Bible Reading Reflection from Revelation 1-7

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (KD) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible] 

ℝ𝔼𝕍𝔼𝕃𝔸𝕋𝕀𝕆ℕ 𝟙:𝟛

"Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy and keep the things which are written in it, for the time is near."

Revelation is the only book that promises us blessing when we read or hear, and keep it. Of course, that's true for all parts of the scriptures, but Revelation declares itself to be from its preface. Yet, how many neglect to read this book? How many thinks this is not that important in our daily life? How many think that Revelation is a tough book to understand?

Revelation tells us how the story ends. And it says that we win. If I know that I win in the end, then, life is worth living, is worth surviving, is worth suffering.

I love to play chess, and I don't mind how many of my pawns, rook, bishop, knight, or even the queen are captured, if my opponent is in checkmate, I win.

Revelation is about winning, Christ wins, and we win! Hallelujah!

 

ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝟚:𝟝

"Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and 𝕣𝕖𝕡𝕖𝕟𝕥 and do the deeds you did at first. But if not, I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place, unless you 𝕣𝕖𝕡𝕖𝕟𝕥."

The first gospel message Jesus preached when He began His ministry on earth was "ℝ𝔼ℙ𝔼ℕ𝕋". It's not surprising the message from Heaven is still the same "ℝ𝔼ℙ𝔼ℕ𝕋".

To almost all the churches mentioned in Revelation, He called them to repentance. Because Jesus came into the world not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Sin is serious. He came into the world to save us from our sins. If there's no calling of repentance, there's no offering of salvation, there's no gospel and no Jesus Christ.

As much as sin is real even in our redeemed Christian life, the mercy of God is real. Just as we believe in Him for our salvation, we cling to Him for His power to deliver us from the practice of sin.

Sin in this passage is a decreasing love for Christ. It's not murder, stealing, lying, or sexual immorality. It's not even hating Christ. It's a decreasing love for Christ.

Have I loved Christ lesser than yesteryear? If yes, it's a sin. I am called to repent. I must love Him all the more! And I must love Him more than yesterday. I must treasure Him, walk with Him, and cling to Him more than yesterday!

 

ℝ𝔼𝕍𝔼𝕃𝔸𝕋𝕀𝕆ℕ 𝟛:𝟙𝟡

"Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline. Therefore be 𝕫𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕠𝕦𝕤 and repent."

Today, as I read Revelation 3, the word, idea that stands out to me is "𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕡𝕝𝕒𝕔𝕖𝕟𝕔𝕪"

To the church of Sardis, Christ said, "Wake up.... Your deeds aren't complete" v2

To the church of Philadelphia, Christ said, "Hold fast" v11

To the church of Laodicea, Christ said, "You aren't rich, you are wretched, buy wealth from me" v17

Can't afford to be complacent. We must hold fast. No love for Christ is enough! No time for Christ is enough. No sacrifice for Christ is enough! There's no holiday in Christ. We always live in Christ. No time to sleep!

O! How do I practice that? That's the question for reflection!

 

ℝ𝔼𝕍𝔼𝕃𝔸𝕋𝕀𝕆ℕ 𝟜:𝟙𝟘-𝟙𝟙

The twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, “Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”

𝚆𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚊 𝚜𝚌𝚎𝚗𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚟𝚎𝚗! 𝚃𝚑𝚎 24 𝚎𝚕𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚛𝚎𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚑𝚞𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚒𝚝𝚢 (𝚋𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚜), 𝚌𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚒𝚛 𝚌𝚛𝚘𝚠𝚗𝚜 𝚋𝚎𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝙶𝚘𝚍, 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚕𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚘𝚞𝚜 𝙺𝚒𝚗𝚐!

𝚆𝚎 𝚐𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝙶𝚘𝚍 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚕𝚘𝚛𝚢, 𝚞𝚕𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚢, 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚎𝚗𝚍.

𝚂𝚞𝚛𝚎, 𝙶𝚘𝚍 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚛𝚎𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚍 𝚞𝚜 𝚊𝚌𝚌𝚘𝚛𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚏𝚊𝚒𝚝𝚑𝚏𝚞𝚕𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚜. 𝚆𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚛𝚎𝚌𝚒𝚎𝚟𝚎 𝚊 𝚌𝚛𝚘𝚠𝚗 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝙷𝚒𝚖. 𝙱𝚞𝚝 𝚠𝚎 w𝚘𝚗'𝚝 𝚠𝚎𝚊𝚛 it 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚍𝚕𝚢. 𝚆𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚋𝚎 𝚌𝚛𝚘𝚠𝚗𝚎𝚍 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚊 𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚕𝚎, 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚠𝚎 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚐𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚔 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙺𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚘𝚏 𝙺𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜!

