Sunday, 17 July 2011
Enlightenment
Today I was telling someone about the purposes of imprisonment (according to the SPS Business Framework) - P.R.I.DE: Punishment, Reformation, Incapacitation and DEterrence - and he suggested that E should stand for Enlightenment.
Saturday, 16 July 2011
Planning and Providence
"Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." - Proverbs 16:3 (NIV)
"In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps." - Proverbs 16:9 (NIV)
"Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails." - Proverbs 19:21 (NIV)
"In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps." - Proverbs 16:9 (NIV)
"Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails." - Proverbs 19:21 (NIV)
Friday, 15 July 2011
Graduation 2011
Since arriving in York on Monday, I've had a blessed time meeting up with friends and seeing them graduate.
I'll be attending a wedding tomorrow and going back to York Baptist Church on Sunday before heading to London on Monday for the final part of my trip (meeting Peter and watching Ming's play).
God has been gracious in taking care of my needs over the course of this trip, providing me with places to stay in York and London, decent train tickets etc. He has also answered a few prayers, though not necessarily in the ways I've expected.
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." - Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV)
"Oh, the depths of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! "Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counsellor?" "Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?" For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen." - Romans 11:33-36 (NIV)
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." - Ephesians 3:20-21 (NIV)
I'll be attending a wedding tomorrow and going back to York Baptist Church on Sunday before heading to London on Monday for the final part of my trip (meeting Peter and watching Ming's play).
God has been gracious in taking care of my needs over the course of this trip, providing me with places to stay in York and London, decent train tickets etc. He has also answered a few prayers, though not necessarily in the ways I've expected.
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." - Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV)
"Oh, the depths of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! "Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counsellor?" "Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?" For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen." - Romans 11:33-36 (NIV)
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." - Ephesians 3:20-21 (NIV)
Thursday, 14 July 2011
God is enough
Sometimes we focus so much on what we want God to give us that we forget what God has already given us.
What preoccupies me? What do I daydream about?
"Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? 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 Saviour. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, O God of Jacob." - Psalm 24:3-6 (NIV)
We bow our hearts, we bend our knees
Oh Spirit come make us humble
We turn our eyes from evil things
Oh Lord we cast down our idols
Give us clean hands, give us pure hearts
Let us not lift our souls to another
Give us clean hands, give us pure hearts
Let us not lift our souls to another
Oh God let us be a generation that seeks
That seeks Your face, Oh God of Jacob
Oh God let us be a generation that seeks
That seeks Your face, Oh God of Jacob
"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Saviour. The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights." - Habakkuk 3:17-19 (NIV)
Link: 11 Ways to Find Your Idols (5 May 11)
What preoccupies me? What do I daydream about?
"Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? 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 Saviour. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, O God of Jacob." - Psalm 24:3-6 (NIV)
We bow our hearts, we bend our knees
Oh Spirit come make us humble
We turn our eyes from evil things
Oh Lord we cast down our idols
Give us clean hands, give us pure hearts
Let us not lift our souls to another
Give us clean hands, give us pure hearts
Let us not lift our souls to another
Oh God let us be a generation that seeks
That seeks Your face, Oh God of Jacob
Oh God let us be a generation that seeks
That seeks Your face, Oh God of Jacob
"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Saviour. The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights." - Habakkuk 3:17-19 (NIV)
Link: 11 Ways to Find Your Idols (5 May 11)
Wednesday, 13 July 2011
Signposts
God works in mysterious ways. Not once, not twice, but three times - and counting.
Sometimes we can overspiritualise things. But sometimes God gives us signposts to follow.
"Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart." - Psalm 37:3-4 (NIV)
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)
"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD is the Rock eternal." - Isaiah 26:3-4 (NIV)
Sometimes we can overspiritualise things. But sometimes God gives us signposts to follow.
"Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart." - Psalm 37:3-4 (NIV)
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)
"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD is the Rock eternal." - Isaiah 26:3-4 (NIV)
Tuesday, 12 July 2011
Man's Response
The reception of God's grace is not by imposition of an overwhelming omnipotent sovereignty without willingness on man's part. One could even fail to accept and properly cooperate with God's grace. There is no question that God sincerely desired to bless Israel. Nevertheless, she refused His grace and placed herself instead under His judgment by her rebellion and idolatry.
God's desire for Israel, as for all men, was good: "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil..." (Jeremiah 29:11). However, because the blessings of His grace were contingent upon Israel's faith and faithfulness, she reaped instead the judgment of God.
We are even told that by their rebellion they "limited the Holy One of Israel" (Psalm 78:41). Think of that - limiting the omnipotent, sovereign God, which Calvinists say is impossible! Indeed, we are told that the rabbis "rejected the counsel of God against themselves" (Luke 7:30) - but there is no hint that they thereby annulled God's sovereignty or gained control over God.
Paul intimates that Christians can also limit the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives and His empowerment for ministry. The Christian life and victory is not alone by sovereign power, but the believers' faith and obedience as "labourers together with God" (1 Corinthians 3:9) is essential: "Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily" (Colossians 1:29); "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure" (Philippians 2:12-13).
God truly and powerfully works within the believer and we can do nothing but by the leading and empowering of the Holy Spirit. At the same time, however, we must give ourselves willingly to the work of God through us.
