Tuesday, May 31, 2011
position yourself
In the outworking of the messiness of life, we are to take our positions, our thinking, our convictions, our decisions, take our bearing and direction from the cross and the person of Christ. We are to make decisions with that one great fact in mind.
I would like my freedom please
I would like my freedom, please, to do what i would be pleased to do, but if you have me to be confined and restrained and bound, i will.
God's mighty grace is the promised land
Romans 3:23-24
for there is no distinction, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
The valley in which all mankind is in is the valley of corruption and sin. Romans 3:22-23 for there is no distinction, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. There we are irreparable, lost, dead in our sins, unable to save ourselves, astray and rebelling against God, hopeless.
'24 and are justified by his grace as a gift'. These same men, lost, corrupted, sinful are then given grace as a gift, through the gift of the Son of God.
Man - 'Justified' - Declared to be righteous, as a gift of unilateral, costly, precious, rescuing grace. Without which the whole human race would be lost, without which man can never come around to know God to be saved.
How do we begin to describe grace of this kind? How can we declare the value and costliness, the necessity of this grace without which we would be irreparably lost? How do we declare this grace into the heart of everyman, the grace which every man, woman and child needs desperately to experience in the heart?
‘O to grace how great a debtor daily I’m constrained to be’ the old hymn writes’ (Come Thou Fount).
If we know truly the costliness and riches and generosity and eternal unchanging nature, the eternal certainty of the blessing of grace towards the believing man, every man will walk Godly out of thankfulness. Embarrassed that such sinners should be given abounding riches of grace and kindness to be forgiven, and justified, grateful and living in the grace of God.
If we truly know the very heart of grace – which is God’s own heart, to rescue, to redeem (purchase to Himself) we would be nothing but constrained (compelled from the inside, persuaded strongly) to walk after Christ and to take hold more of grace without which we cannot walk, cannot live, cannot exist. But out pleasure would be all the more the live in and experience deeply grace and grace more abounding. God’s mighty redeeming, rescuing grace is the promised land for the Christian to live in daily by faith.
for there is no distinction, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
The valley in which all mankind is in is the valley of corruption and sin. Romans 3:22-23 for there is no distinction, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. There we are irreparable, lost, dead in our sins, unable to save ourselves, astray and rebelling against God, hopeless.
'24 and are justified by his grace as a gift'. These same men, lost, corrupted, sinful are then given grace as a gift, through the gift of the Son of God.
Man - 'Justified' - Declared to be righteous, as a gift of unilateral, costly, precious, rescuing grace. Without which the whole human race would be lost, without which man can never come around to know God to be saved.
How do we begin to describe grace of this kind? How can we declare the value and costliness, the necessity of this grace without which we would be irreparably lost? How do we declare this grace into the heart of everyman, the grace which every man, woman and child needs desperately to experience in the heart?
‘O to grace how great a debtor daily I’m constrained to be’ the old hymn writes’ (Come Thou Fount).
If we know truly the costliness and riches and generosity and eternal unchanging nature, the eternal certainty of the blessing of grace towards the believing man, every man will walk Godly out of thankfulness. Embarrassed that such sinners should be given abounding riches of grace and kindness to be forgiven, and justified, grateful and living in the grace of God.
If we truly know the very heart of grace – which is God’s own heart, to rescue, to redeem (purchase to Himself) we would be nothing but constrained (compelled from the inside, persuaded strongly) to walk after Christ and to take hold more of grace without which we cannot walk, cannot live, cannot exist. But out pleasure would be all the more the live in and experience deeply grace and grace more abounding. God’s mighty redeeming, rescuing grace is the promised land for the Christian to live in daily by faith.
Truth and its discovery of man, pressing on towards Zion.
I subscribe to the christian worldview and theories of man, as true, not because they are one opinion of many and the most plausible one because of cogently argued logic. The bible does contain profound and wonderfully sound logic and arguments and positions put forth, but that these are 'true' to me are not because of them.
They are true to me because of the gift of the grace of conviction of their truths. In other words, man does not discover the truth of God. God who is truth grabs hold of man and discloses Himself. In other words, in Christianity, we are not searching for the truth as much as the truth is searching for us. Christianity is the only religion in the world that is founded on the basis that truth discovers man and makes him true. (See apostle paul's conversion for a dramatized version of this.)
God wants to disclose Himself through revelation and grace. Although a man might search the scriptures, and search for God with his heart, somewhere along the way, necessarily, God himself apprehends, grabs hold of, man. In between the truths and thoughts communicated in the bible, the Holy Spirit reaches out to man and plants inescapable conviction of their reality in the heart.
I believe and subscribe to it whole heartedly because its positions have been irrefutably been prooven by me in undeniable experience.
I am sinner, prooven by the perfect law applied to my heart, wretched, fallen, corrupted, in sin, without hope of salvation on my own could never be saved, never be redeemed, having need for redemption, God has come near and sought me and purchased me for sweet forgiveness, to show His grace, righteousness, mercy, I possess a cry within, a longing for a Father and the need to belong, experiencing in part reconciliation with God and sweet divine fellowship, these positions are my privllage to experience and proove as a Christian. Through God's conviction of truth, through His word in my heart, I understand through the Holy Spirit's light and I examine my life and I find these to be reality.
We go through the depths of sorrows for sin and the heights of sweet divine grace. Grace all the sweeter and all the more glorious as a man travels through and is led to see his own condition in the dark and deep valleys of sin and death. The Holy Spirit then leading us up to the mountain heights to gaze upon the glory of the cross where grace divne takes its most glorious place in our hearts, having been prepared by the journey aforesaid. The eye fixes on the wonderful cross, framed in the brightest, highest place by the depths of dark and deep gloom below, kept in the heart as the hope and the glory of the Christian through all his journeyings through life. The deeper I go into conviction of Sin, the higher is the revelation of redemption, grace abounding more abounding abundantly for me. It is not for me to journey into the valley myself, it is the Holy Spirit who leads each one to see both the valley and the mountain on which the cross is planted.
