EVERY relationship has a cycle. In the
beginning, you fell in love with your spouse. You anticipated their
call, wanted their touch, and liked their idiosyncrasies.
Falling in love with your spouse wasn't hard. In fact, it was a
completely natural and spontaneous experience. You didn't have to DO
anything. That's why it's called "falling" in love...
Because it's happening TO YOU.
People in love sometimes say, "I was swept of my feet." Think about the
imagery of that __expression. It implies that you were just standing
there; doing nothing, and then something came along and happened TO YOU.
Falling is love is easy. It's a passive and spontaneous experience. But
after a few years of marriage, the euphoria of love fades. It's the
natural cycle of EVERY relationship. Slowly but surely, phone calls
become a bothe r (if they come at all), touch is not always welcome
(when it happens), and your spouse's idiosyncrasies, instead of being
cute, drive you nuts.
The symptoms of this stage vary with every relationship, but if you
think about your marriage! , you will notice a dramatic difference
between the initial stage when you were in love and a much duller or
even angry subsequent stage.
At this point, you and/or your spouse might start asking, "Did I marry
the right person?" And as you and your spouse reflect on the euphoria of
the love you once had, you may begin to desire that experience with
someone else. This is when marriages breakdown. People blame their
spouse for their unhappiness and look outside their marriage for
fulfillment.
Extramarital fulfillment comes in all shapes and sizes. Infidelity is
the most obvious. But sometimes people turn to work,a hobby, a
friendship, excessive TV, or abusive substances.
But the answer to this dilemma does NOT lie outside your marriage. It
lies within it. I'm not saying that you couldn't fall in love with
someone else. You could.
And TEMPORARILY you'd feel better. But you'd be in the same situation a few years later. Because (listen carefully to this):
THE KEY TO SUCCEEDING IN MARRIAGE IS NOT FINDING THE RIGHT PERSON; IT'S LEARNING TO LOVE THE PERSON YOU FOUND.
SUSTAINING love is not a passive or spontaneous experience.. It'll NEVER
just happen to you. You can't "find" LASTING love. You20have to "make"
it day in and day out. That's why we have the expression "the labor of
love."
Because it takes time, effort, and energy . And most importantly, it
takes WISDOM . You have to know WHAT TO DO to make your marriage work.
Make no mistake about it. Love is NOT a mystery. There are specific
things you can do (with or without your spouse) to succeed with your
marriage.
Just as there are physical laws of the universe (such as gravity), there
are also laws for relationships. Just as the right diet and exercise
program makes you physically stronger, certain habits in your
relationship WILL make your marriage stronger. It's a direct cause and
effect. If you know and apply the laws, the results are
predictable...you can "make" love.
Love in marriage is indeed a "decision"... Not just a feeling .
"No one falls in love by choice, it is by CHANCE.
No one stays in love by chance, it is by WORK.
And no one falls out of love by chance, it is by choice"
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
New thoughts
So sorry for not blogging for such a long time... I guess for the longest time ever I've been so caught up in my own life... Honestly I dunno what has gotten into me or what has changed me but I guess when I try to focus on God, God is never not there waiting for me...
I guess the 1st turning point is:
1. The Blind Side (A movie)
This movie seriously touched me. It reminded me again that there is more to life than chasing for that perfect job, those perfect grades... I've really been engulfed by the world... by SMU... I need time off... more time to think about my life... how to give my best in school for God, and not for myself, and not for the world.
Well, to backtrack a little to the movie, in case some of you have not watched it. I shall not say too much as well, in case I say too much and spoil the experience of those who are still intending to catch this movie for the first time.
Well basically the part that touched me most was the fact that this Christian family stuck to their principles, lived with the mockery that was given to them, and challenged social stigma. All this trust for a stranger, who had a bad record of leaving his foster families. Also, this family is one that I can relate to. Their children couldn't care less about their comfort, and they took many things for granted. However, somehow, when this family, in particular the mom, decided to take the stranger in, both parties benefited. Their children grew in maturity, and their parents learned to stand up for their Christian principles. More importantly, this family showed how they used their blessings to bless others. It's so unfair that people like us have the right/option to take things for granted whilst there are people out there who have nothing to take granted for, except maybe their own lives. Sigh, I promise to God and I pray and I hope that I will use all the blessings He has given me to bless those around me, and not to benefit myself.
