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One thing that I really appreciate Hollywood Jesus and kept my subscriptions with HWJ is simply because you see the good in everything just as Jesus has done to the people around Him.
And so in this film, I see a lot of spiritual parallels as well.
I am talking about rapture. That God will give us a new body to house our reborn spirit. Yes it is a second birth in spirit but I am particular interested in the closing scene of the movie when Jake actually go through the same ritual to 'transfer' his soul/spirit from his old body to his Na'vi body and it is his new body that he gets to fly, to run (when he lost the ability to run, I can sense immense and intense joy when he first uses his alternate body's legs) and to do much more than the old human body can do.
Oh yeah, and to 'feel' your 'ride'. That would be the dreams of drivers and fighter pilots.
The message is clear. The environment is of paramount importance and the people in the environment, no matter how primitive, is important as well. For the movie to come out during the closing of the UN copenhagen talks, means the planned impact the movie wants to portray. Still everyone can sense the disappointment of the talks.
And I also agree, to love the earth is what we are supposed to do as keepers of God's creation. As sin has done to our lives, this aspect of stewardship is also less than ideal.
As Jake is the 'type' that shows how Christ comes to earth so that HE can tell us what is to become of us if we still live under the old covenant. Jake is also the messenger to save whatever he could save.
The best part is when Jake conquers the 'big bad red bird', which I think is a representation of satan and the act itself confirms his standing as a great leader to the Na'vi.
And the act on the cross, and the resurrection confirms Jesus' standing in the eyes of God and of Men as the firstborn of the new creation. The parallels is indeed very very obvious and I do not think Cameron is a devout Christian to make his vision of 10 years in the making, a Christian movie.
In my book, there's no such thing as coincidence and Avatar is no coincident. And so is the Book 'Left Behind', the movies 2012, 'Armageddon', 'The Final Impact' and all other disaster movies.
All point towards the imminent return of Christ and pop culture has in some ways confirms both the claims of the Bible about the End Times as well as harking the 2nd coming.
Maranatha!
Friday, December 25, 2009
Monday, December 07, 2009
And Again A Proclaimation of Judgment From Shekinahtoday.org
Today I read 2 very different news articles. One deals with the planned ordination of a openly gay priest to be an assistant bishop and the other article proclaiming doom and gloom for the house of God especially with regards to the pulpit.
Those who knows me understand that I do not subscribe to the notion of 'lucky' nor 'coincidence'. There are things that are, no doubt, bad and if we are to understand God's way of doing things and His motivation to do certain things, the bad things will be used for the ultimate aim for our good.
That's why it is call God's grace. We screwed up doesn't mean God is not for us. And if God is for us, then it is our eternal hope (the very meaning of hope is the positive expectation of good) that on the account of Christ, we shall and will and at the moment, received THE BLESSING (Brother Copeland's message) at no account of our behaviour. So if God is for us, who can be against us?
Now in view of the proclaimation of the judgment of the pulpit due to hidden sins and with the understanding of who Abba really is then this I would have to say.
Those on the pulpit are not saved. They may have the knowledge of being priests or being lay leaders or being 'spiritual' but they know not God the Father. If they are, they would have abhorred at the notion of same sex marriage and relationship.
If one is really the under-shepherd of the Lord, then do consider the notion that if same sex relationship is enough, why God did not make another male to become Adam's helper and instead Abba decided to introduce a female? And if the female is not important, Abba would not have created a female in the first place too.
So my above statement underscores my belief that a female can be a leader of the church as there was a female Judge in the history of Israel. And the reason that are 2 sexes reflects how God views the sex issue.
And there is also the report that the African nations of 'prosperity' gospel has wrecked havoc in the Christian community. Being in a Church that was always being accused of worshipping money, it is easy to see the indignition when the Church leaders have misplaced God's real intention to bless everyone and then gorge themselves mad with the offerings & tithings from their flock.
Then I have to turn to the Temple practices in the Bible. The question are:
- Were the priests given the fat of the animals to eat by God?
- Were there poor people in the midst of the worshippers?
Both are yes and it is a reflection of what we do see in Church also. But can we safely judge that the preaching of Shalom, that is the fulfilment of all things good in the lives of believers, is bad?
It cannot be.
The message is a good message: That God is out to Bless everyone and out of that Blessings, the congregation is able to tithe faithfully and offer more financially to help the Church's work. As much as people want to dumb down the Blessings message, they have mislabel it as 'Prosperity Gospel'.
Some may be out and out operation in money grabbing and I will definitely support any action against preachers who do not have the heart for God and for His people to be corrected. But the message of God's Blessings through Christ MUST be preached. Blessings of Christ is the Blessings of Abraham's seed and Abraham's nation and is ordained by God to be passed to His people and the Blessings are to be given to those in need.
Hence the congregation has given out of their plenty and more are out of their poverty but God will definitely know what to do who has given out of their poverty. As Jesus has praised of the poor woman's contribution to the temple, He will know what to do to help.
So the clutch of the issue is the leaders who HOARD the Blessings from the Congregation and NOT the message of the Blessings. It is this HOARDING that caused the congregation to see the greed and they follow the example. May God, in His wisdom and Love, help the leaders but if they are not of God, then the proclaimation of judgment will be true for them as well.
However all these points to the 'falling away' that the good book has predicted all along. It is another chapter in the history of mankind in the eyes of the God of the Jews and Christians that this world is indeed falling apart; in morals, in the physical and in the spiritual and this paves the way for the current age of Grace to end.
So when will this judgment come?
My view is that the 'salt of the world' will be taken away really soon and the very action of this 'taking away', as the mass media has now known as 'The Rapture', will provide the backdrop for God's judgment to take place.
Why not now?
Very simply. Just see where Jesus has said with regards to His first coming and His Church age (which is now). In Luke 4:16-21 He comes to the synagogue and open the book and Isiah and read
‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor, He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are downtrodden, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.’ And He closed the book and gave it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed upon Him'
And if one were to look through the book of Isaiah and read through the whole passage that Jesus was reading (which was Isaiah 61:1-2), the Lord did not mention "And the day of vengence of our God".
This is wholly significant and sets the tone of how we should share the message of judgment on the internet and in emails and on the pulpit of the Church. If we are of Christ, hence we are called Christians, then we follow what Jesus Christ has been preaching in His synagogue. That is to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord and stop at the message of vengence.
So I am always sad when Christians keep preaching judgment without the even handedness of the message of God's salvation.
God has not come to judge now; He has come to save.
How can people turn over a new leaf when we keep pressurizing them about the coming punishment without the message of how to avoid the punishment?
Time for us to stop preaching doom and gloom like what Moses has done by striking the rock instead of speaking to the rock (NUM 20:8). In the process of proclaiming judgment, we have misrepresented God the Abba as a judge instead of a loving Father in Heaven.
There is definitely a distinct difference between 'correction' and 'condemnation' and judging is definitely a form of condemnation which can only be correctly and fairly executed by the all knowing God.
Those who knows me understand that I do not subscribe to the notion of 'lucky' nor 'coincidence'. There are things that are, no doubt, bad and if we are to understand God's way of doing things and His motivation to do certain things, the bad things will be used for the ultimate aim for our good.
That's why it is call God's grace. We screwed up doesn't mean God is not for us. And if God is for us, then it is our eternal hope (the very meaning of hope is the positive expectation of good) that on the account of Christ, we shall and will and at the moment, received THE BLESSING (Brother Copeland's message) at no account of our behaviour. So if God is for us, who can be against us?
Now in view of the proclaimation of the judgment of the pulpit due to hidden sins and with the understanding of who Abba really is then this I would have to say.
Those on the pulpit are not saved. They may have the knowledge of being priests or being lay leaders or being 'spiritual' but they know not God the Father. If they are, they would have abhorred at the notion of same sex marriage and relationship.
If one is really the under-shepherd of the Lord, then do consider the notion that if same sex relationship is enough, why God did not make another male to become Adam's helper and instead Abba decided to introduce a female? And if the female is not important, Abba would not have created a female in the first place too.
So my above statement underscores my belief that a female can be a leader of the church as there was a female Judge in the history of Israel. And the reason that are 2 sexes reflects how God views the sex issue.
And there is also the report that the African nations of 'prosperity' gospel has wrecked havoc in the Christian community. Being in a Church that was always being accused of worshipping money, it is easy to see the indignition when the Church leaders have misplaced God's real intention to bless everyone and then gorge themselves mad with the offerings & tithings from their flock.
Then I have to turn to the Temple practices in the Bible. The question are:
- Were the priests given the fat of the animals to eat by God?
- Were there poor people in the midst of the worshippers?
Both are yes and it is a reflection of what we do see in Church also. But can we safely judge that the preaching of Shalom, that is the fulfilment of all things good in the lives of believers, is bad?
It cannot be.
The message is a good message: That God is out to Bless everyone and out of that Blessings, the congregation is able to tithe faithfully and offer more financially to help the Church's work. As much as people want to dumb down the Blessings message, they have mislabel it as 'Prosperity Gospel'.
Some may be out and out operation in money grabbing and I will definitely support any action against preachers who do not have the heart for God and for His people to be corrected. But the message of God's Blessings through Christ MUST be preached. Blessings of Christ is the Blessings of Abraham's seed and Abraham's nation and is ordained by God to be passed to His people and the Blessings are to be given to those in need.
Hence the congregation has given out of their plenty and more are out of their poverty but God will definitely know what to do who has given out of their poverty. As Jesus has praised of the poor woman's contribution to the temple, He will know what to do to help.
So the clutch of the issue is the leaders who HOARD the Blessings from the Congregation and NOT the message of the Blessings. It is this HOARDING that caused the congregation to see the greed and they follow the example. May God, in His wisdom and Love, help the leaders but if they are not of God, then the proclaimation of judgment will be true for them as well.
However all these points to the 'falling away' that the good book has predicted all along. It is another chapter in the history of mankind in the eyes of the God of the Jews and Christians that this world is indeed falling apart; in morals, in the physical and in the spiritual and this paves the way for the current age of Grace to end.
So when will this judgment come?
My view is that the 'salt of the world' will be taken away really soon and the very action of this 'taking away', as the mass media has now known as 'The Rapture', will provide the backdrop for God's judgment to take place.
Why not now?
Very simply. Just see where Jesus has said with regards to His first coming and His Church age (which is now). In Luke 4:16-21 He comes to the synagogue and open the book and Isiah and read
‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor, He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are downtrodden, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.’ And He closed the book and gave it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed upon Him'
And if one were to look through the book of Isaiah and read through the whole passage that Jesus was reading (which was Isaiah 61:1-2), the Lord did not mention "And the day of vengence of our God".
This is wholly significant and sets the tone of how we should share the message of judgment on the internet and in emails and on the pulpit of the Church. If we are of Christ, hence we are called Christians, then we follow what Jesus Christ has been preaching in His synagogue. That is to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord and stop at the message of vengence.
So I am always sad when Christians keep preaching judgment without the even handedness of the message of God's salvation.
God has not come to judge now; He has come to save.
How can people turn over a new leaf when we keep pressurizing them about the coming punishment without the message of how to avoid the punishment?
Time for us to stop preaching doom and gloom like what Moses has done by striking the rock instead of speaking to the rock (NUM 20:8). In the process of proclaiming judgment, we have misrepresented God the Abba as a judge instead of a loving Father in Heaven.
There is definitely a distinct difference between 'correction' and 'condemnation' and judging is definitely a form of condemnation which can only be correctly and fairly executed by the all knowing God.
Monday, November 16, 2009
2012: Why the Mayans stop at this date?
Having just watched the movie 2012 with all its spectacular special effects and loud sounds, one would be hard pressed not to be entertained by it. The funny thing about it all is this: What would one think about it if you are inside the reality of the movie?
Let me get this straight. The movie predicts that a super huge tsunami will hit earth higher than the roof of the world but the Bible did say that God would not use this method to rid the world of its inhabitants.
But does that mean if there's no water, there is no judgment? If there's a coming judgment, what form would it come in? The end times prophecies holds those answers so the impending destruction of the world as we know it will come.
