Be still!

Sometimes I ask the question,
“My Lord, is this Your will?”
It’s then I hear You answer me,
“My Precious Child… Be still.”

Sometimes I feel frustrated,
Cause I think I know what’s best.
It’s then I hear You say to me,
“My Busy Child… Just rest.”

Sometimes I feel so lonely
And I think I’d like a mate.
Your still small voice gets, oh, so clear
And says, “My Child… Please wait.”

“I know the plans I have for you,
The wondrous things you’ll see;
If you can just be patient, Child,
And put your trust in Me.

I’ve plans to draw you closer.
I’ve plans to help you grow.
There’s much I do you cannot see
And much you do not know.

But know this, Child… I LOVE YOU.
You are precious unto Me.
Before I formed you in the womb,
I planned your destiny.

I’ve something very special
I hope for you to learn.
The gifts I wish to give to you
Are gifts you cannot earn.

They come without a price tag,
But not without a cost;
At Calvary, I gave My Son,
So you would not be lost.

Rest Child, and do not grow weary
Of doing what is good.
I promise I’ll come back for you
Just like I said I would.

Your name is written on My palm,
I never could forget;
Therefore, do not be discouraged
When my answer is… ’Not yet.’”

– Author Unknown

Wait for the LORD!

“The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him.”

(Lamentations 3:25)

I think most of us are willing to agree that it's not easy to wait. We usually want things to happen quickly. We are used to what might be called the “remote-control” mentality; just press the button and the garage door will open, the computer will start, the AC will cool the room in a few minutes, etc. It's just so easy for us to expect things to go in like manner with God. But they don't!

God's ways are different! He doesn't have a “remote control”! We usually want Him to do it our way. That's not wise! I have experienced that, with God, the best thing to do is to leave the choice, the timing, and the way totally and completely to Him! Well, after all, you don't expect to be wiser than God, do you?! When we refuse to wait for God and follow our own thoughts, emotions, or instincts, we suffer tremendously and the consequences are usually deadly.

However, it is often hard for me to just wait for Him. God's timing is really different than mine. I say, I need it now; He says, Wait! I try to have it my own way. Then I find myself in a mess. Again, this is not easy.

So, is it just about waiting passively? Should you not do anything but remain idle waiting for God to act on your behalf?! Though this might be the case sometimes, I believe our waiting time should be active and fruitful. There is much we can do and learn during these times of waiting.

First of all, it is time to pray proactively. It's a great opportunity to share our thoughts, feelings, and struggles with our Heavenly Father. This is such a great privilege and joy. He wants us to be in fellowship with Him and loves to listen to us. These words of David encourage us, “I waited patiently for the LORD; and He bowed down to me, and heard my cry.” (Psalm 40:1).

It is also time to ask God for His guidance. God's “good, acceptable, perfect” will is revealed to us when we are willing to wait. Sometimes, God actually does wait and does not make known His will to us immediately in order to test our willingness to know it and whether we are earnest in seeking it or not.

Second, our waiting time is our learning time. We learn who God is and we learn who we are. It's time to discover afresh God's wisdom, sovereignty, power, goodness, grace, and love. It's time to see how small, weak, and unwise we are.

Third, “our waiting time is God's preparation time”, as Dr. Charles Stanley well puts it. Sometimes we are not ready yet for what God has in store for us, so we are to wait patiently while God prepares His blessings and prepares us to receive them.

Fourth, our waiting time is a time of strength. As the Bible teaches us, those who wait for God are not left to wither like an abandoned flower, but “those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31). This does not only imply spiritual strength, but it also extends to physical energy.

Fifth, our waiting time is God's action time. The Bible encourages us that our God is a God “who works for him who waits for Him.” (Isaiah 64:4). In many ways, while we are waiting for Him, God acts on our behalf. It takes faith to trust Him with our circumstances. Down through the ages, many saints of God experienced this blessed truth; God acts on our behalf.

My dear reader, maybe you are going through a tough time right now. Perhaps you have been wronged by someone or been treated unfairly at work, or anything else... Listen to the Word of God, “Do not say, I will repay evil; wait on the LORD, and He will save you.” (Proverbs 20:22).

