The Bride of Christ

How I long to be with You Lord, my Lover and friend.
How I love to be with You on that Day that You will come and capture my heart, my very soul.

How i need to prepare myself to wait on You, to prepare myself for that glorious Day where we can finally be in unity.

Lord how i need to prepare and dress myself up for the big day and wait for it eagerly in full expectation. BECAUSE of LOVE that ravishes my heart that I will wait eagerly. Because of LOVE that I will prepare and Because of Love I will honor the Bridegroom.

Hallelujah to the Lamb Who was slain, Hallelujah to the King of Kings Who adorns us with jewels. Hallelujah for He is preparing a table and place for us. Hallelujah to our God who loves and cherishes us.

Hallelujah for He is worth the wait, the LOVE and the devotion of our bridal longing. Hallelujah to the One Who is to come ! =] ! Jesus is the Lamb Who was slain, our bridegroom King !

The Naked Truth

Recently I have pondered on the transparency of the bible. I have pondered on how ugly is the truth of the bible. How honestly laid out are its events throughout its pages. The events surrounding the great women and men of God in the bible are not always perfect life stories that are filled with glory throughout their lives. Most of them made mistakes. Most of them were there with sometimes a degree of wickedness, failures and evil.

As an example, Abraham believed that his descendants will be as numerous as the stars according to the Word of the Lord had this credited as his righteousness. However later on we read that he heeded Sarai’s words and conceived with Hagai. To me this is a failure to wait on God. Is it not? The moment of God is perfect; the moment that we fail to wait to my understanding is simply a lack of faith. Now this writing is not to condemn Abram but to highlight the imperfection of the man who has received God’s favour as a father of all nations. Though his faith pleased the Lord, his faith was at times imperfect.

David was also a great and famous character of the bible. Famously known in his victory against Goliath and how he believed in the Word of the Lord more than anyone around him when he encounters his enemies (read 1 Samuel 18 onwards). This man was a man that chases after God’s own heart. This man was a role model for many Christians I know. But his failures with his walk were to a degree that is normally questionable. He was a murderous adulterer in the case of Bathsheba and Uriah the Hittite. Where was the glory in that? But God’s love moves beyond the sin of men as long as these men are willing to repent.

“For David had done what was right in the eyes of the LORD and had not failed to keep any of the LORD’s commands all the days of his life—except in the case of Uriah the Hittite.”

[1 Kings 15:5]

Now there are countless and numerous stories of the bible that reflected these men and women of God in their moments of failures and weaknesses. For instance, Joseph was a proud man, Peter disowned Jesus, Joshua was a coward and things such as the disciples falling asleep moments before Jesus was arrested and brought to trial. These things were not to be proud of and shall be hidden in my dictionary to display the gallery of greatness.

Illustratively, we would not display a great piece of art which is costly in price but has bits and pieces of cracks in it. Although expensive in price, to us they cannot reflect beauty as it has already been scarred and is impossible to restore.

For the girls, put it simply, a beautiful gown is beautiful if it retains its original condition. But as it grows older and is worn out with loose thread and holes, we cannot most of the time continue to patch the missing parts. It will look deformed and ugly. It is not the perfect dress that we love anymore. Those areas that have stains we will attempt to cover with something else 99% of the time in an effort to magnify its beauty?

Yet why has the Lord included these blots of transgressions, these ugly pieces of mistakes into His artful display of greatness?

One thing I can relate to is that His love is unfailing in our lives. That we do not need to always have it together in every moment of our lives to be able to be used by Him.

“Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. ²⁷ But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. ²⁸ God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, ²⁹ so that no one may boast before him. ³⁰ It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.’

[1 Corinthians 1:26-30]

These mistakes were included and told of in the bible purposefully for the glory of the Lord. These mistakes were shown to others in a sole purpose of perfecting His masterpiece.

These cracks and stains were not things to be hidden in the eyes of God but instead they are jewels in perfecting the glory of the Lord in the lives of these men and women of God.

So what are the things have you chosen to hide before the eyes of men when u became a church-goer? Are they ugly enough that it may glorify the Lord even more now that you have repented of your past? I am walking in honesty before the world and before Him. The past that I had was ugly enough and yet if it were to glorify the name of Jesus in my life I would offer it unto Him as a pleasing sacrifice. A sacrifice that lies in the lips of men to talk and judge of but a personal testimony to this world of how God can change my life, my ways and my heart. I live for the Lord and die to the Lord, whether it was by word of mouth or deeds I am only here to glorify His holy Name.

Our past mistakes and failures in life can provide a unique restored beauty in life, a message of hope to others in times of trouble and distress. The delivering hands of the Lord from our past is a testimony that we have tasted the authentic goodness of God’s love in our lives and further advances His glory within us.

“You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. ³ You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.”

[2 Corinthians 3:2-3]

Therefore do not be ashamed nor hide your past in the eyes of men, they are like beautiful pearls that were formed through the dusts of our past.