What I do want to share is not about the judgment that is to come, but the person who is executing these judgment. Is God really that bad that He has to plan THE coming destruction of the late great earth?
Consider this scenario. If you have an enemy that wanted you to die a horrible death and plot his way to cause your untimely demise, would you have known of it prior to the execution of the plot?
Now put that logic unto God and His plan of destruction. And then see the similarities that is happening NOW against the warnings from Noah. For a powerful person to tell you what He is going to do to you if the direction you are going is leading you to an evil end, what kind of person is He?
Focus on what God is doing NOW. He is giving ALL OF US, a way out. The only way to let us know there is a way out, is to let us know there way forward is doomed to destruction. If we judge God in accordance to what He is GOING to do as opposed to what He has done NOW will give us the wrong impression of God and His work on earth at this very moment.
So my conclusion: He is now trying to save ALL of US (including the U.S.) NOW from the future destruction. In that sense, He is showing us great love.
But how does HE do it?
a) His message of salvation comes before the message of the end times. Jesus teaches about His redemption first to all his disciple and only reveal much of the destruction to his surviving disciple of the original 12, John, nearing to his death bed. He has actually gave us the solution first, that is to accept Christ Jesus before telling us the impending doom.
b) He let us know the signs of the times. I am not an avid reader of the Bible but The Holy Spirit kept reminding me specifically all the events that are happening or have happened that eluded to some elements of the prophecies.
c) For those who DO NOT read the Bible, God has make the people known through fiction. Remember the 'Left Behind' series? Its popularity won't be that great if not for God's intervention. There are people who criticise Jerry Jenkins writing ability and if that's so bad, then in the natural, the books won't be flying off the shelves.
d) Movies about the end. Although the means and methods of destruction are myrid, all comes to the same conclusion, the same message: The human race is coming to an end. These movies are not just entertainment, it is a wake up call to question about your eternal state if you do come to a physical end to this life. Examples? Titanic, Armegeddon, Deep Impact just to name a few.
And these movies, with its predictable endings and formulaic methods in story telling, shouldn't keep getting box office hits one after another. It is not just people's taste for destruction (yes that show the depravity of men) but also God's hands in making them accessible to the public for the warnings.
e) I think the Lord has made the mayan calendar into a huge prominence for those who don't believe in the message of the Bible. The reason for doing so is because God wants to get people to think of solutions of the destruction. Hence the green movement, the nuclear non proliferation treaty...all human endeavours to eliminate the possibility of the demise of the human race.
Are we succeeding? Nope from the looks of the APEC meeting in Singapore, economic growth (the love of money) is still the top priority, with increase carbon emissions or not.
I personally believe that God will not work with the Mayans and to go with the schedule that the Mayan's have set, 21 Dec 2012. That would have given the blood thirsty mayans, the epitome of evil, great honour in the eyes of men.
But the signs of the time for the destruction is pretty obvious and ominous. And I believe that the Grace of God through His great love for fallen men has halted His end time plans numerous times to allow more people to come into salvation through Christ.
My message is that there is a great convergence of end time messages in the last 2 decades. One leading to year 2000 and now 2012. I believe it is in accordance to the design of God. Jesus did say, during His time on earth, that He did not know the time of the 2nd coming as only the Father in heaven knows. I believe Jesus now knows and as the High Priest of humans here, He has continually petition not to execute THE plan to end this age and at the same time, warning after warning of the end times is happening now.
I do want to say something about the movie. It shows the cracking up of the sistine chapel during one of those major earthquakes (Richter scale 10.5?...that's beyond 10!!) and one imagery still etched in my head, the crack between Adam the man, and God (remember the ET phone home finger to finger image?); as if Director Emmerich is trying to say here, "God is not helping!" Nothing can be further from the truth!
And I leave with this. I am so glad that there is the teaching about Rapture. Even in the movie 2012, the word 'rapture' is linked to the Christians elluding to the end of times. I don't think all the warnings of God would do great justice to His providence and His love for us believers if He did not execute the greatest exodus of human history prior to the destruction of modern earth.
Think about it. If He love us so much to warn us, then what is the point of the warning if He cannot save us in the first place? That's why I question mid and post tribulation scholars if they really know their Abba God.
I hope to see you in the air when the Lord comes for me.
Let me get this straight. The movie predicts that a super huge tsunami will hit earth higher than the roof of the world but the Bible did say that God would not use this method to rid the world of its inhabitants.
But does that mean if there's no water, there is no judgment? If there's a coming judgment, what form would it come in? The end times prophecies holds those answers so the impending destruction of the world as we know it will come.
What I do want to share is not about the judgment that is to come, but the person who is executing these judgment. Is God really that bad that He has to plan THE coming destruction of the late great earth?
Consider this scenario. If you have an enemy that wanted you to die a horrible death and plot his way to cause your untimely demise, would you have known of it prior to the execution of the plot?
Now put that logic unto God and His plan of destruction. And then see the similarities that is happening NOW against the warnings from Noah. For a powerful person to tell you what He is going to do to you if the direction you are going is leading you to an evil end, what kind of person is He?
Focus on what God is doing NOW. He is giving ALL OF US, a way out. The only way to let us know there is a way out, is to let us know there way forward is doomed to destruction. If we judge God in accordance to what He is GOING to do as opposed to what He has done NOW will give us the wrong impression of God and His work on earth at this very moment.
So my conclusion: He is now trying to save ALL of US (including the U.S.) NOW from the future destruction. In that sense, He is showing us great love.
But how does HE do it?
a) His message of salvation comes before the message of the end times. Jesus teaches about His redemption first to all his disciple and only reveal much of the destruction to his surviving disciple of the original 12, John, nearing to his death bed. He has actually gave us the solution first, that is to accept Christ Jesus before telling us the impending doom.
b) He let us know the signs of the times. I am not an avid reader of the Bible but The Holy Spirit kept reminding me specifically all the events that are happening or have happened that eluded to some elements of the prophecies.
c) For those who DO NOT read the Bible, God has make the people known through fiction. Remember the 'Left Behind' series? Its popularity won't be that great if not for God's intervention. There are people who criticise Jerry Jenkins writing ability and if that's so bad, then in the natural, the books won't be flying off the shelves.
d) Movies about the end. Although the means and methods of destruction are myrid, all comes to the same conclusion, the same message: The human race is coming to an end. These movies are not just entertainment, it is a wake up call to question about your eternal state if you do come to a physical end to this life. Examples? Titanic, Armegeddon, Deep Impact just to name a few.
And these movies, with its predictable endings and formulaic methods in story telling, shouldn't keep getting box office hits one after another. It is not just people's taste for destruction (yes that show the depravity of men) but also God's hands in making them accessible to the public for the warnings.
e) I think the Lord has made the mayan calendar into a huge prominence for those who don't believe in the message of the Bible. The reason for doing so is because God wants to get people to think of solutions of the destruction. Hence the green movement, the nuclear non proliferation treaty...all human endeavours to eliminate the possibility of the demise of the human race.
Are we succeeding? Nope from the looks of the APEC meeting in Singapore, economic growth (the love of money) is still the top priority, with increase carbon emissions or not.
I personally believe that God will not work with the Mayans and to go with the schedule that the Mayan's have set, 21 Dec 2012. That would have given the blood thirsty mayans, the epitome of evil, great honour in the eyes of men.
But the signs of the time for the destruction is pretty obvious and ominous. And I believe that the Grace of God through His great love for fallen men has halted His end time plans numerous times to allow more people to come into salvation through Christ.
My message is that there is a great convergence of end time messages in the last 2 decades. One leading to year 2000 and now 2012. I believe it is in accordance to the design of God. Jesus did say, during His time on earth, that He did not know the time of the 2nd coming as only the Father in heaven knows. I believe Jesus now knows and as the High Priest of humans here, He has continually petition not to execute THE plan to end this age and at the same time, warning after warning of the end times is happening now.
I do want to say something about the movie. It shows the cracking up of the sistine chapel during one of those major earthquakes (Richter scale 10.5?...that's beyond 10!!) and one imagery still etched in my head, the crack between Adam the man, and God (remember the ET phone home finger to finger image?); as if Director Emmerich is trying to say here, "God is not helping!" Nothing can be further from the truth!
And I leave with this. I am so glad that there is the teaching about Rapture. Even in the movie 2012, the word 'rapture' is linked to the Christians elluding to the end of times. I don't think all the warnings of God would do great justice to His providence and His love for us believers if He did not execute the greatest exodus of human history prior to the destruction of modern earth.
Think about it. If He love us so much to warn us, then what is the point of the warning if He cannot save us in the first place? That's why I question mid and post tribulation scholars if they really know their Abba God.
I hope to see you in the air when the Lord comes for me.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Yesterday...And the best Psychologist
Yesterday was one of those rare days where no matter how you go about doing things, mentally it just couldn't cut it. I was not sharp enough, I was not fast enough and depression starts to creep in. 'Weird' couldn't explain it.
So today, I decide to proclaim the good forecast for my life. I am in the Lord's favour. I shall be favoured by those I met today. I shall be filled with joy, not of this world but of the Lord's and I shall conquer all the nonsense that the Lord has disdained for.
Still what happened was when preparing my cuppa for the day, the worries about money and supply, of my usefulness in this world and my concerns (yes, concerned mean worry) that all that I did is just so repetitive (housework, working, projects) and has no meaning at all.
Lo and behold, Pastor Prince daily devotional also greeted me with this title "Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled". I always say there's no such thing as luck and certainly no such thing as coincidence.
Jesus said and still saying to us "Shalom I leave with you, My Shalom I give to you...Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid".
Shalom is a very very inclusive word. It encompassed all the good things that a man would ever need to feel contented. Imagine having not just any shalom, but the shalom of God. With that kind of Shalom, even the darkest and the most depressed will be joyful.
In the end, the problem lies in the realisation, or the lack of, the God's Shalom peace is already at hand. I shall even say, it is here in me. Just that I did not turn to it when I have the chance and in the end my heart get troubled.
Today and the days and months and years to come, I proclaim the shalom peace will guard my heart from troubles.
@Joyce: The Lord is the best psychologist
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Michael Belk...good photographer...but
I was given this link about Mike's project, portraying Jesus in photography. I must say it was really well done (600K USD of his own money. If it is not well done...goodness!)
The link: http://www.thejourneysproject.com/Gallery.aspx
Then I happened to click on 'Embrace' in his Parables Collection and this is what he says
"Jesus’ statement, “No one comes to the Father except through Me,” has been accepted by Christians to mean that only those who accept Jesus as Lord will live with Him in eternity. Yet, if Jesus came as the Savior of the world, for all people, for all nations, where does that place all other religions? Assuming His statement is properly understood—that everyone must come through Him to spend eternity with Him—then what is God’s plan for the two-thirds of the world’s population that is non-Christian?"
At least Mike got it right. He died for all who has sinned. That means Muslims, Buddhists, Jews, Chinese, Africans, Indians...all ethnic groups, all cultures.
And what is God's plan for 2/3 who are not Christians? Mike's answer
We are God’s plan! For everyone who knows the Gospel story, Jesus commands that we “go tell all nations the good news” He has shared with us. If we will not take time to love and reach out to the people of other religions, how will we ever find a way to share our faith with them?"
That's so true...we are called to spread the good news. To make disciples of all nations. Jesus great commission for us.
So what's there to complain?
Well having a Methodist background I have been trained in the 4 spiritual laws of salvation.
That's the thing...even when we share about Jesus, there is 'law' involved. There's a compulsion to do something. I am not saying Jesus is bad and compulse us to do something against our will, I am saying religion is making us feel inadequate if we do not share about the gospel.
You know what will lead me to share about Jesus? Relationship with Him. it is not about the doing, it is about the knowing.
Just the other day I was 'talking' to a sister in christ and during the conversation where she shared about her fears, her disappointment and frustrations in life, I just share Jesus, His plan for us and His hope in us. What I am surprised is not about the content of the sharing, but my transformation that I can just share like that.
Once you KNOW Jesus, you have stepped on the way to heaven, you have gone through the door to heaven. And when you do so, you have tasted Jesus, and it will be a very very easy task to talk about him.