Finally, I would like to say, Wait! Wait! Wait! Do not make any decision nor take any action unless you are positively sure it's God's will for you now. I would like to encourage you and myself with the blessed words of the Psalmist, “Wait for the LORD; be strong and let your heart take courage: yea, wait for the LORD.” (Psalm 27:14). May our good God grant us His grace so we may earnestly seek His will, waiting for Him to reveal it, and be ready to do whatever He wants, whenever He chooses, and however He pleases!

A Prayer

Lord, please make me love You more. Make me love Your Word. Give me capacity and grace to realize Your love, to sense it, to feel it, to be overwhelmed by it...

Lord, open the eyes of my heart so I can see You more clearly, so I can follow You more earnestly, so I can be filled with Your Spirit, and so Your life may be manifested through me... Amen!

(My prayer on February 2, 2012)

The Day I Lay Down My Isaac

“And He (i.e. the LORD) said, Take now your son, your only one, Isaac, whom you love. And go into the land of Moriah, and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will name to you.”

(Genesis 22:2)

I came across two beautiful Christian songs which made such a great impact on me: “The Day I Lay Down My Isaac” and “When I Lay My Isaac Down.” Very encouraging indeed!

The first one goes like this:

I have a prayer as pure as gold,
That where You lead me I will go,
And I’ll embrace the holy plea,
Each time your Spirit calls to me.
[…]
Each sacrifice You call me to,
I’ll die to self, I’ll live for You,
Take up the cross, forsake the crown,
The day I lay my Isaac down!

And the second one:

Most of us, I’d dare to say,
Have an Isaac in God’s way,
On the Altar God will prove
It’s not your Isaac that He wants
He wants you!

Lord, thank You! Thank You for Your mercy, grace, and love; your love which bears my foolishness and stubbornness. Thank You for speaking to me about this. I really want to lay my Isaac down. I want to give up each and every thing which stands in the way between You and me. I would love to lay down on the altar every single thing that I hold dear and precious. Please, kindle my heart with the desire to give You all its keys. I would rather leave everything in Your wise hands than keep anything for myself. Nothing should be kept! Help me, O Lord! Help me to let go... Help me to give you my heart and, with all willingness, lay down my Isaac. Every person, relationship, or thing. Every thought, desire or longing... Everything, Lord! Everything for You!

(From my diary, September 6, 2011)

Knowledge, Understanding, Wisdom

Knowledge	Understanding	Wisdom
Facts	Meaning	What to do next
Information	Principles	Application
Memory	Reason	Action
Scholars	Teachers	Prophets

Source: http://www.acts17-11.com/know.html

Think on These Things!

«...whatsoever things are true,

whatsoever things are noble,

whatsoever things are just,

whatsoever things are pure,

whatsoever things are amiable,

whatsoever things are of good report;

if there be any virtue and if any praise,

THINK ON THESE THINGS!»

(Philippians 4:8)

This Man Receives Sinners!

“All the tax-collectors and sinners drew near to Him in order to hear Him.
And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying,
This man receives sinners and eats with them.”
(Luke 15:1-2)

“This man” is the Lord Jesus Christ. He, being the Eternal Son of God, became flesh. And when He came into this world of ours, He came “full of grace and of truth” (John 1:14). This infinite grace in Him drew tax-collectors (rejected and despised by the people) and sinners to Him. It was easy to have access to the Lord. He did not reject them as everyone else did. They, drawing near to hear Him, found in Him mercy, love, and grace.

The Pharisees and scribes, the self-righteous, religious leaders of the day, criticized our Lord saying, “This man receives sinners.” As if it were a charge against Him. Oh! they did not know that this very act, of which they were accusing Him, conveyed the perfection of Him who is “holy, harmless, undefiled, separated from sinners” (Hebrews 7:26). But the good news is that, holy as He is, He received sinners. He did not isolate Himself from them, yet He was separate from them as regards His holy nature. He accepted them showing them ultimate mercy and grace.

The Lord’s attitude towards these rejected people, expresses, in essence, the good news of Christianity: God accepts sinners and brings them into fellowship with Himself. The Lord’s reply to the complaint of the Pharisees, was the amazing three-fold parable recorded in Luke 15: the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son. In another situation, saving another lost soul, the Lord Jesus said, “The Son of man has come to seek and to save that which is lost.” (Luke 19:10).

