through your blog writings and your life, I am very much encouraged and spurred in much (godly) jealousy to desire to know more about Christ and the Power of His Resurrection.

I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge

- 1 Corinthians 1:4-5

Nick Is

Really busy busy busy these 2 months.

29He gives power to the faint,
and to him who has no might he increases strength.
30Even youths shall faint and be weary,
and young men shall fall exhausted;
31but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint.

- Isaiah 40: 29-31

Beautiful Saviour (All My Days)

All my days I will sing this song of gladness
Give my praise to the fountain of delights
For in my helplessness, you heard my cry
And waves of mercy poured down on my life

I will trust in the cross of my Redeemer
I will sing of the blood that never fails
Of sins forgiven, of conscience cleansed
Of death defeated and life without end

Beautiful Savior, wonderful counselor
Clothed in majesty, Lord of history
You're the way, the truth and the life
Star of the morning, glorious in holiness
You're the risen one, heaven's champion
And you reign, you reign over all

I long to be where the praise is never ending
Yearn to Dwell where the glory never fades
Where countless worshipers will share one song
And cries of "Worthy" will honour the Lamb

John 17:1 & Proverbs 19:21

2 fantastic verses for my life.



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Yawning at the Word

From Christianity Today

Whenever the Bible is read, a hush should come over us. We should be inching toward the edge of our seats, leaning forward, turning our best ear toward the speaker, fearful we'll miss a single word—the deeds and words and character of Almighty and Merciful God are being revealed! In a world of suffering and pain, of doubt and despair, of questions about the meaning and purpose of existence, we are about to hear of God's glory, forgiveness, mercy and love, of his intention for the world, of his promise to make it all good in the end, of the way to join his people, of the means to abide with him forever! And there we sit, tapping our feet, mentally telling the preacher to get on with it.

The Reason Why Original Sin Is No Longer Believed In

From Asiaone

Children are inherently innocent, psychiatrists and psychologists believe.

However, when do children become aware that certain of their actions are deviant or even evil?

'Children are born innocent. Their experiences, environment and society will shape the way they interpret and understand their surroundings and what they think is right or wrong,' said

Ms Silvia Fontanella, a psychologist at VA Psychology Centre.

Because of this strongly accepted belief in the inherent innocence of children, the recent case of a nine-year-old boy described as 'fixated on sex' caught the media and the public's attention.

The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart.

- Genesis 6: 5-6

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
and in sin did my mother conceive me.

- Psalms 51:5

For the children of Israel and the children of Judah have done nothing but evil in my sight from their youth. The children of Israel have done nothing but provoke me to anger by the work of their hands, declares the LORD.

- Jeremiah 32:30

[A]s it is written:

"None is righteous, no, not one;
no one understands;
no one seeks for God.
All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
no one does good,
not even one."

- Romans 3: 10-12

We often are taught that man becomes a sinner when he sins. The Bible teaches that man sins because he is a sinner.

- Ted Tripp

Hindrances to Prayer by R. A. Torrey

Something that is so true with regards to most of my prayers. From his book, How to Pray

We have gone very carefully into the positive conditions of
prevailing prayer; but there are some things which hinder prayer.
These God has made very plain in His Word.

1. The first hindrance to prayer we will find in James 4:3,
"Ye ask and receive not BECAUSE YE ASK AMISS, THAT YE MAY SPEND IT IN YOUR PLEASURES."

A selfish purpose in prayer robs prayer of power. Very many prayers are selfish. These may be prayers for things for which it is perfectly proper to ask, for things which it is the will of God to give, but the motive of the prayer is entirely wrong, and so the prayer falls powerless to the ground. The true purpose in prayer is that God may be glorified in the answer. If we ask any petition merely that we may receive something to use in our pleasures or in our own gratification in one way or another, we "ask amiss" and need not expect to receive what we ask. This explains why many prayers remain unanswered.

For example, many a woman is praying for the conversion of her husband. That certainly is a most proper thing to ask; but many a woman's motive in asking for the conversion of her husband is entirely improper, it is selfish. She desires that her husband may be converted because it would be so much more pleasant for her to have a husband who sympathized with her; or it is so painful to think that her husband might die and be lost forever. For some such selfish reason as this she desires to have her husband converted. The prayer is purely selfish. Why should a woman desire the conversion of her husband? First of all and above all, that God may be glorified; because she cannot bear the thought that God the Father should be dishonored by her husband trampling underfoot the Son of God.

Many pray for a revival. That certainly is a prayer that is pleasing to God, it is along the line of His will; but many prayers for revivals are purely selfish. The churches desire revivals in order that the membership may be increased, in order that the church may have a position of more power and influence in the community, in order that the church treasury may be filled, in order that a good report may be made at the presbytery or conference or association. For such low purposes as these, churches and ministers oftentimes are praying for a revival, and oftentimes too God does not answer the prayer. Why should we pray for a revival? For the glory of God, because we cannot endure it that God should continue to be dishonored by the worldliness of the church, by the sins of unbelievers, by the proud unbelief of the day; because God's Word is being made void; in order that God may be glorified by the outpouring of His Spirit on the Church of Christ. For these reasons first of all and above all, we should pray for a revival.

Many a prayer for the Holy Spirit is a purely selfish prayer. It certainly is God's will to give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him--He has told us so plainly in His Word (Luke 11:13), but many a prayer for the Holy Spirit is hindered by the selfishness of the motive that lies back of the prayer. Men and women pray for the Holy Spirit in order that they may be happy, or in order that they may be saved from the wretchedness of defeat in their lives, or in order that they may have power as Christian workers, or for some other purely selfish motive. Why should we pray for the Spirit? In order that God may no longer be dishonored by the low level of our Christian lives and by our ineffectiveness in service, in order that God may be glorified in the new beauty that comes into our lives and the new power that comes into our service.

3. The third hindrance to prayer is found in Ez. 14:3, "Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their heart, and put the stumbling block of their iniquity before their face: should I be inquired of at all by them?"(R.V.) IDOLS IN THE HEART CAUSE GOD TO REFUSE TO LISTEN TO OUR PRAYERS.

What is an idol? An idol is anything that takes the place of God, anything that is the supreme object of our affection. God alone has the right to the supreme place in our hearts. Everything and everyone else must be subordinate to Him.

Many a man makes an idol of his wife. Not that a man can love his wife any too much, but he can put her in the wrong place, he can put her before God; and when a man regards his wife's pleasure before God's pleasure, when he gives her the first place and God the second place, his wife is an idol, and God cannot hear his prayers.

Many a woman makes an idol of her children. Not that we can love our children too much. The more dearly we love Christ, the more dearly we love our children; but we can put our children in the wrong place, we can put them before God, and their interests before God's interests. When we do this our children are our idols.

Many a man makes an idol of his reputation or his business. Reputation or business is put before God. God cannot hear the prayers of such a man.

One great question for us to decide, if we would have power in prayer is, Is God absolutely first? Is He before wife, before children, before reputation, before business, before our own lives? If not, prevailing prayer is impossible.