2. Sermons
I need to prepare for Singspiration this Sunday. I thank God for giving me the courage to continue to try to place Him first despite having an inaugural 5 exams this sem. I pray that I will use time wisely and finish my exams. At the same time, I have a good break from the routine of school lessons and have more time to do my QT as well. :)
From John Piper's website,
(http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/sermons/the-word-of-god-living-active-sharp)
The Deceiving Power of Sin
Notice three things here.
In verse 12 the danger day in and day out is that an evil, unbelieving heart would lead us away from God. Unbelief is the issue. The issue is failure to trust God's promises.
Then (in verse 13) notice that something like small groups is essential: "Encourage one another day after day." So you get your small group involved. You need their help. Why?
That's the third thing: the way our hearts become unbelieving (verse 12) is by being "hardened by the deceitfulness of sin" (verse 13). We need help to keep from being deceived by sin. How are we going to be rescued from the deceiving power of sin? How can small groups help? How can we help?
That's what today's text in Hebrews 4:12 is meant to answer. The Word of God is living and active and penetrates to the bottom of our lives and rips the pleasant mask off the ugly face of sin. The only reason anybody sins is because at some level they are (culpably) deceived. They start believing the lies of sin instead of the promises of God.
Sin whispers through the desires of the flesh and the rationalizations of the mind, your only hope of future happiness is to have an abortion. It whispers that you will not have a chance in the future if you don't cheat on this test. It says that you won't be noticed and liked if you don't dress provocatively. It says you will lose the one person who seems to care for you if you don't compromise your sexual standards. It says you won't have job security if you speak up about the dishonest practices at work. It says your life will be wasted in this relationship if you don't get a divorce. It says that only a fool would go on looking weak instead of getting some kind of revenge.
Every one of those statements is a lie. It's what Hebrews 3:13 calls "the deceitfulness of sin." Now those lies sometimes lodge themselves very deep in the heart as thoughts and intentions that seem unshakably true because of the hardness of deception that encloses them like a dark, sealed casket. In that condition unbelief has the upper hand. We are not believing in the promises of God, we are trusting in the promises of sin. And we are in mortal danger of becoming so hard that repentance will become impossible (Hebrews 6:6), and heaven will have been thrown away for the sake of a few fleeting pleasures, like an inheritance sold for a bowl of stew (Hebrews 12:16).
How Will We Escape the Deceit of Sin?
What is our only hope? Our only hope is that there is something sharp enough and powerful enough to penetrate through all the deception and shed light on my thoughts and intentions. And that's what our text is about in Hebrews 4:12. The Word of God is our only hope. The good news of God's promises and the warnings of his judgment are sharp enough and living enough and active enough to penetrate to the bottom of my heart and show me that the lies of sin are indeed lies.
Abortion will not create a wonderful future for me. Neither will cheating, or dressing provocatively, or throwing away my sexual purity, or keeping quiet about dishonesty at work, or divorce, or vengeance. And what rescues me from this deception is the Word of God. The Word of God's promise is like throwing open a great window of bright morning sun on the shiny-back roaches of sin masquerading as satisfying pleasures in our hearts.
In other words, I see Hebrews 4:12 as a tremendous encouragement coming after verse 11. Be diligent to enter God's rest by fighting off the disobedience of unbelief. Why? Because (verse 12) God has given you his good news (verse 2), his promises, his Word to protect you from the deep deceptions of sin that try to harden the heart and lure it away from God and lead it to destruction. Be of good cheer in your battle to believe. Because the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword and it will penetrate deeper than any deception of sin has ever gone and reveal what is truly valuable and what is truly worth trusting.
And so we end this message at a point of crisis. You have heard the Word of God. Much has been exposed to your own conscience this morning. And now as verse 13 says, "no one is hidden from God's sight; but all things are open and laid bare before his eyes." His gaze is upon you. What will you do with what he has exposed, and what he now is watching?
I hope the answer is: turn from the deceptive promises of sin, and trust in the all-satisfying promises of God.
