The ultimate Light has come to our dark world.
He came in a form of a baby, God wrapped in a flesh, for He is called "Immanuel" which means, "God with us." The ultimate Gift for us all, Him who's light is so bright... that those who their life have been touch by Him have that light also.
He commands us, His followers that "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither 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.
In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."
A new dawn is coming, a new chapter is coming for us as the new year is approaching. Let's be that Light, to act justly everyday, loving mercy in every way and walking humbly before our God. God came to this world because He loves all of us and He for a reason beyond my own understanding He actually cares for us and wants to save us, so we can be with Him someday in Heaven.
Now the challenge is "How people that don't believe that God is good and loving may see that He is actually good and loving?". We, His people, are the answer. It may seem like a bad plan to leave God's rescue plan to all of us, the imperfect selfish people. Nevertheless that is part of His plan to show that He is good and full of love. But we are not alone, those who has put his/her trust in Christ Jesus has the gift of Holy Spirit that will guide us, renew us, inspire us and convict us. Jesus promises us also that He will be with us to the very end of the age.
So let's us a group in the coming year try to be that light, show our good deeds, be more loving to our friends, our family, people that God has put in our path and importantly strangers. Let's lovingly challenge each other in these areas, to be the Light-bearer to all people. This is not just a cliche that we read in a Christmas card, we can actually do this.
With that I wish all of you a wonderful and a Merry Christmas. Stay warm, share laugh and love with family, friends...
Thank you Lord Jesus.
You have shown us, what You require
Freely we've received
Now freely we will give
We must go live to feed the hungry
Stand beside the broken
We must go
Stepping forward keep us from just singing
Move us into action
We must go
Fill us up with Your spirit and send us out
Fill us up with Your spirit and send us out
Fill us up with Your spirit and send us out Lord
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Saturday, December 6, 2008
THE COMPASSION OF CHRIST (RECAP)
Who is Matthew? (Matt 9:9-13)
• A Tax collector, accountant, has a good job, well educated
• One of Jesus’ disciples
• Instant submission (v.9), left everything he has behind and followed Jesus
• Gaul (v.10), invited his tax-collector friends for a dinner with Jesus
Bible Reading on Matthew 9:18-38
v.18-19 Jairus, a leader of synagogue, asked Jesus to come to his place to bring his daughter, who just died, to live.
v.20-22 While walking towards Jairus’ place, a woman who suffered from bleeding for 12 yrs touched his robe. She was considered unclean in the society.
v.23-26 Jesus got into Jairus’ place, people didn’t believe in Jesus, there were asked to leave, and Jesus brought the girl to live.
v.27-31 Continue journey…
Two blind men called Jesus as “The Son of David”, which means The Messiah, to get his attention but Jesus kept walking.
Isaiah prophecy about the ability of The Messiah to heal the blind and the mute in Isaiah 29:18, 35:5, and 42:7.
They followed Jesus, and got healed. Jesus was actually tested their faith and persistence.
v.32-34 The blind men brought their mute/demon possessed friend to Jesus. The mute was healed, but Pharisees accused Jesus using Satan force.
v.35-38 Jesus was doing this whole thing not as a miracle worker, but to show his compassion and healing to the sick world.
Jesus is God, he created the world in fine condition (Genesis 1:31), but all he sees now is sick people and their troubles.
Summary:
Compassion without action is just a pity, or feels sorry.
We need to get out of our comfort zone and do more effort to put our compassion in action.
• A Tax collector, accountant, has a good job, well educated
• One of Jesus’ disciples
• Instant submission (v.9), left everything he has behind and followed Jesus
• Gaul (v.10), invited his tax-collector friends for a dinner with Jesus
Bible Reading on Matthew 9:18-38
v.18-19 Jairus, a leader of synagogue, asked Jesus to come to his place to bring his daughter, who just died, to live.
v.20-22 While walking towards Jairus’ place, a woman who suffered from bleeding for 12 yrs touched his robe. She was considered unclean in the society.
v.23-26 Jesus got into Jairus’ place, people didn’t believe in Jesus, there were asked to leave, and Jesus brought the girl to live.
v.27-31 Continue journey…
Two blind men called Jesus as “The Son of David”, which means The Messiah, to get his attention but Jesus kept walking.
Isaiah prophecy about the ability of The Messiah to heal the blind and the mute in Isaiah 29:18, 35:5, and 42:7.
They followed Jesus, and got healed. Jesus was actually tested their faith and persistence.
v.32-34 The blind men brought their mute/demon possessed friend to Jesus. The mute was healed, but Pharisees accused Jesus using Satan force.
v.35-38 Jesus was doing this whole thing not as a miracle worker, but to show his compassion and healing to the sick world.
Jesus is God, he created the world in fine condition (Genesis 1:31), but all he sees now is sick people and their troubles.
Summary:
Compassion without action is just a pity, or feels sorry.
We need to get out of our comfort zone and do more effort to put our compassion in action.
Monday, December 1, 2008
What's on your wallpaper?
When I worked in SF, I was given the client laptop to use (separate from my company's laptop). I knew I would use it for quite a while, so I started customizing it. One of my favorite things to do is changing the computer screen saver.
As with my other laptops, I set the screen saver to display pictures in My Pictures folder. I want it to display bible verses, instead of other pictures, so.. I have a few templates in Word that I can type in the verses. For each page, I take the screen snapshot and save the picture in My Documents -> My Pictures folder. This is one example:
After a while, I got bored with my wallpaper, too. So I decided to look for a background wallpaper with bible verses in it. Then I found one with this verse in it: Matthew 6:19-21, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
At first I thought of this only to help me memorize verses. But what happened was.. after I started working from Chicago, my laptop was used by a team mate in SF, and apparently he never changed this wallpaper. Just a few weeks ago he told me that now the only bible verse he remembered is Matthew 6:19-21, the one on the wallpaper!
I am never sure if he is a believer, but regardless, it's great to know that he now remembers one bible verse :)
I bring this up just as an idea. If you are bored with your screen saver or wallpaper, try this idea. You can also pick a nice picture as a template, add a bible verse on it (by using Paint), and use it as wallpaper. This way, you can change it every week or so, and use that to memorize bible verses :)
As with my other laptops, I set the screen saver to display pictures in My Pictures folder. I want it to display bible verses, instead of other pictures, so.. I have a few templates in Word that I can type in the verses. For each page, I take the screen snapshot and save the picture in My Documents -> My Pictures folder. This is one example:
After a while, I got bored with my wallpaper, too. So I decided to look for a background wallpaper with bible verses in it. Then I found one with this verse in it: Matthew 6:19-21, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
At first I thought of this only to help me memorize verses. But what happened was.. after I started working from Chicago, my laptop was used by a team mate in SF, and apparently he never changed this wallpaper. Just a few weeks ago he told me that now the only bible verse he remembered is Matthew 6:19-21, the one on the wallpaper!
I am never sure if he is a believer, but regardless, it's great to know that he now remembers one bible verse :)
I bring this up just as an idea. If you are bored with your screen saver or wallpaper, try this idea. You can also pick a nice picture as a template, add a bible verse on it (by using Paint), and use it as wallpaper. This way, you can change it every week or so, and use that to memorize bible verses :)
Sunday, November 2, 2008
The 10 Commandments of Dating (Part 3) (Beware: Mature Discussion Ahead)
Dating Commandment VII:
Thou Shalt be Dedicated to Grow!
The most frustrated and miserable people in marriages are those who married a spouse who are not willing to grow. By grow it means identify what needs to be worked on in a relationship and do whatever it needs to do in that relationship. It maybe by reading a book, getting resources, joining a bible study group or even going to a Christian counseling. Find someone who has an open mind and willing to grow. We are always growing. It’s either we are growing to get closer to Christ or move away from Him.
Dating Commandment VIII:
Thou Shalt Have a Healthy Boundary Around Sex! (Caution: Adult Mature Theme)
SAVE SEX FOR MARRIAGE!
God sets up boundaries around sex, because He loves you and He doesn’t want you to get hurt. When you close sexually to a person, you are giving all of yourself to that person. It is one of the most close intimate experience you will ever have, and God wants to protect you by having that experience in a context of a marriage, in a committed love in marriage. God knows how delicate your heart is in this area.
Sexual Purity Verses:
1 Corinthians 6:18-20 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. Food is for the stomach, and the stomach is for food; but God will do away with both of them. Yet the body is not for immorality, but for the Lord; and the Lord is for the body. Now God has not only raised the Lord, but will also raise us up through His power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? May it never be! Or do you not know that the one who joins himself to a harlot is one body with her? For He says, “The two will become one flesh.” But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him. Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.
Hebrews 13:4 Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge.
Galatians 5:19 - 21 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Ephesians 5:3 But do not let immorality or any impurity or greed even be named among you, as is proper among saints.
1 Thessalonians 4:1 – 8 Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that, as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you may and excel still more. For you know what commandments we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification. Consequently, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you.
The bottom line is sex for us who are single, needs to wait until marriage.
When we are in disobedient in this area, there will be consequences that we will pay in the future. You will carry an emotional baggage in your life as a result from sexual relationship before marriage.
Just think about this, if you with your dating partner can abstain from sex before marriage, to have self-control in this area, just imagine how this will build the confidence in your relationship on setting up boundaries on other things in your relationship and throughout your life. Things such as setting boundaries in handling finance, raising and handling your children, interaction with the opposite sex and etc. If you take sex out of the equation in your relationship, you can have the time to really get to know each other, to build on your relationship, to deepen your friendship, to deepen your intimate emotional relationship.
Sex is defined as oral or genital stimulation to orgasm outside the clothes or underneath the clothes and genital intercourse.
So how do we set the limits?
1. Spend some time to write a purity covenant before God with your partner. Slip it in your bible as a reminder.
2. Have an accountability partner. Find someone the same gender as you are, that you trust that can challenge you in this area.
3. Remove the temptation from your relationship. For example avoid spending time together alone in the bedroom late at night, avoid putting yourselves in a situation where the sexual temptation may arise and stay out of the “swimsuit” area of your body (use your imagination) until you both get married.
If you honor God in this area, God will honor your relationship.
To those of you who remains a virgin and honors God with your purity, God bless you, God bless you that in this sex crazed culture you have won this battle. Don’t let other people undermine you and don’t let other people make fun of you because of your choice to remain pure before God.
To those of you who had not remain pure in this area, those who had made compromise in the past in the area of sexual purity, “as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us”, God forgave you and you have to draw a line in the sand from now on and decided to make a new commitment before Christ.
Dating Commandment IX:
Thou Shalt Seek Wise Counsel!
