Friday, October 31, 2008

Discerning the word of God is so much important for a Christian. The bible is a book, an extraordinary book full of Grace, Wisdom, Wondrous Blessing and promises of God! Amen! Recently, I picked up a book and watched sermons by Pastor Joseph Prince of New Creation Church and boy, he is one blessed preacher who preach with authority,accurately and powerfully the word of God! I'm very ministered and humbly learning a lot from God through him.


Perhaps, when we know so much of the bible that sometimes we forgotten about the Grace of God.


"4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. "(Ephesians 2)


How much do we understand about the Grace of God then? In verse 8, it says that the grace of God is a gift. A gift is free and free means that there are no money involvement or things with equal value to exchange with right? It's given to you just like that! It's a gift from God!


Paul reminded us that it is by grace that we are saved through faith, not of ourselves or how much we do to earn this grace but it is a gift from God. No matter how many charity works we do, being nice to others, donations, etc, we can not earn this grace of God. But only simply believing in His one and only begotten son Jesus Christ who bore our sin on the cross, died for us and resurrected and those who believed in Him shall not perish but have eternal life!


Heard about it many times? It's hard to digest if we do not fully understand the grace of God. All of us who believed in this resurrected God of ours fall under the New Covenant of Grace and not the old covenant of Laws. Laws kill but Grace lives.


I believed that many gone through the many same stages like I do? In the past, even though I believed in Jesus Christ. I still falls into the the old covenant of Laws many time. The devil will strike me with words like " Oh no, you just lied you know? Remember the Thou Shall not lie? " Taking the tablets going around knocking my head and reminding me of my sin! I'll then go around begging God for forgiveness. Fast and pray thinking that by doing this and picking out verses from the bible and claiming it, will then God forgive or much appeased with me. The devil knows the bible better than you and I do and is an expert in twisting it. By hearing that, I feel condemned and guilt is so much upon me. I feel so strongly that I ought to beg God for forgiveness.


I was focusing so much on the law, thinking I've done something so sinful that God will forgive me only if I asked of God. I have forgotten about the grace of God which is Jesus Christ! Who died on the cross for all my sins. My past, present and future sin! You know something? It is really a revelation from God through the Pastor book that I am reminded of how great is our God's forgiveness. Jesus gave it all. One truth is that I do not need to go around begging God for forgiveness when He has already forgiven me! I confess my sin because God has already forgiven me and not the other way around! I do not need to feel condemned or guilty so much that I must do many things to seek God for forgiveness. I'm already forgiven!

Satan the devil is not a murderer, robber, serial killer but an accuser.



"Middle English, from Old English, from Late Latin Satn, from Greek Satanas, Satn, from Hebrew n, devil, adversary, from an, to accuse, act as adversary; see n in Semitic roots"


The profession of the devil is to do accusation. Making us feeling down, demoralise, guilty and condemns us when we does something wrong (sin). Mind you, he is an expert in that. We'll feel so sinful that we feel God is so much a distant from us, when God is always right beside us. Know the truth, read the bible!


"1Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,[a] 2because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. 3For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature,[b] God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering.[c] And so he condemned sin in sinful man,[d] 4in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit." ( Romans 8)


Should we feels condemned then? It is written in the bible that there is NOW no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus! Now means now! not later nor before but NOW. Will God condemns you when you make a mistake? Come on, each time God looks at His son. He will say your sins I remember no more! God has already condemn all sins in the body of Christ once and for all!

That doesn't mean we can go around and 'sin' our guts out alright. I doubted we'll fall into temptation that easily if we truely understand how much Jesus had done for us on the cross and had received this grace. Yes, there are times that we may fall because of our sinful nature but none of our 'moments of foolishness' or 'mistakes' gonna robbed us of the righteousness that Jesus had clothe us with! We're always righteous in the eyes of God by the blood of Jesus! If you think that because of your sin, you are thus not righteous. Then, it is the same as telling God that even by the blood of Jesus, the Son of God is worth little and had no power over sin?


Jedidiah a pense

Jedidiah; 8:36 PM

Monday, October 27, 2008

I received a message from my disciple last night. Asking me how to define Righteousness. How to be one? He thought that righteousness comes by reading more of God's words, pray more, doing alot of 'holy stuffs'! But I said "You're declared righteous by the blood of Jesus already!"

I supposed many other believers may have the same thinking? You thought by doing alot of good and disciplined things like reading the bible daily, having a good prayer life, making sure that you do not sin, treating others well and good, for doing all these, you've attained or being credited as righteousness. Is this so? Let us look at what the Book of Romans 3 : 21-25 then :

"21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all[h] who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, ..."

Does God credit us with righteousness only when we fulfilled certain things? What if we can't fulfill because of our sinful nature? Oh! Sarks, I forgotten to read the bible,I've sinned. I'm not righteous. Oh! I've always not been praying for others,I've sinned. I'm not righteous. Oh! I cursed that man who irritated me then and all the more I've sinned! I'm not righteous. That's what you think!

"22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all[h] who believe..."

Righteousness is to and on you through your Faith in Jesus Christ when you believed Him! Amen!

Many of us feels CONDEMED when we can't fulfill certain things. You thought our God is an angry God when we does wrong things. You thought our God will zap us with lightning or bad consequences/things will fall on us when we sinned. You thought "Perhaps I get illnesses, diseases is because I've sinned." Boy..YOU're not under the LAW of GOD but the GRACE of God!

