PRESSING ONWARD TOWARDS THE GOAL

(Romans 3:13-14)  " Forgetting what lies behind and straining onward what is ahead,  Press on towards the goal to win the prize to which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Are you still captive of the past hurt and pains and its difficult to move on? Is it difficult to release forgiveness to people that have caused your misery?

Yes.. its difficult to move on  because we just thought we have been deceived and we don't deserve it. We want outright justice to be serve and we want to spend our life seeking for it.

But Apostle  Paul trying to remind us to forget the past and move on. Their is always good thing that awaits for those who never quit and continue the race. If we carry the loads and burdens on our own it will be difficult to carry. Here are some suggestions to release from the bondage.

ASK FORGIVENESS TO GOD

Most of the time, our misfortune is caused by our total disobedient to the will of God. And so we faced the hurt of consequences. Yes its difficult to admit but we are all subject to commit mistake and we need to accept it. Ask forgiveness to the Lord and the Lord will grant it. He is a merciful God and willing to listen to us in prayer. He is always available all the time. 24/7. Forget about your guilt. God will not judge you when you seek forgiveness.

RELEASE FORGIVENESS TO OTHERS

If we seek forgiveness in the same way we need to release forgiveness to others. Unforgiving spirit well hinder us to move on and stock us to the chain of bitterness. If you want total freedom from past hurts, release forgiveness to those people who hurts you even they don't ask for it. Serving God and sin will never come together. So release from the bondage of sin be a slave to righteousness.

PRESS ON TOWARDS THE GOAL

Past mistake will never be a reason for us to be discouraged. The Lord don't matter how many times you fall. Jesus is expecting us to push harder and continue. This is a race for eternity that we are fighting for. Even we failed so many times, its not the end of the game. We still stand up and continue. Like a skillful athlete who trained harder just to win the game. Never give up to reach the goal and win the prize.

THE RISE OF GUILT

 Letter to the Father Part II

Oh, Lord, do not rebuke me with your anger,
or discipline me with your wrath.
For you are slow in anger,
And have great Love.

My guilt has overwhelmed me
Like a burden too heavy to bear.
I am feeble and utterly crushed;
I groaned in anguish of heart.

I confess my inequity;
I am troubled with my sin;
I am bowed down and brought very low;
All day long I go about mourning.

O Lord, do not forsake me.
be not far from me, oh my God.
Come quickly and help me,
O Jesus my savior....




    

THE MAKING OF A FOOL

               Even a genius can be one...

       "As a dog return to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly"   ( Proverbs 26;11)

     Fools in modern English are people who lacks brain. But the word has different meaning in the bible. Fools may have high IQ's. People may admire their reputations for success. Yet a wise person view them as a disaster.

     The danger of becoming a fool is like a man who ignoring wisdom God has offering him. He recognizes his offence before the Lord ask for forgiveness and yet repeating the same mistake over and over again. Like a dog return to its  vomit, the fool repeat his folly.

     One of the bible greatest insult is  "You fool!". People become fool by neglecting God's instruction. They may think themselves very clever but it will only land them into trouble. A wise person ought to learn to recognize a fool from far away and stay out of his path.

   

   

BATTLING THE CULTS

                                                     
             
  For everything worthwhile, there exist a counterfeit
      " See to it that no one takes you into captive through hallow and deceptive philosophy  (Philippians 2:8)

     You see them in strange outfit on street corners, chanting phrases with too much vowels and punctuating the chants with a noisy tambourine.you think of them as crazy cults, populated by misfits. Then one day you heard about a friend of yours.
     She seemed normal. Until suddenly without warning she snapped. Her parents searched desperately even hiring private detective only to get her back. They found her surrounded with an allies with new name, new hair style and it seemed new brain. She stared at them and told them they were missing out of the most wonderful experience of life. She had joined a cult.

A BREEDING GROUND

     Cults come in variety. They demand much from their members: A lifetime of discipline and absolute loyalty. And they also promise much in return: The pathway to a secret, hidden  knowledge
available only for those who follow them.
     Many cults didn't reject Jesus outright;  the merely worked him into a more elaborate scheme. Christ and simple form of worship were fine for beginners but for the deep things of God, well some further steps would be required.

THE BEST DEFENSE

     Paul doesn't give a complete glossary of a hollow philosophy the colosians were sorting through. From his arguments, we can gather the philosophy must have included Jewish legalism mixed in with angel worship, Greek philosophy and strict self denial.
     The best defense is a good offense. Paul countered with a positive theology. The principle he outlines today in his book is the best defense to judge new cults.
     " Christ is enough, " Paul declares. He is a God. the fullness of God. The one who made the world. The reason that everything exist. All the mystery, treasure and wisdom can be found in the person of Jesus Christ.

APPROACH GOD DIRECTLY

 

     Because Jesus bridged between God and us,  We don't need to approach God  indirectly, through a ladder of saints, angels or other gods. We don't need to prove our worth through
superior behavior. We can come to God boldly and directly because of Jesus.