If I know that there is redemption, having tasted of it and experienced its reality presently, the goodness of grace in part, I make it my aim to press on to its full revelation, experience and outworking until i come into the full manifestation of God's redemption and glory.
This is pressing on towards Zion.
They are true to me because of the gift of the grace of conviction of their truths. In other words, man does not discover the truth of God. God who is truth grabs hold of man and discloses Himself. In other words, in Christianity, we are not searching for the truth as much as the truth is searching for us. Christianity is the only religion in the world that is founded on the basis that truth discovers man and makes him true. (See apostle paul's conversion for a dramatized version of this.)
God wants to disclose Himself through revelation and grace. Although a man might search the scriptures, and search for God with his heart, somewhere along the way, necessarily, God himself apprehends, grabs hold of, man. In between the truths and thoughts communicated in the bible, the Holy Spirit reaches out to man and plants inescapable conviction of their reality in the heart.
I believe and subscribe to it whole heartedly because its positions have been irrefutably been prooven by me in undeniable experience.
I am sinner, prooven by the perfect law applied to my heart, wretched, fallen, corrupted, in sin, without hope of salvation on my own could never be saved, never be redeemed, having need for redemption, God has come near and sought me and purchased me for sweet forgiveness, to show His grace, righteousness, mercy, I possess a cry within, a longing for a Father and the need to belong, experiencing in part reconciliation with God and sweet divine fellowship, these positions are my privllage to experience and proove as a Christian. Through God's conviction of truth, through His word in my heart, I understand through the Holy Spirit's light and I examine my life and I find these to be reality.
We go through the depths of sorrows for sin and the heights of sweet divine grace. Grace all the sweeter and all the more glorious as a man travels through and is led to see his own condition in the dark and deep valleys of sin and death. The Holy Spirit then leading us up to the mountain heights to gaze upon the glory of the cross where grace divne takes its most glorious place in our hearts, having been prepared by the journey aforesaid. The eye fixes on the wonderful cross, framed in the brightest, highest place by the depths of dark and deep gloom below, kept in the heart as the hope and the glory of the Christian through all his journeyings through life. The deeper I go into conviction of Sin, the higher is the revelation of redemption, grace abounding more abounding abundantly for me. It is not for me to journey into the valley myself, it is the Holy Spirit who leads each one to see both the valley and the mountain on which the cross is planted.
If I know that there is redemption, having tasted of it and experienced its reality presently, the goodness of grace in part, I make it my aim to press on to its full revelation, experience and outworking until i come into the full manifestation of God's redemption and glory.
This is pressing on towards Zion.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Friday, May 27, 2011
Reflections on Romans 1: the psychology of Sin
Reflections on Romans 1:
The psychological and spiritual make up of man and sin processes in man are worked out by the apostle in this letter:
God who is the centre of all truth and the rightful centre of man's heart and worship.
The unrighteousness and ungodliness in us suppresses the truth that God is God, our creator and Father and is to be honored and worshipped and in the centre of our lives like the sun around which planets orbit.
When we do not love Him as God and see Him in the centre of all things, we start to go astray in our hearts and minds.
1) God and Who He is an inescapable fact: creation and the beauty revealed therein declares His power, glory, beauty, justice. We cannot escape from the fact of God. We must face up to Him, either worship Him or rebel.
2) We will inevitably start to worship other things. Our hearts are made to worship something: self, man, creation are some things listed that man deflects to worship in the centre of the heart, erecting idols that take the place of God in us. God points out the mechanics of the mind and heart of man: the mechanics of the need to worship.
3) The suppression of the truth of God in ungodliness and unrighteousness. Our sin nature automatically and habitually denies God and His existence in order to perpetuate a state of rebellion in us.
4) The suppression of the truth of who God is, and the desire for other Gods and then the worship of these false Gods leads to the debasement of mind and heart and body that leads to sin and death. I myself notice, when i am most tempted to sin, it is not in moments of worship where the person of God is in clear view in heart and mind. In those moments of temptation, I do not remember God - who He is, what He can do, His character and His heart towards me etc. Then my thinking without God in the centre, when my heart starts to worship creation and man and other things, the mind starts to exalt self and self justify sinful actions and thoughts.
5) In this state of falleness and denial of the truth of God and rebellion and sin, man can still vaunt himself to be wise, in proclaiming man's own wisdom and knowledge. Whilst denying the one truth of God. When we deny God and who He is, all our knowledge and wisdom becomes corrupt self justifying for corruption and sin, perpetuating the sin condition.
The inverse is also true, when we understand God, our minds - knowledge and wisdom is put right. We then 'understand all things' and can grow in wisdom and knowledge and understanding in everything rightly as God meant us to understand and know and grow in wisdom and rule and reign.
In that state of self vaunting, in the state of men proclaiming 'I am wise', corruption worsens and is solidified; in this state man can no longer find his way out of sin to God.
6) An interesting thing is that Idolatry ultimately leads to the 'dishonoring of the body' - then the inverse is true, If I worship God the Father, Know the love of Christ, the free gift of righteousness, the hope I have in Christ of eternal salvation and forgiveness, If i know His heart towards me and His value He places on me as a Son, His beloved, If I feed and depend on God as my worship, my food, my source of love and beauty and life, power and wisdom all the day, if I walk in harmony and peace with Him through faith in His blood and receive the Holy spirit, I will keep my body pure and honorable. For God says to me, I have favored you, I have chosen you, I love you, I value and honor you. Isaiah 43:4 Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life. When the revelation Hits my heart of His love for Me, when God is clear in the centre of my minds eye and heart and worship, through teaching, through doctrine, through the renewal of the mind, I will keep myself clean and pure for Him.
