"Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy" (1 Peter 1:8).
Before, I thought that this "inxpressible and glorious joy" is only possible in the future -- especially, at the second coming of Jesus Christ.
But verse 6 states, "In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials."
In other words, even now that we may "suffer grief in all kinds of trials" we can still "greatly rejoice"!
If we really love Jesus Christ, if we believe in Him we can be filled with an "inexpressible and glorious joy" regardless of the trial that is now happening to us!
The question is: Do we have now the love of God and the faith in the Son?
The demons believe and they shudder. God's children believe and they greatly rejoice.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Finding God by Dr. Larry Crabb
"True passion for our Lord is a work of the Holy Spirit. It is he who entices us, luring us to pay attiention to Christ. He uncovers the stirring reality of Christ all through the Bible"
Friday, May 25, 2007
Had God CHOSEN To REJECT You?
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him…” (Ephesians 1:3-4.)
God is the Sovereign who chooses.
And He chooses even “before the foundation of the world.” His choice will not be determined only after the return of Jesus Christ on this earth. His choice will not be determined only now if we change our way of life. But even before our birth! Yes, before the foundation of the world.
Furthermore, He “chose us in him before the foundation of the world…” NOT to be punished, or to be rejected later. He does not want anyone to suffer, or to perish.
But, “that we should be holy and blameless before him.” It is our own choice – the best that our freedom of choice can do is… – to reject Him, just like what Adam and Eve did. But God chooses a people to belong to Him.
If we have our own will to have our own way, God has the Sovereign Will to choose those who would be controlled by His Spirit to enable them to follow Him. (If you have some further questions, kindly read my message THE MOST HIGH CHOOSES at http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermon.asp?SermonID=97809.)
God is the Sovereign who chooses.
And He chooses even “before the foundation of the world.” His choice will not be determined only after the return of Jesus Christ on this earth. His choice will not be determined only now if we change our way of life. But even before our birth! Yes, before the foundation of the world.
Furthermore, He “chose us in him before the foundation of the world…” NOT to be punished, or to be rejected later. He does not want anyone to suffer, or to perish.
But, “that we should be holy and blameless before him.” It is our own choice – the best that our freedom of choice can do is… – to reject Him, just like what Adam and Eve did. But God chooses a people to belong to Him.
If we have our own will to have our own way, God has the Sovereign Will to choose those who would be controlled by His Spirit to enable them to follow Him. (If you have some further questions, kindly read my message THE MOST HIGH CHOOSES at http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermon.asp?SermonID=97809.)
Monday, May 21, 2007
Why I Believe
We read in the last part of Acts 13:48, “…all who were appointed for eternal life believed.”
The verse emphasizes to me that if God chose me before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless and predestined me to be adopted as one of his sons, then He will really work in me that I may believe. I believe because He has appointed me for eternal life!
Because of the said verse, I realize more that faith is indeed a gift from God. He gives it freely to those He chose before the creation of the world.
The verse emphasizes to me that if God chose me before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless and predestined me to be adopted as one of his sons, then He will really work in me that I may believe. I believe because He has appointed me for eternal life!
Because of the said verse, I realize more that faith is indeed a gift from God. He gives it freely to those He chose before the creation of the world.
Friday, May 18, 2007
Finding God by Dr. Larry Crabb
“We are here to know the Lord Jesus Christ – there is no other reason for living.”
The Divine Conquest by A. W. Tozer
“God rescues us by breaking us, by shattering our strength and wiping out our resistance.”
CHOSEN BY GOD by RC Sproul
“God is free. I am free. God is more free than I am. If my freedom runs up against God’s freedom, I lose. His freedom restricts mine; my freedom does not restrict his.”
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 offered 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 (Eph. 1:4-5) – who would be saved!
We accept the gift – not by chance – but God worked in us to will and to act (Phil. 2:13) -- He influenced our own will – so we would accept His gift.
If He will just leave us to our own so-called free choice, we will never do better than Adam and Eve (Please read my message The Most High CHOOSES at http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermon.asp?SermonID=97809).
They believe that God offered 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 (Eph. 1:4-5) – who would be saved!
We accept the gift – not by chance – but God worked in us to will and to act (Phil. 2:13) -- He influenced our own will – so we would accept His gift.
If He will just leave us to our own so-called free choice, we will never do better than Adam and Eve (Please read my message The Most High CHOOSES at http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermon.asp?SermonID=97809).
God Wants To Do Something For YOU!
