"Abide in My love"

Find a friend, and pray for one another!

Read John 15:1-17 together.

If we belong to Christ, then we must grow in Him. Just as how a branch of the vine depends on the root to supply water and nutrition, so we must depend on our Lord for grace. This dependence is total, for without Christ, we can do nothing.

• Do we realize that everything we have comes from God? Are we humbled by this?
• The result of abiding in Jesus Christ is that we will bear fruit in our lives, for the glory of God the Father. Do we share this purpose? Then God will answer our prayers.
• Here is a warning that we do not cease to be fruitful, lest God punish us in eternal fire. Since we were, undeservedly, ‘grafted’ into the church, we are to be useful servants of Jesus Christ. Are we ungrateful sometimes, when we forget to honour God? Ask for forgiveness.

For us to abide in the love of Christ, we must obey His commandments. What wonder it is, then, that He gives but one simple commandment: to love one another just as He has loved us! Jesus would go so far as to lay down His life for us, while we were enemies, to make us His friends.

• Likewise, our love should be unconditional – since love covers a multitude of sins. Do we freely forgive our brothers and sisters too? Do we love our neighbour as ourselves?

What privilege it is for us that the Son of God should call His servants friends! Yet even the apostles still called Him Lord, and we should too. For although we now we have peace with God, we recognise that we were chosen out of love. Yea, we had to be redeemed by Jesus’ blood before we could bear fruit; therefore we are forever indebted to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

There is not another government or religious system which is so thoroughly grounded in love. Jesus would have His kingdom founded upon love. As we remember the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ this month, let love become the motivation of our evangelism.

In conclusion, Jesus commanded us to love so that our joy may be full. Rejoice, for we are saved! Rejoice, for if we abide in His love, God will give whatever we ask in Jesus’ name. Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.

1. Pray in thankfulness to God: He loves us, and has given us everything we need, most of all salvation through Jesus Christ.
2. Pray that we might always speak the truth in love.
3. Pray for one another.

This is part of a series of prayer guides which was originally written by Timothy for a christian fellowship, to be used when groups of two or three would meet to share and pray. The idea is to hear God speak to us through His word first, and afterwards we speak to God in prayer. It is reposted here in case anybody would like to use it like a devotional, and to encourage us to pray together. Bear one another's burdens in love; cast all your care upon God, for he cares for you.

“LORD, open his eyes that he may see.”

Find a friend, and pray for one another!
  

Read 2 Kings 6:8-23 together.

God wrought many miracles through his prophet Elisha. In this particular account, we find a glimpse of the war between Israel and Syria, when events led to an army of Syrians becoming blinded upon a word spoken by Elisha.

• Notice first, how the life of the king of Israel was protected by the prophecy of God, as long as he obeyed it. When we feel anxious, do we also turn to God’s word?

Elisha’s servant was scared out of his wits when the Syrians surrounded the city. Yet Elisha prayed for his eyes to be opened, and the servant saw the awesome power of God’s angelic army.

• Sometimes we feel trapped by our struggles in life: although our lives are rarely at stake, do we entrust ourselves to God, believing that if God is for us, none can be against us?
• Elisha already had a calm confidence in God’s power to save, but he wanted his servant to have that comfort too, and so he prayed for his servant. Let us strive to follow Elisha’s example, and always be willing to pray for those who are in distress.

The second time Elisha prayed for eyes to be opened, it was for the Syrians. How we ourselves were like them, when our eyes of faith were first opened! We saw God’s almighty power to destroy us, and trembled at his righteous judgement. Yet, just as how the Syrians were shown mercy, God had mercy upon us, and forgave us by the blood of Jesus Christ. So we too are set free, howbeit not to return to our old master, but to serve our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
~

For it is written in Colossians 1 that the Father has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins … And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of his flesh through death … if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel.

1. Pray, giving thanks to God for salvation.
2. Pray for our friends (if not ourselves) who are struggling to believe or are still unbelievers, that their eyes might be opened so that they may see the light of the gospel.
3. Pray for one another.

This is part of a series of prayer guides which was originally written by Timothy for a christian fellowship, to be used when groups of two or three would meet to share and pray. The idea is to hear God speak to us through His word first, and afterwards we speak to God in prayer. It is reposted here in case anybody would like to use it like a devotional, and to encourage us to pray together. Bear one another's burdens in love; cast all your care upon God, for he cares for you.

Hey KSers!

To relieve memories of the past KS retreat 2011, I've added some songs from the camp booklet to the blog. Couldn't add all, cos some weren't very recognized songs, but hope they bring back the times of SYLO together in the evenings. As you hear 'Onward Christian Soldiers',  be reminded of the school anthem and the school pledge! Shine for Him as a student! :)

P.S. These songs will only be up for a month.

The 'issues' of life!

Hullo everyone! I hope you have been keeping your heart with all diligence..

Anyway, this is the announcement:

Dat KS MEGAzine 2011 Issue 2 is out!

Distribution has begun. This time, it's free, so you don't have to find $2 from somewhere. That also means that anyone else can take a copy, so grab yours while stocks last!

