---apple addict---: October 2008

Friday, October 31, 2008

be sober and vigilant

1 Peter 5:8-9 (New King James Version)

8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.

one thing we always need to know. the devil hate us.

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Romans 12

1I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

2And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

I remember I used to question a lot about what's the will of God for me? I wanted to know what I could do to please Him, and I just want to do all the things that pleases Him. Of course in the process I failed many times. But I think as I walk in this faith, I am growing in my knowledge in the will of God.

In the bible there are a few instances that talks about what pleases God. Enoch walking with the Lord, pleased Him (Hebrews 11:5-6). So what did he do? Walk with the Lord. It sounds simple but it's never simple. How can two walk together if they don't agree (paraphrased Amos 3:3)? So Enoch was in agreement with God for 300 years.

Do you have experience when you just can't seem to agree with your friend or your parents? Your parents are calling for a curfew. You complain that it's unfair. Someone who is more mature than you spiritually warns you that you are heading the wrong direction. You don't want to listen to them anymore, because you can't agree with what he/she is saying. You think you're okay.

Well.. if we want to walk with the Lord, we have to agree with Him in all things. And what better way to learn to agree with him than reading about His biography? What He approves of.. what He does... The process of walking with God doesn't stop at just knowing about what pleases Him. But walking in agreement with it.

Walking in agreement with God takes away our own right. When your parents call for curfew, and you gotta deny your own will and agree with your parents. You have to believe they know it better. When you're counseled by someone more mature in their spiritual walk, you have to believe they know better and forsake your own rights. Start to renew your mind concerning the things.

That is why this passage in Romans 12 talks about "bodies as a living sacrifice" and "renewing your mind".

The phrase "bodies as a living sacrifice" reminds me of Isaac being led by his father to be given to God as a sacrifice. Which is a shadow of Christ, who was willingly, surrendering His own rights, led by His father to the cross. What I have never realised is that going to the cross is never Christ's own will.

Matthew 26:39 "Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.""

Perhaps we always think that it was easy for Jesus to make that decision, because He's God, or Christ did not find it hard to surrender His will. But we forgot that Christ was here on Earth to partake in everything that was HUMAN. He was tempted and tried just as we do. If He didn't experience what human usually go through, He wouldn't be our victory.

Yet, Christ was willing to be led to the cross because of one thing. "Not my will but yours be done". This is an act of FAITH. He had faith in His Father, that His Father always know the better way. His ways are always higher than ours.

Which corresponds to a passage in the bible that says "Without faith it is impossible to please God." (Heb 11:6, summarised, full text see below)

Without your faith in God, how can you trust the Lord by denying our flesh to be led to the cross? It's all about whether you want to trust Him for everything that He has said. Walking in agreement with the Lord. Christ trusted in His Father's way. He saw the eternal glory.. He saw us who will be transformed into His likeness, He saw us as the joy that is set before Him..

His faith paid off.

Hebrews 12:2 "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

Only after you surrender, that you will really learn, what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Romans 8:8 "So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God."
Hebrews 11:5-6 " By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."
Genesis 5:22-24 "And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years:And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him."
Hebrews 13:16-17 "But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you."
Amos 3:3 "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?"

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

inflation

1 Singapore dollar = 7 194.83871 Indonesian Rupiahs

I was told that it even hit the 8000 mark yesterday. Reminds me of the bad inflation we had years ago, which turns out to be quite scary. If I didn't remember wrongly, the value of money dropped more than half its value. I also didn't know how we manage to survive the economic blow. Thank God. I also remember how jobless and hopeless people flocked into church meetings.. looking for hope. I remember there was a great revival, church was growing by the week and month. More chairs needed. Bigger building needed. It was a great time of reflecting upon life.

DEADline? LIFEline?

Tho I have many deadlines to meet this week.
I believe He's my lifeline.

woohoo......

together He and I will conquer.....

Friday, October 24, 2008

here and now

I woke up late this morning.. then I missed my breakfast.. Though some people say hall breakfast is awful, but actually I love having breakfast, more varieties than dinner...
Anyways.. so I had to cook my own instant noodles to fill myself up. Then on TV there was this Yan Can Cook guy.. showing how easy it is to cook delicious food. He made me miss my mom's cooking! I found myself complaining. It's not fair, I have to eat this instant noodles here. Taste awful.

A thought came to my mind: HEY! Didn't you give thanks before you ate your food.
Yes, I said... Father thank you for the food. Amen.
haha. Well.. how thankful are you.

:D bleah

Then by noon I suddenly thought of the times I had tuitioning my primary school kids at home in Indonesia. I had so much fun.. Teaching is so fun, except for one thing. The kids bullied me!!! And I always missed my fav shows because I had to teach them. Back then I was like.. It will be nice if I can start university real soon... It's gonna be so fun.