𝚆𝚎 𝚍𝚘𝚗'𝚝 [shouldn’t] 𝚋𝚘𝚊𝚜𝚝 𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚐𝚘𝚘𝚍 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚔 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚏𝚊𝚒𝚝𝚑𝚏𝚞𝚕𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚜. 𝙲𝚎𝚛𝚝𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚕𝚢, 𝚠𝚎 𝚍𝚘𝚗'𝚝 [won’t] 𝚋𝚘𝚊𝚜𝚝 𝚒𝚗 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚘𝚘.

𝙿𝚛𝚒𝚍𝚎, 𝚋𝚘𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝚑𝚊𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚊𝚛𝚎 simply 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚏𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝙲𝚑𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚊𝚗𝚜.

𝙷𝚞𝚖𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚒𝚜!

[22:41, 5/23/2021] S.R: 𝚆𝚎𝚕𝚕, 𝙸 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚐𝚕𝚘𝚛𝚢. 𝙸 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚠𝚎𝚊𝚛 a 𝚌𝚛𝚘𝚠𝚗 𝚗𝚘𝚠. 𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚠𝚎𝚕𝚕-𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠𝚗, 𝚠𝚎𝚕𝚕-𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚌𝚒𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚍, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚠𝚎𝚕𝚕-𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚍.

𝙰𝚗𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝, 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝙸 𝚐𝚎𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚟𝚎𝚗, 𝙸 𝚠𝚘𝚗'𝚝 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜, 𝚋𝚎𝚌𝚊𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚟𝚎𝚗, 𝙸 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚋𝚎 𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚏𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚍. 𝙰𝚕𝚕 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚗𝚘𝚝-𝚐𝚘𝚘𝚍 (𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚏𝚞𝚕) 𝚍𝚎𝚜𝚒𝚛𝚎𝚜 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚋𝚎 taken away. 𝙸 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚋𝚎 𝚑𝚘𝚕𝚢, 𝚑𝚞𝚖𝚋𝚕𝚎, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚏𝚎𝚌𝚝. 𝚂𝚞𝚛𝚎𝚕𝚢, 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚋𝚎 𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚙𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚎𝚎 𝚗𝚎𝚠 𝚖𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎.

𝙰𝚗𝚍 𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚎𝚕𝚢, 𝙸, also, 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚛𝚎𝚌𝚘𝚐𝚗𝚒𝚣𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚌𝚊𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚏𝚞𝚕 𝚗𝚊𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚋𝚎 taken away 𝚝𝚘𝚘. 𝙸 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚋𝚎 𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚙𝚛𝚞𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚎𝚎 𝚗𝚎𝚠 𝚢𝚘𝚞! 😀

 

ℝ𝔼𝕍𝔼𝕃𝔸𝕋𝕀𝕆ℕ 𝟝:𝟜

"Then I was crying greatly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it."

The plight of the human race. The plight of the Universe. The plight of the Creation. No one is worthy. It was right for John to weep bitterly. What a situation we are! And many people think they are good enough to come before God. And many would even dare to question the goodness of God.

We are unworthy. No one, none on earth, not even in heaven, nobody is worthy to open that scroll.

As Revelation 5 unfolds, we see Jesus, the lamb that was slain at the Calvary, opening that scroll. Because He is Worthy. He alone is Worthy. No angels, no Cherubim, no Seraphim could do.

That Jesus is my Lord. He did everything to own me. He moved heavens and earth to own me. And I join with the choir or heaven to say glory and honor, power and majesty be unto Him forever and ever, Amen!

I invite you to listen to this song which is scripted from this chapter 👇

https://youtu.be/8lgMoYo4Ffo

 

ℝ𝔼𝕍𝔼𝕃𝔸𝕋𝕀𝕆ℕ 𝟞:𝟡-𝟙𝟘

And when He opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the witness which they had maintained; and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Master, holy and true? Will You not judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”

I see in this passage the calmness of God. He is not in a hurry. He times everything for His purpose and glory. God does not care less or care more about the happening in this world. He remains who He is — just, merciful, loving, and good!

However, I think it's right for us to be more earnest when we fear and when we are in trouble because unlike God, we aren't sovereign.

A rich man doesn't need to worry about what he will eat for lunch or dinner. He doesn't need to even cook. He can place an order for home delivery.

While the poor man has to go here and there, and possibly even beg for his stomach. I am that poor man who begs God, even more in a desperate situation.