Wisdom is learning from other people and not to repeat their mistake. Learn the wisdom from the bible, from this love letter from God and ask God for wisdom. Learn from godly couples that you know and try to soak the wisdom that came from their successful marriage. Good marriage is a hard work, but the pay off is well worth it. Be the best student of your partner.
Dating Commandment X:
Thou Shalt Not Ignore the Warning Signs!
Be wise. Don’t jump in to fast in a dating relationship. You will recognize these warning signals when you get know someone more and more, do not ignore them. Have a moment of reflection on those signals.
On final note, for those of you who are dating or thinking about dating, honor God with your relationship. Keep yourself pure, and grow spiritually together, don't let your dating partner pull you away from Christ and pull you away from serving God. No one person is worth it, compared to the love that God has lavished us in pour life.
Remember for all of you singles out there, that when Lord Jesus was in this world, He was a single man and He did miraculous things in His ministry. You too as a single can have a complete life, a wonderful ministry to further the Kingdom of God.
* Special thanks to WCCC
Thou Shalt be Dedicated to Grow!
The most frustrated and miserable people in marriages are those who married a spouse who are not willing to grow. By grow it means identify what needs to be worked on in a relationship and do whatever it needs to do in that relationship. It maybe by reading a book, getting resources, joining a bible study group or even going to a Christian counseling. Find someone who has an open mind and willing to grow. We are always growing. It’s either we are growing to get closer to Christ or move away from Him.
Dating Commandment VIII:
Thou Shalt Have a Healthy Boundary Around Sex! (Caution: Adult Mature Theme)
SAVE SEX FOR MARRIAGE!
God sets up boundaries around sex, because He loves you and He doesn’t want you to get hurt. When you close sexually to a person, you are giving all of yourself to that person. It is one of the most close intimate experience you will ever have, and God wants to protect you by having that experience in a context of a marriage, in a committed love in marriage. God knows how delicate your heart is in this area.
Sexual Purity Verses:
1 Corinthians 6:18-20 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. Food is for the stomach, and the stomach is for food; but God will do away with both of them. Yet the body is not for immorality, but for the Lord; and the Lord is for the body. Now God has not only raised the Lord, but will also raise us up through His power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? May it never be! Or do you not know that the one who joins himself to a harlot is one body with her? For He says, “The two will become one flesh.” But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him. Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.
Hebrews 13:4 Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge.
Galatians 5:19 - 21 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Ephesians 5:3 But do not let immorality or any impurity or greed even be named among you, as is proper among saints.
1 Thessalonians 4:1 – 8 Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that, as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you may and excel still more. For you know what commandments we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification. Consequently, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you.
The bottom line is sex for us who are single, needs to wait until marriage.
When we are in disobedient in this area, there will be consequences that we will pay in the future. You will carry an emotional baggage in your life as a result from sexual relationship before marriage.
Just think about this, if you with your dating partner can abstain from sex before marriage, to have self-control in this area, just imagine how this will build the confidence in your relationship on setting up boundaries on other things in your relationship and throughout your life. Things such as setting boundaries in handling finance, raising and handling your children, interaction with the opposite sex and etc. If you take sex out of the equation in your relationship, you can have the time to really get to know each other, to build on your relationship, to deepen your friendship, to deepen your intimate emotional relationship.
Sex is defined as oral or genital stimulation to orgasm outside the clothes or underneath the clothes and genital intercourse.
So how do we set the limits?
1. Spend some time to write a purity covenant before God with your partner. Slip it in your bible as a reminder.
2. Have an accountability partner. Find someone the same gender as you are, that you trust that can challenge you in this area.
3. Remove the temptation from your relationship. For example avoid spending time together alone in the bedroom late at night, avoid putting yourselves in a situation where the sexual temptation may arise and stay out of the “swimsuit” area of your body (use your imagination) until you both get married.
If you honor God in this area, God will honor your relationship.
To those of you who remains a virgin and honors God with your purity, God bless you, God bless you that in this sex crazed culture you have won this battle. Don’t let other people undermine you and don’t let other people make fun of you because of your choice to remain pure before God.
To those of you who had not remain pure in this area, those who had made compromise in the past in the area of sexual purity, “as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us”, God forgave you and you have to draw a line in the sand from now on and decided to make a new commitment before Christ.
Dating Commandment IX:
Thou Shalt Seek Wise Counsel!
Wisdom is learning from other people and not to repeat their mistake. Learn the wisdom from the bible, from this love letter from God and ask God for wisdom. Learn from godly couples that you know and try to soak the wisdom that came from their successful marriage. Good marriage is a hard work, but the pay off is well worth it. Be the best student of your partner.
Dating Commandment X:
Thou Shalt Not Ignore the Warning Signs!
Be wise. Don’t jump in to fast in a dating relationship. You will recognize these warning signals when you get know someone more and more, do not ignore them. Have a moment of reflection on those signals.
On final note, for those of you who are dating or thinking about dating, honor God with your relationship. Keep yourself pure, and grow spiritually together, don't let your dating partner pull you away from Christ and pull you away from serving God. No one person is worth it, compared to the love that God has lavished us in pour life.
Remember for all of you singles out there, that when Lord Jesus was in this world, He was a single man and He did miraculous things in His ministry. You too as a single can have a complete life, a wonderful ministry to further the Kingdom of God.
* Special thanks to WCCC
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
The 10 Commandments of Dating (Part 2)
Dating Commandment IV:
Thou shalt not isolate!
Often times we saw ourselves or our friends disappear after they got into a relationship. Vanished and never to be found. This is actually is pretty unhealthy, for a relationship to be healthy we need feedback from people that we trust and care about our best interest.
Dating Commandment V:
Thou shalt stand firm in thy faith!
NO MISSIONARY DATING!
What is that? It is a long term relationship with a non-believer hoping that someday we can change them to be a Christ follower. Only they and God can change them.
Please don't fall in love with someone who is not in love with your First Love, Jesus Christ.
The Apostle Paul warned the believers in
"Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?" (2 Cor 6: 14-15)
When 2 cattle are yoked together, they will lift each other's load to go forward. The stronger cattle will actually carry the weaker cattle in the same yoke. Now imagine if the two cattle have unequal yoke, one will go to the left and one will go to the right, one will drag the other, imagine the frustration.
Even a relationship between two believers, we need to know where each other is in their spiritual journey. Ask deep questions about their faith journey in first 1-3 dates to find out about how they accepted Christ, how is their serving life, their prayer life, etc.
Couple with same faith that serve together and pray together will have a better chance of success in their marriage.
If you caved in to compromise about your faith in your relationship, there might be some underlining issues that you need to ponder and address. Issues such as acceptance, neediness, etc.
Dating Commandment VI:
Thou shalt learn to fight fair!
FIGHT IS INEVITABLE!
It is not a question of if, it is a question of when.
Asses yourselves on how you handle conflict:
Is it:
1. Withdrawal?
Avoid conflict at all cost, passive, no talking about it. This is Unhealthy way.
2. Give-In Style?
The people pleaser. This requires no courage but high on consideration for other. This is also Unhealthy way.
3. Stand Your Ground?
My way or the highway. This requires big courage but low consideration for other. You could win the battle but could lose the relationship. This is also Unhealthy way.
4. Compromise?
Let's meet each other halfway. This requires lots of courage and has high consideration for other. Be honest to each other. This is a healthy way.
5. Collaborative?
Our way. This requires lots of courage and has the highest consideration for other. This is the BEST way.
If you made mistakes, this is a very BAD way to apologize:
"I'm sorry you feel that way..."
"I apologized, now your turn."
This is pretty insincere apologies.
We are not a mind reader, therefore the great need to communicate. We don't know the motive when our loved one made the offence.
"...bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do." (Colossians 3: 13)
When you like to mend your relationship with your love one, you should say these 3 things sincerely:
1. I'm sorry. (Not, I'm sorry, but...)
2. Please forgive me, when you ready.
3. I forgive you (if the other is asking for forgiveness).
...to be continued.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
The Dark Side Of Halloween
The church that I went to when I was in college had a strong believe against Halloween. One of their main income was from a thrift store, yet during Haloween season, they wouldn't sell any related Halloween accessories and chose to loose thousands of dollars of their sales by doing what they believe is right. It trully got me thinking about Halloween and made me do a deeper research about it.
History of Halloween
Back to the ancient religion of the Celtics (Ireland), there was a celebration called Samhain, the time when the division between the natural and supernatural became very thin, the order of the universe is suspended, and the spirits of the dead move freely among men. The priests who led the rituals generally offer sacrifices (crops, animals, & sometimes humans), in order to placate (meredam kemarahan) the gods and frightening away evil spirits. In the 7th century, as the influence of Christianity spread into Celtic lands, Pope Boniface IV introduced All Saints' Day, to replace the festival of the dead, thus became All Hallows' Eve ('hallow' means 'saint').
The origins of trick-or-treat was the supreme night of demonic jubilation. Spirits of the dead would rise out of their graves, and frightened villagers tried to appease (menenangkan) them by offering gifts. They're feared that the spirits would harm them or destroy their property. They wear masks and blackening the face with soot were originally ways of hiding themselves from the spirits of the dead. The Jack-o-lantern (pumpkin festival) is the ancient symbol of a damned soul. Pumpkins were cut with faces representing demons and was originally intended to frighten away evil spirits. They would have been left outside the home to burn through the night.
Witches are dominant themes of the holiday and are really just one side of a modern revival of paganism. Halloween represents the beginning of the witches year. At this time the power of the underworld is unleashed, and is considered the best time to contact spirits. The apostle Paul said Witchcraft is one of the acts of the sinful nature and those who practice it will not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:16-21; Revelation 22:15).
What's Christians Got To Do With It?
As believers, we are called to "Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. [1 Thesalonians 5:21-22] Who can deny that virtually all of the symbols of Halloween are evil? Witches, monsters, ogres, ghosts, goblins and demons all portray evil. Christians are to "... have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them." [Ephesians 5:11]
Is Halloween just another innocent holiday that doesn't harm anyone? Should churches compromise to the culture? "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." [Romans 12:2]"For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial?" [2 Corinthians 6:14, 15]
When the world celebrates the Festival of Samhain and the powers of darkness by masquerading as evil creatures or decorating our homes, schools, businesses and churches with occult symbols, Satan is glorified. The sort of practices celebrated on Halloween are what defiled the ancient nations [Leviticus 18:24-30].
The Israelites were warned against such practices when they entered the Promised Land.Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD, and because of these detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you. You must be blameless before the LORD your God. The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination. But as for you, the LORD your God has not permitted you to do so. [Deuteronomy 18:10-14]
Halloween is a serious business for Satanists!! Some may say, "But we only do this in fun, we don't practice witchcraft," those things that represent Satan and his domain cannot be considered "for fun".
Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. (John 3:19-20)
Wake up Christians!! Halloween is the night of evil and we, as believers, should have nothing to do with it.We are all accountable for our choices, ignorance is no excuse. The choice is up to us...
History of Halloween
Back to the ancient religion of the Celtics (Ireland), there was a celebration called Samhain, the time when the division between the natural and supernatural became very thin, the order of the universe is suspended, and the spirits of the dead move freely among men. The priests who led the rituals generally offer sacrifices (crops, animals, & sometimes humans), in order to placate (meredam kemarahan) the gods and frightening away evil spirits. In the 7th century, as the influence of Christianity spread into Celtic lands, Pope Boniface IV introduced All Saints' Day, to replace the festival of the dead, thus became All Hallows' Eve ('hallow' means 'saint').
The origins of trick-or-treat was the supreme night of demonic jubilation. Spirits of the dead would rise out of their graves, and frightened villagers tried to appease (menenangkan) them by offering gifts. They're feared that the spirits would harm them or destroy their property. They wear masks and blackening the face with soot were originally ways of hiding themselves from the spirits of the dead. The Jack-o-lantern (pumpkin festival) is the ancient symbol of a damned soul. Pumpkins were cut with faces representing demons and was originally intended to frighten away evil spirits. They would have been left outside the home to burn through the night.
Witches are dominant themes of the holiday and are really just one side of a modern revival of paganism. Halloween represents the beginning of the witches year. At this time the power of the underworld is unleashed, and is considered the best time to contact spirits. The apostle Paul said Witchcraft is one of the acts of the sinful nature and those who practice it will not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:16-21; Revelation 22:15).
What's Christians Got To Do With It?
As believers, we are called to "Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. [1 Thesalonians 5:21-22] Who can deny that virtually all of the symbols of Halloween are evil? Witches, monsters, ogres, ghosts, goblins and demons all portray evil. Christians are to "... have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them." [Ephesians 5:11]
Is Halloween just another innocent holiday that doesn't harm anyone? Should churches compromise to the culture? "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." [Romans 12:2]"For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial?" [2 Corinthians 6:14, 15]
When the world celebrates the Festival of Samhain and the powers of darkness by masquerading as evil creatures or decorating our homes, schools, businesses and churches with occult symbols, Satan is glorified. The sort of practices celebrated on Halloween are what defiled the ancient nations [Leviticus 18:24-30].
The Israelites were warned against such practices when they entered the Promised Land.Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD, and because of these detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you. You must be blameless before the LORD your God. The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination. But as for you, the LORD your God has not permitted you to do so. [Deuteronomy 18:10-14]
Halloween is a serious business for Satanists!! Some may say, "But we only do this in fun, we don't practice witchcraft," those things that represent Satan and his domain cannot be considered "for fun".
Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. (John 3:19-20)
Wake up Christians!! Halloween is the night of evil and we, as believers, should have nothing to do with it.We are all accountable for our choices, ignorance is no excuse. The choice is up to us...
Monday, October 20, 2008
Encouragement
One of the ways people improve is by seeking others' opinion. It's usually after one person finishes a task when he/she asks for feedback. A feedback can be positive or negative, and usually it depends on how the person actually did.
Say, the person looking for the feedback is A.
If I think A does a good job, especially in comparison to others, I will say, "Congratulations!! You did such a great job!" or "Wow! That was amazing!" or "I am so proud of you!" Plus, I will say all that will full excitement.
If I think A does an ok job, I will say, "Hey, good job!", or "That was nice!", or "You certainly have trained hard for it!" And I probably smile while saying that.
If I think A does a not-so-good to awful job, I will probably say things in the line of: "Good job, but you can do (this part) better" or "Nice try, why don't you do (this part) (in a different way) next time." Sometimes, I don't say anything at all, just to avoid A getting discouraged.
Now, I would like to first limit the scope of this reflection to cover A's actions that are not morally/spiritually related, but just ordinary, daily routines or work. And I want to bring this up in the matter of Encouragement and Appreciation. I used to be pretty thrifty in giving those. I would only say "Great" if it's really great, and most of the time, things are merely "Ok".
It was about two years ago when I first experienced first-hand the power of encouragement and praise. It was the first time I did something and everybody threw rains of compliments, -even though- I know I did ok, not great. But instantly I realized how encouraging it was, and how happy I became. In this group, even when one of us made mistakes, others would focus on his/her motivation and thus give lavish and sincere appreciations. To this day, I have never got negative review, yet still continuously improving in what I do. In a way, the compliments make me try to live up to the high expectation.
I used to argue that this technique won't work all the time. In some cases, we should bring up the mistakes, being hopeful that the person will correct it next time. Sometimes though, we fall into being too focused on the problem and sound accusative, thus we fail to help the person to improve. So, what should we do?
Recently I am reading the book "How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie. It is a great book, which I definitely recommend you to read, too. As soon as I finish it, you can borrow it :).
There are multiple chapters in the book that discuss "how to be nice and criticize others at the same time." I pick only two chapters to get these two rules:
This book is full of examples, many of which are too long to quote here. So I pick these shorter ones, quoted exactly as in the book:
Many people begin their criticism with sincere praise followed by the word "but" and ending with a critical statement. For example, in trying to change a child's careless attitude toward studies, we might say, "We're really proud of you Johnnie, for raising your grades this term. But if you had worked harder on your algebra, the results would have been better."
In this case, Johnnie might feel encouraged until he heard the word "but." He might then questioned the sincerity of the original praise. To him, the praise seemed only to be a contrived lead-in to a critical inference of failure.
This could be easily overcome by changing the word "but" to "and." "We're really proud of you Johnnie, for raising your grades this term, and by continuing the same conscientious efforts next term, your algebra grade can be up with all the others."
For the first few days of the work, when Mrs. Jacob returned from her job, she noticed that her yard was strewn with the cut ends of lumber. She didn't want to antagonize the builders, because they did excellent work. So after the workers had gone home, she and her children picked up and neatly piled all the lumber debris in a corner. The following morning she called the foremen to one side and said, "I'm really pleased with the way the front lawn was left last night: it is nice and clean and does not offend the neighbors." From that day forward the workers picked up and piled all the debris to one side, and the foremen came in each day seeking approval of the condition the lawn was left in after a day's work.
I started thinking about this not while reading from the bible, but I'm sure the bible talks about encouragement and praises. Here are some verses that I think are relevant:
1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
Proverbs 15:2
The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.
Ephesians 4:29
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
I myself am still learning to apply this in my interaction with other people. So far it has helped me to be more careful with my choice of words, try to look at other people from their positive sides, and just be supportive to them.
Say, the person looking for the feedback is A.
If I think A does a good job, especially in comparison to others, I will say, "Congratulations!! You did such a great job!" or "Wow! That was amazing!" or "I am so proud of you!" Plus, I will say all that will full excitement.
If I think A does an ok job, I will say, "Hey, good job!", or "That was nice!", or "You certainly have trained hard for it!" And I probably smile while saying that.
If I think A does a not-so-good to awful job, I will probably say things in the line of: "Good job, but you can do (this part) better" or "Nice try, why don't you do (this part) (in a different way) next time." Sometimes, I don't say anything at all, just to avoid A getting discouraged.
Now, I would like to first limit the scope of this reflection to cover A's actions that are not morally/spiritually related, but just ordinary, daily routines or work. And I want to bring this up in the matter of Encouragement and Appreciation. I used to be pretty thrifty in giving those. I would only say "Great" if it's really great, and most of the time, things are merely "Ok".
It was about two years ago when I first experienced first-hand the power of encouragement and praise. It was the first time I did something and everybody threw rains of compliments, -even though- I know I did ok, not great. But instantly I realized how encouraging it was, and how happy I became. In this group, even when one of us made mistakes, others would focus on his/her motivation and thus give lavish and sincere appreciations. To this day, I have never got negative review, yet still continuously improving in what I do. In a way, the compliments make me try to live up to the high expectation.
I used to argue that this technique won't work all the time. In some cases, we should bring up the mistakes, being hopeful that the person will correct it next time. Sometimes though, we fall into being too focused on the problem and sound accusative, thus we fail to help the person to improve. So, what should we do?
Recently I am reading the book "How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie. It is a great book, which I definitely recommend you to read, too. As soon as I finish it, you can borrow it :).
There are multiple chapters in the book that discuss "how to be nice and criticize others at the same time." I pick only two chapters to get these two rules:
- Begin with praise and honest appreciation
- Call attention to people's mistakes indirectly
This book is full of examples, many of which are too long to quote here. So I pick these shorter ones, quoted exactly as in the book:
Many people begin their criticism with sincere praise followed by the word "but" and ending with a critical statement. For example, in trying to change a child's careless attitude toward studies, we might say, "We're really proud of you Johnnie, for raising your grades this term. But if you had worked harder on your algebra, the results would have been better."
In this case, Johnnie might feel encouraged until he heard the word "but." He might then questioned the sincerity of the original praise. To him, the praise seemed only to be a contrived lead-in to a critical inference of failure.
This could be easily overcome by changing the word "but" to "and." "We're really proud of you Johnnie, for raising your grades this term, and by continuing the same conscientious efforts next term, your algebra grade can be up with all the others."
For the first few days of the work, when Mrs. Jacob returned from her job, she noticed that her yard was strewn with the cut ends of lumber. She didn't want to antagonize the builders, because they did excellent work. So after the workers had gone home, she and her children picked up and neatly piled all the lumber debris in a corner. The following morning she called the foremen to one side and said, "I'm really pleased with the way the front lawn was left last night: it is nice and clean and does not offend the neighbors." From that day forward the workers picked up and piled all the debris to one side, and the foremen came in each day seeking approval of the condition the lawn was left in after a day's work.
I started thinking about this not while reading from the bible, but I'm sure the bible talks about encouragement and praises. Here are some verses that I think are relevant:
1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
Proverbs 15:2
The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.
Ephesians 4:29
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
I myself am still learning to apply this in my interaction with other people. So far it has helped me to be more careful with my choice of words, try to look at other people from their positive sides, and just be supportive to them.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
The Ten Commandments of Dating (Part 1)
Some of us is dating now, thinking about dating or just done with the whole dating thing... I want to share what I learned last wednesday at church. As a singles group, I hope that this will be beneficial for all of us to learn how we are as a Christian should date. No doubt that the Christian view of dating is different that the world view of dating. Don't let the world teach you theology.
Relationship and dating, they all start with YOU. No one else can make you happy, whole or complete. You must be solid and complete all by yourself.
