The Bridge of the Eternal Destiny!

“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.” – John 5:24 NIV

Listening is one of our most important sense when we have conversations with people, who are around us. It helps us to understand what they are trying to say, so that we may comfort or give right responses to them. In addition, some of us, even, appreciate those who are just there to listen. Furthermore, listening is also vital when it comes to obeying because others might ask us whether we are able to do their favours or not. Otherwise, we might do things in wrong time and may get ourselves into trouble. When a big trouble happens to us, we joke around in saying that we are going to die, due to the fact that we hate every kind of trouble that we are going to have.

As we feel like we are dying emotionally when troubles happen, all of us are dying spiritually as well unless we come to Jesus Christ and have been born again through the Spirit of God (John 3:1-21), to be honest. The main reason for this is probably that we have lost the dependence on God, due to the fact that we have been trying to be smart and clever without Him. Losing dependence on God is probably the biggest sin that we could ever make because He has created us in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). Since we lost the relationship with Him, God sent His beloved Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to crucify Himself for our sins and brought us into reunion with God through faith in Jesus Christ (Hebrews 2:14-15), since Jesus Christ is the perfect image and exact representation of God (Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3). Moreover, when Jesus Christ was crucified and resurrected, God has poured His Spirit into us, in order to guide us into all truth (John 16:7-15). However, we have to accept and believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour and be baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, in order to fully become the children of God. Doesn’t John 1:12-13 say that as soon as we have accepted Jesus Christ and believed in Him, we become the children of God? Yes, John 1:12-13 does say that but when we look at Romans 6:1-14, it says that the baptism into Jesus Christ signifies the baptism of His death. In addition to this, as He was resurrected by God, God is going to resurrect us at the end of our physical lives as well. In fact, those of us, who have been born again through the Spirit of God and are the children of God, already has eternal life (Romans 6:15-23). Nevertheless, we have to remind ourselves that the following Jesus Christ until the end of the age is not that easy and we do not automatically become extremely holy and perfect people when we become the children of God. I was definitely not perfect when I became a child of God because I was having selfish-mind. I was trying to value myself by inviting friends to my celebration events and parties. Thus, I thought to myself that I should be baptised again because Colossians 1:15-23 says that everything is through and for Jesus Christ but I also thought that the children of God are becoming perfect in Him (Hebrews 10:14), so I talked to one of my closest member of the church, whom I highly regard and admire as a devoted and true follower of Jesus Christ. She told me that the baptism marks of the spiritual journey and is just an outward declaration. She also told me that it might take several years until full-realisation happens. Because of this and she agrees that the children of God are becoming perfect in Jesus Christ, I think that I do not have to be baptised again. Overall, the life of followers of Jesus Christ means that they are becoming perfect in Him and they are living their lives as citizens of the kingdom of heaven (Philippians 3:18-21). I am already beyond satisfied that there would be no condemnation in me and that I have a citizenship In the kingdom of heaven, where God, the Father and the Creator dwells (2 Corinthians 5:1-10). Don’t you!?

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.

You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. (Romans 8:1-17)

Like listening is one most important sense when it comes to obeying, we have to listen to the Spirit of God, whom is inside of us, all the time (Galatians 5:24-25). Otherwise, the devil and evil spirit is going to devour us to make us sin, which leads us to spiritual death (1 Peter 5:8). However, God is the forgiving God, who loves us so much and willing to forgive us all the time (1 John 1:8-2:2) if we repent to God earnestly. If we sin purposely by craving our own desires, passions, pleasures, and will, then we are basically crucifying Jesus Christ again (Hebrews 6:1-6), who has been inside of us as the Spirit. Therefore, we have to transform our worldly mind-set into the mindset of the Spirit (Romans 12:1-2). James 4:4-5 declares, “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us?”

