Dear Father,
Today is no ordinary day. Today marks the anniversary of your Son's birth. Today, we remember You. Today, we remember our purpose. Today, we shall not mourn. Today, we celebrate in a new hope. Today, we undergo a process of self-reflection. Today, we resolve. Today, we promise. Today, we renew and re-establish our faith. Today, we believe. Today, we wait.
Christmas is no grand festival. Today, the world views Christmas as a royal celebration and for businessman, a grand opportunity to make money, as though it's a huge party commemorating the birthday of mankind. However, the unfortunate note is that Christians do not recognize or deeply contemplate on the significance of Christmas - a Christian celebration. Christmas, being celebrated at the end of the year, should be a time for self-reflection, a period of renewal of our faith and spirit. But a significant proportion, if not most, of Christians - especially youths - around the world take the former perspective, regrettably. These people deem this celebration as an obligatory event. Is it not saddening to hear that certain people are going for mass on Christmas not in the spirit of a new hope and renewal of faith, but that of a "must-go" mentality?
Lord, I come before You humbled and in total reverence.
Lord, wash me clean so that I may come before You purified and stainless.
Lord, today I want to thank you for the blessings you have bestowed upon my family and I this year. There's just too much that you've given me. I see the sufferings of the unfortunate, the poor, the hungry, the homeless, the sick, the hopeless, the godless, and those in destitute. I've witnessed to these encounters. And it hurts me to see them. It hurts so much. And I look back at my own life, at the many gifts you've showered upon me. I feel so sorry for these people. I want to make a difference for them, even in the simplest way I can. Help me, Lord. Your blessings overshadow all the negativity in my life. Thank you for these blessings. Thank you for helping me see life in this positive perspective. I pray these people - and everybody else - may do so as well, only then will we feel blessed.
Lord, today I want to re-affirm my faith in you in a new hope of salvation and your coming. Help me to focus on You. Re-establish our relationship, Lord. Help me mend the broken pieces, fix the dents and salvage the decayed portions. Help my faith to grow complete. Help me to obey You, for faith should not be a stagnant belief; it requires an action, a response. And that response lies in our obedience towards you. Help me to re-believe in your covenant, in your most glorifying deed, in your coming.
Lord, today I look back and I see the many footprints left behind in my life journey and my walk with You. There were many ups and downs. It has not been an easy adventure. It's tiring, but you were there to water, feed and piggyback me when I needed you. Thank you for that, Lord. And I admit I've walked many wrong paths. I confess I've disobeyed you and remained stubbornly in my relentless and self-sufficient ways. I acknowledge I've committed countless wrongdoings against you and my neighbours which in turn are directed to you, for what we do unto others, we do unto you. Father, please forgive me. I'm so sorry. I know you know it. Help me not to repeat the same mistakes I've done. It's difficult, but I won't give up. Help me to understand and remember You upon seeing only one set of footprints - that You've been carrying me on Your back, and shouldering all my burdens for me.
Lord, today I want to be renewed. I want to become more like You. Mold me, Lord, into Your Christ-likeness as time drifts by. Help me to care and love my neighbour indifferently, regardless of race, religion, appearance, class, status or background, for You died for ALL of us. You loved us impartially and unconditionally. Help me to grow closer to You in the new year. Help me to develop a more powerful, effective and spiritual prayer life, for what's life without prayer? What's life without being able to hear Your comforting, soft, fatherly and tender voice? And Lord, help me not to leave my Bible in the shelf to be buried in the dust. Help me, despite the inconvenience and laziness that I may feel, to read your word daily. Help me not to see it as a mandatory program, but as an act of love, and of a desire to know You more, for reading Your word is the only way we can know You better and more intimately. Help me to have that kind of desire, to hunger and thirst for Your word, for we live not by bread alone, but by every word of God.
Lord, I do not wish to be perfect. I do not wish to be saint-like and perfectly holy. I do not wish that one day I could be as holy as the Pope. I strive to be like You, but I have no such desire.
Lord, I just want to love You more. And you know that from the depths of my heart. I just want to make a difference for my family, my friend, and even for a stranger, however small that difference may be. Use me, Lord, in any way you want as you deem fit, to change, to influence, to help. That small difference I make makes my day. And this shall remain true forever, hopefully.
Thank You, Lord, for everything.
And Lord, happy birthday.
Amen.