7) God is that one truth that we cannot afford to forget, with Him everything then has its place, makes sense and is in order, without that central truth of Who He is, all humanity is off kilter. He is the mighty creator, invisible, holy, righteous, the judge of all from whom wrath comes upon all Sin, Yet from whom comes utmost mercy, love and grace for man kind. Who will judge all by our works yet save us, sanctify us, empower us by faith. Merciful and Kind, Just, Mighty, Holy and Loving.
Can we find a more detailed, descriptive, accurate and true explanation on the nature of man? Search our hearts is this not true of all of us?
The psychological and spiritual make up of man and sin processes in man are worked out by the apostle in this letter:
God who is the centre of all truth and the rightful centre of man's heart and worship.
The unrighteousness and ungodliness in us suppresses the truth that God is God, our creator and Father and is to be honored and worshipped and in the centre of our lives like the sun around which planets orbit.
When we do not love Him as God and see Him in the centre of all things, we start to go astray in our hearts and minds.
1) God and Who He is an inescapable fact: creation and the beauty revealed therein declares His power, glory, beauty, justice. We cannot escape from the fact of God. We must face up to Him, either worship Him or rebel.
2) We will inevitably start to worship other things. Our hearts are made to worship something: self, man, creation are some things listed that man deflects to worship in the centre of the heart, erecting idols that take the place of God in us. God points out the mechanics of the mind and heart of man: the mechanics of the need to worship.
3) The suppression of the truth of God in ungodliness and unrighteousness. Our sin nature automatically and habitually denies God and His existence in order to perpetuate a state of rebellion in us.
4) The suppression of the truth of who God is, and the desire for other Gods and then the worship of these false Gods leads to the debasement of mind and heart and body that leads to sin and death. I myself notice, when i am most tempted to sin, it is not in moments of worship where the person of God is in clear view in heart and mind. In those moments of temptation, I do not remember God - who He is, what He can do, His character and His heart towards me etc. Then my thinking without God in the centre, when my heart starts to worship creation and man and other things, the mind starts to exalt self and self justify sinful actions and thoughts.
5) In this state of falleness and denial of the truth of God and rebellion and sin, man can still vaunt himself to be wise, in proclaiming man's own wisdom and knowledge. Whilst denying the one truth of God. When we deny God and who He is, all our knowledge and wisdom becomes corrupt self justifying for corruption and sin, perpetuating the sin condition.
The inverse is also true, when we understand God, our minds - knowledge and wisdom is put right. We then 'understand all things' and can grow in wisdom and knowledge and understanding in everything rightly as God meant us to understand and know and grow in wisdom and rule and reign.
In that state of self vaunting, in the state of men proclaiming 'I am wise', corruption worsens and is solidified; in this state man can no longer find his way out of sin to God.
6) An interesting thing is that Idolatry ultimately leads to the 'dishonoring of the body' - then the inverse is true, If I worship God the Father, Know the love of Christ, the free gift of righteousness, the hope I have in Christ of eternal salvation and forgiveness, If i know His heart towards me and His value He places on me as a Son, His beloved, If I feed and depend on God as my worship, my food, my source of love and beauty and life, power and wisdom all the day, if I walk in harmony and peace with Him through faith in His blood and receive the Holy spirit, I will keep my body pure and honorable. For God says to me, I have favored you, I have chosen you, I love you, I value and honor you. Isaiah 43:4 Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life. When the revelation Hits my heart of His love for Me, when God is clear in the centre of my minds eye and heart and worship, through teaching, through doctrine, through the renewal of the mind, I will keep myself clean and pure for Him.
7) God is that one truth that we cannot afford to forget, with Him everything then has its place, makes sense and is in order, without that central truth of Who He is, all humanity is off kilter. He is the mighty creator, invisible, holy, righteous, the judge of all from whom wrath comes upon all Sin, Yet from whom comes utmost mercy, love and grace for man kind. Who will judge all by our works yet save us, sanctify us, empower us by faith. Merciful and Kind, Just, Mighty, Holy and Loving.
Can we find a more detailed, descriptive, accurate and true explanation on the nature of man? Search our hearts is this not true of all of us?
Reminders of death and life: an incomplete work
My sins and lusts proove to be remnants and reminders of spiritual death: that only Christ can impart to me the fullness of His life and raise me from the dead.
While that process has already begun in me I must press on to see Him work it out to it's fullness.
What love the Savior has for sinners to give His life, Himself for and to us.
Sent from my iPhone
While that process has already begun in me I must press on to see Him work it out to it's fullness.
What love the Savior has for sinners to give His life, Himself for and to us.
Sent from my iPhone
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Progression
Add to me progressions in Your presence, in righteousness, in boldness in christ likeness, in grace, in wisdom, in knowledge.
My treasure and delight
Let Your presence Your leading, Your voice
Be my pleasure and delight all the day long
Be my pleasure and delight all the day long
Open our eyes
Truely, open our eyes to see You.
'For we cannot but speak of the things we have seen and heard'.
the power of the Holy Spirit filling them, Christ rising into the heavenlies, God working with power through the apostles.
return, Lord return again to your people.
'For we cannot but speak of the things we have seen and heard'.
the power of the Holy Spirit filling them, Christ rising into the heavenlies, God working with power through the apostles.
return, Lord return again to your people.
The fire
Let the fire which but smoulders now in my heart be sustained and blazing till you bring forth the fullness of Your call, Your image in me.
