Search This Blog

Translate

Friday, November 30, 2018

With Charles Spurgeon: Song of Songs 3:1

 “I sought him, but I found him not.” – Song of Songs 3:1
Tell me where you lost the company of Christ, and I will tell you the most likely place to find Him. Have you lost Christ in the closet by restraining prayer? Then it is there you must seek and find Him. Did you lose Christ by sin? You will find Christ in no other way but by the giving up of the sin, and seeking by the Holy Spirit to mortify the member in which the lust doth dwell. Did you lose Christ by neglecting the Scriptures? You must find Christ in the Scriptures.
It is a true proverb, "Look for a thing where you dropped it, it is there." So look for Christ where you lost Him, for He has not gone away. But it is hard work to go back for Christ. Bunyan tells us, the pilgrim found the piece of the road back to the Arbour of Ease, where he lost his roll, the hardest he had ever travelled. Twenty miles onward is easier than to go one mile back for the lost evidence.
Take care, then, when you find your Master, to cling close to Him. But how is it you have lost Him? One would have thought you would never have parted with such a precious friend, whose presence is so sweet, whose words are so comforting, and whose company is so dear to you! How is it that you did not watch Him every moment for fear of losing sight of Him? Yet, since you have let Him go, what a mercy that you are seeking Him, even though you mournfully groan, "O that I knew where I might find Him!"
Go on seeking, for it is dangerous to be without thy Lord. Without Christ you are like a sheep without its shepherd; like a tree without water at its roots; like a sere leaf in the tempest-not bound to the tree of life. With thine whole heart seek Him, and He will be found of thee: only give thyself thoroughly up to the search, and verily, thou shalt yet discover Him to thy joy and gladness.

Thanks for the time of Reflection,
R. Solomon
(This Devotional Reflection Issue is an excerpt from Charles Spurgeon's Devotional “Morning and Evening: Daily Readings.)

Saturday, November 24, 2018

Compelled by God


God loves me,
And His love resides in me,
To love my neighbors.

God is gracious towards me,
And His grace flows in me,
To be gracious to others.

God never gives up on me,
And strengthens me to be patient
To never give up on you.

It is He that teaches me,
To be loving, gracious and patient
Towards all including you!

Surely you should not like ‘me,’
For I do not like ‘myself,’
Nor do I like ‘you!’

But the Spirit of God dwells in me,
Which is not the work of myself
But of God to change ‘me’ and to like ‘you!’

This great act of God
Lets me see the image of God
In you, to be persuaded to Christ
For, all things make sense only in Christ!

Wednesday, November 21, 2018

Image Scripture: Genesis 50:20 (screenshot of my sermon preparation)

Just two screenshot pictures of my sermon preparation. I hope to get and give encouragement from and to fellow preachers who labor hard to be accurate and faithful to the text.
Btw, these pictures represent maybe just 10% of the preparation!
Those of us who are not a preacher, please pray for the preachers you know, that they will labor hard for the hearers!
But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.” Genesis 50:20 [NKJV]



If the above pictures are not clear, these may be clearer...


Thanks for trying to make sense of these picture,
S. R. Senxer

Monday, November 19, 2018

Behind the Action


How do you believe
That you don’t want to believe?
Well, I speak to myself and act like I’d believed.

Doubt assails,
Fear prevails,
Howbeit, courage must not be failed!

Like a preacher that knows not of Monday Sermon,
One must come up with a firm decision with action.
Well, that’s not a lie nor a deception!

Details may not be seen,
All the signals may not be green,
Nonetheless, one should not get stuck in between!

The head says, “That!” (afraid!)
The heart says, “This!” (dismayed!)
Evidence is weighed and decision is made!



Saturday, November 17, 2018

Give Up?


What do you think of me
To give up on you?
That is not me!

The Lord never gives up on me,
But I can give up on you,
If He doesn't command me!

The Lord requires patience from me,
But I can refuse to exercise on you,
If He doesn't produce in me!

This grace has reached me
To reach out to others including you
How can I refuse that which is not mine?
I cannot be that much dumb, lame and blind!


Monday, November 12, 2018

Got Stuck!!! - A poem



Got stuck in God’s Traffic,
Light went off, and Panic!
Right, Left, Up, Down, or Wait?
Tired, for it’s getting Late!