God often calls our attention to the fact that we have an idol, by not answering our prayers, and thus leading us to inquire as to why our prayers are not answered, and so we discover the idol, put it away, and God hears our prayers.

On Ability and Service

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

1 Peter 4: 10-11

It is easy for one to be discouraged when observing those in the Church who seem to be so blessed by God in terms of gifts and abilities by which they then render unto Him or in service to His Bride. Perhaps in this day and age of near-instantaneous connectivity, where a preacher in the US is of greater access to me than my own pastor in my local church, one can be both incredibly blessed and yet evermore conscious of one's own terrible failings and weaknesses.

One thinks of men with great minds and intellect like Jonathan Edwards or D. A. Carson. One thinks of men who live or lived with such a passion for God that defies belief like Leonard Ravenhill, A. W. Tozer and Paul Washer. One thinks of men who gave up everything that they had on this Earth for service to the King like David Brainerd and George Muller. Then there are men like Ravi Zacharias and James White who, with their sharp minds, are able to defend the Faith ably against those who seek to dispute it. What more of others like Paris Reidhead, John Piper, David Wilkerson, the Puritans, Charles Spurgeon etc.... All of whom were extremely gifted and who used their gifts to bring much glory to His Name.

Even amongst those around me, I see those with sharper minds and intellects, those with more faith and assurance, those with great musical talents or oratory skills, those who are able to write much better, those who are more faithful, loving, self-sacrificial, etc.... What could one do then in service to the Lord when one is so lacking in ability?

I must confess that much of my disquiet and grumbling is simply due to pride and envy. The desire to be something great, to be well-known/accepted/loved. What great danger is there even in service to God! How subtle and insidious it is. Thomas Watson, in his book The Godly Man's Picture, writes of one characteristic in such a man as his love for the saints.

"We must love the saints though their graces outvie and surpass ours. We ought to bless God for the eminence of another's grace, because hereby religion is honoured. Pride is not quite slain in a believer. Saints themselves are apt to grudge and repine at each other's excellences. Is it not strange that the same person should hate one man for his sin and envy another for his virtue? Christians need to look to their hearts. Love is right and genuine when we can rejoice in the graces of others though they seem to eclipse ours."

- Thomas Watson

This is the number one cause for hesitation in my considerations of full-time ministry. How I fear what great disrepute I should bring to Him through my hypocritical service.

And what of one's lack of ability? I am persuaded that one's discontent over the lack of one's ability is born out of ingratitude and faithlessness.

Ingratitude, because one has denigrated one's own God-given abilities, no matter how small. Are you wiser than God? Are you able to give Him counsel? Surely He knows our innermost being and temperament and He gives us abilities as is appropriate and good to us. Shall He give His children things which would cause them to wander further away from Him? Surely not! Likewise, would He give those of us who are more prone to pride greater gifts and abilities, that we might be further tempted to boast in them and not in Christ? So all that He has given, He has given in His infinite wisdom and purpose and is suitable for our appointed station in life.

Faithlessness, because one does not believe that God is able to use the base things and little things of this world to confound the wise and to do His work. Moses spoke with a stutter and yet he led a nation out of captivity. David was the youngest and the least in his family and yet God made him king over Israel. The little boy who gave up his lunch had but five loaves of bread and two small fishes and yet Jesus used it to give a magnificent display of God's Providence to five thousand men. Many of the disciples who were called were unlearned men and yet they were given the incredible privilege of beings His Apostles. "A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out." (Matt. 12:20a) - How precious is that promise! It is little wonder then that the Apostle Paul should so write to the Corinthians,

"Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him."

- 1 Cor. 1: 26-29

That He should take what little that we have and use it for His great purposes. Should we not then rejoice, even in what little He may have given us, and give, as that poor widow who gave two small copper coins, all of it in service to Him, to His praise and glory. As it was quoted of a saint of old before she was martyred for her belief in Christ, "I cannot dispute for Christ, but I can burn for Him." Let him who serves serve in the strength that God supplies, so that in all things He may be glorified. Why then should I continue to grumble against Him?

There are no great men of God. There are only weak, feeble men of a great and merciful God.

- Paul Washer

Luke 5:8

But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord."

Today

Today's sermon in church wasn't really theologically, in an academic sense, profound. It wasn't something that you can go away with merely thinking, "That's an interesting point he made." It wasn't some earth-shattering, ground-shaking, new revelation.

But as I ponder upon it I can only think of one word. Beautiful. Just beautiful.

John Piper recently preached a message to a group of Christian counselors and his opening statements are, to me, simply astounding. That the same sins he should be struggling with are so similar to mine. Surely apart from Grace we are all undone.

Beholding Glory and Becoming Whole: Seeing and Savoring God as the Heart of Mental Health

So to spare you some analysis, I will tell you that you are listening to as sinner. A man

who must crucify the love of praise every day;
who struggles with the same adolescent fear at age 63 that he had at 15, the fear of looking foolish;
who is prone to feel self-pity and pout when he doesn’t get loved the way he wants;
who is almost never sure he has used his time in the best way and therefore struggles with guilt;
who is short on compassion and long on critical analysis;
who can freeze up emotionally when he’s tired, and feel instinctively that it’s someone else’s fault;
who loves to praise God in the great assembly and feels a constraint on his spirit in his own living room;
who has loved his wife of forty years imperfectly and spent with her over three of those years with a Christian counselor trying to become better images of Christ and the church;
and who never feels sure that his motives are pure, including right now, for why he is telling you all this.
At one level, I want you to be open to what I have to say, and I thought that being open with you might help you be open to me. At another level, a better one I hope, I want you to see why I love the grace of God. He has infinite warrant to throw me away. And he hasn’t done it. So the theme of this conference, Grace and Truth, is very precious to me. “The steadfast love of the Lord is better than life” (Psalm 63:3)

- John Piper

Something I've Been Thinking About

Legalism and the Christian School Movement (from SharperIron)

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

=================================
Scenario 1

You are just about to start your bible study lesson for a care group consisting of much younger believers than you. As the rest mill about waiting for things to get started, you notice one of the girls who had just come in wearing an outrageously low-cut top, which barely covers her cleavage. How would you deal with her?

A. Tell her expressly that she should never wear anything less than a dress that covers her completely from head to toe.
B. Tell her that such immodest clothes are unbecoming and that in future she should dress up.
C. During your bible study preach about lust, modest dressing and causing others to stumble.
D. Ignore it.

Scenario 2

You are a preacher in a local church and recently there has been shown on TV a wildly popular series that depicts loose sex, rebellion against authority, blasphemy, violence, etc..... Do you,

A. Rail against it and forbid all your members from watching TV ever.
B. Speak out against it and inform your members that they should not be watching said series.
C. Speak out against the acts themselves without mentioning the series.
D. Ignore it.

