“God’s Order At Home: Children & Parents”
Scripture: Ephesians 6:1-4
by Rev Nicholas Yeo
Introduction
The God whom we believe is God of order / decency / peace; when He created universe and all in it, He gave laws for them and allows us to discover them; so laws of electricity / light / maths, etc. There are laws that we cannot choose to disobey or ignore -- we are bound by them. We are affected by them. You can say, I don’t believe in electricity, and then touch a live wire. You will believe it instantly if you are lucky enough to be alive! So also of gravity etc.
Besides creating inanimate things, God also created the animate world; we human beings are His creation; there are also laws that govern His living world e.g. dog laws: fight or lie supine.
To zero in on human beings, He knows that relationships are very important; so He has placed laws / rules / principles in human relationships; and here we can also either choose to abide or not to abide by those laws / rules / principles. To abide will result in order / decency / peace; results of not abiding will be obvious, though not as fast as we can see from that of electricity.
A few sermons ago we saw 3 evidences of a life under God's control (i.e. Spirit-filled life): joyful fellowship (v19), sustained thanksgiving(v20), mutual consideration(v21). V21 also heads the teaching of what follows; v21 underlines principle of mutual submission, elaborated in the 3 pairs of role-relationships: last week, Dr Chuah touched on wives and husbands, today on children and parents; next wk, Dr Tang on employees and employers.
1. God’s Order For Children RD v1.
When this letter was read to the church, children were present; reminds us that gathering of God's people for corporate worship includes children as well; don’t compartmentalise them too much as some churches tend to do nowadays. Christian families attended public worship together (and one young man even slept and fell down from a 3rd storey window!), and certainly parents explained Word to the children then or later.
When young people become Christians, the Holy Spirit of Truth shall teach them. Jesus says, If you continue in My Word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free (Jn8:31-32). When you young people become Christians, you are free, but you are not freed from the normal duties of life. If anything, your faith in Christ ought to make you better children in your homes. Here, you are told to obey your parents in the Lord. Why obey?
a) Your parents naturally want you to do so! And they are naturally glad to have obedient children; even young animals are taught to obey.
b) Your first circle of learning is with your immediate family; you learn obedience in family with earthly father; a good stepping-stone to learn obedience with Heavenly Father.
c) Psychologically, you are dependent upon your parents’ authority. The more you disobey, the more you rebel, and the more dissatisfied you are deep down in your soul. There is no more authority on which you can depend.
d) Parental authority is not their own making; given by God; and God's order for children is simple – nothing more than to submit to G's authority in the parents.
And you may ask: What if parents are wrong? Bible does not say, Children, obey your parents when they are right. But it says, Children, obey your parents for this is right. The responsibility of decision rests with parents. They are going to account for every decision made on the family. Child's responsibility is to OBEY, whether the things they say are agreeable or disagreeable.
However, there are commandments which a child must know, overstepping them is no longer obedience in the Lord. Many a parent has led children to sin. In these matters, you will see the law giving lighter punishments to children and heavier ones to parents. In these times, there should be trust in God rather than having thoughts of rebellion. Child call upon God to preserve him from sad necessity of refusing obedience. Such prayers cannot be left unheard.
Good to see our Master's e.g. Lack of mention of his boyhood days, but Lk2:51, he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them.
RD vv2-3. To honour our parents is simply to obey them; means to show them respect and love, to care for them as long as they need us, and to seek to bring honour to them by the way we live.
Jesus’ honour of His mother on cross (RD Jn19:26, 27); obedience and honour to mother led mother to the cross; Mary was pained and grieved when Jesus suffered, but in the end, she understood it all. Ashamed of your father, mother? Shame on you. They wore themselves out for you!
The Christian child who honours his parents can expect 2 blessings: it will be well with him and he will live long on the earth. But this does not mean that he who died young had dishonoured his parents. A principle: when children obey their parents in the Lord, they will escape a good deal of sin and danger and thus avoid the pitfalls that could threaten or shorten their lives. Interesting to see that where influence of filial respect is continued, the people live long e.g. the Chinese, Japanese, Koreans. When the bonds of family life break up, when respect for parents fails, the community disintegrates and will not live long.
As long as we have parents, even after we are regarded as being no longer under the authority of our parents, and therefore no longer under obligation to obey them, we continue to honour them.
You are going to be parents one day. What do you want from your children? – money? house? shelter? No, but respect, honour, with which we go to our graves thanking the Lord for His good work of grace done to us and to our children.
2. God’s Order For Parents
In Paul's day, father had complete power over family; e.g. when baby born into Roman family, brought out and laid before father; if he picked it up = accepting it into home; if he did not pick it up = child rejected; could be sold, given away, or even killed by exposure.
The Christian father is completely different; he recognises that his fatherhood is from the heavenly Eph3:14-15, I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name; so human fathers are to care for their families as God the Father cares for his; please note, mothers are included; when word fathers is used, both parents are in mind, as is the case in Heb 11:23, By faith Moses’ parents hid him for 3 months after he was born.
Parents are told to fulfil their roles through 2 things: a -ve command and a +ve command.
-ve command: Do not provoke your children to anger; unreasonable dealings with children can easily provoke them to anger; e.g. quick flare-ups; transfer of work frustrations to home; showing favouritism in children.
Positive command: bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord:
Training = discipline with emphasis on correction, including punishment; the use of the rod of instruction: Prov13:24, He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him. Prov22:15, Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him. For disobedience, rebellion, and stubbornness; the punishment should suit the offence; e.g. lying as against cup-spilling; discipline in love and not in anger; fair and consistent;
don’t use a cannon to kill a mosquito; (Also 29:15, 23:13-14); but do it with control and back it
up with teaching.
Instruction: Prov22:6, Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. These are creative years of the child; begin teaching when young: keep toys, wash dishes, sweep floor; table manners, spending habits; relating with people; teach acceptable Christian ways: good moral values and truths; teach the Word;
Live out your example: Spend time with them; take pains to do so in spite of busy schedule; the comfort and happiness in the home is as necessary as the pain of fatherly discipline; seize opportunity for doing so; doing righteousness and justice: Gen18:19, [The Ld said concerning Abraham]: For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.
[Asian Beacon, Vol. 10(2), p57] “The Games Adults play . . . at the customs” (by an Observer):
No wonder the kids are shouting at adults, “Double standards! You set us double standards! Why can you do it and we can’t?”
You catch a boy cheating at a Mathematics test and you bring judgment down heavily on him. Zero. “That’ll teach you not to cheat next time.” The smug, self-righteous adult.
So much for adult behaviour. But watch out at the customs checkpoints. Adults sing a different tune then. A catalogue listing their attempts to evade taxation could go on and on, ad infinitum.
They pour away some of the perfume, lotion, etc. to make it look used. They tear away labels
tell bare faced lies find ingenious places to hide things hand out bribes . . . . . .etc.
