Who's the Master Mind?

Wouldn’t it be nice if Satan left us alone after we got saved? You might think he would have no more interest in us. We are lost to him for eternity. He can never lay claim to us again. Yet he never seems to get off our case. Why is that? It’s because he has discovered that he can do just as much damage to the cause of Christ by influencing a Christian’s mind as he can by totally controlling an unbeliever’s mind.
(Strauss, R.L., 2009. Win the Battle for Your Mind. Dubuque: ECS Ministries.)

So who controls your mind? Are you filled with the world? Or are you filled with the Holy Spirit? (Eph 5:15-21)

*1 year of study in UOW complete!

Who's Glory?

Had a very interesting têtê-à-têtê with a Buddhist guy about the relationship about the True and Living God and other gods. Coming from a Buddhist, I believe he has had the experience of the "vending machine" religion. In short, you offer something up for something in return. Of course, that's not how God works.

God is not a vending machine god like the gods of other religions. He doesn't require anything of you; what need of you has He? What need of anything that you have that He needs? If this is the case, why does God even bother with us at all?

For God so loved the world, that He gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
-John 3:16

For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
-Romans 5:7-8

Unlike the standard, worldly way of "man reaching out towards god", God Himself has reached out towards man!

As the hymn writer puts it:

To God be the glory, great things He hath done,
So loved He the world that He gave us His Son,
Who yielded His life our redemption to win,
And opened the life-gate that all may go in.
                                        -Fanny Crosby

Man's redemption is probably only one aspect of many that shows God's glory.

The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
-Psalm 19:1

God came from Teman,
and the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah
His splendor covered the heavens,
and the earth was full of his praise.
His brightness was like the light;
rays flashed from his hand;
and there he veiled his power.
-Habakkuk 3:3-4

Such wondrous glory! Such magnificent splendour! In fact, we should be only concerned with God's glory because God Himself is interested in it. What He is interested in, we, as believers, should be too!

I am the Lord; that is my name;
my glory I give to no other,
nor my praise to carved idols.
-Isaiah 42:8

There is no other being that deserves more glory than God because He deserves it for all the works that He has done. From Creation to the choosing of Israel, from the election of David as King to the humiliation of Nebuchadnezzar, from the Lord's death of the cross at Calvary to His glorious ascension, God has done all these for His glory and His alone.

To God be the glory, great things He hath done

Soli Deo gloria

Faithfully

"Faithfully" is one of Journey's top hits from the 80's and it depicts the strained relationship of a musician and his wife. (Real story between Journey's keyboard player and his wife)

It brings to mind our faithfulness to God. How far are we willing to go to be faithful to God? We know that God is always faithful to us (Psalm 108:4; 1 John 1:9), but we…lack that capability to be continually faithful because of our fallen state.

The journey of the Christian is not an easy one and is said so by the Lord Jesus Himself in John 16. He talked about rejection by our brethren and persecution from the world. The question is, will we be faithful? Will we endure to the end (Matt 10:22)? Will we obey Christ's command to persevere (Rev 3:10)? These are big questions for every Christian as we may often fail in doing so. (Self included)

Will we be faithful until He comes back for us?

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.
Hebrews 10:23

A Breath of Fresh Air

If you are a follower of the Legend of Korra series, you'll probably know where I pilfered the title from. :)

It's been 3 years since the last post and much has changed. Not as naïve and no longer as young as used to be. (Although it's been 3 years!)

In that 3 years, the main thing I have done is completed a diploma in information technology. It was an interesting journey in its entirety; I have learned much and gained much.

Currently, the University of Wollongong, Australia. Why here? Why Wollongong? Simply said, I don't know. Really. I may give you reasons along the lines of "my diploma was tied to UOW" or "I had relatives here", but…I don't know.

Recently, I have come to a greater understanding of how God takes care of us (as in His children in Christ) and has a specific will for us. (Could this be why I don't feel stressed when it's the exam period now?)

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you."
-1 Peter 5:6-7

Humility has been a big thing for me lately. References to Bible snippets such as "Jesus is Lord" and "He must increase, but I must decrease" still ring about me and challenge me to live a life submissive to Christ. Even readings on Colossians on wives submitting to husbands point to the church submitting to Christ.

Many things have changed for me, but I know one thing:

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)

Indeed, a breath of fresh air.