I need to turn from the deceptiveness of sin. My heart has been hardened to sin. I've been so numbed to it then I don't even realize the predicament I'm in. Lord, please help me to stay focused on you. And I pray that I can do this with my brothers and sisters in Christ.
3. On Politics
Somehow, I've become more interested in politics. I guess one is Pei En's influence, which led me to taking a module called Economics of Politics. After finishing the course, I learn to appreciate the complexity in politics a little more, and tonight I actually caught a political forum on TV. I was eagerly anticipating to watch it actually after seeing it on an advertisement. Well, the oppositions parties sort of disappointed but I was really quite impressed by the abilities of our Finance Minister, in particular his clarity of thought and sharpness of delivery.
My friend then pasted me a link on someone's view of the PAP and some of the issues that might be less well-known. If you want to you can read it at this website: http://yaevlejunce.wordpress.com/2009/12/12/my-vote-counts-10-reasons-why-i-cannot-vote-for-the-pap-in-the-next-election/ Somehow, this website led me to think about the bigger issues in life.
It has reminded me that life is not that simple. That we should never be complacent about the things happening around us. We are shallow beings. Our knowledge and experiences are limited to 5 senses. We are unable to appreciate the complexities and difficulties going on around us when we do not actually experience them. Typing in front of my laptop and focusing on my blog makes me forget about the unrest in Middle East, the pains in Japan, the problems of Social Security systems in US, the large fiscal debts in Europe, and so on. My exams make me forget about everything else. Lord, please forgive me for my inactions and my sins.
I am really convinced that God wants to use me for something meaningful. I need to stop doing things that are menial, and prepare and hone myself for bigger things to be used by God.
That's all for now... hopefully I can start blogging more :)
I guess the 1st turning point is:
1. The Blind Side (A movie)
This movie seriously touched me. It reminded me again that there is more to life than chasing for that perfect job, those perfect grades... I've really been engulfed by the world... by SMU... I need time off... more time to think about my life... how to give my best in school for God, and not for myself, and not for the world.
Well, to backtrack a little to the movie, in case some of you have not watched it. I shall not say too much as well, in case I say too much and spoil the experience of those who are still intending to catch this movie for the first time.
Well basically the part that touched me most was the fact that this Christian family stuck to their principles, lived with the mockery that was given to them, and challenged social stigma. All this trust for a stranger, who had a bad record of leaving his foster families. Also, this family is one that I can relate to. Their children couldn't care less about their comfort, and they took many things for granted. However, somehow, when this family, in particular the mom, decided to take the stranger in, both parties benefited. Their children grew in maturity, and their parents learned to stand up for their Christian principles. More importantly, this family showed how they used their blessings to bless others. It's so unfair that people like us have the right/option to take things for granted whilst there are people out there who have nothing to take granted for, except maybe their own lives. Sigh, I promise to God and I pray and I hope that I will use all the blessings He has given me to bless those around me, and not to benefit myself.
2. Sermons
I need to prepare for Singspiration this Sunday. I thank God for giving me the courage to continue to try to place Him first despite having an inaugural 5 exams this sem. I pray that I will use time wisely and finish my exams. At the same time, I have a good break from the routine of school lessons and have more time to do my QT as well. :)
From John Piper's website,
(http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/sermons/the-word-of-god-living-active-sharp)
The Deceiving Power of Sin
Notice three things here.
In verse 12 the danger day in and day out is that an evil, unbelieving heart would lead us away from God. Unbelief is the issue. The issue is failure to trust God's promises.
Then (in verse 13) notice that something like small groups is essential: "Encourage one another day after day." So you get your small group involved. You need their help. Why?
That's the third thing: the way our hearts become unbelieving (verse 12) is by being "hardened by the deceitfulness of sin" (verse 13). We need help to keep from being deceived by sin. How are we going to be rescued from the deceiving power of sin? How can small groups help? How can we help?
That's what today's text in Hebrews 4:12 is meant to answer. The Word of God is living and active and penetrates to the bottom of our lives and rips the pleasant mask off the ugly face of sin. The only reason anybody sins is because at some level they are (culpably) deceived. They start believing the lies of sin instead of the promises of God.
