Puritan quotations on suffering

The Puritans had the right attitude, which has been mostly forgotten today.

A sanctified person, like a silver bell, the harder he is smitten, the better he sounds. (George Swinnock)

It is said that in some countries trees will grow, but will bear no fruit, because there is no winter there. (John Bunyan)

On obedient child doth not only kiss the hand which giveth, but the rod which beateth. (Henry Smith)

He that rides to be crowned, will not think much of a rainy day. (John Trapp)

Well’s them who are under crosses, and Christ says to them, “Half Mine”. (Samuel Rutherford)

And I saved the best for last, although this is not a Puritan quote:

That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death; (Philippians 3:10)

Church Revival

I attended a fund-raiser for the Philippine Council of Christian Churches (this will be part of the International Council of Christian Churches). The music was wonderful, and it was a blessing to see so many local Christian churches together in one place, trying to work together for the glory of God. Certainly, the local Christian churches are in need for unity.

However, I am not sure that there is a problem. The Universal Christian Church, that is, the Church of born-again believers, is united. It has only one head: our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is just that this Church is invisible, as only God knows who is really saved. Of course, we can make an educated guess on who is saved or not based on a person’s lifestyle, but that is just a guess at best, as the sanctification of the believer does follow a rather meandering course (two steps forward, one step back, three steps forward, five steps back, … does not look promising, but then… ten steps forward…, then one step back…).

The motto of the conference is “Redeeming the Time; Uniting the Brethren”. This is a very worthwhile goal. We should make the best of the time given to us to spread the Good News: the Gospel of Jesus the Christ. We should fellowship with other Christian churches. We have differences in a few doctrines, but most of our beliefs are the same. Unity of local churches and the fellowship of Christians glorifies God.

I heard the phrase: “United we stand, divided we fall.” a few times during the event. However, do not think that God has a problem. God is always in control, and the Universal Church is united, and will be raptured soon.

As for church growth, this is something that can only be done by God. Can unity among local Christian churches result in revival? What is the key to revival? I will leave you with a lecture from Ian Paisley on this subject. Before I was saved I heard him speak and I thought he was such a wind-bag. Nowadays, I am surprised I never saw what a great orator he was. Definitely one step forward. .

Praise You In This Storm

Alright. Enough of hiding behind my videos. Now is the time for me to get our there and sing my heart out for the Lord in praise! In good times or bad.

I got some words wrong, but hey, this is live and unedited! I love the lyrics, which speaks of faith in the Lord’s love and provision amid incomprehensible personal suffering. Powerful stuff.

I only did a cover. Here is the original – Casting Crowns. I love their music, which rings true, and is Biblical.

Here are the lyrics:

I was sure by now, that You would have reached down
and wiped our tears away,
stepped in and saved the day.
But once again, I say amen
and it’s still raining
as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain,
“I’m with you”
and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away.

Chorus:
And I’ll praise you in this storm
and I will lift my hands
for You are who You are
no matter where I am
and every tear I’ve cried
You hold in your hand
You never left my side
and though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry
and raised me up again
my strength is almost gone how can I carry on
if I can’t find You
and as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
“I’m with you”
and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away

Chorus

I lift my eyes onto the hills
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth
I lift my eyes onto the hills
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth

Chorus

I pray that you are blessed! And for those of you who have made down to the bottom of this post, here is a treat for you: the same song sung by someone who can actually sing!

Guide Me O Thou Great Redeemer

I like this hymn a lot, and the Welsh congregation in the video below sing beautifully.There is one line in the song they are singing which does not sound quite right, and I suspect that the song was edited from the original. So I am editing back. It is underlined in the video, and you will notice the congregation singing a different line. Instead of singing “Feed me now and evermore.” they sing “Feed me till I want no more.”.That does not sound right, and in other versions of the lyrics on the web, the former is written. But the voices sound so beautiful that I tolerated the discrepancy and chose to highlight it for you.

I wonder what caused this to happen. Well, it is written: “He said unto them, An enemy hath done this.” (Matthew 13:28a)

Enjoy the music, and praise our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for eternity!

If you want to see the congregation singing, then here is the video. “Guide Me O Thou Great Redeemer”, sung by the Choir of the Morriston Tabernacle Swansea Wales (Public Domain). A great hymn by William and Peter Williams.

Here are the lyrics:

Guide me O Thou great Redeemer
Pilgrim through this barren land.
I am weak but Thou art mighty
Hold me with thy powerful hand.
Bread of heaven
Feed me now and evermore

Open now the crystal fountain
Whence the healing streams do flow,
Let the fiery cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey though,
Strong Deliverer
Be Thou still my strength and shield.

