Best of the Best

In the beginning of the year, I wanted to do everything I could for the Church, my friends, my family, my school, and my own hobbies to the glory of God. I became very aggressive to be a server in anyway I could. As a sinner, I failed many times. Sometimes I collapsed because I could not keep up with the work. Sometimes I ignored the work because it was to difficult. But the one thing that stopped me was just the fact that it was too much.

Jonathan Edwards 27th resolution is about omitting the things that he could not do:

27. Resolved, never to omit anything, except the omission be for the glory of God; and frequently to examine my omissions.

He knew he was a man that can only take on so much. With this resolution he wanted to choose the best of the best that he saw fit that will glorify God the most.

"There were sermons to write, parishioners to shepherd, visits to make, individuals to counsel, letters to write, prayers to offer, books to read, and much more"

From Steve Lawson's book: The Unwavering Resolve of Jonathan Edwards.

With so much he wanted to do, he just choose those he could do to the fullest, and those that will glorify God the most. One example that Steve Lawson depicted was Jonathan Edwards choice to be a missionary for the Native Americans. He was kicked out of the Church over who can partake in the Lord's Supper. After that incident he could have gone to Scotland, or another place in the colonies. But he omitted those choices and became a missionary.

The foolish boy that I am, I thought I could be the most holiest person by taking on so many tasks. I was even warned of this by my discipleship group. One of them said(paraphrased), "You don't want to be the jack of all trades, but a master of one." Just seeing this as a resolution of Jonathan Edwards, shows me how humble a man he is. The man that brought the Great Awakening, is the man who knows he can not take on everything. May this realization bring me to humbleness and be more disciplined on even the work that I choose to do to the glory of God.

Pursing The Glory of God

My spring semester is ending Wednesday, May 19, 2010 and that is tomorrow. As far as school goes, my work disciplines could have been more focused at the tasks that were at hand. I'm not even sure if I'm passing some of my classes. I kept making sinful excuses to not put my best foot forward in my homework and classwork. But God revealed to me my weakness in my studies and has disciplined me in this aspect of my life.

Jonathan Edwards main goal was to glorify God. All of his resolutions were to keep him fixed on the glory of God. This goal of Jonathan Edwards should also be the main goal of a true believing Christian. Yet for us, we see this as a very difficult goal because of our sin. "Edwards realized that living for the glory of God could never be easy." From Steve Lawson's book, The Unwavering Resolved of Jonathan Edwards. But knowing God is more powerful then any sin, Jonathan Edwards pushed and worked hard to fight the sin in his life with his zeal to live to the glory of God. This was reflective from his resolutions.

This pursuit of God glory in my life has been a weak pursuit. I have been so selfish in my studies, so lazy in my ministries, that I can't even call it a pursuit. I should have know that this pursuit is suppose to be hard. This is fighting sin, this is working hard at all that I do. May this conviction push me more towards Christ likeness and towards the Glory of God.
As summer comes along my New Years Resolution has come to a point where it could be vanishing.

May this realization of God Glory become an eternal boost in my spiritual disciplines, and bring to life my New Year's resolution. I also challenge you who read my blog, to live out this amazing calling of pursuing the Glory of God.

A Blast from the Past: Johnathan Edwards

The first time I heard of Johnathan Edwards was at College and Career Bible Study at Kuya Erick's home. Mark P. was talking about Resolved which is a Conference and about Johnathan Edwards resolutions. I wasn't really into it much, during the time I didn't plan on going to that conference. In the sovereignty of God, He made me go and learned a little bit more of Johnathan Edwards. After a few months later, my spiritual maturity grew and I began to seek some Puritan's to study as part of my devotion. Johnathan Edwards name reappears at Shepherd's Conference and I decided to focus my Puritan study on Him.

My first reading of Johnathan Edwards is a book called "The Unwavering Resolve of Johnathan Edward" by Steve Lawson who is a great preacher and teacher of God's Word. The first thing I learn about Johnathan Edwards is his pursuit of holiness. Something that every Christian should also pursue. This study has caused me to look closely into my heart and my actions. I am not trying to idolize Pastor Edwards but I am trying to learn from his accomplishments and failures.

