Blogging for edification: 2005

Monday, October 17, 2005

O Magnify the Lord

Phil 1:20 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.

I'm quite sure that you have used a magnifying glass some time in your life. What comes to mind when you read the word 'magnify'. It would mean to enlarge, to enable a closer look, to examine in closer detail....
So what did the apostle mean when he wanted to 'magnify' the Lord in his body? What would it mean for US to magnify the Lord in our body, in life or in death? Here's what i think...
In Life...
If we're to magnify the Lord in our body, does it mean we've got to get a HUGE TATTOO that says JESUS CHRIST all over our body? I don't think so. Let us remember, everything we do or speak is done through this body of ours. The Lord Jesus Christ is magnified or de-magnified through the things that we do while in our body.
To magnify the Lord would be to live a life that an observer would be able to learn things about the Lord Jesus Christ.
It would be to live a life that would bring the Lord Jesus to those around us for a closer look.
People would be able to ask us questions, and come away learning something from or about the Lord Jesus Christ.
This kind of life would, through the Holy Spirit, testify and glorify CHrist in every area of life, school, work, family , friends, church, even when preaching the gospel.
Every word that is spoken would bring grace to the hearers, just like Christ.
Every deed done, would show forth grace and love, just like CHrist.
Every decision, would be to the glory of the Father, just like Christ.
For the Lord to be magnified, it would mean people could inspect the very personal things of our life, and still see Christ.
Far too many Christians parade around in 'christian velvet', from afar, seems to be shiny and giving light, but upon closer inspection its usually dark and coarse.People can see terrible deeds, many lies, much deceit. This cannot be for the Christian who wants to magnify the Lord.
Magnifying the Lord not only serves to spread the light of Christ, but also to concentrate that light for convicting a sinner.
The unbelieving friend would be able to curse our beliefs, and deride and ridicule Christ and His Word, but when the light of Christ is focused on him, through our blameless lives, like how a magnfiying glass is used to focus a ray of light to cause heat, he would be unable to raise any accusation against the child of God, hence, he's unable to accuse anything against CHrist.
As the apostle writes, to magnify the Lord, it has to be done without shame, with love, and with boldness. We must learn to leave consequences to the Lord Himself, and carry our cross daily and bear it in front of men.
In death...
Of all the people in the world, i think only Christians, object of God's great love and grace, can face death without worry and doubt. The Word of God very clearly describes what we will be like, where we will be, what we will do, and who we will be with. This is compounded by the fact that God who cannot lie, is faithful to His word, and will do what He has promised to do.
When the Christian faces death, aside from the physical suffering that accompanies sickness, he need not fear the fate of his soul. He can indeed sing with the hymnwriter 'It is well with my soul'.
Such peace and steadfastness in the Christian when facing death is a strong and powerful testimony to the unbeliever. In Fox's book of Martyrs, the account of 'James the Great' one of the elders of the church in Jerusalem, who was so steadfast and peaceful when he was lead to be beheaded so pierced his accuser that he fell at his feet and seeked forgiveness, professing to be a believer and was beheaded together with James.
Oh that we may have such confidence and 'consider it pure joy, when were face with divers trials', even death.
... O Magnify the Lord
For HE is worthy to be praised...

Labels: Edification

Sunday, October 16, 2005

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Blogging for edification

Labels: Edification

Saturday, May 14, 2005

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Each one his part

It would be great if you could read Numbers 3:24-36.

v25 And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation shall be the tabernacle, and the tent, the covering thereof,
and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation,
v26 And the hangings of the court, and the curtain for the door of the
court, which is by the tabernacle, and by the altar round about, and the cords of it for all the service thereof.

v30 And the chief of the house of the father of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Uzziel.
v31 And their charge shall be the ark, and the table, and the candlestick,
and the altars, and the vessels of the sanctuary wherewith they minister, and the hanging, and all the service thereof.

v36 And under the custody and charge of the sons of Merari shall be the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and the sockets thereof, and all the vessels thereof, and all that serveth thereto,
v37 And the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their
pins, and their cords.

