Lamentations 1:9

Lamentations 1:9 - Her uncleanness is in her skirts; She did not consider her destiny; Therefore her collapse was awesome; She had no comforter. "O LORD, behold my affliction, For the enemy is exalted!"

It is absolutely true that those who does not consider their destiny is bound for a great and unexpected fall. The people of Israel at that time were consistently flooded with an ambience of tranquillity and prosperity. Their prophets were preaching "Peace, peace" to everyone, and the citizens believed them (Jeremiah 6:14, 8:11). They had the economical and political results to support their claims, and thus none of them considered the future, or the words of God's prophets. When Jeremiah sounded the alarm in the Temple, he was rebuked and mistreated. The blindness of their sins truly made them ignorant of the signs to God's accumulating wrath. Instead, they were giving much thought to their own ambitions - everyone according to their hearts desires (Isaiah 53:6). 

No wonder at the first blow from Babylon, the hearts of many fell! They were shocked (How could the 'people' of God be afflicted such?) They were confused (Where is God?)! They were angry (How can God leaven them?)! It is sad that they heeded not the Scriptures which told them the repercussions of their rebelliousness, many years in advance. 

Deuteronomy 28:36-37 - "The LORD will bring you and the king whom you set over you to a nation which neither you nor your fathers have known, and there you shall serve other gods--wood and stone.  (37)  And you shall become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword among all nations where the LORD will drive you.

Are we living in similar days? I believe that we are. It is sad that so many people (ourselves included) have not considered our spiritual destiny and what happens if we are not responding to it properly. The Day of Judgement WILL come upon us suddenly. Will it be a shock, an awesome sight that will signal our failure to heed God's warning? Will we collapse unto the ground regretting that we had thrown whatever privilege we had of responding properly to it? Time will tell. The clock is already ticking!

Lamentations 1:5

Lamentations 1:5  Her adversaries have become the master, Her enemies prosper; For the LORD has afflicted her Because of the multitude of her transgressions. Her children have gone into captivity before the enemy.

I am always amazed in the forgetfulness of the human heart. My heart forgets this truth often, in the midst of living: justice will find us. It found out Judah in the days of Jeremiah. Even though for many years the city enjoyed prosperity and much external peace, the fact was this: their sins were accumulating. Judah was multiplying sins against the Lord. The problem was so hidden from their minds because it was festering in the depths of their heart. But God's silence is never an approval of the deeds of man (Psalm 50:21). In due time He will call for justice; Judah is judged and found wanting. The punishment for their rebelliousness and idolatry is bondage to their enemies. They thought they were victorious over their ancient enemies, but the tables were turned in a moment! The Lord delivered them up to their hearts' worst fears - they lose all their privileges and comforts of before. Here is the picture of judgement upon sinners - a realisation of their fears which they thought they could ignore or avoid. So many forget that vigilance upon our deceitful heart is necessary to bring us under constant humility to God's salvation. If we slack, or if we choose to indulge in the life of idolatry; be prepared to reap the fruits of our rebelliousness. Justice will meet us!

To Obey is Better than Sacrifice

The problem with modern evangelical Christians is the emphasis on a person's 'service' over 'obedience'. There are many professing Christians who are so eager to be in the limelight in singing, music, teaching & other 'works of services', but neglecting the more important things like being the 'salt of the earth & light of the world' (Matthew 5:13-14) at home, at work, at school & at leisure.

A person's Christianity has nothing to do with how much a person serves in the local church but how much change the Lord has done by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. This warning is given by Christ in Matthew 7:21-23 - "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'"

Yes, there will be many on that Day who will claim zeal in all the external works but the declaration by Christ is - not only I never knew you, but you who practice 'LAWLESSNESS'.

Sadly, many believe that being a Christian is freedom to do as they like. This attitude is not found in the Bible at all. It was the attitude of the pagans. Instead the Christian believes what is written in 1 John 5:3 - "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome" and in Romans 6:18 - "And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness".