Friday, December 25, 2009
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Reflection
I was brought to
I would like to share about my education in
It was also during that period when my sister and I started going to a
In my opinion, Christianity along with the different denominations, should not be deemed as just a religion, rather, it is a faith in which a relationship with God is involved. It matters not the differences in our beliefs, but the one thing we have in common is our belief in God, in Christ, and in salvation. What matters is our relationship with God in our lives once we have been assured of our salvation – as seen in the Bible, we are saved by faith and grace alone. For example, a recent survey done in 2005 showed that 85% of priests are looking for a more effective and powerful prayer life. Therefore, in this sense, I feel that as Christians or Catholics, we should not isolate ourselves and be confined to that small little box such that we do not mix around with other Christians. We should find a church where we are comfortable with, where we can grow in faith and in love for God and the people around us. Why should our personal relationship with God be hindered by the differences in the beliefs of the different denominations? What I am saying is related to the fact that some Catholics are just too narrow-minded. My mother, for example, forbids me to attend special events organized by other Churches from another denomination. In my current Catholic church at Immaculate Heart of Mary, I feel as though I am coming to church because it is an obligation, a duty. I feel I am going to church being dragged by my mother, having to stand and kneel in church intermittently without any praise or worship for God. There, I cannot feel the spirit of worship that I used to in my previous church. I cannot feel God. Thus, if we are not able to grow in our faith in a particular church or the members of the church are not reaching out to help each other grow in faith, then what is the point of coming to that church? Our own relationship with God becomes stale and tasteless. The members of the church are what make up the church, the body of Christ. And it is written in the Bible that we ought to find a church we can grow in faith. And why should be so narrow-minded that we abhor churches from other denominations? After all, these denominations branched out of the traditional Catholic denomination because of the flaws in the practices that the church once upheld. For example, in the past, a woman with a certain disease was not allowed to offer sacrifices before the altar in the church. Is this not discrimination which is against that which we are taught by Christ? We are all flawed in certain ways. Why can’t we accept and embrace the flaws, the differences between the Catholic Church and the other denominations? Even today, the kind of worship that the Catholic Church practices is still considered “dull” and “boring” in the view of especially youths. In the Catholic Church, the members come in families which are segregated from one another such that there is a lack of interaction between them. There is no motivation given by the different families to help each other grow in faith. Unlike other denominations, the members of the Catholic Church are compartmentalized and separated from one another physically and spiritually. This, I feel, is a shame and a pity. And so, in this sense, I have to disagree with my mother that at times, I feel that she is so paranoid for prohibiting me from attending events such as camps organized by other churches from another denomination. I understand her concerns that these churches may, in her opinion, “drag me away from my own church”, but I feel I am old enough to take care of myself in terms of my faith and beliefs. After all, it is my faith and own relationship with God, and not hers. However, I will continue to pray for that all Christians in this world will, by the grace of God, accept the differences in beliefs between the different denominations and be united in one faith and love as Christ has encouraged us to do so.
Now back to my life in Secondary School, we learn about another major examination at the end of Secondary 4 called the “O” Levels Examinations which in turn will determine the Junior College or Polytechnic we shall enter the year after. Through Secondary 1 and 2, I have been blessed with so much by God that I managed to score an average of 72.8% for my end-of-year examination in Secondary 2. This result granted me the credential to take up a triple science subject combination for “O” levels which was deemed the best combination and of highest honour. In Secondary 3, I found myself unable to cope with the sciences whilst my Mathematics was improving day by day. Thankfully, by the grace of God, I met a very smart and capable student called Yuan Bo. As we sat side by side, we learned many things from each other – perhaps more for me. He imparted his knowledge of the sciences to me and I began to love each of the three science subjects one by one, starting from Chemistry to Physics and finally Biology. Through his diligence and perseverance, I was motivated to work hard in my studies and do well in my examinations. As a result of which, my results improved day after day. Praise God for that! At the same time, I made many friends in school as well – they’re fun-loving, energetic, caring, honest and true. They may not be the most studious, the smartest, the richest, the godliest, or the perfect friend, but each one of them truly and simply showed me how human I was, that life is not perfect but should be relished every single moment of our lives as though we’re about to die. Through their flaws, they magnified my own weaknesses and that allowed me to change myself accordingly.
As the ‘O’ Levels drew near, my friends and I started to burn midnight oil, sacrifice sleeping time and that which is used to play computer games, sports, etc. We made many sacrifices but when we receive our result slips next January, it will be worthwhile. For myself, I had not been able to complete my English compositions in time for examinations. But for the ‘O’ Levels, I somehow managed to develop my thoughts clearly and pen them down in a structured manner almost automatically and within the time frame. How amazing was that? The science and mathematics papers went well and I managed to complete my humanities paper in time, though not perfectly done. There is just too much for me to thank God for, and I believe this is so for my classmates, some of whom only studied one chapter which was eventually tested. Evidently, His grace can be seen from this event and other inexplicable incidents which we’ve experienced throughout the ‘O’ Levels Examinations. Looking back, I think I could have done better for my papers. However, I know for one fact that I did my best and most of all, I relied only on His grace and wisdom in completing the examinations. And this is what makes me contented and want to only move forward with the “results” I have already achieved. This is my biggest accomplishment. When I get back my results, I will not claim they’re produced by my own human effort but by that of God. I place my results in the divine hands of God. I place my future and life under his will.
What next? Move on with life.
Currently, my mother and I are not on good terms. There are really many areas where our opinions clash with each other. She’s a perfectionist. She demands total, flawless perfection. Yes, it’s true. Every night, I pray that I may be able to understand her, and vice versa. How can a relationship be maintained in good condition if the parties involved do not understand each other? Is that not why we read the Bible, and pray that we may be able to grow closer to and understand God better? I guess all of us are flawed and have our own troubles, hurdles or challenges – whatever you may want to call them – in life. I need to make that first step to know my mother better and I pray for the strength to do so. If we keep running away, when will our troubles end? And most of all, I need your prayers too! I’m just a human, a very flawed one indeed. There is just too much for me to change, for me to upgrade.
And lastly, I REALLY need to find a voluntary work for the holidays! It’s a calling for me, but I got rejected four times in a row! If you have any information, please tell me! And I’m not giving up!
Amen.
Friday, November 20, 2009
I'm blessed...
Because...