The book mentioned earlier organizes his 70 resolutions in these six headings:

1. Pursuing the Glory of God
2. Forsaking Sin
3. Making Proper Use of God-Allotted Time
4. Living with All His Being for the Lord
5. Pursuing Humility and Love
6. Making Frequent Self-Examination

I plan to challenge myself and anyone else who would like to partake, to use these 6 headings as building blocks for discipline towards holiness. May God be Glorified in this and praise God for all He has done for me even in this early study of Johnathan Edwards.

Discipline of Time

For some reason today I felt very sleepy and took about three naps. My first one was before school, I would drive to school early to get good parking. Then I would knock out so when I get to class, I'm rested but late. My second one was after that class. Instead of continuing to work on my project, I told my classmates, "Imma go take a nap." I went back to my car and took a very warm nap since it was during the afternoon. My last nap was at home while I was listening to Albert Mohler's podcast. It was titled "Christianity and Sports: Where's the Balance?"

When I wasn't napping I thought I was doing a lot of work. I was able to read the Bible, my devotional books, completed many drawing on AutoCAD, got to hang out with my classmates, exercise, visited my Nanay, and got a hair cut.

Even though I took three naps, I felt like I got many things accomplished. However that feeling of accomplishment changed after I did my book reading from "Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life". I was reading chapter eight and it was about stewardship. The first subtopic was about time and from what I read I feel like I shouldn't take naps anymore.

He gave ten biblical reason to discipline your time (Based from Johnathan Edward's Sermon on "The Preciousness of Time and the Importance of Redeeming it"):

1. Use time Wisely "Because the Days Are Evil"
2. Wise Use of Time Is the Preparation for Eternity
3. Time is Short
4. Time is Passing
5. The Remaining Time Is Uncertain
6. Time Lost Cannot Be Regained
7. You Are Accountable to God for Your Time
8. Time Is So Easily Lost
9. We Value Time at Death
10.Time's Value in Eternity

Those three naps where produced out of my sinful slothfulness. I could argue that I was really tired from before, but that just proves how undisciplined my time is. As I read through those 10 points, I felt so convicted that I had to write this blog. Time is a blessing and as Christians, we need to use it just a Jesus Christ did. Giving all to God and glorifying Him with the time given to us. There is no time in eternity, there's only glorifying a Holy God in heaven or suffering the wraith of God in hell. May those who don't believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, believe He can save you from the Wraith of God so that you may receive eternal life with Him while there is still time.

Dependent Theology

As an architectural student in the 21st century, drafting with a pencil and paper is no longer the main tools used to express our work; computer is. I spend all of my time on the computer, moving my mouse to make a line instead of striking a paper with a pencil. I input all my thoughts with clicks on the keyboard; l for line, c for circle, co for copy, di for distance. These are my tools. Using a computer make the architect very quick and efficient, but once you are dependent on it, you will lose so much knowledge of the original techniques. Don't get me wrong, I love working on the computer but if I don't know how to do it on paper, I am losing knowledge then gaining knowledge. Theology is a tool to understand the understandable aspects of God. But theology has to be processed through scripture for it to be considered a tool.

Theology is the study of God. People have many ideas, thoughts, books, and drawings of Him but where are they being derived from? People need to know that to know God is to know His Word. The foundation of theology is the Holy Bible. As Christians, we must base all our theology on the Word of God,and the Work of the Cross. If my theology is not based on these, then its no long theology, it is heresy. If my theology has no connection with scripture, then what's the point of getting into theology?

To keep your theology strong and proper, you must always keep aligned and depend on the Word of God.

Shepherd's Conference #2

Blessed is my soul, because of the sound preaching and the great fellowship at Shepherd's Conference. I praise God of all that He has given me and I will continue to till eternity. Shepherd's Conference really encouraged me to humble myself and stay under His sovereignty instead of sinning in His sovereignty.