The officers pronounce them clean. And when they are over on the other side, O, the tales of glory they tell!
“We hid it over here; tucked in among the other things, and he never noticed!”
“O it was real cheap. So we bought it. But I was a bit scared when that stern looking man was checking our bags: The trick worked – must use it again.”
“O you poor thing! So they caught you! But you are always so honest. How much did they make you pay? O dear!”
I ask you. Which kid will not be confused? Just what are the rules of the game anyway?
Is cheating an adult prerogative?
[The Christian Family – Larry Christenson; pp 88-89]: The police dept in Houston, Texas, drew up a list of “Twelve Rules for Raising Delinquent Children.” Running thru this piece of irony is the recurrent theme of parental example –
1. Begin with infancy to give the child everything he wants. In this way he will grow up to believe the world owes him a living.
2. When he picks up bad words, laugh at him. This will make him think he’s cute. It will also encourage him to pick up ‘cuter’ phrases that will blow off the top of your head later.
3. Never give him any spiritual training. Wait till he is 21 and then let him ‘decide for himself.’
4. Avoid use of the word ‘wrong’. It may develop a guilt complex. This will condition him to believe later, when he is arrested for stealing a car, that society is against him and he is being persecuted.
5. Pick up everything he leaves lying around – books, shoes and clothing. Do everything for him so he will be experienced in throwing all responsibility on to others.
6. Let him read printed matter [or the porno internet] he can get his hands on. Be careful that the silverware and drinking glasses are sterilised, but let his mind feast on garbage.
7. Quarrel frequently in the presence of your children. In this way they will not be too shocked when the home is broken up later.
8. Give a child all the spending money he wants. Never let him earn his own. Why should he have things as tough as YOU had them?
9. Satisfy his every craving for food, drink and comfort. – See that every sensual desire is gratified. Denial may lead to harmful frustration.
10. Take his part against neighbours, teachers and policemen. They are all prejudiced against your child.
11. When he gets into real trouble, apologise for yourself by saying ‘I never could do anything with him.’
12. Prepare for a life of grief. You will be apt to have it.
Conclusion
Christian upbringing of children is mental as well as moral; also includes instruction; Christian values of truth and goodness must be taught; children cannot be left on their own to flounder; be directive, not non-directive; and when we are directive, do not be too directive, too domineering until we prevent them from learning to make their own decisions and grow into maturity; defend them, and accept them, but at the same time abstain from any pressure or force; our overriding concern is not just that our children will submit to our authority, but that thru this they will come to know and obey the Lord.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
"CULTIVATING THE FIRE IN OUR HEARTS FOR GOD: HEARTS ON FIRE”
"CULTIVATING THE FIRE IN OUR HEARTS FOR GOD: HEARTS ON FIRE”
by Deacon Dr Alex Tang, Holy Light church (English)
To cultivate and maintain a heart on fire for God requires regular intake of the Word, an attitude of praise, worship and thanksgiving, purity of heart, body and mind, service to others and a sense of commitment to glorify God and finish the race. A heart on fire creates love: for God and for our fellow human beings.
1. Introduction
1.1 The 4 Habits of Highly Effective Disciples.
In our journey together as disciples of Jesus Christ, we need to develop good habits. In an earlier sermon (Sunday 11th January 2004), it was suggested that the 4 habits of highly effective disciples be:
Developing informed minds (Principles of Orthodoxy)
Cultivating hearts on fire (Principles of Orthopathy)
Living contemplative lives that experience the Presence of God in all things (Principles of Orthopraxis)
Being filled with the Holy Spirit (Principles of Empowerment)
1.2 Cultivating a fire.
How do we keep a fire going? When I was a Boy Scout, I loved to go camping. I loved to make a fire of twigs and watch it burn. Nowadays I still love to make fire. Unfortunately, the only fire I make nowadays is for the BBQ pit. To make and keep a fire going, there are certain requirements. You need wood. The wood must be dry and not too thick. There must not be too much of wood or the air cannot get in. Fire needs oxygen.
The same applies to this habit of keeping the fire in our hearts going. There must be certain conditions to be met in order to maintain the fire. Otherwise, the fire will go out or be extinguished.
1.3 Anatomical Structure of the Heart
Our heart is a wonderful organ. It starts beating when we are six weeks old and does not stop until we die. The heart has 4 chambers. Deoxygenated blood from the body flows into the right atrium, which is then pumped into the right ventricle. From there the blood is pumped to the lungs where the blood become oxygenated. From the lungs, the blood is pumped into the left atrium which it is pumped into the left ventricle which then pumps it to the rest of the body. In actual fact, the heart is made up of two pumps.
1.4 Spiritual Heart
In the New Testament , the word heart Greek kardia rarely refers to a body organ (Lk 21:34; Acts 14:17; Jas 5:5) Frequently denotes the seat of intellectual and spiritual life of the inner man, mind, will, heart, soul, understanding. The inner life as opposed to external appearances. (2 Cor 5;12; 1 Thess 2:17); man as standing before God. The heart is that in man which is addressed by God. The heart is the seat of doubt and hardness as well as of faith and obedience.
So when we talk about hearts on fire, we mean our inner spiritual life or our souls to be on fire for God.
2. Cultivating the Fire
How do we cultivate a fire in our hearts? Firstly, as in making a fire, we need firewood that can burn well: firewood that meets certain criteria like dryness. Similarly, our spiritual heart needs to meet certain criteria before a fire can burn in it. Using the model of a human heart, I would like to suggest the following criteria:
2.1 Regular Intake of the Word (Right Atrium)
Psalms 119:9-11: How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
Luke 24:32: They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"
2 Tim 3:16,17: All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
A regular intake of the Word of God will be the first criteria for a heart to catch fire and to burn well. We should know the Word of God so well that it is not only in our conscious thoughts but it is in our subconscious. I love the story of a ninety years old committed Christian lady who was undergoing surgery. In the recovery room after the surgery, she was heard to be murmuring to herself. When the nurses lean close to her, they found she was quoting Scripture! That’s having the Word in our subconscious.
The Word of God is important because
- It tells us about God
- It tells us about ourselves
- It tells us about our purpose in this life
- It tells us about our purpose in God’s purpose in this creation.
2.2 Attitude of Praise, Worship and Thanksgiving (Right Ventricle)
Psalms 119:7: I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws.
Psalms 86:12,13: I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. For great is your love toward me, you have delivered me from the depths of the grave.
The second criteria for a heart to be on fire are to have a correct attitude. The correct attitude we should have is one of praise, worship and thanksgiving. We should cultivate this attitude because by nature, most of us are grouchy, grumbling people. (especially before the first cup of coffee in the morning).