Sin whispers through the desires of the flesh and the rationalizations of the mind, your only hope of future happiness is to have an abortion. It whispers that you will not have a chance in the future if you don't cheat on this test. It says that you won't be noticed and liked if you don't dress provocatively. It says you will lose the one person who seems to care for you if you don't compromise your sexual standards. It says you won't have job security if you speak up about the dishonest practices at work. It says your life will be wasted in this relationship if you don't get a divorce. It says that only a fool would go on looking weak instead of getting some kind of revenge.
Every one of those statements is a lie. It's what Hebrews 3:13 calls "the deceitfulness of sin." Now those lies sometimes lodge themselves very deep in the heart as thoughts and intentions that seem unshakably true because of the hardness of deception that encloses them like a dark, sealed casket. In that condition unbelief has the upper hand. We are not believing in the promises of God, we are trusting in the promises of sin. And we are in mortal danger of becoming so hard that repentance will become impossible (Hebrews 6:6), and heaven will have been thrown away for the sake of a few fleeting pleasures, like an inheritance sold for a bowl of stew (Hebrews 12:16).
How Will We Escape the Deceit of Sin?
What is our only hope? Our only hope is that there is something sharp enough and powerful enough to penetrate through all the deception and shed light on my thoughts and intentions. And that's what our text is about in Hebrews 4:12. The Word of God is our only hope. The good news of God's promises and the warnings of his judgment are sharp enough and living enough and active enough to penetrate to the bottom of my heart and show me that the lies of sin are indeed lies.
Abortion will not create a wonderful future for me. Neither will cheating, or dressing provocatively, or throwing away my sexual purity, or keeping quiet about dishonesty at work, or divorce, or vengeance. And what rescues me from this deception is the Word of God. The Word of God's promise is like throwing open a great window of bright morning sun on the shiny-back roaches of sin masquerading as satisfying pleasures in our hearts.
In other words, I see Hebrews 4:12 as a tremendous encouragement coming after verse 11. Be diligent to enter God's rest by fighting off the disobedience of unbelief. Why? Because (verse 12) God has given you his good news (verse 2), his promises, his Word to protect you from the deep deceptions of sin that try to harden the heart and lure it away from God and lead it to destruction. Be of good cheer in your battle to believe. Because the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword and it will penetrate deeper than any deception of sin has ever gone and reveal what is truly valuable and what is truly worth trusting.
And so we end this message at a point of crisis. You have heard the Word of God. Much has been exposed to your own conscience this morning. And now as verse 13 says, "no one is hidden from God's sight; but all things are open and laid bare before his eyes." His gaze is upon you. What will you do with what he has exposed, and what he now is watching?
I hope the answer is: turn from the deceptive promises of sin, and trust in the all-satisfying promises of God.
I need to turn from the deceptiveness of sin. My heart has been hardened to sin. I've been so numbed to it then I don't even realize the predicament I'm in. Lord, please help me to stay focused on you. And I pray that I can do this with my brothers and sisters in Christ.
3. On Politics
Somehow, I've become more interested in politics. I guess one is Pei En's influence, which led me to taking a module called Economics of Politics. After finishing the course, I learn to appreciate the complexity in politics a little more, and tonight I actually caught a political forum on TV. I was eagerly anticipating to watch it actually after seeing it on an advertisement. Well, the oppositions parties sort of disappointed but I was really quite impressed by the abilities of our Finance Minister, in particular his clarity of thought and sharpness of delivery.
My friend then pasted me a link on someone's view of the PAP and some of the issues that might be less well-known. If you want to you can read it at this website: http://yaevlejunce.wordpress.com/2009/12/12/my-vote-counts-10-reasons-why-i-cannot-vote-for-the-pap-in-the-next-election/ Somehow, this website led me to think about the bigger issues in life.
It has reminded me that life is not that simple. That we should never be complacent about the things happening around us. We are shallow beings. Our knowledge and experiences are limited to 5 senses. We are unable to appreciate the complexities and difficulties going on around us when we do not actually experience them. Typing in front of my laptop and focusing on my blog makes me forget about the unrest in Middle East, the pains in Japan, the problems of Social Security systems in US, the large fiscal debts in Europe, and so on. My exams make me forget about everything else. Lord, please forgive me for my inactions and my sins.