Do you know who you are?
Do you feel good about yourself?
Do you have a solid sense of worth and value?
REMEMBER – It all starts with you!
Dating Commandment I:
Thou shalt get a life!
Pursue your life now, don’t put it off to the future.
Pursue your dream and goal in life now. Some people put their life on hold until they found the one. If I met someone then…If I got married, then…If I owned a house, then…If I found the perfect job, then…You could be missing the best years of your life. You could be missing the blessing that God has in store for you.
Dating Commandment II:
Thou shalt have the same values!
Find out and write down what would be your values.
Figure out what are your non-negotiables and what are your negotiables in a relationship.
Don’t let your non-negotiables be your negotiables!
Examples of values:
- Relationally intimate with God and other people
- Family oriented
- Spiritually mature
- Sexually pure
- Servanthood
- Financially mature
- Committed to growing
- Playtime (Fun !)
- Active in church
Find out also if the person that you like has good characters mentioned in Galatians 5: 22:
Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-control.
Test these characters in that person, observe how they relate and treat other people, observe if you can see these characters manifested in their life.
Don’t try to change a person later in the relationship! (either they have these characters or they don’t).
Dating Commandment III:
Thou shalt go deep to build a foundation!
(Relational Intimacy, not physical intimacy)
Communication! Communication! Communication!
Build a strong foundation in a relationship through communication.
Ask yourself these questions:
- What qualities draw you to this person?
- What is the level of sharing in this relationship?
- Do you feel safe? Can you be honest? Open? Able to be silly or serious? Able to be comfortable?
There are more to come and I will try to be a better learner and to take better notes to share with everybody.
(To be continued….)
Relationship and dating, they all start with YOU. No one else can make you happy, whole or complete. You must be solid and complete all by yourself.
Do you know who you are?
Do you feel good about yourself?
Do you have a solid sense of worth and value?
REMEMBER – It all starts with you!
Dating Commandment I:
Thou shalt get a life!
Pursue your life now, don’t put it off to the future.
Pursue your dream and goal in life now. Some people put their life on hold until they found the one. If I met someone then…If I got married, then…If I owned a house, then…If I found the perfect job, then…You could be missing the best years of your life. You could be missing the blessing that God has in store for you.
Dating Commandment II:
Thou shalt have the same values!
Find out and write down what would be your values.
Figure out what are your non-negotiables and what are your negotiables in a relationship.
Don’t let your non-negotiables be your negotiables!
Examples of values:
- Relationally intimate with God and other people
- Family oriented
- Spiritually mature
- Sexually pure
- Servanthood
- Financially mature
- Committed to growing
- Playtime (Fun !)
- Active in church
Find out also if the person that you like has good characters mentioned in Galatians 5: 22:
Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-control.
Test these characters in that person, observe how they relate and treat other people, observe if you can see these characters manifested in their life.
Don’t try to change a person later in the relationship! (either they have these characters or they don’t).
Dating Commandment III:
Thou shalt go deep to build a foundation!
(Relational Intimacy, not physical intimacy)
Communication! Communication! Communication!
Build a strong foundation in a relationship through communication.
Ask yourself these questions:
- What qualities draw you to this person?
- What is the level of sharing in this relationship?
- Do you feel safe? Can you be honest? Open? Able to be silly or serious? Able to be comfortable?
There are more to come and I will try to be a better learner and to take better notes to share with everybody.
(To be continued….)
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Dog Theology
What is it about a wiener dog that we love so much? Is it the long snout, the long droopy ears, the big paws and short legs? Or is it the bossy domineering attitude despite the petite profile? One thing for sure though that puppy dog loves to see its master comes home, excitingly wagging its tail and all. It’s been waiting patiently all day for the master to return and together taking a stroll in the neighborhood. The dog loves spending time at its master’s feet, being around, spending time with its master and riding in a car, shotgun, leaving a trail of snout marks on the window. What a loyal creature…(Although an intermittent whining made me thought that the proper name for it should be a whiner dog).
A dog will think: “Wow, you feed me, you take care of me, you love me, wow, you must be god.” Unlike cat that thinks: “Wow, you feed me, you take care of me, you love me, wow, I must be god.” (Cat lovers, please don’t send me emails, and yes, you should be ashamed of yourselves…haha).
Sunday, September 14, 2008
I was feeling pretty overwhelmed earlier.. not as a result of any specific issue but a multitude of them. Especially now is the end of the weekend. I didn't finish all the things I have planned to finish. Sigh.
Then I read a devotion from K-Love, which I'd like to share here. It says:
When trouble comes, do these three things:
1. Get alone with God.
Psalm 27:5 says, "In the time of trouble, He shall hide me in His pavilion"
All hell could break loose around you but it didn't matter, in the secret place there was peace.
Are you allowing things to overwhelm you that really don't make a difference?
Are you upset over things that should be dismissed as trivialities?
2. Refuse to live beyond help because you have an image to uphold.
The Bible says those of us who are strong ought to bear the burdens of the weak. There are times when we need to do the lifting; and times when we ourselves need to be lifted.
3. Be sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit for He will constantly remind you of God's plan, and show you how to carry it out.
And here is Jesus' promise in John 14 that really comforted me tonight.
John 14:15-27
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"If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever--the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."
Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, "But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?"
Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
"All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
Then I read a devotion from K-Love, which I'd like to share here. It says:
When trouble comes, do these three things:
1. Get alone with God.
Psalm 27:5 says, "In the time of trouble, He shall hide me in His pavilion"
All hell could break loose around you but it didn't matter, in the secret place there was peace.
Are you allowing things to overwhelm you that really don't make a difference?
Are you upset over things that should be dismissed as trivialities?
2. Refuse to live beyond help because you have an image to uphold.
The Bible says those of us who are strong ought to bear the burdens of the weak. There are times when we need to do the lifting; and times when we ourselves need to be lifted.
3. Be sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit for He will constantly remind you of God's plan, and show you how to carry it out.
And here is Jesus' promise in John 14 that really comforted me tonight.
John 14:15-27
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever--the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."
Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, "But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?"
Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
"All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Me, Myself, and My Love
The last two months were ugly for me, spiritually. I unintentionally withdrew myself from God as I spent less and less devotional time with Him and did not obey His command/reminder. The one thing I struggled the most was about loving someone.
I used to think that I cared about this person X a lot that I always got sad when X did not do the right things, in my opinion. Over time, I learned that nothing I do or say could make any difference to X's way of thinking and actions, I felt so undermined and desperate. I then learned to numb the pain by keep telling myself that X was just a 'neighbor buddy' or a 'friend I just met once', thus I should not care too much (or practically speaking: ignore). After a while, this worked.
My little heart kept telling me that I was a bad person and that God wants me to restore the relationship. But I never wanted to return. Not ever. The past hurts, and I am ready to live for myself.
Last week, as I was talking to my mom about this problem, she gently reminded me:
"If you love someone, why do you want him/her to be like you? or to do what you do? You should love them as they are, and even if they do not reply (love) you back."
Her last remark was, "Think of what Jesus would do. Doesn't He always love you even though many times you don't remember Him or disobey Him?"
I got so sad. All these times I have been suppressing the very spirit God has put in my heart, that told me I need to change, I need to change. I know my love is superficial. I am always eager to share my love with others, but at some point, I want to be recognized, to be loved back. How selfish. And this God's very words have to come from my mom, who is not a believer. How good of salt and light have I been!
C.S. Lewis in his book "Mere Christianity" says that loving our enemy does not mean we have to love their bad actions, as we still love ourselves regardless of our bad actions. In the journey, we depend on God and are full of hope that we keep improving (being a better person). Similarly, we should help our enemies to depend on God, and we should be full of hope that they will change and be better people. This is what it means to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.
On a side note: I take 'enemy' as not only the people we consider harmful (such as terrorists, robbers) but also those who we hate in our daily life (such as irritating colleagues).
Last week I fasted. I really want to kill my pride and change my attitude towards X. I want to care, but not ask to be cared back. I will try to fix this relationship and be a better person.
Will you?
I used to think that I cared about this person X a lot that I always got sad when X did not do the right things, in my opinion. Over time, I learned that nothing I do or say could make any difference to X's way of thinking and actions, I felt so undermined and desperate. I then learned to numb the pain by keep telling myself that X was just a 'neighbor buddy' or a 'friend I just met once', thus I should not care too much (or practically speaking: ignore). After a while, this worked.
My little heart kept telling me that I was a bad person and that God wants me to restore the relationship. But I never wanted to return. Not ever. The past hurts, and I am ready to live for myself.
Last week, as I was talking to my mom about this problem, she gently reminded me:
"If you love someone, why do you want him/her to be like you? or to do what you do? You should love them as they are, and even if they do not reply (love) you back."
Her last remark was, "Think of what Jesus would do. Doesn't He always love you even though many times you don't remember Him or disobey Him?"
I got so sad. All these times I have been suppressing the very spirit God has put in my heart, that told me I need to change, I need to change. I know my love is superficial. I am always eager to share my love with others, but at some point, I want to be recognized, to be loved back. How selfish. And this God's very words have to come from my mom, who is not a believer. How good of salt and light have I been!
C.S. Lewis in his book "Mere Christianity" says that loving our enemy does not mean we have to love their bad actions, as we still love ourselves regardless of our bad actions. In the journey, we depend on God and are full of hope that we keep improving (being a better person). Similarly, we should help our enemies to depend on God, and we should be full of hope that they will change and be better people. This is what it means to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.
On a side note: I take 'enemy' as not only the people we consider harmful (such as terrorists, robbers) but also those who we hate in our daily life (such as irritating colleagues).
Last week I fasted. I really want to kill my pride and change my attitude towards X. I want to care, but not ask to be cared back. I will try to fix this relationship and be a better person.
Will you?
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Worship that pleases God
Friends, I'm posting this devotional material I got from CCBC that taught me a lot. May you be blessed as I am!
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God wants all of us!! He doesn’t want a part of us. He asks for all our hearts, our
souls, our minds, and our strength. And He is not interested in half-hearted
commitment or partial obedience. God desires a full devotion of us, not little bits
of our life. That is what God calls worship.
Today many equate worship with being emotionally moved by sound of music,
but that is not the same. Real worship takes place when our spirit responds to
God, and not to some musical tone. It is always good that we can praises God
with our voice and musical instruments, but that alone is not enough.
The best style of worship is the one that most authentically reflects our love for
God. He is pleased when our worship is thoughtful. But if our worship is
mindless, it is meaningless. No matter how long we sing unto the Lord or how
beautiful we sing to Him, but if we don’t respond with our spirit, it is
meaningless. And Jesus called that thoughtless worship “vain
repetitions” (Matthew 6:7).
