Wednesday, September 30, 2009

The Sluggard

A poem by Isaac Watts based on Proverbs 24:30-34.

'Tis the voice of the sluggard;I heard him complain,
"You have waked me too soon,I must slumber again."
As the door on its hinges, so he on his bed,
Turns his sides and his shoulders and his heavy head.

"A little more sleep, and a little more slumber;"
Thus he wastes half his days, and his hours without number,
And when he gets up, he sits folding his hands,
Or walks about sauntering, or trifling he stands.









I pass'd by his garden, and saw the wild brier,
The thorn and the thistle grow broader and higher;
The clothes that hang on him are turning to rags;
And his money still wastes till he starves or he begs.

I made him a visit, still hoping to find
That he took better care for improving his mind:
He told me his dreams, talked of eating and drinking;
But scarce reads his Bible, and never loves thinking.

Said I then to my heart, "Here's a lesson for me,"
This man's but a picture of what I might be:
But thanks to my friends for their care in my breeding,
Who taught me betimes to love working and reading.

by Isaac Watts

Monday, September 28, 2009

“Father” is the Christian name for God

“If you want to judge how well a person understands Christianity, find out how much he makes of the thought of being God’s child, and having God as his Father. If this is not the thought that prompts and controls his worship and prayers and his whole outlook on life, it means that he does not understand Christianity very well at all.


For everything that Christ taught, everything that makes the New Testament new, and better than the Old, everything that is distinctively Christian as opposed to merely Jewish, is summed up in the knowledge of the Fatherhood of God. “Father” is the Christian name for God. Our understanding of Christianity cannot be better than our grasp of adoption.”

—J.I. Packer, Knowing God (Downers Grove, IL: 1993), 201-202

(HT: Between Two Worlds)

Friday, September 25, 2009

A Decade Old Letter that Encouraged Me

My sister was rummaging through our cupboard the other day in pursuit of some diary or book. Instead she found a bunch of letters that I had written to her ten years ago. It was the time back when I was in High School and my sister was doing her college in another city. It was fun to read all the letters I had written to her. To read about the things that go on in a 15 year old's head:) But there was this particular letter that I had written to her after I had attended a Vacation Bible Camp. One of the speakers had shared the gospel in the camp. It was in May of 1999 that God worked in my heart and revealed to me my sinfulness. The realization that I cannot get to heaven based on my righteousness (which are like filthy rags). The truth that Christ died for my sins and that I can enter Heaven only though Him. God sees me Holy through Jesus Christ. What a joy!!!!

Just to read that letter was so encouraging to my soul. To see how the Spirit works and that there is nothing that I can boast in, because I was dead in my sins and Christ regenerated me. Even as i was reading that letter, to see how the Lord has worked in me patiently, faithfully teaching me through His word. The journey so far has been beautiful, those filled with sweet fellowship with God and fellow believers , various trials( given by God to make me more like Him) and wisdom from the Bible. I praise God for who He is and His faithfulness, through this journey. He has been with me every single day. He is my Father, Saviour, Redeemer and Friend.

Even as I end this post, the song that is playing on my computer is"The Glory of The Cross". How apt:) So here are the words:


What wisdom once devised the plan
Where all our sin and pride
Was placed upon the perfect Lamb
Who suffered, bled, and died?
The wisdom of a Sovereign God
Whose greatness will be shown
When those who crucified Your Son
Rejoice around Your throne

And, oh, the glory of the cross
That You would send Your Son for us
I gladly count my life as loss
That I might come to know
The glory of, the glory of the cross

What righteousness was there revealed
That sets the guilty free
That justifies ungodly men
And calls the filthy clean?
A righteousness that proved to all
Your justice has been
And holy wrath is satisfied
Through one atoning death

What mercy now has been proclaimed
For those who would believe
A love incomprehensible
Our minds could not conceive?
A mercy that forgives my sin
Then makes me like Your Son
And now I’m loved forevermore
Because of what You’ve done


Words and music by Bob Kauflin
As recorded on Songs for the Cross Centered Life
© 2000 Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI).

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Wonderful Savior

I have been singing this song and I love the words, so here are the lyrics:

Wonderful Savior

How can we not sing out to the One who saved us
And covered us with Your blood
Casting all our sin into Your sea of mercy
Crowning us with Your love?

Wonderful Savior, beautiful Jesus
Bending down to lift us up
Out of our darkness, into Your brightness
Calling us Your own
Wonderful Savior, beautiful Jesus
We will always love You
Wonderful Savior, beautiful Jesus

How can we not sing out to the One who changed us
And gave us eternal hope
Capturing our hearts, flooding us with gladness
That someday we’ll see Your face?