I am really convinced that God wants to use me for something meaningful. I need to stop doing things that are menial, and prepare and hone myself for bigger things to be used by God.
That's all for now... hopefully I can start blogging more :)
Monday, July 26, 2010
Been very long since I last uploaded a post.
Finally managed to find this very good christian website thanks to Ying Qian and Dao Yi.
Haha. okay here it is! http://illbehonest.com/
And watched 2 videos today... hope to encourage all who's in this walk with God, especially the brethrens... and those who have yet to commit their lives to Him... do so today (:
Cheers.
Finally managed to find this very good christian website thanks to Ying Qian and Dao Yi.
Haha. okay here it is! http://illbehonest.com/
And watched 2 videos today... hope to encourage all who's in this walk with God, especially the brethrens... and those who have yet to commit their lives to Him... do so today (:
Cheers.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Been so long since I last blogged. Well... taking some time off work to just quickly post something that I read on the net.
Been thinking about quite a few issues recently, and I'm having like some concerns for like $$ in the future to meet family needs and all that... been thinking about investing, but haven't found a good reason to start... decided it's about time to get some good information and start pondering... (partially cos the markets are dropping now (my friend sms-ed me to ask me about some stock and if he should start) and it might be a gd time to start seriously considering)
"Location: Investing
Why invest?
by Crown Financial Ministries
God is the perfect partner in any investment program. It is He who supplies all the seed to be planted. We plant it; He multiplies it. So, any investment program ought to be based around multiplying assets that God supplies and returning the bulk of the crop, as pointed out in the parable of the stewards in Luke 19:12-24. The seeds that we retain then bring in a greater harvest the next time. As we show our faithfulness, He will give us even more. Our responsibility is to return it to His work.
Reasons for investing
God's number one prerequisite for investing is always centered on our attitudes. Money can be used for the comfort and convenience of our families. It can be used to provide the needs of others. It can be used to spread the Gospel. Or it can be used for destructive purposes. Money, if misused, as in the case of the rich young ruler recorded in Matthew 19:16-30, can be an object of devotion and idolatry. Love of money has separated families and shattered friendships. Countless marriages have split up over the love of, or the misuse of money. Christians, therefore, must assess why they want to invest and how the surplus from the investments will be used, in the light of God's principles. God is not against prosperity, but He hates evil attitudes that often accompany prosperity. These attitudes include greed, covetousness, and pride. So, since ultimately attitude will determine how an investment surplus is used, it is vital to discover what attitudes God wants us to have.
In addition, there are scripturally sound reasons for investing, and there are unscriptural reasons for investing. If you are investing for the wrong reasons it's like having your ladder leaning against the wrong building. No matter how high you climb, you still end up on the wrong building.
So, first we will evaluate why people invest and accumulate money, and then we'll look at the scripturally sound and unsound reasons for investing.
Why do people invest?
Others advise it. Many people invest simply because someone else advised them to. They don't have any clear personal plans or goals with regard to their investments. According to God's Word, we are to seek good counsel, but we must weigh all counsel received against His Word. Listen, but seek God's direction before taking action.
Envy of others. Many people want to invest and accumulate wealth simply because they envy other people and their successes.
It is a game to them. Many people invest because they consider it to be a competitive game. As such, they often get so wrapped up in the contest that they sacrifice family, friends, or health in order to win the game. They have no particular attachment to the money; it's winning that's important to them.
Self-esteem and ego. Many want to accumulate wealth so that others will envy them. Those who are victims of this motive use their money in an attempt to buy esteem and bolster their pride and ego. “A man's pride will bring him low, but a humble spirit will obtain honor” (Proverbs 29:23).
The love of money. Those who love money will not part with it for any reason. Their lives are characterized by hoarding and abasement. This is a type of idol worship, which separates us from God. First Timothy 6:10, Hebrews 13:5, and Luke 9:25 caution against the love of money.
Protection. Many people accumulate money for protection. This attitude places money as the object of trust and security rather than God.
Slothfulness. Often people don't plan well during the earlier years of their lives and, consequently, when faced with expenses in their middle or later years, they panic and try to generate in five years what they should have saved over the previous 20 years. A regular habit of spending less than you make and saving the difference is the proper investment plan.