Let us wake up every morning, before we open our eyes but after we turn off the alarm clock, praise the Lord. Praise Him for another day. Praise Him for the night’s rest. Praise Him for protection during the night. And let this praising of the Lord set the tone for the rest of the day. Keep on praising Him as you do your stuff during the day and praise and give thanks to Him before you drop off to sleep.
Worship Him in your daily life. Look at everything with eyes of wonder. Wow! The Lord God Almighty has made this. Thinks of all the lives in this church that He is coordinating.
Give Him thanks in all things. Just think, what is there in all that you have that did not come from the Lord? You did not choose your birthday. You did not choose your parents. You did not choose your genetic code. You did not create the opportunities that gave you an education, choose a mate, have children, and build a career. The man who sang “ I did it my way” is a fool. God did it or gave you the opportunity to do it. So do not be proud of an illusion and give thanks to whom it is due.
2.3 Purity of Heart, Mind and Body (Left Atrium)
Psalm 24:4,5: He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. He will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God his Savior.
Psalms 51:10: Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
The fire of God will burn brightly only in those with pure hearts. This is the third criteria. Purity of hearts, minds and body. Integrity in character. This does not mean that we do not sin or do wrong. As Martin Luther said, we are redeemed sinners. Being pure is to recognise that we do sin but we should try to avoid sinning. And when we failed and sin, we must confess and repent.
We need to develop a habit of reviewing the day before we drop off to sleep each night. To think of all the happenings in the day. Could we have handled the situation better? Could we have given someone a little kindness? Do we have to get angry? And if we discover that we have sinned, we should then confess and repent. If we find that we harbouring resentment, we should forgive and release the resentment.
2.4 Service to Others (Left Ventricle)
Ephesians 6:7,8: Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.
A heart that is on fire for the Lord will be a heart that is serving the Lord. That is taking part in God’s purpose in building His Kingdom and the redemption of creation. Some of us are called to be contemplative- to withdraw into solitude and to represent the rest of us in communion with God, others to be intercessors while others to evangelise, be pastors and many other work of service. Each of us has a role to play. There is this testimony from a pastor. He said there is this little old lady in his church who sits in the front row with her head bowed, apparently asleep during his sermons. This went on for about 20 years and the church grew from a small church to a big one. One day, the old lady was dying and this pastor went to visit her. He asked her, “I hope you don’t mind but why have you been sleeping during my sermon every Sunday, all these years”. She replied, “I wasn’t sleeping. I was praying for you!” And who knows how much of this pastor’s ministry success is due to this little old lady’s prayers. Each of us has a job to do.
Serving also keeps us from getting cold. A piece of coal that drops from a fire, it cools quickly and grows cold. Being in the heat of the action is being on fire.
2.5 Commitment to Glorify God and to Finish the Race (Pacemaker)
John 6:68,69: Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."
What keeps the heart beating? The pacemaker. The pacemaker is a very small organ in the heart that makes the heart muscles to beat at a certain rate. It will go on and on and on. Commitment is our pacemaker. A commitment to glorify the Lord and to finish the rate. It is a dogged determination that says, ‘no matter what happens, I will go on and finish the race.’
Being a disciple of Christ is not easy. Of course, there are good times like special blessings, miracles, answered prayers and warm fellowship. But there are also difficult times with painful struggles. Being a Christian doesn’t exempt us from pain and suffering. Christians die from sickness and old age like every one else. Christians feel pain like everyone else. It is when all the chips are down, when all seem hopeless and a lost cause, the little pacemaker will say, ‘in spite of it all, I will go on and trust the Lord’. Ulysses, the hero of the Odyssey by Homer, was old. In Lord Tennyson’s poem, he calls to his friends to go out for one last adventure.
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Make weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
Commitment is what keeps the fire burning. Like Peter, we have to say, where else are we to go?
3. The Holy Spirit (Oxygen)
As a real fire cannot burn without oxygen, a spiritual fire in the heart cannot burn without the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit must permeate every part of the spiritual heart: Word, attitude, purity, service and commitment. That’s why another habit of a highly effective disciple is to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
4. Concluding Remarks
A normal fire provides heat and light. A heart on fire creates love. Love for God and for our fellow human beings. A heart on fire fulfills the Great Commandment to love.
Matthews 22:37-39: Jesus replied: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: `Love your neighbor as yourself.'
John of the Cross has been called the greatest mystic in Christian tradition. Born in Spain, he entered the Carmelite order at age 20 years old. His extraordinary mystical experiences, his writings and poetry made him one of the most studied Christian mystics. He is the one who wrote The Dark Night of the Soul. One of his greatest poetry is the Living Flame of Love which describe his loving union with God. He wrote it when he was imprisoned in Toledo for 9 months because of his church reforms. In a dark narrow cell in solitary confinement, he wrote the Living Flame of Love. One would imagine that in another person, such dark experience would put out the fire in his heart rather than fan the fire.
We cannot really love until our heart is on fire. To cultivate and maintain a heart on fire for God requires regular intake of the Word, an attitude of praise, worship and thanksgiving, purity of heart, body and mind, service to others and a sense of commitment to glorify God and finish the race. A heart on fire creates love for God and for our fellow human beings.
by Deacon Dr Alex Tang, Holy Light church (English)
To cultivate and maintain a heart on fire for God requires regular intake of the Word, an attitude of praise, worship and thanksgiving, purity of heart, body and mind, service to others and a sense of commitment to glorify God and finish the race. A heart on fire creates love: for God and for our fellow human beings.
1. Introduction
1.1 The 4 Habits of Highly Effective Disciples.
In our journey together as disciples of Jesus Christ, we need to develop good habits. In an earlier sermon (Sunday 11th January 2004), it was suggested that the 4 habits of highly effective disciples be:
Developing informed minds (Principles of Orthodoxy)
Cultivating hearts on fire (Principles of Orthopathy)
Living contemplative lives that experience the Presence of God in all things (Principles of Orthopraxis)
Being filled with the Holy Spirit (Principles of Empowerment)
1.2 Cultivating a fire.
How do we keep a fire going? When I was a Boy Scout, I loved to go camping. I loved to make a fire of twigs and watch it burn. Nowadays I still love to make fire. Unfortunately, the only fire I make nowadays is for the BBQ pit. To make and keep a fire going, there are certain requirements. You need wood. The wood must be dry and not too thick. There must not be too much of wood or the air cannot get in. Fire needs oxygen.
The same applies to this habit of keeping the fire in our hearts going. There must be certain conditions to be met in order to maintain the fire. Otherwise, the fire will go out or be extinguished.
1.3 Anatomical Structure of the Heart
Our heart is a wonderful organ. It starts beating when we are six weeks old and does not stop until we die. The heart has 4 chambers. Deoxygenated blood from the body flows into the right atrium, which is then pumped into the right ventricle. From there the blood is pumped to the lungs where the blood become oxygenated. From the lungs, the blood is pumped into the left atrium which it is pumped into the left ventricle which then pumps it to the rest of the body. In actual fact, the heart is made up of two pumps.
