Well. I've realized that I like blogspot, but I think it's becoming less frequented. So I've decided to move my stuff over to the next best thing: Wordpress.
Soooo that's what I gone done. I'm on Wordpress and all my posts are there too. So if you ever cared, I'll be updating here: http://leahkwok.wordpress.com/
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Friday, October 24, 2014
Shine.
The world is a dark place.
It always has been, and it continues to be so. This is why people cling to "good" moments when they see good deeds happen. We actively publicize "random acts of kindness" we encounter in our daily lives, and always seek to give credit to those who still have some semblance of decency and humanity in them.
We cannot get enough of the small nuggets of goodness we encounter, as we try and try to blot out the glaring evil that seems to overwhelm us, that appears to sustain longer than any good deed ever could.
Christians have been named the light of the world. It is in us now to shine light. We too were once a "people walking in darkness," (Isaiah 9:2) but now that we have encountered "the great light," who is Christ, we have been given that light to shine before the world. We have been given hope to shine before men.
"12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”" (John 8:12)
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that[a] they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)What is the light? That light is Christ - the living word of God in human form. The truth. Jesus Christ is truth. He is the promise of holiness; the promise of reconciliation, salvation and eternal life - that is, to know God and enjoy Him forever.
We have been given truth, and truth abides in us, if we abide in Christ and establish ourselves in it continually. With truth comes responsibility.
"God didn't make us Christians for kicks." my friend expressed to me yesterday. We have a responsibility to let our light shine, that people may see our good deeds and be witness to the goodness and character of God.
And these "good deeds" are not "good" as the world defines them. These good deeds, as I know them, I will define as acts carried out in obedience to the will of God. That is the standard of goodness, God's will. For nothing we do apart from Him can ever be truly "good", for the standard is remarkably and unattainably high.
The truth that Christians shine is the hope that in Christ we may be reconciled to God. We are able to be clothed in His righteousness, whereas before we could not even hope to come before a perfect God. God so loves, and so He made a way.
Suffering and pain, trials and loss are the real things of this life and this world. But Christians hold the view that this life is not the be all and end all. We hold that we do not go to dust, and life is not some purposeless, meaningless body of years in which the standard for living is "my personal happiness level". The trials and painful tribulations of this world only serve to shape us to be like Christ, and to draw us close to the one who made us, and loves us. A life with God at the end of it all truly makes it so that life's troubles and pains were not in vain.
The purpose of living for a Christian is to be in that reconciled relationship with God. It is to live life by the Spirit of God, in holiness and righteousness, not for the sake of being better than anyone else, or for any personal gain, but simply because of a love for God and a desire for Him.
Christians have the responsibility to live out this light - to extend this truth, by living lives that exemplify Jesus Christ in them, by living in obedience.
We are ambassadors of hope. The fact of the matter is that the truth in us is exceedingly bright in contrast to the hopeless of the world around us, so let it shine out.
Friday, October 17, 2014
Following the leader wherever he may go.
Do you ever ask yourself: "Where am I going?", either in the context of driving, walking, biking, unicycling or with regard to career, life and purpose?
Do you know where you're going?
Following the leader, the leader, the leader.. |
If someone asked me that, I'd like to say, no, based on my current life situations. But that would be a bit of a misconception. In a sense, I am going to the Father. Not in the same way and timeline as Jesus did, but as a Christian, I am on my way to being in a relationship with the Father - I am on my way towards holiness.
While I may not know the concrete destination of my life on Earth, I know that my earthly life is serving to bring me to my final destination of holiness, and an eternal life - a life in the presence of God.
As people, we tend to get hung up on each step of the journey. We want to know what the journey will be like, to prepare ourselves for each moment and situation we encounter. But we will never know, because we really don't know the way. John 14:5-6 talks about what the way is all about:
"5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:5-6)Jesus establishes that He alone is the way. If we have given our lives over to Him, and desire to be with the Father, we have no choice but to trust and obey; we have no other option but to follow Jesus. Indeed, we can only come before God clothed in the righteousness of Christ, but as we journey in life, we will find Jesus is the only way, the only one who knows the path to the Father.
Jesus does direct us step by step, He goes before us, walks beside us and directs from behind. In all ways, He guides, because He knows the way and is the way.