I know that worship and gospel music can change our mind-set intimately but the best method for this probably is by meditating on the word of God all the time (Psalm 1:1-3). Because of this, I always do audio-Bibling while I’m reading the Scriptures, since I believe hearing is much better for me rather than reading. Devotionals help me a lot in meditating on the word of God as well. I read online devotionals because they help me to build up my faith and I can see how they are written so that I can learn how to write devotionals effectively. In fact, because I read online devotionals intimately, the Spirit of God has empowered me to become a devotional writer, so that I can encourage and help others to build their faith in Jesus Christ by writing devotionals. In order to function my mind properly in meditating on the word of God, I often read eight daily devotionals, including daily Bible-readings from Windsor Park Baptist Church, and three weekly devotionals in mornings and afternoons. In addition to this, I do Bible plans from Youversion in evenings, nights, or before I sleep.

Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete. (Luke 6:46-49)

The Wisdom and the Knowledge of God!

‘Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!

How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?”

For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.’ – Romans 11:33-36 NIV

Most of us would like to become smart and intelligent. Therefore, we study very hard to gain much knowledge, in order to solve anything that comes on our way and to help and teach others—passing same knowledge to same and lower generations. This means that not only study is for younger generations, but it is also for older generations. Hence, what my father has said about study is right, that studies never end, and we can finish homework but we cannot finish studies.

Nevertheless, God is omniscient—all-knowing—so He knows the past, the present and the future (Revelation 1:8), due to the fact that He is the Creator of the universe (Genesis 1:1) . He has created us in the image of God (Genesis 1:27) and to be His children (Ephesians 1:4-5). Because of this, Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross for our sins, in order to bring us back in unity with God through faith in Him (Hebrews 2:14-15). The main reason that Jesus came into Earth in the human being, as the perfect image of God (Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3), and had to be crucified to save us spiritually is God knows every physical and spiritual sin that we are going to make but He could not sacrifice Himself in His Kingdom because He is absolutely perfect and righteous Creator (Philippians 2:6-11).

But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:21-26)

Since we have unity with God through faith in Jesus Christ and we have been made to be His children, God desires us to be in relationship with Him by depending on Him all the time (Matthew 5:3) and getting to know Him intimately (John 17:3). For these reasons, not only I want to become a Christian Writer, but I also want to become a theologian. It is not like I am trying to be more clever than God but since He is my everything, I want to know Him deeply and intimately as I possibly can. My plan of being a Christian-Writer is writing Christian books, novels and devotionals because I love to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ through writing. However, I have no idea how to write Christian novels so I have to go to a Bible College after Unitec, which finishes at June or July, and depend on the Spirit of God all the time and see where the Spirit leads me. Although I found that going to Unitec is the will of God for me right now because of the particular reasons, I find it quite hard to follow lecture(s) along. If I just quit Unitec because of my desire to study theology, then I sin. Hebrews 6:1-6 declares that when we sin against God purposely, we are basically crucifying Jesus Christ all over again. Hence, I am completely trusting in God and going to try my best to finish the computer course (Proverbs 3:5-8).

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:11-13)

All of us need to know that we do not have to become a pastor, an evangelist, or missionary when we become followers of Jesus Christ. Nevertheless, God wants us to worship Him through everything with full-devotion and in truth (John 4:23-24). Not only we are supposed to serve God, but we also have to serve others through love (Galatians 5:13) as loving others is the main proof that we are in Him (1 John 4:11-12). Therefore, wherever we are and whatever we are doing, we have to let the Spirit of God to overtake us, in order to keep in tune with God (Romans 12:1-2). This is where I am weak at, to be honest. Thus, for this reason, I believe that becoming an ambassador of Jesus Christ at Unitec is the will of God for me, so I trying my best to become the light of Jesus Christ over there, even though my interest is in theology course (Matthew 5:14-16).

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. (Colossians 1:15-23)

The Justification Through Faith in Jesus Christ!

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” – Romans 5:1-5 NIV

Most of us tend to justify ourselves when we make mistakes, so when we do something wrong, we start it over again to make it right. If we cannot fix it, we give up and feel that we are unworthy to serve that particular thing. The more serious example for this is that some of us feel that we are unworthy to come to the Lord and Savior if we made so many sins and mistakes in the past, or we wait for a right moment to serve God for the rest of our lives. I did not want to serve the Lord through my computer servicing course, for I know that Christian-writing is the main will of God. Therefore, I decided to cancel the course but because of my personal issue, I found that going and being at Unitec is the will of God for me. Nevertheless, I still do not want to serve Him through the computer course but since Colossians 1:15-20 states that everything has been created through and for him and reconciled to Himself, I am trusting the Lord (Proverbs 3:5-8) and going to serve Him through serving people who are doing the computer course (Galatians 5:13-14). This does not mean that I am not going to study computer servicing.

