Amos 3:6-7
"If a trumpet is blown in a city will not the people tremble? If a calamity occurs in a city has the Lord done it? Surely the Lord God does nothing unless He reveals His secret counsel to His servants the prophets."
Suffering is unavoidable. Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of heaven (Acts 14:22). You must remember through these hardships, that God does not raise His hand against you without reason. The context of Amos shows that God's calamity is purposeful. Look at the trumpet. Why do people tremble when they hear the trumpet? Because you don't blow the trumpet for no reason! You blow the trumpet to warn of danger! The dark clouds that bring the storm do not come without purpose. As you reflect upon this, as you put your trust in God's sovereignty, you will be purified, you will be challenged, you will grow in your trust to God, you will be conformed more into the image of His Son. I pray all of us can say when we suffer what George Mueller said when he lost his wife, "I miss her in numberless ways, and shall miss her yet more and more. But as a child of God and as a servant of the Lord Jesus I bow. I am satisfied with the will of my heavenly Father. I seek by perfect submission to His holy will to glorify Him. I kiss continually the hand that has thus afflicted me." Stay strong in the Lord and God bless!
Monday, December 29, 2008
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
12-21-08 Sermon Review
Putting Christ back into Christ-mas
Christmas brings very mixed feelings for me. I love the holidays, and as one song puts it, “It's the most wonderful time of the year.” But it's also a season that makes me grieve. It is a holiday where Christ's name is thrown out and Christmas songs like Hark the Herald Angel Sings are sung, yet the world as a majority cares nothing about Christ. Christ is all but forgotten in the Christmas celebration.
Recently, I read a news article that told of the first public Christmas celebration in Baghdad. That caught me by surprise. In an area where it is predominantly Muslim, they were celebrating Christmas. It reminded me that Christmas has become so secularized that it holds little or no meaning at all. A day that we have set aside to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the infinite God-man, a day that we have set aside to proclaim His worth and His mystery, a day that we have set aside to glorify God and reflect on “peace to men on earth,” has become another worldly holiday.
Christians, we have an obligation, not to the flesh to live according to the flesh, but an obligation to the Lord. The world might be celebrating Christmas for whatever reasons, but I beg of you, Christian, to celebrate Christmas because of Christ. How will Christmas exalt Christ? That should be the blaring question for all believers. Christmas for the Christian should stand as a reminder of glorious truths. It should stand as a reminder of the glory of Jesus Christ in His person and a reminder of salvation by grace.
A Reminder of the Glory of Christ – As we reflect on the night that Jesus was born, I want you to consider these four points. 1) Jesus' wonder. He is not only God, but now human. The day we celebrate is the day we celebrate God putting upon Himself humanity. That is too wonderful for me. There is none like Him. Infinitely God and infinitely man. 2) Jesus' perfect obedience. Jesus put upon Himself humanity in obedience to the Father. Christ says, “A Body you have prepared for me... Behold, I have come... to do your will” (Hebrews 10:5,7). And He did. He became man, and He obeyed unto death. 3) Jesus' closeness. Oh what a wonder that Jesus is Immanuel, God with us! The author of Hebrews tells us that Jesus "had to be made like His brethren" (Hebrews 2:17). "He is not ashamed to call [us] brethren” (Hebrews 2:11). Jesus' birth as a human should remind us of how close and near He is to us. 4) Jesus' bodily return. Jesus did not put on humanity for a short time. It is for eternity. He will return not as a spirit but as a perfect human. This is proclaimed in Gabriel's prophecy to Mary. Jesus will sit on the throne of His father David and rule over Israel (Luke 1:32,33). This has not happened yet. The promise made is yet to come. Christmas should remind us of this future fulfillment.