This reminds me of Isaiah 30:19-22:
"19 For a people shall dwell in Zion, in Jerusalem; you shall weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry. As soon as he hears it, he answers you. 20 And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction,yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher.21 And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left. 22 Then you will defile your carved idols overlaid with silver and your gold-plated metal images. You will scatter them as unclean things. You will say to them, “Be gone!”"On our journey through this life, we do like go our own way. We like to get ahead of ourselves (and Jesus), sometimes get too scared to proceed, or get fearful that we won't end up in the right spot or reach the end at all. And yet, all God asks of us is to follow Jesus. As our relationship with Him proceeds, humility and trust enables us to see that we must follow Him, and by the power of the Spirit, we want to.
When we listen and see that He knew the way all along, we will cast down all other idols, all other "guides" and look to Him to lead us.
Jesus' leading is constant. He doesn't guide us from a distance, or direct us from afar. He stands close beside, before and behind us. It's actually us who like to scamper off if Jesus tells us "Wait." or "Stop." And when things go wrong because we've wandered away, He is still close beside us, faithful to lead us back.
The hymn "All the Way My Savior Leads Me" declares the realization that in surrender to Jesus, He will take us where we need to go, He is the way we need to take if we are ever to be with the Father.
"All the way my Savior leads me;Oh, the fullness of His grace!
Perfect rest to me is promised
In my Father’s blest embrace.When my spirit, clothed immortal,Wings its flight to realms of day,This my song through endless ages:Jesus led me all the way,This my song through endless ages:Jesus led me all the way."
Friday, October 10, 2014
Trust and Obey.
The matter of obedience is a human's constant area of struggle, especially in relation to God. Our obedience to God is vital to our relationship with Him."Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. 2 And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. 3 Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute,full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. 6 These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them.7 And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith." (Acts 6:1-7)
First thing that came to mind with the word 'obedience..' |
The story of the disciples figuring which were called to "serve tables," discloses the importance of obedience. A need arose where the widows of the Hellenists were being neglected in the distribution of food, so the disciples go about the process of finding those to serve through prayer. And the criteria they use are those who are "full of faith and of the
Holy Spirit,".
This astounds me. Why? Because the disciples sought the Lord, and had in mind to choose those not of exceptional ability or skill, or the least skilled people to fill what could be considered a less than exciting role in ministry, but those who were filled with the Spirit. In my eyes, the task of serving tables pales in desirable-ness to going out and preaching the gospel. It seems like such a menial task.
You will of course say, "Well, God uses all things to minister to people. A position serving tables is just as amazing and important an opportunity for ministry as actually going out to preach." This is true, no denying that. But I know in my heart, there are times when I know that, but really don't feel the pleasure, or see the grace of and in such a position.
What kept the attitude of the disciples in check? Having a tight relationship with God, and realizing obedience to Him was all they desired, obedience is the story of their lives. Their joy was in their obedience to God.
When we obey, we do not enter a position lightly, that is to say, we do not serve simply to fill a need. When a need arises, you're better off checking yourself first, by checking in with God, otherwise you will wreck yourself ( :P ). Christian burnouts and bitterness occur either because we aren't leaning on God completely, or because we decided to fill a need without being called.
God doesn't need us to fill needs, He doesn't need us to volunteer just to be "good Samaritans". He wants obedience.
Christians who are strong in faith, and full of the Holy Spirit, have growing, intimate relationships with Jesus, and as a result they trust and obey. Those who enter into ministry without being called to that ministry only end up causing trouble for themselves.
Christians who pursue God, and not deeds, find themselves fully desiring to obey God by His grace, to do as Jesus leads them to do, and in the end find their relationship with God to be stronger. And not only that, but the gospel and the word of God increases, and it leads others to obedience.
"Every time I obey, the absolute deity of God is on my side, so that the grace of God and my natural obedience are in agreement." -Oswald ChambersThe honor and glory to God in a position of lowliness is not from serving a position because you have to fill a need, but in joyful obedience to a calling. Close relationship to God keeps us from becoming bitter, distrustful, and seeing callings as "things we must do because we were told to".
