February 14 has been known as the day of hearts. It is better known as Valentine’s Day. According to Encarta Encyclopedia, Valentine’s Day is the Christian feast day of St Valentine and the traditional day for sending a romantic card or gift, especially anonymously, to somebody you love. This is the day where two hearts become as one.
Two Hearts as One
I would like to share J. Vaughan’s words; He wrote:
The bride of Christ: -- That love is the initiative of everything. We did not love Him; but He loved us. We did not choose Him; but He chose us. Just as afterwards, in the copy, the man is not loved first, but the woman. The man's love is the cause; the woman's love is the consequence. The woman's love is reflected love. But His love was intense. It had no beginning, and it had no bounds. It was so great that He actually loved us to the death. Christ, then, having loved us, and chosen us, and died for us, and given us life, preceded next to make us fit and worthy for the high position to which He destined us. For this end two things were necessary. First, we must be relieved of our old guilty defilement. Our souls must be “washed” from the past. The Jews had what they called “the bridal bath.” So Christ did away with the previous guilt, and its consequence, and our sins were as though they had never been -- for they were expunged! “When I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee, when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live...Then I washed thee with water; yea, I thoroughly washed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil.” Of this “washing” the laver of baptism is the emblem. It prefigures it; it assures us of it; it is intended to be its channel. But it is evident that the forgiveness of past sins, and the removal of their stains, is not all that is necessary for the Church -- that it may be “the bride of Christ.” There must be also real and actual purity and holiness. Now comes the final purpose. What is it all for? Loved; chosen; pardoned; rid of all past guilt; washed; sanctified; clothed; beautified: -- what is the Church? “Glorious.” “A glorious Church, not having” -- that is, “not having” as God sees us in Christ -- “not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing.” “Glorious” she is -- for the glory which God has given Him -- which is the Holy Ghost -- Christ has given us! “Glorious” she is -- for she reflects the face, and the unity, and the glory of her God! “Glorious” she is -- from rays of light of heavenly beauty upon her! “Glorious” she is -- for God is glorified in her! “A glorious Church!” And why -- again we ask -- why so glorious? That Christ may “present her to Himself” -- Himself to Himself -- who made her for Himself, that Himself might enjoy her forever and ever.
We, the church, are the bride of Christ. But being a bride is not done at random. Just as what the Lord did. The question as to why God chose the time of giving His Son unto us and not in Abraham’s or Adam’s time is answered. We are chosen not randomly but assuredly. He made such things because of His perfect timing. Just as a man that wanted to propose to a loved one. Everything must be planned. No random event is to be made because he wanted his proposal to be perfect. Jesus did the same thing. He couldn’t have done it on an earlier or later date because His timing is everything! Jesus wanted our hearts and His to be one in His perfect time.
Loving by Knowing
The Bible (King James Version) defines ‘know’ as an intimate act. Marriage was done through man ‘knowing’ his wife and vice-versa. Man does the initiating; the woman does the agreeing. As man knows his wife, so must the woman know her husband. Since we are the bride of Christ, we, too, must have an intimate relationship with Him. We must know Him as a bride must know her husband. Jesus said, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free (John 8:32).” He further stated, “I am the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).” Therefore, it is our responsibility to know Jesus everyday. God had given us His perfect words, infallible and inerrant, in the form of our King James Bible. We must read it if we want to know Jesus because the Word of God (our KJV Bible) is Jesus Himself (Rev. 19:13, 16).
Becoming One with Jesus
What makes a married couple different from others? They have everything in common. All they had became as one. As they progress in their married life, they become more united with each other that their personalities become as one. Some married couple is even mistaken as ‘magkapatid’ (brother and sister).
There are also ‘transformations’ that happens in our lives as we become one with Jesus:
· One mind (1 Cor 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.)
· One heart (Ezek 11:19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh; Ezek 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.)
· One spirit (1 Cor 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.)
· One body (Rom 12:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.)
