moving out

I have to admit that I am totally in love with the slick themes in wordpress

and a little bit bored with blogger

and yes, i'm moving out

http://uponmyknees.wordpress.com

this post is just in case, if anyone is following this blog, if not, oh well it's totally okay :p

Random Verses

I have seen the burden God has laid on men. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil--this is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him. Ecclesiastes 3:10-14

How Deep the Father's Love for Us

How deep the Father's love for us, how vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son to make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss, the Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the Chosen One bring many sons to glory

Behold the man upon a cross, my sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that held Him there until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life - I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything, no gifts no power no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection
Why should I gain from His reward; I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart; His wounds have paid my ransom

Again, a very familiar hymn, very nice tune, very easy to sing, if we don't pay close attention to the words.

To really look at the words and to sing is another thing, another very difficult thing to do.
To sing and know that we, the wretch, are made treasures, children of God
To sing about the Father turning His face away from His beloved son, because of us
To sing and realize about how it was our mocking voices among the scoffers when Jesus was at the cross.
To sing about how He held on our sins until it was accomplished, He endured it, the separation from the Father He loved.
And how His death brought me life.

Yet, what kind of life are we living?

Again, we realize how unworthy we are.
Nothing to boast except in Him.

I love the last two lines :
Why should I gain from His reward? I cannot give an answer.
But this I know with all my heart, His wounds have paid my ransom.

Father, God who gives me endurance and hope, help me endure like Jesus did, help my unbelief.

His Eyes is on the sparrow

Early in the spring of 1905, my hus­band and I were so­journ­ing in El­mi­ra, New York. We con­tract­ed a deep friend­ship for a cou­ple by the name of Mr. and Mrs. Doo­lit­tle—true saints of God. Mrs. Doo­lit­tle had been bed­rid­den for nigh twen­ty years. Her hus­band was an in­cur­a­ble crip­ple who had to pro­pel him­self to and from his bus­i­ness in a wheel chair. De­spite their af­flict­ions, they lived hap­py Christ­ian lives, bring­ing in­spir­a­tion and com­fort to all who knew them. One day while we were vi­sit­ing with the Doo­lit­tles, my hus­band com­ment­ed on their bright hope­ful­ness and asked them for the se­cret of it. Mrs. Doo­lit­tle’s re­ply was sim­ple: “His eye is on the spar­row, and I know He watch­es me.” The beau­ty of this sim­ple ex­press­ion of bound­less faith gripped the hearts and fired the imag­in­a­tion of Dr. Mar­tin and me. The hymn “His Eye Is on the Spar­row” was the out­come of that ex­per­i­ence.

Civilla Martin

I've known the contemporary version of this hymn by Lauryn Hill through the movie Sister Act. It has nice tune, but what I didn't know that time was the words are even more exceptional.

Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

“Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;
Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,
When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,
I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Sometimes I ask myself that, why should I feel discouraged? even though times are difficult, why do I let the shadows defeat me? Don't I have Jesus, the shining armor, a constant Friend of mine.

And most of the times, those written in the 3rd stanza are very true. When we are tempted, when clouds of affliction come, our songs, our praises turn to sighing, complaining, and it seems as if we have lost hope. Be thankful for through these trying times, we draw closer to Him, set free from our afflictions and most importantly we are reminded and assured that He is our only hope.

As christians, sometimes we forget that from our so many experiences, we felt and we knew God's guidance, God's leading our paths, God's constant care for us. But many times, we just forget and worry again. Help our unbelief, O God. Let us be assured always that Your Eyes is on the sparrow and You are watching over us.

And not forgetting the Refrain though. I like it very much. Very simple, very easy to sing, but can we at all times do that? I pray that God strengthens me so that I can. The more experience, the more struggle, in Him I can then sing :

I sing because I’m happy,
I sing because I’m free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.

O Master, let me walk with Thee

O Master, let me walk with Thee,
In lowly paths of service free;
Tell me Thy secret; help me bear
The strain of toil, the fret of care.

Help me the slow of heart to move
By some clear, winning word of love;
Teach me the wayward feet to stay,
And guide them in the homeward way.

Teach me Thy patience; still with Thee
In closer, dearer, company,
In work that keeps faith sweet and strong,
In trust that triumphs over wrong.

In hope that sends a shining ray
Far down the future’s broadening way,
In peace that only Thou canst give,
With Thee, O Master, let me live.

O God, let your humble servant walk with Thee, without Your guidance, Your company, there are no reason to keep on living. Help my unbelief, guide my wayward feet, guide them to be patient and follow Your ways. Keep me closer, dearer to You, nourish me with faith, smeared by the sweet and strong smell of Jesus' blood. Grant me assurance of Your might, teach me to be joyful in hope, holding on to Your promise and linger near my God of Peace, my Master, for good.