~Timothy

Sola Scriptura

God’s Word is the only foundation of our faith – no other text has the same authority, and certainly not the words of the Pope. Through the ages, Christians have often been martyred because they treasured God’s Holy Word, and it is this same Word that churches should teach in its entirety.
 

(this tract is typed by Timothy, because the Holy Spirit overcame his writer's block)
 

What is the Bible to us? It is more than just another religious document, isn’t it? Yes! The Bible is aptly named so, a Book of Books, written by more than thirty faithful authors moved by the Holy Spirit ^[a]. The fact that men from different time periods, cultures, languages, and social status could put together such a consistent collection of works is almost unbelievable. Unless, of course, they were working under the direction of God.

 

In His wisdom, God chose to present the Bible to us with all its historicity. Through it He reveals Himself to us. The passages in scripture tell of His mighty deeds, they tell of His ways, and above all, they tell of His love. The Bible is a love letter from God to His people! In it we discover ourselves – the wretched sinner that we are; in it we learn about Jesus’ love, and how believing in His death and resurrection allows us to come to God. To the unbeliever the Bible offers good news, and then to the unrepentant judgement is promised. No other book in the world describes the reality of life and death as the Bible does.

 

God’s Word is sufficient, nothing more, nothing less

Throughout history, the devil had attempted to alter scripture. As the father of lies, he sows doubt against the authority of God’s Word. His very question to Eve, in the garden of Eden, began with the phrase “Did God say .. ?” The Bible strictly warns us to reject any attempt to change God’s Word. Moses, the author of the first five books, wrote^[b], “Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it.”  John the Apostle echoed this in the last chapter of Revelations^[c].

 

In the days before the Reformation, the authority of the scriptures had been reduced. God’s holy word was augmented by Papal decrees and the decisions of Councils. The Apocrypha – uninspired works of man – were the foundation of unbiblical doctrines such as Purgatory and Prayers for the Dead.

 

In our age, there have also been attempts to add to the Bible. Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormons, claimed to be a prophet and wrote a few books – he tried to supersede the canonized scriptures. In certain churches, the Bible is treated as an outdated book, where presumptuous prophecies and dreams are supposed to supplement it. 

 

More common are attempts to take out, or ignore, parts of scripture which do not agree with man’s philosophy. People have produced Bible versions by taking out what they do not like: the Jehovah Witnesses have pulled out verses describing the trinity, and other groups have made ‘gender-neutral’ versions. No! The Bible is above man’s ideas. Similarly we cannot throw out Genesis chapter 1 to 11 because secular science denies it. We must not flip over passages which tell of severe punishment upon the wicked, even if we are uncomfortably reminded of God’s justice – otherwise what would we need saving from?

 

The Apostle Paul was bold to declare the whole counsel of God ^[d]. Therefore we must treasure every part of the Bible. Do we ourselves commit the sin of undermining scripture? Let us examine ourselves, do we ignore verses which go against our own ‘personal preferences’? We commit sin twice over if by reading a verse we are pricked in our hearts and still refuse to repent. May God grant us the courage so that we are not only hearers of His Word, but doers too.

 

Every Christian a student of the Bible

Be very grateful for the English Bible which you have. It was difficult for learned men in the 16^th century to translate the scriptures. The Roman Catholic church at that time insisted that the general public was not to read the Bible, because they would misunderstand it. Monasteries and churches only kept Latin Bibles, and thus the common folk were unable to read it. Now a man by the name of William Tyndale had a desire to translate the Bible so that any farmboy in England could read it. By God’s grace, he finished this work, and soon after he was executed (strangled while he burned at the stake). His execution was followed by many others – the authorities searched for anyone who possessed a copy of his translated Bible. Yet God caused the light of His Word to keep shining, so that now more copies of the Bible has been printed than any other book in history.

 

The concept that anyone has a right to read the Bible was not new, of course. Luke wrote^[e] of the Bereans, who tested and proved the gospel, having “searched the scriptures daily”. The Bible is meant to make sinners wise unto salvation^[f]: Recall the story of the rich man and Lazarus, where Abraham told^[g] the rich man that his surviving brothers could avoid hell by hearing ‘Moses and the prophets’ (i.e. the old testament).

 

If God meant for any literate man to read the Bible for himself, then surely scripture must be clear enough so that the layman can understand it and thus accept Christ. This is true! Where it comes to salvation, the Bible could not be clearer, “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). We do not need to be a priest to understand that.

 

Now I am going to assume here that my readers learnt to read in school, and therefore you know what it means to be a student. Since God has revealed Himself in Christ, the Word ^[h], do you cherish the truth of the Bible by placing it above all other readings? If you believe in Christ, then the Holy Spirit dwells in you and He gives you the ability to understand it ^[i]. Do you thus prioritise your study of the Bible? Will you be a student of the Bible?

 

References

• A.      2Peter 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
• B.      Deuteronomy 4:2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.
• C.      Revelations 22:18,19 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:  And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
• D.      Acts 20:27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
• E.       Acts 17:10,11 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
• F.       2Timothy 3:15  And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
• G.     Luke 16:29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
• H.      John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
• I.        1Corinthians 2:11,12 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.