There is a tendency for us to work -- to work to accomplish something for ourselves, or to please others. Even before the Sovereigh Creator, it is normal for us to believe that we can do something for Him.
Consider the words of Jesus Christ:
“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.’ Then they asked him, ‘What must we do to do the works God requires?’ Jesus answered, ‘The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent’" (John 6:26-29).
The last verse says, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
In the God’s Word of Freedom, we read in verse 28, “The people asked Jesus, ‘What does God want us to do?’”
I love the paraphrase of verse 29, “Jesus replied to them, ‘God wants to do something for you so that you believe in the one whom he has sent.’”
Though the people would want to do something for God, God’s Word says, it is God actually who wants to do something for us!
As we read in part in Philippians 2:13, “… it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.”
And what He wants to do for us – not to make us famous, healthy, or wealthy, but -- to believe in the one whom he has sent! For Him, it is more important for us to believe in His Son.
John wrote, “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31).
To have a perpetual enjoyment in Him is what He wants for His children to have -- and He is working that they could have it.
(You may view my message The Sovereign Worker at http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermon.asp?SermonID=88687 to realize more what God can do for you.)
Consider the words of Jesus Christ:
“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.’ Then they asked him, ‘What must we do to do the works God requires?’ Jesus answered, ‘The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent’" (John 6:26-29).
The last verse says, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
In the God’s Word of Freedom, we read in verse 28, “The people asked Jesus, ‘What does God want us to do?’”
I love the paraphrase of verse 29, “Jesus replied to them, ‘God wants to do something for you so that you believe in the one whom he has sent.’”
Though the people would want to do something for God, God’s Word says, it is God actually who wants to do something for us!
As we read in part in Philippians 2:13, “… it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.”
And what He wants to do for us – not to make us famous, healthy, or wealthy, but -- to believe in the one whom he has sent! For Him, it is more important for us to believe in His Son.
John wrote, “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31).
To have a perpetual enjoyment in Him is what He wants for His children to have -- and He is working that they could have it.
(You may view my message The Sovereign Worker at http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermon.asp?SermonID=88687 to realize more what God can do for you.)
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Could WE Really CHANGE God's MIND?!
"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words" (Rom. 8:26).
There are many instances in the Bible, wherein God seemed to change His Plan because of the prayer of a believer.
But could it be that it is God Himself who changes us?
And that in our prayer, through His Spirit, He moved us to make our longings be conformed to His Sovereign Will?
On our own, we do not know what is best and what is right. We are always biased in our request.
If ever our petition is answered, could it be that it is not only in line with His Will, but in the first place, He Himself has worked in our mind to ask for it?
In our prayer, could it be God is actually transforming our mind to be conformed to His Will?
We really need to pray -- more and more. So our mind could be transformed more to God's mind.
There are many instances in the Bible, wherein God seemed to change His Plan because of the prayer of a believer.
But could it be that it is God Himself who changes us?
And that in our prayer, through His Spirit, He moved us to make our longings be conformed to His Sovereign Will?
On our own, we do not know what is best and what is right. We are always biased in our request.
If ever our petition is answered, could it be that it is not only in line with His Will, but in the first place, He Himself has worked in our mind to ask for it?
In our prayer, could it be God is actually transforming our mind to be conformed to His Will?
We really need to pray -- more and more. So our mind could be transformed more to God's mind.
Does God Want EVERYONE To Come To Repentance?
We read in 2 Peter 3:9 that God wants “that ALL should reach repentance.”
But the verse does NOT say, He PLANS that all should reach repentance. It is not His Sovereign Will to enable everyone to repent by giving them His Holy Spirit. He has given His Spirit to those who obey Him.
Will He forgive anyone who truly ask for His forgiveness, or who repents? Of course, He will. For He Himself is the One who enables those who come to Him to ask for forgiveness.
Then, why doesn’t He give His Spirit to all? By doing so, everyone would be able to repent.
The English Standard Version translates 2 Peter 3:19, “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but he is patient toward you, not WISHING that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance."
God does NOT rejoice when someone will disobey and suffer in hell for eternity. He wishes that all of us should repent.
But He has a plan. He will give His Spirit to those “God calls to himself” (Acts 2:39). He will give His Spirit to ALL persons – to all He “CALLS TO HIMSELF” (Acts 2:39) – those He had chosen (Eph. 1:4). “For he says to Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion’” (Rom. 9:15).
Have you experienced genuine repentance?
Well, it's not because of your own desire or effort. It's because of God's mercy. In His kindness, He leads you to it.