Strategic Role of Mind in Sanctification

Romans 12:16 (NIV)
Do not be conceited

Proverbs 3:7 (KJV)
Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

Philippians 4:8 (NIV)
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

How we think determines how we live?

Before the Throne of God Above

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea.
A great high Priest whose Name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart.
I know that while in Heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free.
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me.

Behold Him there the risen Lamb,
My perfect spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
The King of glory and of grace,
One in Himself I cannot die.
My soul is purchased by His blood,
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ my Savior and my God!

I was listening to Selah's rendition of this hymn, the music sounded contemporary, and I wanted to find the original music of this hymn. Subsequently while searching, I chanced upon the words of the hymns, which were surprisingly relevant to what I have been through these few days near the exams period.

The second stanza contains a very important and powerful message. A point which most of us might have taken for granted, or even ignored and well again that is the genius satan working. I have been feeling guilty these few days for not being able to study effectively, and to an extent not being able to give my best. The guilty feeling kinda slowed me down even more, and there the vicious cycle continues.

The hymn told me "When Satan tempts me to despair, And tells me of the guilt within". I was reminded that while I thought it was normal to feel guilty, it is definitely not from God. Why would God make us feel guilty for something which He has already pardoned us for. Worse still, this guilty in a way blurs my focus on God, making me focus on using my own effort more rather than walking with God.

So how? what should we do?
Look up, look at Him, our Just God, the Perfect One, is satisfied with what we are because He was looking at us through Jesus who had paid for all those guilt we have done.

I think the rest of the hymn is very beautiful as well, I just wish I have enough free time to write up more on what I think the hymn means and how beautiful it is. Well, there's a time for everything. For now, this should be all :)

Lastly, I pray that God opened the heart of more and more people to appreciate hymns more. I myself found singing hymns not only reassuring my faith but also helping me learn facts that I usually take for granted. I find hymns as one of the great blessings as a Christian that I think no one should take it for granted.

PS : There's actually no original composed music for this hymn, I think, it uses tunes from Sweet Hour of Prayer and And Can It Be.

More Love To Thee, O Christ

More love to Thee, O Christ, more love to Thee!
Hear Thou the prayer I make on bended knee.
This is my earnest plea: More love, O Christ, to Thee;
More love to Thee, more love to Thee!

Once earthly joy I craved, sought peace and rest;
Now Thee alone I seek, give what is best.
This all my prayer shall be: More love, O Christ to Thee;
More love to Thee, more love to Thee!

Let sorrow do its work, come grief or pain;
Sweet are Thy messengers, sweet their refrain,
When they can sing with me: More love, O Christ, to Thee;
More love to Thee, more love to Thee!

Then shall my latest breath whisper Thy praise;
This be the parting cry my heart shall raise;
This still its prayer shall be: More love, O Christ to Thee;
More love to Thee, more love to Thee!

Quoting from Elizabeth P. Prentiss, the author of this hymn :

"To love Christ more is the deepest need, the constant cry of my soul... Out in the woods and on my bed and out driving, when I am happy and busy, and when I am sad and idle, the whisper keeps going up for more love, more love, more love!"

A simple piece of hymn but one which makes me reflect, do I long for the same thing as her? Do I pray that I will love Christ more and more each day? Maybe through so many afflictions, difficulties, suffering and pain, we can so easily say that we love Christ, just to get the comfort we need, not because we really are close enough to Him to say that.

This is my prayer too tonight, for myself, for people around me, for people I care about, that we all have the same eager and deep longing to love Christ more and more in any situation that faces us, be it afflictions and pain or even joy and peace. Loved by an everlasting Love is the reason why we desire to love Christ more.

It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes.
Psalm 119:71

I Am His, and He Is Mine

Nowadays since I have the two books of hymns with me, I love to just take one, randomly, and open any page, randomly as well. I am surprised and caught off guard every time by the hymns in front of my eyes. Not trying to be mystical or any sort but I believe every hymn is beautifully written and composed that I must explore all. Of course, if I choose, I will choose those that I know, somehow :P

Today, I got this hymn : I Am His, and He Is Mine. The title may look simple (I thought so too at first), I do not expect the words to be very theological, I expected it would be simple, judging from the title (prejudice-in-practice :p). But just take a look at all these :

Loved with everlasting love, led by grace that love to know;
Gracious Spirit from above, Thou hast taught me it is so!
O this full and perfect peace! O this transport all divine!
In a love which cannot cease, I am His, and He is mine.
In a love which cannot cease, I am His, and He is mine.