1.4 Spiritual Heart
In the New Testament , the word heart Greek kardia rarely refers to a body organ (Lk 21:34; Acts 14:17; Jas 5:5) Frequently denotes the seat of intellectual and spiritual life of the inner man, mind, will, heart, soul, understanding. The inner life as opposed to external appearances. (2 Cor 5;12; 1 Thess 2:17); man as standing before God. The heart is that in man which is addressed by God. The heart is the seat of doubt and hardness as well as of faith and obedience.
So when we talk about hearts on fire, we mean our inner spiritual life or our souls to be on fire for God.
2. Cultivating the Fire
How do we cultivate a fire in our hearts? Firstly, as in making a fire, we need firewood that can burn well: firewood that meets certain criteria like dryness. Similarly, our spiritual heart needs to meet certain criteria before a fire can burn in it. Using the model of a human heart, I would like to suggest the following criteria:
2.1 Regular Intake of the Word (Right Atrium)
Psalms 119:9-11: How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
Luke 24:32: They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"
2 Tim 3:16,17: All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
A regular intake of the Word of God will be the first criteria for a heart to catch fire and to burn well. We should know the Word of God so well that it is not only in our conscious thoughts but it is in our subconscious. I love the story of a ninety years old committed Christian lady who was undergoing surgery. In the recovery room after the surgery, she was heard to be murmuring to herself. When the nurses lean close to her, they found she was quoting Scripture! That’s having the Word in our subconscious.
The Word of God is important because
- It tells us about God
- It tells us about ourselves
- It tells us about our purpose in this life
- It tells us about our purpose in God’s purpose in this creation.
2.2 Attitude of Praise, Worship and Thanksgiving (Right Ventricle)
Psalms 119:7: I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws.
Psalms 86:12,13: I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. For great is your love toward me, you have delivered me from the depths of the grave.
The second criteria for a heart to be on fire are to have a correct attitude. The correct attitude we should have is one of praise, worship and thanksgiving. We should cultivate this attitude because by nature, most of us are grouchy, grumbling people. (especially before the first cup of coffee in the morning).
Let us wake up every morning, before we open our eyes but after we turn off the alarm clock, praise the Lord. Praise Him for another day. Praise Him for the night’s rest. Praise Him for protection during the night. And let this praising of the Lord set the tone for the rest of the day. Keep on praising Him as you do your stuff during the day and praise and give thanks to Him before you drop off to sleep.
Worship Him in your daily life. Look at everything with eyes of wonder. Wow! The Lord God Almighty has made this. Thinks of all the lives in this church that He is coordinating.
Give Him thanks in all things. Just think, what is there in all that you have that did not come from the Lord? You did not choose your birthday. You did not choose your parents. You did not choose your genetic code. You did not create the opportunities that gave you an education, choose a mate, have children, and build a career. The man who sang “ I did it my way” is a fool. God did it or gave you the opportunity to do it. So do not be proud of an illusion and give thanks to whom it is due.
2.3 Purity of Heart, Mind and Body (Left Atrium)
Psalm 24:4,5: He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. He will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God his Savior.
Psalms 51:10: Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
The fire of God will burn brightly only in those with pure hearts. This is the third criteria. Purity of hearts, minds and body. Integrity in character. This does not mean that we do not sin or do wrong. As Martin Luther said, we are redeemed sinners. Being pure is to recognise that we do sin but we should try to avoid sinning. And when we failed and sin, we must confess and repent.
We need to develop a habit of reviewing the day before we drop off to sleep each night. To think of all the happenings in the day. Could we have handled the situation better? Could we have given someone a little kindness? Do we have to get angry? And if we discover that we have sinned, we should then confess and repent. If we find that we harbouring resentment, we should forgive and release the resentment.
2.4 Service to Others (Left Ventricle)
Ephesians 6:7,8: Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.
A heart that is on fire for the Lord will be a heart that is serving the Lord. That is taking part in God’s purpose in building His Kingdom and the redemption of creation. Some of us are called to be contemplative- to withdraw into solitude and to represent the rest of us in communion with God, others to be intercessors while others to evangelise, be pastors and many other work of service. Each of us has a role to play. There is this testimony from a pastor. He said there is this little old lady in his church who sits in the front row with her head bowed, apparently asleep during his sermons. This went on for about 20 years and the church grew from a small church to a big one. One day, the old lady was dying and this pastor went to visit her. He asked her, “I hope you don’t mind but why have you been sleeping during my sermon every Sunday, all these years”. She replied, “I wasn’t sleeping. I was praying for you!” And who knows how much of this pastor’s ministry success is due to this little old lady’s prayers. Each of us has a job to do.
Serving also keeps us from getting cold. A piece of coal that drops from a fire, it cools quickly and grows cold. Being in the heat of the action is being on fire.
2.5 Commitment to Glorify God and to Finish the Race (Pacemaker)
John 6:68,69: Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."
What keeps the heart beating? The pacemaker. The pacemaker is a very small organ in the heart that makes the heart muscles to beat at a certain rate. It will go on and on and on. Commitment is our pacemaker. A commitment to glorify the Lord and to finish the rate. It is a dogged determination that says, ‘no matter what happens, I will go on and finish the race.’
Being a disciple of Christ is not easy. Of course, there are good times like special blessings, miracles, answered prayers and warm fellowship. But there are also difficult times with painful struggles. Being a Christian doesn’t exempt us from pain and suffering. Christians die from sickness and old age like every one else. Christians feel pain like everyone else. It is when all the chips are down, when all seem hopeless and a lost cause, the little pacemaker will say, ‘in spite of it all, I will go on and trust the Lord’. Ulysses, the hero of the Odyssey by Homer, was old. In Lord Tennyson’s poem, he calls to his friends to go out for one last adventure.
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Make weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
Commitment is what keeps the fire burning. Like Peter, we have to say, where else are we to go?
3. The Holy Spirit (Oxygen)
As a real fire cannot burn without oxygen, a spiritual fire in the heart cannot burn without the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit must permeate every part of the spiritual heart: Word, attitude, purity, service and commitment. That’s why another habit of a highly effective disciple is to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
4. Concluding Remarks
A normal fire provides heat and light. A heart on fire creates love. Love for God and for our fellow human beings. A heart on fire fulfills the Great Commandment to love.
Matthews 22:37-39: Jesus replied: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: `Love your neighbor as yourself.'
John of the Cross has been called the greatest mystic in Christian tradition. Born in Spain, he entered the Carmelite order at age 20 years old. His extraordinary mystical experiences, his writings and poetry made him one of the most studied Christian mystics. He is the one who wrote The Dark Night of the Soul. One of his greatest poetry is the Living Flame of Love which describe his loving union with God. He wrote it when he was imprisoned in Toledo for 9 months because of his church reforms. In a dark narrow cell in solitary confinement, he wrote the Living Flame of Love. One would imagine that in another person, such dark experience would put out the fire in his heart rather than fan the fire.