Another thing we must know about worship that pleases the Lord: God is
pleased when our worship is practical. The of book of Romans 11:1-2 explains
about our true act of worship. It says, “Offer your body as living sacrifice...”
Now, why does God want our body? Why He doesn’t say “Offer your spirit”? It
is because without our body we can’t do anything on this planet! In eternity we
will receive new, improved, upgraded body, but while we’re on earth, God says,
“Give me what you’ve go!” God is just being practical about worship..
In worship we are to “offer” our bodies as living sacrifices. People say, “I can’t
make it to the prayer, but I’ll be with you in spirit”. Do you know what that
means? It means nothing. It’s meaningless. As long as we’re on earth, our spirit
can only be where our body is. If our body isn’t there, neither are we.
Friends, a real worship is costly. David knew this and said, “I will not offer the
Lord my God sacrifices that have cost me nothing”.
True worship always takes effort and energy. It is not always convenient and
sometimes it requires a willing sacrifice.
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God wants all of us!! He doesn’t want a part of us. He asks for all our hearts, our
souls, our minds, and our strength. And He is not interested in half-hearted
commitment or partial obedience. God desires a full devotion of us, not little bits
of our life. That is what God calls worship.
Today many equate worship with being emotionally moved by sound of music,
but that is not the same. Real worship takes place when our spirit responds to
God, and not to some musical tone. It is always good that we can praises God
with our voice and musical instruments, but that alone is not enough.
The best style of worship is the one that most authentically reflects our love for
God. He is pleased when our worship is thoughtful. But if our worship is
mindless, it is meaningless. No matter how long we sing unto the Lord or how
beautiful we sing to Him, but if we don’t respond with our spirit, it is
meaningless. And Jesus called that thoughtless worship “vain
repetitions” (Matthew 6:7).
Another thing we must know about worship that pleases the Lord: God is
pleased when our worship is practical. The of book of Romans 11:1-2 explains
about our true act of worship. It says, “Offer your body as living sacrifice...”
Now, why does God want our body? Why He doesn’t say “Offer your spirit”? It
is because without our body we can’t do anything on this planet! In eternity we
will receive new, improved, upgraded body, but while we’re on earth, God says,
“Give me what you’ve go!” God is just being practical about worship..
In worship we are to “offer” our bodies as living sacrifices. People say, “I can’t
make it to the prayer, but I’ll be with you in spirit”. Do you know what that
means? It means nothing. It’s meaningless. As long as we’re on earth, our spirit
can only be where our body is. If our body isn’t there, neither are we.
Friends, a real worship is costly. David knew this and said, “I will not offer the
Lord my God sacrifices that have cost me nothing”.
True worship always takes effort and energy. It is not always convenient and
sometimes it requires a willing sacrifice.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Shadow Mission
A shadow mission is something that is deeply important to us but that leads us away from God’s purposes for our lives since shadow mission is fueled with our pride and past wound. It’s typically just a few degrees off from God's will, but those few degrees is leading us straight to hell.
There is no Jesus in our shadow mission. Beneath our mission for God lies our shadow mission. All Christians have one. Some give in to it, some about to and some don’t, but it lurks beneath the surface nonetheless.
As I listened to John Ortberg teaching this evening, I wonder about what is my shadow mission. I think I know what it is, but was afraid to admit it. John took us through the book of Esther, where Queen Esther has a shadow mission. In the previous chapter, King Xerxes' chief of staff, Haman because of his hatred for Mordecai, Queen Esther's uncle, plot to destroy the Jews. But Esther was afraid to challenge the King to save her people since Queen Esther is a Jew.
This is what she said to Mordecai, "All the king's officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that he be put to death. The only exception to this is for the king to extend the gold scepter to him and spare his life. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king."
Mordecai sent back this answer: "Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"
1. What is your shadow mission in life?
What sinister things that will take you out of your genuine mission?
Find out what it is and pray that God will keep you away from it. Share it with your trusted friends so they can hold you accountable for it.
2. Did God put you in royal position right now or where you are right now for a reason?
3. Who is Mordecai in your life?
Do you have someone in your life who love you enough to challenge you when you are drifting from God's will?
We need more Mordecai in our life. Somebody that will challenge us and hold us accountable.
How many time churches and organizations got destroyed because of scandals because we are afraid to challenge someone.
How many time the name of Jesus Christ got dragged through the mud because we are afraid to challenge someone...
There is no Jesus in our shadow mission. Beneath our mission for God lies our shadow mission. All Christians have one. Some give in to it, some about to and some don’t, but it lurks beneath the surface nonetheless.
As I listened to John Ortberg teaching this evening, I wonder about what is my shadow mission. I think I know what it is, but was afraid to admit it. John took us through the book of Esther, where Queen Esther has a shadow mission. In the previous chapter, King Xerxes' chief of staff, Haman because of his hatred for Mordecai, Queen Esther's uncle, plot to destroy the Jews. But Esther was afraid to challenge the King to save her people since Queen Esther is a Jew.
This is what she said to Mordecai, "All the king's officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that he be put to death. The only exception to this is for the king to extend the gold scepter to him and spare his life. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king."
Mordecai sent back this answer: "Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"
Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: "Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish."
If you continued to read the book of Esther, Esther saved her people from destruction, Haman was hanged for his hatred and Mordecai became the King's chief of staff.
Esther's shadow mission was life of comfort and security and her genuine mission was to save the Jew so our Lord Jesus can be born.
1. What is your shadow mission in life?
What sinister things that will take you out of your genuine mission?
Find out what it is and pray that God will keep you away from it. Share it with your trusted friends so they can hold you accountable for it.
2. Did God put you in royal position right now or where you are right now for a reason?
3. Who is Mordecai in your life?
Do you have someone in your life who love you enough to challenge you when you are drifting from God's will?
We need more Mordecai in our life. Somebody that will challenge us and hold us accountable.
How many time churches and organizations got destroyed because of scandals because we are afraid to challenge someone.
How many time the name of Jesus Christ got dragged through the mud because we are afraid to challenge someone...
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Second Chance(s)
Sebagai manusia, tentunya kita tidak pernah luput dari kesalahan, baik yang disengaja maupun yang tak disengaja. Kita sebagai anak-anak Tuhan sudah sepantasnya selalu mencoba membuat Bapa kita tersenyum bangga. Kita berusaha sebaik-baiknya untuk selalu menyenangkan Dia dengan tidak jatuh dalam dosa.
Beberapa minggu terakhir ini, saya menemukan diri saya berjanji pada diri sendiri dan Tuhan bahwa saya ingin menjadi orang yang lebih baik. Saya janji tidak ngegosip di kantor, tidak menjelek-jelekkan orang lain, rajn bangun lebih pagi buat quiet time, tidak memakai uang untuk shopping melainkan untuk charity, selalu bersyukur apapun situasi dan kondisi saya, tidak egois memikirkan diri sendiri, lebih peka terhadap persoalan orang lain, dan pengontrolan diri yang maha dashyat!
Dan manusia memang makhluk yang sungguh menyebalkan, bukan?
Satu hari saya sukses tidak ngegosip, pastinya Tuhan tepuk tangan diatas sana - turut merayakan, turut bergembira, YAY! - only to find out that keesokan harinya, si A dari kantor sebelah bilang, "Ugh! Don't you just hate that annoying lady in accounting?" - yang lantas disambut dengan penuh semangat oleh saya, "Oh dude. Don't get me started on that one!" yang lantas berlanjut menjadi 10 minutes of character assassination.
Tuhan pun menundukkan kepala, bermuram durja.
"I was so good yesterday," saya membatin.
"What happened today?"
Today... is another day, Nit.
Today is another story.
Dengan amat mudah kita bisa terperosok dalam dosa dan dengan malas kita bisa bilang bahwa kita tidak perlu repot-repot keluar dari lubang ini. "Untuk apa? Nantinya pasti saya juga jatuh lagi. Daripada sakit jatuh berulang-ulang, mendingan saya diam dan tinggal disini saja. Bukankah ini hal yang sangat masuk di akal? Kalau sudah berada dalam lubang dosa, bagaimana kita bisa 'jatuh' lagi ke dalam dosa?"
Kita tahu bahwa pengampunan Tuhan baru setiap pagi. Setiap hari kita diberikan kesempatan kedua, untuk redeem ourselves - untuk bangkit lagi, berubah menjadi lebih baik. Mungkin kita berhasil dengan gemilang, mungkin juga kita gagal total. Tapi percayalah, Tuhan tidak melihat berhasil atau tidaknya usaha kita tersebut. Tuhan melihat hati kita, kemauan kita. Apakah kita senantiasa berkeinginan untuk menyenangkan Dia? Apakah kita berusaha dengan seluruh badan, pikiran, dan jiwa kita untuk melakukan kehendakNya? Apakah kita menerima dan menggunakan kasihNya yang selalu baru setiap hari untuk bertumbuh semakin dekat denganNya?
Seberapa sering sih kita manusia memberikan kesempatan kedua terhadap orang yang telah menyakiti kita? Si A pernah bohong, si B tukang maling, si C tukang tipu. Adalah bodoh jika setelah kita mengetahui fakta ini, kita langsung percaya semua perkataan A, meninggalkan B di rumah kita sendirian, dan meminjamkan uang kepada C. Tidak, kita tidak mau lagi disakiti. No second chance for them; absolute NO NO!
Lantas, apa Tuhan bodoh? Apa Tuhan bodoh memberikan kita kesempatan kedua setelah beracap kali kita mengecewakan Dia? (yang, by the way, bukan hanya sekali saja lho... mungkin lebih tepat kalau dibilang Tuhan memberikan kita kesempatan ke lima-belas-milyar kalinya untuk memperbaiki diri).
AnugerahNya baru setiap pagi. Kesempatan kedua itu datang ketika kita membuka mata setiap pagi. Dan Tuhan tidak bodoh memberikan kita kesempatan kedua tersebut walau sudah berulang kali kita mengecewakan Dia. Dia memberikannya karena cintaNya yang teramat besar kepada kita semua.
Bukankah itu pengorbanan yang paling berarti? Cinta tak bersyarat, this thing called "unconditional love"? Yang menjadi alasan mengapa Yesus Kristus mati di kayu salib untuk saya, kamu, dan mereka.
Beberapa minggu terakhir ini, saya menemukan diri saya berjanji pada diri sendiri dan Tuhan bahwa saya ingin menjadi orang yang lebih baik. Saya janji tidak ngegosip di kantor, tidak menjelek-jelekkan orang lain, rajn bangun lebih pagi buat quiet time, tidak memakai uang untuk shopping melainkan untuk charity, selalu bersyukur apapun situasi dan kondisi saya, tidak egois memikirkan diri sendiri, lebih peka terhadap persoalan orang lain, dan pengontrolan diri yang maha dashyat!
