Repentance

During a certain T4C, we were discussing the fall and we started talking 'bout how one should respond when they have sinned. We naturally arrived to the point of guilt. Should one feel guilty after sinning?

My answer is no. As a Christian, we naturally hate sin because GOD hates sin, but what happens when we sin? Yes, we should repent and run back to GOD. Yes, we feel bad BUT we shouldn't dwell on it because it is impossible for us to be brought back to repentance again. We all have sinful natures, but once we are saved, it is permanent. In Hebrews 6, it characterizes it as "crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace."

After we sin, we should go back to our Father, apologize and try to avoid sinning again. Every time I think of the crucifixion and how Jesus was crucified on the cross for no wrong doing, it brings me to tears. I could never bear to crucify Jesus again and subject him to humiliation. GOD, I'm saved and it's permanent. Thank you.

AMEN!

THANKSGIVING - DAY 6, 7, 8, 9

Down two days, have one day and an overlap of another = four days of thanksgiving blogs squished into one! The more the merrier, eh? During my days away from the computer, I've actually put thought into my thanksgiving blogs, but now it's awfully hard to remember 'cause, no matter how much I wish for it, my brain ain't no supercomputer.

SIX - SECOND CHANCE

GOD, I'm thankful that we got a second chance even after the fall of our forefather. You first gave us the choice to eat or not eat of the fruit and even after we failed, you gave us the choice to believe in you. Now where would my life be without you, O GOD? Honestly, I'd be living my life differently in its entirety. Life would not be worth living; we'd be living for the moment and for no other reason whatsoever. I'm thankful that you loved me even though I was still a sinner. I thank you for planning salvation even before Adam or Eve were created (even though eve became eve after she ate of the fruit). Honestly, it's by love that we have this undeserved grace. GOD, I'm thankful that I don't have to give anything, I don't have to pay anything to get this grace, to get this LOVE. I'm so thankful that it's free!

SEVEN - PRAYER

To be able to talk to you is such a blessing. What if I were speechless one day and I couldn't talk? I'd still have you. I thank you for being able to talk to you directly without a need for an intercessor! Sometimes during prayer, I can't put my thoughts into words, but I know that you know what I mean. It's just that you know my very heart and my mind. Sometimes prayer isn't all about the talking and I thank you for reminding me that. Sometimes it's all 'bout the listening. I can pray when I'm troubled, pray with my eyes open, pray when I'm singing, pray on the TTC, pray when I'm exuberant and pray anytime! GOD, I'm thankful. So thankful for this blessing that I've put up a post-it on my wall. You know what it says! PRAY anytime, just PRAY!

EIGHT - COVENANT

When your son came and died on the cross, a new covenant was formed. GOD, I couldn't imagine how difficult it'd be had the new covenant not been formed. We'd still have to sacrifice and we wouldn't be able to talk to you directly. We'd need an earthly priest, but that need was taken away when Jesus became our priest for eternity! Now we can talk to you directly and we no longer need to sacrifice animals and offer up other things. GOD, I'm thankful for this covenant that we have between us and for your saving grace. I'm not going to break it, but i'd rather renew it during every communion.

NINE - GOD

GOD, I know you're sovereign. I know you're omnipresent. Omnipotent. Omniscient. LOVE. Unparalleled. Majestic. The list goes on and on, but I'm thankful that you are you. You told the Israelites that you are who you are. You're just so indescribable! If you weren't all that you were, you wouldn't be GOD. Honestly, I'm thankful that you accept me for you are and that, even in your power, you still love us. I love you for who you are and for all your characteristics. You'll always be the same 'cause you're the Alpha and the Omega. It's kind of hard to explain, but you know my heart and you know how I'm thankful for you being GOD. I love you, Father.

THANKSGIVING - DAY 5

GOD, I'm really thankful that I live in Toronto. We have clear roads, health care and, no matter how much I complain 'bout it, a good transportation system. Honestly, so many doors have been opened to me because I live in Toronto. If I were born elsewhere, lets say China, there would be many things unavailable to me. The people that I've befriended due to my environment, the Chinese food I can eat as per my whim and just my city surroundings. I'm thankful for Toronto and I hope that we can make you become the GOD of this city.

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We were studying the fall of mankind today in T4C and this just hit me. In the beginning, we were sinless and we had the choice to sin (disobeying GOD is the sin) and eat of the fruit. After we ate of the fruit, GOD gave us the choice to be saved and have His Son die on the cross for our sins. Essentially, GOD has such father-like characteristics. He always gives second chances, but there'll be there day where it'll finally be too late to have that chance. Spread the word. ALWAYS.