1. I know you Lord and that's my greatest blessing. Help me to remember that always.
2. I am saved by faith and grace, by Your blood. Amen!
3. I am healthy and able. Praise God!
4. I have the means to afford basic necessities in life, and even the very Internet access which is needed to post this blog.
5. I have crazy but great friends around me. I love you guys!
1. I know you Lord and that's my greatest blessing. Help me to remember that always.
2. I am saved by faith and grace, by Your blood. Amen!
3. I am healthy and able. Praise God!
4. I have the means to afford basic necessities in life, and even the very Internet access which is needed to post this blog.
5. I have crazy but great friends around me. I love you guys!
Count your blessings, and praise God for them!
Have a blessed week!
Have a blessed week!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
By faith..
What's faith?
Faith, to me is not just trusting, but rather believing and surrendering our all to God. Faith is accepting God as the center of our lives and placing everything that we have into his hands. Faith can be expressed as that toward future things (what we hope for) or that toward invisible things ( what we cannot see). When we are certain and completely believe without a shred of doubt that God is in control of these areas, that's faith.
When we believe that this universe is created at God's command, is it not faith? By the same faith, what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
When we carry out what God orders us to do despite the difficulty or impossibility (Noah's ark), is it not faith? By the same faith, what seemed impossible is made possible.
When we believe, in our ignorance, every word of the Bible and accept it as the truth and word of God, is it not faith? By the same faith, ideas are made truths.
Faith requires belief in that which we cannot see - God's provisions and promises for us. An inner attitude does sufficiently demonstrate faith though, for faith comes with obedience. And obedience, in turn, requires an action. Thus, faith is proved through our obedience to God. "Actions speak louder than words"
And faith comes with a price as well, though the cost may vary in significance.
A person that I've always been in awe of is Abraham. His life experience is witnessed in the Bible and truly, we can very much relate to our own lives...
By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even thought he did not know where he was going. He was like a stranger in a foreign country. A covenant was made between God and Abraham that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky, as countless as the sand on the seashore. He believed. He had faith.
And by faith Abraham, even though we was past age and Sarah herself was barren, was enabled to become a father.
Where lies the act, then?
When Abraham was asked to offer his only son Isaac as a sacrifice to God, he believed that God was in control and that He had a greater purpose for him in fulfilling the covenant made. He obeyed. Is it not touching? Abraham is the only man, to my knowledge, who was put to the test of having to sacrifice his one and only son. He is the only man who could relate to what God went through in sacrificing Christ for mankind. And Abraham with his amazing, unshakable faith, obeyed without a moment of hesitance. The price of his faith? His son Isaac, of course. Yes, he did not die in the end, but at times, the cost of a cause need not be in actual, physical, or material form - Abraham was fully conscious that his son's life was at stake and yet, he obeyed willingly. And that is all that MATTERS. That is what makes a difference to the world, to our relationship with God. Our faith.
Of course, not all of us go through what Abraham or Paul or any saint had undergone. Some of us are just the man in the street, the average person living a simple life. However, faith is what makes up our lives. Faith is what drives the wheels of the life-train we are riding. Without faith, we live without purpose, without hope.
And we can demonstrate faith through the simple things we do... Praying and believing that God can stop the rain for us, and if to no avail, believing that He has other plans for us. In the face of setbacks, by faith, we take a positive attitude toward God's providence for us and move on. When we pray, we must also have faith in God, in His timing. If we pray for strength, He may not give us physical or mental strength directly, but place us in situations where we can develop that which we have asked for. If we ask to have the courage to share the Gospel, He may place certain friends around us and give us a chance to do so. If we ask to become a better, kinder person, He may somehow allow us to meet, perhaps, an old lady who needs help crossing the road or carrying heavy, cumbersome shopping bags...
Faith requires an action. And this action can be that simple and made possible by God in our everyday lives. God gives us the chance, the road for us to walk. What matters ultimately is our decision and whether we manage to see and grasp that chance. So grab every opportunity that you see and don't let it slip through your hands like grain!!!
In the end, faith comes with acceptance. Even for non-Christians, acceptance is a vital aspect of the way we should live our lives. Accept that certain things are beyond our control, and for us Christians, accept that everything is under God's control. If we keep trying to hold onto our lives and run our lives as we deem fit, then all the more we will lose it. Accept, in times of difficulty and trials, that God has a greater purpose for us, perhaps He wants us to become a better person. Accept, and have faith.
Live and let live.
Live and let God run our lives.
Faith, to me is not just trusting, but rather believing and surrendering our all to God. Faith is accepting God as the center of our lives and placing everything that we have into his hands. Faith can be expressed as that toward future things (what we hope for) or that toward invisible things ( what we cannot see). When we are certain and completely believe without a shred of doubt that God is in control of these areas, that's faith.
When we believe that this universe is created at God's command, is it not faith? By the same faith, what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
When we carry out what God orders us to do despite the difficulty or impossibility (Noah's ark), is it not faith? By the same faith, what seemed impossible is made possible.
When we believe, in our ignorance, every word of the Bible and accept it as the truth and word of God, is it not faith? By the same faith, ideas are made truths.
Faith requires belief in that which we cannot see - God's provisions and promises for us. An inner attitude does sufficiently demonstrate faith though, for faith comes with obedience. And obedience, in turn, requires an action. Thus, faith is proved through our obedience to God. "Actions speak louder than words"
And faith comes with a price as well, though the cost may vary in significance.