The Levites were the ministering priests in the tabernacle. Levi, had three sons, Gershon , Kohath and Merari. God assigned different parts of the tabernacle into their care, as we have read above.

Just imagine if any one of the families of Gershon (Gershonites), Kohath (Kohathites), Merari (Merarites) didn't do their part in caring for and setting up the tabernacle?
Where would the Gershonites set up the tent and hangings if the Merarites didn't set up the boards of the tabernacle?
Where would Aaron sprinkle the precious blood of the offerings if the ark was not set its place by the Kohathites?
How would the people know where to bring their offerings if the courts were not set up?
It just wouldn't be complete, would it?

As we know, the tabernacle speaks very richly of the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ, and we also know that we are members of His body (Eph5:30 , Col 1:24).

When we read Paul's commentary on spiritual gifts in 1Cor 12 (please take time to read this later, its always good to keep this passage in
rememberance) , and we realise that each of us has a part to play in the
church. He begins by saying "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I
would not have you ignorant.".
We need to seek the Lord to know what GIFT HE HAS GIVEN US (not 'what our
gift is' as is popularly spoken).
Then he says "4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit."
and in v29 "Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all
workers of miracles?".

So let us not think that ALL who grow in the church MUST become a sunday
school, yount people, or young adult teacher. In my opinion, we shouldn't
allow just anyone to teach as it is a great responsibility and teachers are
held double accountable (Jas 3:1 Be not many teachers, my brethren, knowing
that we shall receive greater judgment.).

so what i'm trying to bring to our minds is this
1) Do you know what gift God has given you? Do you know what your role is in
your family and also in the assembly of saints?
2) If you do know, are you DOING it? The Gershonites, Kohathites and
Merarites KNEW what they were supposed to do, but in order for the
tabernacle to set up properly, they had to DO what they had to do. The same
goes for us, if you're a teacher, it is your responsibility to spend more
time than others feeding from the word of God, and getting involved in
people's lives. If you love to show hospitality, when was the last time you
had some people over for dinner? If you like to care for people, when was
the last time visited someone?
3) Do we realise that our inaction, or neglect to do our part could cause
difficulty to another persons ministry?

Well, then next time we say to ourselves, "ah, i don't want to do this",
remember the sons of Levi, and how important it was for them to work
together.

Labels: Edification

Friday, April 22, 2005

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Thy love is better than wine

Taken from Charles Spurgeon's Morning and Evening

"Thy love is better than wine." {#So 1:2}

Nothing gives the believer so much joy as fellowship with Christ. He has enjoyment as others have in the common mercies of life, he can be glad both in God’s gifts and God’s works; but in all these separately, yea, and in all of them added together, he doth not find such substantial delight as in the matchless person of his Lord Jesus. He has wine which no vineyard on earth ever yielded; he has bread which all the corn fields of Egypt could never bring forth. Where can such sweetness be found as we have tasted in communion with our Beloved? In our esteem, the joys of earth are little better than husks for swine compared with Jesus, the heavenly manna. We would rather have one mouthful of Christ’s love, and a sip of his fellowship, than a whole world full of carnal delights. What is the chaff to the wheat? What is the sparkling paste to the true diamond? What is a dream to the glorious reality? What is time’s mirth, in its best trim, compared to our Lord Jesus in his most despised estate? If you know anything of the inner life, you will confess that our highest, purest, and most enduring joys must be the fruit of the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God. No spring yields such sweet water as that well of God which was digged with the soldier’s spear. All earthly bliss is of the earth earthy, but the comforts of Christ’s presence are like himself, heavenly. We can review our communion with Jesus, and find no regrets of emptiness therein; there are no dregs in this wine, no dead flies in this ointment. The joy of the Lord is solid and enduring. Vanity hath not looked upon it, but discretion and prudence testify that it abideth the test of years, and is in time and in eternity worthy to be called "the only true delight." For nourishment, consolation, exhilaration, and refreshment, no wine can rival the love of Jesus. Let us drink to the full this evening.

