Giving good advice

Don’t ever degenerate into giving advice unconnected to the good news of Jesus crucified, alive, present, at work, and returning.

—Seeing with New Eyes (P&R, 2003), p. 43.

From http://www.sovereigngraceministries.org/Blog/

Biblical Understanding of Sleep

As I reflect on the prospect of turn 21 soon, after listening to the sermon title "Biblical Understanding of Sleep".... 7 Years of my life, I have spent in my bed. 7 YEARS.

That is crazy when you think about it. 1/3 of my life, spent in my bed.

Yes there are those days, where the long naps come about which takes up more than 1/3 of my day and then as you might be arguing, "well in college, there is no sleep etc. etc." it all avgs out in the end.

Speaking for myself, that is a lot of time, a lot of time, not spent glorifying God, a lot of time spent in worrying about the next day's events, a lot of time being lazy and not wanting to get OUT of bed.

"Whether, then you eat or drink, whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" 1 Cor 10:31

How can I uphold this biblical truth while sleeping? Listen on! The series is called Sanctifying the ordinary by Covenant Life Church and challenges and presents the ordinary things in light of the Gospel, in light of our wonderful God.

Grief, Friends and the Holy Spirit

So recently, I have encountered various friends who were hurting, grieving. And so... being one who likes to inquire, I was able to ask a pastor in which I was blessed to serve with over the past summer on missions.

Here's the following Q&A:

I had a question about grieving friends, and hurting friends. How do you biblically comfort and counsel them? And are you ever overwhelmed as a pastor with all the problems that you listen to... how do you deal with it?


3. A great question in which I can see your compassionate loving
heart in which our sweet Holy Spirit dwells:
a. I listen prayerfully and try to understand him/her/them, their
real root problem(s). If a non-believer? I ask for permission to
share Christ with h/h.
b. I try not to judge the person but the problem.
c. I pray with him/her/them on the spot, if a Christian. I ask h/h/t
to pray first. Then I shall pray for h/h/t. If h/s/t will not pray
verbally, after a while, I shall pray openly, verbally, and
biblically, using God's Word that I know/recall to talk with God.
d. At times I merely sit patiently with him/her/them and sob/cry with
them, if the situation justiies it. I am not shy to express my
"controled" sentiments under the Spirit's guidance. Sometime silence
and sobbing with the suffering saint, seem to be our better tools for
the Holy Spirit. But I don't cry merely for crying's sake. I ask the
indwelling Spirit to guide my sentiment. A word of caution: Satan,
the deceiver, can use emotions to trick us Christians into "loving"
people at any cost, especially those of the opposite gender. We've
got to let the indwelling Holy Spirit guide us and we listen to Him
all the time, silently, inwardly. Remember: we are not God and so do
not act as God.
4. Being a pastor, I am also a person, a person saved by God's grace
and serving Him by His grace for His glory. I can sympathize, rather
than empathize, with the needy person. I need to counsel with the
Word, having tried to apply it to my life first and foremost. That's
why I need my dear brothers'/sisters' intercession, exhortation, and
encouragement that I may serve as a more useful vessel in my majestic
Master's hand.

Be thou my vision

So recently, I have lost focus, similar to Peter when he started sinking, lost focus on how awesome our God is. "Going through a dry spell" as Alex would call it. But a hymn that has carried me through


Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

And this is my prayer Lord Heavenly Father, Be thou my vision.