Doing God's work, especially His great commission, is not using our strength and our puny wisdom but to use His Words, use His power and use HIS wisdom to share, to talk and to pray for the people around us.
And in this case, Mike's photo of Jesus amongst the people of different religion is a powerful statement and one that will help to lead you to talk about Jesus easily.
Don't be scared of letting go of the 4 spiritual laws when sharing God's LOVE. Love is not encased in words alone...it is in touching of the listener in his or her heart...it is talking about you as a disciple and beloved of God...that is more compelling than any 'laws' or 'guide books' about sharing Jesus.
The link: http://www.thejourneysproject.com/Gallery.aspx
Then I happened to click on 'Embrace' in his Parables Collection and this is what he says
"Jesus’ statement, “No one comes to the Father except through Me,” has been accepted by Christians to mean that only those who accept Jesus as Lord will live with Him in eternity. Yet, if Jesus came as the Savior of the world, for all people, for all nations, where does that place all other religions? Assuming His statement is properly understood—that everyone must come through Him to spend eternity with Him—then what is God’s plan for the two-thirds of the world’s population that is non-Christian?"
At least Mike got it right. He died for all who has sinned. That means Muslims, Buddhists, Jews, Chinese, Africans, Indians...all ethnic groups, all cultures.
And what is God's plan for 2/3 who are not Christians? Mike's answer
We are God’s plan! For everyone who knows the Gospel story, Jesus commands that we “go tell all nations the good news” He has shared with us. If we will not take time to love and reach out to the people of other religions, how will we ever find a way to share our faith with them?"
That's so true...we are called to spread the good news. To make disciples of all nations. Jesus great commission for us.
So what's there to complain?
Well having a Methodist background I have been trained in the 4 spiritual laws of salvation.
That's the thing...even when we share about Jesus, there is 'law' involved. There's a compulsion to do something. I am not saying Jesus is bad and compulse us to do something against our will, I am saying religion is making us feel inadequate if we do not share about the gospel.
You know what will lead me to share about Jesus? Relationship with Him. it is not about the doing, it is about the knowing.
Just the other day I was 'talking' to a sister in christ and during the conversation where she shared about her fears, her disappointment and frustrations in life, I just share Jesus, His plan for us and His hope in us. What I am surprised is not about the content of the sharing, but my transformation that I can just share like that.
Once you KNOW Jesus, you have stepped on the way to heaven, you have gone through the door to heaven. And when you do so, you have tasted Jesus, and it will be a very very easy task to talk about him.
Doing God's work, especially His great commission, is not using our strength and our puny wisdom but to use His Words, use His power and use HIS wisdom to share, to talk and to pray for the people around us.
And in this case, Mike's photo of Jesus amongst the people of different religion is a powerful statement and one that will help to lead you to talk about Jesus easily.
Don't be scared of letting go of the 4 spiritual laws when sharing God's LOVE. Love is not encased in words alone...it is in touching of the listener in his or her heart...it is talking about you as a disciple and beloved of God...that is more compelling than any 'laws' or 'guide books' about sharing Jesus.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Vance Havner asked...
"And what is wrong with the old method of scaring the ungodly with
a sermon on hell?" - Vance Havner
Well the old method says something about God that is true but not the image the God wants to portray.
Let's look what Moses has done in Numbers 20. God told Moses to command the rock to bring forth water but instead, Moses was so angry he struck the rock twice. Look at the Grace of God. Despite not following instructions, God still give water to the people.
But does that has consequences? Yes, Moses was not able to enter into the Holy Land while he was alive (Moses did enter the land at the Transfiguration of Christ).
What has this got to do with modern preachers of God's flock?
God says in Numbers 20, this is to show God's holiness to the people. But notice the difference in God's command and Moses' action. What God wants, is to show compassion in front of the congregation and what Moses did, was to show the anger of God.
No wonder God is angry. Would you be angry if the someone you trusts misrepresents you in terms of the message and how it was transmitted?
Instead of making people put faith in God, Moses has instead put fear into them.
So the key point is this.
2 Timothy 1:7
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
So if God do not give us fear, then who are we to instill fear into people? When the message of hope is needed, when the message of comfort is needed, we went around and proclaim the coming judgment?
No! People needed to hear words of comfort, of power and of deliverance precisely because they are already in deep shit in the first place. Imagine you are drowning, and the person whom you are asking to save you then preach to you "son! have you received Christ? If not you when you die, you will go to hell!"
What would that make of you as a person? Would the drowning person respond to you immediately?
Hence, now it is easy to understand why God is so angry with Moses in the first place because with one action, it causes multitudes to misunderstand God and cause them to lose their salvation.
Did you ever encounter anyone who questions God's love because of the presence of hell? It always goes like this "If God is the God of Love, then why send non-believers to hell?"
Unless one is ready to get into a theological argument and has prepared oneself and understand the real GRACE of God, the person who put across this question won't be convinced.
So, let's present the Gospel of God in its true entirety. God comes so that He can save us from the problems we have NOW. Maybe not in the way we want, but at least God will know what to do with our lives, for His Glory. Hell, in various forms is already here because of sin. The power of sin is in the law. And law in essence means our inability to meet God's standards and thus our perpetual anguish over our inability to perform and our constant frustration with live in general.
Tell of Jesus as He is the Rock to be commanded...not as a rock to be struck. Commanded to do what? To pour forth living water that brings forth hope, love and faith...one who drinks from it shall not be thirsty ever again.
Tell of Jesus as He is the saviour of our circumstances. Tell Jesus as He is the hugger of humanity. Tell of Jesus as someone who is extremely approachable and not the harbringer of death and destruction. His time NOW, is a lover...so don't go over board proclaiming Him as the Judge and juror. He is..but now is not the time...His time NOW is saviour, brother and lover.
So Mr Havner, do you still want to preach hell and give prominance to the fallen one or the risen one? Show THE beauty of God's Kingdowm on Earth and heaven through the love of Christ and Abba God, you will have people clamouring for Christ!
a sermon on hell?" - Vance Havner
Well the old method says something about God that is true but not the image the God wants to portray.
Let's look what Moses has done in Numbers 20. God told Moses to command the rock to bring forth water but instead, Moses was so angry he struck the rock twice. Look at the Grace of God. Despite not following instructions, God still give water to the people.
But does that has consequences? Yes, Moses was not able to enter into the Holy Land while he was alive (Moses did enter the land at the Transfiguration of Christ).
What has this got to do with modern preachers of God's flock?
God says in Numbers 20, this is to show God's holiness to the people. But notice the difference in God's command and Moses' action. What God wants, is to show compassion in front of the congregation and what Moses did, was to show the anger of God.
No wonder God is angry. Would you be angry if the someone you trusts misrepresents you in terms of the message and how it was transmitted?
Instead of making people put faith in God, Moses has instead put fear into them.
So the key point is this.
2 Timothy 1:7
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
So if God do not give us fear, then who are we to instill fear into people? When the message of hope is needed, when the message of comfort is needed, we went around and proclaim the coming judgment?
No! People needed to hear words of comfort, of power and of deliverance precisely because they are already in deep shit in the first place. Imagine you are drowning, and the person whom you are asking to save you then preach to you "son! have you received Christ? If not you when you die, you will go to hell!"
What would that make of you as a person? Would the drowning person respond to you immediately?
Hence, now it is easy to understand why God is so angry with Moses in the first place because with one action, it causes multitudes to misunderstand God and cause them to lose their salvation.
Did you ever encounter anyone who questions God's love because of the presence of hell? It always goes like this "If God is the God of Love, then why send non-believers to hell?"
Unless one is ready to get into a theological argument and has prepared oneself and understand the real GRACE of God, the person who put across this question won't be convinced.
So, let's present the Gospel of God in its true entirety. God comes so that He can save us from the problems we have NOW. Maybe not in the way we want, but at least God will know what to do with our lives, for His Glory. Hell, in various forms is already here because of sin. The power of sin is in the law. And law in essence means our inability to meet God's standards and thus our perpetual anguish over our inability to perform and our constant frustration with live in general.
Tell of Jesus as He is the Rock to be commanded...not as a rock to be struck. Commanded to do what? To pour forth living water that brings forth hope, love and faith...one who drinks from it shall not be thirsty ever again.
Tell of Jesus as He is the saviour of our circumstances. Tell Jesus as He is the hugger of humanity. Tell of Jesus as someone who is extremely approachable and not the harbringer of death and destruction. His time NOW, is a lover...so don't go over board proclaiming Him as the Judge and juror. He is..but now is not the time...His time NOW is saviour, brother and lover.
So Mr Havner, do you still want to preach hell and give prominance to the fallen one or the risen one? Show THE beauty of God's Kingdowm on Earth and heaven through the love of Christ and Abba God, you will have people clamouring for Christ!
Saturday, August 15, 2009
A Band, A Jersey and Childish reaction.
Let me be straight about this. I am a Liverpool fan. But as fans goes, I think there is a fine line between being a supporter and being a hard arse about how the jersey was treated.
To equate the jersey as a national flag is bordering on being ludicrous. No wonder girls are wondering why boy are still boys when it comes to such things. There are better things to fight over and this to me, if this incident reflects how childish a liverpool fan behaves it is really a sad day indeed.
Right now they have 80 over people petitioning Electrico to apologise and The New Paper is none the wiser. I say stupidity all around.
To equate the jersey as a national flag is bordering on being ludicrous. No wonder girls are wondering why boy are still boys when it comes to such things. There are better things to fight over and this to me, if this incident reflects how childish a liverpool fan behaves it is really a sad day indeed.
Right now they have 80 over people petitioning Electrico to apologise and The New Paper is none the wiser. I say stupidity all around.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Today I seen 2 'deaths'
Today I seen 2 deaths.
One of which is of course the passing of Michael Jackson and the other is the passing of Kodachrome.
Yes both are unrelated but they are significant in a way that shape the world culturally.
MJ is of course the King of Pop, and his music will be forever remembered. I grew up in his music from Billie Jean to his Egyptian inspired MTVs. At 50, it is an age where youthfulness and experience brings about the best of both worlds, and to go at this time seems so much like a waste. RIP MJ.
Kodachrome, to the uninitiated, is colour film that heralds the era of personal photography in colour. Without colour, we won't be enjoying the sights and imagine the sounds of faraway places. We also won't enjoy our photos as much. As a photographer, colour is as much a part as I am as God has intended for man to enjoy the joys of creation and thanks to this colour film, we can enjoy it that much longer in time.
Both 'demise' are part of me, and it is really hard to see them go and both reminded me about Solomon's wise sayings.
"Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever" (Ecc 1:4)
They are here for a reason and both show the positive side of life with positive influence but MJ also shows something that Solomon also has experienced. The 'meaningless' of life.
With power of influence, money and adoration, MJ still isn't happy and we all know his issues and ups and downs. He just shows us something that the Lord wants us to understand and Jesus has made it really clear..."Seek ye the righteousness of God and all these things shall be added unto you"
Although the verse talks about material needs, I say the word 'ALL' has a deeper meaning than just material. It includes the joy of having the material needs with the appreciation of ABBA's love and providence.
Just as Solomon has everything he needs because of God's grace, what he lacked was the ability to enjoy it at a level of appreciation. He 'enjoyed' anything and everything that fancies him but still did not 'enjoy'.
I believe that Jesus is the hole that needs to be plugged, in order to fully enjoy the things we have and the people around us.
Nevertheless, rest in peace MJ and 'Thank You for the Music' and to Kodachrome 'Thank You for Colouring my life'
One of which is of course the passing of Michael Jackson and the other is the passing of Kodachrome.
Yes both are unrelated but they are significant in a way that shape the world culturally.
MJ is of course the King of Pop, and his music will be forever remembered. I grew up in his music from Billie Jean to his Egyptian inspired MTVs. At 50, it is an age where youthfulness and experience brings about the best of both worlds, and to go at this time seems so much like a waste. RIP MJ.