"let the glory of your name
Be the passion of the church
let the righteousness of God
Be a holy flame that burns
Let the saving love of Christ
Be the measure of our lives
We Believe Youre all to us"
-All to us Chris Tomlin
"let the glory of your name
Be the passion of the church
let the righteousness of God
Be a holy flame that burns
Let the saving love of Christ
Be the measure of our lives
We Believe Youre all to us"
-All to us Chris Tomlin
Something about confrontation
Eph 5:13-14
13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,
Just took opportunity to speak with my colleagues after a long silence withthin myself caused by i dont quite know what. - moodiness? mild dark discouragements?
and found that the skies i supposed to be stormy were actually clear and sunny. confrontation dispells the cobwebs and darkness in my mind.
13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,
Just took opportunity to speak with my colleagues after a long silence withthin myself caused by i dont quite know what. - moodiness? mild dark discouragements?
and found that the skies i supposed to be stormy were actually clear and sunny. confrontation dispells the cobwebs and darkness in my mind.
To be a blessing
Col 1:24,25
24 Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.
25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness—
I take up the cross that life and strength and power might work in me, that i may be poured out an offering for your people, that streams of living water might flow through me, to bless and encourage the people whom You love.
That I may know You more, to show the world who You are. give me Your Fathering heart, your holy Fathering power, conform me into Your image Father of wisdom, strength, faithfulness and love. I wait upon Your salvation all the day.
you are a Father of mighty delivering power, delivering Your Children from the furnace of Israel with an outstretchd arm and might hand. A loving deliverer, mighty Father You are. Glorify Christ in us, that the world may know That You sent Him.
Your calling and gifts are unchanging. Your counsels and plans for your Children endure from generation to generation. Reveal the living Christ, the redeemer, our hope our glory in Your Church. in Your children.
Let Your word be with mighty power to change our hearts and lives.
24 Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.
25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness—
I take up the cross that life and strength and power might work in me, that i may be poured out an offering for your people, that streams of living water might flow through me, to bless and encourage the people whom You love.
That I may know You more, to show the world who You are. give me Your Fathering heart, your holy Fathering power, conform me into Your image Father of wisdom, strength, faithfulness and love. I wait upon Your salvation all the day.
you are a Father of mighty delivering power, delivering Your Children from the furnace of Israel with an outstretchd arm and might hand. A loving deliverer, mighty Father You are. Glorify Christ in us, that the world may know That You sent Him.
Your calling and gifts are unchanging. Your counsels and plans for your Children endure from generation to generation. Reveal the living Christ, the redeemer, our hope our glory in Your Church. in Your children.
Let Your word be with mighty power to change our hearts and lives.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Read list
Finish:
Colossians
Exodus
1 Cor
Religious Affections http://dl.dropbox.com/u/21454518/books/Religious%20Affections%20-%20Johnathan%20Edwards.pdf
Colossians
Exodus
1 Cor
Religious Affections http://dl.dropbox.com/u/21454518/books/Religious%20Affections%20-%20Johnathan%20Edwards.pdf
Delightfully
delightfully do i throw and trust my life to the working of Your glorious will for the glory of Your name.
delightfully do i submit my soul to the structure the form and pattern of teaching in Your word to structure my inner life.
delightfully do i submit my soul to the structure the form and pattern of teaching in Your word to structure my inner life.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Religion versus following Jesus.
Reflections on Luke 6:
Why do your disciples eat grain when it is not lawful to eat this on a sabbath?
1) human tradition is a hard, unchanging thing - not questioning the assumptions of human tradition and comparing these with scripture leads to a hard spirit and mind that cannot receive God and a relationship with Him.
2) Religion supposes that the denial of legitimate human need, the exertion of effort to reach God and the working which produces self sorrow, agony and pain accomlishes the works of God. Hunger on a sabbath = holy? nothing can be further from true holiness and grace and the character of God. He has given His life to us, we receiving this in awesome wonder, receive a heart change from within and freely respond in every area of our lives, how different is God's approach and a human approach to reglion?
3) a faith relationship with Christ (who is the fulfillment of God's rest and complete plan for man) and heart obedience to Him, trusting in Him, trumps ceremonial law/old legal tradition of relating to God through old covenant relations as as specifed in Moses. 'bread of the presence not lawful but for priests to eat'. David managed to overcome even the mosaic priestly law through a love relationship with Christ. As strict as the law was, David managed to 'transgress' many of these : wearing the Ephod, ministering before the ark of the presence etc. as He transcended his calling of King to King-priest, as He was favoured by God, a picture of the King Priesthood of Christ, not arising from Levi. He obtained a new coventental priesthood through intimacy with Christ.
Notice Jesus does not set aside moral law but only the ceremonial aspect of this, He in fact upholds the moral law and enhances it in the sermon on the mount.
4) The way in which He challenges the pharisee challenging Him is gentle but firm, pointing to scriptures to help them to see that the way that they have been thinking is wrong all this while, indirectly saying, check the scripture, pray and ask God why these things are so, when you have come around to God's point of view of God wantng to bless, feed, commune and fellowship with man, when you have come around to a view of God's love, then come and believe in the Lord of the Sabbath, Me. Not an outright contradiciton to their ways (not this time) but dropping hints and signs and scriptures for them to investigate and dig deeper and pray over to come to Christ.
5) We cannot stipulate a formula to get to God except for faith and obedience to Him. The pharisees supposed that humanly not breaking the law will bring them closer to God, they extrapolated rules and regulations for every area of life to earn Gods favour. from moral law, extrapolated extra-biblical tradition for man to keep. With human mind trying to think on and add to clear revelation of the word, a clear no-no. Man complicates God's simple ways.
They thought by keeping their man made implications and rules that they would reach and please God. its like saying you must read an hour of the bible per day, not do this this this this this, and God will bless you. Discipline becomes over glorified, where important, and it has its place, nothing must ecipse Christ - and the good news of the grace of God, His person, His character, obedience from the heart, faith etc. Christ and His grace central, everything else having its place. Discipline and human thinking become false idols.
