Hope: Be Steadfast and Unswerving

Lesson 13: Exhortations From the Sanctuary

Wednesday Lesson on December 25th

What do the texts below all have in common?

Heb. 3:6  Christ in me if I hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end. An assurance of Christ in me. 

Heb. 3:14 I have become a partaker of Christ if I hold the beginning of my confidence steadfast to the end. An assurance of becoming a partaker of Christ. 

Heb. 4:14 I have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let  me hold fast my confession. This is an assurance.

Heb. 6:18  it is impossible for God to lie, therefore I might have strong consolation, I have hope. An Assurance of the Hope I have. 

Heb. 10:23  "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful". An assurance of God's faithfulness.

All the texts above have these in common: Hope, Confidence, Assurance, and Confession. 
"An objective sense to the Christian belief. We can do these things because our hope isn’t in ourselves but in Jesus and what He has done for us. The moment we forget that crucial truth, we will surely lose confidence" (Probstle, 2013). How do have an immutable and unshaken faith? whatever the circumstances I'm in, no matter how tough it may be, my hope must remain the same and my commitment to God is unchanged because I can trust that He is faithful and will do what He has promised.

I must encourage myself not to waver at the promise of God through unbelief but must be strengthened in faith, giving glory to God. Be fully convinced that what God had promised, He is able to perform according to His will. He has guaranteed an Eternal life for me. He promised even before time began, before my birth. The only predestination of Hope is established in Titus 1:2 (NKJV)

2 in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began,

1 John 2:25 (NKJV)

25 And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life.

Even if I might die out of a tragic accident, God's faithfulness is immovable. Even if I fall short of my faithlessness, still He remains faithful. 2 Timothy 2:13 (NASB95)

13  If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.

In Memory of Andrew Chan Cheak Wan

Graveyard of Andrew Chan

Time flies, 19 years have passed. Today, I want to take time to remember a good teacher and acknowledge his contribution in teaching me the Word of God. As God's servant, He took the trouble to fetch me to church. Back in 1993, I had made up my mind that if no one takes me to church from Shah Alam to attend a KL  Seventh-dayAdventist church at Bukit Bintang, I would never bother to go. There's no internet access in Malaysia at that time. I had to use phone directory to locate Seventh-day Adventist church. I wasn't a believer at that time, I didn't have a good reason to go to church. I didn't think that it's logical for me to take bus from Shah Alam to KL. I thought if I called the church and if the Pastor said no one could fetch me up, then I would concluded that I really didn't have to go. What was my reason going to church anyway? It was actually trying to get a copy of the Sabbath School quarterly lesson . I enjoy reading the Sabbath School quarterly lesson.  I thought I just had to go to church with only one aim, get the quarterly lesson. 

Thanks to brother Andrew for fetching me to church. I purposely troubled him, I was very mean to Christian, for I thought if they claimed themselves as Christian, then they should do service "free of charge". Not only he fetched me to church, after church service he fetched me to work as a promoter in a shopping centre at Klang.  I  really amazed in his ability to explain the book of Revelation. He had assisted me to understand the plan of salvation. If it's not because of his encouraging words in urging me to finish my degree at the States and his advice to me, to help my parents understand that I wasn't a fanatic by showing good result in my study, I thought back then, it's really no point to study since my parents didn't trust me. My thought of quitting my study in overseas was what I wanted. But today I still remember his words as he asked me to complete my study and really study it so well, so much so that with a good result, my parents could not question about a God whom I believe. I showed my parents how I was changed for the better and not the worst. I would not have put efforts in completing my study if he didn't encourage me in my difficult times. At that moment, all I wanted was to work rather than to study. When I finally finished my study in 1995, I thought I could share my joy with him but sadly I could not do so.

Every year during this time, I'll go to his graveyard, just to do a deep searching of my heart and ponder upon my life as well as reflect upon the way I teach my students.  Whatever I do, I hope "finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing" (2 Timothy 4:8).

