The most important question in the world

"Why don't you bend your knee to Jesus Christ and follow Him?"

The question of who Jesus is and how we are going to respond to Him is the greatest question we can ever ponder in this life.

"Jesus said that He was God and that He understood spiritual matters. He said the choice you make about Him will determine where you spend eternity. It's one thing for a person to claim such a thing, it's another thing for someone to back it up. Look at Jesus. He gave the greatest moral teaching the world has ever seen. He worked miracles. He healed people. He raised people from the dead. When people practice His principles, they transform society for good. In fact, Jesus even predicted His own death, and in fact, died and self-consciously raised Himself from the dead. There's a guy who has some credibility.

What about Buddha? He's still in the grave. What about Mohammed? He didn't work any miracles. What about Krishna? It is not even clear that he even existed. But Jesus did and He changed the world. It seems to me if you are going to put your bets on some spiritual option, it is best to go with Somebody and listen to Somebody who has credibility. That is Jesus Christ." (Read the full article here)

Jesus Christ isn't just a nice biblical character for story-telling purposes. Thinking about Him is not an option. Ignoring Him and putting Him off is a conscious decision with dire consequences.

There is one thing you must do before you die, and it's not to take care of your children, earn a million dollars, visit the Eiffel Tower, find a cure for all cancers or win a Nobel prize. You have to know Jesus and bend your knee, your heart, your soul and your mind to Him. Everything else is secondary.

Too busy to think about God? Consider this article.

Cultivating Happiness

I remember reading something like this several years ago...

"Happiness is the goal of each and every man... even of those who hang themselves." (author's paraphrase)

How true.

This article explores "the idea that true happiness isn't the same as immediate happiness" and that true happiness is found in God.

A somewhat unrelated comment: I've been very blessed by the articles in A Slice of Infinity (RZIM) these past few days. I find that reading a short article for about 2 minutes in the middle of the day really helps turn my thoughts Godward, where they should be, and creates a hunger within me to spend more time contemplating God's timeless truths in the Scriptures.

going to Church

I've been getting this question a lot lately - Why should Christians go to church? While my mind is brimming with answers, I find that my facts are disorganized and in some ways incomplete. This is okay with me since I am already fully convinced of the merits of "churchgoing", but for people who have questions about the matter, my messy explanations won't do, so I am setting out to investigate and write something biblical about the issue. I'm giving myself a month to come up with a short article that will help me satisfactorily answer queries like this from dubious, confused, skeptic or stubborn Christians, whichever might be the case. I am also committing myself to memorize references for all relevant Scripture. I've always wanted to do this; it's about time I started!

I'm writing this commitment down to keep myself accountable. God help me!

If anyone can recommend good reading material for this topic, let me know. =)

A song for the ache

I have always appreciated the great truth expressed in this song. As I sit in the office and busy myself with various tasks that *need* to be accomplished, it is wonderful to have mp3's to remind myself why I am here, who is my portion, & what it is I truly long for. My soul is bitter with forgetfulness, but when I remember You, I am most blessed.

Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart
Be all else but naught to me, save that Thou art
Be Thou my best thought in the day and the night
Both waking and sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my wisdom, be Thou my true Word
Be Thou ever with me and I with thee Lord
Be Thou my great Father and I Thy true son
Be Thou in me dwelling and I with Thee one

Be Thou my breastplate, my sword for the fight
Be Thou my whole armor, be Thou my true might

Be Thou my soul's shelter, be Thou my strong tower
O raise Thou me heavenward, great power of my power...

Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise
Be Thou mine inheritance now and always
Be Thou and Thou only the first in my heart
O Sovereign of heaven, my treasure Thou art

High King of heaven, o heaven's bright sun
O grant me its joys after victory is won
Great heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be Thou my vision, o Ruler of all...

Still be Thou my vision,
O ruler of all
O ruler of all

Faith: a holy walk

Fighting my tendency for indolence, I am going to blog again. I'm on my second week of work and my body is still adjusting to the early mornings and late nights (as opposed to late mornings and late nights while I was on vacation). Still, God is faithful and His strength is made perfect when I am weak.

I am using a book called "Faith, a holy walk" by Oswald Chambers as a devotional. Let me quote,

Faith that is sure of itself is not faith. Faith that is sure of God is the only faith there is.

(Selah)

Let that sink in for a few moments.

We can draw the same principle from the Lord's answer to His disciples' plea for an increase of faith (see Luke 17:5-6).

Bottom line: It is not so much the size of our faith that matters as the size of our God. Faith does not look at itself, but at its object, the awesome and eternal living God.

Status: Employed

I've done it. I've actually done it: I signed a contract for employment next month. (Trivia: I did it on my 22nd birthday.)

I've been thinking and praying, praying and thinking, thinking and praying over my 'next step' these past few months and I believe that this is what God wants me to do.

NOW> I'm still bumming around this entire month though! Work starts on October 1st and I still have some time to culminate my vacation with a bang... whatever that means. I used to think that meant going on a trip to Europe at my dad's expense, but I've long since given up on that thought after seeing how much such a trip would cost. My conscience wouldn't let me badger my dad into letting me go to London even for a few days. End of that story.

END> So how is this long vacation going to end? Inspired by Jonathan Edwards' Resolutions, I am writing my own set of resolutions in keeping with Paul's exhortation to live a life worthy of the calling we have received. Inasmuch as they are in accordance with His will, I know the Holy Spirit will enable me to keep my resolutions to the glory of God's name. Being the forgetful human that I am, it is definitely wise to have a list to check back on once in a while (or every Sunday in my case). I'm actually enjoying the process of finding faults in myself then decidedly writing resolutions to amend my behavior. (I have 21 resolutions so far) The (longer) process of being faithful to what I've written is going to be a much more difficult road to travel. Even now I realize I've broken most of my resolutions. Nevertheless, thanks and praise be to the God who has promised that a victorious end will doubtless be reached.

