Thursday, August 14, 2008
Good Bye
I'm sorry I have to close this blog. I am now busy that I don't have the time to write about what I read in the Bible. But don't worry, I still have time to read and reflect on what I read in the Bible.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Deuteronomy 12
"Do not worship the LORD your God in the way that these people worship their gods.
Deu 12:4
God is to be worship in spirit and truth. Our God is a jealous. His jealousy is not the jealousy of a scorned lover; the Lord’s jealousy is the jealousy of a God who keeps his covenant. God continually seeks to remind me to keep his words in my heart, not to serve other masters but to serve the God alone.
I was listening to today’s sermon and I was reminded of how I sometimes forget to check motivations for serving God. I sometimes forget to ask myself, “is this really for God or is this for me?”
I have thought of shutting this blog down because I have not been posting for a long time. I am ashamed to admit but it’s easier to write about negative things than to tell of how God answers my prayers and how I sometimes receive blessings that I haven’t even asked for. God has continued to bless me even though I sometimes forget to acknowledge him for all His goodness.
Deu 12:4
God is to be worship in spirit and truth. Our God is a jealous. His jealousy is not the jealousy of a scorned lover; the Lord’s jealousy is the jealousy of a God who keeps his covenant. God continually seeks to remind me to keep his words in my heart, not to serve other masters but to serve the God alone.
I was listening to today’s sermon and I was reminded of how I sometimes forget to check motivations for serving God. I sometimes forget to ask myself, “is this really for God or is this for me?”
I have thought of shutting this blog down because I have not been posting for a long time. I am ashamed to admit but it’s easier to write about negative things than to tell of how God answers my prayers and how I sometimes receive blessings that I haven’t even asked for. God has continued to bless me even though I sometimes forget to acknowledge him for all His goodness.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Deuteronomy 11
Remember these commands and cherish them. Tie them on your arms and wear them on your foreheads as a reminder. Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you are resting and when you are working.
Deut. 11:18-19
Moses reminded the Israelites of teaching the Lord’s commandment to their children.
"Today I am giving you the choice between a blessing and a curse--- a blessing, if you obey the commands of the LORD your God that I am giving you today; but a curse, if you disobey these commands and turn away to worship other gods that you have never worshiped before.
Deu 11:26-28
Moses was telling the Israelites what God had done for them. How the Lord had freed them from Egypt, all the miracles God had done for them in the wilderness. Moses also reminded the Israelites what happened to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab of the tribe of Reuben. How they were swallowed by the earth because they had been disrespectful to the Lord.
Here the choice was given to the Israelites either to obey and receive blessings or to disobey and receive a curse. Here the freedom of a person to choose is emphasized, the freedom given by God to choose right and wrong, the freedom to be accountable for every free action, the freewill of humanity.
Deut. 11:18-19
Moses reminded the Israelites of teaching the Lord’s commandment to their children.
"Today I am giving you the choice between a blessing and a curse--- a blessing, if you obey the commands of the LORD your God that I am giving you today; but a curse, if you disobey these commands and turn away to worship other gods that you have never worshiped before.
Deu 11:26-28
Moses was telling the Israelites what God had done for them. How the Lord had freed them from Egypt, all the miracles God had done for them in the wilderness. Moses also reminded the Israelites what happened to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab of the tribe of Reuben. How they were swallowed by the earth because they had been disrespectful to the Lord.
Here the choice was given to the Israelites either to obey and receive blessings or to disobey and receive a curse. Here the freedom of a person to choose is emphasized, the freedom given by God to choose right and wrong, the freedom to be accountable for every free action, the freewill of humanity.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Deuteronomy 10
Deu 10:17 The LORD your God is supreme over all gods and over all powers. He is great and mighty, and he is to be obeyed. He does not show partiality, and he does not accept bribes.
God does not accept bribe.