But the verse does NOT say, He PLANS that all should reach repentance. It is not His Sovereign Will to enable everyone to repent by giving them His Holy Spirit. He has given His Spirit to those who obey Him.
Will He forgive anyone who truly ask for His forgiveness, or who repents? Of course, He will. For He Himself is the One who enables those who come to Him to ask for forgiveness.
Then, why doesn’t He give His Spirit to all? By doing so, everyone would be able to repent.
The English Standard Version translates 2 Peter 3:19, “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but he is patient toward you, not WISHING that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance."
God does NOT rejoice when someone will disobey and suffer in hell for eternity. He wishes that all of us should repent.
But He has a plan. He will give His Spirit to those “God calls to himself” (Acts 2:39). He will give His Spirit to ALL persons – to all He “CALLS TO HIMSELF” (Acts 2:39) – those He had chosen (Eph. 1:4). “For he says to Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion’” (Rom. 9:15).
Have you experienced genuine repentance?
Well, it's not because of your own desire or effort. It's because of God's mercy. In His kindness, He leads you to it.
Saturday, May 5, 2007
When God DISPLAYED His Grace To Me...
Almost five years ago, I was alone in our house and I suffered a severe attack of bronchial asthma. It happened for two consecutive nights. I could no longer breath! During the first night, it happened once. During the second night, it happened twice.
In each case, because oxygen could not reach anymore my brain, I could no longer pray, or even think of God. I was just struggling to have some air! At that moment, air was the only thing that I valued.
But in each case, when I thought my life was about to end, my breath was restored.
When I tried to look back and remember what had happened, I was filled with guilt that at those times, I desired more the air than the Creator of the air!
But the great lesson I learned, I experienced the grace of God. My physical life was extended not because I even prayed for it, or I did something to prolong it, but because purely of His mercy!
And because of the experience, it was also emphasized to me that God would extend my life to eternity not because I would ask Him for it or I would do something to have it.
God had given us this temporal life, or would extend it for sometime, or would give us eternal life -- not because of our own choice or effort, but because of His Grace.
(If you wish to learn more about the beauty of God's Grace, pleasre read my message at http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermon.asp?SermonID=87502)
In each case, because oxygen could not reach anymore my brain, I could no longer pray, or even think of God. I was just struggling to have some air! At that moment, air was the only thing that I valued.
But in each case, when I thought my life was about to end, my breath was restored.
When I tried to look back and remember what had happened, I was filled with guilt that at those times, I desired more the air than the Creator of the air!
But the great lesson I learned, I experienced the grace of God. My physical life was extended not because I even prayed for it, or I did something to prolong it, but because purely of His mercy!
And because of the experience, it was also emphasized to me that God would extend my life to eternity not because I would ask Him for it or I would do something to have it.
God had given us this temporal life, or would extend it for sometime, or would give us eternal life -- not because of our own choice or effort, but because of His Grace.
(If you wish to learn more about the beauty of God's Grace, pleasre read my message at http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermon.asp?SermonID=87502)
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Do YOU RECEIVE The Mercy of God?
“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion” (Rom. 9:14, ESV throughout).
Because God is Merciful, we tend to believe that He will lavish all human beings the same amount of His Mercy.
Because He is Merciful, there are those who believe that He will save every person in every generation. They believe that the word “all” in Romans 11:26 refers to every person and not to every class or group of persons.
Because He is Merciful and Loving, there are those who even believe that He will not allow the sinners to suffer in pain in hell for eternity!
But in the early chapter of Romans, we read that there are persons who are NOT the objects of His Love and Mercy – but the objects of HIS WRATH (Romans 1:18).
God’s children were once like them (Eph. 2:3), but because of His Sovereign Choice – He shows Mercy to whom He has Mercy – instead of giving them up (Rom. 1:24, 26 & 28), He gives them His Holy Spirit to enable them to desire and to perform what is according to His Holy Will.
Are you able this time to repent, to seek, call and follow God? It’s not because you have .0001% goodness in your heart.
It’s not because you deserve 1,000% of God’s Mercy.
It’s because of His Sovereign Choice – choosing you from among the rest to bask in the Richness of His Mercy!
“Blessed is the man against WHOM the Lord will NOT count his sin” (Rom. 4:8). “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, MADE US alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved” (Eph. 2:4-5).
Because God is Merciful, we tend to believe that He will lavish all human beings the same amount of His Mercy.
Because He is Merciful, there are those who believe that He will save every person in every generation. They believe that the word “all” in Romans 11:26 refers to every person and not to every class or group of persons.