Out of His immense love, the Good Shepherd seeks the lost sheep until He finds it. He even sacrifices Himself for the sheep (John 10:11). And that is exactly what our Lord did when He gave Himself on the cross in order to save you and me. The Holy Spirit, using the Word of God (the lamp), seeks patiently for the lost coin until He finds it. This portrays God’s activity in seeking and finding those who are lost.

But the lost son needs to come to his senses first before he decides to go back to the Father. God longs for you to come back, but there is responsibility on your part, my friend. You need to realize that you are lost and change your mind and go back to the bosom of the Father. This is what’s called REPENTANCE. When you go back to God you will find a Loving Father waiting for you with embraces and kisses (please read Luke 15:20-24). You will enjoy real, living fellowship with God as your Father. This is exactly what the Lord Jesus did, after accepting sinners: He ate with them!

My dear reader, there is hope for you today in this good news: The Lord Jesus Christ receives sinners! Please do not do like the Pharisees who did not count themselves among “sinners” and did not want to consider themselves “lost.” If you recognize your sin, your being lost, come to the Lord Jesus now! HE RECEIVES SINNERS! He said, “Him that comes to me I will not at all cast out.” (John 6:37).

The Bible

“The Bible contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you. It is the traveler’s map, the pilgrim’s staff, the pilot’s compass, the soldier’s sword, and the Christian’s charter. Here Paradise is restored, Heaven opened, and the gates of hell disclosed. Christ is its grand subject, our good the design and the glory of God its end. It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. It is given you in life, will be opened at the judgment, and be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labor, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.”

--Samuel R. Boggs


“Pray it in. Read it through. Live it out. Pass it on.”

--J. C. Ryle

All Other Ground Is Sinking Sand

The Solid Rock

Words: Edward Mote, 1834

Music: William B. Bradbury, 1863

1. My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

Refrain:
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.

2. When darkness veils His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

3. His oath, His covenant, His blood
Support me in the whelming flood;
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.

4. When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found;
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.

The Unspeakable Gift

“Thanks be to God for His unspeakable free gift!” (2Corinthians 9:15)

What matters about a gift is what it is, how it is presented, and who gives it. Imagine then how amazing, indeed “unspeakable,” when the Giver is God Himself, the Gift is the Lord Jesus Christ, and it is wrapped with a Love that is “so amazing, so divine!”

But we must notice that this “free gift” is not without price. It is given to us freely, by grace, but the price has been paid! “For God so loved the world that He GAVE His only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

When God gave His Son, He gave Him to die for us: “God commends His love to us, in that, we being still sinners, Christ has died for us” (Romans 5:8). He died, on that cross of Calvary, in order to give us life and to pay the penalty of our sins, which is eternal judgment in hell: “In this the love of God has been manifested in us, because God has sent His only begotten Son into the world that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be a propitiation for our sins” (1John 4:9-10). Praised be God for His free gift!

All we need to do is ACCEPT this “unspeakable free gift” of God. You cannot buy it by doing some good works of your own, my dear reader! It is already paid for, and the price was quite high, was actually too high for anyone to pay. The price was the “precious blood of Christ” (1Peter 1:19), that is His life which He gave for you and me. There is nothing left for you to do to earn God's great salvation. All you ought to do is BELIEVE! Listen, “He that believes in Him is not judged, but he who does not believe has been already judged, because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God” (John 3:18).

Dear reader, for your own ultimate good, I urge you to accept this amazing free gift now, and before it is too late! I encourage you to believe in the Lord Jesus and in the perfect work He accomplished FOR YOU on the cross! If you believe and accept, you will be saved!

Via Dolorosa

“...we being still without strength, in the due time Christ has died for the ungodly. For scarcely for the just man will one die, for perhaps for the good man some one might also dare to die; but God commends His love to us, in that, we being still sinners, Christ has died for us.” (Romans 5:6-8)

Down the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem that day

The soldiers tried to clear the narrow street
But the crowd pressed in to see
This Man condemned to die on Calvary

He was bleeding from a beating, there were stripes upon His back
And He wore a crown of thorns upon His head
And He bore with every step
The scorn of those who cried out for His death

Down the Via Dolorosa called the way of suffering
Like a lamb came the Messiah, Christ the King,
But He chose to walk that road out of
His love for you and me.
Down the Via Dolorosa, all the way to Calvary.