Lesson 10: The Eschatological Day of Atonement

Lesson 10: The Eschatological Day of Atonement

I'm happy today to see rainbow in the sky. My colleague told me that this morning rained, so sunshine and rain, wow! so I see Rainbow. I hope my daughter gets to see it too. She's always excited to see rainy day. When I asked her why, she said her anticipation was to see rainbow in the sky when the rain stops. I explained to her that it's provided that the sun came out, if not, it's a wet wet day. 

Today, I need to keep in mind of the Vision that God helps me to see at my lesson study. I need to remember to keep His words. I have lots of works to get done. No matter what, I told my daughter to memorize Matt 6:33 

"Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well".

I'm thankful to the Good News I received. I treasure it and I pray to do my best and let God do the rest :-)

Lesson 9 The Pre-Advent Judgment

Nov 27 When the Judgment Ends

What are the results of the pre-Advent judgment?

The Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven came to the Ancient of Days. He was given dominion and glory and a kingdom that all peoples, nations and languages should serve Him. His kingdom is an everlasting dominion. 

Ultimately, the saints of the most high should receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever and ever. The judgement was made in favor of the saints of the Most High and the time came for the saints to posses the kingdom.

See How Shall I Study My Bible at http://biblia.com/books/summbblnt/Page.p_4

Lesson 7 Christ, Our Sacrifice

Lesson 7 Christ, Our Sacrifice

Tuesday November 12: Christ's Blood

What do the following verses teach me about the blood?

 Hebrews 9:12 (NKJV)

12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.

Christ, with His own blood entered to the Most Holy Place once for all for the purpose of obtaining eternal redemption.

Hebrews 9:14 (NKJV)

14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

The blood of Christ offered for the purpose of cleansing my conscience from dead works to serve the living God. 

Hebrews 9:18 (NKJV)

18 Therefore not even the first covenant was dedicated without blood.

The purpose of Christ blood is necessary because not even the first covenant was dedicated without blood. 

Hebrews 9:22 (NKJV)

22 And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission.

The purpose of Christ blood is according to the law because almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission.

Hebrews 10:19 (NKJV)

19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus,

The purpose is to give me boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus. 

Hebrews 12:24 (NKJV)

24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.

Jesus is a Mediator of the new covenant. 

Hebrews 13:12 (NKJV)

12 Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate.

Jesus sanctifies me with His own blood. 

Hebrews 13:20 (NKJV)

20 Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

Jesus' blood is an everlasting covenant. 

How should an understanding of Christ’s death help to free us from any notion that our own works can save us?

Our own works cannot save us. Only through Christ's death, I have hope to "receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. (Heb. 9:15)".

Alice Smith: Keep Reading Bedtime Stories | Alice Smith School

Alice Smith: Keep Reading Bedtime Stories | Alice Smith School

Lesson 4: Lessons From the Sanctuary

Lesson 4: Lessons From the Sanctuary

It's always my joy to read the Adult Teachers Sabbath School Bible Study Guide. The scope and sequence can be found at http://www.absg.adventist.org/Scope.htm

This quarter study is The Sanctuary. Yes, precious lessons to learn from the Sanctuary. I know I'll receive major insights provided in the study guide. Study the earthly sanctuary and anticipate the heavenly Sanctuary that I long to dwell in. I long to be at A place in God's Presence. I'll be at awe to behold God's beautiful Kingdom. God has specifically instructed the Israelite to make Him a Sanctuary that He may dwell among them (Ex 25:8). What was the purpose of the earthly sanctuary in the wilderness? What amazing truth does this teach us about God's love for us?

Way back in the Garden of Eden, God intended to communicate with the fallen couples, Adam and Eve. God took the initiative to seek ways for bringing the fallen humanity back into His presence. Strong desire from God to dwell with His people. The purpose of the earthly sanctuary in the wilderness is God's idea. Natural tendency from human is to get away from God but thank God, God's ultimate goal is relationship. He chose to draw us closer to Him. With the earthly sanctuary, He illustrated to us the evidences of His love. So real because the sanctuary is tangible and God showed and demonstrated how He loves us, the sinners. What amazed me is the way God taught us how much His love for us. When I said I love a person, what I really means is to spend time with the person, not through online but literary show my presence with my love one and this is exactly what God is doing. He is showing me how He still dwells His presence with His people today.

