I was sitting in a lecture tday and listening/thinking through what the lecturer said about "what do we think about law?" and "what do u think law means??" It reminds me to all the law we have in the bible... i didnt know why was that in my head but it was a good reminder as i meditated on it that as christians we are not obeying the laws to earn our spot in heaven. We are actually obeying it because we were transformed to be a good person that longs for God and want to be like Jesus and thus using jesus as a model to shape our changing behaviour.
Romans 6: 1-14 explains that we were dead through sin but made alive through Christ. And we were dead through sin because we were sinning against God which can be said in another word we're doing bad things in God's eyes. Since God loves us he sent his one and only son to died in our place as John 3:16 said. As we are alive in Christ, why do we wanna do bad things again that will lead us to death??? its like being saved from a car accident because we were speeding but then moments later after we found ourselves save we were speeding again which would eventually lead us to a car accident...
does this sound familiar???
" i dont wanna be a christian becoz that means im signing up to all these christians regulations"
" being a christian means u have to be holy becoz u cant do this and that because if not then u're not a christian!!!"
being good all the time is definitely hard especially there are heaps of temptations around us but lets keep persevering in it and keep encouraging one another to do so too. let us enjoy too having have to obey God's law knowing that it will glorify our creator's name plus benefit us in the end.
" The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the Lod are trustworthy, making wise the simple."
psalm 19:7
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Monday, July 20, 2009
is God selfish???
Ezekiel 36: 22- 23
"Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Sovereign LORD, when I show myself holy through you before their eyes."
sounds like God is selfish aye...thinking only about his glory ot for everyone elses' glory!!! Why should he cares about everyone elses' glory though??? who else cares about glorifiying their name...animals/plants??? certainly not...so im refering everyone elses here as us, yes as u and me...
so why should God cares about our pride/ name??? he created us so basically he own us and therefore he is worthy to be glorified by us.
Let me put it this way, if i created something that is alive and can talk, i centainly want my creation to glorify me and tell other ppl about me who created it so that ppl will think im smart or something like that by being able to create things like that...wouldnt u feel the same???
is that mean that we are selfish??? yes we are selfish definitely because God created us but we want ppl to glorify our name instead of our creator's name...
Why is God worthy of our praise???
1. he created us
2. he has the power that we do not have (forgiving ppl like u and me from their sin)
So, is God selfish??? totally not!!! but rather he deserves our praise...
"Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Sovereign LORD, when I show myself holy through you before their eyes."
sounds like God is selfish aye...thinking only about his glory ot for everyone elses' glory!!! Why should he cares about everyone elses' glory though??? who else cares about glorifiying their name...animals/plants??? certainly not...so im refering everyone elses here as us, yes as u and me...
so why should God cares about our pride/ name??? he created us so basically he own us and therefore he is worthy to be glorified by us.
Let me put it this way, if i created something that is alive and can talk, i centainly want my creation to glorify me and tell other ppl about me who created it so that ppl will think im smart or something like that by being able to create things like that...wouldnt u feel the same???
is that mean that we are selfish??? yes we are selfish definitely because God created us but we want ppl to glorify our name instead of our creator's name...
Why is God worthy of our praise???
1. he created us
2. he has the power that we do not have (forgiving ppl like u and me from their sin)
So, is God selfish??? totally not!!! but rather he deserves our praise...
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
How do we know that the bible is true??
Many people argue that the bible is not true because who can guarantee that all things that is in the bible is 100% true and all those things were really happen??? who knows that people might misinterpret them since we are now using the translation bible which means that it wasnt written in the language we speak today???
As human it is normal to think like that and to have doubt about the bible. I used to doubt a lot too about the bible. I even doubt that all the things that was said in the bible including the miracles that happen were true. I mean those stuff doesnt happen these days and i wasnt there to witness those things so it is very hard indeed to believe in the bible.
Many people also argue "how can i believe in the bible if i dont even know/see that God is exist??" What do we want?? miracles to happen so that we will believe that God is exist??? will we really believe in God if those miracles happen these days like wht most of us have to say "if u can prove that God is exist, i'll believe it" do we really mean that or we're just using that as an excuse because we dont wanna believe in God knowing that those miracles wont happen these days???
I mean even people in Jesus' days who saw Jesus' miracles were ignorant and doesnt believe in him, so how can we guarantee that we will believe in Him after seeing miracles???
John 6: 42 says that the people were grumbling becoz they didnt believe in Jesus is the son of God even though beforehand they saw/ experienced he did miracles ( feeding the 5 thousand and walk on the water)
How can we be sure that the bible is trustworthy??
- All scripture is God's breathed (2 timothy 3:16)
- it was written by eye witnesses who lived on Jesus' days
- it was written by many people in different time but they're talking about the same thing which is all about God.
what am i gonna do next knowing that the bible is true and it is trustworthy???
what am i gonna do the next time i have doubt about the bible thus the word of God???
knowing that it is the word of God, what should i do with it???