Dan manusia memang makhluk yang sungguh menyebalkan, bukan?
Satu hari saya sukses tidak ngegosip, pastinya Tuhan tepuk tangan diatas sana - turut merayakan, turut bergembira, YAY! - only to find out that keesokan harinya, si A dari kantor sebelah bilang, "Ugh! Don't you just hate that annoying lady in accounting?" - yang lantas disambut dengan penuh semangat oleh saya, "Oh dude. Don't get me started on that one!" yang lantas berlanjut menjadi 10 minutes of character assassination.
Tuhan pun menundukkan kepala, bermuram durja.
"I was so good yesterday," saya membatin.
"What happened today?"
Today... is another day, Nit.
Today is another story.
Dengan amat mudah kita bisa terperosok dalam dosa dan dengan malas kita bisa bilang bahwa kita tidak perlu repot-repot keluar dari lubang ini. "Untuk apa? Nantinya pasti saya juga jatuh lagi. Daripada sakit jatuh berulang-ulang, mendingan saya diam dan tinggal disini saja. Bukankah ini hal yang sangat masuk di akal? Kalau sudah berada dalam lubang dosa, bagaimana kita bisa 'jatuh' lagi ke dalam dosa?"
Kita tahu bahwa pengampunan Tuhan baru setiap pagi. Setiap hari kita diberikan kesempatan kedua, untuk redeem ourselves - untuk bangkit lagi, berubah menjadi lebih baik. Mungkin kita berhasil dengan gemilang, mungkin juga kita gagal total. Tapi percayalah, Tuhan tidak melihat berhasil atau tidaknya usaha kita tersebut. Tuhan melihat hati kita, kemauan kita. Apakah kita senantiasa berkeinginan untuk menyenangkan Dia? Apakah kita berusaha dengan seluruh badan, pikiran, dan jiwa kita untuk melakukan kehendakNya? Apakah kita menerima dan menggunakan kasihNya yang selalu baru setiap hari untuk bertumbuh semakin dekat denganNya?
Seberapa sering sih kita manusia memberikan kesempatan kedua terhadap orang yang telah menyakiti kita? Si A pernah bohong, si B tukang maling, si C tukang tipu. Adalah bodoh jika setelah kita mengetahui fakta ini, kita langsung percaya semua perkataan A, meninggalkan B di rumah kita sendirian, dan meminjamkan uang kepada C. Tidak, kita tidak mau lagi disakiti. No second chance for them; absolute NO NO!
Lantas, apa Tuhan bodoh? Apa Tuhan bodoh memberikan kita kesempatan kedua setelah beracap kali kita mengecewakan Dia? (yang, by the way, bukan hanya sekali saja lho... mungkin lebih tepat kalau dibilang Tuhan memberikan kita kesempatan ke lima-belas-milyar kalinya untuk memperbaiki diri).
AnugerahNya baru setiap pagi. Kesempatan kedua itu datang ketika kita membuka mata setiap pagi. Dan Tuhan tidak bodoh memberikan kita kesempatan kedua tersebut walau sudah berulang kali kita mengecewakan Dia. Dia memberikannya karena cintaNya yang teramat besar kepada kita semua.
Bukankah itu pengorbanan yang paling berarti? Cinta tak bersyarat, this thing called "unconditional love"? Yang menjadi alasan mengapa Yesus Kristus mati di kayu salib untuk saya, kamu, dan mereka.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
May the Wind Be Always at Your Back
Siung, Sinta, Renny, Chris, Jenny, Hady, Yuli and me completed our 5K Run/3K Walk this morning. It was a moving experience as we saw the numbers the people supporting this program.
In developing countries, 6 million children die each year, mostly from hunger-related causes. You can help give these children hope for a future. Their families are living on less than $1.00 a day. Every $30 raised in donations supports a child for one month with $360 supporting a child for one year.
Our race is over but you can still help fight this hunger battle by donating to:
http://www.firstgiving.com/
and look for Siung, Sinta, Renny, Chris, Jenny and Robert fundraising page.
Thank you for friends that have supported this ministry, thank you all for your generous giving.
"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." (Galatians 6: 9)
In developing countries, 6 million children die each year, mostly from hunger-related causes. You can help give these children hope for a future. Their families are living on less than $1.00 a day. Every $30 raised in donations supports a child for one month with $360 supporting a child for one year.
Our race is over but you can still help fight this hunger battle by donating to:
http://www.firstgiving.com/
and look for Siung, Sinta, Renny, Chris, Jenny and Robert fundraising page.
Thank you for friends that have supported this ministry, thank you all for your generous giving.
"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." (Galatians 6: 9)
Friday, May 16, 2008
Harvest Worship
The worship team at my church, Harvest Bible Chapel, is going to have a worship recording event on June 4, 2008. It will be just like a regular concert, except it is recorded live. Their songs are great, and it is free for us to attend, so.. consider it!
Harvest Live is an interactive concert and worship event at the Elgin Campus on Wednesday night, June 4, 2008. Featuring Harvest worship leaders Andi Rozier, Josh Caterer, Lindsay McCaul, Meredith Andrews, Luke MacDonald, Steve Busch, (HBC Michigan) and Josh Seller (HBC Oakville, Canada). Go online at harvestliveworship.org to learn some of the new songs and for more information.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Harvest Live is an interactive concert and worship event at the Elgin Campus on Wednesday night, June 4, 2008. Featuring Harvest worship leaders Andi Rozier, Josh Caterer, Lindsay McCaul, Meredith Andrews, Luke MacDonald, Steve Busch, (HBC Michigan) and Josh Seller (HBC Oakville, Canada). Go online at harvestliveworship.org to learn some of the new songs and for more information.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
The Necklace
A couple of weeks ago, when we learned about giving back our resources to God, I remember a story I read years ago about a little girl and a necklace. I am not sure who originally wrote the story or where it came from, but I found it online at: http://akpbible.blogspot.com/2004/11/necklace.html.
Here is the story from that blog.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The cheerful little girl with bouncy golden curls was almost five. Waiting with her mother at the checkout stand, she saw them; a circle of glistening white pearls in a pink foil box.
"Oh mommy, please mommy. Can I have them ? Please mommy, please ?" Quickly the mother checked the back of the little foil box and then looked back into the pleading blue eyes of her little girl’s upturned face.
"A dollar ninety-five. That’s almost $2.00. If you really want them, I’ll think of some extra chores for you and in no time you can save enough money to buy them for yourself. Your birthday is only week away and you might get another crisp dollar bill from Grandma." As soon as Jenny got home; she emptied her penny bank and counted out 17 pennies. After dinner; she did more than her share of chores and she went to the neighbor and asked Mrs. McJames if she could pick dandelions for ten cents. On her birthday her Grandma did give her another new dollar bill and at last she had enough money to buy the necklace. Jenny loved her pearls. They made her feel dressed up and grown up.
She wore them everywhere; Sunday school; kindergarten; even to bed. The only time she took them off was when she went swimming or had a bubble bath. Mother said if they got wet; they might turn her neck green. Jenny had a very loving daddy and every night when she was ready for bed; he would stop whatever he was doing and come upstairs to read her a story. One night as he finished the story, he asked Jenny;
"Do you love me?"
"Oh yes daddy. You know that I love you."
"Then give me your pearls."
"Oh daddy not my pearls. But you can have Princess; the white horse from my collection; the one with pink tail. Remember daddy? The one you gave me. She’s my very favorite."
"That’s okay; Honey; daddy loves you. Good night."
And he brushed her cheek with a kiss.
About a week later; after the story time, Jenny’s daddy asked again; "Do you love me?"
"Daddy, you know I love you."
"Then give me your pearls."
"Oh Daddy not my pearls. But you can have my baby doll. The brand new one I got for my birthday. She is beautiful and you can have the yellow blanket that matches her sleeper."
"That’s okay. Sleep well. God bless you little one. Daddy loves you."
And as always; he brushed her cheek with a gentle kiss.
A few nights later when her daddy came in Jenny was sitting on her bed with her legs crossed. As he came close he noticed her chin was trebling and one silent tear rolled down her cheek.
"What is it Jenny? What’s the matter?"
Jenny didn’t say anything but lifted her little hand up to her daddy. And when she opened it, there was her little pearl necklace. With a little quiver she finally said; "Here daddy this is for you."
With tears gathering in his own eyes, Jenny’s daddy reached out with one hand to take the dime store necklace; and with the other hand he reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet case with a strand of genuine pearls and gave them to Jenny. He had them all the time. He was just waiting for her to give up the dime-store stuff so he could give her the genuine treasure.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
God bless!
Here is the story from that blog.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The cheerful little girl with bouncy golden curls was almost five. Waiting with her mother at the checkout stand, she saw them; a circle of glistening white pearls in a pink foil box.
"Oh mommy, please mommy. Can I have them ? Please mommy, please ?" Quickly the mother checked the back of the little foil box and then looked back into the pleading blue eyes of her little girl’s upturned face.
"A dollar ninety-five. That’s almost $2.00. If you really want them, I’ll think of some extra chores for you and in no time you can save enough money to buy them for yourself. Your birthday is only week away and you might get another crisp dollar bill from Grandma." As soon as Jenny got home; she emptied her penny bank and counted out 17 pennies. After dinner; she did more than her share of chores and she went to the neighbor and asked Mrs. McJames if she could pick dandelions for ten cents. On her birthday her Grandma did give her another new dollar bill and at last she had enough money to buy the necklace. Jenny loved her pearls. They made her feel dressed up and grown up.
She wore them everywhere; Sunday school; kindergarten; even to bed. The only time she took them off was when she went swimming or had a bubble bath. Mother said if they got wet; they might turn her neck green. Jenny had a very loving daddy and every night when she was ready for bed; he would stop whatever he was doing and come upstairs to read her a story. One night as he finished the story, he asked Jenny;
"Do you love me?"
"Oh yes daddy. You know that I love you."
"Then give me your pearls."
"Oh daddy not my pearls. But you can have Princess; the white horse from my collection; the one with pink tail. Remember daddy? The one you gave me. She’s my very favorite."
"That’s okay; Honey; daddy loves you. Good night."
And he brushed her cheek with a kiss.
About a week later; after the story time, Jenny’s daddy asked again; "Do you love me?"
"Daddy, you know I love you."
"Then give me your pearls."
