Full of hope
Full of joy
At the expectation of meeting Him
All our doubts
All our fears
Will evaporate when we see His face
And I know the LORD knows me

Chorus:
And the day will come
And the night will flee
And the earth and sky erupt beautifully
And the One who lives in eternity
Will appear in light to deliver me

I long to see Him look at me
For I know His love for me is real

Like a thief in the night
He will come again at a hour unknown
Be prepared
Be awake
For the warning signs have all been fulfilled
And I know the LORD knows me

(Chorus x 2)

I long to see Him look at me
For I know His love for me is real

(Chorus)

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A quick recap on the main points from Amos (at least from what I could grasp and write down):

1) The higher standards of judgement for those that God had saved.

2) Warnings against the failings of Israel in the past...and what we can do today too:
- injustice, partiality, inequality, perversion of the laws of the land
- not looking out for the poor,weak and downtrodden
- gross self indulgence and selfishness, especially at the expense of the already poor
(the prior few basically showing love only for self, and epic disregard for the fate of others)
- showing the facade of religiosity without any heart underneath it
- not recognizing that God's grace, the gospel, is available to all
- (related to the prior) pride in thinking that God's grace is exclusive to ourselves
- pride: a fundamental attack on God's provision. Forgetting God's work, and thinking that what we have (especially salvation) as Christians was earned by our own efforts
- lulling into complacency, such that shock tactics are actually needed to "get to you"

3) God's character traits:
- mercy shown in the punishment of His people; to turn the wayward back around before it's too late
- absolute power and authority: He's able to judge His own people as much as He can judge those who rebel against Him

4) Refuge found only in God. "Seek the LORD and live..." Amos 5:6a. Seek good, not evil. Hate evil, and love good. Only truly found in Christ.

5) Hope, arising from God's faithfulness to His promises made in the past. Christ ushered in the fulfillment of the promises made by God; we Gentiles are the nations brought to Him because of the Cross. God will fulfill the promises that He made, as recorded in Scripture. Regardless of human sin, and even making use of it in the grand scheme of things to fulfill His promises.

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I have a lot of changing to do...but that is good, because not too long back I was almost begging for change to happen. I was almost at the end of my own rope...

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

(Proverbs 9:10 English Standard Version)

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Hi all,

Just a sharing from a book I'm reading - The Ordinary Hero by Tim Chester. Basically it's a book about how the knowledge of Christ's death and resurrection should have what kind of implications for us as Christians.

And indeed, it has heaps of implications. As I hit chapter 5 of the book, I arrive at the part where he talks about how the practice of the cross is self-sacrificial.

I think we have been grounded well in doctrine about how true it is, that as Christians, we must love, we must self-sacrifice. And we all know that it is not to earn God's favor, but it is indeed out of a response of God's grace. But as I read this chapter, I am so struck and convicted at my own failings and many failings of the modern day Christian, especially as Christians in Singapore. And hence I'm inspired to share my thoughts with you, and hope it serves as an encouragement, or exhortation, or rebuke to ourselves.

Consider this verse that we know very well but practice very poorly: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me" (Luke 9:23). Over here, our Lord is not giving us an option... ohh if you have time hor, please take up the cross and follow me. He says, and powerfully commands - 1) deny himself, 2) take up his cross daily, 3) follow Jesus. It's a daily sacrifice.

Everyday we live, we do not live for ourselves. We were dead in our sins but made alive in Christ. We are only alive because of Christ. Does this truth not drive us to our knees and thank God for the cross? Should we not repent of our own selfish desires? Should we not stop living for ourselves but sacrifice every ounce of our breath for Him? Shall we not deny our rights? Shall we continue to be complacent and continue to take our Lord's grace for granted, and to take our Lord's commands as a way of living?

Consider Peter who according to tradition was crucified upside down. Consider Stephen who in Acts 7, for the sake of the gospel was stoned. Consider Paul who was 'being poured out like a drink offering' (Philippians 1:29-30), and often calls himself a slave to Christ... consider our Lord who for our sake, our sins, was whipped, lashed, crucified... bore the Father's wrath, the punishment that was meant for us?

When we follow Jesus, that is the way of the cross. To death. God's invitation card states: "Death to Self". No I'm not suddenly radical! Today we thank God we don't get martyred in Singapore. But, how that might have been a better way to die for God. Rather than we live each day, with the contempt for God's grace slowly rotting away our hearts. But though we do not face martyrdom, in Singapore we face different challenges, temptations, distractions, and so we must seriously reconsider our perspectives, our decisions, our priorities.

For what is more important? Since we have decided to follow Him, so why do we still continue to choose other things above our Lord in everyday of our lives? Why can't we deny self? Why do we still choose to linger in bed for that extra minute? Why do we choose to leave home at 5 mins before church, or bible study? Why do we choose to place other fun and less important things as priority over God and serving His church, the church that He broke His body for? Why do we not sacrifice our time and energy out of love for God and others? Why do we still fight over things which are so insignificant in light of the hope in heaven? Why do we not forfeit our right to be angry? Why can't we forgive? Why can't we love each other the way God has commanded us to do...?

What is it that we still cannot let go? I realize that the more you love something and cannot let go of it, the more you must deny yourself from it and submit it to God. We must deny ourselves daily. We must put Christ in front of us, and serve Him daily. This sacrifice, this is the way of the cross.

Cheers,
Anonymous

... "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." ... Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit" - yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that." As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

James 4:6,13-17

This letter from James was addressed to non-Christians, but to us believers...

Where to start from in changing/repentance? Perhaps a genuine attitude towards the "mirror", constantly going back to testing myself against it would be a good place to start.

For those who still read this, and are able to, do help me/each other with this ok?

James 1:22-25
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

Always felt that the skill of listening whilst playing can never be learnt/practised when playing alone, though it has to be exercised consciously.

That said, "perfect" playing is not the be all and end all for congregational use, though it's not something to be taken as unimportant altogether in serving.

It sucks when you realize people have forgotten about you after not turning up for a while, really. Makes it really difficult to come back when you're "ready" to afterwards. And conversely, it really helps to know when you know that you're still in people's radars all this while...

So do put up with the "bugging" when it comes, don't think it's possible to show concern other than asking why you didn't turn up