Now in considering both scenarios (and admittedly they could be refined further in so many ways), one could easily dismiss option A as over-reacting (though there are those who do choose that option). Choosing option D would probably constitute a dereliction of duty for any man called to shepherd God's flock. And so we're left with either option B or C.

The issue at hand is this. To what extent does God's Word govern our lives with regards to rules and regulations? To some, any mention of the words "Don't do ____" immediately results in cries of legalism. Granted, the dangers of falling into a legalistic spiral are all too real when one employs such language.

If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— "Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch" ( referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

- Colossians 2: 20-23

And no doubt that there are some "rules" which the Apostle himself does not consider of much importance.

One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God.

- Romans 14: 5-6

But what then should we make of "biblical" rules? No doubt the Bible itself does contain "rules" and "regulations" imposed upon men. One thinks of the ten commandments and it's prohibitions. One thinks of the many exhortations and instructions left by Paul in his epistles.

But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.

- Ephesians 5: 3-4

Now some will say, "Oh these are but biblical guidelines. After all the Bible doesn't talk about drugs or smoking or internet pornography or racy TV programmes per se does it? We can't regulate these since there is no direct biblical basis against these." But surely there is enough biblical warrant to say that, while not dealing explicitly with such issues (especially since most weren't really invented till centuries later), such things are, in essence, evil or sins in the eyes of God.

I guess my current train of thought is this. How do we apply the biblical "guidelines" in our day and age? Are these applications then binding for all future ages? What then of past applications of these "guidelines"? When we decry the sex and violence in a certain TV show, and implore/persuade/tell others not to watch it, are we being legalistic? When we draw up a "list" of things which are not becoming/helpful/edifying for a believer (though what would be on that list would be highly contentious), are we then guilty of producing an "extra-biblical" set of rules? Or is it merely a personal list, dependent solely upon the whims and fancies of the individual (Watching this show is ok cause I can filter out mentally all the sexy bits). Should a pastor warn his flock of certain things or activities which would be harmful to them, or would that place a legalistic burden upon them?

On Dreams and Idealism

I have a very bad habit. I love to daydream. In recent weeks, when I'm driving by myself from one place to another I've somehow managed to develop the ability to literally drive on autopilot by following the car in front while my mind wanders off in a number of different directions.

My second bad habit is this, and I have often been chided on this, and that is my tendency to plan, conceive or dream things with a view of perfection or of an ideal. In my younger days it was about building the perfect LEGO town, which soon graduated into building the perfect base in RTS games and executing that perfect assault so as to bring the match to an end.

In BB, the SOP for planning for any event would follow roughly this time line.

Conceive of plan ---> Plan out in minute detail ---> Sleepless the night before ---> Realize entire plan has fallen apart within the first hour ---> Try desperately to jury-rig a back-up plan ---> Squeak through the even by the skin of your teeth ---> Rinse and repeat for next event.

Time would fail me if I were to recount all the setbacks and failures that I have encountered throughout all the years I was there. The hikes which never seemed to go as planned because they were too long or the weather was bad, the camps where the camp programme basically implodes on the first day and you're left scrambling trying to salvage the wreckage. The BS lesson where everything seemed to be in place, but the moment you got up to speak your mouth just seemed to be filled with sawdust. And at the end of it all I was always so thoroughly disappointed with myself.

Furthermore, much could be said of my life in general. That dream job/career I had when I was in still serving NS, that led me to choose my major in NUS, and of which I now look back and wonder what the heck was I thinking then. The dream of being great in life. The dream of being greatly used by God, when recent events have shown much of it to be hollow and selfish and baseless. The dream of being a great spiritual man, which is nothing more than pride dressed up in religious garb.

So many failures. So many disappointments. Perhaps that is why I am often so pessimistic and cynical of many things in life. Kinda ironic is it not? To be pessimistic and cynical yet still constantly dreaming of "great" things and perfect scenarios?

But there is one dream, one thing I can wonder about with all idealism, that I know will be much greater than I can ever conceive. As I was pacing up and down the street outside my grandparent's house a few days ago, I looked up at the sky above and down to the ground upon which my feet rested. I looked up at the sky and realized that there will inevitably be a day when I will see my God face to face. I looked down at the ground and realized that just as certainly as I was walking upon that tarmac road and feeling the hardness of the ground, one day I will walk just as certainly upon a street paved with gold and feel the hardness of that street on my feet as I walk.

Oh what will it be like there? Surely the greatest things our mind can conceive are but still an infinitesimal part of that perfect reality. Joy unspeakable! No more pain, no more struggling with sin, no more sorrow, no more disappointments, no more strivings against the flesh. Eternal bliss, eternal peace, everlasting joy, unending love! Such thoughts make one desire all the more to be done with this life, to say "Take me away with you now oh Lord!"

And yet here I still remain. But of all things, on this I will still dream on.

On Assurance part 2

Now I hope to put forth a more personal account of my struggle on this question of assurance, and I pray that it would be of some edification to you dear reader. As I had posted earlier, it is a pressing question, even for many sincere believers, and so it was for me also.

In my younger(?) days, warnings of lost salvation were almost a constant fare in church and in school. I can scarcely remember the number of times I had lost my salvation one week, and then "regained" it the next through some altar call or in prayer after a group meeting in school. Even after my swing towards Reformed theology, for a time I struggled terribly with some of my pet sins (and still do to some extent today) that refused to die that caused me to question if I was even saved from the beginning.

How many times had I sinned, repented and asked the Lord for forgiveness, and then turned right back and committed the same sin the next week, if not the next day! Surely the Lord will not forgive me again after I had insulted His Grace and spat upon His Mercy. Daily was I tormented with the prospect that there was no more mercy for me.

Now let me at this point interject with an assertion. I have much suspicion that much worry over one's assurance is the product of one thing, self-preservation. Any sane rational creature would choose that which is good over that which is bad. Rarely would you find a person, who when given a choice, would choose to go to hell rather than heaven (of course the picture of heaven here would be akin to something Hollywood would produce). And much of my struggling with assurance, I must confess, stemmed from an innate desire to escape from hell.

I was afraid of hell. I was fearful of its torments as described in the Bible. My desire for heaven was not so much to be in God's presence, but rather to escape from eternal pain.

But, two things occurred that radically altered my perspective of my own assurance. I cannot recall exactly in what order they occurred chronologically, but they did happen pretty close to each other.

The first was this, as I look back at my life (as I so often tend to do), I can say with all sincerity that I would be a bald-faced liar to deny that God has been there, guiding and leading me, throughout my life. I remember the time when I nearly chose Scouts over BB in Primary school, or the time I was posted to SJI, but by His Grace I managed to appeal into ACS through a family connection. I remember of all the people whom God had placed in my life throughout my secondary and JC days, people, who despite of all of their (sometimes) wacky understandings of theology and God, were great blessings in keeping me close to the Faith. I think of my best friend, who if were not by losing a single bet (I kid you not!), I would never have met or learnt much of Christ through and from him. I think of His faithfulness to me during NS, even when I was so far away to the point of seriously considering giving up being a Christian and all things related to God. And yet He could use even the most innocuous of email passwords (yes it's true!) to remind me again of Him and literally pull me away from the precipice. I have chronicled elsewhere throughout this blog my testimony of God's Grace and faithfulness to me in my short 24 years here; His constant workings to expose my hidden sins and to conform me to Christ, but I must press on to the second thing.