(I wrote this entry last Sept. 6 but forgot to publish it until today.)

Desiring God Revamped

One of my favorite sites, desiringgod.org, has just been redesigned and reorganized. I'm pretty happy with the results.

Exploring the site led me to an article exhorting believers to minister to their pastors. Absolutely right!

Ever since I started thinking about full-time ministry, I've begun to see pastors and church leaders in a different light. I've realized that they are just like me, imperfect, weak, wrestling with temptations and fears and not always winning... they may have an M.Div or a doctorate in theology, but they too struggle with the mismatch between head knowledge and their experiences & feelings. Though looked on as spiritual giants, they are just as helpless, incapable of saving themselves and completely dependent on God's grace as we are. That's one reason why they should be prayed for. They need encouragement, support and prayers as much as (if not more than) the next person.

But I'm full of it aren't I? After reading a book called Partners in Prayer a number of years ago, I courageously went up to one pastor and told him that I wanted to pray for him. I just said that but I was never brave enough to approach him ever again. I occasionally remembered him in my prayers, but not quite often enough. I was always too concerned about myself to pray for others. (I was? or I am?) Disobedient and forgetful little brat that I am, I am grateful for God's patient and gentle reminders, which tell me that He is not willing to give up on me... not yet, not ever.

Brave

In connection with my last post, this song by Nichole Nordeman really speaks to me, especially the following lines:

"The way it always was is no longer good enough; You make me wanna be brave."

Amen. Come what may, Jesus be lifted high!

Foreboding

I really shouldn't worry. I'm not doing that anymore. But a sense of foreboding always comes over me when I think about the near future and my imminent entrance into the corporate world. Change is the only permanent thing in the world*, so the saying goes. I'm reluctant to let go of life as I now know it, but every part of me knows that I have to... and that God will be with me wherever I go.

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
Oh what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of the Spirit, washed in His blood.

This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long!
This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long!

* God is unchanging! :-)

Miss Grump

"Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person." - Colossians 4:5-6

I don't know if everyone* has moments like these - moments of extreme grumpiness and pigheadedness when God is not glorified and, Lord forgive me, the heart does not seem to care much, or at all. Or it does but is incapable of repentance at that very moment (much to my annoyance, really).

Yesterday morning was such a time for me. (Talk about timing - it was Sunday and I'd just attended church service!) I don't know if you can attribute it to hunger or lack of sleep, but I was seriously wanting in zeal for the Lord's cause and was highly tempted to look at all matters as untoward incidents meant to provoke me to sin - and quick I was to rush into evil! I was impatient and would have manifested imprudent outbursts of anger, had not the Lord graciously removed grounds for such behavior. (My parents weren't in the same sorry mood I was in yesterday). Still, my tone was a lot less than kind and my words were short, brisk monotones. If you know me, you'll know I don't usually speak this way. This was my everything-pisses-me-off-so-keep-your-distance manner of speaking. The snooty, arrogant, whiny and un-Christian me (strongest when only the family is around) was resurfacing (but it's supposed to be dead!), embracing foolishness and rejecting the tender voice of wisdom which kept calling out to me and reminding me that I loved God and that I was supposed to be a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to Him.

Frankly, I was even annoyed to be reminded that I wasn't supposed to conduct myself this way since I had been bought with a price, was no longer my own... and because people (especially "outsiders") were watching and it would be highly distressing to talk like a spoiled brat and then be overheard by someone who knows me as a zealous churchgoer and a professing Christian. That'd be the quickest way for my testimony to be ruined - I would come off as a complete hypocrite who could not practice what she preached.

Despite all my shortcomings, I really don't do anything for show, and I honestly mean to love God with all my heart, all my soul and all my strength (and love others as myself). Moments like these drive me to despair that I will never be worthy of service to God because no one would believe anything I say. I have no credibility. No fruits. At least that's what my depressed heart says sometimes. It's not entirely true though - God is changing me from glory to glory. I'm a work in progress. But I hope the progress will be obvious for the sake of Jesus' name, which I carry as His follower. God unite my heart to fear Your name.

I will never be worthy of God's favor no matter what I do or how good I become. But I am counted worthy to be called His child now, in my present imperfect state, because He who judges sees the blood that covers my sin and makes me perfect now. Even if I soon become the model of perfect patience, kindness and love by the power of the Holy Spirit, I will still be an unworthy servant who has done nothing except what is expected of her. It is the grace of God that has brought me thus far and it is this same grace that will bring me to the promised end.

I hope I will never have another grumpy moment ever again. May God be so real in my life and His majesty so vivid in my eyes that my heart would tremble in His presence and render me incapable of sin (Psalm 4:4). But if I ever get uncontrollably grouchy again, I know God's voice will be more and more persistent and will keep my foot from slipping... in all honesty, despite my rebellious state of mind, I sensed Him keeping me from trouble all day yesterday. He's made me more docile somehow.

If I ever doubt God's power to change me again, I must remember one thing: I believe in the Holy Spirit. I really do. May He be glorified.


* I'm referring to Christians

Grace and Truth

I read a short but very good article by Randy Alcorn about the importance of having grace and truth together, at all times.

Quote:

"Truth-oriented Christians love studying Scripture and theology. But sometimes they're quick to judge and slow to forgive. They're strong on truth, weak on grace.

Grace-oriented Christians love forgiveness and freedom. But sometimes they neglect biblical study and see moral standards as "legalism." They're strong on grace, weak on truth."

Ouch. I admit that I'm usually truth-oriented and quick to judge. (But the Lord knows how hard I try to suppress this tendency because haughty eyes are sooooo wrong, not to mention despicable in the Lord's sight.) When I am gracious, I sometimes fail to endorse the truth coz I don't know how to do it without seeming un-gracious... So it seems I have truth and I have grace, but hardly ever at the same time. God has grace and God has truth, and He has them working together in perfect harmony.

"Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart." Proverbs 3:3 (NASB)

Ann Coulter on faith, God and Liberals

Forgive me for washing my hands of this, I really am ignorant when it comes to politics, but I found this hilarious and not without some pretty good insights. Check out the entire interview here.

a few quotes:

You title your book "Godless." Are all liberals atheists?

No, but it increases the odds.

When you say that most liberals don't believe in God, what is your evidence? According to a Fox News poll last year, 92 percent of Americans believe in God. And nearly half of Americans voted Democratic in the 2004 election. So doesn't that suggest that most liberals do believe in God?

First let me say that I think it's terrific to hear a journalist citing a Fox News poll as authoritative evidence and would like to encourage this development. I don't say “most liberals don't believe in God”; I say liberalism is a godless religion. Some liberals don't understand the underlying religious dogma and principles of liberalism--if they did, they would flee the building.

You say: "The core of environmentalism is that they hate mankind." But in February the National Association of Evangelicals, including such signers as Ted Haggard, James Dobson, and Chuck Colson, etc., issued a statement urging Christian stewardship of the environment, "creation care," and so forth. Are these people godless liberals who hate mankind?

Of course not--but I'm beginning to suspect you are. As Dobson and Colson say: God asks us to be good stewards--a statement that presupposes we are stewards of the plants and the animals, they are not stewards of us, as liberals prefer. We are commanded to worship the Creator of the environment, not the environment. As Jesus said, we are of "more value than many sparrows" (Matthew 10:21).

You say you're a Christian. Do you think Jesus would want you to be nicer to your political opponents?

Who knows? Maybe He'll say I was too tough or maybe He'll chastise me for not being tough enough on those who hate Him. Ask the money-changers in the temple how “nice” Jesus was. Maybe He'll say I needed more jokes or fewer adjectives. I'll just apologize for not getting it right and thank him for dying for my sins.

Music for Shattered Dreams

been reading "Shattered Dreams" by Dr. Larry Crabb, and here's a nice prayer/song from Nichole Nordeman (Gratitude) that goes well with the book.

Send some rain, would You send some rain?
Cause the earth is dry and needs to drink again
And the sun is high and we are sinking in the shade
Would You send a cloud, thunder long and loud?
Let the sky grow black and send some mercy down
Surely You can see that we are thirsty and afraid
But maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case ...

We'll give thanks to You with gratitude
For lessons learned in how to thirst for You
How to bless the very sun that warms our face
If You never send us rain



Daily bread, give us daily bread
Bless our bodies, keep our children fed
Fill our cups, then fill them up again tonight
Wrap us up and warm us through
Tucked away beneath our sturdy roofs
Let us slumber safe from danger's view this time
Or maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case...

We'll give thanks to You with gratitude
A lesson learned to hunger after You
That a starry sky offers a better view
If no roof is overhead
And if we never taste that bread

Oh, the differences that often are between
Everything we want and what we really need



So grant us peace, Jesus, grant us peace
Move our hearts to hear a single beat
Between alibis and enemies tonight
Or maybe not, not today
Peace might be another world away
And if that's the case...

We'll give thanks to You with gratitude
For lessons learned in how to trust in You
That we are blessed beyond what we could ever dream
In abundance or in need
And if You never grant us peace...

But, Jesus, would You please...

Work and Pleasure

C.S. Lewis was a man of great insight. Today, I encountered an excerpt from his book, The Screwtape Letters. The Screwtape Letters was written as a series of exchanges between a senior devil named Screwtape and his amateur nephew tempter. I have a copy of this book. =)

Here's the excerpt:
(In the words of Ravi Zacharias from his article here - also highly recommended.)

The junior (devil) is being urged to go and lure an individual suspended between going God's way or the devil's way. "Go get him away from the Enemy," says the senior devil. Sometime later the young imp returns and says, "We lost him, he has gone all the way over to the Enemy's side." "How did that happen," inquires the evil one? "Well," comes the answer, "he started to take a long walk every morning, just for the pleasure of it, and on these walks, the Enemy* became more audible to him. Further, he read a good book, just for the pleasure of it, and the Enemy found him more receptive." "That's where you blew it," comes the response. "If you had only had him walk for the sake of exercise, it would have become dreaded and tedious, devoid of pleasure. If you had only had him reading so he could parrot the contents to someone else, reading would become burdensome and boring rather than pleasurable. We could then have easily snared him." (End of quote)

Alright, how true is that in your life? I know I've blown off many good books because my focus shifted from reading for the pleasure of it to reading so that I could improve my vocabulary, so that I could write about it in my blog, so that I could blab about it to a friend etc. etc. These aren't bad aims. See, I am writing now about something I've just read. Still, the worthy pursuits of reading, listening to Christian music, washing the dishes (yes, I find pleasure in that!), organizing files, cleaning my room and writing random ideas often change into something dreaded and tedious in my mind when I begin to regard them as inescapable, mandatory errands rather than little tasks from which I derive pleasure.

And what about attending Church services for example? Instead of going there to build up and be built up, how many times do we force ourselves to go there just because we think it's expected of us? Then instead of waking up excited to encounter God through the sermon, songs and the fellowship, we wake up dreading the prospects before us. Perspective makes a huge difference.

"The nearer we are to legitimate pleasure, the nearer we get to God's voice," (Ravi Zacharias, Bring me the books) Please read Dr. Ravi's article for insight into this and more, especially if you love books like I do. :-)

*The Enemy referred to by the devils is, of course, God.

John Piper doesn't watch TV!

neither do his wife and kids. says Piper, "you can raise five culturally sensitive and Biblically informed children without it. They never complained about it. In fact they often wondered out loud how people found the time to watch as much (television) as they do."

A chapter from the book 'Pierced by the Word' has this heading:

You have one precious life

Is TV too big a part of it?

