Post by Zac Loh on Dec 22, 2008 11:00:52 GMT -5
Dear Saints of the Lord,
In this Christmas season, we sing: "Hark the herald angels sing, Glory to the new born King, Peace on earth and mercy mild."
We also sing: "Joy to the world! The Lord is come, Let earth receive her King."
But let us take a moment. Let us ponder the price that Jesus had to pay. Let us consider the things which Jesus had to give-up, in order to come to us, more than 2,000 years ago.
Let us not lose touch with what actually happened then. Let us not be confused with what is happening today. Let is not forget that the very God became a helpless tiny baby. He came from the glorious heavenly palace, to be born in a manger that was not even fit to live in. The unlimited eternally divine stripped Himself to a mere mortal form. The Creator had to work as a carpenter. The One who breathed life into humanity, experienced a dying breath Himself for humanity.
My friend Ronnie conducted a survey of `The 5 Love Language' in his office this week. The result was that the `words of encouragement' topped the list while `gifts' ranked bottom. Isn't it ironic that so much money is spent on gifts during the Christmas season when most are looking for words of encouragement? Isn't it the spirit of materialism? Let us not be caught.
In this Christmas season, let us remember the real truth behind it all. Whichever glorious manifestations on earth when the little child Jesus was born, was virtually nothing compared to that which He already had, right from before the beginning of time to that very moment of His earthly appearance.
But He gladly suffered. He deprived Himself for a powerful purpose, that we will have the power to become children of God. He gave up His bliss for the sufferings, so that we can have bliss in the midst of our sufferings, and bliss at the end of our sufferings.
May the message in the attached page be a blessing to you. Do not judge a book by its cover. Do not be fooled by the ugly wrappings of the priceless gift of Jesus Christ.
Tribulation
Matthew 24:21
For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. (Matthew 24:21)
Let me begin on the right footing …this message is not a study of eschatology i.e. the end-times. But the word `tribulation’ impressed upon me while reading this verse.
`Tribulation’ or `suffering’ …how would a young or an immature Christian take these words? Because all godly people will suffer one day, one way or the other … how do you prepare the unprepared …or how do you prepare the unwilling …to be prepared for this reality?
How does suffering fit-in into the Christian journey? How does suffering figure in the Christian walk? What is the concept of Christian suffering?
For starters, let’s face up to it: suffering. Does this word frighten you? Suffering is confronting pain, not some escapism. It is coming to terms with pain, and finding it in the will of God …finding God’s meaning and purpose in it. Since our God is redemptive, there is a good end result to our pain.
Nobody ever likes suffering. Should somehow an anomaly occurs, that this weird guy likes suffering, then, he is actually not suffering. I am talking about pain without pleasure. I am not talking about any crazy guy who derives pleasure from pain i.e. sadistic, masochism. If he is not feeling the pain, no matter what it is, by my definition, it is not a suffering.
I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. (Philippians 4:12)
We don’t have a chronic addiction to tough times. But a genuinely healthy Christian must be able to both enjoy God’s blessings and endure hardship for His sake.
Suffering creates a need for God and takes us into the path of humility. On the other had, some think that God is using difficulty as His humbling tool – all the time. The truth is, God uses hot-and-cold method. He used good times and bad times to humble us. Our humility is tested in a comfortable life as well as in a difficult life
The one lesson I hope we can take away from this, is that we suffer for God’s sake, not suffering for the sake of suffering.
We ask God:
“Are You using this suffering for a purpose?”
“If You have allowed this to come into my life, then help me to find Your purpose in it.”
We make a decision:
“That I will grow-up because that’s God’s plan for me (to grow-up in Him).”
“I will now submit to God’s tutorial process in this slippery and rough patch that I am in.”
“I am not surrendering myself to the pressure bearing down on me, but to God who is faithfully molding me.”
Amen.
In this Christmas season, we sing: "Hark the herald angels sing, Glory to the new born King, Peace on earth and mercy mild."
We also sing: "Joy to the world! The Lord is come, Let earth receive her King."
But let us take a moment. Let us ponder the price that Jesus had to pay. Let us consider the things which Jesus had to give-up, in order to come to us, more than 2,000 years ago.
Let us not lose touch with what actually happened then. Let us not be confused with what is happening today. Let is not forget that the very God became a helpless tiny baby. He came from the glorious heavenly palace, to be born in a manger that was not even fit to live in. The unlimited eternally divine stripped Himself to a mere mortal form. The Creator had to work as a carpenter. The One who breathed life into humanity, experienced a dying breath Himself for humanity.
My friend Ronnie conducted a survey of `The 5 Love Language' in his office this week. The result was that the `words of encouragement' topped the list while `gifts' ranked bottom. Isn't it ironic that so much money is spent on gifts during the Christmas season when most are looking for words of encouragement? Isn't it the spirit of materialism? Let us not be caught.
In this Christmas season, let us remember the real truth behind it all. Whichever glorious manifestations on earth when the little child Jesus was born, was virtually nothing compared to that which He already had, right from before the beginning of time to that very moment of His earthly appearance.
But He gladly suffered. He deprived Himself for a powerful purpose, that we will have the power to become children of God. He gave up His bliss for the sufferings, so that we can have bliss in the midst of our sufferings, and bliss at the end of our sufferings.
May the message in the attached page be a blessing to you. Do not judge a book by its cover. Do not be fooled by the ugly wrappings of the priceless gift of Jesus Christ.
Tribulation
Matthew 24:21
For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. (Matthew 24:21)
Let me begin on the right footing …this message is not a study of eschatology i.e. the end-times. But the word `tribulation’ impressed upon me while reading this verse.
`Tribulation’ or `suffering’ …how would a young or an immature Christian take these words? Because all godly people will suffer one day, one way or the other … how do you prepare the unprepared …or how do you prepare the unwilling …to be prepared for this reality?
How does suffering fit-in into the Christian journey? How does suffering figure in the Christian walk? What is the concept of Christian suffering?
For starters, let’s face up to it: suffering. Does this word frighten you? Suffering is confronting pain, not some escapism. It is coming to terms with pain, and finding it in the will of God …finding God’s meaning and purpose in it. Since our God is redemptive, there is a good end result to our pain.
Nobody ever likes suffering. Should somehow an anomaly occurs, that this weird guy likes suffering, then, he is actually not suffering. I am talking about pain without pleasure. I am not talking about any crazy guy who derives pleasure from pain i.e. sadistic, masochism. If he is not feeling the pain, no matter what it is, by my definition, it is not a suffering.
I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. (Philippians 4:12)
We don’t have a chronic addiction to tough times. But a genuinely healthy Christian must be able to both enjoy God’s blessings and endure hardship for His sake.
Suffering creates a need for God and takes us into the path of humility. On the other had, some think that God is using difficulty as His humbling tool – all the time. The truth is, God uses hot-and-cold method. He used good times and bad times to humble us. Our humility is tested in a comfortable life as well as in a difficult life
The one lesson I hope we can take away from this, is that we suffer for God’s sake, not suffering for the sake of suffering.
We ask God:
“Are You using this suffering for a purpose?”
“If You have allowed this to come into my life, then help me to find Your purpose in it.”
We make a decision:
“That I will grow-up because that’s God’s plan for me (to grow-up in Him).”
“I will now submit to God’s tutorial process in this slippery and rough patch that I am in.”
“I am not surrendering myself to the pressure bearing down on me, but to God who is faithfully molding me.”
Amen.