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Received this
Steering through the Storms, by Rubel Shelly
These are challenging times, and it is difficult to find a silver
lining to some of the darker clouds visible to everyone. As
election-year rhetoric morphs from harsh to rancorous, the economy of
recession continues to take its toll. All of us know lots of people who
have lost their jobs. Who will be next to suffer?
One of the interesting fact that some of us have forgotten is that
crisis times have often been the stimulus for creative new beginnings.
Notable successes have been generated from the ashes of previous
economic downturns.
A little perspective from history might encourage you. Walt Disney lost
an acting job as a movie extra and started his famous cartoon company
in a garage during the recession of 1923-1924. William Hewlett and
David Packard teamed up in Silicon Valley in 1938 during the Great
Depression. And Bill Gates dropped out of college to launch Microsoft
during the downturn of a recession in 1975.
Crisis does seem to spawn an entrepreneurial culture. When the sun is
shining, most people are content to let the boat sail under its own
power -- and to sun on the deck. When the clouds roll in and the boat
begins to toss violently on the sea, creative people are encouraged to
take risks and to chart new courses.
It is time to decide about your future.
What about you? Do you see yourself as a thermometer or a thermostat in
these tough times? Thermometers do nothing more than reflect their
environments. Thermostats change their environments!
If you have had a bad year, have been laid off, or exist in a generally
horrible environment, you have a choice. You can be a victim and whine
about your fate. Or you can do some serious introspection, set some
positive goals for making things better, and start moving ahead.
In the business world, laid-off and unfulfilled workers have changed
the world by being bold in hard times. The same thing is true in other
settings as well. Individuals, families, and churches who sense that
something is wrong always have choices. The single most important
choice is between passivity, grumbling, and dejection on the one hand
and exploration, resourcefulness, and enthusiasm for a new challenge on
the other.
Now that you have seen the newscasts and figured out that times really
are tough, it is time to decide about your future. Make responsible
choices on the basis of your passions, values, and priorities and not
your gloomy circumstance. With the strength of God to help you, you can
move from being a melancholy thermometer to become a difference-making
thermostat in your world. You can chart a new course and set sail to a
brighter destination.
----------------------------------
God given opportunity to bless ME more..:)
Friday, October 24, 2008
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Who Is Christ to me?
Who is Christ to us?
Very good question. It is a question that in our heart we do know but our flesh just refuse to acknowledge. If He is the King of Kings, why are we looking at Him with earthly eyes, looking at Him as though He is still on earth? Still Jesus is:
- Personal Friend
- King of Kings
- Shepherd
- Wisdom
- Righteousness
- Shield
- Finisher of my faith
- Everything
- Strength
- Provider
- The Great I AM
But why we don't go to him as often?
Why fear?? Why is there a sense of dread, of apprehension, of fear? I guess that we are always questioning our standing before God and do not know what Jesus is to us in the scheme of things. Or are we always in the realm that it is my problem and i have to solve it? Why are we always trust in our efforts when our efforts are the one that got us into the problem in the first place?
But Jesus is always for us, have time for us and undivided attention. God will love us unconditionally. Our relationship with Him will take the form as the best friend in the best of circumstances. He is the one who takes all the bad and give all the good.
We don't need to
- feel unloved
- unwanted
- feel lack
耶稣是我最好的朋友！
Very good question. It is a question that in our heart we do know but our flesh just refuse to acknowledge. If He is the King of Kings, why are we looking at Him with earthly eyes, looking at Him as though He is still on earth? Still Jesus is:
- Personal Friend
- King of Kings
- Shepherd
- Wisdom
- Righteousness
- Shield
- Finisher of my faith
- Everything
- Strength
- Provider
- The Great I AM
But why we don't go to him as often?
Why fear?? Why is there a sense of dread, of apprehension, of fear? I guess that we are always questioning our standing before God and do not know what Jesus is to us in the scheme of things. Or are we always in the realm that it is my problem and i have to solve it? Why are we always trust in our efforts when our efforts are the one that got us into the problem in the first place?
But Jesus is always for us, have time for us and undivided attention. God will love us unconditionally. Our relationship with Him will take the form as the best friend in the best of circumstances. He is the one who takes all the bad and give all the good.
We don't need to
- feel unloved
- unwanted
- feel lack
耶稣是我最好的朋友！
Does 5 pillars means....