A person that I've always been in awe of is Abraham. His life experience is witnessed in the Bible and truly, we can very much relate to our own lives...
By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even thought he did not know where he was going. He was like a stranger in a foreign country. A covenant was made between God and Abraham that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky, as countless as the sand on the seashore. He believed. He had faith.
And by faith Abraham, even though we was past age and Sarah herself was barren, was enabled to become a father.
Where lies the act, then?
When Abraham was asked to offer his only son Isaac as a sacrifice to God, he believed that God was in control and that He had a greater purpose for him in fulfilling the covenant made. He obeyed. Is it not touching? Abraham is the only man, to my knowledge, who was put to the test of having to sacrifice his one and only son. He is the only man who could relate to what God went through in sacrificing Christ for mankind. And Abraham with his amazing, unshakable faith, obeyed without a moment of hesitance. The price of his faith? His son Isaac, of course. Yes, he did not die in the end, but at times, the cost of a cause need not be in actual, physical, or material form - Abraham was fully conscious that his son's life was at stake and yet, he obeyed willingly. And that is all that MATTERS. That is what makes a difference to the world, to our relationship with God. Our faith.
Of course, not all of us go through what Abraham or Paul or any saint had undergone. Some of us are just the man in the street, the average person living a simple life. However, faith is what makes up our lives. Faith is what drives the wheels of the life-train we are riding. Without faith, we live without purpose, without hope.
And we can demonstrate faith through the simple things we do... Praying and believing that God can stop the rain for us, and if to no avail, believing that He has other plans for us. In the face of setbacks, by faith, we take a positive attitude toward God's providence for us and move on. When we pray, we must also have faith in God, in His timing. If we pray for strength, He may not give us physical or mental strength directly, but place us in situations where we can develop that which we have asked for. If we ask to have the courage to share the Gospel, He may place certain friends around us and give us a chance to do so. If we ask to become a better, kinder person, He may somehow allow us to meet, perhaps, an old lady who needs help crossing the road or carrying heavy, cumbersome shopping bags...
Faith requires an action. And this action can be that simple and made possible by God in our everyday lives. God gives us the chance, the road for us to walk. What matters ultimately is our decision and whether we manage to see and grasp that chance. So grab every opportunity that you see and don't let it slip through your hands like grain!!!
In the end, faith comes with acceptance. Even for non-Christians, acceptance is a vital aspect of the way we should live our lives. Accept that certain things are beyond our control, and for us Christians, accept that everything is under God's control. If we keep trying to hold onto our lives and run our lives as we deem fit, then all the more we will lose it. Accept, in times of difficulty and trials, that God has a greater purpose for us, perhaps He wants us to become a better person. Accept, and have faith.
Live and let live.
Live and let God run our lives.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Paul the Apostle
"To live is Christ, and to die is gain." Philippians 1:21
Whoa.
I'm awe-stricken.
Not by the idea that you literally have to die in order to gain, but I'm amazed by the faith and love for God that Paul has as he made this statement. For to him, he would rather live to spread the word of God and fulfill the mission that God has assigned him than to take easy way out and give up. And "giving up" for him at that moment in time was to, honestly, die.
What?! Yes, it's paradoxical, is it not? Who on earth would choose death over life if given the option? The answer is nonsensically obvious. However, if we look into the life of Paul as God's worker then we may look at things from a different perspective.
As you can see his journey as he travels from Cyprus to Greece to Crete to Rome to Galatia to Thessaloniki, etc, he carried with him not a heavy obligation to God but his faith and love for Him. Throughout his mission, he was heavily persecuted but he was not ashamed of being persecuted nor imprisoned.
At Lystra, Paul was stoned. (Acts 14:19-20)
At Philippi, Paul was imprisoned. (Acts 16:25-34)
At Jerusalem and Rome, Paul was seized by a mob and trialed.
His life clearly demonstrates how powerful God is in our lives. Time and time again, he was rescued by the grace of God; he was obedient to the point of death. In face of all these persecutions, he was suffering so much and yet, when death seemed the easier option over life, he chose God, still. His love for God and his brothers and sisters made that commitment possible.
Can you make the same choice if you were in his shoes? Perhaps. However, we can never experience the sufferings Paul underwent. A fraction, maybe.
But what we can learn from the way he faced his trials and persecutions in his life is a great deal.
In the face of persecutions and sufferings in our lives, we can :
1. Become a man of prayer.
Prayer, other than the Bible, is the most direct form of communication with God. It's our source of strength, solace and peace. His admonition to the church at Ephesus was, "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints (Ephesians 6:18). It is clear that Paul's instructing and advising others to never stop praying. In Acts 16:25, we also learn that in time of trying circumstances we can always direct our troubles to God just as Paul and Silas did when they were imprisoned. And without fail, we will eventually overcome.
2. Become a stronger and more spiritual person.
1 Corinthians 3:
Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men?
From this we see that Paul was rebuking the Corinthians for their spiritual immaturity. In his eyes, they were still, spiritually speaking, babies, unable to receive the meat of God's word, and had to feed on the milk of God's word, rather than the meat.
We can - and should - grow in spirit and in faith, through the trials and tests that God has set in our lives. Is this not the ultimate, or rather a life-long - goal of being a Christian? Thanks be to God!