Por la Vía Dolorosa, triste día en Jerusalén
Los soldados le abrían paso a Jesús
Mas la gente si acercaba
Para ver que llevaba aquella cruz

Por la Vía Dolorosa, que es la vía del dolor
Como oveja vino Cristo, Rey, Señor
Y fue Él quien quiso ir por amor por ti y por mí
Por la Vía Dolorosa al Calvario y a morir

The blood that would cleanse the souls of all men
Made its way through the heart of Jerusalem.

Down the Via Dolorosa called the way of suffering
Like a lamb came the Messiah, Christ the King
But He chose to walk that road out of

His love for you and me
Down the Via Dolorosa, all the way to Calvary.

By Billy Sprague and Niles Borop
1983 Meadowgreen Music and Word Music/ASCAP

The Cross of Power

“He hath poured out His soul unto death.” (Isaiah 53:12)

“On this account the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have authority to lay it down and I have authority to take it again. I have received this commandment of my Father.” (John 10:17-18)

God has presented His wisdom and His power in the cross. How does His power come out, not only in the effect of the cross, but in the cross itself! It never shone out so bright. Not the creation of a new heaven and earth could be such an expression of His power as that cross.

That the infinite God, He who is the Almighty God, should have been down here on that cross! That no one less than the God who created all things, who had but to speak and it was done, — that that Almighty God should become a man! What had Almighty God to do there upon that cross between two thieves, tied and bound to it, not by circumstances — the nails could not keep Him there — but by something stronger than all fetters, (1) something that He cannot break through: “Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God.” (Hebrews 10:7). The Son of God had become the servant of God. He, the very One by whom God had created all things, there was He, with power to put everything down, fettered, absolutely fettered (2) as servant to the will of God, whose servant He had pledged Himself to be.

Where did God’s power ever shine out as it did there? Not only — I repeat it — the expression of Divine power in the fruits of the cross, but in the cross itself, that cross where He leaves Himself and everything in God’s hands, to turn everything to His own glory. I know nothing like the moral glory shining out in connection with the cross. We hear of moral glory in the actions of different individuals. In Christ it was perfect. Because the power of God brought Him down to weakness, He gives up His spirit in perfect obedience; but God alone could do it. A man’s life is not his own to give; but the Lord could give His life.

God alone has a right to act as He pleases. He had an only Son, of whom He could say, “He is all my delight;” and if He would make that Son the One on whom all His wrath should fall, who could dare to say to God, “What doest Thou?” (Job 9:12). He is God, and He alone had a right to do what He liked and do it how He liked. If He had a plan in connection with that Son, He must have the cooperation of that Son to carry out His plan, and He had it. Christ came to the cross to die there.

--G. V. Wigram, Gleanings, Volume 1.

—————————
(1) Chains
(2) Bound

The Cross of Love

I need to be loved! It is deeply rooted in my heart, as in the hearts of all humans.

We all need to feel respected and worthy as well, but I believe the most important need that creates a huge vacuum in every heart is the need for love. Many of the human actions and reactions relate directly to this basic need. However, we cannot find love, or more precisely the kind of love that will really satisfy us. All kinds of relationships break up every day due to lack, or even total absence, of real love. In many cases, what some people call "love" is not but passion or infatuation. Love is probably one of the most spoiled words all over the world and throughout history. It is confused with many other fleeting and delusive emotions.

Love, according to the Holy Bible, is not an uncontrollable emotion. It is an action of the will. However, I do not intend to talk about the differences between the four kinds of love. This is a lesson we can gain from C. S. Lewis' classic "The Four Loves". Lewis' conclusion, in brief, is that "Affection" (natural love between family members), "Friendship" (based on common interests), and "Eros" (romantic love), cannot survive alone by themselves without "Agape" (the Love of God). Human love will surely come short at a certain point without the supernatural divine Love!

The Bible tells us that God showed us His love by sending His Only Son to the world: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His Only Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16). It is just one of the greatest truths ever! God, out of His pure LOVE for us, sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross of Calvary instead of you and me.

