Literally or Contextually?

Today I read some articles that pointed out that a lot of Christians have used bible verses too literally and that those verses often quoted are taken in the wrong context.   For example, Jeremiah 29:11 that says “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  

Now, there is reason in the article's argument that the verse had to be read in the context of where the Israelites was at the point of time: in exile, in Babylon, in despair.   I can understand that.  However, it also argues that it should not be used for when we are having a bad day or when things don't go our way.  In a way that is also true but I believe that by saying we need to look at ONLY the situational context then we are limiting what is the WORD of GOD.  

Yes, God's Word should be read in context and should not be used in vain or for our own selfish gain but God's Word being GOD'S WORD should also be powerful enough for use to meditate on and used in more ways than one, right?  

So what if Jer 29:11 is used as a source of comfort, strength, peace and assurance?  Not only for the big things or "Godly things" but also to help us overcome the little struggles that we face in our daily lives.  I'd rather that God's Word be used to help and encourage Christians, especially those young in faith, to keep their eyes on Jesus, even if it means sometimes taking the verses literally.  

God works in all sorts of ways and in all sorts of manner... what is more important is that we keep clinging on God's Word and allow God's Spirit to work in and through us so that eventually we can truly get what God wants to say to us, in whatever context he wants us to understand it in.  Only then can the very Word of God be fully realized in our lives... don't you think so?

Awesome

I actually wanted to comment on this topic of awesomeness on Facebook but felt that it was not the right forum to address this issue.  So I turn to my good ol' trusty blog to give the world my 2 cents, partly because there is less traffic passing through my blog nowadays and partly, that's the purpose of a blog anyway: to voice my own personal opinion.  So here goes...

I noticed lately that a lot of people like to throw the word "AWESOME" around freely and on anything interesting that they see/heard/felt, e.g.

• This Tomyam noodles is awesome.
• You can come for my birthday? Awesome.
• Your guitar skills is really awesome.
• Wow, the new clothes from H&M looks awesome.

Well, NO. the noodles may be DELICIOUS, you may be HAPPY that someone is attending your birthday, your friend's guitar skills may be WICKED and the new clothes from H&M looks really COOL but those things are by definition NOT awesome.

Someone told me that awesomeness should be one of those few words that we should reserve for GOD because nothing and no one deserves it more that He does.  I wholeheartedly agree with him/her and since then I have not used the word awesome for anything except for God.  Look at the synonyms associated with the word awesome: breathtaking, awe-inspiring, magnificent, wonderful, amazing, stunning, staggering, imposing, stirring.  Does anything else deserve such accolades.  Even the things/beings he created: Grand Canyon, the Milky Way, my wife and my child... they may be beautiful and lovely to behold but when I use the word awesome with them, its more about me being in awe with who God is and what He has done.  I feel using it in any other context would just cheapen the word.

In fact, the Bible also says the word awesome belongs to God and God alone: “Dominion and awe belong to God; He establishes order in the heights of heaven." - Job 25:2.

So if you would, use the word sparingly... please, because only God is AWESOME.   

Epiphany

I just had an epiphany of sorts this afternoon: "That life is just not worth getting upset over... can do do... cannot do, leave it in God's hands... all things will some how work themselves out" and maybe its starting to work???

I don't want to jinx things though... So should I let the world know?

Hard

Sometimes its so hard to maintain the faith...

Do as He does

I was asking God 2 nights ago that if people don't change, change my perspective and behaviour towards them by being a reflection of God's love. Immediately, I began to worry if people would take advantage of me if I learn to accept people as they are and not struggle against them.

Then a picture came into my mind that people also took advantage of Jesus when he did not fight back. The Romans, Pilate, the priests and the Jewish people taunted him and took advantage of his humility and non-reaction. Christ was so focused on the long term goal of saving all of us that he was willing to lose his pride and our natural instinct to fight back.

What a revelation and comfort that picture gave me. If Christ can endure that kind of humiliation, knowing that God will work things out for us, why can't I?

New Year

A new year with new resolutions:

1. Stay healthy and fit.
2. Grow spiritually and live a life of a disciple of Christ.
3. Attitude to work to change for the better.

One Year

Wow, Its been about a year since I got married. It has not been a bed of roses but what a journey it has been so far. Yes, it may have been only one year yet I am grateful that Su Yin and I have come out of it in one piece.

Whenever I feel discouraged, I will remember this song:

Your grace is sufficient for me.
Your strength is made perfect when I am weak.
All that I cling to I lay at Your feet.
Your grace is sufficient for me.

As for the next year, I am looking forward to see where God wants to take the both of us, and I am glad Su Yin is by my side all the way.

Awesome

Through good and bad times... You are still awesome.

I am most grateful to you, Lord.

For my wife...
For my family...
For my job...
For my friends...
For my finances...
For my every need you've met...
And last but not least, for my life...

Amen.

God of all things

Don't just trust God for big things, big issues.
I realise that He is also a very meticulous and detailed God (Come to think of it, He is a melancholic, phlegmatic, choleric and sanguine all rolled into one. After all we are made in His image right?) and often its in the small things that He affirms His presence and love for us.

I thought I'd lost 2 of my pen drives yesterday. Very likely that I dropped them yesterday cos one of my pouch's zip was open. Then I thought maybe I'd look at a place in the office that never thought to look. Lo and behold, there they are! :)

Another lesson I'm learning... listen to your heart. The Holy Spirit speaks to us through it. Sometimes, it'll remind us of something that we may have misplaced or forgotten to take, it'll remind us to slow down and be more careful. It'll remind us not to say certain things. It'll remind us also of the good we need to do. I am so glad I don't have to walk through life blindly.