Kodachrome, to the uninitiated, is colour film that heralds the era of personal photography in colour. Without colour, we won't be enjoying the sights and imagine the sounds of faraway places. We also won't enjoy our photos as much. As a photographer, colour is as much a part as I am as God has intended for man to enjoy the joys of creation and thanks to this colour film, we can enjoy it that much longer in time.
Both 'demise' are part of me, and it is really hard to see them go and both reminded me about Solomon's wise sayings.
"Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever" (Ecc 1:4)
They are here for a reason and both show the positive side of life with positive influence but MJ also shows something that Solomon also has experienced. The 'meaningless' of life.
With power of influence, money and adoration, MJ still isn't happy and we all know his issues and ups and downs. He just shows us something that the Lord wants us to understand and Jesus has made it really clear..."Seek ye the righteousness of God and all these things shall be added unto you"
Although the verse talks about material needs, I say the word 'ALL' has a deeper meaning than just material. It includes the joy of having the material needs with the appreciation of ABBA's love and providence.
Just as Solomon has everything he needs because of God's grace, what he lacked was the ability to enjoy it at a level of appreciation. He 'enjoyed' anything and everything that fancies him but still did not 'enjoy'.
I believe that Jesus is the hole that needs to be plugged, in order to fully enjoy the things we have and the people around us.
Nevertheless, rest in peace MJ and 'Thank You for the Music' and to Kodachrome 'Thank You for Colouring my life'
Friday, June 12, 2009
This is really a good piece!
THE QUESTION that CHANGED MY LIFE
-by David Ryser.
A number of years ago, I had the privilege of teaching at a school
of ministry. My students were hungry for God, and I was constantly
searching for ways to challenge them to fall more in love with
Jesus and to become voices for revival in the Church. I came across
a quote attributed most often to Rev. Sam Pascoe. It is a short
version of the history of Christianity, and it goes like this:
Christianity started in Palestine as a fellowship; it moved to Greece
and became a philosophy; it moved to Italy and became an institution;
it moved to Europe and became a culture; it came to America and
became an enterprise. Some of the students were only 18 or 19
years old--barely out of diapers--and I wanted them to understand
and appreciate the import of the last line, so I clarified it by adding,
"An enterprise. That's a business." After a few moments Martha,
the youngest student in the class, raised her hand. I could not
imagine what her question might be. I thought the little vignette was
self-explanatory, and that I had performed it brilliantly. Nevertheless,
I acknowledged Martha's raised hand, "Yes, Martha." She asked
such a simple question, "A business? But isn't it supposed to be
a body?" I could not envision where this line of questioning was going,
and the only response I could think of was, "Yes." She continued,
"But when a body becomes a business, isn't that a prostitute?"
The room went dead silent. For several seconds no one moved or
spoke. We were stunned, afraid to make a sound because the
presence of God had flooded into the room, and we knew we were
on holy ground. All I could think in those sacred moments was,
"Wow, I wish I'd thought of that." I didn't dare express that thought
aloud. God had taken over the class.
Martha's question changed my life. For six months, I thought about
her question at least once every day. "When a body becomes a
business, isn't that a prostitute?" There is only one answer to her
question. The answer is "Yes." The American Church, tragically,
is heavily populated by people who do not love God. How can we
love Him? We don't even know Him; and I mean really know Him.
... I stand by my statement that most American Christians do not
know God--much less love Him. The root of this condition originates
in how we came to God. Most of us came to Him because of what
we were told He would do for us. We were promised that He would
bless us in life and take us to heaven after death. We married Him
for His money, and we don't care if He lives or dies as long as we
can get His stuff. We have made the Kingdom of God into a business,
merchandising His anointing. This should not be. We are commanded
to love God, and are called to be the Bride of Christ--that's pretty
intimate stuff. We are supposed to be His lovers. How can we love
someone we don't even know? And even if we do know someone,
is that a guarantee that we truly love them? Are we lovers or
prostitutes?
I was pondering Martha's question again one day, and considered
the question, "What's the difference between a lover and a prostitute?"
I realized that both do many of the same things, but a lover does
what she does because she loves. A prostitute pretends to love, but
only as long as you pay. Then I asked the question, "What would
happen if God stopped paying me?"
For the next several months, I allowed God to search me to uncover
my motives for loving and serving Him. Was I really a true lover of
God? What would happen if He stopped blessing me? What if He
never did another thing for me? Would I still love Him? Please
understand, I believe in the promises and blessings of God. The
issue here is not whether God blesses His children; the issue is
the condition of my heart. Why do I serve Him? Are His blessings
in my life the gifts of a loving Father, or are they a wage that I have
earned or a bribe/payment to love Him? Do I love God without any
conditions? It took several months to work through these questions.
Even now I wonder if my desire to love God is always matched by
my attitude and behavior. I still catch myself being disappointed
with God and angry that He has not met some perceived need in
my life. I suspect this is something which is never fully resolved,
but I want more than anything else to be a true lover of God.
So what is it going to be? Which are we, lover or prostitute?
There are no prostitutes in heaven, or in the Kingdom of God for
that matter, but there are plenty of former prostitutes in both
places. Take it from a recovering prostitute when I say there is no
substitute or unconditional, intimate relationship with God. And I
mean there is no palatable substitute available to us (take another
look at Matthew 7:21-23 sometime). We must choose.
-Dr. David Ryser.
THE QUESTION that CHANGED MY LIFE
-by David Ryser.
A number of years ago, I had the privilege of teaching at a school
of ministry. My students were hungry for God, and I was constantly
searching for ways to challenge them to fall more in love with
Jesus and to become voices for revival in the Church. I came across
a quote attributed most often to Rev. Sam Pascoe. It is a short
version of the history of Christianity, and it goes like this:
Christianity started in Palestine as a fellowship; it moved to Greece
and became a philosophy; it moved to Italy and became an institution;
it moved to Europe and became a culture; it came to America and
became an enterprise. Some of the students were only 18 or 19
years old--barely out of diapers--and I wanted them to understand
and appreciate the import of the last line, so I clarified it by adding,
"An enterprise. That's a business." After a few moments Martha,
the youngest student in the class, raised her hand. I could not
imagine what her question might be. I thought the little vignette was
self-explanatory, and that I had performed it brilliantly. Nevertheless,
I acknowledged Martha's raised hand, "Yes, Martha." She asked
such a simple question, "A business? But isn't it supposed to be
a body?" I could not envision where this line of questioning was going,
and the only response I could think of was, "Yes." She continued,
"But when a body becomes a business, isn't that a prostitute?"
The room went dead silent. For several seconds no one moved or
spoke. We were stunned, afraid to make a sound because the
presence of God had flooded into the room, and we knew we were
on holy ground. All I could think in those sacred moments was,
"Wow, I wish I'd thought of that." I didn't dare express that thought
aloud. God had taken over the class.
Martha's question changed my life. For six months, I thought about
her question at least once every day. "When a body becomes a
business, isn't that a prostitute?" There is only one answer to her
question. The answer is "Yes." The American Church, tragically,
is heavily populated by people who do not love God. How can we
love Him? We don't even know Him; and I mean really know Him.
... I stand by my statement that most American Christians do not
know God--much less love Him. The root of this condition originates
in how we came to God. Most of us came to Him because of what
we were told He would do for us. We were promised that He would
bless us in life and take us to heaven after death. We married Him
for His money, and we don't care if He lives or dies as long as we
can get His stuff. We have made the Kingdom of God into a business,
merchandising His anointing. This should not be. We are commanded
to love God, and are called to be the Bride of Christ--that's pretty
intimate stuff. We are supposed to be His lovers. How can we love
someone we don't even know? And even if we do know someone,
is that a guarantee that we truly love them? Are we lovers or
prostitutes?
I was pondering Martha's question again one day, and considered
the question, "What's the difference between a lover and a prostitute?"
I realized that both do many of the same things, but a lover does
what she does because she loves. A prostitute pretends to love, but
only as long as you pay. Then I asked the question, "What would
happen if God stopped paying me?"
For the next several months, I allowed God to search me to uncover
my motives for loving and serving Him. Was I really a true lover of
God? What would happen if He stopped blessing me? What if He
never did another thing for me? Would I still love Him? Please
understand, I believe in the promises and blessings of God. The
issue here is not whether God blesses His children; the issue is
the condition of my heart. Why do I serve Him? Are His blessings
in my life the gifts of a loving Father, or are they a wage that I have
earned or a bribe/payment to love Him? Do I love God without any
conditions? It took several months to work through these questions.
Even now I wonder if my desire to love God is always matched by
my attitude and behavior. I still catch myself being disappointed
with God and angry that He has not met some perceived need in
my life. I suspect this is something which is never fully resolved,
but I want more than anything else to be a true lover of God.
So what is it going to be? Which are we, lover or prostitute?
There are no prostitutes in heaven, or in the Kingdom of God for
that matter, but there are plenty of former prostitutes in both
places. Take it from a recovering prostitute when I say there is no
substitute or unconditional, intimate relationship with God. And I
mean there is no palatable substitute available to us (take another
look at Matthew 7:21-23 sometime). We must choose.
-Dr. David Ryser.
Truly Great Quotes
"the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing - and
the main thing is Christ."
~Clay Peck
"Salvation is a helmet, not a nightcap."
-Vance Havner
"Craving clarity, we attempt to eliminate the risk of trusting God."
-Brennan Manning.
These are truly great quotes
Quote 1: The main thing is Christ, and as Paul preaches, Christ crucified!
Quote 2: Salvation is a helmet and it is not 'sloppy' like a night cap. Our salvation is iron clad. It will protect us, if we put it on correctly. We are saved now and forever and it has no conditions except to believe!
Quote 3: I love this quote. If life is clear, then we do not need to rely on God. The main reason for this is very very simple, because God love us! Sounds weird? Look at it this way, God so loved us, that he wants us to keep relying on Him. Much like parents even when their children are grown, would want the children to rely on them for advice and comfort. If we who are evil able to love our children with such tenderness, how great is God's love!
So it is not because God do not want us to give us clarity, it is just that He would rather wants us to rely on Him, to build our faith and allow Him to bless according to His good plans for us (Jer 29:11) and His abundance. We are a nation of Royal Priesthood according to the priesthood of Melchizedek. We are prince and princesses of the Most High. He gave us that title through His son's sacrifice, so why don't rely on Him? (as this was typed, I am also in a state of struggle, to see God in my trying circumstances).
Be Blessed According to the Riches of Heaven through and in Christ.
the main thing is Christ."
~Clay Peck
"Salvation is a helmet, not a nightcap."
-Vance Havner
"Craving clarity, we attempt to eliminate the risk of trusting God."
-Brennan Manning.
These are truly great quotes
Quote 1: The main thing is Christ, and as Paul preaches, Christ crucified!
Quote 2: Salvation is a helmet and it is not 'sloppy' like a night cap. Our salvation is iron clad. It will protect us, if we put it on correctly. We are saved now and forever and it has no conditions except to believe!
Quote 3: I love this quote. If life is clear, then we do not need to rely on God. The main reason for this is very very simple, because God love us! Sounds weird? Look at it this way, God so loved us, that he wants us to keep relying on Him. Much like parents even when their children are grown, would want the children to rely on them for advice and comfort. If we who are evil able to love our children with such tenderness, how great is God's love!
So it is not because God do not want us to give us clarity, it is just that He would rather wants us to rely on Him, to build our faith and allow Him to bless according to His good plans for us (Jer 29:11) and His abundance. We are a nation of Royal Priesthood according to the priesthood of Melchizedek. We are prince and princesses of the Most High. He gave us that title through His son's sacrifice, so why don't rely on Him? (as this was typed, I am also in a state of struggle, to see God in my trying circumstances).
Be Blessed According to the Riches of Heaven through and in Christ.
More "Great Quotes"?
Today just received another email from Revival, and with the judgment of the author, he or she deemed fit these quotes as being 'Great'
Quote No. 1:
"Phone Interviewer: “Say you were asked, Leonard, to speak for
the annual convention of the National Religious Broadcasters,
and the Lord directed you to accept that invitation, what message
might you bring to that group?”
Ravenhill: “I believe I’d preach on hell."
Now what is exactly is the problem with the above?
