A new Commandment

John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.

It's been a couple of weeks since I do come here to carefully share some thoughts worth thinking and contemplating about.

1 Corinthians 13: If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

A timely reminder from His Word to Love.

Had been reading and chewing on the book "Spiritual Discipleship" by Oswald Sanders. Interesting, "Spiritual Leadership", another book from the same series was the first book I did blog about here. (if I remembered correctly)

The poem I posted last week I do realise has been made into hymns and songs by quite a few and I do like the version our church presented in the musical a few years back. It highlights quite well of the very harsh condition of discipleship, reminding me of being pilgrims and strangers.

There also the maturity of the disciple(r), for being a Christian is by right inseparable from being a disciple. I read about how discipline and disciple have the same root word. Another thing to note is how maturity takes place inwardly and outwardly in the form of growth of character and service respectively. The last fruit of the Spirit, self control can be rightly said to be the same as discipline. Concluding, a matured disciple is one that is disciplined.

There are many other topics in the book which is filled with truths. The disciple's Olympics (talking about the Christian race), disciple's Senior Partner (namely the Holy Spirit) and more.
I do wish to share but time (for the moment) forbids.

Talking and putting truths into action is only the next natural thing one ought to do. I do have my many struggles, with my words sometimes, with pride, with worldliness... claiming upon His promises and not only have faith and hope that it is true and will be, but also to love, to love one another. (1Cor 13:13)

Poem

Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken by Henry Francis Lyte

Jesus, I my cross have taken, all to leave and follow Thee.
Destitute, despised, forsaken, Thou from hence my all shall be.
Perish every fond ambition, all I’ve sought or hoped or known.
Yet how rich is my condition! God and heaven are still mine own.

Let the world despise and leave me, they have left my Savior, too.
Human hearts and looks deceive me; Thou art not, like them, untrue.
And while Thou shalt smile upon me, God of wisdom, love and might,
Foes may hate and friends disown me, show Thy face and all is bright.

Go, then, earthly fame and treasure! Come, disaster, scorn and pain!
In Thy service, pain is pleasure; with Thy favor, loss is gain.
I have called Thee, “Abba, Father”; I have set my heart on Thee:
Storms may howl, and clouds may gather, all must work for good to me.

Man may trouble and distress me, ’twill but drive me to Thy breast.
Life with trials hard may press me; heaven will bring me sweeter rest.
Oh, ’tis not in grief to harm me while Thy love is left to me;
Oh, ’twere not in joy to charm me, were that joy unmixed with Thee.

Take, my soul, thy full salvation; rise o’er sin, and fear, and care;
Joy to find in every station something still to do or bear:
Think what Spirit dwells within thee; what a Father’s smile is thine;
What a Savior died to win thee, child of heaven, shouldst thou repine?

Haste then on from grace to glory, armed by faith, and winged by prayer,
Heaven’s eternal day’s before thee, God’s own hand shall guide thee there.
Soon shall close thy earthly mission, swift shall pass thy pilgrim days;
Hope soon change to glad fruition, faith to sight, and prayer to praise.

Big ideas, small me.

"It is not OK to accept something that present, convey advocate sin as OK. This can be anything from the lyrics in your music to the games you play. Anything that makes your flesh have more control is not OK." Learning on how idolatry, temptations are being downplayed in our current world. Big idea on conviction here.

Thinking about the many other big central ideas that comes along with the Christian faith. Big ideas with big words.
-Legalism
-Justification
-Sanctification
-Righteousness
-Grace
-Love
I do not think the full ideas of these words and can be grasped. I do know and had been getting back the habit to go back to the Word of God and memorize them (word by word). With that I believe we are more armed to fight the daily battles of temptations, idolatry. We need to get practical, yet knowing the big ideas help us apply them to get practical about what, how, when, where we actually do the Christian 'walk' daily.

On the side-note: Shared the gospel with someone yesterday since like a long time. It came as a opportunity as we were sitted down talking about joining them in their MLM money-making 'empire'. I was skeptical and pointed out flaws and could have just engage in a endless debate on the structure of MLM. We were talking about the issue of pursuit of money bringing happiness and I sort of showed this guy of the eternal happiness we can have with Christ. Learning how to avoid arguments, I presented and asked for his decisions. He didn't accepted. Nevertheless, I was glad I planted that seed in his heart.

Lead me to the Cross

Lead me to the cross | Upload Music