Only faith and falling in love with Jesus can change the heart and that aspect of spiritual growth is uncontrollable, fully dependant on God's grace and the growth of faith.
6) trying to produce spirituality through outward control on behavior is folly to the max. it will only produce frustration, bitterness, anger and spiritual intimidation- outward control through fear of missing out on God, but no inward motivation to follow Christ and His ways and no power for a heart change.
God motivates through blessing not fear. He blesses us in Christ with righteousness so that we may obtain and bless ourselves even more in Him. In the overflow of blessing we bless the world.
7) The fear of the lord, reverence and love for His name keeps us from wanting to do evil but does not motivate us to draw nearer to God. Love motivates us to draw nearer to God, gives us confidence and boldness in His presence. We must have both, the fear of the lord to reverence Him and keep Holy though the grace He gives to us and taste His love to pursue His love and heart even more.
Why do your disciples eat grain when it is not lawful to eat this on a sabbath?
1) human tradition is a hard, unchanging thing - not questioning the assumptions of human tradition and comparing these with scripture leads to a hard spirit and mind that cannot receive God and a relationship with Him.
2) Religion supposes that the denial of legitimate human need, the exertion of effort to reach God and the working which produces self sorrow, agony and pain accomlishes the works of God. Hunger on a sabbath = holy? nothing can be further from true holiness and grace and the character of God. He has given His life to us, we receiving this in awesome wonder, receive a heart change from within and freely respond in every area of our lives, how different is God's approach and a human approach to reglion?
3) a faith relationship with Christ (who is the fulfillment of God's rest and complete plan for man) and heart obedience to Him, trusting in Him, trumps ceremonial law/old legal tradition of relating to God through old covenant relations as as specifed in Moses. 'bread of the presence not lawful but for priests to eat'. David managed to overcome even the mosaic priestly law through a love relationship with Christ. As strict as the law was, David managed to 'transgress' many of these : wearing the Ephod, ministering before the ark of the presence etc. as He transcended his calling of King to King-priest, as He was favoured by God, a picture of the King Priesthood of Christ, not arising from Levi. He obtained a new coventental priesthood through intimacy with Christ.
Notice Jesus does not set aside moral law but only the ceremonial aspect of this, He in fact upholds the moral law and enhances it in the sermon on the mount.
4) The way in which He challenges the pharisee challenging Him is gentle but firm, pointing to scriptures to help them to see that the way that they have been thinking is wrong all this while, indirectly saying, check the scripture, pray and ask God why these things are so, when you have come around to God's point of view of God wantng to bless, feed, commune and fellowship with man, when you have come around to a view of God's love, then come and believe in the Lord of the Sabbath, Me. Not an outright contradiciton to their ways (not this time) but dropping hints and signs and scriptures for them to investigate and dig deeper and pray over to come to Christ.
5) We cannot stipulate a formula to get to God except for faith and obedience to Him. The pharisees supposed that humanly not breaking the law will bring them closer to God, they extrapolated rules and regulations for every area of life to earn Gods favour. from moral law, extrapolated extra-biblical tradition for man to keep. With human mind trying to think on and add to clear revelation of the word, a clear no-no. Man complicates God's simple ways.
They thought by keeping their man made implications and rules that they would reach and please God. its like saying you must read an hour of the bible per day, not do this this this this this, and God will bless you. Discipline becomes over glorified, where important, and it has its place, nothing must ecipse Christ - and the good news of the grace of God, His person, His character, obedience from the heart, faith etc. Christ and His grace central, everything else having its place. Discipline and human thinking become false idols.
Only faith and falling in love with Jesus can change the heart and that aspect of spiritual growth is uncontrollable, fully dependant on God's grace and the growth of faith.
6) trying to produce spirituality through outward control on behavior is folly to the max. it will only produce frustration, bitterness, anger and spiritual intimidation- outward control through fear of missing out on God, but no inward motivation to follow Christ and His ways and no power for a heart change.
God motivates through blessing not fear. He blesses us in Christ with righteousness so that we may obtain and bless ourselves even more in Him. In the overflow of blessing we bless the world.
7) The fear of the lord, reverence and love for His name keeps us from wanting to do evil but does not motivate us to draw nearer to God. Love motivates us to draw nearer to God, gives us confidence and boldness in His presence. We must have both, the fear of the lord to reverence Him and keep Holy though the grace He gives to us and taste His love to pursue His love and heart even more.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Christian Ethos for business.
business idea: business advice must be essentially steeped in christian values, as well as every other practice in the Busines must be centred on Christian Ethos.
'It has to benefit society in every action that it takes, it has to keep in mind a objective to create jobs for people not take them away, to give knowledge, spark enthusiasm in workers, not empower corporations to take away jobs to push down wages, it has to create wealth through original ideas and thinking and benefit society as its end in every objective and action and bias. It is strongly biased towards the Kingdom of God in everyway'
A Kingdom biased approach to revenue generation. It is a business first not a church. a business primarily exists to provide jobs and create a living for its employees. it however pursues a methodology of being a kingdom biased pursuit of revenue. It is intently sales focused and revenue centred. Charges are done based on Man hours worked. Relevance to the market is essential, without which, the business dies.
Seeks to proove: seek first the Kingdom and His righteousness, and He will add unto you all that you need.
Balance the above statement with a n almost worldly wisdom of practicality: do the thing which will generate sales and cash first. other things are good ideas which do not generate cash and hence cannot be acted upon unless the cash is in first. we have lofty aims but must get there square inch by square inch.
It is profit driven, but Christ Driven more than profit driven. Profits are invested into people - staff. learning, systems, profit sharing, transparent accounting to stakeholders, it seeks to change society in more ways than one: tithes, it goes on mission trips together, ownership of it belongs to the people.
