Let no one caught in sin remain
Inside the lie of inward shame
But fix our eyes upon the cross
And run to Him who showed great love
And bled for us
Freely You’ve bled for us

Christ is risen from the dead
Trampling over death by death
Come awake, come awake
Come and rise up from the grave
Christ is risen from the dead
We are one with Him again
Come awake, come awake
Come and rise up from the grave

Beneath the weight of all our sin
You bowed to none but heaven’s will
No scheme of hell, no scoffer’s crown
No burden great can hold You down
In strength You reign
Forever let Your church proclaim

O death, where is your sting?
O hell, where is your victory?
O church, come stand in the light
The glory of God has defeated the night

O death, where is your sting?
O hell, where is your victory?
O church, come stand in the light
Our God is not dead
He’s alive! He’s alive!

You’ve probably guessed that I believe in God’s predestination. However, I’m not here to get into theological debates, because there are countless resources that outline both sides of the predestination/free-will argument. Also, I hardly think that an argument for argument’s sake would be conducive to our mutual Christian encouragement.

But suffice it to say, I’m just blown away by the sheer magnitude of God’s grace to me, an undeserving sinner. I have brokenn all His laws and I totally don’t deserve His love. But God loves me unconditionally; so much so, He chooses to save me through the perfect sacrifice of His Son. Wow.

I’ve also been going through R. C. Sproul’s book, Chosen by God, that outlines the logical Biblical argument for the doctrine of election. It is a most excellent book. Again, the disclaimer in the 2nd paragraph above applies here. But Sproul just shows in a very straightforward and uncomplicated way how it’s only logical (and very Biblical) to believe in God’s sovereign act of choosing sinners to be His.

Arguably, the greatest thing I’ve benefited from at the Bible study is the fellowship I’m having, being able to encourage and be encouraged by those of us who attend. Watching God’s work in their lives is so encouraging. I’m blessed and undeserving to have such friends.

God’s good.

In all seriousness, I got the majority of the chord arrangement done last week. It’s just a basic 4-chord combination. Once I figured out said combo, it was just a case of placing the chords above the appropriate lyrics.

Verse:
G D Em
Am Em Bm E

Chorus:
D Bm G A
Bm D ? A

The chord in the place of the question mark is what’s causing me a bit of trouble. I’ll get it soon enough I guess; if not, then I’ll just post the arrangement up and get the closest sounding chord.

For now, over and out!

Yours to Take is the lead single from Jimmy Needham’s new album “Nightlights”, which is planned to be released mid-May.

This is my second chance
This is no song and dance
You came in and renewed a right spirit
This is grace at its best
This is taking a restless, messed up heart and having you clear it

I can feel the weight is lifting
I’m barely staying on the ground
And I can feel the wait is over
Finally the lost is found

[Chorus]
So, this is what it feels like to live life
So, this is breathing air for the very first time
The Son of man, He came here to give life
And in return He asking for mine
I’ve Been captured by grace
I’m not going away
I’m Yours to take

I was down for the count
I was all but knocked out
When I heard “pardon for the interruption”
Then like out of blue
Out came glorious You

You picked me up with barely any introduction
You won my heart by a landslide
You tend to do that every time
So everything I have is Yours now
Even my very life

So, this is what it feels like to live life
So, this is breathing air for the very first time
The Son of man, He came here to give life
And in return He asking for mine
Well, I’ve Been captured by grace
I’m not going away
I’m Yours to take

Your kindness leads me to repentance
Leads me to the cross, which leads me to forgiveness
So, I’m counting it all as a loss

So, this is what it feels like to live life
So, this is breathing air for the very first time
The Son of man, He came here to give life
And in return He asking for mine

So, this is what it feels like to live life
So, this is breathing air for the very first time
The Son of man, He came here to give life
And in return He asking for mine
I’ve been captured by grace
I’m not going away
I’m Yours to take

So, this is what it feels like to live life (I’m Yours to take)    x4

Pretty good huh. The section I’ve highlighted above (which is kinda the bridge in this song) reminds me of the bridge in another song, namely, Sunlight by Reilly.

