There are two sorts of mercies that are seldom eclipsed by the darkest affliction that befalls the saints in their temporal concerns, that is, sparing mercy in this world, and saving mercy in that to come. It is not so bad now as it might be, and we deserved it should be, and it will be better hereafter.~John Flavel

I’ll tell the world, how Jesus saved me,
and how He gave me a life brand new;
And I know that if you trust Him,
that all He gave me, He’ll give to you.

I’ll tell the world, that He’s my Saviour,
No other one, could love me so;
My life, my all is His forever,
and where He leads me I will go.

For when He comes, and life is over,
For those who love Him there’s more to be;
Eyes have never seen the wonders,
That He’s preparing, for you and me

Oh, tell the world, that you’re a christian,
Be not ashamed, His name to bear;
Oh tell the world, that you’re a christian,
And take Him with you anywhere.
]]> http://imtryingtothink.wordpress.com/2010/03/16/ill-tell-the-world/feed/ 0 randyeo http://imtryingtothink.wordpress.com/2009/12/31/resolved-2010-to-love-the-lord-more-than-i-love-ministry/ http://imtryingtothink.wordpress.com/2009/12/31/resolved-2010-to-love-the-lord-more-than-i-love-ministry/#comments Thu, 31 Dec 2009 06:18:55 +0000 randyeo http://imtryingtothink.wordpress.com/?p=227 ]]>

Phil. 1:3    I thank my God  in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy,  5  because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.  6 And I am sure of this, that he who began  a good work in you  will bring it to completion at  the day of Jesus Christ.  7 It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you  in my heart, for you are all  partakers with me of grace, both  in my imprisonment and in  the defense and confirmation of the gospel.  8 For  God is my witness,  how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.  9 And it is my prayer that  your love may abound more and more,  with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless  for the day of Christ, 11 filled  with the fruit of righteousness that comes  through Jesus Christ,  to the glory and praise of God.

As I think back about the year, shudders keep running down my spine.  Every year serving in SYFC has been faith-stretching.  I have begun to savor what it means for God to grow a person’s faith in Him.

I thank God for providing supporters for the work.  I thank God for providing volunteers and helpers, past and present.  I thank God for making our finite efforts fruitful that the gospel was advanced, shared to non-Christians and taught to Christians.  I thank God for the opportunities to teach His word to youths.  I thank God too to be part of His amazing work as we saw lives changed, minds renewed, hearts beating passionately for the Gospel.

Yet in the midst of the year, it dawned upon me that my life of worship, postured before God as redeemed sinner, was being defined by my ministry in full time work.  I have been careless, mistaking busyness and fruitfulness in ministry as an act of devotion before the Lord.  Now that I think about it, it is idolatry and pragmatism all rolled into one! (shudder of a different kind)

Matt 22:15-21 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his talk.  16 And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone’s opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances.   17 Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”  18 But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? 19 Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius.   20 And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” 21 They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them,  “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

Devotion: A resolve to exercise our full freedom, utilizing all of God’s given resources to fulfill our responsibilities and live lives that reflect clearly that we are God’s people bearing His very image.

I think devotion is this, that I must always remember I’m a Christian.  I’m not just a worker.  I’m a son and brother at home.  Despite my busyness I’m part of a family of God at BSC.  I have friends all over, from ex-schoolmates to ex-volunteers whom I need to talk to.

Well, Christ has made me and bought me that I might be – freed from sin and enslaved to righteousness, salt and light to the world, all things to all men, teaching and sharing the gospel, to the praise of His glorious grace.

I think it is only right to pray and ask the Lord to help me love Him more than I love ministry from this year forth. (a resolve I ‘kuped’ from another Christian blogger)  =)

As to you, my dear friends, cheers and blessed new year! May we be found growing in wisdom and righteous living, glorifying the Lord of lords in all things. Phil 1:9-11

I never had a selfless thought since I was born.

I am mercenary and self-seeking through and through:

I want God, you, all friends, merely to serve my turn.

Peace, re-assurance, pleasure, are the goals I seek,

I cannot crawl one inch outside my proper skin:

I talk of love –a scholar’s parrot may talk Greek–

But, self-imprisoned, always end where I begin.