I recently just lost my favorite bible. I hope I can find my old bible back. As I'm getting older each day, I tend to forget many things. Especially, I have a tendency to lost my water bottles. I'm not sure how many times I've lost my water bottles. Since I'm so easily forget things nowadays, I need to write them down, God in His wisdom, wrote His love letters in the bible to remind His people of His love for them. I love to read His words. I got inspiration and energy out of reading His Words. I pray that I always dwell in His presence, so that I can describe my lessons more fully to my students, to those whom I meet and to the church family this Saturday. It's time to catch up with many things.

As usual, many works to do in my workplace. I'm always trying to meet the deadline and now, I must go to fetch my daughter to school. I don't want to be late and also make her late for school.

Reformation: The Outgrowth of Revival - Lesson 9, Quarter 3, 2013

Reformation: The Outgrowth of Revival - Lesson 9, Quarter 3, 2013

How does the bible describe reformation?

A grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen. (See 2 Pet.3:18)

Unity: The Bond of Revival - Lesson 7, Quarter 3, 2013

Unity: The Bond of Revival - Lesson 7, Quarter 3, 2013

Reading Tuesday lesson on Elements of Unity: Our Mission and Message. I like to read scripture when I read the lesson and Acts 9:31 inspired me. Acts 9:31 "Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord" (NIV).

Enjoyed a time of peace, it was strengthened and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, then it grew in numbers. I want to enjoy a time of peace. Strengthened and encouraged by the Holy Spirit then only a 'growth' takes place. Constantly, I'm reminded by the Holy Spirit to live in the fear of the Lord.

The main elements of unity come from:
1. Mission
2. Message

Acts 28:28-31 "Therefore I want you to know that God's salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!"
verse 30 "For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him.
verse 31 "Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ".

The all consuming passion of the New Testament church was about preaching the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ. This passion unite them because of the Mission to share God's salvation with the Gentiles. Previously, the focus was only for the Jews. Now, what an excitement, the Gentiles would listen to Paul's message.

Paul was only rented a house to welcome all who came to see him. He was bold and there were no hindrance for him to share and teach the kingdom of God and Jesus. What is the "present truth"? An urgent, present truth message is stated clearly at Rev 14:6-12. "It is the message of "the everlasting gospel" in the context of judgment, of obedience, and of the Lord's return. This is what unites Seventh-day Adventists as a worldwide family" (Finley, p.80). It is a reason why I am called to be a Seventh-day Adventist. The main reason for my church existence.

How connected am I with the Mission and the Message? Why am I a Seventh-day Adventist? Since I can't bring my answer to class on Sabbath, I post my answer here. In my lifework, I don't know many things but I know for sure one thing: I want to do my work based on the Mission and the Message that I believe deeply and I leave the results with God. I often feel my helplessness but I continue to improve all the opportunities granted to me in order to gain a fuller experience. I know there can be no growth or fruitfulness in my life that is centered in self. Since I have accepted Christ as my personal Saviour, I forget my needs, myself and try to help others. I desire to talk of the love of Christ and tell of His goodness for my life. I will abide in Him and He promised to abide with me. From this quarter on wards, though I can't attend church to enjoy the worship service with His believers, I continue to remind myself how Paul shared God's salvation at his own house and how the early church started to grow. With humility and distrust of self, I want to look forward to the day of uniting with the family of heaven. God will judge according to my words and my works. I want to be a true Christian, not merely profess myself as Christian. I pray for having Christ Character and only Christ Character in me will decide my destiny. I'll work with Christ Vision and Mission in mind and wait for the harvest time, the end of the world.

Revival and Reformation

Revival and Reformation

Research Profile

Research profile at:
http://creative.mmu.edu.my/fcm/research/research-profile/lydia-chin-wen-ping/