Potter & Magic Points to Christ

Harry Potter I must say reminds me of my time that I was really into Dungeons and Dragons, Dragon Lance and some fantasy story books during the late 90s. Looks like the magic never did disappear when the countless young people are clamouring for the last book of the series which funnily enough ends at the seventh book.

As the author rest the story at the seventh instalment, God also rest after the seventh day of creation. I am not saying that the author is mimicking how God works but it seems that a lot of things do have meaning in life.

Why don't we look at magic instead? From the time Lord of the Rings and the Narnia, to the darker Dungeon & Dragons/Dragonlance and perhaps even the Star Wars series we have seen the people's thirsts for things supernatural be it good or bad.

I can only conclude that our fascination with magic and the supernatural is also had a tinge of fear because it is beyond our understanding and yet somehow it is supposed to be a part of us.

If we are made in God's image, surely the Glory of God is also part of that reflection. If not how would Adam & Eve need to cover themselves? Looks like they have the Glory of God covering them and that itself is supernatural, a kind of light that gives more than warmth to the wearer and actually gives it 'magic'.

It also just confirmed that we really are made for something more glorious but somehow our present state do not conform to our suspicions.

That said, magic is just an extension of the knowledge of that lost glory that we had and now being restored by Christ through the cross but why we did not have it now? Actually in my heart I do know that we do now have the glory of God because of the witness by the Holy Spirit that is within the heart of the believer.

My personal experience, and for my wife as well, is that we look younger than our age says something about the 'magic' that is the Christos Power of regeneration! Plus my well being is being looked after for the past 7 months without hard slogging in workaholic paradise that is Singapore.

Of course the outpouring of the power of the Holy Spirit can be seen in healings, in good circumstances that a mere 'coincidence' could not have explained it away and definitely from countless number of testimonies coming from fellow brothers and sisters in Christ during incidences such as 9/11, Desert Storm II, and many more...

I can only say that 'magic' has happened and it is Holy 'magic' and that 'magic' is of the same class that is displayed by Christ during the stormy weather when Christ walked on water, when He healed the sick, gives hope to the hopeless, give recognition to the despised. His 'magic' touch He gives to people around Him only confirms that the Supernatural is real that Holy 'magic' is for the believer to grasp and enjoyed through Jesus!

Of course in the epistle to the Galatians Paul did say

Gal 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, (20) idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousies, wraths, factions, divisions, parties, (21) envyings, drunkenness, revellings, and such like; of which I forewarn you, even as I did forewarn you, that they who practise such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Well Paul now did acknowledge that the supernatural is so real to his world. But this 'supernatural' influence through sorcery is not of the Lord but from the enemy. And sorcery is the 'works of the flesh' and it is manifested.

Do we see the difference? One is from the Holy Spirit and the other is from the flesh.

So 'magic' is definitely from the realm of the supernatural and it is real enough that it has the influence that we see this weekend. The only thing we as mature Christians should do is to embrace the fact that 'magic' is really part of life and reading about a story book using magic as background will not destroy us.

That the very fact that we are breathing, that we are functioning as human beings with thoughts that is as unique as the snow flake just shows that we are living 'magic spells' only can be ordained by God. Our only job is to ensure that we do not do 'magic' through the power of the flesh, that is to seek supernatural directions and power through means that is clearly not Biblical.

Let us read Harry Potter with sense of adventure and imagination and to know that magic is real and 'good magic' is in the hands of The Lord that will do good for the sons and daughters of the almighty Abba accepted through Jesus' blood!

ps....ever wondered why so many 'magic' themed stuff comes unto this world nowadays? Guess that the Lord is really coming back!

To Be Happy or To Have Joy?

From today's Company Email sharing:

Most of us suffer from this seemingly insatiable hunger that is an ongoing source of stress and vexation. So how can we escape from this hungry life? Can we live a life where we're constantly fulfilled?

The answer is Yes. The only way to stop hungering for something else the moment our hunger for one thing is satisfied is to be constantly nourished by everything that comes to us at any given time. Instead of pining and waiting for that next big meal or next big prize, we can find meaning and pleasure in what we're doing and feeling right now.

The most important thing you have to do is change your focus. Stop fixating on that date this weekend, that bonus next week, that vacation next month, that loving remark you wish your spouse would give you, that praise for your great idea at the meeting today.

Instead, channel your emphasis towards the present. What are you doing and feeling now that can be cherished and savoured?

If we become more mindful of what we're paying attention to every day, we'll discover that we give our energy to a lot of things that really don't fulfill us on a deeper level. These distractions turn us into hungry ghosts gorging continuously at the buffet table yet can never feel full. Spirit cannot be fulfilled by the material.

To escape the curse of eternal hunger, we need to pay attention to and appreciate the truly wonderful and miraculous things and people in our lives right now.

Sounds really noble to be able to focus what we are doing now and appreciate the things in front of us. It sound so easy doesn't it? But we all know that no matter how much we tried, we will always go back to worrying, looking at 'what if' and 'if only' in life. The problem is always the same. We are sinners looking for some sort of fulfillment in life that gives us joy but we have at the most is happiness, the dependence of circumstances to make us feel good.

As Smith Wigglesworth has said so eloquently through the Holy Spirit, happiness is a 'mixture' that despite the feel good effect of the moment, there is something underneath the happiness that 'downgrade' the feeling of euphoria. So despite the fact that we can try to appreciate the things of life NOW, behind that happiness of the current, there is still a linger sense of inadequacy. So how do we really escape the curse of eternal hunger?

It is to have Godly joy!

Smith Wigglesworth put it as such: that the sense of joy is not dependent on anything to derive a sense of well-being. That the sense of euphoria is not messed up by the things of this world.

Here comes something that is truly remarkable: the arrival of Joy that comes in the form of Jesus Christ, through His Shalom Peace that cannot be understood and cannot be given by this World. Only through His Being, can we have Joy, can we have everlasting water that we shall not thirst.

John 4:13-14

Jesus answered and said unto her, Every one that drinketh of this water shall thirst again: but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up unto eternal life.

Time to drink from Him