3 May
Please note that Joie de Vivre is closed, and I’ve moved to a new location: Word And Verse.
If you like, please update all links to my blog to point to the new address. Content on this blog will be wiped, and I’ll probably use it as a personal blog from then on.
I hope to see you at Word And Verse!
Shalom.
30 Apr
I recently caught another sermon by pastor Kong Hee of City Harvest Church. Speaking on prayer and quoting Mark 16:17-18, he advised that “the key to power and protection, to the wisdom of God, to solve society’s problem, to shine for the kingdom is praying in tongues.”
Uh, no, pastor, it’s not.
Society’s problems cannot be solved by Christians praying in tongues. The world needs to hear the Gospel, repent and turn to Christ, not through humanist efforts. You can build the best hospitals, have the best doctors but there will always be disease and death, and the eternal fates of people are more important.
Yes, you can and should take care of people’s physical needs for we are to feed the poor and take care of widows, but that must come after the Gospel is preached. Did Paul build hospitals to help the heathen turn from their false gods and pagan practices? No, he preached the Gospel and the Gospel only.
Here’s an excerpt from the sermon which you can watch here (Jabez 2: Prayer Part B):
So what is Jesus saying? As you engage culture, God’s power will ensure you’ll solve society’s problem. You’ll find solution for people that are sick, you’ll find solution for people who are oppressed, you’ll do miraculous work. You’ll find the solution for every answer the world is looking for.
…
How to get into that kind of power?
…
You see, right in the middle of Jesus’ command here, He gave us a little key. He said “In my name, you gotta speak with new tongues.”
That means the key to power and protection, to the wisdom of God, to solve society’s problem, to shine for the kingdom is praying in tongues.
And I didn’t say that; Jesus said that!
I am quite sure that our Lord Jesus Christ didn’t say that at all, meaning this pastor is putting words into God’s mouth.
Seriously, I am warning that one be careful not to follow after such teachings.
You’ll notice that, if you fast forward the sermon, the entire congregation was told to break forth and speak in tongues, which is an obvious disregard to the instructions given by Paul for orderly worship.
What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret. But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God.
Worse yet, there was an altar call right after. I wonder how true Paul’s words earlier in 1 Corinthians would be for some unbelievers there!
If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your minds?
It saddens me that so many are led astray…
23 Apr
I am going through a bad case of bloggers’ block at the moment, but with so many thoughts on my mind I’d really like to share, I thought this a la carte series would be a good way to do so without having to kill too many brain cells trying to conjure up a decent post.
This video reminded me a lot of the time when my maternal grandpa passed away when I was very young. I still vividly remember the conversation that an aunt had with my mom when the latter asked what his last words were (we lived a distance away and wasn’t there when my grandpa passed on).
20 Apr
It is my privilege to be one of the authors at a new blog Contending. Defending. with some of the most God-fearing and faithful men in the Christian blogosphere — The Pilgrim, Bill Phillips, Coram Deo, The Desert Pastor, and Four Pointer.
About Defending. Contending. (DefCon):
The Christian faith is under attack from within. This blog is dedicated to defending truth and contending for the Faith from the wolves that have secreted themselves within the flock. This blog also exists to lift up Jesus Christ because when He is lifted up all men will be drawn unto Him.
This site is comprised of a community of Believers from around the world who contribute to this blog and it’s all done Soli Deo Gloria!
I’ll still be at Joie de Vivre, but will occasionally contribute new material at DefCon.
Do pay us a visit some time!
“Gasp! More of them true defenders?!”
19 Apr
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience — among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ — by grace you have been saved — and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs — heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
Hallelu YaH!
17 Apr
A 15-year-old school kid in Arizona wrote:
Now I sit me down in school
Where praying is against the rule
For this great nation under God
Finds mention of Him very odd
If Scripture now the class recites,
It violates the Bill of Rights.
And anytime my head I bow
Becomes a Federal matter now.
Our hair can be purple, orange or green,
That’s no offense; it’s a freedom scene.
The law is specific, the law is precise.
Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice.
For praying in a public hall
Might offend someone with no faith at all.
In silence alone we must meditate,
God’s name is prohibited by the state.
We’re allowed to cuss and dress like freaks,
And pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks..
They’ve outlawed guns, but FIRST the Bible.
To quote the Good Book makes me liable.
We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen,
And the ‘unwed daddy,’ our Senior King.
It’s ‘inappropriate’ to teach right from wrong,
We’re taught that such ‘judgments’ do not belong.
We can get our condoms and birth controls,
Study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles.
But the Ten Commandments are not allowed,
No word of God must reach this crowd.
It’s scary here I must confess,
When chaos reigns the school’s a mess.
So, Lord, this silent plea I make:
Should I be shot; My soul please take!
Amen
If you aren’t ashamed to do this,
Please pass this on.
Jesus said,
‘If you are ashamed of me,
I will be ashamed of you before my Father.’
I’m not American, but the poem also speaks so much about the state of the world today I am passing it on.
HT: Lavrai.com.
16 Apr
The wife’s already signed off on the purchase without hesitation, and there’s no grimace or complaint this time round. Plus, I am guessing getting a copy for each will be a great idea.
The ESV Study Bible was created to help people understand the Bible in a deeper way — to understand the timeless truth of God’s Word as a powerful, compelling, life-changing reality. To accomplish this, the ESV Study Bible combines the best and most recent evangelical Christian scholarship with the highly regarded ESV Bible text. The result is the most comprehensive study Bible ever published — with more than 2,750 pages of extensive, accessible Bible resources.
Join The Discussion