Before the guest speaker, Pastor Cornelio communicated the message, he invited his wife, Deborah to greet the congregation. She proceeded to quote the entire chapter of Isaiah 53. Pastor Cornelio then preached a powerful stirring message and the congregation responded for a touch of God. I was personally blessed by the preaching and especially impressed by the quotation of Isa 53 from memory. During the prayer time, I asked God to enhance my knowledge and memory of God's Word.
Three weeks later, this scripture stood out. It had a fresh new meaning. Isa.55:8,9 'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,' declares the Lord. 'As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.' I have always understood it as God's thoughts and ways are different, higher, wiser and better than mine (It does not take a wise guy to see that) . This time, I was asking myself, 'What can I do to narrow that gap?' How can I think more like God and therefore act in ways similar to His?
I came to the conclusion that the gap can be narrowed and one means is to have His Word fill my mind. I have been pastoring and preaching the Word for 27 years now. However, there is still so much room for the Word. I need the Word to dwell in me. The Word must live in me, be so alive in me affecting my thoughts, actions, motives, feelings and character at every conscious moment of my day.
I have to commit more of the Word to memory and repeat it throughout the day as often as possible. It is more than an intellectual exercise. I must come to a point that God's Word must saturate my mind, drench my soul and flood my spirit till my every action and reaction be as near as possible to how God would think and act. It is a lifelong quest that I know can never be perfected in this life and even the next. The important thing is I have received a new fire and focus to realign myself to pursue the mind and heart of God through His precious written Word for His Word reveals HIM. My prayer is that with a mind change, there will be a life change - one that resembles more of the life of Jesus.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
The Truths and Dangers of the Resurrection of Jesus
Many of us are familiar with the TV show 'Ripley's Believe It Or Not'. It features a whole range of extraordinary human feats to the most bizarre around the world. Some of the acts are simply amazing, and if it not seen with your own eyes, it is un-believable. It is very entertaining. The program host always ends the show by saying 'believe it or not.'
When it comes to the Ripley show, to believe it or not to believe will not drastically change your life or mine. The show exposes us to many strange things but we can go on with life as usual without any dire consequences on how we respond to it.
However, when it comes to whether we believe in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ or not, the stakes are sky high. It is as drastic as heaven and hell (and that's no exaggeration). Jesus died and arose from the dead and is alive forevermore . The Bible and Christians claim that this is true. Do you believe it or not? Is it true or just fiction? There are at least 6 ways it will affect you.
1. Truth: If we believe that the resurrection is true, then you can be certain that your sins are forgiven. Jesus claimed that he came to die for the sins of the world. And if He rose from the dead, it means that His sacrifice for sins was accepted by God who raised Jesus up from the grave.
Danger: If we don't believe in the Resurrection, then we have rejected the only means of forgiveness and thus even now stand condemned for our sins. The wages of sin is death..Rom.6:23
2. Truth: If we believe the resurrection is true, then we can have a secure bright hope for the future. The barrier to entrance into heaven is sin. When sin is forgiven and removed, then our eternal destiny is brightly lit.
Danger: If we don't believe, then we are lost and the future is bleak and dark. We do not have the answer to "What lies after death, where am I going, how are my sins forgiven and how to have the assurance of forgiveness?"
3. Truth: If we believe the resurrection is true, we can be sure that Jesus is indeed the promised Savior. The Bible states that the true Savior will conquer death. Jesus defeated death and gives this same victory to his followers.
Danger: If we don't believe, then we reject the Answer sent by God, and earnest faith in any other persons other than Jesus is simply futile and fatal.
4. Truth: If we believe in the resurrection that Jesus is alive, then a meaningful and personal relationship with Him is possible. It assures us that prayer is more, much much more than religious activity. We pray to a real God and one who can hear and chooses to hear our heart's cry. The living God loves to speak to His children.
Danger: If we don't believe, we have lost the opportunity to establish the greatest and most rewarding relationship with Jesus. We have ignored the access into the holy awesome presence of the One True God and ventured onto a dark slippery path headed to disappointments and sadness.
5. Truth: If we believe in the resurrection, we can live in confidence that this living God who conquered death is there to help us overcome our big and insurmountable difficulties. Nothing is impossible with God !