A Reminder of Salvation by Grace – I love, I love what Simeon says when he sees the baby Lord Jesus in Jerusalem. “Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, according to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light of revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel” (Luke 2:29-32). So, what Simeon saw in the face of Jesus Christ was God's salvation. Oh, how Christmas should remind us of it! As we reflect on Christ come down, oh how we need to remind ourselves of God's provision in salvation! Now, what did Jesus' birth mean for the Angels? Here is their proclamation, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men with whom He is pleased” (Luke 2: 14). First, they resound glory to God. Second, they proclaim a message of peace. If Christmas doesn't remind you of the peace that was wrought through the death of a human Jesus, you've lost the meaning of Christmas. Read Romans 5 to remind you of what peace we have in Christ Jesus.
Please, brothers and sisters, make much of Christ this Christmas season. The world does enough lip service to a Christ they do not know or care about. Let not Christ find us celebrating in vain. Let us make much of Him and cherish what He wrought as a human. As we do, I pray our Christmas would be ever more joyous, ever more meaningful. Jesus Christ, how precious You are! Stay strong in the Lord and God bless!
Christmas brings very mixed feelings for me. I love the holidays, and as one song puts it, “It's the most wonderful time of the year.” But it's also a season that makes me grieve. It is a holiday where Christ's name is thrown out and Christmas songs like Hark the Herald Angel Sings are sung, yet the world as a majority cares nothing about Christ. Christ is all but forgotten in the Christmas celebration.
Recently, I read a news article that told of the first public Christmas celebration in Baghdad. That caught me by surprise. In an area where it is predominantly Muslim, they were celebrating Christmas. It reminded me that Christmas has become so secularized that it holds little or no meaning at all. A day that we have set aside to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the infinite God-man, a day that we have set aside to proclaim His worth and His mystery, a day that we have set aside to glorify God and reflect on “peace to men on earth,” has become another worldly holiday.
Christians, we have an obligation, not to the flesh to live according to the flesh, but an obligation to the Lord. The world might be celebrating Christmas for whatever reasons, but I beg of you, Christian, to celebrate Christmas because of Christ. How will Christmas exalt Christ? That should be the blaring question for all believers. Christmas for the Christian should stand as a reminder of glorious truths. It should stand as a reminder of the glory of Jesus Christ in His person and a reminder of salvation by grace.
A Reminder of the Glory of Christ – As we reflect on the night that Jesus was born, I want you to consider these four points. 1) Jesus' wonder. He is not only God, but now human. The day we celebrate is the day we celebrate God putting upon Himself humanity. That is too wonderful for me. There is none like Him. Infinitely God and infinitely man. 2) Jesus' perfect obedience. Jesus put upon Himself humanity in obedience to the Father. Christ says, “A Body you have prepared for me... Behold, I have come... to do your will” (Hebrews 10:5,7). And He did. He became man, and He obeyed unto death. 3) Jesus' closeness. Oh what a wonder that Jesus is Immanuel, God with us! The author of Hebrews tells us that Jesus "had to be made like His brethren" (Hebrews 2:17). "He is not ashamed to call [us] brethren” (Hebrews 2:11). Jesus' birth as a human should remind us of how close and near He is to us. 4) Jesus' bodily return. Jesus did not put on humanity for a short time. It is for eternity. He will return not as a spirit but as a perfect human. This is proclaimed in Gabriel's prophecy to Mary. Jesus will sit on the throne of His father David and rule over Israel (Luke 1:32,33). This has not happened yet. The promise made is yet to come. Christmas should remind us of this future fulfillment.
A Reminder of Salvation by Grace – I love, I love what Simeon says when he sees the baby Lord Jesus in Jerusalem. “Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, according to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light of revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel” (Luke 2:29-32). So, what Simeon saw in the face of Jesus Christ was God's salvation. Oh, how Christmas should remind us of it! As we reflect on Christ come down, oh how we need to remind ourselves of God's provision in salvation! Now, what did Jesus' birth mean for the Angels? Here is their proclamation, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men with whom He is pleased” (Luke 2: 14). First, they resound glory to God. Second, they proclaim a message of peace. If Christmas doesn't remind you of the peace that was wrought through the death of a human Jesus, you've lost the meaning of Christmas. Read Romans 5 to remind you of what peace we have in Christ Jesus.