We cannot really love until our heart is on fire. To cultivate and maintain a heart on fire for God requires regular intake of the Word, an attitude of praise, worship and thanksgiving, purity of heart, body and mind, service to others and a sense of commitment to glorify God and finish the race. A heart on fire creates love for God and for our fellow human beings.
THE MINISTER
One of the toughest tasks a church faces is choosing a good minister.
A member of an official board undergoing this painful process finally lost patience. He'd just witnessed the Pastoral Relations Committee reject applicant after applicant for some minor fault - real or imagined. It was time for a bit of soul-searching on the part of the committee. So he stood up and read this letter purporting to be from another applicant.
Gentlemen: Understanding your pulpit is vacant, I should like to apply for the position. I have many qualifications. I've been a preacher with much success and also had some success as a writer. Some say I'm a good organizer. I've been a leader most places I've been.
I'm over 50 years of age and have never preached in one place for more than three years. In some places, I have left town after my work caused riots and disturbances. I must admit I have been in jail three or four times, but not because of any real wrongdoing.
My health is not too good, though I still accomplish a great deal. The churches I have preached in have been small, though located in several large cities. I've not gotten along well with religious leaders in the towns where I have preached. In fact, some have threatened me, and even attacked me physically. I am not too good at keeping records. I have been known to forget whom I have baptized. However, if you can use me, I promise to do my best for you.
The board member turned to the committee and said, “Well, what do you think? Shall we call him?”
The good church folks were appalled! Consider a sickly, trouble-making, absent-minded ex-jailbird? Was the board member crazy? Who signed the application? Who had such colossal nerve?
The board member eyed them all keenly before he replied, “It's signed, 'The Apostle Paul.'”
Author unknown
Be encouraged and never allow your past to hinder your service unto the Lord. God is the one who qualifies those He has called and so never allow people's pessimistic comments to keep you from moving forward and accomplishing all that God has placed on your heart. (2 Samuel 22:31-33)
Do God's work to the best of your ability and leave the results up to the Lord. God promises to bring great results when we simply obey His voice and follow His leading. (Luke 6:35) (Isaiah 55:8-9)
A member of an official board undergoing this painful process finally lost patience. He'd just witnessed the Pastoral Relations Committee reject applicant after applicant for some minor fault - real or imagined. It was time for a bit of soul-searching on the part of the committee. So he stood up and read this letter purporting to be from another applicant.
Gentlemen: Understanding your pulpit is vacant, I should like to apply for the position. I have many qualifications. I've been a preacher with much success and also had some success as a writer. Some say I'm a good organizer. I've been a leader most places I've been.
I'm over 50 years of age and have never preached in one place for more than three years. In some places, I have left town after my work caused riots and disturbances. I must admit I have been in jail three or four times, but not because of any real wrongdoing.
My health is not too good, though I still accomplish a great deal. The churches I have preached in have been small, though located in several large cities. I've not gotten along well with religious leaders in the towns where I have preached. In fact, some have threatened me, and even attacked me physically. I am not too good at keeping records. I have been known to forget whom I have baptized. However, if you can use me, I promise to do my best for you.
The board member turned to the committee and said, “Well, what do you think? Shall we call him?”
The good church folks were appalled! Consider a sickly, trouble-making, absent-minded ex-jailbird? Was the board member crazy? Who signed the application? Who had such colossal nerve?
The board member eyed them all keenly before he replied, “It's signed, 'The Apostle Paul.'”
Author unknown
Be encouraged and never allow your past to hinder your service unto the Lord. God is the one who qualifies those He has called and so never allow people's pessimistic comments to keep you from moving forward and accomplishing all that God has placed on your heart. (2 Samuel 22:31-33)
Do God's work to the best of your ability and leave the results up to the Lord. God promises to bring great results when we simply obey His voice and follow His leading. (Luke 6:35) (Isaiah 55:8-9)
DONUTS
DONUTS
There was a boy by the name of Steve who was attending school in Utah. Brother Christianson taught at this particular school. He had an open-door policy and would take in any student that had been thrown out of another class as long as they would abide by his rules. Steve had been kicked out of his sixth period and no other teacher wanted him, so he went into Brother Christianson's class. Steve was told that he could not be late, so he arrived just seconds before the bell rang and he would sit in the very back of the room. He would also be the first to leave after the class was over. One day, Brother Christianson asked Steve to stay after class so he could talk with him. After class, Bro. Christianson pulled Steve aside and said, "You think you're pretty tough, don't you?"
Steve's answer was, "Yeah, I do."
Then Brother Christianson asked, "How many push-ups can you do?"
Steve said, "I do about 200 every night."
"200? That's pretty good, Steve," Brother Christianson said. "Do you think you could do 300?"
Steve replied, "I don't know... I've never done 300 at a time."
"Do you think you could?" Again asked Brother Christianson.
"Well, I can try," said Steve.
"Can you do 300 in sets of 10? I need you to do 300 in sets of ten for this to work. Can you do it? I need you to tell me you can do it," Brother Christianson said.
Steve said, "Well... I think I can... yeah, I can do it."
Brother Christianson said, "Good! I need you to do this on Friday."
Friday came and Steve got to class early and sat in the front of the room. When class started, Brother Christianson pulled out a big box of donuts. Now these weren't the normal kinds of donuts, they were the extra fancy BIG kind, with cream centers and frosting swirls. Everyone was pretty excited-it was Friday, the last class of the day, and they were going to get an early start on the weekend.
Bro. Christianson went to the first girl in the first row and asked, "Cynthia, do you want a donut?"
Cynthia said, "Yes."
Bro. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Cynthia can have a donut?"
Steve said, "Sure," and jumped down from his desk to do a quick ten..
Then Steve again sat in his desk. Bro. Christianson put a donut on Cynthia's desk. Bro. Christianson then went to Joe, the next person, and asked, "Joe do you want a donut?"
Joe said, "Yes."
Bro. Christianson asked, "Steve would you do ten push-ups so Joe can have a donut?" Steve did ten push-ups, Joe got a donut. And so it went, down the first aisle, Steve did ten pushups for every person before they got their donut. And down the second aisle, till Bro. Christianson came to Scott. Scott was captain of the football team and center of the basketball team. He was very popular and never lacking for female companionship. When Bro. Christianson asked, "Scott do you want a donut?" Scott's reply was, "Well, can I do my own pushups?"
Bro. Christianson said, "No, Steve has to do them."
Then Scott said, "Well, I don't want one then."
Bro. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked "Steve, would you do ten pushups so Scott can have a donut he doesn't want?"
Steve started to do ten pushups. Scott said, "HEY! I said I didn't want one!"