3. Become a man of self-sacrifice and self-control.
This idea can be seen 1 Corinthians 9. In verse 26-27 : Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
Here Paul is speaking the importance of giving not a part of us or a small portion of our time but our whole body and spirit to God, for we wholly belong to Him.
In the face of suffering we must learn to rely on His strength, be still and self-controlled and know that He is God.
Even amidst our sufferings, we can show Christ-likeness by continuing to love and help our fellow brothers and sisters. This is the true spirit of Christ.
4. Become a man unashamed of the Gospel but one who demonstrates our love for God through preaching it.
Romans 1:16 states, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."
Ephesians 6:19-20 : Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
I'm certain that today, many of us tend to have difficulty or are, to a certain extent, embarrassed to share the Gospel to our friends. We must pray for the courage that Paul had in his preaching of the Gospel. For what we are preaching - the Gospel - is the truth.
Is the truth so hard to tell?
4. Become a man who believe in and preach the reality of the kingdom of God.
Paul described the church as the body of Christ to illustrate the important relationship that exists between Christ and the church, as well as, each member of the church to one another (Ephesians 1:22-23). We are members of the body and of one another (1 Corinthians 12:27; Rom. 12:5). Paul described the church or the kingdom as "the household of God" (1 Tim. 3:15). Such a metaphor emphasizes the family relationship each one enjoys being in Christ. Paul also described the church or the kingdom as the temple of God (Eph. 2:19-22).
5. Become a man of wisdom.
Wisdom is acquired by means of a knowledge of God's word, coupled with a faithful living of it day by day. This helped to produce a man like Paul, who was wise in the work of preaching the gospel through out the ancient Near East. The experiences of being stoned at Lystra, of being put in prison in Philippi, of facing the mob in Jerusalem, and countless other occasions, where the gospel was met with opposition, were rich experiences. As terrible as these experiences were, they produced wisdom upon the part of all, who faithfully endured them for Christ and the gospel's sake.
With wisdom - knowledge of God - can we grow in spirit and faith.
6. Become a man of Christ.
Through our sufferings we are able to identify with Jesus Christ. John 15:20 : If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.
Through our trials, be it physical pain or emotional battles, etc, we are able to share a bond that connects man and Christ. For Jesus suffered and endured the frailties and limitations of being human while living in a sinful world despite being the Son of God. But because Jesus lived in our world and now lives within believers - us - he shares the pains, sorrows and frustrations we feel. (Hebrews 4:15) He joins with us in suffering and - even more encouragingly - he also offers us comfort
2 Corinthians 1:5 beautifully demonstrates this, "For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows."
WOW?!! Amen to that?! Christ's comfort can come in various and even tangible, practical ways... His comfort may come in physical presence of our friends, families, etc, or spiritual strength that overpowers us, etc. One thing that we can be assured of is that we need not walk it alone. Liverpool's slogan : You are not alone. Yes!!! Christ is with us, always, no doubt.
7. Become a man of obedience.
Hebrews 5:8 puts this clearly : Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered.
Through suffering, Jesus explained obedience in human terms. Suffering is a necessary price of obedience, fulfilling the will of God. Paul, as Jesus was, was obedient to the point of death. And obedience to God comes with the price of persecution, trial and sufferings. But in so doing, we are able to become a spiritually stronger person! Is the reward for obedience not worth the cost?
And rest assured that Christ will ALWAYS be with us to give us comfort and His spirit to guide us.
"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" Oh Lord, what more can we ask of you? For in our weaknesses, his glory and power are manifested.
His grace is more than enough for us.
More than sufficient.
His grace...
Amen.
Whoa.
I'm awe-stricken.
Not by the idea that you literally have to die in order to gain, but I'm amazed by the faith and love for God that Paul has as he made this statement. For to him, he would rather live to spread the word of God and fulfill the mission that God has assigned him than to take easy way out and give up. And "giving up" for him at that moment in time was to, honestly, die.
What?! Yes, it's paradoxical, is it not? Who on earth would choose death over life if given the option? The answer is nonsensically obvious. However, if we look into the life of Paul as God's worker then we may look at things from a different perspective.
As you can see his journey as he travels from Cyprus to Greece to Crete to Rome to Galatia to Thessaloniki, etc, he carried with him not a heavy obligation to God but his faith and love for Him. Throughout his mission, he was heavily persecuted but he was not ashamed of being persecuted nor imprisoned.
At Lystra, Paul was stoned. (Acts 14:19-20)
At Philippi, Paul was imprisoned. (Acts 16:25-34)
At Jerusalem and Rome, Paul was seized by a mob and trialed.
His life clearly demonstrates how powerful God is in our lives. Time and time again, he was rescued by the grace of God; he was obedient to the point of death. In face of all these persecutions, he was suffering so much and yet, when death seemed the easier option over life, he chose God, still. His love for God and his brothers and sisters made that commitment possible.
Can you make the same choice if you were in his shoes? Perhaps. However, we can never experience the sufferings Paul underwent. A fraction, maybe.
But what we can learn from the way he faced his trials and persecutions in his life is a great deal.