God, if this is not you, lead me out of it, i want nothing to do with it. if it is You, Please speak to me and confirm it and provide all that you will for it for your own purpose to be done on earth.
'Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth'.
How than shall the christian business prosper if not for God Himself who feeds and fights for it, without God it will die for it is a weak and begarly thing in a strong and immoral world. its convictions predispose it not to prosper for it cannot do, cannot touch certain things that secular businesses with no moral afflilation can do. its advice also seems begarly and poor compared to worldly wise wisdom of these things i am all too aware.
On the other hand it will ultimately test our faith,
'It has to benefit society in every action that it takes, it has to keep in mind a objective to create jobs for people not take them away, to give knowledge, spark enthusiasm in workers, not empower corporations to take away jobs to push down wages, it has to create wealth through original ideas and thinking and benefit society as its end in every objective and action and bias. It is strongly biased towards the Kingdom of God in everyway'
A Kingdom biased approach to revenue generation. It is a business first not a church. a business primarily exists to provide jobs and create a living for its employees. it however pursues a methodology of being a kingdom biased pursuit of revenue. It is intently sales focused and revenue centred. Charges are done based on Man hours worked. Relevance to the market is essential, without which, the business dies.
Seeks to proove: seek first the Kingdom and His righteousness, and He will add unto you all that you need.
Balance the above statement with a n almost worldly wisdom of practicality: do the thing which will generate sales and cash first. other things are good ideas which do not generate cash and hence cannot be acted upon unless the cash is in first. we have lofty aims but must get there square inch by square inch.
It is profit driven, but Christ Driven more than profit driven. Profits are invested into people - staff. learning, systems, profit sharing, transparent accounting to stakeholders, it seeks to change society in more ways than one: tithes, it goes on mission trips together, ownership of it belongs to the people.
God, if this is not you, lead me out of it, i want nothing to do with it. if it is You, Please speak to me and confirm it and provide all that you will for it for your own purpose to be done on earth.
'Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth'.
How than shall the christian business prosper if not for God Himself who feeds and fights for it, without God it will die for it is a weak and begarly thing in a strong and immoral world. its convictions predispose it not to prosper for it cannot do, cannot touch certain things that secular businesses with no moral afflilation can do. its advice also seems begarly and poor compared to worldly wise wisdom of these things i am all too aware.
On the other hand it will ultimately test our faith,
An introspective examination on depressive feelings
When i feel depressed of late i discover its a sense of encroaching hopelesssness that is my downfall. A sense that there is no progression to life. a sense of stuck in a rut and eroding fast. i feel happiest when efforts seem to pay off, there is growth, progress, life, forward motion, i feel lowest when everything seems to be crumbling all around me. when efforts never seem to translate into reward when building that you work on all your life crumbles. the challenge is where do i go when all around me falls into the dust, where do I run? What then is my trust?
Thoughts on home and leaving.
The transformational thought process of someone who used to be attached to his land but now thinks otherwise.
Am reflecting on the topic of what really makes a place, home? ‘People’ that I love, is a common answer. To refine that idea, it is a common bond that people feel with one another in a certain place, to certain things they share in common deeply. I feel the bond strongest with people who think and feel the same and care about the same things which I care about.
If I then live in a place where everyone then only thinks for themselves, and there is no common interest in any common ground and resultantly, there is no common bond, then how then can I call that place home?
My home will be wherever I can find people who think and feel the same as I, who care about the same things I do.
Will we become like the Malaysian Chinese migrant, who not welcome and adversely treated in his own country has been spread abroad to find an acceptable living elsewhere? Where is home for these people? Will I be the same?
At this rate of change, I will find people of my own countrymen elsewhere who probably feel like I do about the same issues elsewhere, as they having taken this path of thinking earlier than I have already left.
What gives us utmost pleasure as human beings?
Love - to feel like we belong
A sense of inner harmony - a sense of rightness, justice, peace, joy. Inner peace.
An experience of the sublime (awe-inspiring), encountering something greater than yourself (sometimes containing an element of fear), feeling small, learning and seeing the world for its granduer and greatness.
Beauty
Something that points to symbolic and greater significance: containing symbolic meaning. Transcendance (above and beyond the limits of material (physical experience), things that point to transcendant significance and purpose - eg. marriage, worship etc.
A sense of inner harmony - a sense of rightness, justice, peace, joy. Inner peace.
An experience of the sublime (awe-inspiring), encountering something greater than yourself (sometimes containing an element of fear), feeling small, learning and seeing the world for its granduer and greatness.
Beauty
Something that points to symbolic and greater significance: containing symbolic meaning. Transcendance (above and beyond the limits of material (physical experience), things that point to transcendant significance and purpose - eg. marriage, worship etc.
Give me the dilligence to seek after her welfare, to know the state of her heart emotionally spiritually mentally
Give me the dilligence to seek after her welfare, to know the state of her heart emotionally spiritually mentally
Help me to think for her as the weaker vessel to consider her needs first even as she might not be conscious of them. I need to consider the needs of someone who doesn't know their need...
She does not know herself. She needs to be encouraged to start the journey of self understanding, to know her own thoughts and heart and intent and emotions so as to facilitate communication. Need to encourage to know and own her need. I need to reassure her that her needs are valid.
Help me to encourage her.
Sent from my iPhone
Monday, May 16, 2011
udc worship 22nd may
1) healer
2) nothing but the blood
3) what can wash away my sin?
4) enough / wonderful maker
5) because of ur love
6) healer
7) for you are great, you do mighty wonders Lord.
2) nothing but the blood
3) what can wash away my sin?
4) enough / wonderful maker
5) because of ur love
6) healer
7) for you are great, you do mighty wonders Lord.
For he who was called in the Lord as a slave is a freedman of the Lord.