My mind struggled with extra-defensive arguments about positive things to be gained from watching TV as I read Piper's ardently written case against it. Being a highly enthusiastic Korean drama fan, I am guilty of watching TV for hours and hours on end even when pressing issues demand my attention. I don't know how many drama series I've finished this past year alone. (Note: One drama series can be anywhere from 16-75 hours long.) Sometimes I'd have a huge exam (or two) the next morning but the evening prior would find me lying on the couch telling my mom "I can afford to watch another one," and decisively inserting the next CD into our tired video player. Every time I wondered whether God wanted me to slacken my zeal in this area or stop watching k-dramas altogether, I denied the thought further entry and vomited it out of my mind by overeating on trite justifications. When I overindulged myself and felt terrible afterwards, I just told myself to forget about it and remember all the other times I'd had such fun watching TV. I was closing my eyes to the truth that fantasy was taking more of my time than reality. I was hardly living, really. I just kept watching and watching and watching, while my own life sped by me.

It was during the youth camp last May that God changed my perspective of things. That one week in Baguio was fun. It was relaxing. It challenged my old way of thinking and reawakened my passion for things of God. I discovered my life's calling there. My whole life began to make sense - everything that had ever happened to me, my greatest triumphs and most devastating experiences, appeared exceedingly pleasant as I realized that they were all part of a perfect plan that no one and no thing could ever thwart. I learned countless lessons; I prayed many prayers; I laughed and lived; I cried and found comfort; I made important decisions; I experienced God; I made new friends; I raised my stock of precious memories... and there was no TV, not even a minute of it, all throughout those 7 days. It was then that God granted me the wisdom to see the folly of my alibis and the truth of my excesses. I came back home renewed, determined to stay away from anything that kept me from loving God with all my heart and all my soul. My TV hours declined significantly. It felt exceedingly good to know that I was obeying God. I was praying more, reading more, gaining more and loving more. Those were the sweetest days.

I shouldn't have thought it would be so easy. I couldn't go cold turkey on TV. I encountered a particularly good program and my old addiction was roused from its comatose. After days of devotion to the fantastic fictional story radiating from the TV, the story ended, as all similar stories do. I was left empty, listless and disappointed (not because the story didn't end well but because it ended, period.). I definitely shouldn't have thought it would be easy. The Bible teaches us to always be on our toes especially when we think we are standing firm. But then again, I don't regret believing that it would be perfectly easy for the Spirit to conquer all my weaknesses. I still believe that God can and will bring me to the designated end in His mind, no matter how many times I seemingly backtrack to square one.

And hey, God is good. He is there to catch you when you fall. If I learned anything from this experience, it is that nothing satisfies like Jesus Christ. I thank my God that He is consistently there, a neverending source of joy, fulfillment and satisfaction. Neverending doesn't mean 75 episodes or 20 seasons - it means forever, without stopping, without running out, not even for a moment. What a comfort to know that God will never cease to be real in my life, that I will never run out of reasons to delight in Him, and that He will always be...

On the side, I almost bought a computer game last week while reminiscing about my King's Quest days, but then I realized that I didn't want to dig a pit for myself to fall into. Knowing how addicting these games could be (just like korean dramas), I wasn't willing to be consumed with thoughts and dreams of them anymore. I turned my back to the store and walked away, knowing that I was making the right decision. TV is enough of a snare. Why add to it?

That TV is all bad is probably not true. But we have to ask ourselves whether we are getting the good from it, coz for all we know, we could be soaking up only the bad. And what is bad? Whatever drives your thoughts away from God and His word, whatever makes you form selfish ambitions in your mind, whatever deceives you into thinking that this present life is all that matters, whatever keeps you from worshipping the Lord with reverence and fear, whatever you like so much that your love for God is diluted...

"But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts." Romans 13:14 NASB

Hair and Sand

"That God knows the number of hairs on our heads is still a thought at which we do well to wonder." - Jill Carattini, Not even one

We will also do well to remind ourselves how little we really are - like a grain of sand in the desert as Matthew West sings in his song "More", perhaps even smaller. We are small relative to the entire Universe of planets, stars, galaxies and black holes... we are even smaller relative to the iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnfinite God we worship. And yet this limitless Lord knows us - each and everyone of us - and cares for us to the point of numbering all the hairs on our head. Amazing. That He would even acknowledge the existence of our species is already a wonder. But to know each person who ever lived... it's mind-boggling. Have you ever read through those passages in the Bible where there is nothing but long lists of names (e.g. 1 Chronicles)? God knows all of the people in those lists, and He knows all the people who aren't in those lists. As if that weren't enough He goes beyond knowing your name to knowing every single detail about you, including those details which you don't know about yourself - like the number of hairs on your head, or what it is exactly that you're feeling right now. He knows you. He knows me. The President of the Philippines does not know me. The mayor of Manila and of Mandaluyong do not know me. Frankly, some of my professors in school may not even remember me! But God, the King of all nations, of all earth, of all other planets, the heavens and the highest heavens (Deuteronomy 10:14)... knows me.

And in case I think that makes me great, let me remind myself that all this is so in order to make much of You, God. That You know everyone and everything doesn't make what/who You know great, it makes YOU great. How amazing it is to find that You still want me despite everything You are and everything You have. And I will meditate on Your wonderful love for me through this song...

