As God and the believer work together, God's achievement is like the front of a lovely tapestry. The worker employed on such a tapestry sees only the back as he adds stitch after stitch with his needle. Yet all these stitches are slowly creating a magnificent picture which happens in all its glory only when every stitch is done and it is viewed from the right side. But all this beauty cannot be seen as it is being created.
It is the same with the self-abandoned believer, who sees only God and his duty. To fulfill this duty moment by moment consists in adding tiny stitches to the work. Yet it is by these stitches that God accomplishes those marvels of which we sometimes catch a glimpse now, but which will not be truly known until the great day of eternity.
How good and wise are the ways of God! All that is sublime and exalted, great and admirable in the task of achieving holiness and perfection, he has kept for his own power. But everything that is small, simple and easy he leaves us to tackle with the help of grace.
- Jean-Pierre de Caussade, Abandonment to Divine Providence
He sees the masterplan
He holds our future in His hands
So don't live as those who have no hope
All our hope is found in Him
We see the present clearly
But He sees the first and the last
And like a tapestry
He's weaving you and me
To someday be just like Him
God is too wise to be mistaken
God is too good to be unkind
So when you don't understand
When you don't see His plan
When you can't trace His hand
Trust His heart
Monday 30 July 2012
Sunday 22 July 2012
The Wonder of the Cross
May I never lose the wonder, the wonder of the cross!
"May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." - Galatians 6:14 (NIV)
Wednesday 18 July 2012
Not To Us
"But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand." - 1 Chronicles 29:14 (NIV)
Monday 16 July 2012
Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ
"Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
"In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness." - Romans 6:8-13 (NIV)
Apart from Christ, we cannot be living sacrifices because we are dead in our transgressions.
"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." - Ephesians 2:4-10 (NIV)
"In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness." - Romans 6:8-13 (NIV)
Apart from Christ, we cannot be living sacrifices because we are dead in our transgressions.
"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." - Ephesians 2:4-10 (NIV)
Sunday 15 July 2012
Puzzles and Paradoxes
"When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the Lord. And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled his temple." - 1 Kings 8:10-11 (NIV)
The cloud both reveals and conceals the glory of God. Similarly, Scripture declares both the majesty and mystery of God.
"The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law." - Deuteronomy 29:29 (NIV)
Faith is not blind; neither is it about what we see.
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." - Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)
The cloud both reveals and conceals the glory of God. Similarly, Scripture declares both the majesty and mystery of God.
"The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law." - Deuteronomy 29:29 (NIV)
Faith is not blind; neither is it about what we see.
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." - Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)
Saturday 14 July 2012
Except
"Solomon showed his love for the Lord by walking according to the statutes of his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places." - 1 Kings 3:3 (NIV)
What turns your attention away from God?
What turns your attention away from God?
Friday 13 July 2012
8 Keys to Revival
*Day 2 of RBC Bible Conference 2012*
1. A message from God
"Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: "Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you."" - Jonah 3:1-2 (NIV)
2. Servants who obey God
"Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very important city - a visit required three days." - Jonah 3:3 (NIV)
3. Fearless preaching
"On the first day, Jonah started into the city. He proclaimed: "Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned."" - Jonah 3:4 (NIV)
4. People who believe God
"The Ninevites believed God." - Jonah 3:5a (NIV)
5. Sorrow over sin
"They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth." - Jonah 3:5b (NIV)
6. Leaders who take the lead
"When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust." - Jonah 3:6 (NIV)
7. Earnest seeking after God
"Then he issued a proclamation in Nineveh: "By the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let any man or beast, herd or flock, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish."" - Jonah 3:7-9 (NIV)
8. Life change
"But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence." - Jonah 3:8 (NIV)
1. A message from God
"Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: "Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you."" - Jonah 3:1-2 (NIV)
2. Servants who obey God
"Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very important city - a visit required three days." - Jonah 3:3 (NIV)
3. Fearless preaching
"On the first day, Jonah started into the city. He proclaimed: "Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned."" - Jonah 3:4 (NIV)
4. People who believe God
"The Ninevites believed God." - Jonah 3:5a (NIV)
5. Sorrow over sin
"They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth." - Jonah 3:5b (NIV)
6. Leaders who take the lead
"When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust." - Jonah 3:6 (NIV)
7. Earnest seeking after God
"Then he issued a proclamation in Nineveh: "By the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let any man or beast, herd or flock, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish."" - Jonah 3:7-9 (NIV)
8. Life change
"But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence." - Jonah 3:8 (NIV)
Thursday 12 July 2012
Grappling with God's Heart
*Day 1 of RBC Bible Conference 2012*
All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god...