The second thing dealt directly with my issue of self-preservation. I was listening to a couple of preachers and I shall quote both of them at length.

Dear friends, there’s only one reason - one reason for a sinner to repent: and that’s because Jesus Christ deserves the worship and adoration and the love and the obedience of his heart. Not because he’ll go to heaven. If the only reason you repented, dear friend, was to keep out of Hell, all you are is just a Levite serving for ten shekels and a shirt! That’s all! You’re trying to serve God because He’ll do you good! But a repentant heart is a heart that has seen something of the enormity of the crime of playing god and denying the just an righteous God the worship and obedience that He deserves!

Why should a sinner repent? Because God deserves the obedience and love that he’s refused to give Him! Not so that he’ll go to heaven. If the only reason he repents is so that he’ll go to heaven, it’s nothing but trying to make a deal or a bargain with God.

Why should a sinner give up all his sins? Why should he be challenged to do it? Why should he make restitution when he’s coming to Christ? Because God deserves the obedience that He demands!

I have talked with people that have no assurance that sins are forgiven. They want to feel safe, before they’re willing to commit themselves to Christ. But I believe that the only ones whom God actually witnesses by His Spirit and are born of Him, are the people, whether they say it or not, that come to Jesus Christ and say something like this, "Lord Jesus, I’m going to obey you, and love you, and serve you, and do what you want me to do, as long as I live, even if I go to Hell at the end of the road, simply because you are worthy to be loved, and obeyed and served, and I’m not trying to make a deal with you!"

Do you see the difference? Do you see the difference? Between a Levite serving for ten shekels and a shirt or a Micah building a chapel because God will do you good, and someone that repents for the glory of God.

Why should a 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 human being!

- Paris Reidhead (Ten Shekels and a Shirt)

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 and He is worthy of faith and He is worthy of service though you get nothing from it.

Do you understand this kind of Christianity? Where it's all about Him, and not about men.

- Paul Washer

Now some would be quite appalled at what I had just quoted. What kind of assurance is this? My friend, it is the assurance that the Judge of all the Earth will do right. You may disagree vehemently and regard it as something fatalistic and unchristian, but this revelation has brought me more peace after all my years of questioning than anything before or since. I will confess and repent of my sins because He is worthy. I will worship and pray because He is worthy. For our ambition is to please Him, and every beat of our heart is simply one more reason to worship Him and adore Him. Oh how worthy is He! Worthy of all praise and honour. Worthy of all Glory and Thanks. One day, and what a glorious day that will be, every knee will bow and declare that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Does this mean that I have never since struggled with assurance? Of course not. There have been nights since then when I have cowered in my bed in fear over the sins I have committed. The temptation daily is to either lapse into a over-confident presumption and belittling of sin or to fall back into a dread fear over one's eternal state.

Now, should every believer come or desire to come to a full assurance of their salvation in Christ? Indeed there is much precious comfort that comes from such an assurance, especially during times of trials and temptations. But such assurance itself is a gift from God and can come only from God. Many have sought their assurance from other men, and I fear many are deceived and lulled into a false assurance by a christianity that promotes little of self-examination and much of self-esteem and self-confidence. A christianity that does not warn, but tickles the ears of its hearers. A christianity that preaches much about grace for justification, but precious little on sanctification or of a holiness "without which no one will see the Lord." (Heb. 12:14)

I end with one of the greatest texts on assurance ever found in the Bible.

And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

- Romans 8: 27-30

On Assurance part 1

The question of the assurance of one's salvation is something I highly suspect is of much vexing interest to many believers. And surely any person would be completely justified in being concerned for his eternal destination would he not?

I was raised and immersed in a (almost) completely Wesleyan/Arminian heritage since I was young, though my theology and soteriology has taken quite a decisive swing to a more Reformed/Calvinistic position in recent years. However, the question of assurance remains as pertinent to both the Arminian and the Calvinist. While both may disagree on the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints, both still grapple with the question, "How do I know if I am (truly) saved?" And both do come to similar, but not identical, conclusions.

The Calvinist says he is saved based upon the eternal electing decree and unconditional Love of God and His effectual calling evidenced by continuing faith and fruitfulness in his life, whilst the Arminian would say that he is saved for now by his responding, out of his own free will, to God's offer of salvation and his present ongoing faith and fruitfulness in his life. Now one would of course soon realize the fundamental difference in both statements though their latter ends may be identical. One bases his security fundamentally upon God's Sovereign and Eternal decree for His elect, while the other bases it upon his conditional obedience to God and His Word. However, I hope not to digress into a debate upon this doctrine, but rather, I hope to focus on that portion of similarity and of which is the topic of this post.

Now ultimately, as my friend once put it, both positions lead to the same conclusion in answering the question, "How do/can I know if I am (truly) saved?" Whether one is a Calvinist or an Arminian, one would be led to answer it is by the evidence of good works, increasing Christ-likeness, fruits of the Spirit, etc... Now such evidence is the logical outworking of what is described in the Bible as the new birth or, to put it in a more theological term, the doctrine of regeneration.

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it.....We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin.

- Romans 6: 1-2, 6-7

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

- 2 Corinthians 5:17

I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

- Ezekiel 36: 25-27

Now of course there is a third position (becoming increasing popular here I suspect) that simply dismisses the question of assurance by labelling any call for self-examination or searching of spiritual fruit in one's life as a legalistic add-on to a gospel of grace. "Just believe in your heart and confess Jesus Christ as Lord and you shall be saved!" is their reassuring cry. Now is that statement true? Yes. Do I believe it? Most definitely! Is it the full story? Not quite. To simply focus on this one verse and build your entire theology upon it, while ignoring the rest of Scripture is a sure recipe for spiritual ship-wreck. One would be wise to remember our Saviour's own words in Matthew 7.

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'"

-Matthew 7:21-23

Surely this should give us sufficient warning against spurious professions of faith. Was it not said, men are justified by faith alone, but true faith is never alone? Now one should never ever confuse the work of Justification and the work of Sanctification. However, one cannot also claim the work of one without the evidence of the other. For those whom God justifies, He also sanctifies.

But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.

- Romans 6:22

Let us beware, lest we presume upon the Grace and Love of God (cf. Rom. 2:4) and let us heed the Apostles' exhortations.

Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.

- 2 Peter 1:10

Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

- 2 Corinthians 13:5

The Old Cross and The New

Chapter 13 of Tozer's book "The Radical Cross"

All unannounced and mostly undetected there has come in modern times a new cross into popular evangelical circles. It is like the old cross, but different: the likenesses are superficial; the differences fundamental.