Heav’n above is softer blue, Earth around is sweeter green!
Something lives in every hue Christless eyes have never seen;
Birds with gladder songs o’erflow, flowers with deeper beauties shine,
Since I know, as I now know, I am His, and He is mine.
Since I know, as I now know, I am His, and He is mine.

Things that once were wild alarms cannot now disturb my rest;
Closed in everlasting arms, pillowed on the loving breast.
O to lie forever here, doubt and care and self resign,
While He whispers in my ear, I am His, and He is mine.
While He whispers in my ear, I am His, and He is mine.

His forever, only His; Who the Lord and me shall part?
Ah, with what a rest of bliss Christ can fill the loving heart!
Heav’n and earth may fade and flee, firstborn light in gloom decline;
But while God and I shall be, I am His, and He is mine.
But while God and I shall be, I am His, and He is mine.

The powerfulness of the words came straight from the first stanza : Loved with everlasting love, Led by grace that love to know. It talks about not only the peace from God, but the full and perfect one. And the second stanza continues with the joy of knowing Christ, to be able to see heaven above softer blue, earth around sweeter green which people who does not know Christ will have never seen : Christless eyes have never seen. The skies are bluer, the grass are greener, the birds sang sweeter and the flowers looked lovelier, all because we know that we are His and He is ours.

Then, somehow the third stanza hits me right on my weak spot. Worry, anxiousness, alarming states due to all worldly happenings: exams, assignments. Not to mention how my sleep has recently been badly disturbed by horrid imaginations, visions, sounds. Things that are able to shake my faith. But the hymn says, " Things that once were wild alarms, cannot now disturb my rest, closed in everlasting arms, pillowed on the loving breast". The author repeats again, the everlasting love of God here and added "O to lie forever here, doubt and care and self resign". Resign meaning we do not have to put an effort to remove it, they will on their own move away, because we are in Him. Very deep indeed.

I love the last stanza. I love the assurance despite difficulties. I love the promise of God. His forever, only His, Who the Lord and me shall part? And Christ Himself has said that, assured us of that. He died for us, a perfect salvation, once and for all, forever and no one could ever remove us from Him. The author even assured us more, that where we are and where we would be may change, may disappear, the light which brightens us may grow dim in this world, but while God and I shall be, I am His and He is mine!

Lastly, notice how the last part with I am His and He is mine is always repeated twice. I think we know that Jesus said that we are His and He is ours. But I think the author wanted us to go the extra mile and experience what it really feels like. So, it's as if, if you have really bad memories and forgot most part of the hymn, this is the part that you should always take away with you, so repeat that again : In a love which cannot cease, I am His and He is mine.

... the birds of the heavens have their home; They sing among the branches. Psalm 104:12

Righteous God?

Does the distinguishing, sovereign purpose of God not throw into jeopardy his attribute of perfect righteousness ?

Romans 9:13 :
"Just as it is written: 'Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated'."

Isaiah 10:22-23 :
"Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea, only the remnant will be saved. For the Lord will carry out his sentence on earth with speed and finality"

Sometimes we think how unfair it is for people who seem to do good deeds all their lives, but since they do not know Jesus until the end of their lifetime, they ended up not in Heaven.

Even my non-Christian friend once said, " If your God chooses who to save and who not to save, then how can He be called righteous? Isn't it unfair ? "

Well, Paul said in Romans, "Not at all!"

For God said :
"I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion"

When God shows mercy, a person does not receive a reward earned by his or her own efforts, rather, God extends sovereign, free grace to people who are morally incapable of any acceptable effort.

God owes mercy to no one, so there is no injustice when mercy is not shown.
The bestowal of mercy is a divine prerogative, it rests solely on God's good pleasure.

God is unfair? Paul thought the idea was clearly unthinkable : " Not at all! "

I remember a song I sang this afternoon, a song which suddenly pops up while I am working on my MATLAB term assignment. Something that we should always pray about and remember always.

Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul,
Thank you, Lord, for making me whole;
Thank you, Lord, for giving to me
Thy great salvation so rich and free.

O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go

Love Lifted me

I can't decide which picture to use, so I've put on to start the post off, and another one to end it. I like them equally, one for the visual effect and the other one for the deep meaning.

My hymn of the day today is Love lifted me! Indeed, when nothing else could help, His Love lifted me! Note to self : remember that !

Love Lifted Me

I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore,
Very deeply stained within, sinking to rise no more,
But the Master of the sea, heard my despairing cry,
From the waters lifted me, now safe am I.

Love lifted me! Love lifted me!
When nothing else could help
Love lifted me!

