God Loves the World, but He Loves His Children More!

God Loves the World, does it mean that He loves everybody in the world at exactly the same level?
Of course NOT!
For sure, God loves the world; however, He loves His children more!

Did God love Ishmael?
Yes, He did!
But, God loved Isaac more!
Ishmael indeed received blessings from God, but, he was not the child of promise.
Isaac was indeed a child of God, receiving more love from God.

Abraham had several children besides Ishmael (, after Sarah had died, Abraham married Keturah, who gave births to several children).

Did God love these children of Abraham?
Yes, He did!
But, God loved Isaac More!
Other children indeed received blessings from God, but, they were not the child of promise.
Isaac was indeed a child of God, receiving more love from God.

Did God love Esau?
Yes, He did!
But, God loved Jacob more!
Esau indeed received blessings from God, but, he was not the child of promise.
Jacob was indeed a child of God, receiving more love from God.

Then, does this mean that God is UNFAIR?
Of course NOT!
God loves his children more, but, this does not mean that, the lives of his children in ‘this world’, will sure to be better than others.
The top students in schools are often non-Christians.
The Nobel Prize winners are mostly non-Christians.
The tops of the richest people in the world are mostly non-Christians.
Christians may not be more beautiful than others,
Christians may not be more handsome than others,
and Christians may not be more successful than others.
There are so many people who are not the children of God, receiving much more blessings than the children of God!
The blessings under ‘common grace’!
Instead, the children of God, in terms of common grace, may not have more than the others, in fact, sometimes have much lesser than others.

So, since God loves His children more, what does he love?
He has not promised his children to be more beautiful, more handsome, better in studies, or wealthier…
Then, what love is this?

God loves His children more, and what has ‘promised’ them, is the special grace, not the common grace.
God has promised that in whatever circumstances, He will provide such special grace forevermore.
However God has not promised that He will for sure give better to His children in terms of common grace.
Sometimes, God will give more common grace (to the children of God);
but sometimes, God does not give more.

God has promised never to forsake his children;
God has promised to love his children forever;
God has promised to teach his children;
God has promised to discipline his children;
God has promised to bring his children to heavenly home;
but God has not promised that his children will for sure get the top in exams, be more beautiful, earn more money…

In the eyes of us, how much does special grace worth?
In the eyes of us, does common grace worth more? Or special grace?

Being disciplined when we commit wrong things, as compared to earning extraordinarily, which is our prioritized preference?

Will those people who believe in folk religion, ever seek the deities to get disciplined, or punished, or instructed to the rightful way when they have committed wrong things?
Aren’t those people who believe in folk religion, praying to the deities to allow them to make large sum of money, to be very successful, to get super rich, to do the top in exams… all these success and richness in the life of ‘this world’?

What about us?
What about us, the Christians?
What about us, the people who consider ourselves the children of God?
How are the things we are longing for different from those who believe in folk religion?

We can of course pray for common grace. But when the status and the value of common grace become the very goal in our heart, neglecting special grace,
are we really the children of God?
Or only self-assumed to be the children of God, but actually not?

“By your hand save me from such people, LORD,
from those of this world whose reward is in this life.
May what you have stored up for the wicked fill their bellies;
may their children gorge themselves on it,
and may there be leftovers for their little ones.
As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face;
when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.” (Psalm 17:14-15)

“Those of this world whose reward is in this life”!
Is this really what we are praying for?
Is this what we are longing for earnestly?
Is this what we are thinking of from dawn to dust?
No wonder during all times of suffering, there are so many people abandon their faith!
Because, they are not the people who can rejoice in knowing God, even if they barely receive simplest food or even be beggars.

May we truly be the children of God!
Truly be the true children of God, who are ‘satisfied with seeing your likeness’, http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifnot ‘those of this world whose reward is in this life’ like the common people.


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Original Article ‘神愛世人，但更愛祂兒女’(http://blog.roodo.com/yml/archives/15704757.html) written by Little Little Sheep(小小羊), a Taiwanese Christian Blogger;
Translated by Yuan3y.

This copy of translation can be re-posted or reprinted online or offline freely, provided that:
*the Original Author is credited,
*and a URL link to the original article is attached,
*and for non-profit purpose.

A panorama of Shanghai's Bund Nightview

Author: Cnchina
Date of Source: 16 Dec 2010
Date of Release: 18 Mar 2011
License: CC-BY-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)

Visit to St. Andrew's Presbyterian Chruch, Pulau Pinang

It is by God's grace that He led me today to St Andrew's Presbyterian Church in my short four-day-visit in Penang.
I'm grateful that my Lord guides me through all circumstances,
as the sermon said today, whenever I'm in difficulties or joyful times, I experience God's companionship more and more.
Actually, I was a little bit upset when I found out I had missed quite some of 'places-must-go' in Penang, after talking to a local elderly person on the ferry I took last night.
I thought at that time, how I wondered to have met the elderly person on the first day of my visit to Penang.
If that would have happened, my journey would definitely be much smoother and easier.
But this morning I was reminded that through this uneasy journey, God allowed me to grow, and to develop my knowledge besides those on textbooks.
Today's visit to St Andrew's Church was not actually planned on my schedule prior to the trip, but thank God that He had prepared my path, and also my heart, when yesterday a non-christian said 'Christians go to churches on Sundays'.