The Tree Withers

Scripture Reading ( Matthew 21:18-22)

     18 Early in the morning as he went his way back to the city, he was hungry.19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but seen nothing except leaves. Then he said to it, " May you never bear fruit again." Immediately the fig tree withered. 20 When the disciples saw this they were amazed. " How did the fig tree withered so quickly?" they asked. 21 Jesus replied, " I tell you the truth, if you have faith and no doubt, not only you can do what I done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, go, throw your self in the sea, and it will be done.22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."
 
     What benefit we could get out of a barren tree who suppose to bear fruits? Aside from providing shades, nothing else. It deserves to be cut off and thrown into the fire. That's what happend to the fig tree who does not served to its purpose.
    As christians, we are also designed to bear fruit. It is the fruit of the holy spirit. It must manifist to our character, actions and the way we deal with people. It must be shown on our willingness to serve God and people at all times.
    On the other hand, disciples were so amazed as they seen the withered fig tree. they knew Jesus cursed it and the tree died so fast. But Jesus told them that they can do bigger things and more than that only if they believe.
   Faith is everything that matters. We exist because of faith. Nothing is impossible if we only believe and ask in prayer. Whatever mountains of problems we have, we can conquere everything because Jesus promised. He has given the key to achieve the answers to our problems. Pray and have Faith!

How to Raise our Children

 " Train a child in a way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." Ps. 22:6

        " Spare the rod and spoil the child" maybe the famous of the bible proverbs. Proverbs call punishment a form of love and says that parents who won't discipline their children are in danger of ruining them.
(29;15).

         Its been 15 years since I gave birth to my son. It was so amazing to think that a little child once I nortured is now a young man. Being a parent has no exact formula to follow on how to raise them properly, but I think we have common goal in mind. All we wanted is all the best for them in the near future.
 
         Since from the beginning, I got negative impression on hitting the rod as a form of discipline. I think any mistake of a child will not resolve on imposing violence. I just rely on verbal instruction and words of encouragements to motivate him in doing his responsibilities at home and even in school.

         But this method is now no longer effective on him. He grown up rebellious and always goes home late. He fights back to me and to his father in moment he is corrected. Now, I started to put a doubt on my self.. Have a raised my kid the wrong way?
 
           As I read this passage, I now realize the value of punishment as a form of discipline. Imposing consequences in their mistakes is another form of love to them. Punishment and discipline, and verbal encouragement has of equal importance in teaching good values to our children. The bible gave us authority as parents to raise the rod against  them when it is needed.

A Workman Approved By God

Scripture Reading: 2 Timothy 2: 4-6
  " 4 No one serving as a soldier gets involve in civilian affairs-he wants to please his commanding officer.
5 Similarly if any one competes as an athletes, he does not receive the victor crown unless he competes according to the rules. 6 The hard working farmer should be the first to receive a share of a crops."

   Its been hard time for Paul facing death in a cell sending encouragement to his friend Timothy. As Paul neared death from imprisonment preventing him from travelling, He think of a successor. He need to pass the torch and he decided on the young man Timothy.
   At times in this letter, Paul lectures Timothy like a master sergeant calling him to stand firm, overcome shame and hold on to faith.
   Writing to a friend, Paul compared these three analogies, soldier, athlete and Farmer so that Timothy could reflect them. Paul was totally aware of the dangers facing his own life and he wants to prepare him for any hardships that he had to face.
   Despite his circumstance, Paul farewell message from behind bars was gracious. The spread of the gospel is far too big a task to be limited to only one man. " I am chained like a criminal. But God's word is not chained." Paul declared. (2:9)
 

   

A Courageous Spirit

Heroes Act while others stand and watch

Ref. Book of Esther

    What makes a hero? People become a hero when they take actions at the right time. They recognize the crises and moves to meet it. This courage made Esther great- worthy of the book in the bible.

   The story of Esther was full of romance and adventure. Her ordinary life become remarkable when she found herself as Queen of Persia. One of the greatest powers of the world. Her life seems smooth until her crucial time came.

   Motivated by jealousy, a wicked Prime Minister Haman made up his mind to destroy the jews. He issued a law to kill and annihilate all the jews- young, old women little children and plunder their goods.

   Esther's people were in danger to vanish in the land. If Queen Esther intervene what difference she could make? She was a powerless sex partner to the King who preffered women not to interfere his wishes. In doing so will risk her life.

   If you read chapter 4 you will see how Esther been so troubled and worried. but even so she responded with action. Her courageous words are a classic statement of heroism.

   " I will go to the king even if it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.." ( Esther 4:16)

Plenty of jokes spread on texts, in the internet daily but only few you can read words of gospels.

    Christian community influence less to this cyber world because not like Esther we are'nt courageous enough to take actions to bring changes to our community and to our land.

   We are not famous and influencial like Esther but we can be a hero at anytime by responding to the call that the Lord has given to us. The Lord has put us in the position of influence to our family, community and nation. Do not just stand and watch.

   We can start simply by sharing gospel to our friends. And together we can change the world.