From this new cross has sprung a new philosophy of the Christian life, and from that new philosophy has come a new evangelical technique - a new type of meeting and a new kind of preaching. This new evangelism employs the same language as the old, but its content is not the same and its emphasis not as before.

The old cross would have no association with the world. For Adam's proud flesh it meant the end of the journey. It carried into effect the sentence imposed by the law of Sinai. The new cross is not opposed to the human race; rather it is a friendly pal and, if understood aright, it is the source of oceans of good clean fun and innocent enjoyment. It lets Adam live without interference. His life motivation is unchanged; he still lives for his own pleasure, only now he takes delight in singing choruses and watching religious movies instead of singing bawdy songs and drinking hard liquor. The accent is still on enjoyment, though the fun is now on a higher place morally if not intellectually.

The new cross encourages a new entirely different evangelistic approach. The evangelist does not demand abnegation of the old life before a new life can be received. He preaches not contrasts but similarities. He seeks to key into public interest by showing that Christianity makes no unpleasant demands; rather, it offers the same thing the world does, only on a higher level. Whatever the sin-mad world happens to be clamoring after at the moment is cleverly shown to be the very thing the gospel offers, only the religious product is better.

The new cross does not slay the sinner, it redirects him. It gears him into a cleaner and jollier way of living and saves his self-respect. To the self-assertive it says, "Come and assert yourself for Christ." To the egotist it says, "Come and do your boasting in the Lord." To the thrill seeker it says, "Come and enjoy the thrill of Christian fellowship." The Christian message is slanted in the direction of the current vogue in order to make it acceptable to the public.

The philosophy back of this kind of thing may be sincere but its sincerity does not save it from being false. It is false because it is blind. It misses completely the whole meaning of the cross.

The old cross is a symbol of death. It stands for the abrupt, violent end of a human being. The man in Roman times who took up his cross and started down the road had already said good-bye to his friends. He was not coming back. He was going out to have it ended. The cross made no compromise, modified nothing, spared nothing; it slew all of a man, completely and for good. It did not try to keep on good terms with its victim. It struck cruel and hard, and when it had finished its work, the man was no more.

The race of Adam is under death sentence. There is no commutation and no escape. God cannot approve any of the fruits of sin, however innocent they may appear or beautiful to the eyes of men., God salvages the individual by liquidating him and then raising him again to newness of life.

That evangelism which draws friendly parallels between the ways of God and the ways of men is false to the Bible and cruel to the souls of its hearers. The faith of Christ does not parallel the world, it intersects it. In coming to Christ we do not bring our old life onto a higher place; we leave it at the cross. The kernel of wheat must fall into the ground and die.

We who preach the gospel must not think ourselves as public relations agents sent to establish good will between Christ and the world. We must not imagine ourselves commissioned to make Christ acceptable to big business, the press, the world of sports or modern education. We are not diplomats but prophets, and our message is not a compromise but an ultimatum.

God offers life, but not an improved old life. The life He offers is life out of death. It stands always on the far side of the cross. Whoever would possess it must pass under the rod. He must repudiate himself and concur in God's just sentence against him.

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Dare we, the heirs of such a legacy of power, tamper with the truth? Dare we with our stubby pencils erase the lines of the blueprint or alter the pattern shown us in the Mount? May God forbid. Let us preach the old cross and we will know the old power.

- A. W. Tozer

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Refrain

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

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7 The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.
8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.
9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.
10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:
11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

1 Peter 4: 7-10 (Bold mine)

It's All About Christ

"The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead."

- Acts 17: 30-31

I ask you this day, —"What think ye of Christ?"

What others think about Him is not the question now. Their mistakes are no excuse for you.—Their correct views will not save your soul. The point you have before you is simply this,—"What do you think yourself?"

- J. C. Ryle

You keep him in perfect peace
whose mind is stayed on you,
because he trusts in you.
Trust in the LORD forever,
for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.

- Isaiah 26: 3-4

Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of REFRESHING may come from the PRESENCE of the Lord

- Acts 2:19

You are made to find your ultimate joy not in being significant but in knowing the infinitely significant one.

- John Piper

Here in the silence I say a prayer
Though I've never seen you somehow I know you're there
You're in the faces of the people that I meet
You're as silent as the Earth beneath my feet
So if I should complain that all I have is not enough
Forgive me, I've been given so much

And I am blessed, every time I look into my baby's eyes
I think of all the friends who've touched my life
I realise in a world where some have more and some have less
I have love and I am blessed

So many changes this world can put you through
Sometimes it's hard to find a way if a heart can get confused
But then I hold you and it all falls into place
You've given me what time cannot erase
So when I'm feeling down or feel sorry for myself
I look around and it's easy to tell

That I am blessed, every time I look into my baby's eyes
I think of all the friends who touched my life
I realise in a world where some have more and some have less
I have love and I am blessed

Every time I look into my baby's eyes

I realise I think of all the friends who touched my life

And I am blessed (I am blessed)
Every time I look into my baby's eyes (I look into your eyes)
I think of all the friends who have touched my life
I realise (I realise) you've given me such peace and happiness
In this world where some have more and some have less
I am loved
And I am blessed

More from A. W. Pink

On Divine Providence and Carnal Methods
From here

Second, a proper acquaintance with the grand truth of Divine Providence should also be of real help in guarding us against having recourse to artifice and craft, in the propagation of the Truth. The Apostle Paul, in spite of all his zeal for the Gospel, disdained all worldly wisdom in his efforts to advance its progress: he commended the Truth to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. Then let us stick to the means of God’s ordering and rigorously eschew all human inventions. Temptations to compromise, to lower the standard, to bring in fleshly devices so as to “draw the young people,” are multiplying today. While in Glasgow, recently, the writer seriously offended “a Christian brother” because we asked a personal favour that there should be no special “solo” sung the night we preached in his Hall. Even though it appeared that Christianity were in real danger of being banished from the earth, that would not justify our attempting to assist it by worldly methods, carnal devices, or any means which God has not appointed. We are to fight the Lord’s battles with the weapons which He has put into our hands, and leave the “success” to Him! All the ingenuity of man can not and will not extend the Gospel one inch beyond the limits which our sovereign God has assigned. It is at this point faith is so often tested: faithful preaching being sparcely attended, “churches’ with worldly attractions crowded.

- A. W. Pink

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On Anxiety

The best antidote for anxiety is frequent meditation upon God's goodness, power and sufficiency. When the saint can confidently realize "The Lord is My Shepherd," he must draw the conclusion, "I shall not want!" Immediately following our exhortation is, "but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made known unto God." Nothing is too big and nothing is too little to spread before and cast upon the Lord. The "with thanksgiving" is most important, yet it is the point at which we most fail. It means that before we receive God's answer, we thank Him for the same: it is the confidence of the child expecting his Father to be gracious.