Probably, the main reason why they like to do so is because 'external services' are easier to 'manage and control', but not their attitude and heart. The cry of the Christian should always be "Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me" (Psalms 51:10). Life experiences have shown how many so called 'zealous Christians' are so good at being at the limelight but at home, they have not even attempted to obey the 5th commandment - "Honour your father and your mother" (Exodus 20:12).

Why are so many continuing with 'service' over 'obedience'? Because to believe otherwise is INCONVENIENT.

It is something that is impossible for the wretched sinner whose works of righteousness are like filthy rags. And that is right - for salvation is wholly by God's Grace upon unworthy, destitute sinners.

"Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams" - 1 Samuel 15:22

Love... rejoices in truth

The prevailing thought in many people's mind concerning love and truth is this: white lies are necessary in maintaining a 'healthy' relationship. I use the term 'white lies' to refer to the notion of telling 'harmless' lies. The problem with this is - truth gets sidelined and replaced by un-truths. We are basically building a relationship, an environment that is 'made-believed' or conforms to 'what-you-want-to-see'. Whatever the excuses may be, lies are always easier to swallow then the pure truth of a situation. Truth exposes while lies cover up. This obviously shows how 'soft' our society has been. Truth hurts for it shows who we really are. Truth takes time and attention as it slowly peals off the layers of covers we put on ourselves. But the benefits of confronting truth is equally, if not more, powerful! Truth gives certainty. Truth leads us to God. Think about it, our reluctance to face the truth is truly a reluctance to come under God's All-knowing sight! We fear Him, though He already knows the depths of our heart. We try to run away, though there is no where that we can flee to. And yet truth ultimately drives poor, wretched sinners like us (who despair at our unworthiness and pile of sins) to turn to God for relieve and redemption. That is why true love, rejoices in truth. Truth always leads us back to the reality of God as the dealer of justice and dispenser of mercy. No wonder Jesus Christ uttered these words in John 14:6  - I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

On Pole Dancing & Other Worldly Practices...

When "professing Christian churches" are advocating pole-dancing & other forms of practices that arises from licentious origins, one have to wonder what kind of spirit dominates the church. All these talk of being 'relevant' is just an excuse for worldliness which the Holy Spirit does not condone, but less allow (Galatians 5:16). We are called to battle 'fleshly lust' not exult in it (1 Peter 2:11). Yet the spirit of our generation is one of 'glorifying in the flesh' and on our 'rights to show forth my body' - a far cry from submitting to the fact that Christian lives are no longer our own, but Christ', since it has been blood-bought. A true measure of one's spiritual maturity is never the exercise of 'liberty' but the exercise of 'self-control'. Judgement ultimately comes from the revealed Word of God; not our human sentiments.

Romans Chapter 3

We have considered in the first two chapters, the origin of sin and how it shows itself in the churched (Jews) and the un-churched (Gentiles). The Jews and Gentiles are not different in their natures. They are both judged unfavourably because of sin in them. The conclusion of that presents itself in the form of three arguments from verses 1-9 of Romans 3:

1) Is God unfaithful to His Covenant if some in the covenant are disobedient? (v.3)
Answer: No, for only those who are made obedient are in the Covenant - thus God is true and man is false in presuming upon their own faithfulness that is non-existent.

2) Is God unjust to condemn those disobedient, when it is the disobedient that is made righteous before Him? (v.5)
Answer: No, for all who are disobedient deserves death already. Obedience is given by grace, not by any action from the disobedient.

3) If God justifies the unjust/disobedient, should those justified not seek to increase God's grace by being more disobedient? (v.8)
Answer: No, for further disobedience would show that they are still in their trespasses and sin and not justified.