While what many people see at the cross is just the suffering of a Good Man who died as a victim, we, enlightened by the Word of God through the work of the Holy Spirit of God, see at the cross on which our Lord was crucified, a love that is "so amazing, so divine".

I solemnly urge you, my dear reader, to open the eyes of your mind and see the One who gave Himself for you, who died in your stead in order to give you the opportunity to escape "the coming wrath", the eternal condemnation in hell forever! I pray that you may heed the Word of God, see how much LOVE God has given you, and obtain the life of God without which you are dead and separated from the Source of LOVE and LIFE!

More about God's Book

Q: How can I know for sure that the Bible is the Word of God?

A: The best way to find out if the Bible is the Word of God is by reading it prayerfully and carefully. You cannot honestly judge a book which you have not read. I suggest that you begin reading the New Testament, starting with the Gospel of Matthew and continue reading right on through Revelation.

There have been many who, like yourself, have wondered if the Bible really is God's Word. Some of them even doubted the existence of God. But when they began to read the Bible in earnest, their doubts left. They were convinced that there is a God and that the Bible is His Word. How did they come to that conclusion? Because in reading the Bible they became aware that God was speaking to them personally. The Bible revealed to them the need of Christ as Saviour and God's love in providing that Saviour. They became believers in God and His Son Jesus Christ. This is because the Bible is unlike any other book in the world. As the Bible tells us so clearly, "the Word of God is quick, [living] and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword" (Hebrews 4:12).

Although the personal reading of the Bible is the surest and best way to tell its authorship, its uniqueness also points unmistakably to God as its author. Let us consider some of the facts about the Bible that show it is unique--altogether different from any other book:

It has stood the test of time. In the last half of the 18th century, Voltaire, the French infidel, made the statement that within 100 years the Bible and all Christianity would be completely forgotten. Voltaire died in 1778. The Bible still lives on. How many 2,000 year old books are still being printed today? Since Voltaire died, it has been estimated that over 2,500,000,000 copies have been printed. It is still the world's best seller and is the world's most widely distributed book, having been translated into hundreds of languages. All of this has taken place despite the many efforts of various men to destroy the Bible. As the Bible says, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away" (Matthew 24:35).

It is accurate and reliable. If you were to read science and history books that were thirty to fifty years old you would find that they are outdated. Some of the facts they reported would have to be revised to reflect man's latest discoveries. What about the Bible? Although its references to historical and scientific data have often been challenged and disputed, none of them have needed revision. Instead of revisions, recent findings are continually verifying the truths of the Bible. I will refer to only one example among many which could be cited. For years, critics of the Bible have pointed out the fact that Daniel mentioned a Babylonian king named Belshazzar of whom history had no record. New archaeological findings have revealed the name of Belshazzar on clay tablets along with the names of his secretaries and sisters. We can trust what the Bible says.

Its prophecies have a 100% accuracy record. This becomes even more impressive when we consider that one fourth of the Bible was predictive when it was written. There are hundreds of prophecies made in the Bible which have been accurately fulfilled and there are many more yet to be fulfilled. The prophet Micah predicted about 700 B.C. that the Lord Jesus would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). The fulfillment is recorded in Matthew 2:1. Over one hundred years before Nineveh was destroyed, Nahum wrote that Nineveh would become "empty, and void, and waste" (Nahum 2:10). Today, this would be like predicting that Chicago will become a wasteland. (Remember, in Nahum's day there were no nuclear bombs.) Nineveh, just as it was prophesied, became empty and void and waste. About 600 B.C. Daniel accurately predicted the succession of three great world empires: the Persian (530 B.C.), the Grecian (331 B.C.) and the Roman Empire (about 68 B.C.). See Daniel chapters 2,7,8. Only God can declare the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10).

The unity of the Bible's sixty-six books. The Bible was written by about forty men who were not contemporary, but lived at various times during a period of more than 1,500 years. What makes it even more interesting is the varied occupations of these men. Kings, fishermen, shepherds, noblemen, tax collectors, doctors, lawyers and statesmen were among those whom God used to write the Bible. They wrote about every subject which vitally affects us--creation, sin and its origin, death, life, heaven, hell, Satan, and God.