When I tread the verge of Jordan
Bid my anxious fears subside
Death of death,
And hell’s destruction,
Land me safe on Canaan’s side,
Songs of praises
I will ever give to thee.
Songs of praises
I will ever give to thee.

Jesus the Christ is the Truth

John 14:5-7 “Thomas saith unto Him, Lord, we know not whither Thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me. If ye had known Me, ye should have known My Father also: and from henceforth ye know Him, and have seen Him.”

John 18:37-38 “Pilate therefore said unto Him, Art Thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth My voice. Pilate saith unto Him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in Him no fault at all.”

What is truth? When Jesus the Christ said that He is the Truth, what could that mean? We often think of the Truth as something determined through reason and logic. However we are warned by God in His Word that these tools are deceptive:

Col 2:8 “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”

In the light of this, it should not be surprising that most secular knowledge does not agree with the Word of God. The reason for this is not that the Bible is not scientific, but that secular knowledge is based on a lie, which is, that truth can be obtained through human effort. Truth can only be found through Jesus Christ.

Who defines reality? God, or people? The Creator, or the creature? Christianity is not a religion, it is reality.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ in Japanese!

Someone left me a comment on my YouTube Channel: “You should share the Lord in Japan.”. What a wonderful idea. But how? Japan is so expensive to visit. Praise the Lord for cyberspace, where Japan, and most of the planet, is only a few mouse clicks away!

Here is a video of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in Japanese calligraphy. Please send this to your Japanese friends and also post in Groups frequented by Japanese.

Please hurry. The world economic downturn has hit Japan, and people are losing their jobs there, and suicide rates in Japan are one of the highest in the world. These people need to know about the love of God urgently.

The Word of God

Although the Bible was clearly physically written by men no word in Scripture is there by accident. The nation of Israel considered Scripture to be the Word of God, and this faith remains for those who are called according to God’s purpose. God is omnipotent. Nothing is too difficult for Him. If He chose to use people to write His Perfect Word, he can do that despite the imperfections of the writers.

You think that Christian faith makes sense from a human perspective? If does not, and this was intended by God, so that it will be obvious that God is the cause of faith in a believer, and not something achieved through human effort.

1 Cor 1:19-21 “For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.”

Notice the “it is written”? So I say too… IT IS WRITTEN!

How does one “prove” God to be the author of Scripture? One just knows. At first you wonder why you know that, and then later, you hit upon the reason in the Bible. Since the Holy Spirit dwells in the believer, and since the Holy Spirit is the Author of Scripture, it should be obvious why the believer believes that Scripture was written by God.

2 Cor 5:5 “Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.”

Satanic strategy is to cause one to doubt that the Word of God is true. Some attempts at doing this is to introduce thoughts such as “it is true if it meets certain requirements, and otherwise there must be an error in translation, maybe it is just a legend, maybe the writer, being human, wrote an imperfect book, etc. These are all Satanic thoughts. Keep away from them. The Word of God is perfect, and so read it and believe it, if you can. Only God can help you with the latter.

The first utterance of Satan in Scripture: Gan 3:1b “Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” (Satan tries to cause doubt)

The first utterance of Jesus Christ at the start of His Ministry: Matthew 4:4b “But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” (Jesus uses the Word to counter Satan).”

Here is video celebrating the Word of God. Enjoy!

Gospel of Jesus Christ Video pulled down from Facebook!

I made a video of the Gospel of Jesus Christ using Bible verses, text and music only. The music was old classical stuff by Bach. It was taken down from Facebook, and I no longer can upload new videos, although the videos I had already posted to Facebook are still there. It amazes me that they can allow so much nonsense on the internet, and yet the most important message in the world, that has eternal consequences for your life, is not tolerated. But then, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is offensive, God tells us so. It is written:

Isaiah 8:14 “And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem”

However, no worries, I can still post videos to YouTube and other social networking sites, and I can still post videos into Facebook via YouTube.

Here is the video that was pulled down by Facebook:

Here is my YouTube Channel.

www.youtube.com/georgeamarcelo

If you like my videos, please pass them to others, and subscribe so you will know when I make a new one. I also have Christian friends on YouTube that make videos too, and I encourage you to watch them and to pass them on. It is a easy way to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ: just email an evangelistic video to your friends and post them to groups and to your profiles in social networking sites.

Rom 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”

Psalms 1 to 3 from my dining table

Psalms 1 to 3 from my dining table

Bon Appetit!

God bless,

George

My first Vlog: Hello

Hello

Happy New Year everyone! Christians, be bold, and proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

God bless,
George