So remember, God is God of big and small and also, listen to your heart ya...

You know something?

This is rather belated but I am actually quite excited about my coming wedding.

And I can't wait to start my life with the girl whom I fell in love, and is still in love, with 6 years ago (wow... 6 years... felt like it was only yesterday!)

I've been thinking alot about it. Its exciting and yet I am also kinda nervous b'cos its a big, big deal starting a new chapter in your life together with someone who's been entrusted to you.

This can only work IF we do it together... with God. Its not something we can shoulder on our own.

Still... I can't wait for the journey to start. :)

Depending on You

I realise that its futile to do things using my own way.

Your ways are higher that our ways...

What truth!

The thing is... am I too late to realise this?

Is this the end?

Earthquake in China...
Cyclone in Myanmar...
Financial fallout everywhere...
Prices of petrol, rice and many basic necessities going up in every country.
Diseases increases - SARS, bird-flu...
Conflict on the increase...
Terrorism is so real...
Global warming...


Is the end of this world coming soon? What will happen if it is? What will happen to you? Where will you be? Do you have HOPE for life after the end?

Jesus is so real

If you ever doubted that Jesus is real and His name has power.... doubt no more!

My PDA fell on the floor a few weeks ago, after that the buttons on the PDA wouldn't work anymore.

Anyway, I thought I'd just pray over it to see if God heals not only people, but also inanimate objects. I told myself that I'd pray over it everytime I can remember. Silly I know but there's nothing to lose right? Moreover, it is very costly to fix it and I don't have the money to do so.

Well... nothing happened.

This morning, when I got up, I had this thought of praying for the PDA again. So I laid hand on it and pray again. This time, somehow I made an effort to focus on the words "in Jesus name".

After I prayed, I pressed the buttons again, not expecting much... and guess what? The buttons started to work. They were a little weird in the beginnning but after I did a refresh... it all worked as normal. I am just so jumping with joy that I just had to share this.

If it sounds funny to you, well it is... but my faith and belief that Jesus is real has leaped up a huge notch!

He is so real!

Happy New Year

New year, new beginnings.

Its going to be a challenging but exciting year for me.

There's going to be 2 major new chapters in my life.

One of them is happening soon, the other is happening later.

Just gonna commit both of them into God's hands.

Lord, let Your word be the lamp unto my feet and light unto my path.

So, here's my new year's resolution no. 1:
- Restart my walk with God - to read His word and spent time with Him consistently.

Love...

• is patient
• is kind
• does not envy
  
• does not boast
• is not proud
• is not rude
• is not self seeking
• is not easily angered
• keeps no records of wrongs
• rejoices with the truth
• always protects
• always trusts
• always hopes
  
• always persevere
• never fails...

Thank you Lord, for reminding me of this again.

Heavy

Lord, my burden is heavy but yours is light. May I exchange it for yours?

I cast all my cares upon You.
I lay down on my burdens,
down at Your feet.
If any time I don't know what to do,
I just cast all my cares upon You.

Watch your mouth!

It is one of the hardest things I have to do...

Help me in my weakness, Lord.

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart,
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer." - Psalm 19:14

"Can God make a rock so big that he cannot move it?"

During the CG meeting last night, one of our members brought out this question and we had a short discussion on this question.
This is a question often ask by people who wants to trap Christians because either "yes" or "no" would somehow make you and God look bad.

I did a bit of searching and found this on the Web...

"Can God make a rock so big that he cannot move it?"
Think about it:

If we answer yes, then there’s something that God can’t do: He can’t move the rock
If we answer no, then we’re saying that God can’t build the rock either way, we are forced to put limits on God’s power.

So what’s the answer?

The answer is to admit that there are some things that God can’t do:

• He can’t do the logically absurd or the contradictory, e.g. God can’t make square circles or triangles with four corners.
• He can’t sin.
• He can’t die.
• God cannot act against his holy nature.
• He can’t fail to do what He has promised.

In fact, there are some things that you can do that God can’t do:
You can be illogical,
you can sin and
you can die.

When we define omnipotence, and say that God is able to do all things, what we mean is this:

God has infinite power over his creation. Nothing stands out of the scope of His sovereign control. God’s will is never frustrated. What He chooses to do, He accomplishes, and He has the ability to do it.

(Psalms 115:3) Our God is in heaven; He does whatever pleases Him."

Good answer this.
So ya, there are things God can't do... and aren't you glad that He can't?

Pray

I went for 201 Class on Sunday and I learned about this template for daily prayer...
Pray according to the day of the week:

M - Missionaries/Pastors/Workers
T - Tasks (job/studies/errands/housework/ministry/volunteer work)
W - World (Different countries)
Th - Thanksgiving
F - Family (including extended)
S - Saints (Christian friends and acquaintances)
S - Sinners (non-Christian friends and acquaintances)

You just pray the topic for the day and any other needs.
Even if you only pray a minute a day, you'd pray for each topic for 52 minutes already.

Not bad huh? Start praying then.

Vegetarians

I was reading Genesis this morning and I found out a very interesting fact...

Did you know that God had originally intended mankind and every other living creature, be it on land, water or sky, to feed on plant life for our nourishment?

Hmm... makes me wonder what am I really doing to my body. :/

As for you veggie haters, all I can say is for you to start getting used to eating your brussel sprouts and broccoli like your mum asked you to, cause heaven's buffet line is one big salad bowl. :)