“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. “

[Romans 15:4-6]

I urge you as servants of God to place our confidence in the Lord, not staggering in faith by the wind of accusations but remain firm in our faith as we live to the Audience of One!

“I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord WHO judges me.”

[1 Corinthians 4:3-4]

“3 Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. ⁴ Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. ⁵ Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: ⁶ He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun...²³ The LORD makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; ²⁴ though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand. ³⁹ The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD; he is their stronghold in time of trouble. ⁴⁰ The LORD helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.”

[Psalm 37:3-6, 23-24, 39-40]

“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.”

[Romans 15:13]

Written by,

Amanda Setiadi on October 24^th, 2011.

Psalm 110

Psalm 110

Of David. A psalm.

¹ The LORD says to my lord:^[a]

“Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet.”

² The LORD will extend your mighty scepter from Zion, saying,
“Rule in the midst of your enemies!”
³ Your troops will be willing
on your day of battle.
Arrayed in holy splendor,
your young men will come to you
like dew from the morning’s womb.^[b]

⁴ The LORD has sworn
and will not change his mind:
“You are a priest forever,
in the order of Melchizedek.”

⁵ The Lord is at your right hand^[c];
he will crush kings on the day of his wrath.
⁶ He will judge the nations, heaping up the dead
and crushing the rulers of the whole earth.
⁷ He will drink from a brook along the way,^[d]
and so he will lift his head high.

To my Father =]...

Father, how lovely are Your ways...

How awesome and wondrous You are in my life.
Let me be all about You Jesus and let my life springs fruits for you to delight in.
How i want to dance at the sound of Your love.
How I want to keep my heart broken and contrite that I may be low at Your feet and not forget the sweetness of Your embrace.
How my heart is continuously mended to be more like Yours.

Father forgive my proud life. Forgive my proud heart.
Forgive my self righteousness. Forgive my heart and thoughts for they are evil, deceitful and transgression before Your sight.

Forgive me Lord when I judge for I too will be judge and who am i to judge when the others are also your beloved ones. My Lord, my Love, My Wonderful One. How lovely are Your ways, how pure You are and How amazing You are and how good You are in my life.

Let Your hands vindicate me, for I put my trust in You alone and not men. I am not here to be a magnificent display of perfection for everyone to praise of. I am here to display how gracious You have been in my life. I am here to extend Your goodness, Your mercy, Your blessings, Your love unto this world through my imperfect being. I am here to whisper YOUR Words of LOVE, Your Words of encouragement, YOUR hands of love, YOUR feet that tramples on the enemy. The Word that shapes the world shall be spoken and came to be. For You are the Sovereign One and to YOU are all the glory and honor and praise !

I love YOU Lord =]...

The Brick - from dad on 17/10/2011

THE
BRICK

A young and successful
executive was traveling down a neighborhood street,
going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was
watching for kids darting out from between parked
cars and slowed down when he thought he saw
something.

As his car passed, no children appeared.
Instead, a brick smashed into the Jag's side door!
He slammed on the brakes and backed the Jag back to
the spot where the brick had been thrown.

The angry
driver then jumped out of the
car, grabbed the nearest kid and pushed him up
against a parked car shouting,

'What was that all about and who are you? Just what
the heck are you doing? That's a new car and that
brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money.. Why
did you do it?' The young boy was apologetic.
'Please, mister....please, I'm sorry but I didn't
know what else to do,' He pleaded. 'I threw the
brick because no one else would stop...' With tears
dripping down his face and off his chin, the youth
pointed to a spot just around a parked car. 'It's my
brother, 'he said 'He rolled off the curb and fell
out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him
up.'

Now sobbing, the boy
asked the stunned executive, 'Would you please help
me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and
he's too heavy for me.'

Moved beyond words,
the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling
lump in his throat.. He hurriedly lifted the
handicapped boy back into the wheelchair, then took
out a linen handkerchief and dabbed at the fresh
scrapes and cuts.. A quick look told him everything
was going to be okay. 'Thank you and may God bless
you,' the grateful child told the stranger.. Too
shook up for words, the man simply watched the boy!
push his wheelchair-bound brother down the sidewalk
toward their home...

It was a long, slow
walk back to the Jaguar. The damage was very
noticeable, but the driver never bothered to repair
the dented side door. He kept the dent there to
remind him of this message: 'Don't go through life
so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to
get your attention!' God whispers in our souls and
speaks to our hearts. Sometimes when we don't have
time to listen, He has to throw a brick at us. It's
our choice to listen or
not.

Thought for the
Day:

If God had a
refrigerator, your picture would be on
it.

If He had a wallet,
your photo would be in
it.

He sends you flowers
every spring.

He sends you a sunrise
every morning Face it, friend - He is crazy about
you!

Send this to every
'beautiful person' you wish to
bless.

God didn't promise
days without pain, laughter without sorrow, sun
without rain, but He did promise strength for the
day, comfort for the tears, and light for the
way.

Read this line very
slowly and let it sink
in...

If God brings you to
it, He will bring you through
it.