More
by Matthew West

Take a look at the mountain
Stretching a mile high
Take a look at the ocean
Far as your eye can see
And think of me

Take a look at the desert
Do you feel like a grain of sand?
I am with you wherever
Where you go is where I am
And I'm always thinking of you
Take a look around you
I'm spelling it out one by one

I love you more than the sun
And the stars that I taught how to shine
You are mine and you shine for me too
I love you
Yesterday
And today
And tomorrow
I'll say it again and again
I love you more

Just a face in the city
Just a tear on a crowded street
But you are one in a million
And you belong to me
And I want you to know
I'm not letting go
Even when you come undone

I love you more than the sun
And the stars that I taught how to shine
You are mine and you shine for me too
I love you
Yesterday
And today
And tomorrow
I'll say it again and again
I love you more
I love you more

Shine for me
Shine for me
Shine on, shine on
Shine for me

I love you more than the sun
And the stars that I taught how to shine
You are mine and you shine for me too
I love you
Yesterday
And today
And tomorrow
I'll say it again and again
I love you more

Pierced by the Word

a book by John Piper (one of my favorite Christian authors)
Purchase link

This short book won the 2004 Gold Medallion Book Award in the Devotional Category. It contains 31 meditations that will "awaken (you) to violent prayer, piercing pleasure and fearless faith". I've used this book as a devotional, and I assure you it's a good read for anyone who wants to rouse long-forgotten, holy longings for the perfect, living God and His living words.

(Please be patient with the links below. They're not complete yet and I heard DG might be changing the section name soon... I don't want to have to update all the links when the time comes so I'll jprobably ust wait till they change the section to complete the links to the articles in the book. You can search DG's Online Library for the titles you're interested in though. Most of them are available in Fresh Words.)

Chapters:

1. How strange and wonderful is the love of Christ - read this
   
2. God is the Gospel - read this
   
3. Pierced by the Word of God - read this
   
4. Be not mere shadows and echoes - read this
5. How to drink orange juice to the glory of God - read this
6. Big, sweeping - but not insipid - prayers - read this
7. What is humility? - read this
8. Wilderness, worship, treason and God - read this
9. How to be a refuge for your children - read this
10. Going deep with God by having Him carry our loads - read this
11. Persevere in prayer! -
12. Dorothy Sayers on why hell is nonnegotiable - read this
    
13. To you who believe, He is precious - read this
14. What does Jesus want? - read this
15. How does the law help me know my sin? - read this
16. A passion for purity vs. passive prayer - read this
17. The battle for breakfast blessing - read this
18. You have one precious life - read this
19. Terrorism, justice and loving our enemies - read this
20. How is God's love experienced in the heart? - read this
21. Reasons believers in Christ need not be afraid - read this
22. Embracing the pain of shame - read this
23. How Jesus helped His disciples increase their faith - read this
24. The strange ways of our wonderful builder - read this
25. A.N.T.H.E.M: Strategies for fighting lust - read this
26. Mealtime prayers with the Pipers - read this
27. It is never right to be angry with God - read this
28. The church was spoken against everywhere - read this
29. By what death will you glorify God? - read this
30. John G. Paton's father - read this
31. Helping people have the assurance of salvation - read this

* John Piper is pastor of preaching at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis. He received his doctorate in theology from the University of Munich and taught at Bethel College for six years before becoming a pastor. His other books include Desiring God, Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ, A hunger for God (all of which I highly recommend), Don't waste your life, Future Grace, The pleasures of God, The passion of Jesus Christ (I have all these and they will be added to my reading list soon), A Godward life, When I don't desire God, God is the Gospel and many more. More God-centered resources from John Piper including audio sermons, free e-books and Christian literature can be found at desiringgod.org. Anyone who can is welcome to contribute to this noble ministry... let's do what we can to help keep these resources free for everyone.

Legacy: a song by Nichole Nordeman

"I wanna leave a legacy, how will they remember me?"

(Legacy: a song by Nichole Nordeman)

it's fresh and honest: "I enjoy an accolade like the rest." and asks some important questions.

these were personally striking lines:

"Not well-traveled, not well-read
Not well-to-do, or well-bred
I just want to hear instead
Well done, good and faithful one"

because it brought to remembrance my earnest answer almost 5 years ago when asked how I wanted people to remember me: I said I wanted to be remembered as someone who lived solely for the Lord: "It doesn't even matter if they don't remember who I am so long as they remember the One I lived for. The purpose of my life is to point people to Him and enjoy Him forever."

Sweet ambition, when did I forget you? Nevertheless, I'm back.

Legacy

-Nichole Nordeman
(Woven and Spun, 2002)

I don't mind if you've got something nice to say about me
And I enjoy an accolade like the rest
You could take my picture and hang it in a gallery
Of all the who's who and so-n-so's that used to be the best
At such 'n such...it wouldn't matter much


I won't lie, it feels alright to see your name in lights
We all need an "Atta boy" or "Atta girl"
But in the end I'd like to hang my hat on more besides
the temporary trappings of this world


Chorus:
I want to leave a legacy
How will they remember me?
Did I choose to love?
Did I point to You enough to make a mark on things?
I want to leave an offering
A child of mercy and grace who blessed Your name unapologetically
And leave that kind of legacy


I don't have to look too far or too long awhile
To make a lengthy list of all that I enjoy
It's an accumulating trinket and a treasure pile
Where moth and rust, thieves and such will soon destroy


Chorus:
I want to leave a legacy
How will they remember me?
Did I choose to love?
Did I point to You enough to make a mark on things?
I want to leave an offering
A child of mercy and grace who blessed Your name unapologetically
And leave that kind of legacy

My Multiply Site

I recently decided to resurrect my Multiply site. The blog's staying here, but the pictures, music and videos will probably go there. Visit it if you have time...

and drop by my sister's Beadix for some beautiful handmade jewelry (hear that, sis? (-:). To create objects of beauty is to reflect, though in a very small way, the glory of God. Beauty is God's. Our God is beautiful! Far above encouraging vanity, I hope that my sister's creations will serve as reminders for us to "put on the Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 13:14), to adorn ourselves with pearls of wisdom from God's Word, and to exhibit the fruits of the Spirit. If we take care in our physical appearances, we must moreover take care in our words, actions and thoughts. The world is watching; and God deserves glorifying.