Please, brothers and sisters, make much of Christ this Christmas season. The world does enough lip service to a Christ they do not know or care about. Let not Christ find us celebrating in vain. Let us make much of Him and cherish what He wrought as a human. As we do, I pray our Christmas would be ever more joyous, ever more meaningful. Jesus Christ, how precious You are! Stay strong in the Lord and God bless!
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
11/30 & 12/7 Sermon Review
Dangers of Legalism (originally Sabbath and Legalism)
John 5:9-18
I don't know what you think about legalism, but I hate it. I also fear it because I am so prone to fall into it. I fear it because I can find myself thinking like a legalist. We must fight against this tendency to become legalists. How? Today in our passage, I want you to see some of the great dangers of legalism through the depiction of the Pharisees. It should help us tremble at the sight of legalism. It should help us flee from the law of works into the law of grace. Note these dangers, and fight against legalism. If you see that these dangers are already apparent in your life, flee. Change your ways and turn to grace before it kills your soul.
Legalism makes us cold to acts of grace - Notice that the first thing that the Pharisees notice about the man who was healed is the mat that he is carrying. How cold must they have been to address that issue rather than give praise to God for a miracle. Such a miraculous healing should have pointed to the reality that God is visiting His people, but all that these legalists could care for was that their law was not being upheld strictly. They did not know how to rejoice; they did not know how to be thankful. Are you thankful? Do you rejoice when others are rejoicing? If not, you might be a legalist.
Legalism tampers with God's Word - The Pharisees noticed the man was carrying a mat. In the strictest sense, such an activity was not prohibited in the Law. Where did the idea that carrying a mat was against the Sabbath Law come from? The Pharisees abided by what we call the Mishnah. In it, they decided on various tasks that forbidden during the Sabbath. Thirty-nine to be exact. One of them was carrying your bed, and that is what the "pallet" in our text refers to. It was probably a mat stuffed with straw that could be rolled up and carried around. That was the bed in those days. But like I said, this was not in the original commandment. They were going above what the Scripture has written. At first, that sounds like being super righteous, but it is actually a display of great pride. Do not add to God's Word; He takes it very seriously. Read Revelations 22:18-19 if you don't believe me.
Legalism promotes self-righteousness which encourages blame-shifting - The healed man doesn't react any better. The first thing he says to respond to the Pharisee's accusation is "He who made me well was the one who said to me, 'Pick up your pallet and walk.'" In legalism, you have to follow the law perfectly to be righteous. Your performance is your righteousness. So what happens if you're caught? If you're caught, then you better have an excuse. If not, you're no longer righteous, and you're in trouble. I believe that's what we're seeing here. Do you blame other people for the sins you commit? You might be more of a legalist than you thought. You might be trusting in your performance more than you thought. When you sin, take responsibility for it. The man here really didn't sin though. So another exhortation, do not let people put upon you a legal standard that is not from the Word of God. If they do, gently remind them that there is a higher authority than their traditions. God's Word is the ultimate authority.
Legalism promotes sin in the long run - Still, I sympathize with the legalists. I can understand their heart in some ways; I had legalistic tendencies before. Most of the time, the legalists that I see become legalists because they have a passion for righteousness. They set boundaries for themselves not because they want to disobey, but because they want to obey. But I want you to remember this: legalism promotes sin in the long run. These Jews had a passion for the Law, but because of their passion for the Law, they started persecuting Jesus. John tells us it was exactly because of their traditions that they persecuted Jesus (v. 16). Persecution is never the answer, never the right way to respond when someone disagrees with you. Legalism ultimately grows in us a heart of hatred which is murder according to Jesus. Beware, your pursuit for righteousness through the law can very well and will back fire on you. Legalism promotes sin in the long run.
Legalism hinders the Father's work - I love how Jesus responds to these accusations. He answered, "My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working" (vs. 17). What an indictment! When we are so caught up with our laws and our traditions, we have the great tendency to forget what God is doing. It almost always works that way. I've never seen a legalist do great things for God in regards to the Great Commission. Who cares if God is doing some work? All I need is to be righteous and that's it isn't it? So the legalist thinks. You might htink that your legalistic tendencies are helping you in pursuing God's will and finishing God's work. It's not. It's hindering you, and it's killing you. If you want to serve the Lord, you must cut off all ties to legalism.