Why Do We Love?

I finished worship practice today and, as I was leaving, I saw my GODmother and I wondered why I loved her. From there arose the question of why do we love? What triggers our love? I know that "We love because He first loved us" -1 John 4:19

I honestly have no answer to this question and I will update this blog when I have an epiphany.

Do you have an answer?

THANKSGIVING DAY 3 & 4.

So I missed a day yesterday because I was really tired and had hurt my ankle, so here's a double!

I'm thankful for my legs (even though I sprained my ankle yesterday). Honestly, I would be stuck doing nothing if I didn't have any legs. I love running and playing sports and would be stuck nowhere had I been born a cripple. I thank GOD for giving my these legs so I can run and compete. GOD didn't just give me any ol' pair of legs, He gave me incredulous ones that allow me to run faster than the average human. I'm thankful for this speed 'cause it allows me play at high levels in the sports I love. Whenever I see someone who doesn't have legs or can't use them, it saddens me because they'll never know what it feels like to run with the wind blowing through your hair or to run and slide in baseball. One day, I'm going to walk to the end of the earth for you, GOD. Just so I can repay you what you have given me.

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I'm blogging right now just before I'm 'bout to head out to worship practice. Worship is such an awesome way of expressing our adoration and praising GOD all at the same time. I'm thankful for music and my GOD given ability to have a sense of tone and rhythm. Music is such a big part of life because it's not just a collection of sounds ('cause that's just noise), but it's something so beautiful that all originated from GOD. To have music to listen to while I'm 'bout to sleep and to be able to sing with my friends is such a blessing. I also enjoy playing music to blow off steam or to use up some of my creativity. GOD, I'm thankful that you gave me music to listen to and music to make, so I return it to you in the form of worship.

THANKSGIVING - DAY 2

Prior to blogging, I had spent some time thinking 'bout what I was thankful for and I realized that I could put up a whole list. I wanted to do something that I could actually write about so that took more time to think. There are so many little things that I am thankful for, but a big part of my life that I'm really thankful for is my little brother.

When we were younger, our parents fostered a HUGE sense of love between us and it's grown to be more love than I have for anyone else on this earth. It's a brotherhood and I would rather put my life on the line that have his life at risk. It's true, greater love hath no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friend. Now I know that this verse talks about Jesus' sacrifice, but I think there's no greater love than that between brothers. Even Jesus uses this as an example of His divine love. Through anything, I know Jesse's got my back and I've got his. If it's an apocalypse, we're making it through together and I'm not leaving him behind.

I'm really thankful that I've been able to watch him grow over the past couple of years and I'm starting to see as he's maturing into the man he'll eventually be. No matter what time it is or what argument we've just had, he always knows how to put a smile on my face and to put me on the floor from laughter.

GOD, I'm just so thankful that you gave me this brother, one who looks up to me and one who has a character such as his. I know he'll grow into the man you want him to be and I pray that he follows you all his life. Make his heart a GOD fearing heart and may he get along with all men well. I'm so glad that he willingly signed up for TC this year and I know you have great plans in store for him. Show him the light 'cause I'm pretty sure he hasn't seen it all yet, but GOD, I'm just so thankful to have someone on earth to confide in and joke around with. He sacrifices things to be with me and to spend time with me, and I thank you so much for it.

GOD, I thank you for my brother, Jesse. I praise you for he was beautifully and wonderfully made.

Reconnection

So I was reading a friend's blog and I came upon this. It reminded me of my relationship with GOD and how I need to reconnect with Him, but the thing is, this wasn't posted about the intimate relationship 'bout GOD, but about the relationship between two human beings. I actually thought that it was talking 'bout GOD at first, maybe He's trying to get at something here. Here it is:

"feels like i can't even talk to you anymore.

i mean, it's cool when we do hang out, since we barely see each other, but seems like we're so uncomfortable around each other.

maybe people change?

i don't know how to explain it.

just wish that we had classes together or something, b/c it's like we never talk unless i make the effort to...

maybe that's just me..."

And this is my version:

GOD, it feels like I can't even talk to you anymore.

I mean, it's cool when we do hang out at church, since we barely see each other now, but it seems like there's something between us causing some awkwardness. It's like I can't see you face to face anymore.

Maybe I need to change?

I don't know how to explain it, it's just like there's something there that I can't quite put my finger on.