"Oh Daddy not my pearls. But you can have my baby doll. The brand new one I got for my birthday. She is beautiful and you can have the yellow blanket that matches her sleeper."
"That’s okay. Sleep well. God bless you little one. Daddy loves you."
And as always; he brushed her cheek with a gentle kiss.
A few nights later when her daddy came in Jenny was sitting on her bed with her legs crossed. As he came close he noticed her chin was trebling and one silent tear rolled down her cheek.
"What is it Jenny? What’s the matter?"
Jenny didn’t say anything but lifted her little hand up to her daddy. And when she opened it, there was her little pearl necklace. With a little quiver she finally said; "Here daddy this is for you."
With tears gathering in his own eyes, Jenny’s daddy reached out with one hand to take the dime store necklace; and with the other hand he reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet case with a strand of genuine pearls and gave them to Jenny. He had them all the time. He was just waiting for her to give up the dime-store stuff so he could give her the genuine treasure.
| So it is with our Heavenly Father. He is waiting for us to give up the cheap things in our lives so that he can give us beautiful treasures. Are you holding onto things that God wants you to let go off? Are you holding on to harmful or unnecessary relationships; habits and activities that you have come so attached to that it seems impossible to let go? Sometimes it is so hard to see what is in the other hand but do believe this one thing ..... God will never take away something without giving you something better in its place. |
God bless!
Monday, May 5, 2008
Giving To God's Work (1 Corinthians 16:1-11) - Arang April 25, 2008
In this letter, Paul reminds us 3 things:
We should be willing to give voluntarily and with a cheerful heart; not doing it merely due to feeling obliged or with complaints.
2 Corinthians 9:8 tells us that God will give enough to us to be able to give and help other people.
In Malachi 3:10, God promises us blessings if we bring our tithing to the church.
But remember to not give because we want the blessings, but believe that all our good deeds have eternal value and we will surely gain blessings in heaven.
How should we do it?
Consider putting aside some savings in advance, maybe in the beginning of every week (or every paycheck), for a few reasons:
In Matthew 25:34-36, Jesus tells us that God blesses people who help those who are hungry, thirsty, strangers, need clothings, sick, and in prison.
We should be glad to help anybody in need, either monetarily (by giving monetary donations), physically (by lending a helping hand), spiritually or emotionally (by counseling).
The next time you are in doubt about giving back to God, remember that everything that we own is from God and owned by God. We are God's steward on earth; God trusts us to manage the resources that we have been given. Don't hold on to what you own just at the moment because God might be preparing bigger things for you. As Matthew 25:21 says:
- v1-4: To be willing to give to the church. The 'church' includes not only our brothers and sisters and Christ, but also the community, people in need.
- v5-9: We can make plans, but God makes the final decision. We should entrust our plans to God.
- v10-11: To encourage and help young leaders to grow (the example in this passage is Timothy)
We should be willing to give voluntarily and with a cheerful heart; not doing it merely due to feeling obliged or with complaints.
2 Corinthians 9:8 tells us that God will give enough to us to be able to give and help other people.
In Malachi 3:10, God promises us blessings if we bring our tithing to the church.
But remember to not give because we want the blessings, but believe that all our good deeds have eternal value and we will surely gain blessings in heaven.
How should we do it?
Consider putting aside some savings in advance, maybe in the beginning of every week (or every paycheck), for a few reasons:
- To be disciplined
- To not give the "leftover" after we use our income
- Enable us to save more
- To avoid procrastinating
In Matthew 25:34-36, Jesus tells us that God blesses people who help those who are hungry, thirsty, strangers, need clothings, sick, and in prison.
We should be glad to help anybody in need, either monetarily (by giving monetary donations), physically (by lending a helping hand), spiritually or emotionally (by counseling).
The next time you are in doubt about giving back to God, remember that everything that we own is from God and owned by God. We are God's steward on earth; God trusts us to manage the resources that we have been given. Don't hold on to what you own just at the moment because God might be preparing bigger things for you. As Matthew 25:21 says:
"Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!"
Sunday, May 4, 2008
In All Things...
Actually this is not a new post but recently I have been reminded of this verse as I took a reflection of my life.
Romans 8: 28
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."
A simple verse at glance, and how I often missed the treasure in that simple verse. As I was seating at church a few sundays ago, once again I was reminded. In all things...all the good things and all the bad things, God works for the good of those who love Him... , who have been called according to His purpose.
As many the congregation are trying to make sense some of pain in their life, the pain from broken relationships, unexpected bad health news, death of the love ones and many other things, we were reminded that God works for the good of those who love Him. Some good will come out of all those pains...but wait, the promise is not for everybody, but God promised it to those who love Him.
For those who are in Before Pain state, a verse like Romans 8:28 is just a theory, just something that has a nice ring to it.
For people that are In Pain state, Romans 8:28 is a lifeline, this is what is going to make you or break you as the rubber hits the road, as your life story is taking a negative turn, as your world has came crashing down. Friends, love God with all your heart and cling to God's promise that some good will come out of it as your lifeline. God has a view from above looking at your life's tapestry and it is being woven seconds by seconds. We are looking at the tapestry from below, noticing the loose threads, the seemingly incomprehensible choice of colors. But God knows best, even with the mistakes that we made, the tragedies that He allows, some good will come out of it.
And, for those who are Recuperating from Pain, this verse is a treasure, as you looked back and saw that Jesus carried you through that storm, saw that you had leaned hard on His love and you saw that there are some good came out of it.
Hang on to this promise my friends and never lose hope. Put you trust in Jesus and know that you are loved.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Constructive Hindsight
Nine months have passed (no kidding!) since we opened the first page of our I Corinthians study book. After the long journey of beating the chests, squinting the eyes, scratching the heads, and echoing millions of words -- that's a healthy discussion -- , we have finally come to the end of the I Corinthians series. Hopefully, all of the lessons learned have fallen, like seeds, into good soil. When the time comes, these seeds will multiply and produce good crops for our Master and Creator.
At the end of every passing moment, there are usually two things that people can choose to do: to forget or to cherish the memory. Sadly but true, everything related to our spiritual life is tend to be forgotten easily. What an irony! Many of us won't disagree that the physical life is temporary, while the spiritual is eternal. Yet the way we allocate our energy and mind in each 24 hours tells which part of life is the most important.
Let's be different! We don't have to follow the crowd. As we believe that taking care of our physical life is important, we also believe our spiritual life needs the same attention. Hopefully we want to spare some times to look back to the lessons we have learned from our last series.
Please drop one or two paragraphs (or even just a line!) -- as a comment for this posting -- about the things that you have learned from our study of the I Corinthians. By doing that we can make the lessons stick and will also help our brothers and sisters to remember some important points from the letter. Yes, it's a looking back, but a constructive one!
Important(?) fact: The series began on July 20, 2007.
At the end of every passing moment, there are usually two things that people can choose to do: to forget or to cherish the memory. Sadly but true, everything related to our spiritual life is tend to be forgotten easily. What an irony! Many of us won't disagree that the physical life is temporary, while the spiritual is eternal. Yet the way we allocate our energy and mind in each 24 hours tells which part of life is the most important.
Let's be different! We don't have to follow the crowd. As we believe that taking care of our physical life is important, we also believe our spiritual life needs the same attention. Hopefully we want to spare some times to look back to the lessons we have learned from our last series.
Please drop one or two paragraphs (or even just a line!) -- as a comment for this posting -- about the things that you have learned from our study of the I Corinthians. By doing that we can make the lessons stick and will also help our brothers and sisters to remember some important points from the letter. Yes, it's a looking back, but a constructive one!
Important(?) fact: The series began on July 20, 2007.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Giving
Yesterday, some friends and I joined an activity arranged by Willowcreek to pack meals for the children of the poorest of the poor. We packed thousand of meals for 72 kids in Zimbabwe for one whole year supply! Isn't that amazing?
Knowing that each meal pack only cost 15c (I estimate it can feed a kid for 1.5 day), I feel guilty about myself. It makes me realize how inadequate I am in giving. Yes, I give my tithing. I even take notes of what I earn just to calculate how much I 'owe' God (yea, I don't do that for any other reason honestly). So, I want to make sure that the 10% goes to God's temple (church, charity, etc). Why 10%? Well, that's what the Old Testament said:
One tenth of the produce of the land, whether grain from the fields or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord and must be set apart to him as holy. (Leviticus 27:30, NLT)
Now, what did the New Testament say?
You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” (1 Corinthians 9:7, NLT)
So guys, it's good that I force myself to fulfill my 'tithing quota'. But God prefers those who give cheerfully (OK, this is not a reason to reduce your tithing). My point is if you are 'counting precisely what you should give' to God, do you ever think how it will be if God is also 'counting precisely how much He wants to bless' you? What if God says "OK, today's blessing is too much for you, let me take back some since you only gave me 9% this month".
So let's consider ourselves as the steward but not the owner of God's blessing. To where and to who we want to distribute it? The poor, the sick, the unbeliever? And remember what God has promised:
Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! Your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them from insects and disease. Your grapes will not fall from the vine before they are ripe,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “Then all nations will call you blessed, for your land will be such a delight,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. (Malachi 3: 10-12, NLT)
Knowing that each meal pack only cost 15c (I estimate it can feed a kid for 1.5 day), I feel guilty about myself. It makes me realize how inadequate I am in giving. Yes, I give my tithing. I even take notes of what I earn just to calculate how much I 'owe' God (yea, I don't do that for any other reason honestly). So, I want to make sure that the 10% goes to God's temple (church, charity, etc). Why 10%? Well, that's what the Old Testament said:
One tenth of the produce of the land, whether grain from the fields or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord and must be set apart to him as holy. (Leviticus 27:30, NLT)
Now, what did the New Testament say?
You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” (1 Corinthians 9:7, NLT)
So guys, it's good that I force myself to fulfill my 'tithing quota'. But God prefers those who give cheerfully (OK, this is not a reason to reduce your tithing). My point is if you are 'counting precisely what you should give' to God, do you ever think how it will be if God is also 'counting precisely how much He wants to bless' you? What if God says "OK, today's blessing is too much for you, let me take back some since you only gave me 9% this month".
So let's consider ourselves as the steward but not the owner of God's blessing. To where and to who we want to distribute it? The poor, the sick, the unbeliever? And remember what God has promised:
Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! Your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them from insects and disease. Your grapes will not fall from the vine before they are ripe,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “Then all nations will call you blessed, for your land will be such a delight,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. (Malachi 3: 10-12, NLT)
And The Heavens Rejoice...
There is rejoicing every time in the presence of the angels of God over one soul turns to God...
