Rationality... sometimes putting things into perspective is just that important... As sinners... our vision is so limited... peripheral... Peripheral has two meanings... interestingly... the overlap of vision of our two eyes is called peripheral vision... Peripheral can also mean focusing on relatively minor and irrelevant issues... Such a pun... It is indeed accurate to term man for having peripheral vision...
Rationality distinguishes from emotions... Sometimes... you're just so emotionally attached... that you no longer wanna hear the rational side of yourself... And you delve and sink into emotions... and that's where you lose yourself... where negative thinking sets in... where you don't think straight... That little bit of rationality... is so important...
When we are too engrossed at what we have at hand... we tend to forget about the little things in life that can make us happy... In fact... it takes very little to make one happy... isn't it? Rationality puts things into perspective... not drawing focus away from what we need to be focused on...
I pray for the fine balance of rationality vs emotions... something i've been struggling all this while... to be in control of emotions... and to not be void of emotions at times...
Have a blessed week ahead everyone ; )
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
'Elijah went before the people and said, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him."
But the people said nothing.' 1 Kings 18 : 21
Sometimes when I read the old testament, I don't see the direct link between the happenings and my life.
I still remember Ailing posting me this question, "Either you choose to belong to God or you choose to belong to the world."
In comparison, the many things that we might place priority over God now are all Baal.
A continual process of evaluation is required, to ensure that we do not neglect God as the center of our lives.
'The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by."
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind.
After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire.
And after the fire came a gentle whisper. ' 1 Kings 19 : 11-12
The still small voice that speaks to us amidst all the busyness of life... Are we still sensitive to it...?
But the people said nothing.' 1 Kings 18 : 21
Sometimes when I read the old testament, I don't see the direct link between the happenings and my life.
I still remember Ailing posting me this question, "Either you choose to belong to God or you choose to belong to the world."
In comparison, the many things that we might place priority over God now are all Baal.
A continual process of evaluation is required, to ensure that we do not neglect God as the center of our lives.
'The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by."
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind.
After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire.
And after the fire came a gentle whisper. ' 1 Kings 19 : 11-12
The still small voice that speaks to us amidst all the busyness of life... Are we still sensitive to it...?
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Food, we just can't live without it. Consumption for survival is stating the obvious, but somehow, food satisfies other needs as well. It acts as a stress relief, an enjoyment and some would say it's an art form.
It is so essential, and can be so satisfying. In fact, many of us look forward to our lunch breaks, where we can take our minds off work for a moment, to enjoy the simplicity of putting chunks of delicious food into our mouths.
That's how most of us would take a look at food...
You may ask... how else can we define it???
Jesus says, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish His work" John 4:33-35
Doing His will. An essential of life. An enjoyment. A necessity. An every day thing.
Are we doing it?
It is so essential, and can be so satisfying. In fact, many of us look forward to our lunch breaks, where we can take our minds off work for a moment, to enjoy the simplicity of putting chunks of delicious food into our mouths.
That's how most of us would take a look at food...
You may ask... how else can we define it???
Jesus says, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish His work" John 4:33-35
Doing His will. An essential of life. An enjoyment. A necessity. An every day thing.
Are we doing it?
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
"And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons:
"My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as son."
Endure hardship as discipline;God is treating you as sons.For what son is not disciplined by his father?
If you are not disciplined ( and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!
Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness.
No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."
Hebrews 12 : 5-11
God will discipline those He loves... and thus I am grateful for the many ways that many people have been giving me feedback for me to continue to mindful of my speech and my actions and to continue to allow Him to mould me into His likeness.
"My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as son."
Endure hardship as discipline;God is treating you as sons.For what son is not disciplined by his father?
If you are not disciplined ( and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!
Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness.
No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."
Hebrews 12 : 5-11
God will discipline those He loves... and thus I am grateful for the many ways that many people have been giving me feedback for me to continue to mindful of my speech and my actions and to continue to allow Him to mould me into His likeness.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Had been very tired for the past few days... The Freshmen TeamBuilding Camp (FTB) was really tiring... Initially it was still okay... but the sun... the physical and mental activities... the lack of sleep... the mosquitoes disturbing my sleep... the rocky ground we slept on... made me feel super tired at the end of it all... and i didn't feel tired till the end of it.. thankfully...
And I guess I didn't get enough rest after that... Went to a CIP thing on thursday, and then spent the whole Friday with my church friends... and alas, I caught a slight fever...
Rested at home for the whole day already... Feel much better... should be able to recover by tomorrow...