Oh. Someone replied to my thoughts about Muslim radicals dated 2006 November and I was led to a website that defends Islam. Played the video and the man in the video says, "Surrender...submit...obey...sincerity...peace". And his conclusion? Peace is in Islam....salaam or shalom in Hebrew.
I am basing this piece based on the video and I may be quoting out of context but if the video is the introduction to convince people Islam is a religion of peace, then I think it is fair for me to critique the video for what it is.
Now. Is Islam inherently a violent religion? I can say it is not. But one cannot deny that Islam was spread by the edge of the sword. If we are to go by history and see history as the evidence of fruit of a system, an organisation or a person, then it is a God given wisdom to see things and judge things by its fruit.
Are we to judge then? Yes and no. Yes because we need to judge so as to make a right choice. No to some extent, because we may not know the whole truth to make a sound judgment.
But do we really need to judge religious systems? I say yes because our eternal existence is really hinging on how we choose which God to serve.
Back to the topic.
Is it good to surrender, submit, obey, sincere and have peace? Definitely!! In the aspect, Islam has hit the right notes.
But there is a problem. Human beings.
Why?
Surrender/Submit - I find myself surrendering to God things that worries me and cause strive in my life since He himself has declared,
"Come to Him, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your soul. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light" Mathew 11
Problem: I always take my problems back into my system. No wonder Paul rightfully said we are to strive for Peace.
and let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also ye were called in one body, and become thankful. (Col 3:15)
Can we really surrender? Can we really give it all to God? REALLY? Does chanting 5 prayers a day really makes you surrender? Does quoting bible verses day in day out, makes you surrender in your heart of hearts?
Obey - Same problem. Do we really obey? Simply look at the 10 commandments. Just 10. Not the hundreds and thousands in the religious systems in the world. Just a measly 10.
Can we really be 'sincere' and say, hey I meet all 10, everyday, every time, every where, every waking moments of my life from birth till now.
No? Then how in the world can we say just obey and we can have eternal life? then God being God has to be fair and all our past sins still has to be judged accordingly. If not He will not be a fair God , and a unfair God is not a worthy God to follow just as a kangaroo court is not to be respected.
Sincere - Can we be sincerely wrong? I guess those jihadist who kills the innocents are sincerely wrong. I guess those marxists are sincerely wrong. If they can be sincerely wrong with the 'big' things, can we be sincerely wrong in the 'small' things. If you note the parenthesis, to God, there's no 'big' or 'small' problems, so there is no 'big' or 'small' sins. They are all sins- full stop.
Peace - Ah~! That keyword. Shalom or Sala-am. I just got to say this. A proclaimation of peace is not peace at all. An act of peace, is the declaration of peace and the only true declaration of peace is Christ Jesus. Any man made system that tries to impose peace does nothing but to bring about despair and hopelessness because that 'peace' is temporal, that 'peace' is a by product of an action or circumstance or both. It is not true peace.
True peace is devoid of external circumstances and the fruit of that peace is joy despite the circumstances. This peace is supernatural, that brings people up in the midst of turmoil, of despair, of chaos, or repression.
`Peace I leave to you; my peace I give to you, not according as the world doth give do I give to you; let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid;
(Joh 14:27)
Such a supernatural peace will let my heart be troubled. And I dare say, the world would not suffer if such a peace is embraced whole-heartedly.
But what of peace in Islam? If we are honest, that part of the world where Islam reign supreme, there isn't any peace to speak of. Even when I am in the midst of the world's largest islamic countries, there are crimes against other human beings who don't believe in islam. Why?
Peace? Really? Would a world wide caliphate really bring about peace to the whole world while those countries that have already embrace islam totally has not get itself out of the rut. Something is amiss yes?
I dare not make a judgment. But just SEE and OBSERVE and draw your own conclusion.
Want real peace with God first and then with men?....only solution, surrender and submit to the act of the cross, then your sincerity and obedience is in Christ who will put your name in the book of life.
Maranatha~!
I am basing this piece based on the video and I may be quoting out of context but if the video is the introduction to convince people Islam is a religion of peace, then I think it is fair for me to critique the video for what it is.
Now. Is Islam inherently a violent religion? I can say it is not. But one cannot deny that Islam was spread by the edge of the sword. If we are to go by history and see history as the evidence of fruit of a system, an organisation or a person, then it is a God given wisdom to see things and judge things by its fruit.
Are we to judge then? Yes and no. Yes because we need to judge so as to make a right choice. No to some extent, because we may not know the whole truth to make a sound judgment.