A spiritual gift. There is only one reason why God would supply a surplus of wealth to a Christian: so the needs of others can be met. If Christians want God to entrust greater riches to them, they must be found faithful in the smaller amount first (Luke 16:10-11). God promises His blessings to all who freely give and promises His curse on those who hoard, steal, covet, or idolize.
What are the scripturally sound and unsound reasons for investing? There are three scripturally sound reasons for investing.
Multiply to give more. The parable of the talents recorded in Luke 19:12-26 tells us that God entrusts wealth to some of His stewards so that it will be available to Him at a later date. The management of the wealth requires that it be invested or multiplied.
Meet future family needs. The indication throughout God's Word is that the heads of families should provide for their own (1 Timothy 5:8). Good planning requires laying aside some of the surplus for future needs.
Further the Gospel and fund special needs. This type of giving is necessary to maintain and promote the Gospel. If the church is ever to break out of the borrowing habit, Christians who invest must maintain some surpluses and be willing to give to legitimate needs.
There are four unsound reasons for investing.
Greed. Greed is the desire continually to have more and demand only the best (1 Timothy 6:9).
Envy. Envy is the desire to achieve based on other people's successes (Psalm 73:3).
Pride. Pride is the desire to be elevated because of material achievements (1 Timothy 6:17).
Ignorance. Ignorance is following the counsel of other misguided people because of lack of discernment (Proverbs 14:7).
Once a Christian has accepted the purpose of investing—to serve God better—the crucial decision is how much to invest. This decision must be made after much prayer. In addition, a plan for the use and the distribution of the potential surplus must be made before the money becomes available. Set goals and pray about each goal before attempting to do any investing. If motives are anything but biblical, it would be better to give the money away rather than to risk losing something far more important than money—a relationship with the Lord.
Conclusion
Being rich or being poor is a matter of providence in God's will, and He will give us only what we are capable of handling. The Christian's responsibility is awesome and sobering. God, in His eternal plan, has decided to use us to supply and to fund His work. One day we must all stand before God and give an account of what we have done with His resources. Why does God provide an accumulation of wealth from investing? So His people can exercise giving in order to meet the needs of those who cannot provide for themselves."
Source:http://www.crown.org/LIBRARY/ViewArticle.aspx?ArticleId=598
This article pretty much sums up quite a few key points, though I'm not too sure if the parable of the talents was literally referring to investing in wealth, or just generally talking about using our gifts from God to reap fruits for His purposes.
got to check it out.
but yeah, i have some good guidelines to think about this investing now! definitely have some good intentions, but can't deny that the temptation to value $$ is there, and the competition and pride thing probably is as well... soooo... yeah... will pray about it more!
Been thinking about quite a few issues recently, and I'm having like some concerns for like $$ in the future to meet family needs and all that... been thinking about investing, but haven't found a good reason to start... decided it's about time to get some good information and start pondering... (partially cos the markets are dropping now (my friend sms-ed me to ask me about some stock and if he should start) and it might be a gd time to start seriously considering)
"Location: Investing
Why invest?
by Crown Financial Ministries
God is the perfect partner in any investment program. It is He who supplies all the seed to be planted. We plant it; He multiplies it. So, any investment program ought to be based around multiplying assets that God supplies and returning the bulk of the crop, as pointed out in the parable of the stewards in Luke 19:12-24. The seeds that we retain then bring in a greater harvest the next time. As we show our faithfulness, He will give us even more. Our responsibility is to return it to His work.
Reasons for investing
God's number one prerequisite for investing is always centered on our attitudes. Money can be used for the comfort and convenience of our families. It can be used to provide the needs of others. It can be used to spread the Gospel. Or it can be used for destructive purposes. Money, if misused, as in the case of the rich young ruler recorded in Matthew 19:16-30, can be an object of devotion and idolatry. Love of money has separated families and shattered friendships. Countless marriages have split up over the love of, or the misuse of money. Christians, therefore, must assess why they want to invest and how the surplus from the investments will be used, in the light of God's principles. God is not against prosperity, but He hates evil attitudes that often accompany prosperity. These attitudes include greed, covetousness, and pride. So, since ultimately attitude will determine how an investment surplus is used, it is vital to discover what attitudes God wants us to have.