Hmmm... A new environment... the university... SMU... many temptations, distractions surfaced since matriculation. I thank God for the revival camp committee... that as we discussed about certain issues.. it presented a reminder to me as well... that my life was slowly shifting to the world again... and from Friday morning's QT sharing... that sometimes we lose sight of why we uphold certain principles... and that we too often assert our supposed 'rights' too strongly... I ask myself... since others are doing it, what's so wrong about me doing it ? Or worse still, since other 'christians' are doing it, what's wrong about it? I guess this resulted in not spending enough time with God...
I remember Wei En's sharing... Satan spends 168hours trying to distract us from God... and we only spend so little time with God... A lesson learnt and currently trying to apply is to talk to my God more... Too many times I try to reason out things in my own way... not talking to God about it... Again I go back to Wei En's sharing bout continually conversing with God throughout the day... short prayers, is a good help to keep focus throughout the day...
There are many things out there that can discourage us... Christians who don't be have like christians... arguments that arise... etc. but ultimately, we're not here to judge. And God has already given me the hope of salvation... the faith and love that He has given to me... The strength and everything to continue to walk with God... He is our all in all... He is the Lord Almighty... The Most High... The King of Kings... Just heard the song from ziling's blog... it's really a gd reminder... a simple yet powerful song... :
"Did you ever talk to God above?
Tell Him that you need a friend to love
Pray in Jesus' name believing that
God answers prayers
Have you told Him all your cares and woes
Every tiny little fear He knows
You can know He'll always hear
And He will answer prayers
You can whisper in a crowd to Him
You can cry when you're alone to Him
You don't have to pray out loud to Him
He knows your thoughts
On a lofty mountain peak He's there
In the meadow by a stream He's there
Everywhere on earth you go
He's been there from the start
Find the answer in His word it's true
You'll be strong because He walks with you
By His faithfulness He'll change you too
God answers prayers "
I like the part about every tiny fear, telling Him everything, and that He knows our thoughts, and to continue learning bout His word and walking with God as He walks with us...
Let us continue to walk in Christ, being focused on God alone, viewing other things as rubbish just like Paul did... and have the courage to let go the things we need to let go... ; )
"But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Pressing on Toward the Goal
12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
Philippians 3: 7 -14
And I guess I didn't get enough rest after that... Went to a CIP thing on thursday, and then spent the whole Friday with my church friends... and alas, I caught a slight fever...
Rested at home for the whole day already... Feel much better... should be able to recover by tomorrow...
Hmmm... A new environment... the university... SMU... many temptations, distractions surfaced since matriculation. I thank God for the revival camp committee... that as we discussed about certain issues.. it presented a reminder to me as well... that my life was slowly shifting to the world again... and from Friday morning's QT sharing... that sometimes we lose sight of why we uphold certain principles... and that we too often assert our supposed 'rights' too strongly... I ask myself... since others are doing it, what's so wrong about me doing it ? Or worse still, since other 'christians' are doing it, what's wrong about it? I guess this resulted in not spending enough time with God...
I remember Wei En's sharing... Satan spends 168hours trying to distract us from God... and we only spend so little time with God... A lesson learnt and currently trying to apply is to talk to my God more... Too many times I try to reason out things in my own way... not talking to God about it... Again I go back to Wei En's sharing bout continually conversing with God throughout the day... short prayers, is a good help to keep focus throughout the day...
There are many things out there that can discourage us... Christians who don't be have like christians... arguments that arise... etc. but ultimately, we're not here to judge. And God has already given me the hope of salvation... the faith and love that He has given to me... The strength and everything to continue to walk with God... He is our all in all... He is the Lord Almighty... The Most High... The King of Kings... Just heard the song from ziling's blog... it's really a gd reminder... a simple yet powerful song... :
"Did you ever talk to God above?
Tell Him that you need a friend to love
Pray in Jesus' name believing that
God answers prayers
Have you told Him all your cares and woes
Every tiny little fear He knows
You can know He'll always hear
And He will answer prayers
You can whisper in a crowd to Him
You can cry when you're alone to Him
You don't have to pray out loud to Him
He knows your thoughts
On a lofty mountain peak He's there
In the meadow by a stream He's there
Everywhere on earth you go
He's been there from the start
Find the answer in His word it's true
You'll be strong because He walks with you
By His faithfulness He'll change you too
God answers prayers "
I like the part about every tiny fear, telling Him everything, and that He knows our thoughts, and to continue learning bout His word and walking with God as He walks with us...
Let us continue to walk in Christ, being focused on God alone, viewing other things as rubbish just like Paul did... and have the courage to let go the things we need to let go... ; )
"But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Pressing on Toward the Goal
12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
Philippians 3: 7 -14
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