I just wish we could actually spend some quality time together, just like the good old days. It's like I never listen to your voice, it's like I'm not paying attention...

I KNOW that it's just me...

GOD, I'm sorry.

THANKSGIVING - DAY 1

I realized that I don't give thanks often enough in my life, whether it be to man or GOD. Obviously, giving thanks to GOD is more important, but we should still remember to be thankful for the people that GOD has given us. I'm going to be doing 30 days of thanksgiving and during these 30 days, I'm going to give thanks for that GOD has given me every day. Sometimes it may be specific, but sometimes it may be a collective, but thanksgiving is to be given.

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RYAN

At times I feel like there's no hope at my church and that there's no support or longing for GOD at all. He's the one who really encourages me to continue and he's the one who spurs me to grow. I share many things with him and he does too, just normally about things that we struggle with. I know he's still growing and that there are growing pains and questions to be answered, but I'm thankful for his support. I must say that his faith is stronger than others and he thinks very similarly to me. GOD, I'm thankful for Ryan 'cause he's mature and willing to learn more 'bout you. Ryan's also very helpful when doing worship 'cause he's willing to take time out of his day to practice and WANTS to worship. I'm thankful for his support in the church and his ability to explain things of life that he's experienced before that I'm experiencing now. Even though it's a small thing, I'm also thankful that he plays CoD!

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I haven't prayed intensely in a while and I haven't really been up to date with my reading of the Bible and it's starting to show in the wear and tear of my soul. As my soul starves, my mood to do anything is ruined. I've come to realize that our basic needs are met by eating, drinking, breathing and BASKING in GOD's presence. You get to the point where you no longer see GOD clearly and you no longer hear Him clearly. He becomes fainter and fainter, making you reach out for Him. It gets harder and harder to reconnect, but I'm going to do it. The same way I need physical nourishment, I need spiritual nourishment. GOD, help me in my quest. GOD, I need you. I need you badly, Father. Hold me in your arms once again and lead me along life's path so I have a purpose once again.

Amen.

GOD of Science

GOD is the GOD of science, but it doesn't work the other way around. There is no science of GOD. Science is the study of nature, of things that we can test and that are repeatable, but GOD is supernatural and has a personality.

NOTE: From what I'm about to write, I don't mean to demean GOD or simplify Him in any way, shape or form 'cause GOD is GOD and He's just too complex for our little human brains to understand. This is just a proposal and a pattern I've seen.

From Genesis 1:3 "And GOD said "Let there be light" and there was light."

Only relatively recently have we humans discovered that nothing is constant and that everything is relative to light. See Lorentz factor for more details. This means that the whole debate regarding whether the earth was created in a LITERAL six days or a span of millions of years can be resolved due to time dilation. In the Bible, it was six days because it was relative to the speed of the stars and they were travelling really fast, but the earth can be dated to around 4.5 million years because it wasn't travelling fast. Time was dilated and therefore the special relativity governs what actually happened. This is coherent because stars are heavy in mass, yet not that big... My point is that GOD is a GOD of order and structure. He likes to play by rules, albeit His. He also has PURPOSE. The first thing GOD created? Light. Now we know that light forms the basic structure of the universe. He knows.

For many years, scientists didn't accept that there was a beginning to the universe. Now all scientists believe that there was the big bang and that it was the beginning to all that we know of. The Bible CLEARLY states that GOD created the universe and started the chain that would lead to life as we know it. These are very coherent facts. I'm just hoping that scientists will learn from these things and seek to learn science from the Bible.

What I've learned is that sitting through science class is a way in which I learn more 'bout the wonders of GOD and His creation. I see that GOD's created a very special universe for us to live in and has tailored it so that we can actually survive as a race. Evolution contradicts that, but that's for another day. GOD just constantly tells me what He's done for me and that He made it all with me in mind. Just how special does that make me? It even reignites that fire in my heart 'cause it makes me want to KNOW so much more about Him! I'm just so thankful that the GOD we believe in, the one true GOD, is a GOD of order and one who loves us so much that He was willing to prepare everything AND STILL send His only Son to rescue us all. It's like someone building the house, furnishing it AND STILL paying the rent for you. Why? 'Cause it's love. It's that simple.

LORENTZ FACTOR:

Essentially, everything is relative to the speed of light and changes according the ratio of how fast it travels compared to the speed of light. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorentz_factor

Break My Heart For What Breaks Yours

This is such a simple, yet elegant prayer. And it has changed my life so much.