We received salvation by grace through faith alone. When we do work for the Lord, we do so out of love, out of gratitude. It is because our faith grows and as our faith grows we become strong, we give more. We do not work for our salvation because Christ died for us and his blood is enough to cover our sins. We do not work for our salvation because we are not in a position to ask something from God, we receive only what He has given, what Christ has given-his life. We cannot work for our salvation for we are justified only by our faith.
God does not accept bribe.
We received salvation by grace through faith alone. When we do work for the Lord, we do so out of love, out of gratitude. It is because our faith grows and as our faith grows we become strong, we give more. We do not work for our salvation because Christ died for us and his blood is enough to cover our sins. We do not work for our salvation because we are not in a position to ask something from God, we receive only what He has given, what Christ has given-his life. We cannot work for our salvation for we are justified only by our faith.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Deuteronomy 9
"After the LORD your God has driven them out for you, do not say to yourselves that he brought you in to possess this land because you deserved it. No, the LORD is going to drive these people out for you because they are wicked. It is not because you are good and do what is right that the LORD is letting you take their land. He will drive them out because they are wicked and because he intends to keep the promise that he made to your ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. You can be sure that the LORD is not giving you this fertile land because you deserve it. No, you are a stubborn people. "Never forget how you made the LORD your God angry in the desert. From the day that you left Egypt until the day you arrived here, you have rebelled against him.
Deu 9:4-7
Since when did I receive something form God that I truly I deserved?
I remember a pastor (or is it a teacher) defining grace as getting something that you do not deserve.
Listening to pastors and preachers preach about law versus grace, I, in my mind developed this understanding that the law is a device for the salvation of the Israelites. It’s like a state law where if one got convicted of a crime, punished for it and after serving that punishment he/she is cleared of the crime. Maybe it is, maybe it is not. The relationship of God with the Israelites shows more of his grace. How many times have the Israelites angered God and how many times have God forgiven them?
The law reveals sin but, I think, the most important thing that the law has done and is doing is to reveal grace. Getting something you do not deserve like mercy, salvation, blessings and even trials.
And I prayed, 'Sovereign LORD, don't destroy your own people, the people you rescued and brought out of Egypt by your great strength and power. Remember your servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and do not pay any attention to the stubbornness, wickedness, and sin of this people. Otherwise, the Egyptians will say that you were unable to take your people into the land that you had promised them. They will say that you took your people out into the desert to kill them, because you hated them.
After all, these are the people whom you chose to be your own and whom you brought out of Egypt by your great power and might.'
Deut. 9:26-29
Deu 9:4-7
Since when did I receive something form God that I truly I deserved?
I remember a pastor (or is it a teacher) defining grace as getting something that you do not deserve.
Listening to pastors and preachers preach about law versus grace, I, in my mind developed this understanding that the law is a device for the salvation of the Israelites. It’s like a state law where if one got convicted of a crime, punished for it and after serving that punishment he/she is cleared of the crime. Maybe it is, maybe it is not. The relationship of God with the Israelites shows more of his grace. How many times have the Israelites angered God and how many times have God forgiven them?
The law reveals sin but, I think, the most important thing that the law has done and is doing is to reveal grace. Getting something you do not deserve like mercy, salvation, blessings and even trials.
And I prayed, 'Sovereign LORD, don't destroy your own people, the people you rescued and brought out of Egypt by your great strength and power. Remember your servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and do not pay any attention to the stubbornness, wickedness, and sin of this people. Otherwise, the Egyptians will say that you were unable to take your people into the land that you had promised them. They will say that you took your people out into the desert to kill them, because you hated them.
After all, these are the people whom you chose to be your own and whom you brought out of Egypt by your great power and might.'
Deut. 9:26-29
Friday, January 11, 2008
Deuteronomy 7-8
Deuteronomy 8
"Obey faithfully all the laws that I have given you today, so that you may live, increase in number, and occupy the land that the LORD promised to your ancestors. Remember how the LORD your God led you on this long journey through the desert these past forty years, sending hardships to test you, so that he might know what you intended to do and whether you would obey his commands. He made you go hungry, and then he gave you manna to eat, food that you and your ancestors had never eaten before. He did this to teach you that you must not depend on bread alone to sustain you, but on everything that the LORD says.