But do we really need to judge religious systems? I say yes because our eternal existence is really hinging on how we choose which God to serve.
Back to the topic.
Is it good to surrender, submit, obey, sincere and have peace? Definitely!! In the aspect, Islam has hit the right notes.
But there is a problem. Human beings.
Why?
Surrender/Submit - I find myself surrendering to God things that worries me and cause strive in my life since He himself has declared,
"Come to Him, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your soul. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light" Mathew 11
Problem: I always take my problems back into my system. No wonder Paul rightfully said we are to strive for Peace.
and let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also ye were called in one body, and become thankful. (Col 3:15)
Can we really surrender? Can we really give it all to God? REALLY? Does chanting 5 prayers a day really makes you surrender? Does quoting bible verses day in day out, makes you surrender in your heart of hearts?
Obey - Same problem. Do we really obey? Simply look at the 10 commandments. Just 10. Not the hundreds and thousands in the religious systems in the world. Just a measly 10.
Can we really be 'sincere' and say, hey I meet all 10, everyday, every time, every where, every waking moments of my life from birth till now.
No? Then how in the world can we say just obey and we can have eternal life? then God being God has to be fair and all our past sins still has to be judged accordingly. If not He will not be a fair God , and a unfair God is not a worthy God to follow just as a kangaroo court is not to be respected.
Sincere - Can we be sincerely wrong? I guess those jihadist who kills the innocents are sincerely wrong. I guess those marxists are sincerely wrong. If they can be sincerely wrong with the 'big' things, can we be sincerely wrong in the 'small' things. If you note the parenthesis, to God, there's no 'big' or 'small' problems, so there is no 'big' or 'small' sins. They are all sins- full stop.
Peace - Ah~! That keyword. Shalom or Sala-am. I just got to say this. A proclaimation of peace is not peace at all. An act of peace, is the declaration of peace and the only true declaration of peace is Christ Jesus. Any man made system that tries to impose peace does nothing but to bring about despair and hopelessness because that 'peace' is temporal, that 'peace' is a by product of an action or circumstance or both. It is not true peace.
True peace is devoid of external circumstances and the fruit of that peace is joy despite the circumstances. This peace is supernatural, that brings people up in the midst of turmoil, of despair, of chaos, or repression.
`Peace I leave to you; my peace I give to you, not according as the world doth give do I give to you; let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid;
(Joh 14:27)
Such a supernatural peace will let my heart be troubled. And I dare say, the world would not suffer if such a peace is embraced whole-heartedly.
But what of peace in Islam? If we are honest, that part of the world where Islam reign supreme, there isn't any peace to speak of. Even when I am in the midst of the world's largest islamic countries, there are crimes against other human beings who don't believe in islam. Why?
Peace? Really? Would a world wide caliphate really bring about peace to the whole world while those countries that have already embrace islam totally has not get itself out of the rut. Something is amiss yes?
I dare not make a judgment. But just SEE and OBSERVE and draw your own conclusion.
Want real peace with God first and then with men?....only solution, surrender and submit to the act of the cross, then your sincerity and obedience is in Christ who will put your name in the book of life.
Maranatha~!
Sunday, October 12, 2008
"Worrying is carrying tomorrow's load with today's strength--
carrying two days at once. It is moving into tomorrow ahead of
time. Worrying doesn't empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties
today of its strength." - Corrie Ten Boom
That is so true. Seems like all the economists, investors, stockbrokers and banks are worrying 2 and 3 years in advance with the strength of today.
We Christians should do one better than them. Reason? Jesus is holding our futures in His hands. His plans for us is to give us a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11). What type of hope? A hope with full expectation of good to manifest in our lives.
The start of the ball is from God when the wall street drops by 777.7 points. That speaks volume for those who knows God's signature. If God has put so much effort in allowing us to know His signature, it is for one thing and one thing only. Comfort!
Rely on God, look towards Him and all these things, needed for good living free from worries, shall be added unto us.
This is really a time for people to rethink on
a) their government (US election)
b) their jobs
c) their economic system
d) their obsession with material gains
e) their obsession with social status
If any suicide related to this crisis is anything to go by, they have looked to themselves and find hopelessness, they look to the surroundings and found despair - no wonder they don't have real hope left.