In the face of persecutions and sufferings in our lives, we can :
1. Become a man of prayer.
Prayer, other than the Bible, is the most direct form of communication with God. It's our source of strength, solace and peace. His admonition to the church at Ephesus was, "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints (Ephesians 6:18). It is clear that Paul's instructing and advising others to never stop praying. In Acts 16:25, we also learn that in time of trying circumstances we can always direct our troubles to God just as Paul and Silas did when they were imprisoned. And without fail, we will eventually overcome.
2. Become a stronger and more spiritual person.
1 Corinthians 3:
Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men?
From this we see that Paul was rebuking the Corinthians for their spiritual immaturity. In his eyes, they were still, spiritually speaking, babies, unable to receive the meat of God's word, and had to feed on the milk of God's word, rather than the meat.
We can - and should - grow in spirit and in faith, through the trials and tests that God has set in our lives. Is this not the ultimate, or rather a life-long - goal of being a Christian? Thanks be to God!
3. Become a man of self-sacrifice and self-control.
This idea can be seen 1 Corinthians 9. In verse 26-27 : Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
Here Paul is speaking the importance of giving not a part of us or a small portion of our time but our whole body and spirit to God, for we wholly belong to Him.
In the face of suffering we must learn to rely on His strength, be still and self-controlled and know that He is God.
Even amidst our sufferings, we can show Christ-likeness by continuing to love and help our fellow brothers and sisters. This is the true spirit of Christ.
4. Become a man unashamed of the Gospel but one who demonstrates our love for God through preaching it.
Romans 1:16 states, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."
Ephesians 6:19-20 : Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
I'm certain that today, many of us tend to have difficulty or are, to a certain extent, embarrassed to share the Gospel to our friends. We must pray for the courage that Paul had in his preaching of the Gospel. For what we are preaching - the Gospel - is the truth.
Is the truth so hard to tell?
4. Become a man who believe in and preach the reality of the kingdom of God.
Paul described the church as the body of Christ to illustrate the important relationship that exists between Christ and the church, as well as, each member of the church to one another (Ephesians 1:22-23). We are members of the body and of one another (1 Corinthians 12:27; Rom. 12:5). Paul described the church or the kingdom as "the household of God" (1 Tim. 3:15). Such a metaphor emphasizes the family relationship each one enjoys being in Christ. Paul also described the church or the kingdom as the temple of God (Eph. 2:19-22).
5. Become a man of wisdom.
Wisdom is acquired by means of a knowledge of God's word, coupled with a faithful living of it day by day. This helped to produce a man like Paul, who was wise in the work of preaching the gospel through out the ancient Near East. The experiences of being stoned at Lystra, of being put in prison in Philippi, of facing the mob in Jerusalem, and countless other occasions, where the gospel was met with opposition, were rich experiences. As terrible as these experiences were, they produced wisdom upon the part of all, who faithfully endured them for Christ and the gospel's sake.
With wisdom - knowledge of God - can we grow in spirit and faith.
6. Become a man of Christ.
Through our sufferings we are able to identify with Jesus Christ. John 15:20 : If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.
Through our trials, be it physical pain or emotional battles, etc, we are able to share a bond that connects man and Christ. For Jesus suffered and endured the frailties and limitations of being human while living in a sinful world despite being the Son of God. But because Jesus lived in our world and now lives within believers - us - he shares the pains, sorrows and frustrations we feel. (Hebrews 4:15) He joins with us in suffering and - even more encouragingly - he also offers us comfort
2 Corinthians 1:5 beautifully demonstrates this, "For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows."
WOW?!! Amen to that?! Christ's comfort can come in various and even tangible, practical ways... His comfort may come in physical presence of our friends, families, etc, or spiritual strength that overpowers us, etc. One thing that we can be assured of is that we need not walk it alone. Liverpool's slogan : You are not alone. Yes!!! Christ is with us, always, no doubt.
7. Become a man of obedience.
Hebrews 5:8 puts this clearly : Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered.
Through suffering, Jesus explained obedience in human terms. Suffering is a necessary price of obedience, fulfilling the will of God. Paul, as Jesus was, was obedient to the point of death. And obedience to God comes with the price of persecution, trial and sufferings. But in so doing, we are able to become a spiritually stronger person! Is the reward for obedience not worth the cost?
And rest assured that Christ will ALWAYS be with us to give us comfort and His spirit to guide us.
"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" Oh Lord, what more can we ask of you? For in our weaknesses, his glory and power are manifested.
His grace is more than enough for us.
More than sufficient.
His grace...
Amen.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Pencil Maker
The Pencil Parable
The Pencil Maker took the pencil aside, just before putting him into the box.
"There are 5 things you need to know," he told the pencil,
"..before I send you out into the world. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best pencil you can be."
1. You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in someone's hand.
2. You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you'll need it to become a better pencil.
3. You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make.(erasor)
4. The most important part of you will always be what's inside.
5. On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark. No matter what the condition, you must continue to write. You must always leave a clear, legible mark no matter how difficult the situation.
The pencil understood, promising to remember, and went into the box fully understanding its Maker's purpose.
-End-
Now replacing the place of the pencil with you; always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best person you can be.
1.You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in God's hand. Let him be the sole purpose in your life, let him be in total control of your life. Let others learn from the many gifts you possess.
2.You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, by going various troubles, problems and difficulties in life, but you'll need it to become a stronger, better person. Always remember that God will always be with you, through any form of difficulty, regardless the pain and suffering you're going through, bear in mind that God has promised never to leave you. Always look at your difficulties from a higher perspective, from His perspective, and you will find gladness and comfort.