All of us need to know that we automatically have been justified by God if we only have faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 3:25-26; Romans 5:12-21). The main reason for this probably is that God sent His only beloved Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to crucify Himself on the cross for our sins (Hebrews 2:14-15), in order to make peace between God and us through the Spirit (Ephesians 2:14-18). This means that we should make and consider everything as Jesus-centered (Colossians 1:15-20) as faith without deeds is dead (James 2:14-26). Colossians 1:21-23 declares that only if we continue in our faith full-devotedly and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel of Jesus Christ, then God sees us as holy and blameless in His sight. This means that if we have been justified by God through faith in Jesus Christ, then we would not face condemnation from Him. Instead, we would be in the eternal kingdom of heaven after earthly life is gone and faded away from us (Romans 8:1-17). In fact, eternal life begins right now if we believe and have been baptized in the name of Jesus (Romans 6), as Jesus Christ is the source of eternal life (John 11:25-26). Hence, the hope of God is not about our wishful thinking that becomes true if we believe in Jesus Christ all day long. It is the living hope that God would resurrect us in the glorious form at the end of our physical lives (Philippians 3:18-21; 1 Peter 1:3-9).

For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:1-10)

Although every follower of Jesus is part of the temple of God (1 Corinthians 3:16), we sometimes have to suffer if suffering is for God’s sake, whether it is physical or mental one. I think this is probably the reason that Jesus declares, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my message in these adulterous and sinful days, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:34-38) I do not have any physical suffering when it comes to serving the Lord but I have few temptations. I call temptations as some kind of mental suffering, even though it is not really mental suffering because it is natural to have temptations. Many of us would like to give in to temptations if we have them, because of our natural tendency, but James 1:13 and 1 Corinthians 10:13 say that God does not tempt us and He will not let us be tempted beyond what we can bear, and if we are being tempted, then He will provide us a way out. One temptation of mine is fatigue. I often experience it when I am continuing to write devotionals after I have eaten my breakfast or brunch. I get really tired that I fall asleep on the bed or on the chair.  After taking a nap, I usually feel guilty for not continuing to write weekly devotionals. The temptation also comes to me to lie down on my bed for a short while or to take a nap when I write a devotional. The another temptation comes to me when I am praying full-devotedly. I do not know why but all of my energy drains out. Therefore, I need to endure and persevere my temptations, due to the fact that I am a child of God (John 1:12-13) and living my life to please Him in every way through faith (Hebrews 11:6). Without the sense of being a child of God, I literally do not know who I am and why I am on the Earth for. Therefore, the hope of God that I am having now is to do everything for the glory of God and to expand the kingdom of God through Christian-writing. I think that the love of God has hovered within me so much, that I think having a theological mind-set is so natural for me. Romans 15:13 states, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters,make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:3-11)

The Great Commission in Christ Jesus!

‘Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”’ – Matthew 28:16-20 NIV

If you have given any God-given-authority, what would you do? I would make every day longer than 24 hours, due to the fact that 24 hours are not enough for me and I am weak at time-management. Actually, my wish would be making days longer and night shorter. If it becomes true, I would read Christian books and the Bible a lot, in order to gain knowledge of God. the main reason for this is that I want to be a Christian Writer, to influence everybody, especially who are non-Christians, to know what gospel of Jesus Christ really is. However, the one biggest disadvantage about making days longer is that we probably would not value our time. For instance, if every day is longer than 24 hours, we probably would not repent before God and we would keep on doing what is the best in our own eyes and perspective.