Legalism kills Jesus - The legalist has no need for Jesus. Actually, the legalist is offended by Jesus. He stands there as a sign that man's righteousness is not enough. A sacrifice that is greater than what man can offer must be given. The Pharisees knew that Jesus was danger for their own righteousness. What started off with simple hatred led to murder. The legalist killed Jesus. And the legalists of our day still put Jesus back up on that cross. He says Christ's sacrifice is not enough. The greatest act of love from God towards sinners is nothing. Hear the words of Paul: "I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, Christ died needlessly" (Galatians 2:21). Legalism does not care if Jesus dies. Legalism does all it can to get rid of Jesus. John Macarthur says, "For the Jews it was either Jesus of the Sabbath, and they chose the Sabbath and killed Jesus. That was the choice." Legalist, you have choice. It is either your laws or your Christ. What will get rid of?
Legalism is horrible. It destroys the soul; it robs God of His glory; it kills the affections; and it destroys the work of Christ. Do not take legalism lightly. It is an offense to God and His grace. It required the Son of God to die in order to redeem those trapped by the Law. It is no small thing. Fight legalism. Grab a hold of grace. Cling to the cross. Stay steadfast in Christ's righteousness. And may God bless you beyond all that you've imagined. Let Him free you from the shackles of legalism and put upon you the yoke of Christ. And let Him led you into rest. Stay strong in the Lord and god bless!
John 5:9-18
I don't know what you think about legalism, but I hate it. I also fear it because I am so prone to fall into it. I fear it because I can find myself thinking like a legalist. We must fight against this tendency to become legalists. How? Today in our passage, I want you to see some of the great dangers of legalism through the depiction of the Pharisees. It should help us tremble at the sight of legalism. It should help us flee from the law of works into the law of grace. Note these dangers, and fight against legalism. If you see that these dangers are already apparent in your life, flee. Change your ways and turn to grace before it kills your soul.
Legalism makes us cold to acts of grace - Notice that the first thing that the Pharisees notice about the man who was healed is the mat that he is carrying. How cold must they have been to address that issue rather than give praise to God for a miracle. Such a miraculous healing should have pointed to the reality that God is visiting His people, but all that these legalists could care for was that their law was not being upheld strictly. They did not know how to rejoice; they did not know how to be thankful. Are you thankful? Do you rejoice when others are rejoicing? If not, you might be a legalist.
Legalism tampers with God's Word - The Pharisees noticed the man was carrying a mat. In the strictest sense, such an activity was not prohibited in the Law. Where did the idea that carrying a mat was against the Sabbath Law come from? The Pharisees abided by what we call the Mishnah. In it, they decided on various tasks that forbidden during the Sabbath. Thirty-nine to be exact. One of them was carrying your bed, and that is what the "pallet" in our text refers to. It was probably a mat stuffed with straw that could be rolled up and carried around. That was the bed in those days. But like I said, this was not in the original commandment. They were going above what the Scripture has written. At first, that sounds like being super righteous, but it is actually a display of great pride. Do not add to God's Word; He takes it very seriously. Read Revelations 22:18-19 if you don't believe me.
Legalism promotes self-righteousness which encourages blame-shifting - The healed man doesn't react any better. The first thing he says to respond to the Pharisee's accusation is "He who made me well was the one who said to me, 'Pick up your pallet and walk.'" In legalism, you have to follow the law perfectly to be righteous. Your performance is your righteousness. So what happens if you're caught? If you're caught, then you better have an excuse. If not, you're no longer righteous, and you're in trouble. I believe that's what we're seeing here. Do you blame other people for the sins you commit? You might be more of a legalist than you thought. You might be trusting in your performance more than you thought. When you sin, take responsibility for it. The man here really didn't sin though. So another exhortation, do not let people put upon you a legal standard that is not from the Word of God. If they do, gently remind them that there is a higher authority than their traditions. God's Word is the ultimate authority.
