Behind My Daddy's Love
Date: Aug 28th, 2006 10:58:15 am - Subscribe
Mood: childish
Behind My Daddy’s Love
As it happens to almost all young teenager guys out there, right after my seventeenth birthday, I tried to borrow my Dad’s car for a late night drive with my friends, hoping to get into the hang of things with peers of my generation. My Dad asked me if I already got my driver’s license and I said YES, though I only have a student driver’s permit. It was a lie that most teenagers like me say, and there’s not much sense about saying only the truth and being a good son. The point was, that I get to borrow the car and drive it on for the night.
Well, like all youngster drivers in their first time of driving, I stepped on the gas and my friend and I went swoosh through the avenue. On an intersection there was a yellow blinking light and though I knew I had to slow down I did not, but accelerated more. Too late, I saw this truck coming from my left. I thought I could get through it but it hit the rear wheel and the car went spinning round and round, hit two elderly women and crashed into a store window display.
The sheriff was a bit quicker to arrive than what I expected and with his classic brim hat and sunglasses, chewing his cigar, he very well made a good reproach on me. I had to make a phone call, and there was no one to call for help but my Dad. With fear and tension on my voice, I explained everything, even admitting the lie. Most Dads would give you a worse reprimand at that point, but my Dad did not. He knew exactly that I am already in deep trouble and that I already learned my lesson. So he told me to wait for him.
He got to the spot hitchhiking all the way, for the car I borrowed was the only car we had. I could not forget just how wonderful he settled the situation. To the storeowner, he said he was a contractor and he promised that the store will be in better shape than it was before. To the two elderly ladies, he gave his credit card, asked them if they can get to a hospital and told them that he will pay all expenses for their medical concern. The hardest part could be the sheriff, but my Dad did a very unforgettable speech that smoothed everything. "Well, Sheriff," he said, "Do you have a son? Cause if you do, you might very well understand how I feel. My son here is going to college. He is going to finish his studies and get a good career and be successful. This matter here could ruin all of that. I wouldn’t want that to happen. Could you help me with this matter then?" The sheriff’s cigar dropped from his lips. He took off his sunglasses and said to my Dad, "Well, I do have a son. I understand how you feel. And yes, I’m going to help you…"
The story reminds us of someone we always lie toâ€"Jesus. We always do. Yet at the end of the matter, when all our lies get stacked up and we end up in a corner not being able to settle anything, he will be the only one who would be there to get us out.
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Salvation
Date: Aug 28th, 2006 10:54:58 am - Subscribe
Mood: wishful
SALVATION
Greek: soteria {so-tay-ree'-ah}
Syn: salvation, the one to be saved, deliverance, health,
- deliverance, preservation, safety, salvation
i.e. deliverance from the molestation of enemies
Salvation means to be preserved from harm. In New Testament terminology, it means to be delivered from the power of sin. Salvation is a free gift of God to us. It’s the gift of God to those who would like to be free from the bondage of sin.
Who needs salvation?
Rom.3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Rom.6:23 For the wages of sin is death…
All of us need salvation. Death in the verse above means two things: spiritual death in present time and eternal death after judgement day. All men are sinners and we deserve the eternal punishment. After this life is an eternal "the end". And yet, presently, spiritual death, the sad state of being separated from God, is not a small thing. This means no support, no power, no true happiness, coupled with the hardship of struggling through life, of putting yourself against others, constantly being stressed by the need for security and self-confirmation. All these things can be avoided by just one major decision: to be saved by God!
How can you be saved?
Acts 2:38 Repent, and be baptized… in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Rom.10:9 That 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.
By repentance, a person seeks to change His ways, to stop living a life of sin and pursue a life of righteousness with God. By confessing our sins to God in repentance, we feel the shame of having committed them. By believing that Jesus died as an eternal sacrifice for our forgiveness and was raised from the dead, we accept the fact that we are dead to sin and are resurrected into a new life with God. By confessing that Jesus is our Lord, we surrender our will to Him in this new life, therefore renouncing our pride and self-centeredness, the main source of sin. By being baptized, we demonstrate this new birth as a testimony for others to see that we have followed the way of Jesus. And God will pour out the Holy Spirit in us as a seal of our new relationship with God.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace that you are saved through faith, and it is not by yourselves. It is the gift of God, not by your own action, so that no man can boast.
Your salvation is not a product of your own action. It is not automatic. It is not a price to be accepted after going through the ceremonies of repentance, confession, baptism, and so on. Salvation is grace, God’s special gift to the one’s He want to give it to. We are not given the right to tell God whom to accept as His new beloved. It’s His very own prerogative. Right?
