Basics for Worship
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Seek First, then Understand
by Dr Sen Sendjaya on January 18th, 2012 | 0 Comments
PROVERBS 2:4-5 - If you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
Even a cursory reading of the above verse tells us something rather odd with the sequence. The rigor and intensity with which we seek the knowledge of God is a prerequisite of finding and understanding it. Often people think the other way. They want to understand it first, then assign a value to it in proportion to their understanding. But that's not the case here. Pursue God, then you will be glad to be found by and in him. The Bible uses lots of 'appetite language' (CS Lewis) or emotive words to describe this orientation: Long, thirst, faint, delight, love. The bottom line: Seek him earnestly, then you will be satisfied in him.
Having a God Talk with My Daughter
by Dr Sen Sendjaya on November 24th, 2011 | 0 Comments
For some reason, my 9-yr old daughter Tiffany likes to ask deep questions at night. To be precise 15 minutes before she falls asleep. Here is what went on a few hours earlier, which started a questions around the story of Ananias and Saphira, on which my sermon this morning was based.
We saw a YouTube cartoon on the story the night before, then talked about it in the car briefly on the way home from church. Little did I know it led to a deep theological chat after she finished her prayer (don't get me wrong, it's not every night the conversation goes to doctrinal channel, sometimes it's more mundane, earthly, girly, or just plain kids talk)
The Grace of Confession
by Dr Sen Sendjaya on October 19th, 2011 | 0 Comments
I found these words provide profound insights primarily for married couples. They are taken from Chapter 5 of Paul Tripp's "What did you expect? Redeeming the Realities of Marriage" page 73-80. The quotes below are specifically relevant to me and my marriage. The grace of confession manifests in the following behaviors which he reckons should be part of our lifestyles as husbands and wives:
1. It is a grace to know right from wrong
"The Bible is God's ultimate measuring instrument. It is meant to function in each of our lives as a spiritual tape measure. We can place ourselves and our marriage next to it and see if we measure up to God's standard"
2. It is a grace to understand the concept of indwelling sin
"One of the most tempting fallacties for us - and for every human being in this fallen world - is to believe that our greatest problems exist outside us rather than inside us . . . We live with flawed people, and our lives will be complicated by their brokenness. Despite this, the Bible calls us to humbly confess that the greatest, deepest, most abiding problem each of us faces is inside, not outside, of us. The Bible names that problem - sin. Because sin is self-focused and self-serving, it is antisocial and destructive to our relationships. Here's where this goes: it requires each of us to say that our greatest marital problem exists inside us, not outside us."
You Shall be My Witnesses
by Dr Sen Sendjaya on October 11th, 2011 | 0 Comments
Last Sunday I started a new sermon series on the Book of Acts, after nearly 2 years of waiting for this moment. I am excited at the prospect of learning about how God moved in the past using a tiny group of largely uneducated peasants to bring profound transformation to the world as we knew it then.
Granted Acts is a history book written by a human author, but unlike other history books, the divine Author of the book continues to work until this very day bringing the same kind of revival in many places. Imagine reading the New Testament without the book of Acts, and we will be confused as the critical bridge that bring the Gospel from Jerusalem to the world is absent.
Chapter 1 of the book summarizes the sequence of God's plan of salvation (a Lucan theme) into fruition. There are four main strands that emerge: Jesus returned to heaven (ASCENSION) – The Holy Spirit came (PENTECOST) – The Church goes out to witness (MISSION) – Jesus will come back (PAROUSIA).
Baxter on Pleasing God vs Men
by Dr Sen Sendjaya on September 5th, 2011 | 0 Comments
Around this time last year, I stumbled across a classic work written by Puritan giant, Richard Baxter, who is well known by most as the author of the Reformed Pastor. The title of his book is "Directions against Inordinate Man-pleasing", which is a remarkable reading. What I found most valuable is a section called "The Advantages of Pleasing God rather than Men", in which he listed 12 points. As I went through each point, it dawned on me that it would take for me to be able to tick off all points. As I've got to the final point, I was convinced that it would take me a lifetime to (even) try to accomplish it given the presence of indwelling sins within me. The difference of those who are in Christ is that we are no longer enslaved to please men.
Source: Richard Baxter, Directions against Inordinate Man-pleasing
Customized, not mass produced
by Dr Sen Sendjaya on September 1st, 2011 | 0 Comments
Disciples cannot be mass produced.
We cannot drop people into a “program”
and see disciples emerge at the end of a production line.
It takes time to make disciples.
It takes individual, personal attention.
It takes hours of prayer for them.
It takes patience and understanding to teach them
how to get into the Word of God for themselves,
how to feed and nourish their souls,
and by the power of the Holy Spirit
how to apply the Word to their lives.
And it takes being an example to them of all of the above.
LeRoy Eims, The Lost Art of Discipleship Making
Imagine!
by Dr Sen Sendjaya on January 11th, 2011 | 0 Comments | Categories: Video
"Imagine if all Christians, as a normal part of their discipleship, were caught up in a web of regular Bible reading."
Powlison: "Can I Be Saved If I Am Living in Constant, Secret Sin?"
by Dr David Powlison on January 10th, 2011 | 0 Comments | Categories: Video
According to the CCEF Website, this is the most often viewed video clip of their entire video files. Surely this is an important question that many Christians struggle with.