As human it is normal to think like that and to have doubt about the bible. I used to doubt a lot too about the bible. I even doubt that all the things that was said in the bible including the miracles that happen were true. I mean those stuff doesnt happen these days and i wasnt there to witness those things so it is very hard indeed to believe in the bible.
Many people also argue "how can i believe in the bible if i dont even know/see that God is exist??" What do we want?? miracles to happen so that we will believe that God is exist??? will we really believe in God if those miracles happen these days like wht most of us have to say "if u can prove that God is exist, i'll believe it" do we really mean that or we're just using that as an excuse because we dont wanna believe in God knowing that those miracles wont happen these days???
I mean even people in Jesus' days who saw Jesus' miracles were ignorant and doesnt believe in him, so how can we guarantee that we will believe in Him after seeing miracles???
John 6: 42 says that the people were grumbling becoz they didnt believe in Jesus is the son of God even though beforehand they saw/ experienced he did miracles ( feeding the 5 thousand and walk on the water)
How can we be sure that the bible is trustworthy??
- All scripture is God's breathed (2 timothy 3:16)
- it was written by eye witnesses who lived on Jesus' days
- it was written by many people in different time but they're talking about the same thing which is all about God.
what am i gonna do next knowing that the bible is true and it is trustworthy???
what am i gonna do the next time i have doubt about the bible thus the word of God???
knowing that it is the word of God, what should i do with it???
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Praising God
we had a discussion a few days ago at music practice about "praise"
what does praise mean:
- looking up to someone and worship him/her
- singing
- acknowledging someone and glorify that person's name
- few other ideas tht i couldnt remember:(:( :):) perhaps u can/ want to add some ideas?? :D:D
we often think of praise as singing only in church and tend to only praise him when we're at church, but what does the bible really say about praising God?? Lets look at Romans 12:1-2: " 1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spirituala]">[a] act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."
That verses is telling us that we have to offer our body as living sacrifice which should be our act of worshipping God and in a way praising God too becoz when u praise someone u'll worship him/her too.
Then what does it mean to praise God with our body and how do we do it in a practical way??? do we dance for him, do we sacrifice our body to him??? what do we do?? Romans 12: 1-2 is urging us not to conform to the pattern of this world in viewing God's mercy and having a new mind so that we are able to understand God's perfect will. So it means that in a practical way, we are encourage to be different from this world and not following its rule. For example, if the world is telling us to show off our talent when we sing/ play music, we dont do it because we knows that if we do that we're not viewing God's mercy as we sing/ play music (even christian music/songs) but rather to gain glory for ourselves and its not an act of viewing God's mercy. To offer our body as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God means that we act differently with the world and change our minds so that we can understand his perfect will for us.
To praise God with our body means that we're using our body to please God and praise him and it doesnt only happen through singing. Singing is only oneway to praise God but its not THE ONLY way to praise God. To use our body means that in everything that we do in our day to day lifes, we praise him through doing those things and by having a new and transformed mind, we are able to discern God's will and act in a way that is pleasing him.
So to praise God with our body is to use it everyday and praising him with it through things that we do everyday and by having a transformed mind we are able to differentiate what should we do that is pleasing him.
Knowing all this, what should we do so that we'll praise God everyday through using our body???
i hope u find it encouraging guys to change the way u live knowing that we are given this body so that we can used it to praise him just as i did find it encouraging... :D:D
lets praise him becoz he is an awesome god and how do we know that he is awesome???becoz he loves us and sent jesus to died for us in the cross in our place even while we were still sinners (romans 5:8) :D:D
what does praise mean:
- looking up to someone and worship him/her
- singing
- acknowledging someone and glorify that person's name
- few other ideas tht i couldnt remember:(:( :):) perhaps u can/ want to add some ideas?? :D:D
we often think of praise as singing only in church and tend to only praise him when we're at church, but what does the bible really say about praising God?? Lets look at Romans 12:1-2: " 1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spirituala]">[a] act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."
That verses is telling us that we have to offer our body as living sacrifice which should be our act of worshipping God and in a way praising God too becoz when u praise someone u'll worship him/her too.
Then what does it mean to praise God with our body and how do we do it in a practical way??? do we dance for him, do we sacrifice our body to him??? what do we do?? Romans 12: 1-2 is urging us not to conform to the pattern of this world in viewing God's mercy and having a new mind so that we are able to understand God's perfect will. So it means that in a practical way, we are encourage to be different from this world and not following its rule. For example, if the world is telling us to show off our talent when we sing/ play music, we dont do it because we knows that if we do that we're not viewing God's mercy as we sing/ play music (even christian music/songs) but rather to gain glory for ourselves and its not an act of viewing God's mercy. To offer our body as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God means that we act differently with the world and change our minds so that we can understand his perfect will for us.
To praise God with our body means that we're using our body to please God and praise him and it doesnt only happen through singing. Singing is only oneway to praise God but its not THE ONLY way to praise God. To use our body means that in everything that we do in our day to day lifes, we praise him through doing those things and by having a new and transformed mind, we are able to discern God's will and act in a way that is pleasing him.
So to praise God with our body is to use it everyday and praising him with it through things that we do everyday and by having a transformed mind we are able to differentiate what should we do that is pleasing him.