Got stuck in diverged Roads,
No signs, just secret Codes!
Passerby couldn’t help Note
The secret course of God!

Got stuck too in Prayers,
No Answers, no Whispers.
Yes, begged for God’s Mercy
To flow for the Thirsty!


Friday, November 09, 2018

Are you a mature Christian?


“But speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all (aspects) into Him who is the head, (even) Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. Ephesians 4:15-16
Summarize in a Word: Growth to Maturity
Key Principle: Truth and Love is inseparable for Christian Growth
Key Application: We must be brave to confront at the same time be loving
Main point of the Passage: The Scripture says that the result of Christ calling us out from sin is to demonstrate Love and Speaking the truth. It is the mark of Christian Maturity.
Illustration: Lack of Maturity in Indian Churches
Exhortation: Make sure to season your speech with love.

          Everybody wants to get matured. God wants us to get matured too, no longer to be childish in Christian walk. The results of Christ calling us out from sins and giving gifts to His Church is for maturity. One may ask what maturity looks like. And this passage answers us that the characteristic of a mature Christian is speaking the truth in love under the lordship of Christ.
Indeed, there are few things which are difficult to practice in our Christian life than to speak the truth boldly (without compromise), and to love. It is not easy either in Church or at work-place. However, these are the very virtues Christ possess in the most hostile environment to the point of dying for the hostile sinner.
There is no Christian growth without truth and love going hand in hand. I have seen over the years in Churches of India that Truth without love drives away people from Church, and Love without truth does not transform the Church. Thus there is no growth and no maturity.
We who are born again of the Spirit are to grow up like Christ, following the Master practicing truth and love irrespective of circumstances even if it cost us our lives. Are you a mature disciple of Christ? Do you speak the truth in love? We often confront people saying, “I want to tell you this in love. . . ” Next time before you say, ask yourself, “Am I really seasoning with love?” As one pastor says (Wiersbe), “Truth without love is brutality; Love without truth is hypocrisy.”

Monday, November 05, 2018

Chiseling – A very personal story


[I wrote this story on September 22, 2017, Friday (12:44 AM) and still affirm that it is true even now]
The Rabbi of Nazareth had surely seen me when I was wandering under the fig tree. A year later, I was fishing all night for a living, when the Master of the Lake Gennesaret showed up and I followed Him.
The Lord of Mount Olivet attracted me to go to Jerusalem. So, one fine day I came to the Traveller of Jerusalem asking for the reputed Journey. The Man of Nowhere gave me a plank of wood with a well-drawn shape of a Cross and directed me to the wilderness.
The Carpenter of Galilee showed up in the wilderness and has been chiseling out the edges of the wood. After the chiseling will be the painting by the Painter of Lilies. And when I reach Jerusalem, I shall present it to the Master of the Mansion, who will say, "Well Done! Come and share your Master's happiness."
It has been many years in the wilderness. The shape of the Cross is seen, but more to be chiseled out still. The journey and work are on. The more it is chiseled the lighter it becomes, and the more progressive the journey is.
Some Pilgrims thought my Cross is on painting because they have seen it from far. You know, even a curve look straight from far.

Friday, November 02, 2018

Unpardonable Sin: Can All Sin be Forgiven?


Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. Matthew 12:31 
Summarize in a Word: Rejection
Key Principle: Deliberate Rejection of the Work of the Spirit is doomed to Eternal Hell.
Key Application: Let us be sensitive to the leading of the Spirit.
Main point of the Passage: Unpardonable Sin is committed when one deliberately reject the work of the Spirit or the testimony of the Spirit concerning Christ. The one who commits this sin has reached to the point of no return thus sealing himself doom to eternal hell.
Illustration: Judas Iscariot apostasy
Exhortation: Be sensitive to the leading of the Spirit

Have you got trouble with unpardonable sin? Many people do because Jesus talks about the impossibility of forgiveness of this sin. In other words, those who commit this sin seal themselves to eternal doom. By the way, there is no comfort in sinning at all. Each of our sins we know of should trouble us enough into confession and repentance for forgiveness (1 John 1:9).