It is very important to understand that a sinner is in a very precarious position, a state of helplessness, that should God deny him forgiveness, he cannot complain! Repentance is therefore a humble submission to your fate as a sinner and a desperate begging for forgiveness from the Creator of everything, knowing that there is hope because Jesus died on the cross for that purpose. A believer accepts the fate of dying with his sins. It’s a surrender to the wages of his sins. Should he die, there will be no complaints. He deserves it. But should God grant mercy and forgiveness, the new life will be welcomed with full thanksgiving.
Salvation is achieved when God decides to give it, often determined by the powerful sensation of His holy presence. Such sensation is coupled by joy, peace, love and the zeal for truth, holiness and sacrifice. With this, a new believer accepts baptism as a testimony for others. Others must see, that God is his Lord and the owner of his new life.
Gal.2:20 I am crucified with Christ and I no longer live but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I love now by faith in Jesus, who loves me and gave Himself to me.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Many verses in the Bible talks about repentance. Repentance is one of the main objective of the Gospel towards men. Almost all ministries in the Bible started with an invitation to repentance. Repentance is the key to be in God’s side and favor.
But really, how do we repent? Is repentance a ceremony that we have to accomplish and the sins just go away automatically? How do we know if we are forgiven? Actually, how do we know if we have been sincere in our repentance?
In the Old Testament, a sinner confesses his sin publicly, offer a lamb, goat or ram as a sin/peace offering to the Lord. The animal will be killed, its blood sprinkled at the altar of the Lord, and the corpse burned by holy fire. It was a ceremony. The animal becomes a substitute that takes away the sinner’s fault and thus, the punishment of death. (see Leviticus chapter 5)
After Jesus died as the Lamb of God, the eternal peace offering, the one who took away the sins of the world, the ceremony became quite personal.
James 4:8-10 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double minded. Grieve, mourn, wail… Let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the before the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
Grieve, mourn, wail… these are the sign of true repentance. The wages of sin is death. Forgiveness is a gift. We don’t deserve it. Nobody does. And it’s not something that we can claim with arrogance shielded with false humility. It’s not automatic, not a product of our deeds, not even the product of a ritualistic confession followed by claiming forgiveness. That is more like grabbing God’s forgiveness from His hand! James said God has to lift you up!
Acts 3:19 Repent then and turn to God, so that your sins will be wiped out, and that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.
Times of refreshing is the majestic presence of the Lord that gives peace and joy and turns away darkness. This is the sign a repentant believer must expect to know that he is forgiven and is now drawn to God. The presence of God in a true believer is inherent because the Holy Spirit indwells in us. A sinner loses this presence. Repentance brings it back. If your repentance doesn’t, then probably your repentance is not sincere. Better do it again, brethren.
Jesus died for our sins. He took the brunt of our punishment. He was whipped, scourged, spat on, cursed, punched, kicked, you name it, so when we sin today, we have a lamb offering in advance. Consider this: when we sin, try going back in time to feel how painful it was for Jesus to bear the punishment in advance. You can’t imagine it. Repentance therefore is not a leeway for us to commit sin. It’s a gift, remember. And it’s not free. Somebody paid it full in advance 2000 years ago.
A prayer of repentance and confession
Dear Jesus, I am a sinner. I am not worthy of even talking to you right now. I deserve your anger. I deserve hell. But I don’t want that. I don’t want you to be angry with me anymore. I want to be on your side. I know I am not worthy, but right now I you’re my only hope. I’m sorry. I don’t want to be a sinner anymore. Please forgive me. Let me die in my self and be born again, as you died and was raised again. From now on, I am acknowledging you Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I am giving you my everything Lord. Rule over my life. Use me for your purpose. From now on I am yours. Thank you for dying for me no matter how unworthy I am. Thank you for your mercy. In your mighty name, Jesus. Amen.
If you have just received Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, then you just died in your old self and now reborn. This time, it is Jesus living in you through His Holy Spirit. As a Christian, you have to grow.
You have to pray always. Prayer keeps you connected to God, who is the source of your life.
You have to read the Bible and hear God’s Word. This will allow you to know God more and to find direction and purpose to your life.
You have to worship God regularly. Worship allows you to release yourself from the burdens of this world and replace it with the strength of God.
You should join your brethren in fellowship. Fellowship allows them to encourage, admonish, exhort, build-up, and strengthen you. Without them, it wouldn’t be a joyful life.
You should testify about God to others. It is God’s command and it will allow you to experience the power of God in a way you never knew.
You should obey God, love God, please God and make Him your first priority.
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