Legalism promotes sin in the long run - Still, I sympathize with the legalists. I can understand their heart in some ways; I had legalistic tendencies before. Most of the time, the legalists that I see become legalists because they have a passion for righteousness. They set boundaries for themselves not because they want to disobey, but because they want to obey. But I want you to remember this: legalism promotes sin in the long run. These Jews had a passion for the Law, but because of their passion for the Law, they started persecuting Jesus. John tells us it was exactly because of their traditions that they persecuted Jesus (v. 16). Persecution is never the answer, never the right way to respond when someone disagrees with you. Legalism ultimately grows in us a heart of hatred which is murder according to Jesus. Beware, your pursuit for righteousness through the law can very well and will back fire on you. Legalism promotes sin in the long run.
Legalism hinders the Father's work - I love how Jesus responds to these accusations. He answered, "My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working" (vs. 17). What an indictment! When we are so caught up with our laws and our traditions, we have the great tendency to forget what God is doing. It almost always works that way. I've never seen a legalist do great things for God in regards to the Great Commission. Who cares if God is doing some work? All I need is to be righteous and that's it isn't it? So the legalist thinks. You might htink that your legalistic tendencies are helping you in pursuing God's will and finishing God's work. It's not. It's hindering you, and it's killing you. If you want to serve the Lord, you must cut off all ties to legalism.
Legalism kills Jesus - The legalist has no need for Jesus. Actually, the legalist is offended by Jesus. He stands there as a sign that man's righteousness is not enough. A sacrifice that is greater than what man can offer must be given. The Pharisees knew that Jesus was danger for their own righteousness. What started off with simple hatred led to murder. The legalist killed Jesus. And the legalists of our day still put Jesus back up on that cross. He says Christ's sacrifice is not enough. The greatest act of love from God towards sinners is nothing. Hear the words of Paul: "I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, Christ died needlessly" (Galatians 2:21). Legalism does not care if Jesus dies. Legalism does all it can to get rid of Jesus. John Macarthur says, "For the Jews it was either Jesus of the Sabbath, and they chose the Sabbath and killed Jesus. That was the choice." Legalist, you have choice. It is either your laws or your Christ. What will get rid of?
Legalism is horrible. It destroys the soul; it robs God of His glory; it kills the affections; and it destroys the work of Christ. Do not take legalism lightly. It is an offense to God and His grace. It required the Son of God to die in order to redeem those trapped by the Law. It is no small thing. Fight legalism. Grab a hold of grace. Cling to the cross. Stay steadfast in Christ's righteousness. And may God bless you beyond all that you've imagined. Let Him free you from the shackles of legalism and put upon you the yoke of Christ. And let Him led you into rest. Stay strong in the Lord and god bless!
Monday, December 22, 2008
Christmas Indeed
Luke 2:13-14
"And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased."
Verses like these should not only spur in us joy of the present peace we experience. It should push us to long for the future glory of King Jesus' return. Here is what Joni Eareckson Tada has to say:
"On this side of eternity, Christmas is still a promise. Yes, the Savior has come, and with him peace on earth, but the story is not finished. Yes, there is peace in our hearts, but we long for peace in our world.
Every Christmas is still ‘a turning of the page’ until Jesus returns. Every December 25 marks another year that draws us closer to the fulfillment of the ages, that draws us closer to . . . home.
When we realize that Jesus is the answer to our deepest longing, even Christmas longings, each Advent brings us closer to his glorious return to earth. When we see him as he is, King of kings and Lord of lords, that will be ‘Christmas’ indeed!"
Stay strong in the Lord and God bless!
"And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased."
Verses like these should not only spur in us joy of the present peace we experience. It should push us to long for the future glory of King Jesus' return. Here is what Joni Eareckson Tada has to say:
"On this side of eternity, Christmas is still a promise. Yes, the Savior has come, and with him peace on earth, but the story is not finished. Yes, there is peace in our hearts, but we long for peace in our world.
Every Christmas is still ‘a turning of the page’ until Jesus returns. Every December 25 marks another year that draws us closer to the fulfillment of the ages, that draws us closer to . . . home.