Rudi was baptized this morning, in the chilly Chicago weather as the wave of the waters crashing to the shore. In a splash, in the twinkling on a eye, all the heavens rejoice. You are now free since you have put your faith in Christ Jesus as your Lord and Savior.
The Holy Spirit within you now will guide you, instruct you and comfort you, my friend. May Lord Jesus will do wonders through your life.
Congrats, Rud!
"You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3: 26-28)
Judging Other People (2)
What kinds of judgments does Jesus not allow?
John 7:24 says,
What do you think of when you see girls out on the street at night? What do you think of when you see African/American workers in south suburban Chicago? What do you think of those homeless people on the street, selling newspaper, begging for money? What do you think of pastors?
I think, Jesus' point is that we should not evaluate one's outer appearance, which is how the world see things; instead, we should evaluate one's heart and actions based on God's principles, which is righteousness. This is a big gray area for me, so I won't say anymore about it. You should think about it, too.
How should I judge correctly?
James 4:11 says,
God tells us not to say bad things about our brothers and sisters, especially if we are not sure. If we have confirmed there is a problem, we should approach the person instead of spreading dark rumors.
Lastly, as we learned a couple weeks back:
1 Corinthians 13:4-8:
ps: There is an interesting reading on http://www.boundless.org/2002_2003/regulars/office_hours/a0000681.html.
John 7:24 says,
Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment.
What do you think of when you see girls out on the street at night? What do you think of when you see African/American workers in south suburban Chicago? What do you think of those homeless people on the street, selling newspaper, begging for money? What do you think of pastors?
I think, Jesus' point is that we should not evaluate one's outer appearance, which is how the world see things; instead, we should evaluate one's heart and actions based on God's principles, which is righteousness. This is a big gray area for me, so I won't say anymore about it. You should think about it, too.
How should I judge correctly?
James 4:11 says,
Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.
God tells us not to say bad things about our brothers and sisters, especially if we are not sure. If we have confirmed there is a problem, we should approach the person instead of spreading dark rumors.
Lastly, as we learned a couple weeks back:
1 Corinthians 13:4-8:
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.
ps: There is an interesting reading on http://www.boundless.org/2002_2003/regulars/office_hours/a0000681.html.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Judging Other People (1)
One of the things I regularly struggle with is: feeling that I have to live my life in a certain way, and that the way other people live theirs are often not right/biblical. By that, I mean both Christian and non-Christian people.
I suppose it is ok with the former, but the second part comes down to judging others, which--for me--sounds troubling.
The bible says in Luke 6:37-38:
I have always read only the first part of that verse, of which--taken wrongly--means "don't ever judge". But that is confusing to me because I feel that at some point we should judge and help our brothers and sisters when needed (Uh oh, I see a problem there, because I think I am the right one. I'll come back to this later). We need to judge in a lot of things we do, and to make good decisions.
So.. my next question is: What does Jesus mean He said "Do not judge" in this verse? What kinds of judgments does He not allow? How should I judge correctly?
What I say next is based on my reading and self-reflection. I do hope God guides me since He has put this concern in me for a long time. But feel free to give your thoughts, make corrections, or email me about your concerns :)
What does Jesus mean?
I realize I need to read further in the bible, on Luke 6:39-42:
Jesus reminded us that we are also lost people, in need of guidance from Him. We make mistakes and sin, often times without realizing it. Thus we're blind. Because we're blind, how can we say, "I'm going to guide this friend of mine so he/she comes back to God." My friend and I are in the same condition!
But Jesus does not mean simply that we should never help other people because we're just as bad as them. On verse 42, He says, "You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, .." For example, I would tell that some people (I know) spend lavishly, such as buy expensive/too many clothings, take many vacations, dine in expensive restaurants and throw left-over food. I consider those wrong, and they are probably wrong in general sense, but when I keep those negative thoughts about them, I am condemning myself. Because sometimes I do those, too. When I think that other people sin, I sin, too; that they should be punished, I should be, too.
What I should do is inspect myself and see if I sin in similar ways. Sometimes the issue is not as simple as I thought.
(to be continued..)
I suppose it is ok with the former, but the second part comes down to judging others, which--for me--sounds troubling.
The bible says in Luke 6:37-38:
Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
I have always read only the first part of that verse, of which--taken wrongly--means "don't ever judge". But that is confusing to me because I feel that at some point we should judge and help our brothers and sisters when needed (Uh oh, I see a problem there, because I think I am the right one. I'll come back to this later). We need to judge in a lot of things we do, and to make good decisions.
So.. my next question is: What does Jesus mean He said "Do not judge" in this verse? What kinds of judgments does He not allow? How should I judge correctly?
What I say next is based on my reading and self-reflection. I do hope God guides me since He has put this concern in me for a long time. But feel free to give your thoughts, make corrections, or email me about your concerns :)
What does Jesus mean?
I realize I need to read further in the bible, on Luke 6:39-42:
He also told them this parable: "Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.
Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
Jesus reminded us that we are also lost people, in need of guidance from Him. We make mistakes and sin, often times without realizing it. Thus we're blind. Because we're blind, how can we say, "I'm going to guide this friend of mine so he/she comes back to God." My friend and I are in the same condition!
But Jesus does not mean simply that we should never help other people because we're just as bad as them. On verse 42, He says, "You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, .." For example, I would tell that some people (I know) spend lavishly, such as buy expensive/too many clothings, take many vacations, dine in expensive restaurants and throw left-over food. I consider those wrong, and they are probably wrong in general sense, but when I keep those negative thoughts about them, I am condemning myself. Because sometimes I do those, too. When I think that other people sin, I sin, too; that they should be punished, I should be, too.
What I should do is inspect myself and see if I sin in similar ways. Sometimes the issue is not as simple as I thought.
(to be continued..)
Monday, April 14, 2008
Resurrection Body (1 Corinthians 15: 20-58) - Arang April 11, 2008
Our Lord Jesus Christ is indeed has risen from death and became first fruits of those who have died in the past.
From the man Adam came death but by the man Jesus came the resurrection.
The order of the resurrection: Jesus Christ first, then all the people that belong to Him, then comes the end of time.
At the end of time (Lord Jesus second coming):
Without Christ's Resurrection:
From the man Adam came death but by the man Jesus came the resurrection.
The order of the resurrection: Jesus Christ first, then all the people that belong to Him, then comes the end of time.
At the end of time (Lord Jesus second coming):
- He will destroy all rulers, dominions and authorities
- He will deliver the kingdom to God
- He will reign
- He will destroy death
Without Christ's Resurrection:
- Baptism for the dead is useless
- (The Apostle) Self-sacrifice is useless
What we should do then?
- Do not listen to bad company, people that want to spread the lies
- Awake to righteousness
- Do no sin
If we put our trust in Jesus Christ, we will be resurrected with new spiritual body when Christ comes again.
Our body right now is like a seed, when we died, that body is sown to the ground and at the last day it will be resurrected/raised like a plant or tree that comes from the ground from the very same seed (our resurrected body will inherit certain characteristics from our earthly body).
Every flesh is different and every splendor of resurrection body is different. Like the splendor of sun, moon and stars and the splendor of stars to stars.
In comparison:
* Earthly Body:
- Perishable
- Dishonor by sin
- Weak
- Natural body
* Heavenly Body:
- Imperishable
- In glory
- Powerful
- Spiritual body
When will we receive our heavenly body?
At the last trumpet, when Jesus comes again to this earth for the second time, in a flash, in a blink of an eye, the dead will be raised and the living will be instantly changed. From perishable to imperishable, from mortal to immortal.
Thanks to our Lord Jesus Christ, through our Lord, death and sin have been defeated.
What we need to do until then?
- Stand firm in your faith
- Let nothing move you from your faith and commitment to Jesus Christ
- Give yourself fully to the work of the Lord.
Why? Because our labor in the Lord is not in vain.
Thank you Jesus!
Come Lord Jesus, Come! O, yes!
Friday, April 11, 2008
Welcome!
Hello, my friend!
I'm glad you stop by today, aren't you?
Since this is the first post ever, I want to be short so everyone of you would read it, yet still deliver the important message of why this blog is born and why YOU should be a part of it.
Throughout the life of Arang, some of us have wondered..
I don't think I need to be more verbose. Those are WHY this blog is born!
Now, what does it have to do with you?
Well, on one side, you might agree with one or more of those reasons above. In that case, please do participate in this blog: share your stories, ask questions, learn from others, help one another. I'll tell you later how you can start.
On the other side, if you don't share those concerns, it's ok! It's more important that you continue to grow spiritually. This blog is here for you, if you need it. We still would like you to visit this space, though! ;)
This is getting long, but bear with me please, I'm almost done :-)
After all that, I hope you understand that you are more than welcome to create new topics and post comments on this blog. Before you get too excited, here is the not-so-fun part:
If this is your first time on this blog, please leave a note (that is, comment). Tell us how you're doing and what you're doing at the moment.
See you later. You're loved.
I'm glad you stop by today, aren't you?
Since this is the first post ever, I want to be short so everyone of you would read it, yet still deliver the important message of why this blog is born and why YOU should be a part of it.
Throughout the life of Arang, some of us have wondered..
- I have bible study on Friday, but I often forget what I learn several days/weeks later
- I have learned a lot about loving people regardless, but my friend hurt me and I'm struggling to forgive her
- I'm going through a difficult time and need somebody to pray for me
- God has blessed me greatly! I want to tell my friends about it
- There is this new song that's really nice.. can we learn to sing this song together in Arang?
- I missed the last Arang bible study. It'd be great if I can look at the notes and discussions.
- I came across this bible verse (or lesson), but do not get it. I want to ask someone.
I don't think I need to be more verbose. Those are WHY this blog is born!
Now, what does it have to do with you?
Well, on one side, you might agree with one or more of those reasons above. In that case, please do participate in this blog: share your stories, ask questions, learn from others, help one another. I'll tell you later how you can start.
On the other side, if you don't share those concerns, it's ok! It's more important that you continue to grow spiritually. This blog is here for you, if you need it. We still would like you to visit this space, though! ;)
This is getting long, but bear with me please, I'm almost done :-)
After all that, I hope you understand that you are more than welcome to create new topics and post comments on this blog. Before you get too excited, here is the not-so-fun part:
- Contact Adrian with your Google email (gmail) and he will give you permission to post to this blog.
- There is only 1 rule (for now). Please post topics that are relevant to Arang. Don't post arbitrary information, such as weekend plans, jokes (unless it has biblical meaning), complaints/criticism about other people. In doubt, please discuss it with somebody first.
If this is your first time on this blog, please leave a note (that is, comment). Tell us how you're doing and what you're doing at the moment.
See you later. You're loved.
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