 

ℝ𝔼𝕍𝔼𝕃𝔸𝕋𝕀𝕆ℕ 𝟟:𝟙𝟝-𝟙𝟟

For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His sanctuary; and He who sits on the throne will dwell over them. “THEY WILL HUNGER NO LONGER, NOR THIRST ANYMORE; NOR WILL THE SUN BEAT DOWN ON THEM, NOR ANY HEAT; for the Lamb at the center of the throne will shepherd them and will guide them to springs of the water of life. And GOD WILL WIPE EVERY TEAR FROM THEIR EYES.”

Delhi is getting hot again. Sweating like anything, especially when the light goes out.

In heaven, I don't think I will be sweating. One, there's no sun there. Two, there's no heat to beat me too!

What do you think? Will you be sweating there? 🤔😂

[08:52, 5/26/2021] _______: I guess, it will be pleasant. neither too hot nor cold

[08:54, 5/26/2021] S.R: Hahaha. When those 24 elders are busy worshipping God, now, I am thinking about how to stay cool and not sweat! All because of Delhi's Sun! 😂

Bible Reading Reflection from Jude

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (KD) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible] 

JUDE

Particularly v1-2 and 24-25

Jude begins with wonderful greetings in this way:

v1-2 Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, To those who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ: May mercy and peace and love be MULTIPLIED to you.

And concludes in this way:

v24-25 "Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, might and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen."

Wow! I've got to say, Amen! Amen! 🙏

Bible Reading Reflection from 3 John

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (KD) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible] 

3 JOHN 4

"I have no greater joy than this, to hear that my children are walking in the truth."

My grandmother's favourite Bible verse for us (her grandchildren).

Interestingly, I also wish parents and grandparents are still walking in the truth! So, that we can imitate them. Young people need to see faithful Oldies!

Bible Reading Reflection from 2 John

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (KD) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible] 

2 JOHN 12

"Though I have many things to write to you, I do not want to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, so that your joy may be made complete."

Lovers want to meet often. Where there is love, there is joy in fellowship. Like Apostle Paul, don't we want to meet at least once a week, for a Sunday fellowship? There is much joy, complete joy when we meet Face to Face.

Even Spiderman knows that. In one scene of Spiderman: Homecoming, Spiderman thought Ironman was talking to him with a computer suit. He dismissed him in deep disappointment, "If you care, you would actually be here!" And then, the suit opened, and Tony stark came out to meet face to face!

Bible Reading Reflection from 1 John 1-5

 [Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (KD) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible]

1 JOHN 1:3

"What we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you may also have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ." [Legacy Standard Bible]

Wonderful! A poor, wretched, lost, underprivileged sinner like me is being called into the glorious family of God. That also to the same fellowship, to the level, standard, and dignity of John and the other Apostles.

No 2nd class citizen of heaven. Nor will I dwell in the corner of heaven's mansion.

I may not have JRF, may not be the Fellows of the Royal Society, London, may not be a teaching fellow of Ligonier (R.C. Sproul), but I am called to have fellowship with the Father and the Son.

What a fellowship! What a joy! What a calling! What a message! Blessed be God!

 

1 JOHN 2:15-17

"Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. And the world is passing away, and also its lusts, but the one who does the will of God abides forever."

Every sin committed under the sun falls under either of these 3 categories of sins: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.

It's a daily struggle for a Christian. It's a daily battle. There's no holiday, as long as we live on this battlefield. Nobody goes to battle lightly. Soldiers might sing in chorus to encourage one another. Soldiers would be wounded, fallen, bruised, and even die, but they die fighting.

May we fight all known sins in our life! May we pray for deliverance! May we pray to overcome! May we pray to weep over our own sins and of others! May we be like Jeremiah, who weeps all day long! May we be like David, who pants for God as a deer for water, Amen!

 

1 JOHN 3:1

"See how great a love the Father has given to us, that we would be called children of God; and we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him."

Is there a time you stand in front of the mirror and don't like that person's look, attitude, or action?

Is there a time you do something wrong and you smack your forehead?

Is there a time you say to yourself, "It's stupid of me"?

Well, we don't even like ourselves, right? And rightly so.

Is there a time when you live an undisciplined, insincere, irresponsible, or disrespectful lifestyle that will make your parents feel ashamed? Parents would want to disown such and rightly so.

For me: Yes, to all the above. Yet, what love is this that God would own me, accept me into His family, and call me His son, an heir to His riches!

Amazing love! What love is this! How can this be!

