8 Sep
”All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.” – Romans 2:9-16
God show no favoritism in His judgment.
17 Jul
True faith always produces works.
We are saved by faith through grace of God. A demonstration of our faith is through works powered by the grace of God (not dead works; are not justified by works alone); and obedience to Him. It produces God’s righteousness in us.
7 Jul
The root of good & evil is your own ‘desire’.
”Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” – Proverbs 4:23 NIV
Interesting, today’s message about desire coincidentally met my revisiting of the book “Desire : The Journey We Must Take to Find the Life God Offers”. In fact, I had forgotten the title of the book, but recalled it was about finding God’s calling for your life and it has been on my table, buried for some time, but yet to be read. So this must be the right book I should read this forty days, especially when I’m at this important juncture in life.
4 Jul
”It was divine wisdom that enabled him to deny himself, defy his natural inclination and obey God…” – there can be no double-mindedness
James 1:5-8
10 Oct
Was reading Living Life‘s 3 Oct reading (Ezekiel 15) on usefulness and efficiency and was reminded on how we use our busy schedule as an excuse for spiritual laziness. For myself, I admit that I’ve been guilty of that. However, this year, I find that God has been nudging me to be otherwise.
This year, maybe because of the fatigue I’m feeling, I find my hunger growing. Not in a big way, but it has prompted me to take a step back. To reflect my purpose and where I’ll be going. I don’t have any answers still, but I do see little signs where I believe God is leading me. I started to crave a spiritual home and decided to push myself to commit to cell (still working on my attendance though) as my old cell had been defunct for some time (an excuse again). I decided to put more time in exploring my calling, even though I’m not sure if the signs so far are really leading me there, but it is a good comeback to remember. I think I must have stopped thinking and asking God about my purpose for some time. Lastly, I decided to finally commit to the next level of equipping to explore how I can better serve and also find purpose in my spiritual walk. I felt I have become stagnant and simply lazy.
I do hope I can sustain and develop a relationship with my cell. I see the possibility of growth and I pray I’ll be able to commit more fully.
While I try to discipline myself with the daily devotion guide, I hope I can start my a book a season/year practice of eons ago again, a reminder from yesterday’s cell.
1 Jul
The annual 40 days of prayer movement just started. Even as the church joins in national prayer and moves into a 40-day “break” from regular church service (radical!), it is a time of testing of our faith. I initially thought I should hope I don’t get withdrawal syndrome. But then I realize that I should pray that I will have withdrawal syndrome as a result, such that I will be so very hungry for God.
It’s been a while since I “got into” the 40 Days movement. I pray I’ll be able to do so this year as I really need it. Yes, I have a personal agenda, but if I’m not that right with God, how can I pray for others? It will harm the corporate prayer.
I’ve been having some turbulent times this year and in the fashion of our 3-point sermons, I have set 3 key areas (3 ‘R’s) to pray for.
1) Restoration of the heart – which is still in bits and pieces and be able to reconcile it with the rest of me.
2) Repentance – for I have grieved the Lord.
3) Resurrection – of heart, mind and soul. I need to learn to live in life.
15 Dec
In Leviticus 23:23-32, the Holy Month (Sabbath month) of the Jews is described, a month meant for God’s people to reflect upon their sins, purify themselves and repent. And of this month, we have the Day of Atonement which is especially sacred for the Jews, where absolutely no work is to be done, and the people do nothing but reflect and repent, atoning for their sins. It ensures that at least once a year, people take time to remember that they are fallen beings deserving wrath, but have received the mercy of God instead. Without this, people might forget and fall into pride or ungratefulness.
In this way, our Lord’s Supper serves a similar purpose. The Lord’s Supper (taken at regular intervals) serves to remind us of the grace and mercy God has expressed through the redemptive work of the cross through Christ. So then, everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:27-32).
14 Dec
I believe most of us would be familiar with the Pentecost due to Acts 2, which was the day the Holy Spirit came. What is Pentecost and why was this day chosen for the coming of the Holy Spirit?
Well, I found that out in the “Living Life Journal” (12 Dec 2011) (yes, my Bible knowledge is very poor, especially of the Old Testament, for certain books).