When we realize that Jesus is the answer to our deepest longing, even Christmas longings, each Advent brings us closer to his glorious return to earth. When we see him as he is, King of kings and Lord of lords, that will be ‘Christmas’ indeed!"
Stay strong in the Lord and God bless!
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
11/16 & 11/23 Sermon Review
A Picture of Grace
The Gospel of John is all about Jesus. It displays great truths about Jesus in very simple stories. In our passage today, we'll see how John teaches us about grace through one of these stories. From the beginning, John had displayed grace as a fundamental characteristic of Christ. He writes that "grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ" (John 1:17). Though grace often points to salvation, I also want us to think of grace as the manner in which God interacts with fallen creation. It is not only the elect that experience God's grace. There are five truths concerning grace that I would like for us to see.
Grace comes to the helpless - First thing we notice is that Jesus visited the pool at Bethseda when He entered Jerusalem. John describes to us that it was filled with "sick, blind, lame, and withered" people who were hoping to be healed by some sort of superstitious belief about the "stirring of the waters" (John 5:3-4). Those that were there by the pool were people who could not help themselves. They were probably either poor and unable to get treatment, sick with an incurable disease, or suffering from an untreatable injury. It was one of these men that Jesus decided to display His grace. Did not Jesus say that the healthy have no need of a doctor? Jesus displays grace to those who cannot help themselves.
Grace is not given to all equally - Notice that in this story, Jesus did not heal everybody. One might say that Jesus was not fair. We must realize that the prerogative to dispense grace lies solely in the giver. Jesus did heal many people, but He did not heal everybody. Was it because Jesus could not heal everybody? That is obviously untrue. Jesus did not heal everybody because He chose not to. That is His prerogative. Jesus sought out the sick man. Jesus asked of him, "Do you wish to get well?" (John 5:6). Jesus told him, "Get up, pick up your pallet and walk" (John 5:8). It was all Jesus' doing, Jesus' choice. This does not make Christ less gracious; it actually proves that He is.
Grace comes to those who do not deserve it - Notice the kind of man who Jesus healed. This was a man whose only concern was getting healed. There were blind men who sought Jesus and asked Him to heal them calling Him the Son of David and begging for mercy (Matthew gives two accounts 9:27-31; 20:29-34). But our subject for today had Jesus right before his eyes and he cared not for who He was. This man was also a sinner, as expressed by Jesus' statement in verse 14. The man's illness very well could have been due to a sinful act that he committed. It doesn't end there. This man would rather believe in a superstition than in the God of glory. He was not seeking God; he was only looking for a way to get healed. He spent thirty-eight years by the pool when he could have spent thirty-eight years in the temple. Yet, it was this sort of man that Jesus healed. This undeserving sinner received grace.
Grace is a real reflection of God's goodness - Grace reveals to us that God is indeed good. All that this sick man wanted was healing. His answer to Jesus' question, "Do you wish to get well?" clearly shows that. So Jesus healing this man shows that He was not simply trying to prove that He was able to heal. He was showing that He is good. He wanted that man to "taste and see that the Lord is good" (Psalm 34:8). Wouldn't you? If you were sick with cancer and the pressing prayer of your life was healing, and God healed you, wouldn't you realize that God is good to you? God's gracious dealing with us and His blessings that we do not deserve should lift our eyes to see His goodness. It is interesting to consider that we can not know God to be good by experience if we have not experienced His goodness. Grace is the lens through which we see and experience the goodness of God.
Grace is given regardless of the manner in which it is received - Now, the most surprising aspect of grace, the Lord's grace, is that it is given to both the wicked and the righteous whether they are grateful or not. This man who was ill for thirty-eight years did not even respond with a simple "thank you." Sure, Jesus left while there was a crowd, but when the man meets him a second time, there is really no excuse. What surprises me is that rather than thanking Christ, the man "went away, and told the Jews" (vs. 25). They don't deserve it, and they are not even thankful; yet, God displays His goodness to the likes of these. How patient, how gracious, how good is our God?