When a 'man of God' has the chance to preach to the world, he don't preach about Christ, he decided to preach on hell.
Why would he want to do that? I mean, we are walking upon this earth that has seen nothing but death and destruction, of condemnation and of sin. Do we need another preacher that preaches on hell when every where around us, people are living in hell physically, mentally or worse, both physically and mentally.
If you are drowning, would you call to someone who shouts to you instructions on how to swim or would you want that person to save you or to notify the lifeguard?
We are already in sin, so why preach hell to the point that we already state the obvious so thoroughly so that people think they are not worthy to be saved?
So my question to you now is this, "Did God redeem the world through Christ on the cross before we are born?"
So technically speaking, we are saved so long we believed. And how to make a person to believe? The answer is to tell the good news that there is a saviour, hence we got the Gospel through the new testament.
Preaching on hell will just give the illusion that Satan's power is unassailable which is of course, bogus!
This world is already condemned because the power of sin is in the law. Preaching on hell won't make a person go to Jesus, it actually focuses the person to the negative judgment of condemnation upon the sinner. The alternative is to show a loving God, whom has made a tremendous sacrifice to let go of His Beloved SON and because of the SON's willingness to die on the cross, also show my Lord's love to the sinner. Won't that be a better attraction to the sinner?
Would any one want to go to an amusement park where all the rides are about punishment?
So why would it be any different if the person you are preaching to, would be repelled away because you kept on preaching hell?!? It just show that you do not know the true nature of Jesus salvation which is the Grace of Christ, and not the law of Moses.
Hark back to Moses. When God tells Moses not to strike the rock (happened in Ex 17:5-6 ) but to speak to it (Num 20:8). Why the difference? And why such a heavy punishment where Moses is not even allowed to step into the promised land?
The reason is simple. Jesus is being compared to as a rock and being the CHIEF corner stone.
So striking the rock in the first instance, is the picture of Christ crucified. The second instance is only talking to the rock, which is prayer to Christ, that will bring forth water, and the water that Christ always profess, is the living water as told to the woman at the well in John 4.
So, for preachers out there, don't preach the sins of the world and damnation, but preach and speak to the ROCK, that will bring forth living water from Christ, the good news of salvation, for the thirsty multitude of this world will willingly drink from Him if we show the correct picture of God and of Christ!
So is the above a great quote? No, it is doing Christ name an injustice by placing hell above His name.
Quote 2:
“I doubt that more than two percent of professing Christians in
the United States are truly born again.”
-Leonard Ravenhill
The above Leonard, is the same Leonard from the previous quote.
If to put this as a 'great' quote, then on what basis do we judge a person's salvation? When a person shows fear and trembling towards God?
Honestly, GOD FORBID! To have such a mentality means one do not really know God as a Father. THE father who loves, who runs to his wayward son when he saw him from a far. The father who reinstates the son to sonship even before the son could say his prepared speech (which of course, is to make himself as one of the servants).
We are that son. We keep thinking about being a servant, when Christ has made us sons and daughters of God the Father, whom all blessings flow. Who are we to judge a level of salvation a person receives? Who are we to know and judge how a born again should behave?
Love the person! When you are deeply eros love your wife during the happiness of the courtship did you really look at all the flaws? Now we God deeply AGAPE love you so deeply, that He gave His son so that He can legally called you righteous...so how do you know God has made a person a new Creation in Christ?
Time to stop judging Leonard Ravenhill.
Quote No. 1:
"Phone Interviewer: “Say you were asked, Leonard, to speak for
the annual convention of the National Religious Broadcasters,
and the Lord directed you to accept that invitation, what message
might you bring to that group?”
Ravenhill: “I believe I’d preach on hell."
Now what is exactly is the problem with the above?
When a 'man of God' has the chance to preach to the world, he don't preach about Christ, he decided to preach on hell.
Why would he want to do that? I mean, we are walking upon this earth that has seen nothing but death and destruction, of condemnation and of sin. Do we need another preacher that preaches on hell when every where around us, people are living in hell physically, mentally or worse, both physically and mentally.
If you are drowning, would you call to someone who shouts to you instructions on how to swim or would you want that person to save you or to notify the lifeguard?
We are already in sin, so why preach hell to the point that we already state the obvious so thoroughly so that people think they are not worthy to be saved?
So my question to you now is this, "Did God redeem the world through Christ on the cross before we are born?"
So technically speaking, we are saved so long we believed. And how to make a person to believe? The answer is to tell the good news that there is a saviour, hence we got the Gospel through the new testament.
Preaching on hell will just give the illusion that Satan's power is unassailable which is of course, bogus!
This world is already condemned because the power of sin is in the law. Preaching on hell won't make a person go to Jesus, it actually focuses the person to the negative judgment of condemnation upon the sinner. The alternative is to show a loving God, whom has made a tremendous sacrifice to let go of His Beloved SON and because of the SON's willingness to die on the cross, also show my Lord's love to the sinner. Won't that be a better attraction to the sinner?
Would any one want to go to an amusement park where all the rides are about punishment?
So why would it be any different if the person you are preaching to, would be repelled away because you kept on preaching hell?!? It just show that you do not know the true nature of Jesus salvation which is the Grace of Christ, and not the law of Moses.
Hark back to Moses. When God tells Moses not to strike the rock (happened in Ex 17:5-6 ) but to speak to it (Num 20:8). Why the difference? And why such a heavy punishment where Moses is not even allowed to step into the promised land?
The reason is simple. Jesus is being compared to as a rock and being the CHIEF corner stone.
So striking the rock in the first instance, is the picture of Christ crucified. The second instance is only talking to the rock, which is prayer to Christ, that will bring forth water, and the water that Christ always profess, is the living water as told to the woman at the well in John 4.
So, for preachers out there, don't preach the sins of the world and damnation, but preach and speak to the ROCK, that will bring forth living water from Christ, the good news of salvation, for the thirsty multitude of this world will willingly drink from Him if we show the correct picture of God and of Christ!
So is the above a great quote? No, it is doing Christ name an injustice by placing hell above His name.
Quote 2:
“I doubt that more than two percent of professing Christians in
the United States are truly born again.”
-Leonard Ravenhill
The above Leonard, is the same Leonard from the previous quote.
If to put this as a 'great' quote, then on what basis do we judge a person's salvation? When a person shows fear and trembling towards God?
Honestly, GOD FORBID! To have such a mentality means one do not really know God as a Father. THE father who loves, who runs to his wayward son when he saw him from a far. The father who reinstates the son to sonship even before the son could say his prepared speech (which of course, is to make himself as one of the servants).
We are that son. We keep thinking about being a servant, when Christ has made us sons and daughters of God the Father, whom all blessings flow. Who are we to judge a level of salvation a person receives? Who are we to know and judge how a born again should behave?
Love the person! When you are deeply eros love your wife during the happiness of the courtship did you really look at all the flaws? Now we God deeply AGAPE love you so deeply, that He gave His son so that He can legally called you righteous...so how do you know God has made a person a new Creation in Christ?
Time to stop judging Leonard Ravenhill.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Why Pray?
Partial Excerpt from an article from Christianity Today
Why Pray?
I firmly believe God is telling me something today as I have been challenged far so many times that I keep praying to God 'WHY!" And then today...
First is the challenge about the reality of rapture and then the article on prayer.
God is reminding me very simply...God is loving me, as his beloved...I am Wilson beloved! And His answer to my prayer (and I have to emphasize that He did answer) is not the answer that I am hoping for.
Then Jeremiah 29:11 pops in again.
His plans is for my prosperity and for my future. To give me an expectation of good (the definition of hope). To give me shalom peace (prosperity, health, wholeness and all things good).
Thank You!
Why Pray?
True to his character, God appears inclined to heal and bless as many as possible. It is as if he can barely restrain himself—though he often does—from supernaturally intervening and disrupting the nature of the universe to care for those he loves, whether they acknowledge it or not. Did God answer the prayers of the study's official prayer teams? Yes. But more than that, he answered the prayers of the patients, of their friends and relatives, and perhaps even of those who may not have known they were praying.
If this is true about our God, then a nagging question arises: "Why put so much effort into praying if God is already so generous?" This is another way of asking the real but unspoken question: "What is the minimum required of me to get my prayers answered?" Such questions expose the weakness of our modernist desire to know if prayer "works." In finding that God is in fact constantly answering prayers, we stumble upon the deeper and more disturbing reality that his answers often don't give us the where, when, or how that we originally sought.
Scripture attests to this reality. God, for example, answered Israel's prayers for release from Pharaoh's hand, but his answer—when it finally came—was unexpected, unpredictable, and anything but tame (as a generation left in the desert could attest). His answer to Israel's prayers for release from Caesar's grip proved even more unanticipated and, for many, simply unacceptable. Thus, it is no surprise that Jesus taught us to pray "thy will be done," as he himself prayed all the way through Gethsemane. In all this, we discover that our obsession with whether prayer works is the wrong question. We know prayer works. The real question is, are we prepared for God's answer?
Not surprisingly, those who were prepared for God's answer to Israel's cry for the Messiah were people who prayed. Anna the Prophetess, who spent the bulk of her life worshiping in the temple, was one of the first to recognize him. Lydia, who saw the truth of the gospel and opened the door to Philippi, was in the right place at the right time because she was praying. Thus, we pray not only because God answers our prayers. We also pray so that we might recognize and receive God's answer, know how to respond, and perhaps see God himself.
Most physicians believe in miracles, and in the cause-and-effect reality of their jobs. Miracles happen, but they happen to all because we are loved by God, whether we are in rebellion or not. What is left to physicians, and to us, is how we will respond. We would be wise to avoid magical or mechanical claims about the gospel. STEP encourages us to believe that God is eager to answer our prayers with seemingly little regard for our competence in prayer or, at times, even our orthodoxy. This ought to give us confidence to act, believe, and work alongside the good and generous King, who calls us to advance his kingdom, bring healing to the world, and pray.
------------------------------------------------------------I firmly believe God is telling me something today as I have been challenged far so many times that I keep praying to God 'WHY!" And then today...
First is the challenge about the reality of rapture and then the article on prayer.
God is reminding me very simply...God is loving me, as his beloved...I am Wilson beloved! And His answer to my prayer (and I have to emphasize that He did answer) is not the answer that I am hoping for.
Then Jeremiah 29:11 pops in again.
His plans is for my prosperity and for my future. To give me an expectation of good (the definition of hope). To give me shalom peace (prosperity, health, wholeness and all things good).
Thank You!
The reality of Rapture...
I don't think I want to base my faith in Abba by the the words of mere men especially if it is presented in quote form without the witness of the context from that which is taken from. A text taken out of the context, will just leave a con for others.
There are basically 2 types of tribulations. The tribulation of the daily kind and the tribulation that heralds the coming of the Lord. So which tribulation are we in now?
Now, I will use just ONE verse to disperse the notion that we are doomed for THE Great Tribulation. The context of this bible verse is to tell us, on whose grace are we rely on, for our salvation.
because God has not appointed us to wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
(1Th 5:9)
This verse, though simple has shown two things.
a) The love of God
b) The completeness of our Lord's sacrifice on the cross
The sacrifice is so complete that we are now called sons and daughters of God through the belief that Christ is THE way to God.
for you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
(Gal 3:26)
A lot of people do not understand sonship. And because they do not understand sonship, they would not understand fathership. How so?
Would you feel like a son unless you are not treated like a son?
Then this verse will come into play.
Then if you being evil know to give good gifts to your children, how much more the Father out of Heaven will give the Holy Spirit to those asking Him.
(Luk 11:13)
So. My question to readers now. Is the Holy Spirit a treasure? Is Jesus a treasure of God?
My friend...God has given two things. ONE: the SON on the cross and TWO: The Holy Spirit in US!
TWO most precious things in the whole known world is given to US mere sinners, forgiven through the cross. It is UNMERITED, UNEARNED and definitely a GIFT of FAVOUR to give us the power AND the title of SONSHIP!
Ladies and gentlemen: WE ARE NOT WORTHY! But we ARE sons and daughters of God now through faith in Christ Jesus!