Danger: If we don't, we are left to lean on self and the weak arm of human flesh. Man will fail us and we will fail ourselves and we potentially slide down into damaging emotions that robs us of inner peace.
6. Truth: If we believe, then we will be greatly inspired to live a godly life for the pleasure of the Living God who will one day reward us.
Danger: If we don't believe the resurrection of Jesus, we gravitate towards careless living and low morals which will bring God's judgement on us.
So do you believe in the Resurrection of Jesus? If you believe the resurrection is real, you will experience the truths and power of His resurrection in normal daily living. If it is real and you don't believe, then you live dangerously on the edge of certain catastrophe.
You may argue that the resurrection of Jesus is a hoax. If it really is a hoax, then you don't have to be bothered at all. But are you sure? Have you done thorough research to make this solid conclusion. The evidences supporting the resurrection of Jesus is undeniable and can stand any cross examination of any court of law. Because if you are wrong, the consequences are most severe lasting for......forever!
When it comes to the Ripley show, to believe it or not to believe will not drastically change your life or mine. The show exposes us to many strange things but we can go on with life as usual without any dire consequences on how we respond to it.
However, when it comes to whether we believe in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ or not, the stakes are sky high. It is as drastic as heaven and hell (and that's no exaggeration). Jesus died and arose from the dead and is alive forevermore . The Bible and Christians claim that this is true. Do you believe it or not? Is it true or just fiction? There are at least 6 ways it will affect you.
1. Truth: If we believe that the resurrection is true, then you can be certain that your sins are forgiven. Jesus claimed that he came to die for the sins of the world. And if He rose from the dead, it means that His sacrifice for sins was accepted by God who raised Jesus up from the grave.
Danger: If we don't believe in the Resurrection, then we have rejected the only means of forgiveness and thus even now stand condemned for our sins. The wages of sin is death..Rom.6:23
2. Truth: If we believe the resurrection is true, then we can have a secure bright hope for the future. The barrier to entrance into heaven is sin. When sin is forgiven and removed, then our eternal destiny is brightly lit.
Danger: If we don't believe, then we are lost and the future is bleak and dark. We do not have the answer to "What lies after death, where am I going, how are my sins forgiven and how to have the assurance of forgiveness?"
3. Truth: If we believe the resurrection is true, we can be sure that Jesus is indeed the promised Savior. The Bible states that the true Savior will conquer death. Jesus defeated death and gives this same victory to his followers.
Danger: If we don't believe, then we reject the Answer sent by God, and earnest faith in any other persons other than Jesus is simply futile and fatal.
4. Truth: If we believe in the resurrection that Jesus is alive, then a meaningful and personal relationship with Him is possible. It assures us that prayer is more, much much more than religious activity. We pray to a real God and one who can hear and chooses to hear our heart's cry. The living God loves to speak to His children.
Danger: If we don't believe, we have lost the opportunity to establish the greatest and most rewarding relationship with Jesus. We have ignored the access into the holy awesome presence of the One True God and ventured onto a dark slippery path headed to disappointments and sadness.
5. Truth: If we believe in the resurrection, we can live in confidence that this living God who conquered death is there to help us overcome our big and insurmountable difficulties. Nothing is impossible with God !
Danger: If we don't, we are left to lean on self and the weak arm of human flesh. Man will fail us and we will fail ourselves and we potentially slide down into damaging emotions that robs us of inner peace.
6. Truth: If we believe, then we will be greatly inspired to live a godly life for the pleasure of the Living God who will one day reward us.
Danger: If we don't believe the resurrection of Jesus, we gravitate towards careless living and low morals which will bring God's judgement on us.
So do you believe in the Resurrection of Jesus? If you believe the resurrection is real, you will experience the truths and power of His resurrection in normal daily living. If it is real and you don't believe, then you live dangerously on the edge of certain catastrophe.
You may argue that the resurrection of Jesus is a hoax. If it really is a hoax, then you don't have to be bothered at all. But are you sure? Have you done thorough research to make this solid conclusion. The evidences supporting the resurrection of Jesus is undeniable and can stand any cross examination of any court of law. Because if you are wrong, the consequences are most severe lasting for......forever!
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