 

I JOHN 4:14

"By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit." [LSB 2021, A New Translation]

The fact that the Holy Spirit dwells in a person is a testimony that he is a Christian. If you want to know whether someone is a Christian, we look for the fruits of the Spirit in his life. In fact, it is the Spirit that helps him to abide in God. It is the Spirit that helps him to continue to live a Christian life. Left to ourselves, everyone will be de-converted within a few seconds.

And if I could chase away the Spirit of God in me, and if I could lose my salvation, I would have lost it a long time ago. It's not my walk with God that makes the Holy Spirit dwell in me, rather, it's the Spirit that helps me walk with God! However, I have to yield to the instruction (leading) of the Spirit, and not yield to the instruction of the world, eyes, and flesh!

Thank You, Lord, for the gift of Your Spirit! Amen!

 

1 JOHN 5:21

"Little children, guard yourselves from idols."

Is it not interesting (surprising) that this book ends in this way with a very, very simple and very, very basic exhortation?

John has explained the lofty theology of God, Jesus, Salvation, Propitiation, Sanctification, Damnation, Glorification from chapters 1-5, and ended with this well-known exhortation from the 2nd commandment of Moses' Law.

To worship the Real God. To have the real Jesus. To live the real life. To possess the real faith

Btw, Ps119, the largest chapter, which reveals the power of God's word for sanctification also ends with a simple (unlikely) affirmation, confession, and prayer v176.

The greatest theologians aren't the ones who know the lofty things of God. They are the ones who cherish the base, the simplest, and the commonest teaching of God.

The holiest men of God (when they have lived long and have become most perfect in the eyes of all) do not confess that they are perfect or that they are holy. They confess the simplest thing, "a sinner" like the Apostle Paul of 1Tim1:15.

Let's cherish the old truth, the simple confession, the basic commandment, and live the ordinary life!

Bible Reading Reflection from 2 Peter 1-3

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (KD) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible] 

2 PETER 1:13

"Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you"

Every word of this verse is striking a point! As a preacher, one of my tasks is to keep reminding. But naturally speaking, to remind people, again and again, is a thing of boredom. People would even question, "Why do you always say this?"

What's that Peter wants to remind? v10. "Be even more diligent to make your call and election sure." In other words, make sure of your salvation.

And I think Peter is not calling Christian to doubt the efficacy of the cross, but to bear the fruits of Salvation which are, again, v5-9.

When a true Christian looks at his life and fails to see the fruits of Salvation, surely, he will doubt, and stumble (v10). Such Christian needs to grow more in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (v8). When he sees the need to develop (produce) more fruits, and when he strives, he shall be established (v12)

 

2 PETER 2

The whole chapter 2 is about false teachers. If you have NKJV Bible, the translators put up 4 headings, all alliterated with "D"

And I just love it. But it's sobering because they are: Destructive, Doom, Depravity, and Deception. Nobody wants these words to be hurled unto us. But this is the Destiny of the False Teachers.

If God chose to kill the world in the Noahic flood and save only 8 people, it's far easier to save a few million and damn 7 billion to hell!

 

2 PETER 3

This Earth will melt away not gradually, but when God decides to judge the world.

And the world wants to save planet Earth. They gathered for a summit. They talk about global warming, Antarctica's ice, climate change, and overpopulation!

The Chinese have realized their stupidity in the implementation of the one-child policy for over 35 years and lifted its own policy.

Guys, go kill the boar, deer, anything, eat, rejoice and praise God.

Go, cut the trees, build a home, and enjoy life.

God is preserving the world, someday, He will destroy the world, very soon, whenever Jesus comes back!

Bible Reading Reflection from 1 Peter 1-5

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (KD) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible] 

1 PETER 1:18-19

"Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot."

I am unworthy of God's grace. If God strikes me dead tonight, God is still good and merciful! But that Jesus died for me, I am worth more than any other created things of the universe.

Since I have already been bought by the blood of Christ, I will never be cast away, I will never be forsaken, and I will never be given up. Even if I fall, I will never be utterly cast down!

And I will be perfected and will love God perfectly someday!

 

1 PETER 2:20-21

"For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:"

In suffering, Christians do not question (in rejection) the love, goodness, power, or the fairness of God. But we ask God for help and strength to go through!

A plain truth to be reminded of again and again!

 

I PETER 3:12

"For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

This is quoted from Ps.36:15-16. Since I am righteous in Jesus Christ, God's care, favor, and comfort are with me.

When unbelievers are prospering, and when we who believe in His name are struggling even for a living, it's not pleasant to swallow the fact, but the Lord's eyes are upon me. Life and Death, Fortune and Misfortune, Success and Failure, Wealth and Poverty, everything come from God.