When you consider all of this diversity you might expect that the result would be a book which would be both contradictory and confusing. But instead, we get a book which has a continuity and unity throughout the sixty-six books that is simply amazing. You can only come to one conclusion from this--the Bible is God's Word.

It alone claims to be the Word of God. From the "And God said" of Genesis 1:3 to the "I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things" of Revelation 22:16, we have God speaking to us in this Book. The men whom God used to write the Scriptures were inspired and controlled by God to write the exact words which He gave them. This means that what we have in the Bible are the very words of God completely free from man's thoughts and reasonings (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20,21).

It is relevant to our needs today. Go into any large bookstore today and you will find hundreds of books, many of them with catchy titles, all claiming to meet some of our needs. Though a great number of these books do fill a need for knowledge and learning, they do not give us the answers to our spiritual needs. Many of them leave a void and emptiness in our hearts. Only the Bible can explain, to the satisfaction of our hearts and consciences, the facts of sin, death, judgment, the love and holiness of God, the atoning work of Christ, and heaven and hell to mention a few. These are the things which meet our deepest needs, both present and future. Many who have questioned the Bible's relevancy for today can testify that when they finally came to read and believe it, they found peace, joy, and satisfaction. The Bible has the answers.

Source: http://www.mwtb.org/pages/display.php?id=600010

God's Book

So, on what foundation do we build all our arguments, e.g. Jesus is God Incarnate, The Lord Jesus is the Only Saviour, etc.? Simply on the Word of God, the Holy Bible. We cannot build our beliefs on man's shallow opinions, but we can calmly rest assured on the infallible Truth of God as He revealed it in His Word.

It is well known that the Bible has 66 different Books divided into 2 parts: the Old Testment (39 Books) and the New Testament (27 Books), written by 40 men from the most varied backgrounds, over a period of about 1600 years. Yet, these 66 Books are amazingly talking about the exact same subject: THE LORD JESUS CHRIST (from different perspectives, as it may well be understood)!

But how can we be sure that the Bible we now have is the true Word of God? Do we really have a revelation from God?

I think the best thing we can do to answer this question is to let the Bible talk about Itself. You just need to read this great Book, and you will certainly be assured that every word it contains is inspired by God.

This is actually what the Bible says about itself, "Every scripture is divinely inspired (i.e. God-breathed), and profitable for teaching, for conviction, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be complete, fully fitted to every good work" (2Timothy 3:16).

It also says, "We also have a more sure Word of prophecy, to which you do well to take heed, as to a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the Daystar arises in your hearts, knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture came into being of its own private interpretation. For prophecy was not borne at any time by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke being borne along by the Holy Spirit" (2Peter 1:19-21).

These 2 things the Bible tells us about itself are just the most fundamental truths about this great Book, namely:

1. It is INSPIRED by God Himself through holy men of God.

2. The ACCURACY of its PROPHECIES proclaims its divine source.

More would be said about those men whom God used in writing His Book, about the accuracy of its scientific, geographical, historical contents, about the evidences of archeology, etc., but the desire of my heart and my prayers are that you, my dear reader, would be encouraged to look it up for yourself!

GO READ the Bible! Do not look for errors and mistakes! Do not read with prejudices, but with a humble, Truth-seeking spirit. It WILL CHANGE your life!

Who is Jesus?!

The Lord Jesus Christ is probably the most controversial person in the history of mankind! Christianity, as shown in previous posts, is not merely a religion but the life of "Christ" manifested in (and through) the life of those sinners who believe in Him and His work on the cross for the remission of their sins. So, when we say that Christ is the only possible way to God, we affirm that He is the only Savior, the only Hope for all of us, human sinners. That's why it is extremely important to know who is Jesus about whom we're talking!

We Christians believe, as the Bible teaches us, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that is to say He is God Almighty who became flesh, a man, and came down here on earth and lived among us approximately 2000 years ago. We are talking about a real Person here, not a myth or a legendary person. Needless to say how easy it is to find evidence that Jesus truly existed.