Knowing all this, what should we do so that we'll praise God everyday through using our body???
i hope u find it encouraging guys to change the way u live knowing that we are given this body so that we can used it to praise him just as i did find it encouraging... :D:D
lets praise him becoz he is an awesome god and how do we know that he is awesome???becoz he loves us and sent jesus to died for us in the cross in our place even while we were still sinners (romans 5:8) :D:D
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Religion vs Gospel
Philippians 3: 1-11
Earlier today I listened to Mark Driscoll's talk from his church website and he was talking about religion and gospel and he was preaching from Philippians 3:1-11 and I thought I would like to share it with you here.
That passage is talking about how Paul is reminding us to rejoice in the Lord because of his grace. Because of what Jesus had done on the cross and the fact that we do not have to do anything to go to heaven becoz Jesus did it for us. We dont deserve it but yet we get it anyway:D:D (those of us who go to church would hear this so many times but do we really get wht it means???). For those who do not know Paul, he is a guy in the bible who was a very2 bad guy because he persecuted christians in those days, he killed many christians for the sake of obeying the law. He then became a christian becoz God appeared to him on his way to Damascus. As he become a christian, he is now persecuted by people instead of persecuting people.
So, Paul is encouraging us to keep rejoicing in the Lord because of his grace. He is also reminding us to becareful with false teaching about God. Many religion will tell its followers to do good things so then they can be a good people and in the end go to heaven and Jesus is not enough to make us go to heaven. But how can we really go to heaven? well from Christians point of view there is only one way to heaven and to the father which is through Jesus (John 14:6). Many religion teaches people that to go to heaven you have to do good things so that God will accept u or do as many good things as u can while u're alive to balance out ur bad behaviour.
BUT:
- how many good things do we have to do to balance out our bad behaviour since we sin all the time??
- are we able to reach God's standard???
-what if we died but we havent finish doing good things to balance out the bad behaviour we did??
- what sort of good things i should do to meet god's standard???
- what is god's definition of good people??
- am i a good person in God's eyes??
Why would Paul convert to a christian if going to heaven is through being a good people and following all the law because he certainly did follow all the law thus he persecuted christians because the law said that at those times. Paul is missing something which is Jesus, God had mercy on Him by giving him grace and allowing him to share this great news to us.
Mark said that religion is rubbish because many religion teaches people to do good things and to be a good person dont do this and dont do that so that we can go to heaven neglecting the fact that the only way to go to heaven is through Jesus.
I guess, from this passage i wanted to share to u guys that i found it very encouraging knowing that i am saved by grace alone not by my works and i hope as christians you will be reminded of his grace and find it comforting.
The final question that I guess worth asking esp to myself is "what does it mean to live as christian knowing that I am saved by grace?"
Earlier today I listened to Mark Driscoll's talk from his church website and he was talking about religion and gospel and he was preaching from Philippians 3:1-11 and I thought I would like to share it with you here.
That passage is talking about how Paul is reminding us to rejoice in the Lord because of his grace. Because of what Jesus had done on the cross and the fact that we do not have to do anything to go to heaven becoz Jesus did it for us. We dont deserve it but yet we get it anyway:D:D (those of us who go to church would hear this so many times but do we really get wht it means???). For those who do not know Paul, he is a guy in the bible who was a very2 bad guy because he persecuted christians in those days, he killed many christians for the sake of obeying the law. He then became a christian becoz God appeared to him on his way to Damascus. As he become a christian, he is now persecuted by people instead of persecuting people.
So, Paul is encouraging us to keep rejoicing in the Lord because of his grace. He is also reminding us to becareful with false teaching about God. Many religion will tell its followers to do good things so then they can be a good people and in the end go to heaven and Jesus is not enough to make us go to heaven. But how can we really go to heaven? well from Christians point of view there is only one way to heaven and to the father which is through Jesus (John 14:6). Many religion teaches people that to go to heaven you have to do good things so that God will accept u or do as many good things as u can while u're alive to balance out ur bad behaviour.
BUT:
- how many good things do we have to do to balance out our bad behaviour since we sin all the time??
- are we able to reach God's standard???
-what if we died but we havent finish doing good things to balance out the bad behaviour we did??
- what sort of good things i should do to meet god's standard???
- what is god's definition of good people??
- am i a good person in God's eyes??
Why would Paul convert to a christian if going to heaven is through being a good people and following all the law because he certainly did follow all the law thus he persecuted christians because the law said that at those times. Paul is missing something which is Jesus, God had mercy on Him by giving him grace and allowing him to share this great news to us.
Mark said that religion is rubbish because many religion teaches people to do good things and to be a good person dont do this and dont do that so that we can go to heaven neglecting the fact that the only way to go to heaven is through Jesus.
I guess, from this passage i wanted to share to u guys that i found it very encouraging knowing that i am saved by grace alone not by my works and i hope as christians you will be reminded of his grace and find it comforting.
The final question that I guess worth asking esp to myself is "what does it mean to live as christian knowing that I am saved by grace?"
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