Therefore, all (everyone who has lived, are alive and will live) are under the power of sin - they are all guilty before God (v.9, 19). There is no advantage among sinners to justify themselves for sin breaks the Law (v.20) for there is nothing in them that is commendable (v.10-18). Rather, the only advantage to the Jews is the anticipation of salvation that comes from God apart from their own works (actions or merit) which is hidden and prophesied in the Law and the Prophets (v.21). How sad that the Law and Prophets were unheeded by the Jews in general because of their self-righteousness. Ultimately, true righteousness (which gives us salvation) comes through faith in Jesus Christ. We are made clean (justified) by God's free mercy and grace in the Person and Works of Jesus Christ.

The result upon those who are truly saved are these:

• They cannot boast of any advantage (v.27)
• They come from all the nations (v.29)
• They show a changed life in loving the law (v.31)

Lessons:

• Judgement upon men is just. It justly falls upon those who have a Christian background and on those who do not have such privileges. There are no arguments that can justify ourselves before the Holy God. Those who had the privilege of hearing this truth ought to come to Christ sooner. Unfortunately, it is usually the opposite case, as in the Israelites! Truly the first shall be last and the last shall be first. 
• Realisation of human depravity (hopelessness and helplessness) ought to throw us into the arms of God's saviour. However, in history and experience we see that men would rather believe in their own self-righteousness which promises salvation by good works. It is because of this belief that many reject the true righteousness that comes freely through God's grace! Instead they boast in themselves and discriminate others by their outward pretension of holiness; inwardly they remain condemned. 

Applications:

1. There are many people who accuse God of being unjust or unfair in His dealings with the peoples in the world. Is He too lenient on the Gentiles and too strict on the Jews? Explain your answers.
2. What is the biggest hindrances that people have to a salvation that is entirely given by God to undeserving sinners based on God's own pleasure and will? Can these hindrances in a person be detected in church? Give some examples of how they can be detected (identified) in church and any methods to take away these hindrances.

Love... thinks no evil

It might be slightly surprising to find the word 'evil' used here. Can love be 'evil'? Not unless you have a 'love' for depraved things like murder, robbery, adultery and the like. All reasonable persons who read this would think it surely cannot be relevant to them, since most people are 'law-abiding' people who are religious and perform their civil duties of paying taxes and of voting? However, we are thinking based on the 21st century definition of the word - which is narrow and limiting in its scope. "Evil" can mean anything from 'immoral' to 'harmful' and 'worthless'. Basically, anything that is negative in its motivation or effect. Anything that puts self, man and temporal pleasures at the fore speaks of such 'evil'. Think about it for a moment - when was the last time we looked at a loved one and we focused on their weaknesses? When was the last time we expect them to 'change' for 'the better'? The result of our thoughts are seen by our complaints, our nagging words, our disappointed tone, our superior view and many other ways. It is just so easy to see the other person's flaws and their broken promises, but we forget that the person who is in our life is a God-created creature that is fashioned in His-likeness (Genesis 1:27). Of course mankind is intrinsically flawed and without spiritual beauty, yet we cannot deny the value God placed upon His creatures by the token of life given freely to them! When we put others down, whether through our actions or by our mere thoughts, we are proclaiming our self-worth, which before God - does not exist! Consider this sobering truth in - Ecclesiastes 7:20 - For there is not a just man on earth who does good and does not sin, Isaiah 41:24 - Indeed you are nothing, And your work is nothing; He who chooses you is an abomination, and Job 25:6 - How much less man, who is a maggot, And a son of man, who is a worm?

Friend, love truly confers no evil or harm on others but seek their prosperity and blessings. If we are called in Matthew 5:44 to - ... love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you... how much more ought we to do with those who are our family members, friends, colleagues and acquaintances? Let us seek their spiritual good by blessing them. Let us show grace that would encourage them to the paths of righteousness. Let us truly be that 'friend' that reflects the deep love Christ gave to His 'enemies' - Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 - Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up. Let us show Christ in our love, and expel all seeds of self-righteousness and moral superiority from our 'love for one another'. Amen!