We ought to be thankful that God is so gracious towards us. As believers, we experience and know the ultimate act of grace: Christ on the cross for our sins. It is through Christ that we recognize grace the fullness of grace. "For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; but grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ" (John 1:16-17). Only those who know their Savior have realized the grace of God. Only they can be truly thankful. How much should this truth move us to be grateful people, thanking God constantly for His graces? Every good and perfect gift is from above (James 1:17). Let us live with that truth ever before us. Let us live thankfully. Let us live, cherishing all the good we have received in Jesus Christ. Stay strong and God bless!
Adultery
Recently, I read a news article about a South Korean actress who was put on trial for adultery and was found guilty. Apparently, they made an appeal to overturn the law that makes adultery illegal in Korea. I applaud the South Korean judges for upholding their national law that rules adultery as a criminal offence; it should be here in America as well. What is sad is the survey that was cited at the bottom of the article: "According to a survey carried out last year, nearly 68% of South Korean men and 12% of women confess to having sex outside marriage." More than two-thirds of South Korean men have been unfaithful to their wives. Sure, this is simply a survey and can skew reality with numbers, but the fact remains: many men cheat on their wives. Oh what a sad world we live in. Adultery is a horrible sin; yet, we're living in a culture that is largely desensitized to the offence of adultery. I pray articles like these wake us up to see the beauty of commitment and encourage us to purity. Let us look to Christ, the faithful Husband who is preparing His bride the church, so that we may be spotless and blameless. Stay strong and God bless!
Monday, December 15, 2008
Beholding Christ
John 1:29
"The next day [John] saw Jesus coming to him and said, "Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!"
It has always intrigued me that John the Baptist never said "Believe in the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world." The emphasis is on seeing Christ. It is consistent with John the Apostle's approach to building faith; he simply displays Christ in all His glory. Christian faith is not simply about believing in Jesus; it is about beholding Jesus. We must gaze deeply into His riches lest we be found enjoying the gifts rather than the Giver. Christian, make your life much about seeing Jesus and tasting His goodness. Nothing else builds up faith and satisfies the soul more than seeing Christ through the Word. Stay strong in the Lord and God bless!
"The next day [John] saw Jesus coming to him and said, "Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!"
It has always intrigued me that John the Baptist never said "Believe in the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world." The emphasis is on seeing Christ. It is consistent with John the Apostle's approach to building faith; he simply displays Christ in all His glory. Christian faith is not simply about believing in Jesus; it is about beholding Jesus. We must gaze deeply into His riches lest we be found enjoying the gifts rather than the Giver. Christian, make your life much about seeing Jesus and tasting His goodness. Nothing else builds up faith and satisfies the soul more than seeing Christ through the Word. Stay strong in the Lord and God bless!
Monday, December 8, 2008
No Provision for the Flesh
Romans 13:14
"But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts."
This verse was the straw that broke the camel's back for Augustine. After reading this verse, Augustine was convicted of his sins, and repented. He was in a limbo in his spiritual life, wanting to be a Christian yet not desiring full submission to the Lord Jesus Christ. After reading this verse, he realized that he cannot entertain his sinful lifestyle while pursuing God. He must say no to sin and fight it until he defeats it. It was only when Augustine was illumined to this reality that he could call himself saved. Christian, we must take sin seriously. We must put up our guard against evil. We must flee from that which will destroy our souls. We must make no provision for the flesh. Stay strong and God bless!
"But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts."
This verse was the straw that broke the camel's back for Augustine. After reading this verse, Augustine was convicted of his sins, and repented. He was in a limbo in his spiritual life, wanting to be a Christian yet not desiring full submission to the Lord Jesus Christ. After reading this verse, he realized that he cannot entertain his sinful lifestyle while pursuing God. He must say no to sin and fight it until he defeats it. It was only when Augustine was illumined to this reality that he could call himself saved. Christian, we must take sin seriously. We must put up our guard against evil. We must flee from that which will destroy our souls. We must make no provision for the flesh. Stay strong and God bless!
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