The problem, however, is not whether He existed or not. It is what He did and what He said when He was here on earth that causes most of the arguments. Jesus actually claimed to be the Son of God. He said so among the Jews, who knew exactly what He meant by that (Cf. the Gospel according to John. Take for example John 5:18 "Then... the Jews sought the more to kill Him, because He... said that God was His father, making Himself equal with God.").

I would like to quote from C. S. Lewis, who once was agnostic, what he says about that:

"I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: 'I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept His claim to be God.' That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic - on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg - or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronising nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to." (C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, in The Complete C. S. Lewis Signature Classics, Harper One, 2002, pp. 50-51.)

Jesus, then, is not just an admirable moral teacher, is not just a great prophet, is not just a religious leader... He is God Incarnate, God Almighty who chose to humble Himself and be a man! This is the most astonishing truth ever! But why did He do that? He did it because, out of His eternal, pure and unconditional LOVE, He wanted to save us from the trap of the Devil, and deliver us from the penalty of our sins (which is eternal death!), and bring us back to a living, spiritual relationship with Himself, and finally to take us to live forever with Him in heaven!

Your present position as regards Jesus Christ determines your eternal condition! You must make your choice!

Christianity vs. Christendom

Is Christianity a religion?  Is there anything like "heavenly religions"?

First of all, I would like to say, yes there are monotheist religions, but this does not mean at all that they are all "heavenly", that is their origin is heaven, from the One and Only True God, the Creator of all things.  There is, in my opinion, only one "heavenly" religion which is Judaism, as sent forth from the Lord to the Israeli people by Moses.  In all other monotheist religions you cannot find God, but just man's speculations about Him.  It is just a god of man's imaginations.

Secondly, I will have to say that Christianity is not, and cannot be, a religion.  Christendom is different; it has many denominations.  There are major ones, and minor ones.  But, they are all different "types" of religion.  And each one claims to be the "right" one!  This cannot be "the way to God" we talked about in the first post (Christ vs. Religion).  Neither Judaism, heavenly as it is, nor any other religion, however "good" it may be, can by any means lead to the true knowledge of God.

Christianity then is not Christendom.  Christianity is the "life" of Christ bestowed by God's grace upon us, sinners, who believe in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ and His atoning work on the cross.  This "life" is then manifested in the lives of those "believers", so they no longer live but Christ lives in them (Galatians 2:20).  It is not merely a religion; it is a life, a different "kind" of life.  The Holy Bible calls it "eternal life" differentiating it from the "human" life.  We have "human life" by merely being born of Adam, the father of all the "human" race, but we get "eternal life" through believing (personally and individually) in the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus for our sins.

Being "in Adam," however "good" man may be, will not lead him to a living relationship with Almighty God because man is born a "sinner", inheriting the nature of sin, as David the prophet says, "Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." (Psalm 51:5)!  But, being "in Christ" we are granted not only the "eternal life," but also every spiritual blessing.

So, let us be clear about this point: it does not matter what religion you follow, or even what beliefs you believe!  It does not even matter how "good" you are!  When it comes to pleasing God, and this by being in a spiritual relationship with Him, all what matters is: Are you "in Adam" or "in Christ"?!  We are all sinners and need a Savior.  If you are still "in Adam" you will not be able to save yourself, and you will be condemned to "eternal" death because you are separated from the Holy God against whom you sin!  But, if you put your trust now in the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ for you, you will be saved.  The Holy Bible says, "if you will confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and will believe in your heart that God has raised Him from among the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9).

Believing in any religion, even if it was a denomination of Christendom, will not save you from eternal judgment.  Only through the death and resurrection of Christ, can we be saved!  Only through Christianity, that is the "life" of Christ, can we please God.  I am praying that you, my dear reader, will put your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ now!

Wonderful Facts About Christ

He who was "clothed with honor and majesty" (Psalm 104:1) was "wrapped in swaddling clothes" (Luke 2:12).

He who is the "Father of Eternity" (Isaiah 9:6), became an "infant of days."

He who upholds "all things by the word of His power" (Hebrews 1:3) was upheld in the arms of Mary, and of Simeon (Luke 2:27,28).

He who is "the wisdom of God" (1 Corinthians 1:24), "increased in wisdom and stature" (Luke 2:52).