- Dave Hunt, What Love Is This?
"But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them - yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me." - 1 Corinthians 15:10 (NIV)
God's desire for Israel, as for all men, was good: "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil..." (Jeremiah 29:11). However, because the blessings of His grace were contingent upon Israel's faith and faithfulness, she reaped instead the judgment of God.
We are even told that by their rebellion they "limited the Holy One of Israel" (Psalm 78:41). Think of that - limiting the omnipotent, sovereign God, which Calvinists say is impossible! Indeed, we are told that the rabbis "rejected the counsel of God against themselves" (Luke 7:30) - but there is no hint that they thereby annulled God's sovereignty or gained control over God.
Paul intimates that Christians can also limit the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives and His empowerment for ministry. The Christian life and victory is not alone by sovereign power, but the believers' faith and obedience as "labourers together with God" (1 Corinthians 3:9) is essential: "Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily" (Colossians 1:29); "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure" (Philippians 2:12-13).
God truly and powerfully works within the believer and we can do nothing but by the leading and empowering of the Holy Spirit. At the same time, however, we must give ourselves willingly to the work of God through us.
- Dave Hunt, What Love Is This?
"But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them - yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me." - 1 Corinthians 15:10 (NIV)
Monday, 11 July 2011
God's Sovereign Choice
God did not cause Pharaoh to sin (nor has He ever done so for anyone). Rather, He arranged circumstances and events to put this particular man, whose every quirk and wicked impulse He foreknew in detail, to be in authority at that particular time, in order to use his evil to fulfill His will.
Is an act of that nature the kind of Calvinistic "sovereignty" to which we object? Not at all. We affirm as biblical and reasonable both God's ability and His sovereign right to arrange circumstances and to position on the stage of life those players whom He foreknows, so that His will is effected in human affairs - and to do so without violating their will or encouraging (much less becoming accessory to) their crimes.
- Dave Hunt, What Love Is This?
"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." - Genesis 50:20 (NIV)
Is an act of that nature the kind of Calvinistic "sovereignty" to which we object? Not at all. We affirm as biblical and reasonable both God's ability and His sovereign right to arrange circumstances and to position on the stage of life those players whom He foreknows, so that His will is effected in human affairs - and to do so without violating their will or encouraging (much less becoming accessory to) their crimes.
- Dave Hunt, What Love Is This?
"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." - Genesis 50:20 (NIV)
Sunday, 10 July 2011
The Importance of Baptism
With or without words, baptismal immersion testifies to our identification with the crucified and risen Christ. With words, with the appropriate 'pledge of a clear conscience toward God' (1 Peter 3:21), produced by already existing saving faith, baptism includes a promise to follow Jesus all the days of our lives.
If and when doubts assail us as to whether we truly believed "way back when", we can point to the vows we recited at our baptism. If and when temptations come to turn our backs on Jesus, others have the right and responsibility to ask us, "Are you a person of your word? Are you a promise keeper? You made a sacred oath; are you the kind of person that can be trusted even when the hard times come to be faithful to your covenants?"
- Craig Blomberg, Baptism's No Big Deal, Is It?
From Caleb's blog.
If and when doubts assail us as to whether we truly believed "way back when", we can point to the vows we recited at our baptism. If and when temptations come to turn our backs on Jesus, others have the right and responsibility to ask us, "Are you a person of your word? Are you a promise keeper? You made a sacred oath; are you the kind of person that can be trusted even when the hard times come to be faithful to your covenants?"
- Craig Blomberg, Baptism's No Big Deal, Is It?
From Caleb's blog.
Saturday, 9 July 2011
Back to York
It's been a year since I returned to Singapore last Jul and I'm looking forward to a short break back in the UK over the next 2 weeks. I don't have any fixed plans apart from attending a church wedding and maybe a couple of graduation ceremonies in York. It would also be good to spend some time alone with God, reflecting on the past year and praying for the year ahead.
A Time for Everything
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:
a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.
- Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (NIV)
A Time for Everything
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:
a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.
- Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (NIV)
Monday, 4 July 2011
Purify My Heart
Christ will be master of the heart, and sin must be mortified. If your life is unholy your heart is unchanged; you are an unsaved person. If the Saviour has not sanctified you, renewed you, given you a hatred of sin and a love of holiness, the grace which does not make a man better than others is a worthless counterfeit.
Christ saves his people, not in their sins, but from them. "Without holiness no man shall see the Lord." "Let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity." If not saved from sin, how shall we hope to be counted among his people?
Lord, save me even now from all evil, and enable me to honour my Saviour.
- C. H. Spurgeon
Christ saves his people, not in their sins, but from them. "Without holiness no man shall see the Lord." "Let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity." If not saved from sin, how shall we hope to be counted among his people?
Lord, save me even now from all evil, and enable me to honour my Saviour.
- C. H. Spurgeon
Purify my heart
Let me be as gold and precious silver
Purify my heart
Let me be as gold, pure gold
Refiner's fire
My heart's one desire
Is to be holy
Set apart for You, Lord
I choose to be holy
Set apart for You, my Master
Ready to do Your will
Purify my heart
Cleanse me from within and make me holy
Purify my heart
Cleanse me from my sin, deep within
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)