Bro. Christianson said, "Look, this is my classroom, my class, my desks, and my donuts. Just leave it on the desk if you don't want it." And he put a donut on Scott's desk.
Now by this time, Steve had begun to slow down a little. He just stayed on the floor between sets because it took too much effort to be getting up and down. You could start to see a little perspiration coming out around his brow. Bro. Christianson started down the third row. Now the students were beginning to get a little angry.
Bro. Christianson asked Jenny, "Jenny, do you want a donut?"
Jenny said, "No."
Then Bro. Christianson asked Steve, "Steve, would you do ten pushups so Jenny can have a donut that she doesn't want?" Steve did ten, Jenny got a donut.
By now, the students were beginning to say "No" and there were all these uneaten donuts on the desks. Steve was also having to really put forth a lot of effort to get these pushups done for each donut. There began to be a small pool of sweat on the floor beneath his face, his arms and brow were beginning to get red because of the physical effort involved. Bro. Christianson asked Robert to watch Steve to make sure he did ten pushups in a set because he couldn't bear to watch all of Steve's work for all of those uneaten donuts. So Robert began to watch Steve closely. Bro. Christianson started down the fourth row.
During his class, however, some students had wandered in and sat along the heaters along the sides of the room. When Bro. Christianson realized this; he did a quick count and saw 34 students in the room. He started to worry if Steve would be able to make it.
Bro. Christianson went on to the next person and the next and the next. Near the end of that row, Steve was really having a rough time. He was taking a lot more time to complete each set.
Steve asked Bro. Christianson, "Do I have to make my nose touch on each one?"
Bro. Christianson thought for a moment, "Well, they're your pushups.. You can do them any way that you want." And Bro. Christianson went on.
A few moments later, Jason came to the room and was about to come in when all the students yelled, "NO! Don't come in! Stay out!"
Jason didn't know what was going on. Steve picked up his head and said, "No, let him come."
Bro. Christianson said, "You realize that if Jason comes in you will have to do ten pushups for him."
Steve said, "Yes, let him come in."
Bro. Christianson said, "Okay, I'll let you get Jason's out of the way right now. Jason, do you want a donut?"
"Yes."
"Steve, will you do ten pushups so that Jason can have a donut?" Steve did ten pushups very slowly and with great effort. Jason, bewildered, was handed a donut and sat down.
Bro. Christianson finished the fourth row, then started on those seated on the heaters. Steve's arms were now shaking with each pushup in a struggle to lift himself against the force of gravity. Sweat was dropping off of his face and, by this time, there was not a dry eye in the room.
The very last two girls in the room were cheerleaders and very popular. Bro. Christianson went to Linda, the second to last, and asked, "Linda, do you want a doughnut? Linda said, very sadly, "No, thank you."
Bro. Christianson asked Steve, "Steve, would you do ten pushups so that Linda can have a donut she doesn't want?"
Grunting from the effort, Steve did ten very slow pushups for Linda..
Then Bro. Christianson turned to the last girl, Susan. "Susan, do you want a donut?" Susan, with tears flowing down her face, asked, "Bro. Christianson, can I help him?"
Bro. Christianson, with tears of his own, said, "No, he has to do it alone, Steve, would you do ten pushups so Susan can have a donut?"
As Steve very slowly finished his last pushup, with the understanding that he had accomplished all that was required of him, having done 350 pushups, his arms buckled beneath him and he fell to the floor.
Brother Christianson turned to the room and said.
"And so it was, that our Savior, Jesus Christ, plead to the Father, "Into thy hands I commend my spirit." With the understanding that He had done everything that was required of Him, he collapsed on the cross and died. And like some of those in this room, many of us leave the gift on the desk, uneaten.
There was a boy by the name of Steve who was attending school in Utah. Brother Christianson taught at this particular school. He had an open-door policy and would take in any student that had been thrown out of another class as long as they would abide by his rules. Steve had been kicked out of his sixth period and no other teacher wanted him, so he went into Brother Christianson's class. Steve was told that he could not be late, so he arrived just seconds before the bell rang and he would sit in the very back of the room. He would also be the first to leave after the class was over. One day, Brother Christianson asked Steve to stay after class so he could talk with him. After class, Bro. Christianson pulled Steve aside and said, "You think you're pretty tough, don't you?"
Steve's answer was, "Yeah, I do."
Then Brother Christianson asked, "How many push-ups can you do?"
Steve said, "I do about 200 every night."
"200? That's pretty good, Steve," Brother Christianson said. "Do you think you could do 300?"
Steve replied, "I don't know... I've never done 300 at a time."
"Do you think you could?" Again asked Brother Christianson.
"Well, I can try," said Steve.
"Can you do 300 in sets of 10? I need you to do 300 in sets of ten for this to work. Can you do it? I need you to tell me you can do it," Brother Christianson said.
Steve said, "Well... I think I can... yeah, I can do it."
Brother Christianson said, "Good! I need you to do this on Friday."
Friday came and Steve got to class early and sat in the front of the room. When class started, Brother Christianson pulled out a big box of donuts. Now these weren't the normal kinds of donuts, they were the extra fancy BIG kind, with cream centers and frosting swirls. Everyone was pretty excited-it was Friday, the last class of the day, and they were going to get an early start on the weekend.
Bro. Christianson went to the first girl in the first row and asked, "Cynthia, do you want a donut?"
Cynthia said, "Yes."
Bro. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Cynthia can have a donut?"
Steve said, "Sure," and jumped down from his desk to do a quick ten..
Then Steve again sat in his desk. Bro. Christianson put a donut on Cynthia's desk. Bro. Christianson then went to Joe, the next person, and asked, "Joe do you want a donut?"
Joe said, "Yes."
Bro. Christianson asked, "Steve would you do ten push-ups so Joe can have a donut?" Steve did ten push-ups, Joe got a donut. And so it went, down the first aisle, Steve did ten pushups for every person before they got their donut. And down the second aisle, till Bro. Christianson came to Scott. Scott was captain of the football team and center of the basketball team. He was very popular and never lacking for female companionship. When Bro. Christianson asked, "Scott do you want a donut?" Scott's reply was, "Well, can I do my own pushups?"
Bro. Christianson said, "No, Steve has to do them."
Then Scott said, "Well, I don't want one then."
Bro. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked "Steve, would you do ten pushups so Scott can have a donut he doesn't want?"
Steve started to do ten pushups. Scott said, "HEY! I said I didn't want one!"
Bro. Christianson said, "Look, this is my classroom, my class, my desks, and my donuts. Just leave it on the desk if you don't want it." And he put a donut on Scott's desk.
Now by this time, Steve had begun to slow down a little. He just stayed on the floor between sets because it took too much effort to be getting up and down. You could start to see a little perspiration coming out around his brow. Bro. Christianson started down the third row. Now the students were beginning to get a little angry.