"1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus,[a] who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." [Romans 8: 1-2]

All the "Thou shall not..." have been fulfilled by Christ Jesus (Matt 5:17) when He died on the cross for our sin and resurrected! You see, do you really think you can fulfilled the Ten Commandments? No! Read Matt 5: 21-48. Jesus said, even the slightest thought of evil is sin! Once, I heard from a friend that scientists had done an experiment and find out that a normal human being have approximately 50,000 thoughts a day. Gosh! you and I would have long gone to meet satan in hell if you believed in the Laws! It's because we can not fulfill it! Thus Christ came and died on the cross for our Past, Present and Future sin!

Jesus came to give us life! An Abundant life!

"10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. " [ John 10:10]

Yes, the devil came to give us negative thoughts. Influence us by saying things like " Oh no, U've sinned again... God is displeased with sin...God is displeased with you..." The devil come to bind you with the laws. The devil come to make comdemnation. Wait wait wait! Remember that you're not condemed anymore!? (Romans 8:1) You're free from all these because of what Jesus had done for you!

Jesus came to fulfill the law so we will not feel condem any more. Jesus came so we can have an abundant life. Jesus came so we may receive the wonderful blessings He have for us! So open up your heart, for God is always there ready to embrace you!

One revelation I got when I read a book. He spoke something like
"We don't have to confess our sin inorder to be forgiven. We confess our sin because we are already been forgiven!"

Amen!

Jedidiah; 3:21 PM

Nights in Rodanthe

A 3 storey shabby, decripit Inn in Rodanthe, a tiny coastal town in North Carolina. Very beautiful sea view at the door of the Inn and desert like landscape at it's back. Comes Adrienne Willis, a good friend of Jean the owner of the Inn and the only guest Dr.Paul Flanner who will be staying over the next 4 days. What comes next? Hurricans comes, Anger comes, Past comes, Bickering comes, Understanding comes, Loves comes and then Hope comes for the both divorcees, followed by a sad ending. Quite a nice romance movie for couples especially. Starring Richard Gere and Diane Lane. No doubt Richard Gere have been the top most charming aged guy! His eyes just called the shots. Nicholas Sparks is the author of Message in a Bottle, The Rescue, A Walk to Remember, Nights in Rodanthe, The Notebook, and A Bend in the Road,etc. I watched a couple of movies that was made from many of his books. 3 main similarities. Romance, Hope and death.

Jedidiah; 12:00 PM

Friday, October 24, 2008

Daily Updating

I like reading the newspaper and watching news online (CNN/BBC) to keep me updated on what's happening around the world. Well, it's interesting to know many things or events going on. News like the French President Nicolas Sarkozy who gotten himself a beautiful model wife 2-3 months back or being targeted as a "voodoo" doll just 2 days ago? Senator Obama VS Senator John McCain debate in the States President election *Obama Obama Obama!* Okays, Senator Obama have the charisma alright. An "Urgent Leave" back home to see his granny who is sick? True story of showing filial or another propaganda? Oh! COE just dropped by half! S$7000+. Oil Price cost $67 per barrel and Fuel prices dropped too! but isn't it dropping little too slow? Raised the prices almost immediately when inflation came but prices not lowered any faster when things are almost turning back to normal. It's really interesting to find out what's happening around the world. Sections I don't read, sports and classified. Ha.

Jedidiah; 8:55 PM

Monday, October 20, 2008

What's with the world right now?

2 weeks ago. I saw 2 pair of young "couples" hugging, doing some hangy panky right infront of me. No no, infront of me while I'm in a bus stop. No no no, infront of me with lots of passerby in a bus stop! What's more? They are wearing my secondary school uniform! What's with kids right now?! I can't stand the sight of it. *I nearly Roar at them*

Hey, cool down huh... The kids are lost. That's why.. They are misled by the worldly teaching of 'love'. That's what came into me after I prayed. Well, do something about it then. Not just the teen's and youth but many people are still wanderers in this world.

Have Faith, Pray and Action.

Jedidiah; 7:37 PM

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Places I want to go!

United States, England, France, Germany, Swiss, Italy, Australia, Japan... grass on the other side,greener. Well, maybe? Air fresher. Maybe? or like the chinese saying, the moon is rounder! Maybe? It's good to go for vacations.Well, that's when you have the spending power! It's NOT CHEAP to travel to far away land.

Well, I like to visit many countries too. (Especially after hearing many of the wonderful experiences from friends/Newspaper/Magazines!) Well, perhaps the first stop I would really want to go is England Hyde park! Participating in the yearly Crossroad music festival featuring Eric Clapton, John mayer, Sheryl Crow and many of the other skillful blues and rock musicians! Well then, follow on to Germany Munich 16 days Oktoberfest festival where all just drink, sing and dance! Hmm, time for some R&R to Swiss Alps for some sceneric view of the mountians and landscape in Swizterland..cool weather huh. Before it 'sink' to the bottom, venice the Italian Water City which is considered the most beautiful city! Last stop? Japan. Feasting all the fresh and delicious seafoods in Hokkaido! Yummy yum yum! *Drooling...

Arh... it's good to dream sometimes.

Be contented,
Jedidiah

Jedidiah; 1:26 PM