So if the earthly father, who is sinful, do know how to give good things to his sons and daughters. HOW MUCH MORE would the Father in heaven?!?!
So wouldn't it be strange that a LOVING Father, who has given EVERYTHING for the sinful sons and daughters on earth, would be evil enough to let us suffer the effects of the 7 bowls and 7 trumpets of judgment and on top of that, the evil acts of the anti Christ?
That's why for people who do not know God, will scoff at the possibility of believers being saved before THE great tribulation. It is a simple fact that they assume God is still pitting us against the LAW and therefore we are not worth saving.
It is true...we are NOT worth saving. But we are saved, Praise be to Jesus, our heavenly brother, saviour and high priest.
We are saved, that's why it is the NEW testament...and that's why it is THE good news, the Gospel.
What help would the good news be IF the power of Jesus cannot even save us during the great tribulation?
So...is your salvation based on your works or your belief in the complete works of Christ?
There is not ifs and buts. Believe on the finished work on the cross, you are saved. You are saved from the most cataclysmic and evil events for those who do not believe.
So if you think you are to go through the tribulation, it just meant one thing: You have not believed your place as a son or daughter of Abba. You have not known the true nature of God, our Abba.
May you really question yourself as a father and as a mother. Are you so evil to allow your child from a known disaster or are you loving enough to prevent them from harming themselves? If you are the later, how much more is God the Father!!
To say that Abba allow us to suffer the Great Tribulation, I think it is worse than unfair. It is a stab into His heart to accuse Him of being evil!
Live Long and prosper!
Wilson
There are basically 2 types of tribulations. The tribulation of the daily kind and the tribulation that heralds the coming of the Lord. So which tribulation are we in now?
Now, I will use just ONE verse to disperse the notion that we are doomed for THE Great Tribulation. The context of this bible verse is to tell us, on whose grace are we rely on, for our salvation.
because God has not appointed us to wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
(1Th 5:9)
This verse, though simple has shown two things.
a) The love of God
b) The completeness of our Lord's sacrifice on the cross
The sacrifice is so complete that we are now called sons and daughters of God through the belief that Christ is THE way to God.
for you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
(Gal 3:26)
A lot of people do not understand sonship. And because they do not understand sonship, they would not understand fathership. How so?
Would you feel like a son unless you are not treated like a son?
Then this verse will come into play.
Then if you being evil know to give good gifts to your children, how much more the Father out of Heaven will give the Holy Spirit to those asking Him.
(Luk 11:13)
So. My question to readers now. Is the Holy Spirit a treasure? Is Jesus a treasure of God?
My friend...God has given two things. ONE: the SON on the cross and TWO: The Holy Spirit in US!
TWO most precious things in the whole known world is given to US mere sinners, forgiven through the cross. It is UNMERITED, UNEARNED and definitely a GIFT of FAVOUR to give us the power AND the title of SONSHIP!
Ladies and gentlemen: WE ARE NOT WORTHY! But we ARE sons and daughters of God now through faith in Christ Jesus!
So if the earthly father, who is sinful, do know how to give good things to his sons and daughters. HOW MUCH MORE would the Father in heaven?!?!
So wouldn't it be strange that a LOVING Father, who has given EVERYTHING for the sinful sons and daughters on earth, would be evil enough to let us suffer the effects of the 7 bowls and 7 trumpets of judgment and on top of that, the evil acts of the anti Christ?
That's why for people who do not know God, will scoff at the possibility of believers being saved before THE great tribulation. It is a simple fact that they assume God is still pitting us against the LAW and therefore we are not worth saving.
It is true...we are NOT worth saving. But we are saved, Praise be to Jesus, our heavenly brother, saviour and high priest.
We are saved, that's why it is the NEW testament...and that's why it is THE good news, the Gospel.
What help would the good news be IF the power of Jesus cannot even save us during the great tribulation?
So...is your salvation based on your works or your belief in the complete works of Christ?
There is not ifs and buts. Believe on the finished work on the cross, you are saved. You are saved from the most cataclysmic and evil events for those who do not believe.
So if you think you are to go through the tribulation, it just meant one thing: You have not believed your place as a son or daughter of Abba. You have not known the true nature of God, our Abba.
May you really question yourself as a father and as a mother. Are you so evil to allow your child from a known disaster or are you loving enough to prevent them from harming themselves? If you are the later, how much more is God the Father!!
To say that Abba allow us to suffer the Great Tribulation, I think it is worse than unfair. It is a stab into His heart to accuse Him of being evil!
Live Long and prosper!
Wilson
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
AWARE: A Post by Pastor Peter Youngren...
My thoughts on AWARE saga has struck a very similar gong in the post of Pastor Peter Youngren. I would venture to say that Jesus' is in both of us saying the same stuff. Praise be the Lord!
The post in question:
My thoughts after reading the post:
There will always be this dilemma whether we are to work out our faith or not to do anything that, as Pastor Youngren has put it, using our indignation as a badge of righteousness. This is really a fine line to walk on but grace message has saved us all. It is not in our doing for the sake of doing, it is God's love being shown through us that is most important. And the basis of our 'doing' has to be established on the fact of 'done deal' that the blood shed for us on the cross is enough to bring us to heaven.
So about James letter to get us to work out our faith? My view is that once we get the correct perspective on how grace has worked in the Christian life, then anything that we do, we did it based on gratitude that we have for Jesus who died for us. To me, it would be second nature akin to Paul saying how we can be trapped by sin again if we are in a position of righteousness.
'Right believing begets right living'
We just have a very bad episode of secular values versus Christian values in a women's group in Singapore and it really reflect badly the society as a whole and Christianity in particular. I can't fault anyone as everyone has good starting points and good intentions. But intention is not enough in the Court of God, and the Court of God have to rely on some sort of standard and that standard by far the best for the unsaved, is the one handed down by Moses.
If we are more in tuned to God's plan for us to be salt of the world as described in this post, I think we will be in a better position to engage and convinced the unsaved.
The post in question:
Easily Offended Christians
Written by Peter Youngren on April 8, 2009There are a lot of offended Christians these days. Some of the things which seem to cause outrage and offense are; profanity on television, open display of homosexuality in movies and on television, humor that degrades Christian values. Well, that’s just for starters. When Christians express outrage, shock and offense, it is as if that expression in itself is a badge of spirituality. “Look at me; how shocked I am at the sin and worldliness around me. Shouldn’t you react in a similar way? Aren’t you equally shocked? Well, maybe your spiritual sensitivities aren’t as fine-tuned as mine”.
There is only one problem with all of this. Can you think of a single time in scripture when Jesus was offended by the sins of unbelievers? The only time you could find something akin to offense in Jesus was when he spoke forthrightly to the self-righteous, hypocritical religious leaders. In fact, Jesus forewarned us that if we are persecuted for our beliefs we should not be surprised or offended. “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world”, (John 16:33).
Here is the catch. If we are easily offended or shocked, we become either isolationists or attackers of the very society, which we are supposed to reach. Isolationists live in a cloistered environment with little or no influence on those on the outside. Attackers are resisted, much like we would react on a lovely summer night when hornets start buzzing around our picnic table. We find no example in scripture that Philip was offended at the witchcraft in Samaria. What about Paul’s reaction in godless, sinful, Corinth or idolatrous Athens? In neither instance do we find offense or rebuke of pagan behavior, but rather a focused pointing towards Jesus Christ as the only hope.
Everyone of the individuals who carry out what you and I may deem as offensive acts, are included in the reconciliation that Jesus provided by His death on the cross. Easter reminds us that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself. The message of the Cross is the only power able to transform human behavior. Let’s not be shocked by the world around us, but let’s look for opportunities to get to know people, to share their lives and to tell them what Jesus has done for us. Happy Easter!
Peter
My thoughts after reading the post:
There will always be this dilemma whether we are to work out our faith or not to do anything that, as Pastor Youngren has put it, using our indignation as a badge of righteousness. This is really a fine line to walk on but grace message has saved us all. It is not in our doing for the sake of doing, it is God's love being shown through us that is most important. And the basis of our 'doing' has to be established on the fact of 'done deal' that the blood shed for us on the cross is enough to bring us to heaven.
So about James letter to get us to work out our faith? My view is that once we get the correct perspective on how grace has worked in the Christian life, then anything that we do, we did it based on gratitude that we have for Jesus who died for us. To me, it would be second nature akin to Paul saying how we can be trapped by sin again if we are in a position of righteousness.
'Right believing begets right living'
We just have a very bad episode of secular values versus Christian values in a women's group in Singapore and it really reflect badly the society as a whole and Christianity in particular. I can't fault anyone as everyone has good starting points and good intentions. But intention is not enough in the Court of God, and the Court of God have to rely on some sort of standard and that standard by far the best for the unsaved, is the one handed down by Moses.
If we are more in tuned to God's plan for us to be salt of the world as described in this post, I think we will be in a better position to engage and convinced the unsaved.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
AWARE: Is the fight justifiable?
Right now in Singapore there's this big fight over the rights of who should control AWARE, short for Association of Women for Action & Research.
It started off fairly dramatically. A takeover like we would have seen on Hong Kong serials where an enemy family takes over another family's business through stock acquisition. And in this case, new members came in and voted in a group of unknowns and newcomers that got the old members all puffed up and angry.
Now accusations are flying and statements of bigotry, of verbal abuse and assumptions are mucking the issue at hand. So what is the issue?
Simply this: AWARE has unknowingly allowed its contents of sexual education to go a bit haywired that reflected or allowed alternative lifestyle. Whatever their intentions, it is unfortunate that they have misread the ground as have the gay activists when they tried to argue against 377A (law against unnatural sexual conduct)
Here are my opinions:
Did penal code 377A stand? Yes it still does because of one fundamental reason. Singapore is one society where morals and values reflect asian conservative viewpoints. But come to think of it, the notion that a family nucleus is made up of a man and a woman is not just a 'conservative' notion it is also natural. What's unnatural is when same sex partners are deemed as a family unit. How so when the child they bear is from a third party? Wouldn't be in a sense, adultery making a mockery of the institution of marriage?
377A stands because Singaporeans have debated strongly against it. That's where AWARE old guard has made a bad judgment with regards to its sexuality education. Despite what the ground has said and made clear, AWARE went ahead and do such projects in the name of 'inclusiveness' and worse of all, in the school environment. Honestly if I have school going children who went for their courses, I would be concerned. Isn't AWARE setting itself up to be gunned down?
Now to accuse Christians and Christians alone to be judgmental on this issue, then pray tell why 377A is not repealled? It couldn't be that a small majority of Christians has such powerful voice in parliament? No. I don't think so. The parliament did have members who are of different faiths and I am sure, they are as uncomfortable as Christians in this debate.
So why Christians? The very fact that there are people who deemed the issue big enough to cause them to act is because they felt that things are not going right. It happens that they are from Christian background, hold Christian values and feels that, as I have felt, we are in this world for a reason. That is to help the people of this world through the teachings of Christ. And the teachings of Christ is based on one thing: LOVE. And out of love, comes respect.
The word 'respect' is heavily used without the true understanding of its foundation. Respect won't come until love is made the foundation. How so? How do we respect our bosses? No one respect bosses who only know how to scold without giving much of a help in terms of directions and motivation. Bosses who love their employees as though they are family gets the most respect.
So it is right that the old Guard can accuse the takeover as a 'lack of respect' because there is a 'mis-appreciation' of how the people think with regards to the 'questionable' programs they have put forth and with the circuitous argument of 'inclusiveness', it just ain't cut it. So it seems the only way to stop such programs is to take over the organisation that promotes such programs.
But is the new guard gaining respect? As much as we loath the choice of alternative lifestyle, Jesus still allowed people to choose how they live to the point of rejecting it. As much as we love these people, we still love them enough to give them the decision making power. Therefore this is the foundation where God will judge people since the decision making power does not rest with God but with men and so God cannot be blamed.
So the new guard chose to take over AWARE quite dramatically in a fashion that would call into question integrity and openess. This is a decision they have made with regards to the 'lost of focus' on women issues and much focus on lesbianism and homosexuality. The inclusion of men in the organisation is a point of contention as well. But would Jesus do what they did? Have they done society a favour by doing so? Or would they mar the name of Christ whom we are called after as Christians?