1 Cor7:22
For he who was called in the Lord as a slave is a freedman of the Lord.
1) Since i am held against my will, then i am indeed a prisoner.
2) If i am a prisoner, then let me be free internally from the strivings and bondages that afflict other prisoners, let me labour with hope, let me not be in bondage to sin, nor bitter complaining, nor hoplessness.
Let me increase in Joy that though i cannot see any purpose to my being here, I can rejoice that my portion and reward indeed is Christ in this life, and He is my freedom in this place of mind-numbing confinement.
For he who was called in the Lord as a slave is a freedman of the Lord.
1) Since i am held against my will, then i am indeed a prisoner.
2) If i am a prisoner, then let me be free internally from the strivings and bondages that afflict other prisoners, let me labour with hope, let me not be in bondage to sin, nor bitter complaining, nor hoplessness.
Let me increase in Joy that though i cannot see any purpose to my being here, I can rejoice that my portion and reward indeed is Christ in this life, and He is my freedom in this place of mind-numbing confinement.
If I indeed be a prisoner
If I indeed be a prisoner
Circumstances around me
invisible Walls I cannot change
That let me be a prisoner with hope
A prisoner called of the lord's name
Circumstances around me
invisible Walls I cannot change
That let me be a prisoner with hope
A prisoner called of the lord's name
Grant me grace that I may with joy serve you and accept the things I cannot change
Sent from my iPhone
Thursday, May 12, 2011
we know not how, by itself.
Mark 4:26-29
And he said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. 27 He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. 28 The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 29 But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
We have no power to make the kingdom grow, only to speak the word, God makes it grow, with a growth from God, God gives knowledge of that how and what to do...
It grows by itself with the growth provided by God Himself,
Our growth and readiness is the same only God knows how and when and what.
Some times the best thing for spiritual growth is to leave things by themselves, to let God grow. believe, pray and let it by itself. if God indeed is God and real, spiritual growth, the produce will emerge by itself.
Can we explain life and the way it emerges from a seed? or conception? neither can we explain or micro manage the process of spiritual birth and life. we can only set conditions for it to occur, the word of God, prayer, the presence of God's love and warmth and sunlight. but life is God's word meeting the earth and something else that has to be the touch of God Himself. the x factor is God the uncontrollable factor, just simple faith and trust im Him. Spiritual maturity also comes about from the same principles.
And he said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. 27 He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. 28 The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 29 But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
We have no power to make the kingdom grow, only to speak the word, God makes it grow, with a growth from God, God gives knowledge of that how and what to do...
It grows by itself with the growth provided by God Himself,
Our growth and readiness is the same only God knows how and when and what.
Some times the best thing for spiritual growth is to leave things by themselves, to let God grow. believe, pray and let it by itself. if God indeed is God and real, spiritual growth, the produce will emerge by itself.
Can we explain life and the way it emerges from a seed? or conception? neither can we explain or micro manage the process of spiritual birth and life. we can only set conditions for it to occur, the word of God, prayer, the presence of God's love and warmth and sunlight. but life is God's word meeting the earth and something else that has to be the touch of God Himself. the x factor is God the uncontrollable factor, just simple faith and trust im Him. Spiritual maturity also comes about from the same principles.
Thoughts on home and leaving.
The transformational thought process of someone who used to be attached to his land but now thinks otherwise.
Am reflecting on the topic of what really makes a place, home? ‘People’ that I love, is a common answer. To refine that idea, it is a common bond that people feel with one another in a certain place, to certain things they share in common deeply. I feel the bond strongest with people who think and feel the same and care about the same things which I care about.
If I then live in a place where everyone then only thinks for themselves, and there is no common interest in any common ground and resultantly, there is no common bond, then how then can I call that place home?
My home will be wherever I can find people who think and feel the same as I, who care about the same things I do.
Will we become like the Malaysian Chinese migrant, who not welcome and adversely treated in his own country has been spread abroad to find an acceptable living elsewhere? Where is home for these people? Will I be the same?
At this rate of change, I will find people of my own countrymen elsewhere who probably feel like I do about the same issues elsewhere, as they having taken this path of thinking earlier than I have and have already left.
prayer
O God use my life that people through me, with the word of God in their hands and in their hearts might come to a true and living relationship and worship, adoration and love of You,
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Godly motivation.
Greatness - something that lies deep in the heart of man, we know that we were made in the image of God and want to fulfill our potential, without which there is no motivation to live.
God uses this as a reward motivation to give all to Him that we may gain.
"he who humbles himself like a little child will be the greatest in the Kingdom, he who serves will be first and the greatest,"
Let us strive our utmost for his highest.
Let us live with all our might, let us apply ourselves to grow in heart and mind and strength and confidence, that we may be used for HIs purose, that we may rule on earth and in heaven for that was what we were created to do, fulfilling the potential of heart, mind, soul, creativity, artistic ability for these are powers that he has bestowed.
God uses this as a reward motivation to give all to Him that we may gain.
"he who humbles himself like a little child will be the greatest in the Kingdom, he who serves will be first and the greatest,"
Let us strive our utmost for his highest.
Let us live with all our might, let us apply ourselves to grow in heart and mind and strength and confidence, that we may be used for HIs purose, that we may rule on earth and in heaven for that was what we were created to do, fulfilling the potential of heart, mind, soul, creativity, artistic ability for these are powers that he has bestowed.
The form of this world an illusion.
1 Cor 7:31
"For the present form of this world is passing away."
The form of this world, structures of earthly authority, wealth, comfort, position is an illusion that will fade like a dream and usher in a new world and reality we call heaven and earth together combined.
People will be very very shocked on that day to find that they were last who supposed they were first.
True eternal and lasting position is presenlty determined and will be finally irreversibly determined by our relationship to the King of Kings and the value we have placed on His atoning sacrifice and all things pertaining to Him.