3.You will be able to correct mistakes you might make or grow through them. To err is human. Mistakes are inevitable in life. Nobody is made perfect. But in our weaknesses, God's glory is manifested. He is most real and present and powerful when we are weakest. Remember that God has promised us His spirit. He is always with us.
4.The most important part of you will always be what's on the inside. Beauty is skin deep. We are judged by our faith, and not by our deeds nor our exteriors.(Yes Han, don't be a narcissist.) And we are all made in His image, in His godliness. We have both light and darkness inside, but what matters is the path which we take in life.
5.On every surface that you walk, you must leave your mark. No matter what the situation, you must continue to serve God in everything. We are all made special and unique, each blessed with a gift from God. Use these gifts and overcome your weaknesses, and you'll become a better person. Don't follow in the footsteps of the man who dug his talents in the ground (parable of the talents) and did not make use of the gifts God gave us.
We are all pencils of God. We are uniquely made by Him for a purpose. Don't belittle the significance of your existence! If you think you are not good in your studies, or you do not play well in any kind of sports, or you are not sociable, you do not have any friend, or you do not have any kind of influence in anyone's life, or you just simply think that you are a good-for-nothing or think that life is meaningless and purposeless.. Realise that God is real. And we are all instruments of God to be testimonies in each other's lives. We are made for a purpose. And this purpose is kept alive by our faith. And so in Him can our purpose of living can be found.
We are made to make a difference.
A difference in the lives of those around us. A little comfort or few words of encouragement to a friend makes that difference.
Believe.
The Pencil Maker took the pencil aside, just before putting him into the box.
"There are 5 things you need to know," he told the pencil,
"..before I send you out into the world. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best pencil you can be."
1. You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in someone's hand.
2. You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you'll need it to become a better pencil.
3. You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make.(erasor)
4. The most important part of you will always be what's inside.
5. On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark. No matter what the condition, you must continue to write. You must always leave a clear, legible mark no matter how difficult the situation.
The pencil understood, promising to remember, and went into the box fully understanding its Maker's purpose.
-End-
Now replacing the place of the pencil with you; always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best person you can be.
1.You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in God's hand. Let him be the sole purpose in your life, let him be in total control of your life. Let others learn from the many gifts you possess.
2.You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, by going various troubles, problems and difficulties in life, but you'll need it to become a stronger, better person. Always remember that God will always be with you, through any form of difficulty, regardless the pain and suffering you're going through, bear in mind that God has promised never to leave you. Always look at your difficulties from a higher perspective, from His perspective, and you will find gladness and comfort.
3.You will be able to correct mistakes you might make or grow through them. To err is human. Mistakes are inevitable in life. Nobody is made perfect. But in our weaknesses, God's glory is manifested. He is most real and present and powerful when we are weakest. Remember that God has promised us His spirit. He is always with us.
4.The most important part of you will always be what's on the inside. Beauty is skin deep. We are judged by our faith, and not by our deeds nor our exteriors.(Yes Han, don't be a narcissist.) And we are all made in His image, in His godliness. We have both light and darkness inside, but what matters is the path which we take in life.
5.On every surface that you walk, you must leave your mark. No matter what the situation, you must continue to serve God in everything. We are all made special and unique, each blessed with a gift from God. Use these gifts and overcome your weaknesses, and you'll become a better person. Don't follow in the footsteps of the man who dug his talents in the ground (parable of the talents) and did not make use of the gifts God gave us.
We are all pencils of God. We are uniquely made by Him for a purpose. Don't belittle the significance of your existence! If you think you are not good in your studies, or you do not play well in any kind of sports, or you are not sociable, you do not have any friend, or you do not have any kind of influence in anyone's life, or you just simply think that you are a good-for-nothing or think that life is meaningless and purposeless.. Realise that God is real. And we are all instruments of God to be testimonies in each other's lives. We are made for a purpose. And this purpose is kept alive by our faith. And so in Him can our purpose of living can be found.
We are made to make a difference.
A difference in the lives of those around us. A little comfort or few words of encouragement to a friend makes that difference.
Believe.
I'm BACK!
Oh my. It's been ages since I've last blogged. I admit I have not been regularly doing my QT regularly as I ought to amidst the O levels. Exam is not an excuse. The little of our time that we give to God when we are most busiest is the most pleasing and worthy gift to Him.
O levels are done in a week's time!!! RARRRRRRRRRRRR!! I honestly can't WAIT any longer!! There's just so much on my agenda and a timetable has already been set for things I plan to do during the holidays.
Thus far, the exams have been beyond my expectation. Yes. Neither too hard nor too easy, for some of you who's already confused. Rather, I have become much closer, thankfully, to God through my preparations and the real test itself. Prayer. Reliance. Spirituality. Faith. Letting go. These have grown stronger and become much real through this hurdle. Amen to that! Most importantly, I've learned to place my grades, my time, my family, my life, my all in His hands.
Grace. Undeserving love, that is. Speechless. God has struck me speechless by His grace and providence for me. I have seen so much of His grace for my friends as well. For some who only studied a chapter for humanities, that chapter was eventually tested for the real exam. Yes G-man, that's none other than you. -.-
I have become closer to my friends by helping them in various ways - giving comfort, help in studies, advice, mental support and most importantly prayer.