· One goal (Matt 15:24 I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel; John 4:23-24 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth; John 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain)
· One pocket (John 16:15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you; Rom 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?; 1 Cor 3:21, 23 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.)
The Heart of a Christian
When we say two hearts as one, it means that it is a united heart. Jesus wanted us to have a heart like His. He wanted our hearts to be united with His. To be able to do this, we must be capable of doing all things with all our H.E.A.R.T.
· Hear - the. most neglected part in a Christian’s life is the willingness to hear out other people’s concerns
· Ecumenical - Christians must not be choosy neither must they be a respecter of persons. When we say ecumenical, we mean universal. Christians must focus not only on their area of responsibility but beyond that. They are not only subjected to their loved ones but also to every person that they might meet.
· Affectionate - As Christians become involved in the ministry where God had entrusted them, they become more affectionate not only to the church or congregation but also to the ‘lost sheep’ of our Lord Jesus.
· Responsive - Christians are good hearers. But many are not very responsive on what they hear. When the Lord say, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded”, many will say “Amen!” But they don’t execute their response. Being responsive is about doing something about it!
· Trustworthy - As Christians, are we trustworthy? Can the Lord trust us in the ministry that He had given us? Just as a husband trusts his bride, our Lord is giving us His trust especially in the area of winning souls for Him. But can we be trusted?
Jesus is telling each one of us, “If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me (John 14:23-24).”
Two Hearts as One
I would like to share J. Vaughan’s words; He wrote:
The bride of Christ: -- That love is the initiative of everything. We did not love Him; but He loved us. We did not choose Him; but He chose us. Just as afterwards, in the copy, the man is not loved first, but the woman. The man's love is the cause; the woman's love is the consequence. The woman's love is reflected love. But His love was intense. It had no beginning, and it had no bounds. It was so great that He actually loved us to the death. Christ, then, having loved us, and chosen us, and died for us, and given us life, preceded next to make us fit and worthy for the high position to which He destined us. For this end two things were necessary. First, we must be relieved of our old guilty defilement. Our souls must be “washed” from the past. The Jews had what they called “the bridal bath.” So Christ did away with the previous guilt, and its consequence, and our sins were as though they had never been -- for they were expunged! “When I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee, when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live...Then I washed thee with water; yea, I thoroughly washed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil.” Of this “washing” the laver of baptism is the emblem. It prefigures it; it assures us of it; it is intended to be its channel. But it is evident that the forgiveness of past sins, and the removal of their stains, is not all that is necessary for the Church -- that it may be “the bride of Christ.” There must be also real and actual purity and holiness. Now comes the final purpose. What is it all for? Loved; chosen; pardoned; rid of all past guilt; washed; sanctified; clothed; beautified: -- what is the Church? “Glorious.” “A glorious Church, not having” -- that is, “not having” as God sees us in Christ -- “not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing.” “Glorious” she is -- for the glory which God has given Him -- which is the Holy Ghost -- Christ has given us! “Glorious” she is -- for she reflects the face, and the unity, and the glory of her God! “Glorious” she is -- from rays of light of heavenly beauty upon her! “Glorious” she is -- for God is glorified in her! “A glorious Church!” And why -- again we ask -- why so glorious? That Christ may “present her to Himself” -- Himself to Himself -- who made her for Himself, that Himself might enjoy her forever and ever.
We, the church, are the bride of Christ. But being a bride is not done at random. Just as what the Lord did. The question as to why God chose the time of giving His Son unto us and not in Abraham’s or Adam’s time is answered. We are chosen not randomly but assuredly. He made such things because of His perfect timing. Just as a man that wanted to propose to a loved one. Everything must be planned. No random event is to be made because he wanted his proposal to be perfect. Jesus did the same thing. He couldn’t have done it on an earlier or later date because His timing is everything! Jesus wanted our hearts and His to be one in His perfect time.