I would want to say that AWARE, no matter how notable their aims are, are feministic in some ways that may be detrimental to the core of society: the family.
Let's just quote 'equality'.
I want to say that men and women are never 'equal'. It can't be because physically and mentally we are not the same. But the fact is that God made woman as partner to man and not subjugated to man. In that way, God has made man and woman equal in His eyes but both has roles to play within the partnership or family nucleus. So a way, it is by design that man and woman are different and yet, the differences makes partnership very much sense in terms of survival and getting things done.
Now the problem is that man, has subjugated the role and standing of woman lower than man. Yes God did say man should be the leader of the household but the woman is the partner in the household. And man should love their partner as much as God love people. There lies the problem.
Not all man did what God has instructed them to do: Respect the woman....and not all woman has done what God has for them: Respect the role of the man. How can a ship has two rudder? So how can a home has two leaders?
That said, not being the leader doesn't mean one is weak. Instead one should see it in the light that the woman CHOOSE to follow the man even when the man is incompetent, that is a mark of greatness.
Still man has being too abusive to each other (women abuse their husbands as well in a lot more ways than women think) and AWARE wants to fight for equality because of such abuse.
But equality is something that is based on respect and love. Without love and respect, demands for equality is at best grungingly accepted by men and loath by men at worse (through the use of religion and traditions).
That's not what was intended.
So now, the fight will be in the EGM coming Saturday. Whatever the outcome, God has foreseen it. If it is by the power of men, it will not be upheld. If it is by the power of God, no man can close. If the old AWARE is doing what is right, then their conscience should be clear. But whatever they do is against what God has ordained, then I hope the judgment day would come much later for their sake.
Me? I am just waiting for the Lord to come back.
------------------------------
Christians are well known for their works in the betterment of society. It is something that God has given them the power to do so. To make a place better through God's direction. Some of the top schools in US, Europe and in Singapore are started by Missionaries. And I am a product of such school.
To accuse Christianity as a whole for being bigots is really uncalled for.
Let me say that I am disgusted by the discrimination showed by the judges of Miss USA. If acknowledging a gay lifestyle is politically correct, won't it be politically incorrect to reject a Miss USA candidate because she doesn't accept gay lifestyle?
Such questions are unfair and quite honestly, a punch under the belt that is not fair to the competition at all. For gay activists to shout 'inclusiveness', then they are not including the Christians....for them to shout "fairness" then they are not being fair in treating Christians too.
When they abuse Christians, is all fair game. When Christians defend, they say it is discrimination.
How would gay activists gained any respect at all?
I personally has this to say: there are claims that homosexuality can be cured. Why isnt it being debunked? If it is not curable, why are there people who are recovering homosexuals and lead normal lives with normal families?
It calls to question if the fight for legitimacy is just a cover up for their unwillingness to change.
All will be shown in due time.
It started off fairly dramatically. A takeover like we would have seen on Hong Kong serials where an enemy family takes over another family's business through stock acquisition. And in this case, new members came in and voted in a group of unknowns and newcomers that got the old members all puffed up and angry.
Now accusations are flying and statements of bigotry, of verbal abuse and assumptions are mucking the issue at hand. So what is the issue?
Simply this: AWARE has unknowingly allowed its contents of sexual education to go a bit haywired that reflected or allowed alternative lifestyle. Whatever their intentions, it is unfortunate that they have misread the ground as have the gay activists when they tried to argue against 377A (law against unnatural sexual conduct)
Here are my opinions:
Did penal code 377A stand? Yes it still does because of one fundamental reason. Singapore is one society where morals and values reflect asian conservative viewpoints. But come to think of it, the notion that a family nucleus is made up of a man and a woman is not just a 'conservative' notion it is also natural. What's unnatural is when same sex partners are deemed as a family unit. How so when the child they bear is from a third party? Wouldn't be in a sense, adultery making a mockery of the institution of marriage?
377A stands because Singaporeans have debated strongly against it. That's where AWARE old guard has made a bad judgment with regards to its sexuality education. Despite what the ground has said and made clear, AWARE went ahead and do such projects in the name of 'inclusiveness' and worse of all, in the school environment. Honestly if I have school going children who went for their courses, I would be concerned. Isn't AWARE setting itself up to be gunned down?
Now to accuse Christians and Christians alone to be judgmental on this issue, then pray tell why 377A is not repealled? It couldn't be that a small majority of Christians has such powerful voice in parliament? No. I don't think so. The parliament did have members who are of different faiths and I am sure, they are as uncomfortable as Christians in this debate.
So why Christians? The very fact that there are people who deemed the issue big enough to cause them to act is because they felt that things are not going right. It happens that they are from Christian background, hold Christian values and feels that, as I have felt, we are in this world for a reason. That is to help the people of this world through the teachings of Christ. And the teachings of Christ is based on one thing: LOVE. And out of love, comes respect.
The word 'respect' is heavily used without the true understanding of its foundation. Respect won't come until love is made the foundation. How so? How do we respect our bosses? No one respect bosses who only know how to scold without giving much of a help in terms of directions and motivation. Bosses who love their employees as though they are family gets the most respect.
So it is right that the old Guard can accuse the takeover as a 'lack of respect' because there is a 'mis-appreciation' of how the people think with regards to the 'questionable' programs they have put forth and with the circuitous argument of 'inclusiveness', it just ain't cut it. So it seems the only way to stop such programs is to take over the organisation that promotes such programs.
But is the new guard gaining respect? As much as we loath the choice of alternative lifestyle, Jesus still allowed people to choose how they live to the point of rejecting it. As much as we love these people, we still love them enough to give them the decision making power. Therefore this is the foundation where God will judge people since the decision making power does not rest with God but with men and so God cannot be blamed.
So the new guard chose to take over AWARE quite dramatically in a fashion that would call into question integrity and openess. This is a decision they have made with regards to the 'lost of focus' on women issues and much focus on lesbianism and homosexuality. The inclusion of men in the organisation is a point of contention as well. But would Jesus do what they did? Have they done society a favour by doing so? Or would they mar the name of Christ whom we are called after as Christians?
I would want to say that AWARE, no matter how notable their aims are, are feministic in some ways that may be detrimental to the core of society: the family.
Let's just quote 'equality'.
I want to say that men and women are never 'equal'. It can't be because physically and mentally we are not the same. But the fact is that God made woman as partner to man and not subjugated to man. In that way, God has made man and woman equal in His eyes but both has roles to play within the partnership or family nucleus. So a way, it is by design that man and woman are different and yet, the differences makes partnership very much sense in terms of survival and getting things done.
Now the problem is that man, has subjugated the role and standing of woman lower than man. Yes God did say man should be the leader of the household but the woman is the partner in the household. And man should love their partner as much as God love people. There lies the problem.
Not all man did what God has instructed them to do: Respect the woman....and not all woman has done what God has for them: Respect the role of the man. How can a ship has two rudder? So how can a home has two leaders?
That said, not being the leader doesn't mean one is weak. Instead one should see it in the light that the woman CHOOSE to follow the man even when the man is incompetent, that is a mark of greatness.
Still man has being too abusive to each other (women abuse their husbands as well in a lot more ways than women think) and AWARE wants to fight for equality because of such abuse.
But equality is something that is based on respect and love. Without love and respect, demands for equality is at best grungingly accepted by men and loath by men at worse (through the use of religion and traditions).
That's not what was intended.
So now, the fight will be in the EGM coming Saturday. Whatever the outcome, God has foreseen it. If it is by the power of men, it will not be upheld. If it is by the power of God, no man can close. If the old AWARE is doing what is right, then their conscience should be clear. But whatever they do is against what God has ordained, then I hope the judgment day would come much later for their sake.
Me? I am just waiting for the Lord to come back.
------------------------------
Christians are well known for their works in the betterment of society. It is something that God has given them the power to do so. To make a place better through God's direction. Some of the top schools in US, Europe and in Singapore are started by Missionaries. And I am a product of such school.
To accuse Christianity as a whole for being bigots is really uncalled for.
Let me say that I am disgusted by the discrimination showed by the judges of Miss USA. If acknowledging a gay lifestyle is politically correct, won't it be politically incorrect to reject a Miss USA candidate because she doesn't accept gay lifestyle?
Such questions are unfair and quite honestly, a punch under the belt that is not fair to the competition at all. For gay activists to shout 'inclusiveness', then they are not including the Christians....for them to shout "fairness" then they are not being fair in treating Christians too.
When they abuse Christians, is all fair game. When Christians defend, they say it is discrimination.
How would gay activists gained any respect at all?
I personally has this to say: there are claims that homosexuality can be cured. Why isnt it being debunked? If it is not curable, why are there people who are recovering homosexuals and lead normal lives with normal families?
It calls to question if the fight for legitimacy is just a cover up for their unwillingness to change.
All will be shown in due time.
Monday, April 13, 2009
The Mist...Depravity of Men
I have watched The Mist over the weekend and I find myself very very angry and surprised myself when something bad happened. But when I cooled down I realised that Stephen King did reflect his opinion of overly fearful Charismatic/Evangelistic preaching when one face death. Time for some explanation.
One Mrs Carmody when trapped in the supermarket by The Mist was praying fervently to God about saving souls. What left an impression on me was the motivation behind the saving of souls; to save her own soul by bringing other souls to God.
That comes to mind about Christ sacrifice on the cross. As Apostle Paul puts it in the letter to Ephesians
For by grace you are saved, through faith, and this not of yourselves; it is the gift of God; not of works, that not anyone should boast;
(Eph 2:8-9)
What it says here is this: We are already being saved, 'it is the gift of God' through Jesus Christ. If we are not saved through works but by faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Why does Paul has to say that? Because if we are saved based on works, we can boast and Jesus is not magnified. If we can be saved through works, then why do we need Jesus on the cross? (Read Titus 3:5)
Hence Mrs Carmody's foundation of salvation is not at the right place. And that led her to preach wrongly from the Bible, especially from the book of revelation and gave the wrong solution to the people in the supermarket.
And the best part is the usage of this word 'expiation'
Definition: The atonement is a doctrine found within both Christianity and Judaism. It describes how sin can be forgiven by God.
And Mrs Carmody is right. The atonement of sin has to be of blood. What she is wrong is to use the blood of others as a form of sacrifice to the monsters in the mist.
Newsflash: Jesus blood is used for the expiation of our sins. Not of other animals and certainly not of tainted sinful humans,.
Out of Mrs Carmody's error comes the manipulation of fear that is used in religion to blame others for all the sins of the world that culminates in the appearance of the monsters. It is so bad that a soldier who has nothing to do with the experimentation gone wrong, was murdered and fed to the monsters.
So Mrs Carmody's motivation to save souls has instead condemn them to the sea of fire.
And that's when I feel 'great' when she was shot down for spewing words of hate. I am not proud of that moment but there are so many preachers that are doing just that: to turn people away from the love of God, His salvation through Christ and their insistance on works to save themselves.
Fear, some say, is the absence of faith.
One of the character who is a biker has a much much better understanding of God when he commented
“I believe in God, too. I just don’t think he’s the blood thirsty asshole you make him out to be.” –biker
Amen to that!!
One Mrs Carmody when trapped in the supermarket by The Mist was praying fervently to God about saving souls. What left an impression on me was the motivation behind the saving of souls; to save her own soul by bringing other souls to God.
That comes to mind about Christ sacrifice on the cross. As Apostle Paul puts it in the letter to Ephesians
For by grace you are saved, through faith, and this not of yourselves; it is the gift of God; not of works, that not anyone should boast;
(Eph 2:8-9)
What it says here is this: We are already being saved, 'it is the gift of God' through Jesus Christ. If we are not saved through works but by faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Why does Paul has to say that? Because if we are saved based on works, we can boast and Jesus is not magnified. If we can be saved through works, then why do we need Jesus on the cross? (Read Titus 3:5)
Hence Mrs Carmody's foundation of salvation is not at the right place. And that led her to preach wrongly from the Bible, especially from the book of revelation and gave the wrong solution to the people in the supermarket.