Because He is Merciful and Loving, there are those who even believe that He will not allow the sinners to suffer in pain in hell for eternity!
But in the early chapter of Romans, we read that there are persons who are NOT the objects of His Love and Mercy – but the objects of HIS WRATH (Romans 1:18).
God’s children were once like them (Eph. 2:3), but because of His Sovereign Choice – He shows Mercy to whom He has Mercy – instead of giving them up (Rom. 1:24, 26 & 28), He gives them His Holy Spirit to enable them to desire and to perform what is according to His Holy Will.
Are you able this time to repent, to seek, call and follow God? It’s not because you have .0001% goodness in your heart.
It’s not because you deserve 1,000% of God’s Mercy.
It’s because of His Sovereign Choice – choosing you from among the rest to bask in the Richness of His Mercy!
“Blessed is the man against WHOM the Lord will NOT count his sin” (Rom. 4:8). “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, MADE US alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved” (Eph. 2:4-5).
God's MERCY: Do NOT Take It For Granted
It could be a tendency to believe that God is merciful, so He is bound to have mercy for every person and to provide each person the same kindness and favor!
But, we fail to realize that God remains to be merciful, whether we are recipients of it or not! Just like, He is Good -- His Goodness does not diminish or increase -- regardless of what is happening to us.
God's Mercy is His Sovereign Choice. To WHOM and WHAT "amount or kind" of mercy He would bestow is His prerogative.
Because of His mercy, others receive the air, the sunlight, the rain and other favor of His material creation. Others receive also His Holy Spirit.
Because of His mercy, others are recipients of the "crumbs"; while there are those who enjoy the "bread."
Is He Merciful to YOU?
But, we fail to realize that God remains to be merciful, whether we are recipients of it or not! Just like, He is Good -- His Goodness does not diminish or increase -- regardless of what is happening to us.
God's Mercy is His Sovereign Choice. To WHOM and WHAT "amount or kind" of mercy He would bestow is His prerogative.
Because of His mercy, others receive the air, the sunlight, the rain and other favor of His material creation. Others receive also His Holy Spirit.
Because of His mercy, others are recipients of the "crumbs"; while there are those who enjoy the "bread."
Is He Merciful to YOU?
WHY ADMIRE God For His WRATH?!
It is really easy for us to admire and worship God for His Love and Kindness, but do we adore, and are we in awe of Him for His Wrath?
We unconsciously “isolate” His Wrath from His Goodness and Righteousness. We perceive His Goodness for His Love, Mercy, and other characters we normally admire of Him, but minus His Wrath!
But His Word tells us to NOTE both "the kindness and the SEVERITY of God" (Romans 11:22, ESV).
Should we not acknowledge that He is Good, because not only He is Love, but He is also like a consuming fire?
Perhaps, some Bible teachers and theologians are in error of trying to equate God’s anger with the outburst of anger of unrighteous, bias and fallen human beings. They taught and painted His wrath colored with self-gratification, or enjoyment of others' painful or agonizing suffering!
If we don’t define God’s Love, as we define human love – then, we should learn and appreciate His Wrath, just as we extol His Love far and above the kind of love that we ordinarily practice!
Do you think it’s time to acknowledge that His Wrath is Good, just like His Love, because it emanates from God Who is Good?
And, perhaps, if we learn to properly value His Wrath, we will also grow our hatred for every sin against Him, who will not allow any sin to exist in His Holy Presence.
We unconsciously “isolate” His Wrath from His Goodness and Righteousness. We perceive His Goodness for His Love, Mercy, and other characters we normally admire of Him, but minus His Wrath!
But His Word tells us to NOTE both "the kindness and the SEVERITY of God" (Romans 11:22, ESV).
Should we not acknowledge that He is Good, because not only He is Love, but He is also like a consuming fire?
Perhaps, some Bible teachers and theologians are in error of trying to equate God’s anger with the outburst of anger of unrighteous, bias and fallen human beings. They taught and painted His wrath colored with self-gratification, or enjoyment of others' painful or agonizing suffering!
If we don’t define God’s Love, as we define human love – then, we should learn and appreciate His Wrath, just as we extol His Love far and above the kind of love that we ordinarily practice!
Do you think it’s time to acknowledge that His Wrath is Good, just like His Love, because it emanates from God Who is Good?
And, perhaps, if we learn to properly value His Wrath, we will also grow our hatred for every sin against Him, who will not allow any sin to exist in His Holy Presence.
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