He of whom it is stated, "Behold your God" (Isaiah 40:9) it is also stated, "Behold the man" (John 19:5).

He who "sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills. They give drink to every beast of the field: the wild asses quench their thirst. He watereth the hills from His chambers" (Psalm 104:10,11,13) was the One who said, "I thirst" (John 19:28).

He whose eyes are "as a flame of fire" (Revelation 1:14) was the One who "wept" (John 11:35).

He of whom it is written, "ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him" (Daniel 7:10) "stood before the governor" (Matthew 27:11).

He who "knew no sin" (2 Corinthians 5:21), "did no sin" (1 Peter 2:22), and "in Him is no sin" (1 John 3:5), "bare our sins in His own body on the tree" (1 Peter 2:24).

He who "came down" from heaven (John 6:42), and is now "sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high" (Hebrews 1:3) will "put down all rule and all authority and power" (1 Corinthians 15:24).

--Assembly Annals

Source: http://www.mwtb.org/pages/display.php?id=412120

Wonderful Words of Life

1. Sing them over again to me, wonderful words of life,
Let me more of their beauty see, wonderful words of life;
Words of life and beauty teach me faith and duty.
Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life,
Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life.

2. Christ, the blessèd One, gives to all wonderful words of life;
Sinner, list to the loving call, wonderful words of life;
All so freely given, wooing us to heaven.
Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life,
Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life.


3. Sweetly echo the Gospel call, wonderful words of life;
Offer pardon and peace to all, wonderful words of life;
Jesus, only Savior, sanctify us forever.
Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life,
Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life.


--Phillip P. Bliss

Christ vs. Religion

Is Christianity a religion? And if it is, can it lead to God? Can any religion lead to God at all?

I would like to address, in this post, those who already believe in God; that He exists. Not those who do not believe He exists (atheists) nor those who claim they are not sure that He exists (agnostics). I might even dare to say that, deep inside their hearts, they know that God exists because "that which is known of God is manifest in them. For God has manifested it unto them. For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made. His eternal power also and divinity: so that they are inexcusable." (Romans 1:19,20). Saying that God is not there is just the easy way to excuse themselves from the moral requirements of God's holiness, so they can live their lives without those rules that the knowledge of God demands. In fact, their "atheism" or "agnosticism" becomes their own religion!

I would like to point out that every religion has at least 3 basic elements: doctrine (beliefs), ordinances, and rites. Men, believing some kind of "doctrine", obeying some sort of "ordinances", and applying them according to certain "rites", feel satisfied and think they are pleasing God. But, they can never be sure that He is really pleased. So they try to do their best, but they find out that they fall far short of obeying any rules. They find themselves breaking the law, the moral law... They find themselves committing sin, and they know right away that they cannot  please God by their efforts! Thus they try harder and harder hoping next time will be better, but it never is. It is always worse!

Moreover, every religion claims to be "the way" to God. Therefore we have hundreds of thousands of religions, and each one claims to be the "good" one. Then comes the relativism of some people who tell you that what is good for you may not be good for others, so let every man choose "his own way", i.e. his own religion.

There is only One and True God, the Creator of us all and of every other created thing. I do not understand how people can make their own ways to arrive to God. It is just absurd! It is His own right to show us the way to Himself. Thus, as we all might agree, religion is man's way to try to know God. But there is only one way that can lead to the true knowledge of God. This way is the Lord Jesus Christ, God Incarnate. He said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father but by Me." (John 14:6). See, there is only One Way, One Truth, One Life. This cannot be found in any religion. God Himself, out of His deep and pure love for us, chose to come down here on earth to show us "the way". He is the Way!

I would actually dare to say that religions are just Satan's alternatives to the One and Only Way. Satan is your enemy and he knows very well that the Lord Jesus is the Only Way to God and he tries to distract you by all means from realizing that your Only Hope is the Lord Jesus Christ! The apostle Peter said, "There is salvation in no other One [Jesus Christ of Nazareth]; for there is no other name under Heaven given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:10,12). Away from Him there is only destruction and eternal judgment, eternal separation from God, the Source of life. But in Christ there is "every spiritual blessing."

I am praying that your eyes, dear reader, might be opened to see "the Way" that leads to God, put your faith in Him, and He will lead you to God!