Wednesday, April 20, 2005

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The Light above the brightess of the sun

Acts 26:13 - 18 :
"At midday, on the way, I saw, O king, a light above the brightness of the
sun, shining from heaven round about me and those who were journeying with
me. And, when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me
in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for
you to kick against the goads. And I said, who art thou Lord? And the Lord
said, I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest, but rise up and stand on thy feet;
for , for this purpose have I appeared unto thee, to appoint you to be a
servant and a witness both of what thou hast seen, and of what I shall
appear to thee in, taking thee out from among the people, and the nations,
to whom I send thee, to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to
light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive the
remittance of sins and inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith
in me"

Oh Christian, be humble, be thankful. The light that shines brighter that
the brightest noonday sun has shined upon you. The light so bright it cannot
be hidden. He has caused the dungeon of darkness we have been groping about
to flame with light. The all revealing light has shown us our depraved
state, our fallen and hopeless state. Can we withstand the omniscient
Judge's gaze of righteousness? Nay, we must bow in contrition and
confession. Thank God, He HIMSELF has brought us into light, and has
justified, even sanctified us in Himself. We can now stand in the light, and
like the burning bush that does not consume, we are not consumed.
Thank God also, that satan's rule over us is over, we now have a Master
whose 'yoke is easy, and burden is light' (Mt 11:29-39), whose 'mercies are
great'.
(Ps 119:156)
Give thanks to God, for He has given us His Word, the bible, which is a
'lamp unto our feet, and a light unto our path' (Ps 119:105). The Sun of
Righteousness, guides us along our pilgrimage as we await the dawn of
endless day.

Turn not back to darkness, seek no pleasure in the shadows of sin, put on
the armour of light (Rom 13:12), and fix your eyes upon the author and
perfector of our salvation.

Labels: Edification

Tuesday, April 19, 2005

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Peace

What is peace?

1) Jn 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
- Who gives peace? It is Christ, not ourselves, not in what we are, or what we do, or what we have gained ("as the world giveth")

2) Ac 10:36 (YLT) The word that he sent to the sons of Israel, proclaiming good news - peace through (KJV-by) Jesus Christ (this one is Lord of all,)
3) Rom 5:1 Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God THROUGH our Lord Jesus Christ
- Peace comes through Jesus Christ, not ourselves. Again, not of our own devices or ways of this world.

4) Gal 6:14-16: But God forbid that I should boast, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me , and I unto the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy and upon the Israel of God
- What is that rule Paul refers to? For us to be humble, realising that what we do in/to the body does not obtain peace with God in any way, but rejoicing in nothing but the cross of Christ. If we do this, peace will be on us together with mercy. (Could it be that easy?)

5) Eph 2:13-16 and now, in CHrist Jesus, ye being once afar off became nigh in the blood of the Christ, for He is our peace, who did make both one, and the middle wall of enclosure did break down, the enmity in His flesh, the law of commands in ordinances havind done away, that the two he might create in Himself into one new man, making peace, and might reconcile both in one body to God through the cross, having slain the enmity in it.
6) Col 1:19-20 For in Him all the fulness of the Godhead was pleased to dwell, and by him to reconcile all things to itself, having made peace by the blood of his cross - by Him, whether the things on the earth or the things in the heavens. And you who once were alenated and enemies in mind by wicked works, yet now has it reconciled in the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and unblamable and irreproacable before it.
- Why is it that true peace can only come through the Lord Jesus? Because He has made peace between God and men. How, by His death on the cross, His sacrificing Himself for our sins that we may be forgiven by God.

My conclusion: All the passages indicate that peace was made by the Lord Jesus Christ and towards God. God was offended by sin, and still is, but Christ has made peace with God. God is satisfied with Christ, His only begotten Son.
In other words, our peace with God doesn't depend on whether we go through the day without sin or not. It doesn't depend on whether I do good to others or not. These things I should do, yes, but they are not prerequisites for peace, let i have something to boast.

I know I have peace with God, when I realise my utter hopelessness, and remember my Saviour, my Lord, who shed His precious blood for my sake, and through Him have obtained salvation.

Phil 4:6-7 " Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus "