Verse Text 10.29.2012

Sometimes we think we are not old and in good shape. Listen to these:

“Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them”  -Ecclesiastes 12:1

“Because thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, but hast fretted me in all these things; behold, therefore I also will recompense thy way upon thine head, saith the Lord GOD: and thou shalt not commit this lewdness above all thine abominations.” -Ezekiel 16:43.

Put God first today and everyday. Blessed day brethren.

2 Samuel 18 – Absalom’s Demise

A great division. The Israelites were greatly divided. Thousands followed Absalom. And on the day of battle between the men of David and Absalom, 20,000 died.

Absalom died while trying to escape and that when his head got caught in the thick boughs of an oak tree and the mule that he was riding on ran away. Joab and his armour-bearers slew him.

The pride of a great young man came to nothing.

Divisions can come to a church. Sometimes people leave. Many people.

But God is most sovereign. He allowed these things to happen to David because of his sin.

May this be a lesson for us all.

 

Life

Young you think you are

Death seems to be so far

The future shines so bright

Nothing can be so unright

 

“The grave is for the old

And those with ailments hold

Am strong and will do stay

And be this all the way”

 

Be careful what thinkest thou oh soul

For the grave has no respect young or old

And the worm is blind whither thou wast

Be it golden spoon or none thou ever hast

 

Take not matters too lightly

In this life be not haughty

Learn the ways of the ancient

In the Book is written and be obedient

 

Search and ye shall find

Salvation rich and free

Like waters without a fee

Thy soul’s thirst now behind

 

Care not much for what flesh can do

The soul beyond this world pass through

Either to the depths of pain
Or the heights of heaven gain

 

Prepare to meet thy God

Harden not thine heart

Search while He may be found

To God cry for mercy sound

 

When before the Mighty One we stand

What reason shall thee think to send

Hope that He might reconsider

But a life done cannot be put asunder

 

And the Book is opened

And thy name therein not found

What would thee say thou now opined

And the verdict to thee is pronounced

 

To the pit to the pit

Oh poor soul to the pit

Was it not the whole world

That thou didst gain and all?

 

Yet now with the worm that never die

And the furnace with never ending fire

What was the profit of it all to vie

For things on earth in thy life

 

Would thou have them all

Would thou have it all

For without doubt it was not

For more thy soul cravest what it ought

 

Remember thy Creator

While strength still can be mustered

For this life soon be over

And nothing else would have mattered

Brethren in Unity

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. – Psa. 133:1

Lunch after Church service with a heavy downpour outside. Praise the Lord for the visitors and regulars.

Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith. – Prov. 15:17

2 Samuel 17 – Absalom’s Greed

Now at the peak of his perceived greatness, having his father-king’s possessions and country in his hands, Absalom’s appetite for power grew even worse. He was not satisfied. He asked for the best advice on what to do with his fugitive father.

Two advices came – that of Ahithophel and the other of Hushai. The latter could have made a better one, but being a rebel like Absalom himself, Ahithophel would later pay the price of his rebellion against David – he would later hang himself, his pride bruised, after his counsel was rejected by whom he thought would promote him.

Hushai’s advice stood and was appealing to the Absalom, but little did this usurper know that was from God – to bring him to his destruction.

Pondering on these things, it is amazing how God would punish his loved ones for the sins they commit. This whole scenario was one consequence of David’s sin. When Israel would later sin against God and they would be dispersed as a nation, with Nebuchadnezzar carrying Judah away to Babylon, God would also later punish Babylon.

Although God in His sovereignty allows the consequences of sin to rile us, to refine us, let us dwell in the hollow of His hand and just keep quiet. Though he would use other people to inflict the harm on us, let us continue to keep quiet. The time would come when the Lord would eventually lift our heads up as we continue to obey and serve Him.

 

Fellowship Badminton

We had a badminton fellowship last Sunday, in the afternoon of the 14th of October, 2012 after BYOP lunch and the morning worship service.

We were blessed with the presence of Jay and Janelle.

Badminton is a sport, together with the other similar sports, where one wants to give all the time and if he fails to let that which he gives reach to the other side (netted), he loses a point, or if he gives too much that the other party cannot receive it (out of bounds). I do quite like that.

Anyway, even for the little profit that this physical exercise may bring, we pray that this will bind us Christians closer together. Not that badminton should be ahead of fellowship. So the label of this post.

The next planned fellowship badminton is on the 11th of November, 2012. The badminton may change but we pray the fellowship would not.

To God be the glory.

2 Samuel 16 – Absalom’s Ruthlessness; Two Poles – Ziba and Shimei

As David fled from Jerusalem with his men and all, he was met by two persons – the first was Ziba, whom he previously showed kindness and to his master, Mephibosheth, Saul’s only living son, when David reigned in Jerusalem (2 Samuel 9). Solomon, who would later reign after David, would later write in Ecclesiastes 11:1 – “Cast thy bread upon the waters and thou shalt find it after many days”.  But yet, no man can please everyone. Even when do all the good to certain people, some of them would surely forget the kindness and even turn their face against us. So was the case of Mephibosheth, Ziba’s master and whom David also showed kindness by giving charge to Ziba to take care of him.

The other person who hated David was Shimei and cursed him as David was journeying and fleeing from Absalom. He threw stones and dirt and him and cursed him accusing him of usurping the throne from Saul. Many people around do not know all the things that happens in our ministry and if we tell them all, it may appear that we are one-sided and judgmental. Sometimes the better option is just to keep quiet and take the curses. Like those from this Shimei. David possessed the right attitude. He just said in verse 12 – after he reprimanded Abishai, one his valiant military men, for asking him to take off Shimei’s head – “it may be that the Lord look unto mine affliction”.

Then came Absalom into Jerusalem and listening to the wicked counsel of Ahithophel, took his concubines in the sight of all Israel.

Many times in our ministry we ask ourselves why these things happen to us. We know why these things happened to David, because it was a consequence for his iniquities. The same also applies to us. Sometimes, it is just undeserved suffering (2 Tim. 3:12). Again, the same applies to us. We should never fret for one thing is sure – it is better to be afflicted (2 Cor.12:9), than to take confidence in the flesh.

The Sinner’s Prayer

I met people, active Christians at that, who said that the Sinner’s prayer is not necessary for salvation. Citing dispensations, these Christians are so bold in coming up saying that if it were so, then what could have happened to the Old Testament believers who may not have prayed this prayer?

Of this idea, let me propose the following and draw a conclusion.

Proposition 1. There is a need for a sinner to realize his sinfulness and helplessness before God before atonement is made possible. God has always mentioned that he hates and will punish sin and we all know of this to apply to the entire dispensations of time. (Rom. 3:23, 6:23, 3:10, Eze. 18).

Proposition 2. God sent His perfect and Just Son, to die for the Unjust, His death being the penalty for such sin mentioned in Proposition 1. (John 3:16, 2 Pet. 3:18, Heb. 9).

Proposition 3. There must be an acknowledgment on the sinner’s behalf on the propitiatory work of Christ on the cross, and on the Person of Jesus Christ himself, as His Savior, to make that redemption and atonement take place (Prov. 28:13, Psa. 32:5).

The issue now remains – should that acknowledgment be made verbal or not? Or course, if a person were dumb, this is not possible, so the answer that may conveniently taken is no. But the possibility exists, although not mentioned, that that could be an exception. We look into references whether such verbal acknowledgment of ADMISSION, RESPONSIBILITY AND PLEA FOR CLEMENCY is indeed necessary.

None of this can be found in Old Testament and only in Romans 10:9 is this made very clear. Hence dispensationalists argue that this is only true for the New Testament times. However, let me put forth the following:

Proposition 4. Salvation has always been NOT BY ANY MERIT by the object of such salvation, i.e., the sinner. Even in the Old Testament, faith is the means of salvation (Romans 4).

Having seen that grace is the defining gift of God which has made possible salvation, it therefore follows that Romans 10:9 would apply to Old Testament sinners.

The question is then raised why it is not mentioned or recorded in the Old Testament.

The answer is given in that the Sinner’s Prayer as we may have been teaching others how to pray, may not be exactly of the same order or form then than that of today. For example, ending the prayer in Christ Jesus’ name may not have been done since Jesus was not yet revealed in those times. However, all four propositions should be present. And these can easily be located in many Old Testament passages.

Let us then take heed lest we forget how we got our salvation. I remember the thief who in his dying moments said it – and in a version which may not follow exactly what we been doing. All the concepts of the propositions above were present there and may not have been contained in his last recorded words, but obviously present of his rebuke to the other thief.

Let us take heed since there are many, especially coming from the false brethren, espousing Romish doctrines, that the sinner’s prayer is not necessary.

Lastly, the Sinner’s Prayer as we know it today may have been coined a few years back but one thing sure – even if it was not called the Sinner’s Prayer then or may have varied from what we know today, the prayer that a sinner calls to God crying for forgiveness and clemency is the prayer that is a sweet savor to a merciful and loving God.