All my heart to Him I give, ever to Him I’ll cling
In His blessèd presence live, ever His praises sing,
Love so mighty and so true, merits my soul’s best songs,
Faithful, loving service too, to Him belongs.

Souls in danger look above, Jesus completely saves,
He will lift you by His love, out of the angry waves.
He’s the Master of the sea, billows His will obey,
He your Savior wants to be, be saved today.

I was deeply moved even by the first verse. Somehow it fits me well today. He who hears my cry, He who helps me. I'm not going to write much today. But I am just glad that He is still faithful even when I seem far away, even when I think I am so not worthy of His Care anymore. I guess this even confirms more that no one could ever snatch me from Him. Thanks be to God!

Love lifted me ! Love lifted me ! I would like to shout this out loud the whole night, can I ?

Blessed Assurance

“During the re­cent war in the Trans­vaal,” said a gen­tle­man at my meet­ing in Ex­e­ter Hall, Lon­don, in 1900, “when the sol­diers go­ing to the front were pass­ing ano­ther bo­dy of sol­diers whom they re­cog­nized, their greet­ings used to be, ‘Four-nine-four, boys; four-nine-four;’ and the sa­lute would in­var­i­a­bly be an­swered with ‘Six fur­ther on, boys; six fur­ther on.’ The sig­nif­i­cance of this was that, in ‘Sac­red Songs and So­los,’ a num­ber of co­pies of the small edi­tion of which had been sent to the front, num­ber 494 was ‘God be with you un­til we meet again;’ and six fur­ther on than 494, or num­ber 500, was ‘Bless­ed As­sur­ance, Je­sus is mine.’”

I shut down my laptop, I had my quiet time and I sang this hymn. I read the story, of how Phoebe P. Knapp, the composer, played a tune, her new composition and soon Fanny J. crosby was clapping her hands and exclaimed, "Why, that says 'Blessed Assurance'!"
I am not exaggerating in anyway but I am really WOWed by the hymn and the story, the powerful words and Crosby's God-given talent. She was blind but it was as if her sight is very strong. What are our eyes for if not for the Lord?
I told myself then, I could not just let this go, I must write all these down. I want to remember this.

Blessèd assurance, Jesus is mine!
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior, all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior, all the day long.

Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels descending bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

Perfect submission, all is at rest
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

Only in our full submission to God, that we find perfect joy, perfect delight. Only through fully surrendering to Him that we can be at peace. And imagine someone blind yet wrote about visions of rapture now burst on her sight. Rapture : the event in which all Christians on earth simultaneously ascend to join Christ, and are transformed into immortal bodies. Isn't that vision precious? So precious compared to much much things seen on earth.

I particularly like the last verse. The words are so beautiful : Filled with His goodness, lost in His love. Doesn't this really show how deep her love is for her Saviour? only when she understood His perfect love then she can do that. While I sang this part, I sang in awe of how God has used her to bless so many. Doesn't this show the world that though she was blind, and the world saw her as a weakling but her works said these about her " I am weak but He made me strong ".
She was blind, but she watched and waited, looked above. Shouldn't we, those who are blessed with the ability to see, learn from her ?

Open the eyes of our heart Lord, that we, too, can see the greatness of Your mercy, understand the depth of Your love and to be able to love You not through words only, but through our life.

O that will be glory for me!

Where do we find our glory? Where does our glory lie?
Is it our pride? our fame? our reputation? our achievement? or maybe recognition, self-satisfaction? What is it that we are pursuing in this life?

Sometimes I ask myself that when I am too overwhelmed with things on earth.

Life offers so many alternatives of things for us to glorify. For us to put a crown on it. But I guess in God, it comes so naturally, gracefully and spontaneously for us. Like that image of drops of water which just naturally,gracefully and spontaneously form a crown. If you love His Words, do His Will, we will find glory in Him and will in the end be glorified because of Him.

This hymn is particularly touching to me, this evening :

O that will be glory for me

When all my labors and trials are o’er,
And I am safe on that beautiful shore,
Just to be near the dear Lord I adore,
Will through the ages be glory for me.

O that will be glory for me,
Glory for me, glory for me,
When by His grace I shall look on His face,
That will be glory, be glory for me.

When, by the gift of His infinite grace,
I am accorded in Heaven a place,
Just to be there and to look on His face,
Will through the ages be glory for me.

Friends will be there I have loved long ago;
Joy like a river around me will flow;
Yet just a smile from my Savior, I know,
Will through the ages be glory for me.

Such grace, such love, so that just to be near to Him, a look on His face and a smile from Him may be glory for us forever. Men try to find glories in worldly things in vain but let's by grace seek His face instead and feel the glory it brings with it for that is the eternal glory.