- A. W. Pink

================================

On Divine Guidance
From here

But how is the conscientious Christian to act when some emergency confronts him? Suppose he stands at the parting of the ways: two paths, two alternatives, are before him, and he knows not which to choose: what must he do? First, let him heed that most necessary word, which as a rule of general application is ever binding upon us, "he that believeth shall not make haste" (Isa. 28:16). To act from a sudden impulse never becomes a child of God, and to rush ahead of the Lord is sure to involve us in painful consequences. "The LORD is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation (deliverance) of the LORD" (Lam. 3:25, 26). To act in haste generally means that afterward we shall repent at leisure. O how much each of us needs to beg the Lord to daily lay His cooling and quietening hand upon our feverish flesh!

Second, seek unto the Lord for Him to empty your heart of every wish of your own. It is impossible for us to sincerely pray "Thy will be done," until our own will has, by the power of the Holy Spirit, been brought into complete subjection to God. Just so long as there is secret (but real) preference in my heart, my judgment will be biased. While my heart is really set upon the attainment of a certain object, then I am only mocking God when I ask Him to make His way plain before my face; and I am sure to misinterpret all His providences, twisting them to fit my own desire. If an obstacle be in my path, I shall then regard it as a "testing of faith"; if a barrier be removed, I at once jump to the conclusion that God is "undertaking" for me, when instead He may be testing, on the eve of giving me up to my own "heart's lusts" (Psa. 81:12).

This is a point of supreme importance for those who desire their steps to be truly "ordered of the Lord." We cannot discern His best for us while the heart has its own preference. Thus it is imperative that we ask God to empty our hearts of all personal preferences, to remove any secret and set desire of our own. But often it is far from easy to take this attitude before God, the more so if we are not in the habit of seeking grace to mortify the flesh. By nature each of us wants his own way, and chafes against every curb placed upon him. But just as a photographic plate must be a blank if it is to receive the impression of a picture upon it, so our hearts must be freed from their personal bias if God is to work in us "both to will and to do of His good pleasure" (Phil. 2:13).

- A. W. Pink

This last quote is so true in my life.

A Retraction

Deleted a previous post in which I wrote some pretty stupid things. What is man that he should argue with God or the son of man that he should accuse Him.

Let the Judge of all the Earth do right. Forgive my ignorance.

The Will of God by Paul Washer

Amen

Good Cheer by A. W. Pink

From here

“The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous” (Psa. 34:15). Here, Christian reader, is (to borrow an expression from Spurgeon) good cheer for the New Year. We know not what 1942 holds for us, but those who by grace are trusting in the atoning blood of Christ may enter it with the assurance that the friendly gaze of the Lord God is upon them. It is their privilege to enter each day rejoicing in the blessed fact that not for a single second will the Lord their God remove His eyes from them, cease to care for them, or fail to minister to them. Seek to frequently remind yourself that the Lord has pleasure in His people, that His presence is with and His power engaged on behalf of them, that they are assured of His protection and provision for their every need. Then should they not be of good cheer?! Should they not be delivered from worrying care? Should they not go forward in holy confidence and joy? Trials and tests are certain, and so also is their blessed issue. In the darkest hour, remember my brother, my sister, the eyes of the Lord your God are upon you: the eyes of His love, of His favour, of His compassion.

“The eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon” you. What should be our response? The perfect example which our Saviour has left us supplies the answer: “I have set the LORD always before Me” (Psa. 16:18). Yes, our eyes ought ever to be upon Him, and for these reasons. First, we shall only apprehend and appreciate God’s sight of us as we obtain a sight of Him. One who is comparatively unknown to us cannot be confidently reposed upon. We must “acquaint” ourselves with Him if peace is to possess our hearts (Job 22:21); we must eye Him by faith if His mercies are to be spiritually enjoyed. Second, if God looks upon us, much more ought we to look upon Him. When He looks at us as we are in ourselves, He sees nothing but sinfulness and unworthiness; but when we look on Him—what a glorious Object do we behold! Third, the more we are occupied with the Lord our God, the more shall we be weaned from this perishing world, the more shall we be delivered from Satan’s snares, and the better shall we be equipped for the fight of faith (Psa. 34:5). Fourth, the more our hearts are engaged with beholding our covenant God, the greater and grander foretastes shall we obtain of the bliss awaiting us. The glory of Heaven consists in a beholding of God! God looking upon us, we looking upon Him: that is communion. O let us seek to be conscious each day of this year that the eyes of the Lord our God are upon us, and earnestly desire that our hearts may be fixed upon Him.

- A. W. Pink

A Quote

Slightly paraphrased from a book I've been reading.

Faith cometh not from feeling, but feeling from faith

How true is that.

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Reading the Puritans always gives one a quite different perspective on Christianity from that of modern writers (though how one defines modern is up to anyone's guess). The language used is both simple yet profound, at times beautifully elegant and other times frustratingly complicated to work through. Scripture permeates their writings and their writings are often carefully systematized and ordered, with much logical argumentation. Their ability to draw beautiful inferences and analogies from the Old Testament is something often sadly lacking in today's Christian literature.

Am now reading William Bridge's book on "A Lifting Up of the Downcast" and it is an entirely appropriate book for my current season in life. It is a veritable gold mine of wisdom and comfort, though I must confess that sometimes the language used leaves me more than slightly puzzled.

Having gone through roughly a fifth of the book, there is much within it where the writer deals with a Christian's comfort and peace that is so applicable in my life. One point that stuck out was this, as Christians we have no ground for discouragement. Why? Because we do not look within ourselves to find peace and comfort, but rather we are called to look outside of ourselves. In conjunction with a sermon by Paul Washer that I've just heard, there is great liberty in turning one's eyes away from oneself, from one's weaknesses and yes, even one's strengths, and looking upon Him who is able to comfort and fill you to the fullest.

Now there is much good in being introspective, to always examine one's life and motives and to guard against presumption and self-deception. However, if one remains there, where then will one find assurance and peace? For so often do we stumble and fall. Our flesh rises up against us and Satan whispers doubts and accusations into our heart's ears. 'How can God love you after what you've done? Surely you've gone too far this time. Will God do good towards you after all the times you have taken His Grace for granted?' Such is the way Satan attempts to discourage the saints and we must not be ignorant of his devices (2 Cor. 2:11)

Am I good enough? Well we know the answer to that don't we. If we were ever or could ever be good enough, Christ would not need to have died and been pierced for our transgressions. My God is a Living God, and He has promised in His Word that He will do good to those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28). Why then should I despair? Every dark moment is but a passing cloud that covers the light of the sun but for a little time. All my steps were, are and have been planned by the LORD and He knows my every weakness and hurt. Is it not promised that He will not tempt/test us beyond what we can bear?

No guilt in life, no fear in death;
This is the Power of Christ in me.
From life's first cry, to final breath;
Jesus commands my destiny.

Take comfort oh my soul, in the One who was and is and is to come. Trust in the Lord and acknowledge Him in all your ways. Why are you downcast O my soul? Hope in the God of your salvation and He will give you peace, He will give you rest.

