How are you going to finish the race?

Tests come in all forms and are inevitable...we aspire and long to overcome each one victoriously...but seldom, we remember that the greatest test is life!

Romans 14:12
So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.

Life itself is a test. With every choice, every word, every action, we choose to honor or dishonor God. This is what determines how we finish this race...in Heaven or in hell!

The Bleak Road

The unbeliever is on a bleak road. He tries to work his way up to Heaven and misses the beauty of life passing by. He accumulates good works upon good works or just relies on the times he got it right, to win God's favor on the day of judgement. Much to his surprise, he will find out that his good works are of no worth if they weren't the product of genuine faith in His grace. Unfortunately, many who call themselves Christians, also make this mistake.

Why won't 'good works' bridge the gap between us and God?

Firstly, by relying on good works, we are relying on ourselves. This unveils the pride within us as we boast in our goodness. James 4:6 says, 'God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.' Being prideful prevents us from seeking God's help.

In addition, 'good works' cannot cover up sinfulness! This was one of the points that shocked me, before I became a Christian! Many believe that God would weigh their 'goodness' against their 'sinfulness' without realizing that the 'sinfulness' is still present, it doesn't vanish. Besides, no matter how many good deeds we've done, God's standards are very high, we can never measure up, thus our 'sinfulness', on the scales (if it were to be weighed), would weigh A LOT more than our good deeds. Heaven is a place WITHOUT SIN, NO SIN IS PERMITTED. All our slates need to be wiped clean of sin, if any of us were to enter Heaven.

The Light at the End of the Tunnel

Yes, it's not all bad news! There is a way our slates can be clean, if the price, for our violation of God's Holy Law, is paid. As of ourselves, we are imperfect, we cannot pay for our sins; our offerings are worthless and inadequate...
There is only one hope, only one way...Jesus! The only perfect man who ever lived on earth, God-incarnate, died on the Cross to pay for all our sins and redeem us, so that we do not have to face the fiery jaws of hell! All we need to do is believe and trust in this sacrifice of His. By believing and relying on Him, we understand our incompetence, practicing humility and receiving grace and forgiveness as a gift from God. That is the only way out!

The Road is Long

It doesn't end there, in fact this is where it starts... Salvation isn't just believing, but also repenting. We need to show the evidence of our faith in Jesus by a changed life. Resent sinfulness, strive in the Lord for purity and accompany it all with good works. Ah! So this is where good works come in! James 2:14 says, '...faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.' Good works here, are a result of the faith, you're not relying on these to work your way to Heaven, you're just obeying God because of what He has done for you first.
More importantly, we need to live a God-centered life, living sacrificially for the sake and glory of the gospel. This is long, hard, unpredictable, yet a worthwhile road that many have given up on...don't make that mistake, press on. All the struggles we face will be worth it when we hear God say, "Well Done!"

Acts 20:24
However, I consider my life worth nothing, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me - the task of testifying to the Gospel of God's grace.


1 Corinthians 9:24
Run in such a way as to get the prize


There is only one winning road and it is not easy, but we have a God who is always by our side! With this in mind and practice, we can be assured of how it'll end. With Jesus at the center, we are guaranteed a victorious finish...
May we, with Paul be able to say:
'I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.' - 2 Timothy 4:7

Are you on your way to victory or peril? Are you eager to hear a "Well Done!" from God? How are you going to finish the race?

The Passion and Crucifixion of Christ

Good Friday, a time to grieve and mourn the death of our Savior.
I personally don't agree with mourning as we know Jesus reigned victorious over death itself by beating it and rising again. Instead, I believe we ought to reflect on the passion of Christ with gratitude to acknowledge its true worth and power.
That is the purpose of this post, to record my reflections and what I've learnt from a sermon by our Church elder, Derek Moon, based on Luke 23:26-43.

Christ's passion teaches and equips a Christian with the knowledge he/she requires to follow the Lord...

Following the Lord is not an easy route to heaven. He makes it clear in many places. A Christian should expect to suffer, be neglected and isolated for the sake of the Gospel. Jesus re-affirms this key point in Luke 23:31 when He says,
"For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?"
Jesus performed many miracles for the people, He did not harm any of them, yet 'he was despised and rejected by men'. The joyful, once grateful voices that sang, "Hosanna! Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!", shouted, "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!" If Jesus, a perfect man, without any sin, had to suffer so much, how much more we, who are filled with sin from head to toe; even our 'good deeds' are tainted with self-seeking sinfulness.
Some, lose their lives for their trust in the Savior, others, may be despised or rejected by friends and family; whatever the form, every Christian faces persecution.

However, Jesus' response to suffering and hostility is remarkable and holds a lesson for us, as Christians, to follow...

HIS REACTION:
He grieves and prays for future generations who will be in greater suffering. - Luke 23: 28-31
OUR REACTION:
Living life as a Christian is never easy, but a few years ago, at least in the west, it was easier. Since then, things have changed! This depicts the slippery slope our culture and society is on, towards secularization and materialism. Above all, it accentuates the detriment future generations will face and the height of persecution and opposition that will lurk - the years ahead look bleak for a Christian! Hence, as our Savior prayed, so we ought to pray and grieve for steadfast, persevering believers to arise from the generations to come.

HIS REACTION:
He doesn't retaliate but grieves and prays, with love, for those who hurt Him. - Luke 23: 34
OUR REACTION:
Instead of yielding to our 'human instinct' to retaliate and seek revenge, we need to forgive, I mean TRULY FORGIVE, WITH LOVE! Love is awesome! When you love someone despite the misery they cause you, you let God's love shine right through you, your life speaks and testifies to the risen Christ living in you. You never know, you might even win souls for Christ this way.
Remember, we are able to love because He first loved us, despite our resentment towards Him.

HIS REACTION:
He repays evil for good.
OUR REACTION:
Actions do speak louder than words! Just saying you've forgiven someone or that you love someone doesn't mean much if your life doesn't exhibit it. Jesus said "Father forgive them...", He died on the cross paying the penalty for the sins of the world, including those who hated Him. He didn't just say He loved, He exhibited it through the ultimate sacrifice. Likewise, we ought to do good to those who do us wrong, repay every hostile act with a genuine act of grace, mercy and love.
It is hard and we cannot do it as of ourselves, however, we have a God who is willing to transform, enable and equip us.

There is certainly a lot more we can learn from the Passion of Christ, I have only recorded a tiny fraction. His suffering not only warns us but also challenges and encourages us; yes, God outlines the trials and problems we will face but, He also gives us the answers and solutions to help us deal with them. We need to trust Him, persevere and put it all into practice - and its not easy!

I'd like to conclude with some further thoughts, especially for the non-Christians:

The reason why Jesus gave Herod 'no answer' in Luke 23:9, was because the time of grace for Herod had culminated. Herod did not repent of his sins even though John the Baptist repeatedly warned him. His pride eventually led him to silence the preacher completely. Yes, grace is available for us all, however, only for a period; the unrepentant sinner will not be let off, given infinite chances or even yet another chance after death. There are only two options, this is reiterated by the two thieves who are symbolic:

1. Penitent Thief: Knew his sin, humbled himself and sought grace and mercy accepting his punishment as fair - He was offered forgiveness and was redeemed through Christ's blood.
2. Impenitent Thief: Ignorant, prideful and didn't understand the value of the penalty paid - He faces judgement and an eternity in hell.

I pray that you are able to identify yourself with the penitent thief. There are only two options available, you need to make the right choice before it's too late. Make haste.

Finally, sorry for the long post! May this Easter turn your eyes to Calvary and help you see the power and value of the price Jesus paid for you. Happy Easter!

Swearing - an offense or just an expression of anger

It is fair to say that in our society, we all are accustomed to hearing certain unpleasant words. According to Google Definitions, A 'Swear Word' is 'an offensive word, used especially as an expression of anger'. We have been educated that these words are offensive, and have been disciplined to not use them, yet many use these words on a regular basis. While few use them to express anger in the slip of the tongue and with much apology and penitence, others use them at a higher frequency with very little or no remorse.

As Christians, how are we to respond to this in our society? What does the Bible ultimately say about this contemporary problem? And 'WHY' is it a problem, especially for the Christian?

Colossians 3:7-8 says, You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage. malice, slander and filthy language from your lips.

