Tuesday, March 27, 2007

WHY SEEK For God?

“Jesus answered, ‘I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval’" (John 6:26-27).

There is a general tendency for us to exert our effort and use our time to look for God to receive material or physical favors. Or, we pursue Him because we have experienced some earthly blessings before from Him and we desire to have more.

The Son of God tells us that it should not be our motivation why we should look for God. Rather, we should strive to look for Him, to seek Him, to find Him in order for us "to have Him" – the “food that endures to eternal life.” He is our Salvation, our Healing, our Provision, our Joy, our Victory, etc.

Only in Him that we will enjoy complete satisfaction and everlasting contentment!

Let’s invest our energy, time and resources finding Him in His Book, in our prayers, in every opportunity He has given us -- even in our pains.

Monday, March 19, 2007

Do You Know WHY The Gospel is GOOD?

Why are we not so joyful, thrilled and excited when we heard the Gospel?

Because we are made to believe, or it is presented in such a way that the emphasis is on the GOOD things that will happen to us... that though we are sinners, Jesus Christ suffered and died to pay for all our sins, that God has forgiven us, that He restored us to His fellowship, etc. etc. Of course, that is good.

But the Gospel is really GOOD, because there is a God who is GOOD!!!

"How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of those who bring good news,
who proclaim peace,
who bring good tidings,
who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion,
"'Your God reigns!'" (Isa. 52:7.)

If we are given the task to proclaim the Gospel, should we not proclaim and announce that there is a God who rules -- who is in charge and in control of everything? And this Good King saves, forgives, loves, blesses, extends grace, peace, joy, and every good thing to His people?

And this Sovereign Being who rules, because of His Great Love to the elect, sent His only Begotten Son to seek and save them?

Should we not emphasize more the GOODNESS of the Savior, not the good thing that will happen to the ones who will be saved?

God Does NOT Operate By CHANCE

There are those who do not believe that our physical universe was not realized by chance. Unfortunately, they believe that spiritual creation was realized by chance!


They believe that God offer mankind the wonderful gift of salvation and if by chance anyone who wants to accept it, then he will experience rebirth.

Could we not believe that even our spiritual rebirth does not depend on chance?

We have the gift of salvation not because we happened to accept it. To those who experienced spiritual creation – those who experienced salvation – they did, because God does not just offer it to them. He gave it to them.

The Sovereign God determined before the foundation of the world those who would be conformed to the image of His Son – who would be saved! We accept the gift – not by chance – but God worked in us to will and to act – He influenced our own will – so we would accept His gift.

Friday, March 16, 2007

Three DESCRIPTIONS OF GOD...

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thess 5:16-18).

As we read those verses, we easily gear our mind on what we are supposed to do. But we can also learn that they described our Great God! The verses implied at least three descriptions of God.

"Be joyful always... " -- God is the Only Being we can experience joy at all times. There is no boring moment, if we are in Him.

"Pray continually..." -- He is always listening to us! We can speak to Him continually and He will not miss any word of what we are saying.

"Give thanks in all circumstances" -- we cannot accuse God of anything. He deserves and is worthy of our gratitude in all circumstances!

Do we "see" Him as He really is?

May He reveal more His Excellence to us, as we study and listen to His Word (the Bible).

Monday, March 12, 2007

Am Grateful That The Savior Is GOD

No power in the universe prevented the Sovereign God from giving His Son to those whom He has chosen. “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all -- how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies” (Rom. 8:32-33, NIV).

Since God gave His own Son to them, He also gave them repentance (Acts 5:31), faith or belief (Eph. 2:8; Phil. 1:29), a heart that will respond to the gospel (Acts 16:14; Ezek. 36:26), His Spirit of power and of love and of sound mind, fills their hearts with joy (Acts 14:17), etc. God will see to it that the elect will lack nothing to complete their salvation.

Yes, God’s people today, just like the ancient Israelites, received God’s deliverance – out of God’s Plan – His Will and Determination, God’s Accomplishment, God’s Mercy and for His Glory.

In the words of Paul, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -- not by works, so that no one can boast” (Eph 2:8-9, NIV).

Unfortunately, many understood that we are saved, not by our own works, but by our own choice, our own will or determination and even our own acceptance!

We will truly value and rejoice in the gem of God’s grace, if we realize that our salvation is God’s own complete work, His own plan or will or choice and His mercy granted to us (Phil. 1:9; Eph. 2:8).

(Just proceed to http://sermoncentral.com/sermon.asp?SermonID=89529 to appreciate more that our Savior is God.)

Friday, March 9, 2007

Do You Find God SO APPEALING?


“Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you” (Ps. 73:25).

How much do we long for God?

Are we so attracted to Him that we could also say, “And earth has nothing I desire besides You”?

We tend to gravitate to what this world has than to the One who created us!We desire more to have jobs, to have a family, to own a land, house, or car. In the church, we want to have more members, more income, or more ministries. In the family, we are pleased to have a very supportive spouse, obedient children, or tolerant parents.

Not all our desires are wrong, but do we find God MORE attractive, interesting, delightful than our friends, beliefs, ambitions, possessions, or even than our comfort?

Perhaps, we need to re-read the Bible. Study it with the thought that God is revealing Himself in its pages and learn more and really appreciate His Glorious Desirability!

Monday, March 5, 2007

God Saved His People For Eternity, Not Just For A Season

Our own denomination was considered then by others as a "cult."

We believed then that we are saved by "grace" plus our obedience to the ten commandments. We believed also that Jesus paid all our sins in the past and we need to "qualify" ourselves, endure, overcome, etc. etc.

In short, God gave us salvation, but it is in our own human hands to keep it.

By God's mercy, there are now changes in our denomination and we are now accepted in the evangelical community.It is no longer dogmatic in many teachings and allow the members to have their own personal beliefs.

Now, I believe that God did not save me for a season. He did not adopt me as a son temporarily. He give me assurance that I will be in His Kingdom, not in my own imperfect human effort -- but in His Spirit, who will move me to follow Him -- not my own ways, or the ways of Satan.

Now, I believe every word of my Savior, Jesus Christ:

"I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand" (John 10:28).

When He saved me, He gave me ETERNAL life -- NOT just temporary life -- eternal, no gaps in between, a continuous life that is eternal. He gave me a salvation not just for a season, but for ETERNITY!

For I believe that He will never leave nor forsake me -- His Spirit will always dwell in me to give me His assurance, His endurance, His strength, His guidance, His repentance, His fogiveness, His love, His comfort -- nothing will He withhold from me, for He had even given me His Son.