The Pentecost is the Festival of Weeks or Feast of Weeks (Shavuot) as described in this passage in the Old Testament (Leviticus 23:15-21). “Pentecost” means “fifty days” in Greek (New Testament), which refers to the fifty days (seven weeks) after the Passover (NB: The Last Supper was on Passover), at which time the Festival of Weeks is celebrated. It’s the day that commemorated Israel’s new beginning as a nation. In Scripture, the number seven signifies completeness.
Similarly, this was the day when the Lord’s salvation was completed and a new beginning/”second chance” starts, with the coming of the Holy Spirit.
So, it was not just “any day” that the Holy Spirit was sent to us. Ah, now Pentecost has a new deeper meaning to me.
7 Dec
It’s been a while since I last posted. A quick look revealed that my list of drafts was as long as my list of published posts. Oops. Got to get down to editing them in full. In any case, just a quick post of what I read today in my devotion. The verses for today were from 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28.
It was pointed out that a very typical format of Paul’s letters was that he would open his letters with heavy theology, followed by practical applications. However, this is an order that we, as Christians, often get backwards. We tend to want to jump straight into “what do I do” without going back to what He has done and the foundations of God’s truth. While there is nothing wrong with desiring to apply God’s truth in our lives, we should let it renew our minds first and to get it ingrained in us before the application. Otherwise, it would be meaningless, don’t you think? In this order, a transformed life will overflow from a transformed heart.
Further on, what then is God’s will for us? God’s will for us is to be joyful, thankful and prayerful at all times, in every circumstance (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). Surely this can be done because all things are in God’s hands, and becoming more Christ-like is not ultimately done by us or fur us, but rather, it’s ultimately done by God and for God. “Sanctification is not slaying your flesh by your will, but surrendering your spirit to God’s will.” It might seem hard at first for we are human, and of a sinful nature, but by the grace of God, we have to rest assure that the covenant He set for us through Christ is solid, and remember what He has done on the Cross for us. It is not what you do, but what He had already done (on the Cross) that gives of hope.
14 Jun
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing,
but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
~ 1 Corinthians 1:18
In a world where we are judged by human standards, and work within our own perceived notion of how things should be, the work on the cross was simply foolishness in the eyes of the world. Foolishness because the world could not comprehend it nor could they have foreseen it (even though it was written all over in the Old Testament). Foolishness because the world believed more in their own “wisdom” and abilities more than that of GOD. Foolishness because the world didn’t expect GOD to send Christ as a sacrifice. And in human comprehension, the world rather believe in their own works than simple faith.
Through this “foolishness” though, believers have come to learn the power of GOD. The power to save and overcome death, the power of GOD’s love. Christ is the epitome of GOD’s love for us. You see, if we were to be judged by God’s standards, we would all have fallen short. Who have not sinned? But God so loved us that He sent Jesus, one with no sin, to die for us, that through Christ, we will be deemed righteous again in Christ and shall not perish (John 3:16). And when we believe, Christ lives in us.
“It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.”
~ 1 Corinthians 1:30
And I want to sing of this wonderful truth:
“They said that it was foolishness
But victory was claimed
By the power of the sacrifice
that only Christ could make”
And what is God’s love?
I believe many of us would be familiar with chapter 13 of 1 Corinthians. You know, the “Love is patient, love is kind…” verses of what perfect love means. In the book “A Love Worth Giving” by Max Lucado (one of my favourite Christian writers), he highlights this. Christ is love, and if you replace the word “love” with “Christ” in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, you can see it, the nature of His love:
“Christ is patient, Christ is kind. He does not envy, He does not boast, He is not proud. He is not rude, He is not self-seeking, He is not easily angered, He keeps no record of wrongs. Christ does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. He always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Christ never fails.”
“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
~ 1 Corinthians 13:13
(1 Corinthians is one of my favourite books of the Bible so far. Not that I’ve read all the books in the Bible, but GOD prompted me to read it at a point in time. That was a really deep experience and by divine emphasis (of God’s love), it was highlighted to me in various forms, through 2 books, and a good “a book a season” commitment.)
Ilsa's Faithbook 