Only that now you have taught me (but how late) my lack.

I see the chasm. And everything you are was making

My heart into a bridge by which I might get back

From exile, and grow man. And now the bridge is breaking.

For this I bless you as the ruin falls.

The pains You give me are more precious than all other gains.

C S Lewis

Rom. 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith,  we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.  2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and  we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.  3 More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,  4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,  5 and  hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

My Christian student highlighted to me recently that the often sung song ‘Therefore being justified by faith’ might not be a very appropriate song.  Besides the really cute but quite random chorus that goes ‘Chewy Chewy Om Ba Ba’, I was quite shocked when I realised there were many missing connecting ideas in the lyrics of the song, which I’m guessing comes mainly from Romans 5:1-5.

As I read this passage written by Paul, I can’t quite seem to shake away the relevance of what Paul is saying, how it is applies even now, and in every moment of our lives, everyday.

I’m humbled and reminded that I need to preach the Gospel to myself daily – that my sinful mind can remember a bit more often, how we no longer stand as enemies of the cross because of the love and obedience of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I’m encouraged and reminded that only in suffering do we learn endurance, that we might stand firm, assured in our convictions, unassailable by false teaching and false values. (Col 2:1-5)

And I have hope, hope that reminds me of my salvation – freedom from sin and slave to righteousness, a hope that is in all of us because of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Read some news about how 3 pastors have been killed by those who have no love for Christ.  One I know died sharing Christ and enraging his killer moments before his death.  How do we respond to such situations, as their wives and children, as their church members and sheep, as fellow brothers and sisters-in-Christ halfway across the world?

We pray that we will live out Romans 5:1-5.

Luke 12:4 “I tell you, my friends,  do not fear those who kill the body,

and after that have nothing more that they can do.

Thank you God for your grace and mercy shown to sinners like us, for new life to live for you and your glory.  For suffering, for endurance, for character and for hope that we might see everyday your love and the work of the Holy Spirit in us.  Help us to rejoice and truly believe you love us and have a wonderful plan for our lives.  No matter the circumstances, and especially in the darkness of living in a world corrupted by sin.  Amen.

PS: to those struggling with our sinfulness and cmi-ness, remember the Lord is glorified thus.  His strength is perfect in our weaknesses.  This is the uniqueness of the Christian Gospel – the awesome power to save, to give life to dead men and to perfect men for eternal fellowship with God.

And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ,  to the glory and praise of God.

Phil 1:9-11

“Such is friendship, that through it we love places and seasons; for as . . . flowers drop their sweet leaves on the ground around them, so friends impart favor even to the places where they dwell. With friends even poverty is pleasant. . . . It would be better for us that the sun were exhausted than that we should be without friends.”

Abba Father, help us to love, practice truth and live as Kingdom people, as Jesus is our Priest, Prophet and King.   Help us to be sincere and without fault, exercising courage to deal with the challenges ahead. May we stand together, for all that is good, true and beautiful in Your sight and may Your Spirit help us grow in maturity for Your glory and Your glory alone. Help us to appreciate friends and each other always in following Christ, for this is true fellowship.

Thank You Father!

Trust me, I have not earned your dear rebuke, -

I love, as you would have me, God the most;

Would lose not Him, but you, must one be lost,

Nor with Lot’s wife cast back a faithless look,

Unready to forego what I forsook;

This say I, having counted up the cost,

This, though I be the feeblest of God’s host,

The sorriest sheep Christ shepherds with His crook.

Yet while I love my God the most, I deem

That I can never love you over-much;

I love Him more, so let me love you too;

Yes, as I apprehend it, love is such

I cannot love you if I love not Him,

I cannot love Him, if I love not you.

This life is too temporal to love the transient.  Pray with me, that we will love God the most, and always have courage and willingness,  to do what is difficult and pleasing to God.

“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

“We believe that when the Bible is taught clearly, God is seen in all of His majesty and holiness – hearts are conquered, minds are renewed, and communities are transformed.” – R.C. Sproul

Holy, holy, holy!  Lord God Almighty!
All thy works shall praise thy name, in earth and sky and sea.
Holy, holy, holy!  Merciful and mighty,
God in three persons, blessed Trinity.