The great one is not because of himself, nor the lowly one is because of himself.  God is Sovereign!

 

1 PETER 4:3

“For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.”

—Enough is Enough—

I grow up hearing parents yelling to children, teachers to students, oldies to young, "Enough is enough!"

Well, Peter is telling us here again, "Enough is enough!" We have had enough of sin in our life. We all are Ph.D. in sin. We are genius in sin. Like a master serial killer, we can get away with it without being confronted or caught.

Peter wants us to give up, not waiting to be confronted, because no matter what "new" sin we may be enticed with, all sins are the same, enough is enough! Indeed, sin is wearisome.

Each time I woke up late, it was because I thought, I still needed a little bit more sleep. Yielding to sleepiness, when I should be up and practicing spiritual discipline, was easier, looked sweeter momentarily, but later on, the day was already spent, the guilt and tension kicked in because of the pending works.

"Enough is enough" is something I have been preaching and must continue to preach to myself!

 

I PETER 5:4

"and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away."

This promise in the context is for the pastors. But every Christian will receive a crown of glory. I think even a last-minute convert will receive a crown of glory because though God rewards us according to our works, He rewards believers exceedingly more abundantly than we can or have ever imagined.

But our attitude and the atmosphere of heaven are not like in the world. In this world, we would like to kiss the trophy, cherish our certificates, and treasure them as souvenirs. In heaven, we will not cherish the crown itself, but the giver. In fact, we will not keep the crown for ourselves even for a minute, we will lay down our crowns at the feet of Jesus and will proclaim Him Lord of all, and give Him all the glory! (Rev. 4:10-12)

What a joy to think about this! 😇

Bible Reading Reflection from James 1-5

 [Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (KD) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible]

JAMES 1:2-3

"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience."

Patience does not come by saying, "Please come, Patience!" It is not something I can download or purchase. Patience is difficult to maintain, and it also comes bitterly. Patience comes through trials, according to this verse. If I want to develop patience, which God commanded us, and which is also the fruit of the Spirit, I must expect through trials. And therefore, I must count all trials to be blessings in disguise, to manifest patience in my life.

For a week, water was leaking from the knob of my cooler. I had been trying to fix it by turning gently, turning slowly, and this and that. I attempted to pull out the knob and try to tighten it. All my efforts were in vain. All kinds of thoughts were buzzing through my mind: to kick, to hammer, to smash it into pieces, etc. Well, that would be wrath, which James is forbidding us in v19. I just stare at it for a while, took cotton, plugged it, and it worked.

I thought, "Oh! I do not have a big (smart) brain, but even my puny brain seems to be bigger than my heart because I almost destroyed it before!"

It's good to have a big brain, but it's better to have a big heart. And a Christian must have a heart bigger than his brain!

Have I cultivated patience over the week? Well, judge for yourself! 😂👍

 

JAMES 2:19

"You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!"

The demons know God more than I do! Satan had been to heaven oftentimes. Satan was a holy angel before his fall! He saw the mighty works and splendors of the Most High God. Yet he chose to rebel. God cast him out for damnation. God ordained that there will be no salvation for any angel who sinned against God. Salvation is granted only to humans. I've nothing to boast in life except to fear Him who is able to damn and save according to His pleasure, and serve Him in joy!

 

JAMES 3

Tongue: Who does not need to control his tongue!!? Part of my new year resolution is to tell some of my trusted Christian friends to notify me whenever they hear me speak rudely!

It has been my experience that it's easier to make fun of any situation and look witty than to be gentle! But God doesn't call us to be witty but to be gentle!

I am giving you all permission to confront me gently if you see me not speaking gently to anyone!

 

JAMES 4:7-10

I like the way how NKJV translators give a heading for this passage: "Humility Cures Worldliness"

 

JAMES 5:16

"The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much."

I am not old, both in age and my walk with our Lord, but by being in a pastoral ministry, many have asked me to pray for them because of this verse. It's terrifying and humbling to be a pastor. Mark my word, I am not saying "it is an honor." I am saying it's terrifying and humbling.

3 years ago I was traveling on a public bus. They asked me to pray for our safe journey. And actually, we had a terrible journey, but all reached home safely (not a hair was lost)! There was a terrible landslide just before us. Actually, it was and still is humbling when God answered it in a different way never imagined.

This Friday, somebody bought a bike. I was asked to invoke the Lord's blessing. I prayed earnestly. The next day he met an accident! 😬 It's terrifying and humbling to be praying for others. But, perhaps, God delivered him from a major accident, for which I am thankful to God! 👍