No power of hell, no scheme of men;
Can ever pluck me from His hand.
Till He returns, or calls me home;
Here in the Power of Christ I'll stand.

Brothers, let us not remain in discouragement.

A Song

I hope, God willing, to sing one day.



I cherish the treasure
The treasure of you
Lifelong companion
I give myself to you
God has enabled me
To walk with you faithfully
And cherish the treasure
The treasure of you

As I obey the Spirit's voice
And seek to do His will
I then can see the wisdom of His plan
For as He works His will in me
I then can love you selflessly
And by His grace, can pledge my love to you

This sacred vow I make to you
Does not contain an "if"
Though I'm aware that trials lie ahead
I will love you and pray with you
And through it all, I will stay with you
Our home will be a refuge of
Unconditional love

Cherish the treasure
The treasure of you

A Question

Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God.

- Psalm 43:5

2 weeks.

A lot can change in 2 weeks.

Am I really who I say I am?

Father forgive, for indeed I am too weak.



You are forever in my life
You see me through the seasons
Cover me with Your hand
And lead me in Your righteousness
And I look to You


And I wait on You

I will sing to You, Lord
A hymn of love
For Your faithfulness to me
I'm carried in everlasting arms
You'll never let me go
Through it all

A Prayer

23 Nevertheless, I am continually with you;
you hold my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will receive me to glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

27 For behold, those who are far from you shall perish;
you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you.
28 But for me it is good to be near God;
I have made the Lord GOD my refuge,
that I may tell of all your works.

- Psalms 73: 23-28 (Bold mine)

That I may glory in the Sovereignty and Power of my God, for all of His plans are good. To find refuge and peace and to dwell in His presence forever and ever.

We Are The Reason

As little children we would dream of Christmas morn
Of all the gifts and toys we knew we’d find
But we never realized a baby born one blessed night
Gave us the greatest gift of our lives

*We were the reason that He gave His life
We were the reason that He suffered and died
To a world that was lost He gave all He could give
To show us the reason to live

As the years went by we learned more about gifts
The giving of ourselves and what that means
On a dark and cloudy day a man hung crying in the rain
All because of love
All because of love

*Chorus

I finally found the reason for living
It’s in giving every part of my heart to Him (every part to Him)
And all that I do every word that I say (you know I’ll be saying)
I’ll be giving my all just for Him, for Him (every thing for Him)

Musing (III)

On Humility and Hypocrisy

1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy,
2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.
3 Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
7 but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross

- Phil. 2: 1-8

Pride is such a subtle thing. It slithers around in the shadows of our lives, waiting for any opportunity to rear its ugly head. In one's walk with God, the ever-present temptation is for one to exalt one's own learning or experience over those whom we perceive as weaker in the Faith.

1 Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that "all of us possess knowledge." This "knowledge" puffs up, but love builds up.
2 If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know.
3 But if anyone loves God, he is known by God.

- 1 Cor. 8: 1-3

So dangerous is such spiritual pride that the Apostle Paul himself, having received great and wondrous revelations from God, was given a thorn in the flesh lest he grow conceited.

6 Though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me.
7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.

- 2 Cor. 12: 6-7

Have we not all grown conceited in one way or another? One boasts in his bible knowledge, another boasts in his many visions from God. One revels in his many good deeds, while another takes great pride in his many fasts, prayers and acts of piety. Hear then the words of our Lord.

1 "Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

2 "Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
5 "And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

- Matt. 6: 1-6

"What's the point of being humble if no one knows about it." Fascinating quote is it not? Do we at times actively seek to hide our good deeds or do we take every opportunity to let people know how "pious" and "humble" we are? God knows how many times I have struggled in this, when I have given and thought in my heart, 'now that's quite a large sum. Man do I feel good about myself.' Or when after attending a prayer meeting or bible study, one thinks to himself 'look, what a good Christian I am that I attend such meetings, so unlike those other carnal christians.' Oh brothers that should not be! Rather, we should ever be so desirous that those weaker amongst us should be built up in the Faith and that their hearts may be stirred into serving the Lord more and more with what they have, not out of a sense of any innate superiority, but with a certain lowliness and gratefulness for God's Grace in our lives.

(Now I know that the nature of my posts here may seem contradictory to what I am saying here, and I do not doubt that fact that often in writing have I fallen into the temptation of desiring others to know of my piety.)

Let us be exceedingly wary and watchful of the deceitfulness of our own hearts, for so often are we soon exposed for our hypocrisy.

21 you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal?
22 You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?
23 You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law.
24 For, as it is written, "The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you."

- Roms. 2: 21-24

Here then is the tragic end of all our hypocrisy, that God's Name is itself scorned and ridiculed by the World. How can we endure such an affront to our Master's Name? Surely He has every right to deal with us harshly and justly. Let us seek to live our lives in such a way so as to not bring such shame to our Lord.

Lord be merciful to us.

Musing (II)

On Revival

Sometimes I wonder how much I really know about revival.When the simple question,"What is revival?" is put to one, how can I reply? Do I really know about revival at all? Sure I've read books about it, mainly by Leonard Ravenhill, as well as heard a few sermons on it, but looking at it again, it really isn't that much. There was that one year in 2000 that one could say had portents of being a revival, but that one too didn't exactly last very long nor were it's results earth-shattering.

Over the years, one can become cynical about revivals, especially when that term is bandied about and applied to any event where there seems to be some outpouring of emotions and religious fervor. What is revival and why do we desire it? As my friend shared, sometimes one wonders whether one desires revival as a cure-all for all the (perceived?) problems in the church today. Rather than diligently reading God's Word and seeking to apply it, we would rather sit on our thumbs and wait for God to clean up our mess. Now I am in no way denying that true spiritual reformation in the Church is solely dependent on God's Hand and Power, but there is no denying the fact that God has commanded us to do certain things in His Word.

As to the essence of revival, what exactly is it? As people go to a multitude of conferences throughout the year in order to "acquire the fire", what exactly is the point of it all? So many go and come back just as carnal and worldly as they were before. Or some come back with a fire that lasts for but a few short weeks before dissipating without any long-term change. Is God's power really so weak in this day and age? Why do so many go and experience such "revivals" without any change in them? I think of all those camps, both in ACS and in church where there seemed to be such great outpourings of emotions and numerous re-dedications and within a month one would be hard-pressed to find any traces of either.

12 "Yet even now," declares the LORD,
"return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
13 and rend your hearts and not your garments."
Return to the LORD your God,
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love;
and he relents over disaster.
14 Who knows whether he will not turn and relent,
and leave a blessing behind him,
a grain offering and a drink offering
for the LORD your God?
15 Blow the trumpet in Zion;
consecrate a fast;
call a solemn assembly;
16 gather the people.
Consecrate the congregation;
assemble the elders;
gather the children,
even nursing infants.
Let the bridegroom leave his room,
and the bride her chamber.