The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked [Jonah], "What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?"
"Pick me up and throw me into the sea," he replied, "and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you."
Instead, the men did their best to row back to land. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before. Then they cried to the Lord, "O Lord, please do not let us die for taking this man's life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, O Lord, have done as you pleased." Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm.
At this the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows to him.
But the Lord provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights.
- Jonah 1:5a, 11-17 (NIV)
We usually focus on Jonah or maybe the Ninevites. How about the sailors?
The text doesn't say that the sailors would not have turned to God if Jonah had gone to Nineveh in the first place. (Perhaps God in His sovereignty would have provided other means - it is counterfactual to speculate.) Nevertheless, the text does say that what happened - namely Jonah turning from God - led to the sailors turning to God.
"Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs." - Jonah 2:8 (NIV)
"When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened." - Jonah 3:10 (NIV)
"The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." - 2 Peter 3:9 (NIV)
*****
"The only sacrifice is to live outside the will of God." - David Livingstone
"To run away from the will of God is to run away from God." - Ajith Fernando
All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god...
The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked [Jonah], "What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?"
"Pick me up and throw me into the sea," he replied, "and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you."
Instead, the men did their best to row back to land. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before. Then they cried to the Lord, "O Lord, please do not let us die for taking this man's life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, O Lord, have done as you pleased." Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm.
At this the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows to him.
But the Lord provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights.
- Jonah 1:5a, 11-17 (NIV)
We usually focus on Jonah or maybe the Ninevites. How about the sailors?
The text doesn't say that the sailors would not have turned to God if Jonah had gone to Nineveh in the first place. (Perhaps God in His sovereignty would have provided other means - it is counterfactual to speculate.) Nevertheless, the text does say that what happened - namely Jonah turning from God - led to the sailors turning to God.
"Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs." - Jonah 2:8 (NIV)
"When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened." - Jonah 3:10 (NIV)
"The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." - 2 Peter 3:9 (NIV)
*****
"The only sacrifice is to live outside the will of God." - David Livingstone
"To run away from the will of God is to run away from God." - Ajith Fernando
Wednesday 4 July 2012
Just Do It
No unwelcome tasks become any the less unwelcome by putting them off till tomorrow. It is only when they are behind us and done, that we begin to find that there is a sweetness to be tasted afterwards, and that the remembrance of unwelcome duties unhesitatingly done is welcome and pleasant.
Accomplished, they are full of blessing, and there is a smile on their faces as they leave us. Undone, they stand threatening and disturbing our tranquillity, and hindering our communion with God.
If there be lying before you any bit of work from which you shrink, go straight up to it, and do it at once. The only way to get rid of it is to do it.
- Alexander MacLaren quoted in C. J. Mahaney, Biblical Productivity
Accomplished, they are full of blessing, and there is a smile on their faces as they leave us. Undone, they stand threatening and disturbing our tranquillity, and hindering our communion with God.
If there be lying before you any bit of work from which you shrink, go straight up to it, and do it at once. The only way to get rid of it is to do it.
- Alexander MacLaren quoted in C. J. Mahaney, Biblical Productivity
Tuesday 3 July 2012
Worship and Work
For the Christian, then, daily work is inextricably bound to worship. Here, it is perhaps important to point out that the Sunday worship should not be seen as a pause at the end of the week. Rather, for Christians, worship on Sunday begins the work week by pervading it with the good news of God's love and salvation.
Worship at the beginning of the week not only hallows the rest of the week, but also significantly transfigures our understanding of daily work. It enables us, firstly, to understand our proper relationship to work. It shows us that although work is important, the purpose of human life must not be understood as work without end, but to exist in creative relationship with each other and with God.
And secondly, worship helps us to see that our daily work is always a graced activity, infused by divine grace and animated by the Holy Spirit.
Finally, Christian worship helps us to understand our work in relation to the work of God. As theologian David Jensen has brilliantly put it, 'The work that we do is made possible through the work that does not belong to us alone.'
- Dr Roland Chia, The Dignity of Daily Work
Worship at the beginning of the week not only hallows the rest of the week, but also significantly transfigures our understanding of daily work. It enables us, firstly, to understand our proper relationship to work. It shows us that although work is important, the purpose of human life must not be understood as work without end, but to exist in creative relationship with each other and with God.
And secondly, worship helps us to see that our daily work is always a graced activity, infused by divine grace and animated by the Holy Spirit.
Finally, Christian worship helps us to understand our work in relation to the work of God. As theologian David Jensen has brilliantly put it, 'The work that we do is made possible through the work that does not belong to us alone.'
- Dr Roland Chia, The Dignity of Daily Work
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