The hymn "Trust and Obey", (by John Sammis and Daniel Towner) was inspired by the simple words of childlike faith from a young, unseasoned Christian named Dwight L. Moody.
When we walk with the Lord
In the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way;While we do His good will,He abides with us still,And with all who will trust and obey.
Trust and obey,
For there’s no other wayTo be happy in Jesus,But to trust and obey.
Friday, October 3, 2014
The best thing in life is free.
I have this idea in my head that people perceive me as "deep" or "wise". I'm not trying to toot my own horn, this is just a perception I pick up from people here and there. In truth, I'm not all that deep, nor am I wise.
Well, maybe I have wisdom, but not because I know a lot of serious things or perspectives, but because I fear God (most of the time). I say most of the time, because as we all know, I like to do things on my own or think I have some semblance of control over my situation. Those are my dumbest, and obviously least wise moments.
I feel compelled to write deep things mostly because God tells me these stunning truths through experiences that words could not possibly explain or convey to the full extent. But truth doesn't have to be complicated, and I find that the simplest truths often have the greatest impact.
Today's one of those simple truth days.
For the first time in my life on a Thursday night/morning, I had woken up and just could not be bothered to try to fall back asleep. I describe it as being too lazy to want to fall back asleep. And there's also the factor that once I'm up, I'm up. There's a point of no return, and once I reach that point where I'm more conscious than groggy, it's over.
The time was 4:13AM. How grand.
I'm in the nature of thinking that every time I go to bed late (1AM-3AM), and miraculously awaken at an early time (8AM), it's God tapping me on the shoulder to set up a morning meet up. And when I consider that, it makes being up earlier much more worthwhile. This helped me enjoy being up at 4AM. I felt rather privileged.
I grabbed my Bible, and turned to Romans 6.
The Free gift. It's FREE.
I'm a big fan of free things. But there is a point where you start to under appreciate things sometimes because you get a lot of freebies, and I feel like I've missed appreciating this free gift.
Salvation is a free gift that God very much desires to bestow upon us. We have not earned a right to a relationship with God, and yet, He gives it freely through Jesus Christ. All we have to do is receive it - to want it, and to take it.
I don't know about you, but it blows my mind to think that the God of the universe would offer to you and I a chance to enter into relationship with Him, offered to us freely. No holding back, no limits.
This free gift is also described as the "free gift of righteousness" - right standing-ness before God, which leads to eternal life, through Jesus (Romans 5:21) - eternal relationship.
This I think helps to magnify the immensity of grace, the fact that we are made righteous by Jesus Christ alone. Righteousness is absolutely impossible and unattainable - you can never do enough "good" to please Him, and nothing you ever do will be good enough (Isaiah 64:6, Romans 8:8). And yet other religions will tell you to keep trying and trying to be good enough and do things for God.
It's nonsense.
If one believes in an all-powerful, perfect deity, how can you ever hope to think that your measly imperfect, un-altruistic efforts and attempts at goodness, could ever make you "clean" enough to even enter into His presence? The truth is penetrating when it says: we cannot do good - we cannot please God in our flesh, apart from the Spirit.
This is why I marvel at the free gift of righteousness - the free gift of being able to have a relationship with God at all. I couldn't hope to be with God, if not for Jesus. It is in Jesus that we are able to reign in this life - to reign over the flesh (Romans 5:17). It is by the Spirit of Christ that we may conquer the flesh and wage war against it (Romans 8:13). And all of it, Grace.
That's the stuff Joy is made of. Joy isn't something you pull out of your arse when you're at your wits end and you keep repeating "The joy of the Lord is my strength," over and over, without getting what it really means.
No no, Joy is rooted in thankfulness. Joy stems from realizing the immensity of the grace you have been shown. Joy is yours when you see that God is so gracious, and He has given you unmerited righteousness on a silver platter.
So when you look on the shamefulness of your sin, and come to repentance, you won't just stop there. You'll praise God, and find JOY because you are grateful for what He has done. In your painful trials and tribulations, you'll find Joy is not circumstantial or dependent on feelings, because it is rooted in your thankfulness for the grace upon grace that God shows you.