Bible reading plans

"Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light to my path"

"Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies,

For they are ever mine.
I have more insight than all my teachers,
For Your testimonies are my meditation.
I understand more than the aged,
Because I have observed Your precepts."

These are quotations from Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the entire Bible. We are commanded to meditate on God's word day and night for our own good, but sadly, the daunting task of reading all 66 books (some of them really short) often lies neglected. I can't really say that I've read all the books in the Bible, and I don't even know how close or far I am from doing so. Not that that matters as much as what I remember and obey from all I've read, but reading does play a major role in spiritual growth. The Spirit works and speaks to us through Scripture, revival comes when the word of God is preached, salvation has come to us through what we "heard" (or read, as the case may be)...* So anyway, I looked for some reading plans and found this through DG Ministries. I'm planning to follow the one-year reading plan, which might be quite taxing for those of you with busy schedules, but there are other plans to choose from. The 5-minute a day plan for reading the entire New Testament sounds doable.

If you've already read through the entire Bible, don't forget to read it again and again, as many times as you can while you're alive.... the precious gems and lessons will never stop coming.

Here are other reading plans from Bible Gateway.

* If you prefer listening over reading, there are audio streams of the Bible available from Bible Gateway and other online Bible sites.

The Triumphant Tired

Christian, are your bones tired and your limbs limp? Has the day's labor drained your spirit and stolen dear night's promised rest? If your eyes are aching to close and if your every muscle is sore, if every fiber of your being yearns for sleep or rest while failing to grasp it... then join me in rejoicing, for rest you shall have, and much more than that.

"Come to Me all you who labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest."

It is really very simple, this reason for rejoicing - we who walk by faith and not by sight are able to hold on to a hope that though we groan and moan and cry in these tired mortal bodies of ours -these "tents"- we are guaranteed "eternal" "buildings" in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5 NLT) Your present sufferings will only enable you to enjoy without bounds that which has already been prepared for you, guaranteed for you by the Holy Spirit. For if you never knew what it was like to be dead-tired, you would not hold sleep, rest and relaxation in such high esteem. But since you suffer and grow weary in this life, you come to understand that this promise of Christ is precious beyond measure.

Perhaps this thought is not something that will make you strong immediately... In this world, we still have to endure the pains of childbirth. Yet as your burdens become too heavy to bear, and as your longing for God's eternal kingdom and the fulfillment of His promises increase exponentially, partake also of the joys and blessings of your hope, ponder deep on it - that your sufferings will, with utmost certainty, come to an end, and everlasting, uninterrupted happiness will soon begin. We get slurps and gulps and tastes of this even in the land of the living, as we hope and pray and wait... the pleasant aroma of God's coming promises will renew "the youth (who) grow tired and weary". So then rest in His promises, frail Christian, rest.

Do you have saving faith?

I totally agree with what Charles Spurgeon is saying in his sermon. It took me many months, a lot of soul-searching and even more Scripture reading, before I could stand up from the fall caused by doubts about my salvation years after I started professing (to be a Christian). Now I do not, in fact cannot, doubt the fact (my salvation), for I cannot doubt my Saviour. I fear Him too much and trust in His works too fully to be afraid of my own lack of merits and my abundance of faults; I believe, and I am saved. As Spurgeon declares,

"Be assured that the gospel of your salvation as a believer, with a simple confidence in Jesus Christ, whom God raised from the dead, will save your soul, a simple and undiluted reliance upon the life and death, and resurrection, and merit, and person of Jesus Christ, will ensure to you everlasting life. Let nothing move you from this confidence: it hath great recompense of reward. Heaven and earth may pass away, but from this grand fundamental truth not one jot or tittle shall ever be moved. "He that believeth in him is not condemned, but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed on the Son of God."

But what of James's letter? What of James 2:17 which says that faith without deeds is dead, and the rest of the chapter, which commands us to do good works in keeping with our faith, a chapter often used by the Catholic church to tell us that faith and good works together commend us to God? (I still remember the passionate lecture my Catholic professor gave on this.) I pause for a quote,

"for us to talk of salvation by merit, by our own works, is worse than vanity; it is an impertinence which God will never endure."

Spurgeon does a great job explaining what this passage means for salvation. If you have faith, you are saved, but a there is a certain kind of faith which saves, and this is not just any kind of believing - certainly not plain intellectual affirmation. Surely, the devils also believe that Jesus is the Son of God after all they suffered in His hands, and yet, they certainly are not saved! So what is saving faith and what happens when you have it? You are saved by grace and saved through faith, eternally secure in the Father's hands, but what do these truths imply? One thing they are not meant to be- they are not to be used as excuses for complacency and sin! James' letter tells us what saving faith is and isn't, and this enables us to be sure of what we possess or more appropriately, rebuked and convicted of what we probably do not possess! "It is a miserable thing to find a person discovering that his profession (that he is a Christian and has saving faith) has been a lie." I don't ask you to renounce your 'Christian-ness' in view of all that you now realize your faith is lacking. If you suffer the same miseries I did because you're afraid to think that you have never truly been washed by the blood of the Lamb, does that not prove your genuine desire to be wholly God's and your fear otherwise? God has already begun to transform you, and He is faithful; He will bring us, who truly believe, to the end He has in mind - which is why He seeks to bring you to a better understanding of the nature of saving faith.

We don't need to doubt that Christ's finished work on the cross cleanses us from ALL sin, or that God has mercy on the worst of sinners, but we do need to be mindful about the authenticity and nature of our faith. "By their fruits you shall know them," and by your fruits you shall know yourself! If you want to be assured of your salvation, don't look to the time you prayed the "prayer of acceptance" or first heard the Gospel and cried to God for redemption. Look to the cross, look to the Christ who said "It is finished!" and with faith in the One who began a good work in You, rend your heart and ask the Holy Spirit to make His fruits evident in your life - grieve Him no further and He will surely do so, for He is the God who keeps all His promises and sanctifies you through and through.