Words and music by Mark Altrogge
As recorded on Songs for the Cross Centered Life


You can also listen to the song here

© 2003 Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI).

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Sparrows and my hair!


" Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin?And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows" Matthew 10: 29-31

God's knowledge of us is personal and intimate. God values us and that should calm all my fears! God's word declares that an unnoticed happening like the falling of a sparrow to the ground, is under the Sovereign notice of God. What about important happenings in our life!
God is in perfect control of every situation in our life. He is the God of big things and small things. In fact, He is the God of everything!! Hence, chance and randomness as an explanation for what happens in our life is completely ruled out!

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Do I contribute anything to my salvation?

Before I answer to the title of this post let me just give you some scripture verses:

Genesis 6:5 The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Ephesians 2:1-2 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience.

Romans 8:6-8 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

Romans 3:10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one;11 no one understands;no one seeks for God.

After reading these verses the three things that come out are, First-Man is sinful, Second: He does not seek God (in other words, he loves evil) Third: Man is dead in his sin.Therefore to revive a dead person and give him new life there has to be an external source. That external source is our great Lord Jesus Christ. It is because of His death on the cross and His victory over sin that today we are no more slaves to sin.

Ephesians 2:4-9 gives us a clear idea of Christ's work on the cross.

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

He has revived us, redeemed us and made us alive. Praise Be His name!!!!

Friday, September 18, 2009

Hope in God!

"Why are you cast down O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God." Psalm 42:11

Our God is powerful and with Him, all things are possible. (Mark 14:36). Remember, Our God will wait that He may be gracious unto you. (Isaiah 30:18)

Remember
, how He answered your prayers in the past and how He wiped every tear shed by you in the dark. He knows you coz He made you. "Know that the LORD, He is God! It is He who made us and we are his;" Psalm 100:3

These times are to be treasured, painful as they may be. Yet, it is during these times He reveals Himself to you! You know Him in way like you have never experienced before.

"I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes." Job 42:6

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Revealer of Secrets!

"He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, And light dwells with Him" Daniel 2:22.

Our God is All-Knowing. There is nothing that is hidden or can be hidden from His sight. In fact, He discloses things that are hidden from the knowledge of man. Also, darkness is light to Him!! Think about this for a minute. How do feel when you are groping in darkness, when the electricity's out?? Helpless and lost? Not so, with Our Great God! What a warning to unrepentant sinners who think they can cover their evil deeds. What foolishness on display!

We hide so much, every living person is a mystery. But nothing limits God!! Absolutelsy nothing! He not only knows everything but makes known to us, profound and intense things.

He is the 'Revealer of Secrets'.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

The blessing of trials!

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comforts those who are in any trouble with the comfort which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ." 2 Cor.1:3-5

How wonderful to know that no matter what pain we go through, or how agonising our circumstances may be, we can always run to God who is Our Dear Father! He comforts us in all our troubles. His mercies are new every morning.

God's desires in this, is that we be made Christ-like. To bear the nature of Christ in our mortal bodies. To shine forth His glory to an unbelieving world.

Trials are to break us, stretch us, refine us and mould us! It removes unwanted sin patterns, bad habits, sinful thought processes. In other words, God uses trials to purify us, make us holy, to be like Him!!

To be partakers of His holiness and His righteousness is what God desires for His dear children. Oh!! How much we should love Him and desire His Glory always!!

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Give glory to God alone!

"Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory." Psalm 115:1a

This should be our heart cry and prayer, coz what is the true estate of man without God? We are because God is. Everything we see, every blessing we experience in Christ, every sin we conquer should make us give God the glory.

Let us watch our hearts and its inclinations, when we praise God. We must be utterly honest before Him. Even the ability to worship and draw close to God is from Him alone!!

Oh!! What miserable creatures we are, that we cannot please God apart from His enabling grace!

Love not yourself, but Christ alone. Please Him alone and not yourself. For this, we were made-To glorify God through Christ for glory alone belongs to God!!

He leads us....

Three years ago, I was reading Amy Carmichael's biography by Elisabeth Elliot, "A Chance to Die". (Btw, I could not finish the book, as it was borrowed :(.....) Anyways, I came across this poem written by Amy's mother which really inspired me......

He who hath led will lead
All throughthe wilderness,
He who hath fed will surely feed....
He who hath heard thy cry
Will never close His ear,
He who hath marked thy faintest sigh
Will not forget thy tear.
He loveth always, faileth never,
So rest on Him today-forever.

How wonderful to know that our God leads us in paths of righteousness.