I have witnessed many things through Os as well. Desperateness. Weakness. For some, confidence and self-sufficiency. For those who showed the former, I am glad because that's what humans are - and ought to be. For those who showed the latter, it's time to consider a greater force that is exists since the beginning of time and still is real. God should be our sole source of strength and energy in life. Nothing more. Nothing less. Before Him we are empty. With his spirit should we be filled.
Through this journey, I've been encouraged and comforted in many ways also. A friend of mine showed me how powerful God is in her life. She taught me the true godliness and piousness that a Christian should demonstrate in life, through her ups and downs during Os. She taught me never to question God's plan but to trust and wait for Him; for He is never late nor early, but He is always on time. Most importantly, she taught me not to preach but to carry out that which I urge others to.
Another friend of mine taught me not to leave my Bible covered in dust, not to leave it in the shelf like any other ordinary book. He's also grown to show more responsibility and I'm gladful for that as well. More importantly he has become less cocky. HA! Hint, hint. Yes,all that we achieve is not by our own human effort but by His grace alone, no matter how big or small that achievement is.
Another friend of mine... I am really grateful to God for my all friends. They have each impacted my life in a unique way. How is 2010 going to be when we part in time to come? I hope that we continue to be forces in each other lives to learn from and that by which we may grow in spirit and in truth.
For those who are feeling discomforted or discouraged by your progress for Os, do not be! There's always "that guy up there" who cares for you and always wants the best for you. He is real. He is there. He will always be. He is not just an angel. He is not just a friend. He is our heavenly father who was, is, and always be.
Work hard, fellow students. And rely. And contentment is yours. Nothing more will you wish for, trust me.
To Os, to the future, to the one hope we all live for...
To 6 points...
To life everlasting.
O levels are done in a week's time!!! RARRRRRRRRRRRR!! I honestly can't WAIT any longer!! There's just so much on my agenda and a timetable has already been set for things I plan to do during the holidays.
Thus far, the exams have been beyond my expectation. Yes. Neither too hard nor too easy, for some of you who's already confused. Rather, I have become much closer, thankfully, to God through my preparations and the real test itself. Prayer. Reliance. Spirituality. Faith. Letting go. These have grown stronger and become much real through this hurdle. Amen to that! Most importantly, I've learned to place my grades, my time, my family, my life, my all in His hands.
Grace. Undeserving love, that is. Speechless. God has struck me speechless by His grace and providence for me. I have seen so much of His grace for my friends as well. For some who only studied a chapter for humanities, that chapter was eventually tested for the real exam. Yes G-man, that's none other than you. -.-
I have become closer to my friends by helping them in various ways - giving comfort, help in studies, advice, mental support and most importantly prayer.
I have witnessed many things through Os as well. Desperateness. Weakness. For some, confidence and self-sufficiency. For those who showed the former, I am glad because that's what humans are - and ought to be. For those who showed the latter, it's time to consider a greater force that is exists since the beginning of time and still is real. God should be our sole source of strength and energy in life. Nothing more. Nothing less. Before Him we are empty. With his spirit should we be filled.
Through this journey, I've been encouraged and comforted in many ways also. A friend of mine showed me how powerful God is in her life. She taught me the true godliness and piousness that a Christian should demonstrate in life, through her ups and downs during Os. She taught me never to question God's plan but to trust and wait for Him; for He is never late nor early, but He is always on time. Most importantly, she taught me not to preach but to carry out that which I urge others to.
Another friend of mine taught me not to leave my Bible covered in dust, not to leave it in the shelf like any other ordinary book. He's also grown to show more responsibility and I'm gladful for that as well. More importantly he has become less cocky. HA! Hint, hint. Yes,all that we achieve is not by our own human effort but by His grace alone, no matter how big or small that achievement is.
Another friend of mine... I am really grateful to God for my all friends. They have each impacted my life in a unique way. How is 2010 going to be when we part in time to come? I hope that we continue to be forces in each other lives to learn from and that by which we may grow in spirit and in truth.
For those who are feeling discomforted or discouraged by your progress for Os, do not be! There's always "that guy up there" who cares for you and always wants the best for you. He is real. He is there. He will always be. He is not just an angel. He is not just a friend. He is our heavenly father who was, is, and always be.
Work hard, fellow students. And rely. And contentment is yours. Nothing more will you wish for, trust me.
To Os, to the future, to the one hope we all live for...
To 6 points...
To life everlasting.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Praise God!
5 great things that i want to praise God for!
1. I know God.
2. While there are many people who don't know God, I can have a relationship with him and love him as he loves me.
3. I have a loving family and loyal,sincere friends who, I am privileged to say, are part of my life.
4. I am healthy and physically well, which indeed is a blessing that many of us overlook.
5. With so many blessings from God on one hand, there are also troubles and trials that I experience on the other. And this is also a blessing as only through this that I can grow stronger in faith and obedience.
Thank you, Lord.
1. I know God.
2. While there are many people who don't know God, I can have a relationship with him and love him as he loves me.
3. I have a loving family and loyal,sincere friends who, I am privileged to say, are part of my life.
4. I am healthy and physically well, which indeed is a blessing that many of us overlook.
5. With so many blessings from God on one hand, there are also troubles and trials that I experience on the other. And this is also a blessing as only through this that I can grow stronger in faith and obedience.
Thank you, Lord.
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