"There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1)

For more about the assurance of salvation, read Piper's article.

Let your passion be single

(See Special Programs, "Let Your Passion Be Single")

I heard John Piper preach for the first time tonight. I decided to listen to the sermon because I was struck by the title: "let your passion be single". Whispering a prayer in my heart for the Lord to unite my heart to fear His name, I proceeded to listen to the audio stream. It's more or less an introduction to "Christian Hedonism", and some of the lines/quotes/illustrations in the sermon are also in his books "Desiring God" and "Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ". I was happy to hear familiar words and was further established in my belief that God is the Gospel.

"The redeemed will indeed enjoy other things; they will enjoy the angels, and will enjoy one another: but that which they shall enjoy in the angels, or each other, or in anything else whatsoever, that will yield them delight and happiness, will be what will be seen of God in them." (Jonathan Edwards)

Taste and see that the Lord is good... (Psalm 34 NIV)

Reading List - as of June 25, 2006

For first-timers to this blog (also for my forgetful self), this entry contains information about the books I am reading/have read/will read. It will act as a sort of guide to most of the contents of this site and will constantly be updated for your convenience (or mine, actually). If you're familiar with hyperlinks, the concept behind this is a lot like that. One page leads you to another page, that page leads you to yet another one and so on, and some pages lead you back to one another. Confusing? It has to be obvious by now that I'm a freak when it comes to organizing things... so why is your room such an eyesore?, my mom or sister might ask... Consider it a work in progress my beloved in the Lord! Same thing with this site. I might tweak and change a few things as I go along, so please be patient and if you have any suggestions, questions, comments, what-have-you's about anything (in this site or in this world), feel free to leave me a message. I'm not doing much else so I'd be pleased to entertain you. (I hope I won't have to take this back in the future ;-P) Anyway, thanks for visiting and may God make Himself known to you today.

Reading List:

1. Christian Doctrine - Basic Christianity (John Stott) -- an introduction
2. A Hunger for God (John Piper)
3. Book of Deuteronomy (currently at Chapter 16)
4. The Holy Bible (in a year!)
   

(Priority) Waiting List:

1. Inside the mind of unchurched harry and mary (Lee Strobel)
2. Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (John Piper)
   
3. Fiction Novel - JESUS A Novel (Walter Wangerin)

Finished:

1. Christian Living - The Life God blesses (Jim Cymbala) --summary (still!) in progress
2. Devotional - Pierced by the word (John Piper)

A Hunger for God

Thank God this book is available as an online resource... now all of you can read it (or parts of it) anytime for free (click the title of this entry to go to the link). When I get some cash I'd like to contribute to DG Ministries so they can continue making these resources available for free for all.

This book's good for people who want to know what the Bible says about fasting, and want to awaken their deep desires for the good and gracious God. Though fasting usually refers to abstinence from food and/or drink, in this book it also means refraining from anything that keeps us from hungering for God and enjoying Him fully.

Here are the contents of the book:

Introduction: A Homesickness for God

Chapters:

1 I S FASTING CHRISTIAN?
New Fasting for the New Wine

2 MAN SHALL NOT L I V E B Y BREAD ALONE
The Desert Feast of Fasting

3 FASTING FOR THE REWARD OF THE FATHER
Jesus’ Radical God-Orientation in Fasting

4 FASTING FOR THE KING’ S COMING
How Much Do We Miss Him?

5 FASTING AND THE COURSE OF HISTORY
A Call for Discernment and Desire

6 FINDING GOD IN THE GARDEN OF PAIN
A Different Fast for the Sake of the Poor

7 FASTING FOR THE LITTLE ONES
Abortion and the Sovereignty of God Over False Worldviews

8 Conclusion: Why Does God Reward Fasting?

Appendix: Quotes and Experiences
Bibliography
Notes
Note on Resources: Desiring God Ministries

Since it's been quite a few months since I started (and stopped) reading this gem, I've decided to rewind to the very beginning, rereading and ruminating and highlighting every single striking/edifying statement with umatched zeal. Here are some of my favorite lines from the preface and the first few pages of the introduction. Though not quite complete without their context, perhaps these will entice you to read the actual thing:

"The discipline of self-denial is fraught with dangers - perhaps only surpassed by the dangers of indulgence."

"The weakness of our hunger for God is not because He is unsavory, but because we keep ourselves stuffed with "other things". Perhaps, then, the denial of our stomach's appetite for food might express, or even increase, our soul's appetite for God."

"What we hunger for most, we worship."

"Between the dangers of self-denial and self-indulgence there is a path of pleasant pain. It is not the pathological pleasure of a masochist, but the passion of a lover's quest..."

"That I could even attempt the journey is owing to God's grace, which I live on everyday."

-- I just love comments like these that reflect John Piper's absolute dependence on and love for God. I like humble people (and God loves 'em), and 'humble before God and before men' is what I want to be. Not having attained it yet, I aim for it and delight in finding role models.

"... my hunger for food was silenced by the hunger of my heart."

-- Piper 's account of his feelings as he skipped lunch to sneak off for a few moments and read his (future) wife's letters , drinking in "the color, the smell, the script, the message, the signature..."

"God's greatest adversaries are His gifts"

"For all the ill that Satan could do, when God describes what keeps us from the banquet table of His love, it is a piece of land, a yoke of oxen, and a wife (Luke 14:18-20). The greatest adversary of love to God is not His enemies but His gifts... For when these replace an appetite for God Himself, the idolatry is scarcely recognizable, and almost incurable."

"The pleasures of this life... are not evil in themselves... These are gifts of God."

"Therefore, when I say that the root of Christian fasting is the hunger of homesickness for God, I mean that we will do anything and go without anything, if, by any means, we might protect ourselves from the deadening effects of innocent delights and preserve the sweet longings of our homesickness for God."