The first speaker we heard was Phil Johnson on the war in evangelism. He gave us 4 points from 1 Corinthians 16:13-14:
1. Watch
2. Stand Fast in the Faith
3. Be Brave (Man Up)
4. Do it all in Love

He taught of the dangers in evangelizing and Jesus Christ and his work on the cross is not the center of it. You just bring a world of falsehood to the witness and bring them to an idea that they are going to heaven when truly they are going to end up in hell. That is why we must be watchful of what we say and what others are saying when dealing with this truth. We must be ALERT. We must reveal truth to them and that is the Bible. We should not turn to any other source besides the Word of God. That is our weapon that pierces the soul to repentance and sanctification. Many people will challenge your faith in the Word and in God so you must stand fast in the Faith of Jesus Christ.

You must stand firm in its doctrines and be immovable to the enemies advances. You must also not question God's motives, the Bible insures us that everything is working for the good of the believer, Romans 8:28. Above all, you must do it in love. Christians do not beat people with God's Word, Christians get slapped and turn to their other cheek. Jesus Christ came with love the first time so we too must reflect the love of God.

If you want a more in depth study on this teaching you should probably hear the one who spent his time on the scripture which is Phil Johnson. I just summarize what I learned from him. You can go to:

http://www.shepherdsfellowship.org/media/details/?mediaID=5238

for the complete study. I just want to share what I've learned and encourage others to hear, read and do God's Word for them selves. Amen.

Shepherd's Conference

It's 4:30am. I woke up at 3:30am because I couldn't sleep. My excitement kept me from sleeping for 3 more hours. Today I am going to Shepherd's Conference with Mark P. at his school and basically drowning ourselves in the Word of God for the whole day. This is why I'm excited; "drowning ourselves in the Word of God".

Last night I had to pray that my mind will absorb every single Word spoken today. That I become a sponge to all the love, fellowship, joy, endurance, faith, worship, soaking in all the preaching, teaching, praying, singing and anything I missed out. I want to receive sanctifying material at Shepherd's Conference. In my state, I know this is difficult for I am of sin and satan will try to prevent me from hearing anything, whether through the flesh, or through the mind. My own self will probably feel sleepy or hungry or thirsty.

But, thanks to God, my craving for Him is more powerful then any powers of hell or schemes of man. I stand in the sovereignty of God for I know that he will keep me because of what His Son, Jesus Christ, did on the cross.

I was able to get a taste of what Shepherds Conference is like on Wednesday. The message was so good that I made want to skip school on Thursday. But God brought me back to reality by reminding me of the ministries He placed me in which is Choir.
The Scriptures lesson for that day was 2 Corinthians 5:11-17. Pastor John MacArthur taught "5 Reason to Defend your Integrity":

1. Reverence for the Lord
2. Concern for the Church
3. Devotion to the Truth
4. Gratitude for Saving Love
5. Predestination in the Death of Christ

I was strengthened by this message to protect those I love in Christ and to not be ashamed of the gospel and to defend the faith. I pray today that I will continue to grow in the Lord and that Shepherd's Conference will be a blessing to my life. May I apply everything I hear into my life and become a doer of Gods Word, In the name of our Holy Savior, Christ Jesus, amen.

Are you disciplining yourself?

LABTS has started and we are now in our fifth week. I chose to take discipleship as my class from the beginning of the year as part of my new year's resolution. My resolution is derived from 1 Timothy 4: 7

"Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness."

In my past I had no sense of discipline. Everything was done with no consideration to God or other people. I was very selfish in my thinking and action. But God gave me a new heart of flesh and I realize there are things to do and not do. These actions require discipline.

From what I learned in class, discipleship is not church membership, religious conformity, social liberation, or intellectual savvy. Discipleship is to have a Christ - centered lifestyle, a Spirit led lifestyle, and a God exalting lifestyle. Discipleship is a lifestyle different from the world, but a true living of what God designed us to do.