Bro. Christianson asked Jenny, "Jenny, do you want a donut?"
Jenny said, "No."
Then Bro. Christianson asked Steve, "Steve, would you do ten pushups so Jenny can have a donut that she doesn't want?" Steve did ten, Jenny got a donut.
By now, the students were beginning to say "No" and there were all these uneaten donuts on the desks. Steve was also having to really put forth a lot of effort to get these pushups done for each donut. There began to be a small pool of sweat on the floor beneath his face, his arms and brow were beginning to get red because of the physical effort involved. Bro. Christianson asked Robert to watch Steve to make sure he did ten pushups in a set because he couldn't bear to watch all of Steve's work for all of those uneaten donuts. So Robert began to watch Steve closely. Bro. Christianson started down the fourth row.
During his class, however, some students had wandered in and sat along the heaters along the sides of the room. When Bro. Christianson realized this; he did a quick count and saw 34 students in the room. He started to worry if Steve would be able to make it.
Bro. Christianson went on to the next person and the next and the next. Near the end of that row, Steve was really having a rough time. He was taking a lot more time to complete each set.
Steve asked Bro. Christianson, "Do I have to make my nose touch on each one?"
Bro. Christianson thought for a moment, "Well, they're your pushups.. You can do them any way that you want." And Bro. Christianson went on.
A few moments later, Jason came to the room and was about to come in when all the students yelled, "NO! Don't come in! Stay out!"
Jason didn't know what was going on. Steve picked up his head and said, "No, let him come."
Bro. Christianson said, "You realize that if Jason comes in you will have to do ten pushups for him."
Steve said, "Yes, let him come in."
Bro. Christianson said, "Okay, I'll let you get Jason's out of the way right now. Jason, do you want a donut?"
"Yes."
"Steve, will you do ten pushups so that Jason can have a donut?" Steve did ten pushups very slowly and with great effort. Jason, bewildered, was handed a donut and sat down.
Bro. Christianson finished the fourth row, then started on those seated on the heaters. Steve's arms were now shaking with each pushup in a struggle to lift himself against the force of gravity. Sweat was dropping off of his face and, by this time, there was not a dry eye in the room.
The very last two girls in the room were cheerleaders and very popular. Bro. Christianson went to Linda, the second to last, and asked, "Linda, do you want a doughnut? Linda said, very sadly, "No, thank you."
Bro. Christianson asked Steve, "Steve, would you do ten pushups so that Linda can have a donut she doesn't want?"
Grunting from the effort, Steve did ten very slow pushups for Linda..
Then Bro. Christianson turned to the last girl, Susan. "Susan, do you want a donut?" Susan, with tears flowing down her face, asked, "Bro. Christianson, can I help him?"
Bro. Christianson, with tears of his own, said, "No, he has to do it alone, Steve, would you do ten pushups so Susan can have a donut?"
As Steve very slowly finished his last pushup, with the understanding that he had accomplished all that was required of him, having done 350 pushups, his arms buckled beneath him and he fell to the floor.
Brother Christianson turned to the room and said.
"And so it was, that our Savior, Jesus Christ, plead to the Father, "Into thy hands I commend my spirit." With the understanding that He had done everything that was required of Him, he collapsed on the cross and died. And like some of those in this room, many of us leave the gift on the desk, uneaten.
WHO IS THIS JESUS? THIS SAYS IT ALL
He is the First and Last, the Beginning and the End!
He is the keeper of Creation and the Creator of all!
He is the Architect of the universe and the Manager of all times.
He always was, He always is, and He always will be...
Unmoved, Unchanged, Undefeated, and never Undone!
He was bruised and brought healing!
He was pierced and eased pain!
He was persecuted and brought freedom!
He was dead and brought life!
He is risen and brings power!
He reigns and brings Peace!
The world can't understand him,
The armies can't defeat Him,
The schools can't explain Him, and
The leaders can't ignore Him.
Herod couldn't kill Him,
The Pharisees couldn't confuse Him, and
The people couldn't hold Him!
Nero couldn't crush Him,
Hitler couldn't silence Him,
The New Age can't replace Him, and
Donahue can't explain Him away!
He is light, love, longevity, and Lord.
He is goodness, Kindness, Gentleness, and God.
He is Holy, Righteous, mighty, powerful, and Pure.
His ways are right,
His word is eternal,
His will is unchanging, and
His mind is on me!
He is my redeemer,
He is my Savior,
He is my guide, and
He is my peace!
He is my Joy,
He is my comfort,
He is my Lord, and
He rules my life!
I serve Him because His bond is love, His burden is light, and His goal for
me is abundant life.
I follow Him because He is the wisdom of the wise, the power of the powerful, the Ancient of Days, the ruler of rulers, the leader of leaders, the overseer of the overcomers, and the sovereign Lord of all that was and is and is to come.
And if that seems impressive to you, try this for size . . .
His goal is a relationship with ME!
He will never leave me, never forsake me, never mislead me, never forget me, never overlook me and never cancel my appointment in His appointment book!
When I fall, He lifts me up!
When I fail, He forgives!
When I am weak, He is strong!
When I am lost, He is the way!
When I am afraid, He is my courage!
When I stumble, He steadies me!
When I am hurt, He heals me!
When I am broken, He mends me!
When I am blind, He leads me!
When I am hungry, He feeds me!
When I face trials, He is with me!
When I face persecution, He shields me!
When I face loss, He provides for me!
When I face Death, He carries me Home!
He is everything for everybody, everywhere, every time, and every way.
He is God! He is faithful.
I am His, and He is mine!
My Father in heaven can whip the father of this world.
So, if you're wondering why I feel so secure, understand this... He said it, I believe it, and that settles it. God is in control, I am on His side, and that means all is well with my soul.
Everyday is a blessing for GOD Is!
Author Unknown
He is the keeper of Creation and the Creator of all!
He is the Architect of the universe and the Manager of all times.
He always was, He always is, and He always will be...
Unmoved, Unchanged, Undefeated, and never Undone!
He was bruised and brought healing!
He was pierced and eased pain!
He was persecuted and brought freedom!
He was dead and brought life!
He is risen and brings power!
He reigns and brings Peace!
The world can't understand him,
The armies can't defeat Him,
The schools can't explain Him, and
The leaders can't ignore Him.
Herod couldn't kill Him,
The Pharisees couldn't confuse Him, and
The people couldn't hold Him!
Nero couldn't crush Him,
Hitler couldn't silence Him,
The New Age can't replace Him, and
Donahue can't explain Him away!
He is light, love, longevity, and Lord.
He is goodness, Kindness, Gentleness, and God.
He is Holy, Righteous, mighty, powerful, and Pure.
His ways are right,
His word is eternal,
His will is unchanging, and
His mind is on me!