That is a command with a lot of clarity! It clearly commands the Christian to rid themselves of 'filthy language' - in other words, what our society has branded as 'swearing'. When we choose to follow Christ and identify ourselves in Him, we need to repent of our old ways. We've become 'new creations' as the 'old things have passed away'; we're 'born again'. We need to flee from all sinfulness; we need to hate sin, thus, we need to say 'NO' to swearing, primarily in our lives and then in the society. However, I do understand that most things are easier said than done.

Many may wonder: Why? Why should we not swear? If it is offensive in the eyes of the world, why should it be all the more offensive in the eyes of a Christian?

1Peter 2:11-12 & 15 say, Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits...For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men.

The answer to the above questions is clearly stated in the passage above. When we profess to be Christians, our society watches the way we live more closely. We need to seek to please God primarily and show our society that we are living a 'new', 'changed' life. Yes, the pressure is on! However, what a fantastic opportunity we have to glorify the Savior! We are called to be living testimonies, by not partaking in what the world does - in this case, 'swear' - we stand out. Trust me, people notice the difference, the difference in our relationships and our lifestyles, and they seek the reason - what a better way to point to the Savior!

The truth is, we're not perfect. There will be times when we slip, however, lets not give up but persevere! We live in the world, but should ensure that we're not of the world. When you're tempted to pour out with these words, stop, think and pray for guidance asking God to put a rein over your tongue  - 'clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience...[and] put on love...'(Col 3:12 & 14)  Swearing may seem harmless, however it speaks a lot about a person and can even hurt others. Lets not just call ourselves Christians, but lets profess to be Christians both in word and deed.

Remember:

Colossians 3:17 - ...Whatever you do, word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

When we profess to be Christians, our society watches the way we live more closely!

Salvation - Repentance

When many try to repent from their sins, including myself - you just want it to happen like magic; you don't want to try or persevere but just want God to interfere. But I love what I heard someone say once, "Jesus is a gentleman, He doesn't interfere or force Himself you've got to let Him in."

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. - James 4:7


While trying to repent, I've always tried to resist the devil, didn't avoid uncomfortable situations but just tried to resist the devil - and he did not flee from me! Ever so often, it is easy for us to forget the beginning, the vital part of the verse. We've got to submit to God first and then resist the devil, then you will find that he WILL flee from you.


Finally, brothers and sisters, 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


This doesn't mean that we've got nothing to contribute, we have to take the first step. Like Philippians 4:8 says, if we surround ourselves by true, noble, right, admirable, pure, lovely, excellent and praiseworthy thoughts and things - why would we be in situations where we are prone to fall into the same old sin again? 
A big part of my sins was my obsession with secular music that are filled with non-biblical lyrics, artists whose lives do not reflect Christ. Through God's grace, prayer and submission to God, I have now abandoned secular music completely and surround myself with strong Christian songs, and trust me, that helped me a lot! Whether it is isolating yourself from ungodly conversations with your friends .etc. a little sacrifice from our part and total submission to God will lead to efficient repentance results.


Another vital factor that prevents us from repenting fully is our pride - the pride of confessing our sins, the pride of bringing our shameful sins into the open and showing that we are not perfect - I certainly found that a huge struggle to overcome. You will never be able to repent fully if you are filled with the self-image pride. The point at which your relationship with God matters more to you than your public image or this 'pride', that is where true repentance happens. In addition, most of my sins were to do with pleasing those around me, fitting into the world, because I valued friendships more than Jesus Christ - the point where my relationship with God became far more important than my relationship with others on earth, that is where I could turn from my sins easily.


A massive part of salvation is repentance - We've got to accept, Jesus as our Savior, confessing sins to Him and asking for forgiveness and more importantly, repenting from our sins to possess eternal life in Christ. - What is hindering your repentance? Find the problem and address it quickly. Your destiny hinges on this. 
In conclusion, you will not find that the day your saved you will cease sinning once and for all - you've got to battle with sin until you die physically but remember what Hebrews 10:14 says:


For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.


The instance we accept Christ into our hearts, we are seen as perfect in God's eyes because of Christ's sacrifice for our sins, however, the rest of our Christian journey we are being refined and cleansed by God to become more holy, more like Him each day - Trust Him and turn from your sins; repent to avoid regret.