Deuteronomy 8:1-3
I was talking with one of my church co-worker who together with her husband is the junior church ministers, and she told me that she has applied for a job as a call center agent. I was depressed because this husband and wife team has started a very good discipleship program for the juniors in the church, and the first thing that came into my mind is what will happen to their ministry?
Another church worker, this time the youth minister, I later found out tried to apply for a job as a call center agent too. They are also a husband and wife team ministering to the youth in our church. I was loosing a little sleep with the idea of two church workers working as a call agent centers. Call center agents work graveyard shift and it would be difficult for them to work in the church on their rest days because their bodies will want to catch up on sleep.
I am praying that God will provide for these people the way he had provided for the Israelites. I pray and believe that God will supply the needs of these people.
This is the challenge facing our church today.
And after reading this chapter, the message is clear, as it was in the old testament that God will provideas long as we do our part.
Deuteronomy 7
Remember that the LORD your God is the only God and that he is faithful. He will keep his covenant and show his constant love to a thousand generations of those who love him and obey his commands, but he will not hesitate to punish those who hate him.
Deu 7:9-10
God has given to the Israelites the defeat of the seven nations. God also reminded the Israelites against idolatry and intermarrying with the pagans. The Israelites are a chosen people and that God will keep his covenants with them. Obedience is rewarded and disobedience punished.
"Obey faithfully all the laws that I have given you today, so that you may live, increase in number, and occupy the land that the LORD promised to your ancestors. Remember how the LORD your God led you on this long journey through the desert these past forty years, sending hardships to test you, so that he might know what you intended to do and whether you would obey his commands. He made you go hungry, and then he gave you manna to eat, food that you and your ancestors had never eaten before. He did this to teach you that you must not depend on bread alone to sustain you, but on everything that the LORD says.
Deuteronomy 8:1-3
I was talking with one of my church co-worker who together with her husband is the junior church ministers, and she told me that she has applied for a job as a call center agent. I was depressed because this husband and wife team has started a very good discipleship program for the juniors in the church, and the first thing that came into my mind is what will happen to their ministry?
Another church worker, this time the youth minister, I later found out tried to apply for a job as a call center agent too. They are also a husband and wife team ministering to the youth in our church. I was loosing a little sleep with the idea of two church workers working as a call agent centers. Call center agents work graveyard shift and it would be difficult for them to work in the church on their rest days because their bodies will want to catch up on sleep.
I am praying that God will provide for these people the way he had provided for the Israelites. I pray and believe that God will supply the needs of these people.
This is the challenge facing our church today.
And after reading this chapter, the message is clear, as it was in the old testament that God will provideas long as we do our part.
Deuteronomy 7
Remember that the LORD your God is the only God and that he is faithful. He will keep his covenant and show his constant love to a thousand generations of those who love him and obey his commands, but he will not hesitate to punish those who hate him.
Deu 7:9-10
God has given to the Israelites the defeat of the seven nations. God also reminded the Israelites against idolatry and intermarrying with the pagans. The Israelites are a chosen people and that God will keep his covenants with them. Obedience is rewarded and disobedience punished.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
"Israel, remember this! The LORD ---and the LORD alone---is our God.
Love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. Never forget these commands that I am giving you today.
Teach them to your children. Repeat them when you are at home and when you are
away, when you are resting and when you are working. Deu 6:4-7
"Teacher," he asked, "which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"
Jesus answered, " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' Mat 22:36 -37
Love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. Never forget these commands that I am giving you today.
Teach them to your children. Repeat them when you are at home and when you are
away, when you are resting and when you are working. Deu 6:4-7
"Teacher," he asked, "which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"
Jesus answered, " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' Mat 22:36 -37
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