Loving by Knowing
The Bible (King James Version) defines ‘know’ as an intimate act. Marriage was done through man ‘knowing’ his wife and vice-versa. Man does the initiating; the woman does the agreeing. As man knows his wife, so must the woman know her husband. Since we are the bride of Christ, we, too, must have an intimate relationship with Him. We must know Him as a bride must know her husband. Jesus said, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free (John 8:32).” He further stated, “I am the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).” Therefore, it is our responsibility to know Jesus everyday. God had given us His perfect words, infallible and inerrant, in the form of our King James Bible. We must read it if we want to know Jesus because the Word of God (our KJV Bible) is Jesus Himself (Rev. 19:13, 16).
Becoming One with Jesus
What makes a married couple different from others? They have everything in common. All they had became as one. As they progress in their married life, they become more united with each other that their personalities become as one. Some married couple is even mistaken as ‘magkapatid’ (brother and sister).
There are also ‘transformations’ that happens in our lives as we become one with Jesus:
· One mind (1 Cor 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.)
· One heart (Ezek 11:19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh; Ezek 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.)
· One spirit (1 Cor 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.)
· One body (Rom 12:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.)
· One goal (Matt 15:24 I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel; John 4:23-24 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth; John 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain)
· One pocket (John 16:15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you; Rom 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?; 1 Cor 3:21, 23 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.)
The Heart of a Christian
When we say two hearts as one, it means that it is a united heart. Jesus wanted us to have a heart like His. He wanted our hearts to be united with His. To be able to do this, we must be capable of doing all things with all our H.E.A.R.T.
· Hear - the. most neglected part in a Christian’s life is the willingness to hear out other people’s concerns
· Ecumenical - Christians must not be choosy neither must they be a respecter of persons. When we say ecumenical, we mean universal. Christians must focus not only on their area of responsibility but beyond that. They are not only subjected to their loved ones but also to every person that they might meet.
· Affectionate - As Christians become involved in the ministry where God had entrusted them, they become more affectionate not only to the church or congregation but also to the ‘lost sheep’ of our Lord Jesus.
· Responsive - Christians are good hearers. But many are not very responsive on what they hear. When the Lord say, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded”, many will say “Amen!” But they don’t execute their response. Being responsive is about doing something about it!
· Trustworthy - As Christians, are we trustworthy? Can the Lord trust us in the ministry that He had given us? Just as a husband trusts his bride, our Lord is giving us His trust especially in the area of winning souls for Him. But can we be trusted?
Jesus is telling each one of us, “If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me (John 14:23-24).”
Two Hearts as One
By Ptr. JC Balao
By Ptr. JC Balao
Loving the Unlovable
When we talk about love, we talk about a special someone. We don’t talk about our enemies or persons that we hate. Even as Christians, we tend to act this way. We don’t give our attention to persons we don’t approve. But Jesus never wanted us to act this way. He wants us to love the unlovable. He made an example that all of us must imitate. He loved the unlovable and still continues to love them until now. During His earthly ministry, He knew the hearts of men. He knew that Judas Iscariot would betray Him; He knew that Peter would deny Him; He knew that the Zebedee brothers (James and John) would be interested in position rather than service. But what did Jesus do? He loved them even as He now loves us.
What is man, that thou art mindful of him, O Lord? Who am I in thy sights that You care for me?
When we talk about love, we talk about a special someone. We don’t talk about our enemies or persons that we hate. Even as Christians, we tend to act this way. We don’t give our attention to persons we don’t approve. But Jesus never wanted us to act this way. He wants us to love the unlovable. He made an example that all of us must imitate. He loved the unlovable and still continues to love them until now. During His earthly ministry, He knew the hearts of men. He knew that Judas Iscariot would betray Him; He knew that Peter would deny Him; He knew that the Zebedee brothers (James and John) would be interested in position rather than service. But what did Jesus do? He loved them even as He now loves us.
What is man, that thou art mindful of him, O Lord? Who am I in thy sights that You care for me?