Today I found a Bible verse that felt brand new to me. I’ve read the Bible and especially the New Testament many times. Still I find something new all the time. It is because the Bible is the Living Word of God which means God speaks through it. When we prayerfully approach the Bible and ask the Holy Spirit to open our spiritual eyes to see what needs to be seen, God will speak to us. And this does not…
Past few days I have had an image of God shining upon his people persistently popping in my head. So I started to explore what this image could mean. Our efforts to understand God will always fall short but we need to keep trying…because if we just get a glimpse of God’s awesomeness, we are truly blessed. God wants to shine on us. God wants to bless us. God wants to dwell in us. We are called to become children…
What do you think? Is holiness old-fashioned? Fasting during the Lent is (for most Christians) a voluntary thing. But too often we think all the discipline and growing in grace is optional, too. Even if you are not interested in hidden blessings hidden through discipline, you are called to be holy like God is holy. Holiness is not voluntary. It is the new normal for children of God. Don’t be conformed to your former desires, those that shaped you when…
Faith is about putting our trust in God. For a long time I thought it was just about putting my salvation in the hands of God. But it’s about putting my whole life – everything in me- in God’s hands. That’s not just eternity, it’s everything. So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. (Romans 12:1, MSG) I’ve realized it…
One of the most exciting things in a life of a Christian is to search for God’s guidance. Sometimes it can also be very frustrating. Human beings can make plans but God will decide whether and when something will happen. Like Thomas à Kempis (c.1380-1471) has said “For man proposes, but God disposes; neither is the way of man in his own hands.” But because we desire God’s will and guidance for ourselves, we would not want it any other…
We are fast approaching the Holy Night. The night that changed everything. It’s true that whenever a baby is born, it changes the lives of the parents. But one baby changed the whole history and the future of the humankind. The Holy Night changed everything. The miracle of Christmas is earth-chattering. The wonder of Christmas is life-changing. Then Mary said to the angel, “How will this happen since I haven’t had sexual relations with a man?” The angel replied, “The Holy…
Prayer is such an awesome gift for us. We just neglect it too often. We somehow don’t believe enough in its power. But can we afford not to pray? I don’t think so. I have written a post about my reasons why I can not live without prayer. Prayer simply invites God into our lives. Hence prayer enables us to be human and leaves everything else to God. Prayer is also an antidote for anxiety and a power tool in God’s…
When we are reconciled to God through Christ, we are made new. Suddenly, by grace, the beta version of us is launched. The old (alpha) life is gone, a new (beta) life bubbles inside of us. But, as you know, the beta version is still a work in progress. The sanctification process will take a life time of living in Christ.
What does help you to stay strong and steady on your Christian walk? Are you aware of the enemy’s sneaky ways to steal your joy and peace? How do you deal with joy-stealers, doubt-raisers and hope-snatchers? I’ve found that I need to turn to God as soon as I wake up in the morning. Like John Piper says in his recent sermon “every morning there is a war in the Piper household”. Well said. I think there is a battle…
Do you think upright-living is uptight-living? Did you know that upright-living does not mean joy-less living? It means joy-filled living instead. Because upright-living is God-honoring and God is joy. But, sure, we do need to stick to Jesus with patient endurance. We do need to seize the word of God and hold on no matter of what. We do need to be sincere and honest in our beliefs until the end. Because if we don’t, we don’t mature. If we…
