04/01
The winter is past, the rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; The fig tree put forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away. Song of Solomon 2:11-13
Song of Spring
Arise, my love, my fair one, my hope, my savior, and come out from your tomb? Lo, the winter of shame has past; the spring of glory is come. The rain is over and gone. The black wind of anger, suspicion and jealousy will no longer overtake you. The time of the singing of birds is come. The voices of the turtle, the lack and the bunting are heard in our field. The fig tree is budding in pink the full bloom of cherry blossoms is near at hand. The vines with the tender grape give a good smell; all the woodland is starting to deck herself with gorgeous dresses. Arise, my love, my fair one, my hope, my savior, and come out from your tomb. Vanquish your enemy with love; quench your anger with grace. Like the field already tinted with spring, let there come forth a spring of charity over the world.
04/02
The time is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such to worship Him. God is a spirit, and they who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth. John 4:23-24
Faithfulness
One cannot know God without believing in God. If one doubts God from the outset, God will be an eternal mystery. Faithfulness is indispensable for knowing God, because we know God is faithful. A person of faith dismisses most of what others suspect of Him. Faith demands faithfulness. Faith disclose its hidden treasures one who approaches by faithfulness. Faith keeps rigid silence against skepticism, closing its doors tightly against unfaithful approaches. If skepticism draws near, faith will say aloud "Oh, get away from here. I have nothing to give you." The faithful will be foolish if viewed in doubt. To the eyes of skepticism, faith is a childish or nonsense matter. This is the fate of a faithful person; the more so is the faithful of God.
04/03
And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? That is to say, My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Matthew 27:46
Religion is Personal
Religion is personal, not general. It is not "we," but "I," not plural, but singular person. It is not humankind or humanity, but I myself. "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me" was Jesus' own religion. "O wretched man that I am. Who shall deliver me out of the body of this death?" (Romans 7:24) was Paul's religion. Theologians seeking after general truth of religion, never find it. God is found only in one's inmost soul; and a person who cannot make oneself an object-lesson in religion, can never be its preacher. Modern Christianity is tasteless and powerless, chiefly because it is general and social, and not personal and individual. Is there anyone more useless than the "expert" in religion under heaven?
04/04
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus; Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God; But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of humans; And being found in manner as a human, he humbled himself, and became obedient to death, even the death of the cross. Philippians 2: 5-8
Humbleness
Humbleness is a fine virtue. But it should not be an intentional attempt, which may be called a humbleness in appearance. In most cases, a "humble concession" or a "humble resignation" does not mean humbleness out of one's own heart, but merely to cover one's own defects or to demonstrate one's pretended humbleness. True Humbleness should not always be praiseworthy. Respectable and worthy humbleness means to be empty-handed before God, that is, a sublime unconsciousness which works nobleness without knowing. This is true humbleness, which can only be attained by one who empties one's self in Christ Jesus.
04/05
This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. But for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all long-suffering, as a pattern to those being about to believe on Him to life everlasting. 1 Timothy 1:15-16
Am I Christian?
I am a Christian only in the sense that I am a chief of sinners, and am what I am by the grace of God. In any other sense, I am not a Christian. I am not a member of any church. I am not a Catholic; neither am I a Protestant. I have not set my name to any set of dogmas formulated by theologians. I am not supported by any one of innumerable Christian institutions. If I am a Christian at all, I am a Christian only in my innermost soul. Outwardly, I am as unrelated and unprivileged as any heathen; and churchly, I am a "Gentile" (Matthew 4:15) and a "publican" (Matthew 9:10-11).
04/06
Listen, O coast lands, to Me; and listen, lend your ear, peoples from afar; the LORD has called Me from the womb; He has made mention of My name from My mother's bowels. And He has made My mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of His hand He has hidden Me, and made Me a polished shaft. He has hidden Me in His quiver, and said to Me, You are My servant. Isaiah 49: 1-3
No Imitation
I do not imitate Augustine, or Luther, or Knox, or Wesley, or Carlyle, or any other man of past and present. I am myself; God made me for a special purpose, placed me in a special position, and appointed for me a special work. God leads me in special ways, because I am His special instrument. They who compare me to this and that man in Europe and America, misrepresent me and misunderstand God's design concerning me. God makes no two humans the same, and every person is His special handiwork. In that I was specially made, and am specially led by my God, am I a free and independent man. I look to Him for His special guidance day by day, in ways which He specially cut out for me. I am alone, but not alone, for God graciously walks with me.
04/07
When you heard the word of us, you received it as the Word of God, not as the word of humans. The Word of God truly works in you who believe. 1 Thessalonians 2:13
Best Commentary of Bible
The best commentary on the Bible is not Augustine's, not Calvin's, not any other person's, but one's experience of life itself. Without this, no vastness of knowledge, no height of culture will suffice to reach the depth of the Biblical truth. With one's experience mere ability to read the alphabet will be sufficient to know God's truth in the Bible. Driven out of the church, persecuted by fellow citizens, betrayed by friends, I can now will realize what the cross, the gift of Christianity, means. The Bible is proved to be God's Scripture because it is not a book of knowledge, but of experience.
04/08
The LORD shall judge the people; judge me, Oh LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to my integrity within. Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish the just. For the righteous God tries the minds and hearts. My defense is from God, who saves the upright in heart. Psalms 7: 8-10
God is Righteous
God is righteous. He fulfills his righteousness in this world without fail. But when and how will it be done? This is beyond human comprehension. The time and method of perfecting righteousness are entirely in God's will. We cannot know His will by our understanding. Desire to grasp His will nothing but disturbs our peace of mind. "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrew 11: 1). Believe fervently in God's righteousness and wait quietly for its fulfillment; this is an ideal attitude of a Christian life.
04/09
Truly I say to you, That whosoever shall say to this mountain, Be removed, and be cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in one's heart, but shall believe that those things which one says shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever one says. Mark 11:22-24
Faith and Miracle
A miracle is an issue of faith, not of reason. Faith does not determine a miracle; but first faith comes and miracle follows. A miracle cannot exist without faith. Will there be no miracle under God's mercy, when we courageously, with faith, follow Gods' command? Never say "My power fails to do a miracle"; Almighty God does it. God employs my faith and courage to tear asunder the stubborn heart of the aged. God speaks a few simple words through my mouth to lead my brethren and friends to repentance. Nothing is done while one hesitates cowardly. Many a lost chance of doing miracle. Have faith and be courageous.
Pre
Up
Next