God make my life a little light

God make my life a little light
Within the world to glow;
A little flame that burneth bright,
Wherever I may go.

God make my life a little flower
That giveth joy to all,
Content to bloom in native bower,
Although the place be small.

God make my life a little song
That comforteth the sad
That helpeth others to be strong,
And makes the singer glad.

God make my life a little staff
Whereon the weak may rest,
That so what health and strength I have
May serve my neighbors best.

God make my life a little hymn
Of tenderness and praise,
Of faith, that never waxeth dim,
In all His wondrous ways.

Words: Ma­til­da B. B. Ed­wards, in Good Words, 1873, p. 393.

Tune: Unknown: See Here

Everyday

A new song to me. chosen to be the first song of today's tertiary group worship.
(
TG100418
Songs : Everyday; With All I am; {[God Make My Life a Little Light] Canceled}
Guitar : Shane
Singer : 3y
)



What to say, Lord? It's
You who gave me life and I
Can't explain just how
Much You mean to me now
That You have saved me, Lord
I give all that I am to You
That everyday I could
Be a light that shines Your name

Everyday, Lord, I'll
Learn to stand upon Your word
And I pray that I
I might come to know You more
That You would guide me with every single step I take, that
Everyday I can
Be Your light unto the world

Everyday, it's You I live for
Everyday, I'll follow after You
Everyday, I'll walk with You, my Lord

Speech Day, 2010

Time passes so fast!
Speech day of 2010, the last performance for me in Temasek Secondary School choir Temasek Chorale.
After a tight schedule in the morning,
I came in late to choir.
The same dressing as last year,
however different mood as compared.
This is not other but the last performance in TMS Choir.
Even I had not been very sure about what my lyrics were before stepping onto the stage,
by the time I opened my mouth, I sang as good as any of my previous times.
It is a memorable day that sums up the two years' choir experience,
though on the other hand, it indicates also the approaching O' levels.


Wish us all have a meaningful year.

the light of the world

today when i was rearranging some handphone photos,
an underexposed photo of NLC came into my sight.
the white cross on top of our church was so shiny as compare to the background.
so i decided to process the photo into an artwork.

when i editing the photo, focusing on the shiny light, i remembered a verse:
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."(John 8:12)
It encourages me to live in the light of life.
I hope the others can be benefited from this also,
so i made it a wallpaper of 1440*900 as according to my desktop size,
can be downloaded by clicking the image above.

and thinking more from the light of the world,

Matthew 5:14-16 (New International Version)
¹⁴"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Brothers and sisters, do you know that not only Jesus Christ is the light of the world, so are we!
We need to live out up to our standard so the we can be a living testimony to this world.

Draw Me Close

A beautiful song, Draw Me Close - Michael W. Smith

Draw me close to You
Never let me go
I lay it all down again
To hear You say that
I'm Your friend
You are my desire
No one else will do
'Cause nothing else could take Your place
To feel the warmth of Your embrace
Help me find the way
Bring me back to You...

You're all I want
You're all I've ever needed
You're all I want
Help me know you are near

Rearrangement of Youth Hall

I came to NLC to rearrange our youth hall today.
Drums are moved onto the stage,
and all the stereos are stacked at the back neatly.
So now, the whole worship team can stand on the stage.
Pastor can preach on the space in front next time
to have more interaction with us.
Chairs are arranged into two arcs facing the centre instead of three blocks.
It looks like... wings like eagles... if you could imagine.

After all when I tended to go back and stepped out the hall,
I found it was raining heavily outside,
having no choice but stay to see if the rain stops.
I was quite worried for some seconds,
then I thought of word of God,
"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."(1 Peter 5:7)
I calmed down, standing beside a window, and prayed to God in silence.
Surprisingly, when I refocused my eye sight back to the scene outside,
the rain has stopped.
Isn't it amazing that a heavy rain stops in seconds?
It is true that God hears our prayers.

17 years old

17 years old.


my 16th year,

2008:
Aug, Sept, Oct:
Slacked for months at home, but really enjoyed a great time with my family.
Late night of Nov 6th: Stepped onto Singapore Island!
Nov, Dec:
Had a great time of Bridging Course with Mrs Hoo and scholar friends.

2009: as a Sec 3 student in Temasek Secondary School.

Jan: failed to be any student leader but chose choir as CCA
Feb: started to do CIP volunteering in Public Libraries
March: got a Bronze metal for NOI of sg
April: I was baptized! SYF got Gold
May: Mid-year. OCIP->Laos!
June: holiday I spent in sg, slack somehow
July: NE show as preview of sg NDP
August: milo fund raising, X-country, XCL ex-co inauguration, ABRSM choir Exam initial outstanding