Holding Fast to the Word of Life in 2010!

This shall be my first post at this blog. It's been a long long time since I last blogged. And must be something edifying, interesting, related to faith right. So I assume this blog has no attacks. (unlike fb)

Allow me to share what I have learnt through a sermon that I have watched online. The title was "Holding fast to the word of life in2010" by John Piper. Apart from the fact that the preacher can be quite loud at times (ear-blowing!!), he is a passionate speaker who combines mind and heart together. What do I mean by this? Watch ityourself lah... (sounds jokingly but I am serious)

John Piper ended by asking the audience to have 6 ways to make sure we hold fast to the word. The following is my 6s:
1) Think of at least one implication from every QT
2) Read one chapter of good literature christian book every week
3) Make good use of my train time by reading something from bible or good books
4) Ploughing WOG every week
5) Listen to sermon carefully every week (Jesus says in Luke 8:18 to consider carefully how you listen)
6) Memorise a verse every week

The verse he took from is Phil 2: 14-16.
Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights inthe world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.

He first explained there is a spiritual diet without which no Christian can be strong and healthy and fruitful. And that is a diet of the word of God. Which is certain that no Christian can deny. However, I thought it interesting when he also said that reading or memorising the scripture can no automatically make any believer strong and grow. Because any Pharisee can do much more than these and yet Jesus said nothing good about them. Thus, he used Eph 1:18 "having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints," to stress that praying for eyes to see the WOG is crucial. If the God of the Bible does not open our eyes to His Word, no matter how many hundred hours we spend in reading, studying, ploughing whatever, we will never see its glory and of course God himself. Hearing this breaks my confidence in whatever amount of time I put in, whatever work I have done (which should be no confidence at all). And it does make me think how many times do we really seek God's illumination when we study His Scriptures...

And if we don't hold fast to the Word, how do we shine as lights in the world, according to Phil 2 verses? In this society where post-modernism rules, where existentialism rules, where tolerance of religion is low, Christians ought to be distinctive in our character and stand. In my workplace, such ideology is true. I have colleagues (also my friends) who think nothing about pornography (ladies leh, not guys), jokes about lust and promotes homosexuality. I have to say it is difficult to stand distinctive as a Christian. Many a times I failed to do so. I can only explain that all these are serious and ain't funny. I also explained to them the consequences of all these wrong thinkings (which have already happening) and it is no funny matter. We, as Christians, ought to weep for our society too, besides explaining our stand. Weep for our sins, not only when we failed to get what we want, not only when our friends don't understand us, but when our society sins against God of truth, God of morality, God of holiness.

Alright, I am done. And the above looks wordy.