Since I've been studying Romans, I think I'll write up the next entries on the topic of Chapters 5-8. Because the heaviness and amount of insane revelation and confirmation that has come from those is too much to put in this entry.
Stay tuned.
Well, maybe I have wisdom, but not because I know a lot of serious things or perspectives, but because I fear God (most of the time). I say most of the time, because as we all know, I like to do things on my own or think I have some semblance of control over my situation. Those are my dumbest, and obviously least wise moments.
I feel compelled to write deep things mostly because God tells me these stunning truths through experiences that words could not possibly explain or convey to the full extent. But truth doesn't have to be complicated, and I find that the simplest truths often have the greatest impact.
Today's one of those simple truth days.
This is what 5:15AM looks like. |
For the first time in my life on a Thursday night/morning, I had woken up and just could not be bothered to try to fall back asleep. I describe it as being too lazy to want to fall back asleep. And there's also the factor that once I'm up, I'm up. There's a point of no return, and once I reach that point where I'm more conscious than groggy, it's over.
The time was 4:13AM. How grand.
I'm in the nature of thinking that every time I go to bed late (1AM-3AM), and miraculously awaken at an early time (8AM), it's God tapping me on the shoulder to set up a morning meet up. And when I consider that, it makes being up earlier much more worthwhile. This helped me enjoy being up at 4AM. I felt rather privileged.
I grabbed my Bible, and turned to Romans 6.
"22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:22-23)Romans 5+ covers every major truth God has been teaching me as of late. But this morning, the coolest thing that I read was in Romans 6:23: God's free gift of eternal life - that eternal restoration.
The best things in life are free McDonalds... and the Spirit of Christ, of course, forget about the peace, love and happiness thing. |
The Free gift. It's FREE.
I'm a big fan of free things. But there is a point where you start to under appreciate things sometimes because you get a lot of freebies, and I feel like I've missed appreciating this free gift.
Salvation is a free gift that God very much desires to bestow upon us. We have not earned a right to a relationship with God, and yet, He gives it freely through Jesus Christ. All we have to do is receive it - to want it, and to take it.
I don't know about you, but it blows my mind to think that the God of the universe would offer to you and I a chance to enter into relationship with Him, offered to us freely. No holding back, no limits.
This free gift is also described as the "free gift of righteousness" - right standing-ness before God, which leads to eternal life, through Jesus (Romans 5:21) - eternal relationship.
This I think helps to magnify the immensity of grace, the fact that we are made righteous by Jesus Christ alone. Righteousness is absolutely impossible and unattainable - you can never do enough "good" to please Him, and nothing you ever do will be good enough (Isaiah 64:6, Romans 8:8). And yet other religions will tell you to keep trying and trying to be good enough and do things for God.
It's nonsense.
If one believes in an all-powerful, perfect deity, how can you ever hope to think that your measly imperfect, un-altruistic efforts and attempts at goodness, could ever make you "clean" enough to even enter into His presence? The truth is penetrating when it says: we cannot do good - we cannot please God in our flesh, apart from the Spirit.
This is why I marvel at the free gift of righteousness - the free gift of being able to have a relationship with God at all. I couldn't hope to be with God, if not for Jesus. It is in Jesus that we are able to reign in this life - to reign over the flesh (Romans 5:17). It is by the Spirit of Christ that we may conquer the flesh and wage war against it (Romans 8:13). And all of it, Grace.
That's the stuff Joy is made of. Joy isn't something you pull out of your arse when you're at your wits end and you keep repeating "The joy of the Lord is my strength," over and over, without getting what it really means.
No no, Joy is rooted in thankfulness. Joy stems from realizing the immensity of the grace you have been shown. Joy is yours when you see that God is so gracious, and He has given you unmerited righteousness on a silver platter.
So when you look on the shamefulness of your sin, and come to repentance, you won't just stop there. You'll praise God, and find JOY because you are grateful for what He has done. In your painful trials and tribulations, you'll find Joy is not circumstantial or dependent on feelings, because it is rooted in your thankfulness for the grace upon grace that God shows you.
Since I've been studying Romans, I think I'll write up the next entries on the topic of Chapters 5-8. Because the heaviness and amount of insane revelation and confirmation that has come from those is too much to put in this entry.
Stay tuned.
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