Nevertheless, if we are Christians and the followers of Jesus Christ, then we have given a mission to do by Him. Of course, obeying Him through the Holy Spirit is our main priority, but Jesus has called us to proclaim His name to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8) and evangelize who Jesus Christ really is to the whole world (2 Corinthians 5:17-21; John 17:20-26). The main reason that He has called us to be His ambassadors is that God wants to restore us back to His kingdom through faith in Jesus Christ, due to the fact that He has loved us so much from the beginning (John 3:16-18; 1 John 4:9-10). God has created us and when He saw everything that He has made, He declared that it was very good (Genesis 1). Therefore, spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ to others is really important. There are two reasons for this. One is that we may persuade and influence non-believers to know who Jesus Christ is so that they may follow Him until the rest of their lives by believing in Him (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The another reason is that we may encourage and build others up if they already are following Him (1 Thessalonians 5:9-11). Although I cannot speak properly, I am very thankful that the Spirit of God has been empowering me to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, the word of God, and about the kingdom of God through writing. Because of this, I have a reason to live (Psalm 139:13-16). This does not mean that all of us have to be a Christian writer, missionary, or pastor if we became Christians and the followers of Jesus Christ. God wants us to evangelize and to make disciples of Jesus Christ in any where we are and what we have been called to do for the glory and the kingdom of God. I believe that becoming a Christian-writer is the will of God for me because of the Spirit of God. I also feel very satisfied when I have done the writing, due to the fact that I feel I am doing the writing for the glory of God and I am building and expending the kingdom of God.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:11-13)

Baptism is the symbolism for Christians. This is because it shows and represents us and God that we have crucified and resurrected with Jesus Christ (Romans 6:3-11). Jesus states that we cannot see the kingdom of God, which means to have eternal life within us, unless we are born again by the Spirit and water (John 3:1-7). This does not mean that we have to be baptized each time when we realise that we have sinned against God. We just have to repent (1 John 1:8-2:2; Acts 3:19-20). I once thought that I have to be baptized again because I felt the baptism of mine had no real meaning. Although I have committed to follow Jesus Christ, my selfish desire had not taken away. My desire was to make myself valuable to the crowd. Because of this, I invited my friends to my celebration events. After a while, I saw Colossians 1:15-20 or watched a sermon of Francis Chan about it, so I meditate on it. It spoke to me that everything actually has been though and for God. Because of this, I thought Hebrews 10:14, which probably means that every follower of Jesus is being made holy and perfect for God (Colossians 1:21-23). Nonetheless, I kind of wanted to be baptized again, so I asked Jacqui Caetano, my spiritual mentor and teacher, whether I have to be baptized again or not, because of my selfish desire that I had. She said, “Baptism marks the beginning of the journey. Growth happens afterwards and may take several years before you come into a full realisation. No need to be baptised again. - that's an outward declaration of a spiritual decision.” Therefore, my thought of being made perfect in Jesus Christ for God was right and I do not have to be baptised again. Furthermore, the angels of God rejoices when we repent earnestly before Him (Luke 15:1-10). Does this mean that we have to turn repentance into religious routine, in order to make them to rejoice over us? No, we should not turn repentance into religious routine. If we have not been maturing in Jesus Christ and keep on repenting before God, then we are basically crucifying Him again and again (Hebrews 6:1-8). In fact, we should rejoice in the true repentance because when we do this earnestly before God, we tend to be more holy and perfect for Him.

Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:23-28)

Every follower of Jesus Christ needs to know that our mission for Jesus is only to evangelize who He is by preaching the gospel. It is the Spirit of God that can really change the hearts of people. I kept going and joined the first church in New Zealand that I went to, in order to just hang out with my friends. I completely did not know God at that time and I just did every kind of church routines, such as volunteering, to make people happy and because I liked helping people out. I was in the religious side for one and half years.  When I went to New York, I joined one of the Connect Groups that were happening in the church. After a while, I intensively felt that the Spirit of God is saying that I have to know Jesus more and from that time on, I became a true follower of Jesus Christ. Therefore, the Great-Commission work is our work that is mixed with the work of the Spirit (Acts 1:8). We also have to remember that God repeatedly said that He is going to never leave nor forsake us (Joshua 1:9).

But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you. (John 16:7-15)