And the best part is the usage of this word 'expiation'
Definition: The atonement is a doctrine found within both Christianity and Judaism. It describes how sin can be forgiven by God.
And Mrs Carmody is right. The atonement of sin has to be of blood. What she is wrong is to use the blood of others as a form of sacrifice to the monsters in the mist.
Newsflash: Jesus blood is used for the expiation of our sins. Not of other animals and certainly not of tainted sinful humans,.
Out of Mrs Carmody's error comes the manipulation of fear that is used in religion to blame others for all the sins of the world that culminates in the appearance of the monsters. It is so bad that a soldier who has nothing to do with the experimentation gone wrong, was murdered and fed to the monsters.
So Mrs Carmody's motivation to save souls has instead condemn them to the sea of fire.
And that's when I feel 'great' when she was shot down for spewing words of hate. I am not proud of that moment but there are so many preachers that are doing just that: to turn people away from the love of God, His salvation through Christ and their insistance on works to save themselves.
Fear, some say, is the absence of faith.
One of the character who is a biker has a much much better understanding of God when he commented
“I believe in God, too. I just don’t think he’s the blood thirsty asshole you make him out to be.” –biker
Amen to that!!
Saturday, March 21, 2009
The Blasphemy Challenge
Does God Exist? That's the question put forth before Kirk Cameron with Ray along with the team from the Rationale Response Team.
Does not need a rocket scientist to know which side I am on.
After watching the video in Youtube, I gingerly 'walked' over to the blasphemy challenge website and take a look.
One of the video took me by 'shock'....a lady just say "Well I guess...see you in hell."
I was like, do you really know what hell is like? Do I really want to see you in hell (either by self preservation or out of love for the lady which I both are applicable).
Let's take hell to the extreme won't we? Because hell is in essence the absence of love. Imagine that. You are totally abused by everyone around you. No one cares for you. No one put you first. There's no relationship to speak of. Everyone just exploits everybody. It is a dog eat dog world. And because it is a free for all, there will be no justice because it will be a jungle out there. Worst is that you won't die therefore you cannot escape from the hurt, the pain. Just the last point alone will make this world look like heaven.
Now why would people actually think that Hell is cool? I blame it on the misinformation of the modern media. Where "go to hell" is the common refrain in the movies.
Do think in proper terms what you REALLY want in life. All the hurt and all the pain is an indication that our world is not what is meant to be.
One can say that religion is scaring people shitless in order to accept the salvation. Then let's be REAL won't we? What are the two main motivators for human beings to act? Positive motivation and negative motivation.
Positive motivation: I will get to see my loved ones in heaven. All that I crave on earth will be realised definitely on earth AND heaven. I will have tons of fruitful relationships that will enhance my eternal life.
Negative motivation: You will be tortured. You will ask for death and get none. No mercy can be given.
I put to you this. Only a person who loves you will give you warning. Even strangers who has a bit of human goodness will do the same to anybody. But God loves so much that He is willing to be misunderstood by people claiming to be atheists so as to warn those who are willing to listen.
Now the question is this: "If God is so loving why would he send people to hell?"
That is a very good question. The answer is still love. Why would people cry for justice in this world? It is because everyone wants to be treated fairly and being treated fairly is also a sign of love as it shows that people cared. Now if God wants to send people to hell because He is evil, He won't even cared to give the 10 commandments in the first place thus enabling MORE people to go to hell. In reality, He gave the 10 commandments, therefore He cared!
So what does the 10 commandments do? To shackle us? No. It is to show how evil a human being can be. It is just 10 not 100, 1000, or even a million. It is just 10. These 10 shows the BASIC terms that will not harm relationship between humans and human and God. And if ANY of these 10 are breached, then the seed of evil towards other people is being sowed. So we cannot even keep 10 perfectly, everytime, all the time.
The current financial crisis is based on this seed of selfishness and has breached one or many of the 10 commandments.
But people has this notion that God deliberately gave the 10 commandments to fail people. If one is a real and careful reader of the Bible, God gave because He was forced to even when He offered grace (that means despite what people has done, He still accepts them.) The Israelites says they are able to meet all criteria. God, a respector of human decision making power, thus acceded much to the horror to the human race.
God loved so he gave ONLY 10 to show us we are unable to meet those criteria. Hell is imminent unfortunately.
Thus comes the positive/negative motivation.
Pain is a motivator to keep one alive. Would you hold on to a hot pot of tea despite the pain? No, the pain will make you let go of the pot and preserve your hand.
Fear is also a motivator to keep one alive. Would you go through a dark alley in the middle of the night, in a neighborhood teeming with gangsters? You wouldn't because you cared for your own safety.
Therefore to put across that religion puts fear so that it makes people accept religion is well founded (I can sense the surprise). Why is it well founded? Because religion, as in any system or organisation, can be both good and bad or truth and falsehood. Fear in this case will be bad if one is being led into a religious system that manipulates people.
But what if that fear pushes one into a system that ACTUALLY saves? And if true Christianity is the answer...it is not a system of dos and don'ts...and it is certainly not a system of tradition and hearsays or myths. (Christianity as a myth, will leave it for another day).
So how does HE saves without being seen as an unfair judge which he cannot be since He is good. In order to be a good guy, you have to be a fair guy.
In summary
- 10 commandments shows that we ALL failed one way or the other. One do not need to murder to be bad. We just need to disobey our parents for just ONCE. Unfair since humans are imperfect? Then it leads to this.
- God knows that we are imperfect all thanks to Adam and Eve and also the horned one. We are imperfect because we are given the knowledge of good and evil (conscience and morals) and yet we do not do what is necessary either out of fear or greed. So to be able to meet his criteria of perfection and yet be fair, He need a substitute for us...to meet the criteria that our bad deeds are erased so that He can be seen fair that our deeds are answered and meet his criteria of love, so that He can bring us all into heaven.
The only thing is that we need to accept the substitute.
But there are people who are too chicken to even accept the substitute, saying that there is no God.
I am sorry to say that, to really SAY and BELIEVE that there is no God in this world and also the Universe means one has to exhaustively search the ends of the Earth AND Universe and beyond to conclude that. To say that God do not exist means committing intellectual suicide since one cannot be sure as a person can't conclude that there is no God conclusively.
But the other end holds true: There is a God. For us to be where we are today, need a creator and a creator of this magnitude can only come from a supernatural being.
Let's not talk about the physical like evolution. Let's just say one can evolve from a cell to a complex being like an ant. It still cannot answer the question of morality, the ability to know what is right and wrong and not to mention LOVE.
For an atheist to cry justice means he knows the right from wrong but the very notion that he can ask for Justice just bares the fact that there is a God for the atheist knows love, knows justice, knows bad from good, knows right from wrong.
It is just a self defeating proposition.
Does not need a rocket scientist to know which side I am on.
After watching the video in Youtube, I gingerly 'walked' over to the blasphemy challenge website and take a look.
One of the video took me by 'shock'....a lady just say "Well I guess...see you in hell."
I was like, do you really know what hell is like? Do I really want to see you in hell (either by self preservation or out of love for the lady which I both are applicable).
Let's take hell to the extreme won't we? Because hell is in essence the absence of love. Imagine that. You are totally abused by everyone around you. No one cares for you. No one put you first. There's no relationship to speak of. Everyone just exploits everybody. It is a dog eat dog world. And because it is a free for all, there will be no justice because it will be a jungle out there. Worst is that you won't die therefore you cannot escape from the hurt, the pain. Just the last point alone will make this world look like heaven.
Now why would people actually think that Hell is cool? I blame it on the misinformation of the modern media. Where "go to hell" is the common refrain in the movies.
Do think in proper terms what you REALLY want in life. All the hurt and all the pain is an indication that our world is not what is meant to be.
One can say that religion is scaring people shitless in order to accept the salvation. Then let's be REAL won't we? What are the two main motivators for human beings to act? Positive motivation and negative motivation.
Positive motivation: I will get to see my loved ones in heaven. All that I crave on earth will be realised definitely on earth AND heaven. I will have tons of fruitful relationships that will enhance my eternal life.
Negative motivation: You will be tortured. You will ask for death and get none. No mercy can be given.
I put to you this. Only a person who loves you will give you warning. Even strangers who has a bit of human goodness will do the same to anybody. But God loves so much that He is willing to be misunderstood by people claiming to be atheists so as to warn those who are willing to listen.
Now the question is this: "If God is so loving why would he send people to hell?"
That is a very good question. The answer is still love. Why would people cry for justice in this world? It is because everyone wants to be treated fairly and being treated fairly is also a sign of love as it shows that people cared. Now if God wants to send people to hell because He is evil, He won't even cared to give the 10 commandments in the first place thus enabling MORE people to go to hell. In reality, He gave the 10 commandments, therefore He cared!
So what does the 10 commandments do? To shackle us? No. It is to show how evil a human being can be. It is just 10 not 100, 1000, or even a million. It is just 10. These 10 shows the BASIC terms that will not harm relationship between humans and human and God. And if ANY of these 10 are breached, then the seed of evil towards other people is being sowed. So we cannot even keep 10 perfectly, everytime, all the time.
The current financial crisis is based on this seed of selfishness and has breached one or many of the 10 commandments.
But people has this notion that God deliberately gave the 10 commandments to fail people. If one is a real and careful reader of the Bible, God gave because He was forced to even when He offered grace (that means despite what people has done, He still accepts them.) The Israelites says they are able to meet all criteria. God, a respector of human decision making power, thus acceded much to the horror to the human race.
God loved so he gave ONLY 10 to show us we are unable to meet those criteria. Hell is imminent unfortunately.
Thus comes the positive/negative motivation.
Pain is a motivator to keep one alive. Would you hold on to a hot pot of tea despite the pain? No, the pain will make you let go of the pot and preserve your hand.
Fear is also a motivator to keep one alive. Would you go through a dark alley in the middle of the night, in a neighborhood teeming with gangsters? You wouldn't because you cared for your own safety.
Therefore to put across that religion puts fear so that it makes people accept religion is well founded (I can sense the surprise). Why is it well founded? Because religion, as in any system or organisation, can be both good and bad or truth and falsehood. Fear in this case will be bad if one is being led into a religious system that manipulates people.
But what if that fear pushes one into a system that ACTUALLY saves? And if true Christianity is the answer...it is not a system of dos and don'ts...and it is certainly not a system of tradition and hearsays or myths. (Christianity as a myth, will leave it for another day).
So how does HE saves without being seen as an unfair judge which he cannot be since He is good. In order to be a good guy, you have to be a fair guy.
In summary
- 10 commandments shows that we ALL failed one way or the other. One do not need to murder to be bad. We just need to disobey our parents for just ONCE. Unfair since humans are imperfect? Then it leads to this.
- God knows that we are imperfect all thanks to Adam and Eve and also the horned one. We are imperfect because we are given the knowledge of good and evil (conscience and morals) and yet we do not do what is necessary either out of fear or greed. So to be able to meet his criteria of perfection and yet be fair, He need a substitute for us...to meet the criteria that our bad deeds are erased so that He can be seen fair that our deeds are answered and meet his criteria of love, so that He can bring us all into heaven.
The only thing is that we need to accept the substitute.
But there are people who are too chicken to even accept the substitute, saying that there is no God.
I am sorry to say that, to really SAY and BELIEVE that there is no God in this world and also the Universe means one has to exhaustively search the ends of the Earth AND Universe and beyond to conclude that. To say that God do not exist means committing intellectual suicide since one cannot be sure as a person can't conclude that there is no God conclusively.
But the other end holds true: There is a God. For us to be where we are today, need a creator and a creator of this magnitude can only come from a supernatural being.
Let's not talk about the physical like evolution. Let's just say one can evolve from a cell to a complex being like an ant. It still cannot answer the question of morality, the ability to know what is right and wrong and not to mention LOVE.
For an atheist to cry justice means he knows the right from wrong but the very notion that he can ask for Justice just bares the fact that there is a God for the atheist knows love, knows justice, knows bad from good, knows right from wrong.
It is just a self defeating proposition.
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