He is my redeemer,
He is my Savior,
He is my guide, and
He is my peace!
He is my Joy,
He is my comfort,
He is my Lord, and
He rules my life!
I serve Him because His bond is love, His burden is light, and His goal for
me is abundant life.
I follow Him because He is the wisdom of the wise, the power of the powerful, the Ancient of Days, the ruler of rulers, the leader of leaders, the overseer of the overcomers, and the sovereign Lord of all that was and is and is to come.
And if that seems impressive to you, try this for size . . .
His goal is a relationship with ME!
He will never leave me, never forsake me, never mislead me, never forget me, never overlook me and never cancel my appointment in His appointment book!
When I fall, He lifts me up!
When I fail, He forgives!
When I am weak, He is strong!
When I am lost, He is the way!
When I am afraid, He is my courage!
When I stumble, He steadies me!
When I am hurt, He heals me!
When I am broken, He mends me!
When I am blind, He leads me!
When I am hungry, He feeds me!
When I face trials, He is with me!
When I face persecution, He shields me!
When I face loss, He provides for me!
When I face Death, He carries me Home!
He is everything for everybody, everywhere, every time, and every way.
He is God! He is faithful.
I am His, and He is mine!
My Father in heaven can whip the father of this world.
So, if you're wondering why I feel so secure, understand this... He said it, I believe it, and that settles it. God is in control, I am on His side, and that means all is well with my soul.
Everyday is a blessing for GOD Is!
Author Unknown
RECALL NOTICE
The Maker of all human beings is recalling all units manufactured, regardless of make or year, due to a serious defect in the primary and central components of the heart. This is due to a malfunction in the original prototype units code named Adam and Eve, resulting in the reproduction of the same defect in all subsequent units.
This defect has been technically termed, "Subsequential Internal Non-morality", or more commonly known as SIN, as it is primarily expressed.
Some other symptoms are as follows:
[a] Loss of direction
[b] Foul vocal emissions
[c] Amnesia of origin
[d] Lack of peace and joy
[e] Selfish, or violent behaviour
[f] Depression or confusion in the mental component
[g] Fearfulness
[h] Idolatry
[I] Rebellion
The Manufacturer, who is neither liable nor at fault for this defect is providing a factory authorized repair and service Free Of Charge to correct this SIN defect.
The Repair Technician, Jesus, has most generously offered to bear the Entire burden of the staggering cost of these repairs.
There is no additional fee required. The number to call for repair in all areas around the world is: P-R-A-Y-E-R. Once connected, please upload your burden of SIN through the REPENTANCE procedure.
Next, download ATONEMENT from the Repair Technician, Jesus, into the heart component. No matter how big or small the SIN defect is, Jesus will replace it with:
[a] Love
[b] Joy
[c] Peace
[d] Patience
[e] Kindness
[f] Goodness
[g] Faithfulness
[h] Gentleness
[I] Self control
Please see operating manual, HOLY BIBLE (Believers Instructions Before Leaving Earth), for further details on the use of these fixes. As an added upgrade, the Manufacturers made available to all repaired units a facility enabling direct monitoring and assistance from a resident Maintenance Technician, the Holy Ghost.
Repaired units need only make Him welcome and He will take up permanent residence on the premises!
WARNING:
Continuing to operate the human being unit without correction voids Any Manufacturer warranties, exposing the unit to the dangers and problems too numerous to list and will result in the human unit being permanently impounded. For free emergency service, call on JESUS.
DANGER:
The human being units not responding to this recall action will have to be scrapped in the furnace. The SIN defect still not be permitted to enter Heaven so as to prevent contamination of that facility.
Thank you for your attention. Please assist where possible by notifying others of this important Recall Notice!
The Purpose of Jesus' Ministry:
The whole purpose of Jesus' ministry is to bring us to the house of His Father. Not only did Jesus come to free us from the bonds of sin and death, He also came to lead us into the intimacy of His divine life.
Author Unknown
This defect has been technically termed, "Subsequential Internal Non-morality", or more commonly known as SIN, as it is primarily expressed.
Some other symptoms are as follows:
[a] Loss of direction
[b] Foul vocal emissions
[c] Amnesia of origin
[d] Lack of peace and joy
[e] Selfish, or violent behaviour
[f] Depression or confusion in the mental component
[g] Fearfulness
[h] Idolatry
[I] Rebellion
The Manufacturer, who is neither liable nor at fault for this defect is providing a factory authorized repair and service Free Of Charge to correct this SIN defect.
The Repair Technician, Jesus, has most generously offered to bear the Entire burden of the staggering cost of these repairs.
There is no additional fee required. The number to call for repair in all areas around the world is: P-R-A-Y-E-R. Once connected, please upload your burden of SIN through the REPENTANCE procedure.
Next, download ATONEMENT from the Repair Technician, Jesus, into the heart component. No matter how big or small the SIN defect is, Jesus will replace it with:
[a] Love
[b] Joy
[c] Peace
[d] Patience
[e] Kindness
[f] Goodness
[g] Faithfulness
[h] Gentleness
[I] Self control
Please see operating manual, HOLY BIBLE (Believers Instructions Before Leaving Earth), for further details on the use of these fixes. As an added upgrade, the Manufacturers made available to all repaired units a facility enabling direct monitoring and assistance from a resident Maintenance Technician, the Holy Ghost.
Repaired units need only make Him welcome and He will take up permanent residence on the premises!
WARNING:
Continuing to operate the human being unit without correction voids Any Manufacturer warranties, exposing the unit to the dangers and problems too numerous to list and will result in the human unit being permanently impounded. For free emergency service, call on JESUS.
DANGER:
The human being units not responding to this recall action will have to be scrapped in the furnace. The SIN defect still not be permitted to enter Heaven so as to prevent contamination of that facility.
Thank you for your attention. Please assist where possible by notifying others of this important Recall Notice!
The Purpose of Jesus' Ministry:
The whole purpose of Jesus' ministry is to bring us to the house of His Father. Not only did Jesus come to free us from the bonds of sin and death, He also came to lead us into the intimacy of His divine life.
Author Unknown
Why A New Blog?
I have decided to set up an online resource of all things Christian.
I'm thinking of having a few topics like: -
a) Inspiration
b) Songs (P&W)
c) Sermons (My own notes or those of others')
d) CPU
e) Fun & Games
f) Devotions (What I have collected)
h) Reviews (Books, CDs, sites, etc)
i) Spritual Journey (My spiritual reflections & struggles)
See how it goes. . . . :)
I'm thinking of having a few topics like: -
a) Inspiration
b) Songs (P&W)
c) Sermons (My own notes or those of others')
d) CPU
e) Fun & Games
f) Devotions (What I have collected)
h) Reviews (Books, CDs, sites, etc)
i) Spritual Journey (My spiritual reflections & struggles)
See how it goes. . . . :)
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