And at this point I stopped to think about what I'd do with everything I had just fed my mind with. I decided to list down the 'good' and 'bad' things which kept me from much prayer and devotion to God, the objects of affection that served to fill me temporarily and made me forget my everlasting thirst for the Divine, the tasks and distractions that prevented me from coming before the throne of Jesus and abiding in His love... these are some of the things on my 'good' list:

1. SLEEP
2. Surfing the net, looking for (free) downloads, blogging
3. Household chores, personal tasks
4. Reading books other than the Bible
   
5. TV (is this any good? haha!)

Sleep is my biggest problem. Though certainly not bad in itself, excessive and unecessary sleep is what people on vacation (like me) are prone to having - and that's bad, physical and spiritual health-wise. While I have as much sleep as I need, I forget that I am still wholly dependent on God's grace for (physical) strength and for rest. When I am not weary, memories of Jesus as source of peace and rest for the heavily-burdened fade. But thanks be to God, I may be "on vacation" but my unfailingly busy schedule (self-inflicted this time) does still cause me to have those tired-and-drained, physically fatigued moments when work insists on being done even while the beguiling bed beckons and my roommate's heavenly snores make my eyes droop in submission. Yes, I still get less than 7-8 hours of sleep sometimes (but as seldom as I can help it). Life isn't as toxic as it was when I was in college (I can't believe I just said that!- WAS in college! I'm actually over that phase in life!), but time still passes me by like it used to; life is still, all in all, tiring, and that reminds me to look to Jesus and remember the hope which I have in Him. And I got a chance to "fast" a little on sleep today. I spent last night reading Christian lit and reminding myself of God's goodness, then I woke up early today for Sunday morning mass. I didn't wake up as early as I wanted, but I wasn't late to the service and was aptly prepared to worship God. (Much room for improvement, but God is faithful; I will improve!)

Finally, a few more words from the book:

"Half of Christian fasting is that our physical appetite is lost because our homesickness for God is so intense. The other half is that our homesickness for God is threatened because our physical appetites are so intense. In the first half, appetite is lost. In the second half, appetite is resisted. In the first, we yield to the higher hunger that is. In the second, we fight for the higher hunger that isn't. Christian fasting is not only the spontaneous effect of a superior satisfaction in God; it is also a chosen weapon against every force in the world that would take that satisfaction away."

Fasting isn't always easy. Sometimes it comes naturally, sometimes it goes against all our instincts. The teachings in this book will not always be easy to accept, but I look forward to the enabling that comes through the Holy Spirit who teaches all truth, to the day(s) when I fast and glorify God as I proclaim with arms outstretched, "This much, O God, I want You."

"God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him."

Prayer(less) week

Saw this from someone in a Christian forum..

Seven days without prayer makes one weak.

Christians, let us "pray unceasingly"... not just because we are weak without prayer, but because we are called to be strong by the power of the Holy Spirit, and predestined to be victors over sin and flesh (and even demonic powers) in Christ Jesus.

Is there ever a lack of things and people to pray for? Never! Yet why do we spend so little time in prayer? Is there even an iota of doubt that the living God can and will deliver what He has promised? Let us do what Christians do best: entrust all things to the good, perfect and pleasing will of the eternal and everlasting Father. And let us be His good and faithful soldiers- on bended knees.


What If His People Prayed

Lyrics by Mark Hall
Music by Casting Crowns
Song based on Mark 8:34-37 and Ephesians 5:25-33

© 2003 Club Zoo Music / SWEC Music (Admin. by Club Zoo Music) / BMI. All rights reserved.

What if the armies of the Lord
Picked up and dusted off their swords
Vowed to set the captives free
And not let Satan have one more

What if the church, for heaven's sake
Finally stepped up to the plate
Took a stand upon God's promise
And stormed hell's rusty gates

Chorus:
What if His people prayed
And all who bear His name
Would humbly seek His face
And Turn from their own way

And what would happen if we prayed
For those raised up to lead the way
Then maybe kids in school could pray
And unborn children see light of day

What if the life that we pursue
Came from a hunger for the truth
What if the family turned to Jesus
Stopped asking Oprah what to do

Chorus:
What if His people prayed
And all who bear His name
Would humbly seek His face
And Turn from their own way

He said that He would hear
His promise has been made
He'll answer loud and clear
If only we would pray

If My people called by My name
If they'll humble themselves and pray
If My people called by My name
If they'll humble themselves and pray

Songs of the Lukewarm Church

If you're familiar with church hymns, this is funny... and after you ponder upon it for a few seconds, it becomes more than a little disturbing.

For how many of us can actually say that the songs that we sing with our lives aren't the songs of the lukewarm church but songs of the authentic, blessed authentic church of Jesus Christ? Oh that we would not be hypocrites and would not be satisfied with a mere sip or taste of our infinite God, but would seek with all our hearts, all our minds and all our strength to know Him and marvel at His glories, that as we know more of Him we may love Him more and more as well...

"More love to Thee O Christ, more love to Thee;
hear Thou the prayer I make on bended knee.
This is my earnest plea: more love O Christ to Thee;
more love to Thee, more love to Thee!

Once earthly joy I craved, sought peace and rest;
Now Thee alone I seek, give what is best.
This all my prayer shall be: More love, O Christ to Thee;
More love to Thee, more love to Thee!

Let sorrow do its work, send grief and pain;
Sweet are Thy messengers, sweet their refrain,
When they can sing with me: More love, O Christ, to Thee;
More love to Thee, more love to Thee!

Then shall my latest breath whisper Thy praise;
This be the parting cry my heart shall raise;
This still its prayer shall be: More love, O Christ to Thee;
More love to Thee, more love to Thee!"*

*"More Love to Thee" was written by Elizabeth Prentiss in 1856, during a period of illness. The song is now public domain.