Every time I see injustice or the broken, the sick, the fatherless and the lonely, GOD breaks my heart. I find myself crying or tearing up much more often. LORD, there's just so much pain in the world and so much suffering. GOD, the things that happen in the world, I know it breaks your heart too.

This morning, I was listening to the radio in the car while heading to church and Ravi Zacharias (An awesome speaker) was talking 'bout this one guy, Damien (You can google it along with leprosy) and how he LITERALLY reached out and touched the lepers. He was eventually killed by leprosy, but he did what Jesus did on this earth and he did what GOD would've done. He lived among the sick and he ministered to them. He was literally GOD's hands and feet on this earth. GOD I want to give up all my selfishness and all my reservation and just give it up to you. Use me like you used Damien, GOD; give me the courage! LORD, I can feel the pain in this world and I know you've called me to love. To show the love that you've shown me to everyone else on this world. Use me to heal not just bodies, but to bring their hearts to the ultimate healer, YOU.

When I prayed "break my heart for what breaks yours," I didn't know it was such a powerful prayer, but it has hit me. And there's more to it...

Break it, LORD, 'cause I know you've fixed it.

A Quick Prayer

Hey GOD,

I've really been feeling you recently even though I've failed you a couple, scratch that and make it a million, times. GOD, you want me to love like you loved me and you want me to show it, but I don't know how. I'm scared. I'm honestly so scared of what you're going to do with my life, so scared of how you're going to use me and even more scared of who I'll become after you're done with me. LORD, I want to be on fire for you and I want my soul to burn every single time I hear your name. I've been letting you chisel away at me for a while and I feel like I've retreated and maybe even regrown some of these parts. I think it's time that you start again before this cancer starts destroying me. LORD, I don't know if I truly reflect who you are, but I want to. I want it quick and clean, but I know it's not going to happen. It's going to hurt 'cause my fallen nature makes me love what you hate. I know it's not the outside that counts and not the results on earth that count, but sometimes I just can 't help but wonder why. It's so painful to see five or six people show up for Christian fellowship, but what have I done? WHY have I done nothing, GOD? Am I scared? It's not that I lack time, but the time I have, I spend with friends, playing video games, doing things that won't further my relationship with you and things that won't further your kingdom. Help me, GOD. I don't know where to start. I want to start again where the healing began and I want to experience you each and every day that I have before. Those times when you were so real to me and those times when I could reach out and touch your face. GOD I'm close enough to notice that you're around, but what I really want is to hear you, hold your hand and follow you. GOD, MAKE me who you want me to be, SEND me where you want me to serve and GUIDE me when I'm lost.

GOD, I'm sorry that I talked so much, it's time for me to listen and I did say that I would do a quick prayer. I love you so much.

LOVE, your faithful servant,

Justin Lam

As All Creation Lives To Glorify One Name

I haven't done my morning devos, so I have nothing really fresh to share revelation-wise.

As of now, I do know that many out there (particularly the students in TDSB and Peel) are thanking GOD because of the snow day just like me. GOD, I want to thank you for this opportunity to get some rest and to have more time to do devos! I'll head off to do them after I'm finished this blog.

Now glorifying and praising are two evidently different things. To praise is to proclaim an exemplary part of something and tell everyone how good it is. To glorify is to BRING praise, more specifically glory of course, to that something. I thought I'd clarify this first.

One day, all creation will live to glorify that one name. The name of Jesus CHRIST, the Son of GOD, CREATOR and GOD. I know that I listed a couple names, but if ALL creation is going to glorify it, would there not be a difference in language? Who cares 'bout the difference in language? That one name is still the same name whether it be said in Chinese, English or French. There's going to be a marvelous day where EVERY knee will bow and EVERY tongue will confess that Jesus CHRIST is LORD.

For an old catechism, "Man's chief end is to GLORIFY GOD and to enjoy Him forever." We were made to glorify GOD and to show how awesome He is. Our bodies are His temple and evidence of His spectacular design. What we say and do, whether it's something minor like arriving late for class, affects how we glorify GOD. If you arrive late for class, are you glorifying GOD? We need to glorify GOD and that's our ultimate goal. You may think that GOD created angels for this sole purpose, but the angels can only PRAISE GOD but not GLORIFY Him. We were made to GLORIFY, to reveal GOD's actions. Show how He is working through us. We have choices. The choices we make reveal what GOD has done in us.

Glorify the LORD your GOD, brothers and sisters.

AMEN.