Also, I think a chord arrangement is a very reasonable proposition. The song sounds easy enough to chord, so I’ll get working on it. Meanwhile, enjoy listening!

I went as a helper with a church that my good friends attend. Left home at 3 pm, got home at 11:40. it was a hectic day, but SO rewarding. Essentially, what I did was help with a bit of the A/V setup, and run a couple of the games that were there.

There were arcade games, air hockey, foosball (table soccer), a huge inflatable rock-climbing wall, and many other games which I won’t bother explaining. I personally manned the foosball table. It was a bit challenging to say the least, but all up, wonderful!

More soon.

For lunch, I hung (gr?)* with a friend who’s starting uni at a campus about 5 minutes for my house. He lives an hour’s drive away. Not entirely practical, no. But anyways, he was here for an information day. We did lunch together, which was quite awesome.

Bible study has resumed. Aaaand…I’m loving it (both the teaching and the truly wonderful fellowship & hospitality). We watched a couple of John Piper’s talks, and had a great discussion afterwards. I could write so much about Piper’s talks, but suffice it to say this: “God is most glorified in me when I am most satisfied in Him.” Piper basically had this as his core message, and everything he said reflected the truths in that statement. We were designed to appreciate beauty outside of ourselves. That’s why we’re drawn to the majesty of the stars, sunsets, and God’s amazing creation, and ultimately to God Himself. He deserves the glory. It is to our benefit that He displays His glory, because we can then truly marvel at it. Man… I can’t recall much else of what Piper said, but it was awesome. No joke yo.

I am joyful and thankful. For friends, fellowship, God’s word, God’s glory revealed, and most of all Jesus.

I watched a recording of the game with a group of friends. The game was played from 10:30 am to 2:00 pm Australian time. Hence the delay in watching it. I couldn’t resist checking the livescores though. So I watched the game with my friends knowing that the Saints had won. Thing is, because I didn’t watch it that morning (I only checked the scores online), I was really able to get into the game and enjoy watching it. Doing things with friends is always more fun. Mostly, anyways.

That’s like, some good food for thought, ya know?

[From The Gospel Coalition, via @JohnPiper]

So needless to say, I was rather chuffed when I found the following article on Tim Challies’ blog a while later, elaborating on that idea of justification. Tim was (is?) going through John Murray’s book Redemption Accomplished and Applied.

I highly recommend reading the whole post, but this part was relevant for me:

Looking at justification in common usage (outside the Bible) Murray says it is “a declaration of pronouncement respecting the relation of the person to the law which he, the judge, is required to administer.” Justification, then, is forensic. “It has to do with a judgment given, declared, pronounced; it is judicial or juridical or forensic.” He looks quickly to regeneration again, saying “Regeneration is an act of God in us; justification is a judgment of God with respect to us. The distinction is like that of the distinction between the act of a surgeon and the act of a judge. The surgeon, when he removes inward cancer, does something in us. That is not what a judge does—he gives a verdict regarding our judicial status. If we are innocent he declares accordingly.” Murray says that “the purity of the gospel is bound up with the recognition of this distinction.” This means that justification is and remains the article of the standing or falling Church.

The question now arises, how can God declare a person to be righteous when that is so evidently not the case? How can a sinful, defiled man who is at enmity with God be declared righteous by God? “The peculiarity of God’s action consists in this: that he causes to be the righteous state or relation which is declared to be.” So God not only declares righteous but he first makes righteous. “What God does in this case is that he constitutes the new and righteous judicial relation as well as declares the new relation to be. He constitutes the ungodly righteous, and consequently can declare them to be righteous.” He says further, “Justification is therefore a constitutive act whereby the righteousness of Christ is imputed to our account and we are accordingly accepted as righteous in God’s sight.” And he offers these beautiful, soul-stirring words: “God cannot but accept into his favour those who are invested with the righteousness of his own Son.” First God makes a man righteous through the work of Christ and then he declares what is now the reality—that this man is, indeed, righteous.

[Originally posted as a note to my Facebook profile on 22 January 2010]

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