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.
Sunday, 10 July 2011
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
Wednesday, 29 June 2011
One day at a time
"What does your anxiety do? It does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, but it does empty today of its strength. It does not make you escape the evil; it makes you unfit to cope with it when it comes. God gives us the power to bear all the sorrow of His making, but He does not guarantee to give us strength to bear the burdens of our own making such as worry induces." - Ian Maclaren
"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." - Matthew 6:34 (NIV)
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)
"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." - 1 Peter 5:6-7 (NIV)
"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." - Matthew 6:34 (NIV)
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)
"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." - 1 Peter 5:6-7 (NIV)
Sunday, 26 June 2011
Renewing Our Minds
This morning's message in church was on Ephesians 4:17-24, living as children of light in the likeness of God.
How do we become more like Christ? By being made new in the attitude of our minds.
"You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." - Ephesians 4:22-24 (NIV)
How do we know God's will for our lives? By being transformed by the renewing of our minds.
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will." - Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)
How do we renew our minds?
"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things." - Philippians 4:8 (NIV)
How do we become more like Christ? By being made new in the attitude of our minds.
"You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." - Ephesians 4:22-24 (NIV)
How do we know God's will for our lives? By being transformed by the renewing of our minds.
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will." - Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)
How do we renew our minds?
"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things." - Philippians 4:8 (NIV)
Saturday, 25 June 2011
Man robs bank for $1
A video has surfaced of an American man admitting how he robbed a bank for $1 so he could go to jail and receive free medical treatment.
James Verone, of Gastonia, North Carolina, was so desperate to get help for a bad back, foot and growths on his chest that he made the calculated decision to stage the unusual robbery.
The unemployed 59-year-old, who cannot afford health insurance, told a reporter how he walked up to the cashier and handed a bizarre note demanding just one dollar from her.
The note also said he was armed, but in fact he wasn't. The suffering man then said that he purposely sat on the couch in the RBC bank to wait for the police to arrest him.
Unfortunately for Mr Verone, because he wasn't in possession of a weapon at the time of the robbery, the police could only charge him with larceny - a sentence that warrants a shorter jail time than what he had initially hoped for.
Speaking from Garston County Sheriff's Office, Mr Verone said that he had never been in trouble with the law before.
"I'm sort of a logical person and that was my logic. This is what I came up with," explained Mr Verone.
According to the jail's inmate handbook, inmates pay a small fee of $5 for initiated visits and declared emergency visits.
The handbook also reads: "However, no one will be denied access to health care whether they have money or not."
Mr Verone hoped his crime would get him a minimum of three years so he can carry on receiving free health care.
Source: Yahoo! News
James Verone, of Gastonia, North Carolina, was so desperate to get help for a bad back, foot and growths on his chest that he made the calculated decision to stage the unusual robbery.
The unemployed 59-year-old, who cannot afford health insurance, told a reporter how he walked up to the cashier and handed a bizarre note demanding just one dollar from her.
The note also said he was armed, but in fact he wasn't. The suffering man then said that he purposely sat on the couch in the RBC bank to wait for the police to arrest him.
Unfortunately for Mr Verone, because he wasn't in possession of a weapon at the time of the robbery, the police could only charge him with larceny - a sentence that warrants a shorter jail time than what he had initially hoped for.
Speaking from Garston County Sheriff's Office, Mr Verone said that he had never been in trouble with the law before.
"I'm sort of a logical person and that was my logic. This is what I came up with," explained Mr Verone.
According to the jail's inmate handbook, inmates pay a small fee of $5 for initiated visits and declared emergency visits.
The handbook also reads: "However, no one will be denied access to health care whether they have money or not."
Mr Verone hoped his crime would get him a minimum of three years so he can carry on receiving free health care.
Source: Yahoo! News
Friday, 24 June 2011
Sunday, 12 June 2011
Lessons from Monopoly Deal
1. Play the hand you actually have, not the hand you want to have.
Don't base your play on getting that elusive deal breaker. It may never come.
"But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.
"People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." - 1 Timothy 6:6-10 (NIV)
2. Play the hand you actually have, not the hand you used to have.
Don't dwell on the cards you've played wrongly or look back on the past with regrets. Believe that everything happens for a reason and move on.
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." - Romans 8:28 (NIV)
3. Play your hand to the best of your ability.
Sometimes you lose to a better player or a better hand. That's life. What's important is that you've tried your best. I would rather try my best and lose than not try my best and win. If your best is not good enough, it's not meant to be.
"Life is like a game of cards. The hand that is dealt you represents determinism; the way you play it is free will." - Jawaharlal Nehru, First Prime Minister of India (1947-1964)
We are judged on what we do with what we have, not on what we can't do with what we don't have.
"For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have." - 2 Corinthians 8:12 (NIV)
Don't base your play on getting that elusive deal breaker. It may never come.
"But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.
"People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." - 1 Timothy 6:6-10 (NIV)
2. Play the hand you actually have, not the hand you used to have.
Don't dwell on the cards you've played wrongly or look back on the past with regrets. Believe that everything happens for a reason and move on.
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." - Romans 8:28 (NIV)
3. Play your hand to the best of your ability.
Sometimes you lose to a better player or a better hand. That's life. What's important is that you've tried your best. I would rather try my best and lose than not try my best and win. If your best is not good enough, it's not meant to be.
"Life is like a game of cards. The hand that is dealt you represents determinism; the way you play it is free will." - Jawaharlal Nehru, First Prime Minister of India (1947-1964)
We are judged on what we do with what we have, not on what we can't do with what we don't have.
"For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have." - 2 Corinthians 8:12 (NIV)
Lessons from this morning's sermon on God's perfect plan for marriage
1. Pray together.
2. Read God's Word together.
3. Make decisions together.
4. Serve in church together.
5. Keep courting your wife.
Sunday, 5 June 2011
What is your ambition?
"Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody." - 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 (NIV)
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