Here and now, I am studying in university, but found myself thinking about the old times.. comparing and stuff.. Thinking about how nice it will be to have more free time.

Then somehow staying in hall makes me miss PGP as well. But when I was staying in PGP, I wished that I got a room in the hall.. cos I saw how big the study table was. And how cosy the room was.

OK. So this is the "grass is greener on the other side" syndrome! HEY HEY wake up. As if I felt a tug. You're living in the here and now. The grass is never greener on the other side. It seems greener. But when you lose what you have here and now, you'd wished you didn't go over.

We can never be satisfied in life, unless we learn contentment. There's a miracle of the moment. Everyday just wake up and really give thanks and not make it a routine. Everyday wake up and find God because He's the only one who can whisper to you about the miracle of each of your moment. Even appreciating life, everyday, is a way of worship unto Him.

With this I'd like to share with you one of my favourite song by Steven Curtis Chapman. One of my favourite singers. "Miracle of the Moment"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkYG2B13sXY

It's time for letting go
All of our "if onlies"
Cause we don't have a time machine

And even if we did
Would we really want to use it
Would we really want to go change everything

Cause we are who and where and what we are for now
And this is the only moment we can do anything about

So breathe it in and breathe it out
And listen to your heartbeat
There's a wonder in the here and now
It's right there in front of you
And I don't want you to miss the miracle of the moment

There's only One who knows
What's really out there waiting
And all the moments yet to be
And all we need to know
Is He's out there waiting
To Him the future's history

And He has given us a treasure called right now
And this is the only moment we can do anything about

So breathe it in and breathe it out
And listen to your heartbeat
There's a wonder in the here and now
It's right there in front of you
And I don't want you to miss the miracle of the moment

And if it brings you tears
Then taste them as they fall
Let them soften your heart

And if it brings you laughter
Then throw your head back
And let it go
Let it go, yeah
You gotta let it go

And listen to your heartbeat

And breathe it in and breathe it out
And listen to your heartbeat
There's a wonder in the here and now
It's right there in front of you
And I don't want you to miss the miracle of the moment

And breathe it in and breathe it out
And listen to your heartbeat
There's a wonder in the here and now (here and now)
It's right there in front of you
And I don't want you to miss the miracle
Of the moment

Thursday, October 23, 2008

wisdom is a function of time

This is the wisdom function. There are only two state, right or wrong, controlled by the variable, time.

A man finds joy in giving an apt reply— and how good is a timely word! Proverbs 15:23

Something can be right, but something right can be wrong when spoken at the wrong time. (Joseph and his dreams)

Make sure, you know when you speak, you have the right attitude:
1) Pure: are your intentions pure? do you truly speak out of love? what's your motive for speaking it?
2) Peaceable: are you seeking peace than arguments?
3) Gentle: are you doing it in the right way? or are you trying to put people down?
4) Willing to yield/submissive: submit to Holy Spirit. Guided by Him. submit to authority, when the leadership warns you from speaking it, then don't. Is it against what the church believes in? (e.g. girl should not "counsel" a guy, you know what I mean, etc..)
5) Full of mercy and good fruit: are you speaking out of mercy of God?
6) Impartial: will you speak the same way to a person you like and person you dislike? or without looking at their status.
7) Without hypocrisy: do you say one thing, but do another?

Wisdom is the series that has been covered in my cell, again.. it's really useful. Still learning. So if anyone has something to add or correct please do so.

Someone wise will know what to speak, but also when to speak.

Tuesday, October 07, 2008

Mommy

Thank God for a sweet mom I have. This morning, I followed her to buy stuff.. wanted to find a nice semi-formal jacket.. In the end I couldn't find, but it's ok. Nice day spent with mom. She told me sometimes carrying stuff gives her back pain. Suddenly I felt that my mom is no longer so young, tho many people say that she looks like my older sister. Realise how much she gives for my family. Cos she's taking care of the family, send my brother to school, running a business, being a wife... a counsellor to me and my siblings.. and still we give her tonnes of worries and problems. T_T She always hear me complain about how tough it is in school and being away from home. Juggling with tonnes of work and FYP in my 4th year. She always says "you must thank God that you can receive good education in spore's university". Yeah, which always leave me feeling bad after all that complaining. Sometimes I tell her why she doesn't understand me. Without knowing how sad I left her with those words. She's trying to understand me, but I am not doing the same. Sometimes I know she's busy, but still bombard her with "wu liao" SMSes. Ah. Please grow up. After seeing her today, I felt that it's time for me to be more independent, after I graduate, giving her some rest, so that my dad and her can go enjoy life.. Thank you Lord for an angel you sent me.