On this earth - no true justice, no lasting righteousness, but then, enduring righteousness and justice. will we give up this world for the world to come and do all things for Him to make our eternal standing secure or will we take and trade the world to come, heaven and its glories for the things of this world?
We can taste and experience and enjoy the powers of the age to come now, for the Kingdom is present in the Holy Spirit and authority and glory. it is here and now breaking into this world through the prayers and livs of concecrated saints.
"For the present form of this world is passing away."
The form of this world, structures of earthly authority, wealth, comfort, position is an illusion that will fade like a dream and usher in a new world and reality we call heaven and earth together combined.
People will be very very shocked on that day to find that they were last who supposed they were first.
True eternal and lasting position is presenlty determined and will be finally irreversibly determined by our relationship to the King of Kings and the value we have placed on His atoning sacrifice and all things pertaining to Him.
On this earth - no true justice, no lasting righteousness, but then, enduring righteousness and justice. will we give up this world for the world to come and do all things for Him to make our eternal standing secure or will we take and trade the world to come, heaven and its glories for the things of this world?
We can taste and experience and enjoy the powers of the age to come now, for the Kingdom is present in the Holy Spirit and authority and glory. it is here and now breaking into this world through the prayers and livs of concecrated saints.
'gods' on earth
People with power on the earth or a semblence of it seem to buy into its deception and conceit. that this authority is a goal in itself. a thing that makes people swell with pride to lord it over people.
What a contrast with Christian leadership and service which gives to the death.
Authority given on earth is not final, it is limited and not for the feeding of the self and ego, it was designed for the benefit of mankind.
True authority comes from heaven, it is heaven given, it flows from a right relationship with the King who prooves HIs authority and power on the earth through submitted servants.
What a contrast with Christian leadership and service which gives to the death.
Authority given on earth is not final, it is limited and not for the feeding of the self and ego, it was designed for the benefit of mankind.
True authority comes from heaven, it is heaven given, it flows from a right relationship with the King who prooves HIs authority and power on the earth through submitted servants.
Prayer
Help me to arrange the sacrifice of my own life, giving all to you, to find, to discover and realize and experience the truth that your reward is greater than my sacrifice.
Paul's life and message
Paul traded riches, saftey, comfort,
for
pain, poverty, responsibility, burdens, danger
in order to gain-
a concious realization of the overcomming life of Christ within him.
Paul's theology of suffering and apostleship calls us to a real sacrifice of everything so that we may gain a living fellowship with the person of the Christ, and christ revealed in us is our Glory.
for
pain, poverty, responsibility, burdens, danger
in order to gain-
a concious realization of the overcomming life of Christ within him.
Paul's theology of suffering and apostleship calls us to a real sacrifice of everything so that we may gain a living fellowship with the person of the Christ, and christ revealed in us is our Glory.
To gain all, give all to christ.
I cannot believe i fell into the deception that this life is for myself, for my comfort, for my wealth, reading through the theology of the apostle paul i was reminded that life is found in giving everything to the person of Christ, to lay everything at the feet of Jesus. Give me revelation and light without which i die, i am just a brute beast before you.
Wisdom and leadership
Wisdom was a qualification factor for deacons in the early church,
it was what was required to make the tough choices that will influence lives.
it was what was required to make the tough choices that will influence lives.
Old and new songs
Songs to email to aiden:
Paul Baloche
Offering,
All the earth will sing your praises
Kathryn Scott
At the foot of the cross
Hillsong
One Desire
You'll come
At the cross i bow my knee
Don Moen
I offer my life
Common
Hear us from heaven
Oldies
Making a difference
You Rescued Me
Faithful by Bob fitts
Paul Baloche
Offering,
All the earth will sing your praises
Kathryn Scott
At the foot of the cross
Hillsong
One Desire
You'll come
At the cross i bow my knee
Don Moen
I offer my life
Common
Hear us from heaven
Oldies
Making a difference
You Rescued Me
Faithful by Bob fitts
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
The urge to create.
Being silent is consolidating an energy within me to create - to sing, paint, write, work, use bold strokes of sound and color and words and sentences, for self expression, for projection, to use more space in the outside world beyond the world of my thoughts, than now.
Hope to find an outlet...
Hope to find an outlet...
Monday, May 09, 2011
I have perfect faith, perfect confidence that you will make my life beautiful like the garden of eden.
I have perfect faith, perfect confidence that you will make my life beautiful like the garden of eden.
Heavenly city.
Remind me that i am living for that heavenly city, beautiful in elevation, right from its foundations, majestic and holy and grand where i will stand one day and take the reward which He has won for me.
If on the journey there i be king or pauper, I will be glad that i am on my way there where kings paupers and prophets alike dine on the same table and see Him eye to eye.
If on the journey there i be king or pauper, I will be glad that i am on my way there where kings paupers and prophets alike dine on the same table and see Him eye to eye.
Thursday, May 05, 2011
migration issues singapore
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1079707/1/.html
http://www.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne+News/Singapore/Story/A1Story20100720-227797.html
http://www.temasekreview.com/2010/09/01/native-singaporeans-may-now-make-up-only-about-50-percent-of-the-population/
Migration issues - there not being enough of a core ethos or values in Singapore for both locals and foreigners to be drawn to this place.
http://www.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne+News/Singapore/Story/A1Story20100720-227797.html
http://www.temasekreview.com/2010/09/01/native-singaporeans-may-now-make-up-only-about-50-percent-of-the-population/
Migration issues - there not being enough of a core ethos or values in Singapore for both locals and foreigners to be drawn to this place.
hg worship 6 may 11
Thank you for the cross lord
Because of your cross my debt is paid
At the foot of the cross
Because of your cross my debt is paid
At the foot of the cross
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)