17 Between the vestibule and the altar
let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep
and say, "Spare your people, O LORD,
and make not your heritage a reproach,
a byword among the nations.
Why should they say among the peoples,
'Where is their God?'"

- Joel 2: 12-17

Musing (I)

By God's Grace and Plan I've had a couple of particularly humbling and soul-stirring conversations over the past 12 hours with individuals who have seen much more of this world and are certainly much wiser than me in many respects. I hope to compile my thoughts and convictions before the passage of time steals it away from me.

*Edit*
I didn't expect it to turn out to be so long. Will be splitting it into about 3 separate posts. I hope it will not be a chore to read.

====================================================

On Love unconditional, friends and relationships
(As i write this I must confess, who am I to speak on the Love of God? Who can comprehend His Love? Who can say decisively this is what God's Love is and no more? Oh that God would be gracious to me.)

Is it possible for a person to love another person without an agenda? Is it the call of unconditional love to love others without a view of their conversion? Was Christ's love for the sinner simply an acceptance of their sinful state period?

In the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, one of its most striking features was the rarity of His ministering to the Pharisees and Scribes and that far more often He was found with the 'great' sinners of the day, tax collectors and prostitutes.

29 And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them.
30 And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?"

- Luke 5: 29-30

Here we see Jesus fellowshipping with these group of tax-collectors, ignoring the social stigma associated with them. As the Pharisees complained, we would do well to note Jesus' answer.

31 And Jesus answered them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.
32 I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance."

- Luke 5: 31-32

Who will dare say that Jesus was displaying anything less than unconditional love as He dined and ministered to the outcasts of society, and yet He states with alarming clarity, "I have come to call sinners to repentance." Would we today say He was loving them with an agenda?

14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God,
15and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel."

- Mark 1:14-15

As we pass through this life, there seems to be a constant struggle between keeping fellowship with other believers and developing friendships with those who are not of the Faith. Admittedly there are extreme cases where one tends to fall on one side while neglecting the other and to my shame I have been guilty of it. On the one hand, one does not seek to interact with and understand one's unbelieving friends, while on the other, one may attempt to so understand them that it compromises several fundamental issues.

Moving on to the charge that to develop friendships with the view of sharing the Gospel with them results in a sort of compromise love that is inferior to "unconditional" love, we have already seen that Jesus Himself ministered with a view of their eventual repentance.

However, to put it in another perspective, if one were to really love another person, would not one then seek to give that person the best possible gift? What good would it do for that person if you were to be the best friend to him, to the point of even caring for him on his deathbed, if you would not proclaim the Gospel to him? Is that not the problem with so much of our Social Gospel/Justice programmes that the Church seems to be so involved in? Admittedly, one could indeed bring a valid charge that churches as a whole are lacking in this aspect of social outreach, but that does not detract from the main point. If James could denounce the prayers and well-wishes of a man who does not physically provide for others, how much more should we denounce those who would give all they have to the poor, but have not the love to proclaim the greatest news in all Creation to them?

So is such "unconditional" love superior? Granted that one must never be obnoxious but instead speak with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15), as Christians we live with the realization that one day, Man will be called to account for his deeds. We all will stand before God, before Christ Himself and be judged, and whosoever's name is not found in the Book of Life, he will be cast into Hell. What will our unbelieving friends and family say of our love and friendship then?

I write this with much sadness and trembling, knowing that I myself have sinned so greatly in this. I think of all those people I've met in NS, NUS and ACS. All of those whom I now work with in the office and factory. How do I still fear the opinions of men. I fear I will have much to be ashamed about when Christ returns.

=====================================

With regards to relationships and marriage, does such "unconditional" love preclude the use of, for lack of a better word, criteria and/or "checklists" when considering a partner?

On the one hand of course it would be ridiculous to say one should not be discerning in choosing a partner whom one would be spending the rest of one's life with. How many tragic stories have we heard where a believer had chosen to join himself/herself to an unbeliever, much to the detriment of his/her spiritual walk. Surely it then calls for a serious consideration of a person's godliness and love for God as one searches for a partner.

On the other hand, such criterion can be taken too far. We do not seek perfection, but rather, as Christ loves His Bride who is far from perfect, we are called to forbear and love the partners whom God give us in spite of their shortcomings or weaknesses.

Of course there are criterion that are, in my opinion, simply inconsequential. Wealth, status, ability, intelligence, domestic skill, physical beauty, perhaps even personality which can be deceiving. Granted that at times we are drawn to such things and to possess them is not a sin in and of itself, but the essential foundation of a relationship cannot and should not be built upon such temporal things that may change drastically with time.

The second question then asked is this, "it's all well and good to love/be attracted to a person who is godly and pious, but what happens should that person backslides or turns away from Christ? Would your love change then and would it not then be 'un-unconditional' love?"

Now of course one cannot see what the future holds and to deny that such occurrences are impossible is to simply deceive oneself. There are many examples of men and women who used to seem to walk closely with the Lord and who were extremely passionate about God, but who now have either completely fallen away or whose love has grown cold. Without getting into a debate regarding issues like the Perseverance of the Saints or the question of divorce, what should be the believing spouse's response? (I know I am completely unqualified in making such suggestions and there are men who are much wiser and experienced in this matter.)

I believe that when the statement is made that one should be attracted to those godly attributes in a person, one should be careful to distinguish between that which attracts and that which is loved. While godly attributes and fruit should attract us to a person, ultimately the object of love is not the attribute per se, but the person himself/herself. Knowing that we still live in a fallen world and that so much of the sinful nature resides within us, it is almost to be expected that there will be times of much dryness and periods when one does not seem to be walking with Christ.

When such times occur, the response is not and should not be a reduction in love or doubting of God's plan, but rather an even greater increase in love for that person, faithfully praying and persuading him/her to repentance and restoration. Such is the unconditional love displayed that reflects Christ's love for a Church, that so often turns away, and brings much glory to His Name.

The Madness of My Youh

Was just reading something online and all the silly things I used to do when I was younger just seemed to flood into my mind. All the times spent running around in ACS and accomplishing nothing. The years spent in NUS just doing the bare minimum to get by. The hundreds of wasted hours spent playing computer games, which looking back seems to be one of the greatest tragedies of my life (and I am not trying to be dramatic here!).

All that time lost for eternity. Even after God had convicted me and removed much of my spiritual blindness two years ago, I had persisted in so much vain folly. Vanity of vanities! Why hadn't You struck me blind like you did Your Apostle Paul while he was on his way to Damascus? That though he recovered his physical sight, he remained blinded to all that the World has.

Oh Lord how I wished you had disciplined me sooner and torn down all my pride and spiritual blindness. That You would have wrested from me every idol that I had clung to so closely to my breast. Why did you let me run with such madness for so long oh Lord. Oh that I would have looked towards heaven, that my reason would have returned to me.

I cannot return to those lost years, all the time that I had squandered away. Forgive me this great wrong!

6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.
7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.
8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.
9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.

- 1 Cor. 15: 6-10 (Bold emphasis mine)