But we have Jesus who takes care of our tomorrows because He has been there or already there since He is timeless. Time to stand on solid foundation of faith.
carrying two days at once. It is moving into tomorrow ahead of
time. Worrying doesn't empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties
today of its strength." - Corrie Ten Boom
That is so true. Seems like all the economists, investors, stockbrokers and banks are worrying 2 and 3 years in advance with the strength of today.
We Christians should do one better than them. Reason? Jesus is holding our futures in His hands. His plans for us is to give us a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11). What type of hope? A hope with full expectation of good to manifest in our lives.
The start of the ball is from God when the wall street drops by 777.7 points. That speaks volume for those who knows God's signature. If God has put so much effort in allowing us to know His signature, it is for one thing and one thing only. Comfort!
Rely on God, look towards Him and all these things, needed for good living free from worries, shall be added unto us.
This is really a time for people to rethink on
a) their government (US election)
b) their jobs
c) their economic system
d) their obsession with material gains
e) their obsession with social status
If any suicide related to this crisis is anything to go by, they have looked to themselves and find hopelessness, they look to the surroundings and found despair - no wonder they don't have real hope left.
But we have Jesus who takes care of our tomorrows because He has been there or already there since He is timeless. Time to stand on solid foundation of faith.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Die in Coffin for A better Life?
Read this really interesting article
http://www.asiaone.com/Travel/News/Story/A1Story20081010-92935.html
In short, it is a coffin ceremony where people pay money to climb into the coffin to 'die' so as to ward off bad karma and then they will inherit a clean karma and then good luck will come.
Mental rewind: Aren't we Christian born again? Aren't we died to our old self and reborn in Christ? Isn't that the same as dying in a coffin and to rise up again spiritually?
We are in the sense die to self, reborn into Christ and to inherit Abraham's blessings since we are his seed yes? Isn't that the most amazing thing ever?
Best part is this: it's free!!
And in this time when the world is in such financial chaos, I can safely say the blessings of God's shalom peace in wholeness , health and prospertiy is something we as Christians MUST embrace and MUST hold on to whenever we have doubts about our inheritance through Christ and IN Christ.
We are rich according to the HIS riches IN Heaven. As HE IS NOW, so are WE in this world.
Fellow Christians. Time to look UP. Seek His Righteousness which is already given to US NOW, and ALL, EVERYTHING, shall be ADDED unto us.
And when I mean seek, it is to constantly remind ourselves with HIS promises of blessings, of protection and of Shalom Peace.
We are reborn into riches in health, wholeness and wealth. Let not the devil snatch this inheritance away! As Pastor Copeland has declared once again. THIS RECESSION IS NOT OURS! It is for THIS World and we are not OF this world. We are IN it but not OF it. Whatever is happening to this world is not FOR us because we are not OF this world. We are reborn out of this world and into the realm of God's economy!
What is God's economy? Plentiful blessings!! No lack, no tears, no worries.
Amen!!
http://www.asiaone.com/Travel/News/Story/A1Story20081010-92935.html
In short, it is a coffin ceremony where people pay money to climb into the coffin to 'die' so as to ward off bad karma and then they will inherit a clean karma and then good luck will come.
Mental rewind: Aren't we Christian born again? Aren't we died to our old self and reborn in Christ? Isn't that the same as dying in a coffin and to rise up again spiritually?
We are in the sense die to self, reborn into Christ and to inherit Abraham's blessings since we are his seed yes? Isn't that the most amazing thing ever?
Best part is this: it's free!!
And in this time when the world is in such financial chaos, I can safely say the blessings of God's shalom peace in wholeness , health and prospertiy is something we as Christians MUST embrace and MUST hold on to whenever we have doubts about our inheritance through Christ and IN Christ.
We are rich according to the HIS riches IN Heaven. As HE IS NOW, so are WE in this world.
Fellow Christians. Time to look UP. Seek His Righteousness which is already given to US NOW, and ALL, EVERYTHING, shall be ADDED unto us.
And when I mean seek, it is to constantly remind ourselves with HIS promises of blessings, of protection and of Shalom Peace.
We are reborn into riches in health, wholeness and wealth. Let not the devil snatch this inheritance away! As Pastor Copeland has declared once again. THIS RECESSION IS NOT OURS! It is for THIS World and we are not OF this world. We are IN it but not OF it. Whatever is happening to this world is not FOR us because we are not OF this world. We are reborn out of this world and into the realm of God's economy!
What is God's economy? Plentiful blessings!! No lack, no tears, no worries.
Amen!!
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