In addition, there are scripturally sound reasons for investing, and there are unscriptural reasons for investing. If you are investing for the wrong reasons it's like having your ladder leaning against the wrong building. No matter how high you climb, you still end up on the wrong building.
So, first we will evaluate why people invest and accumulate money, and then we'll look at the scripturally sound and unsound reasons for investing.
Why do people invest?
Others advise it. Many people invest simply because someone else advised them to. They don't have any clear personal plans or goals with regard to their investments. According to God's Word, we are to seek good counsel, but we must weigh all counsel received against His Word. Listen, but seek God's direction before taking action.
Envy of others. Many people want to invest and accumulate wealth simply because they envy other people and their successes.
It is a game to them. Many people invest because they consider it to be a competitive game. As such, they often get so wrapped up in the contest that they sacrifice family, friends, or health in order to win the game. They have no particular attachment to the money; it's winning that's important to them.
Self-esteem and ego. Many want to accumulate wealth so that others will envy them. Those who are victims of this motive use their money in an attempt to buy esteem and bolster their pride and ego. “A man's pride will bring him low, but a humble spirit will obtain honor” (Proverbs 29:23).
The love of money. Those who love money will not part with it for any reason. Their lives are characterized by hoarding and abasement. This is a type of idol worship, which separates us from God. First Timothy 6:10, Hebrews 13:5, and Luke 9:25 caution against the love of money.
Protection. Many people accumulate money for protection. This attitude places money as the object of trust and security rather than God.
Slothfulness. Often people don't plan well during the earlier years of their lives and, consequently, when faced with expenses in their middle or later years, they panic and try to generate in five years what they should have saved over the previous 20 years. A regular habit of spending less than you make and saving the difference is the proper investment plan.
A spiritual gift. There is only one reason why God would supply a surplus of wealth to a Christian: so the needs of others can be met. If Christians want God to entrust greater riches to them, they must be found faithful in the smaller amount first (Luke 16:10-11). God promises His blessings to all who freely give and promises His curse on those who hoard, steal, covet, or idolize.
What are the scripturally sound and unsound reasons for investing? There are three scripturally sound reasons for investing.
Multiply to give more. The parable of the talents recorded in Luke 19:12-26 tells us that God entrusts wealth to some of His stewards so that it will be available to Him at a later date. The management of the wealth requires that it be invested or multiplied.
Meet future family needs. The indication throughout God's Word is that the heads of families should provide for their own (1 Timothy 5:8). Good planning requires laying aside some of the surplus for future needs.
Further the Gospel and fund special needs. This type of giving is necessary to maintain and promote the Gospel. If the church is ever to break out of the borrowing habit, Christians who invest must maintain some surpluses and be willing to give to legitimate needs.
There are four unsound reasons for investing.
Greed. Greed is the desire continually to have more and demand only the best (1 Timothy 6:9).
Envy. Envy is the desire to achieve based on other people's successes (Psalm 73:3).
Pride. Pride is the desire to be elevated because of material achievements (1 Timothy 6:17).
Ignorance. Ignorance is following the counsel of other misguided people because of lack of discernment (Proverbs 14:7).
Once a Christian has accepted the purpose of investing—to serve God better—the crucial decision is how much to invest. This decision must be made after much prayer. In addition, a plan for the use and the distribution of the potential surplus must be made before the money becomes available. Set goals and pray about each goal before attempting to do any investing. If motives are anything but biblical, it would be better to give the money away rather than to risk losing something far more important than money—a relationship with the Lord.
Conclusion
Being rich or being poor is a matter of providence in God's will, and He will give us only what we are capable of handling. The Christian's responsibility is awesome and sobering. God, in His eternal plan, has decided to use us to supply and to fund His work. One day we must all stand before God and give an account of what we have done with His resources. Why does God provide an accumulation of wealth from investing? So His people can exercise giving in order to meet the needs of those who cannot provide for themselves."
Source:http://www.crown.org/LIBRARY/ViewArticle.aspx?ArticleId=598
This article pretty much sums up quite a few key points, though I'm not too sure if the parable of the talents was literally referring to investing in wealth, or just generally talking about using our gifts from God to reap fruits for His purposes.
got to check it out.
but yeah, i have some good guidelines to think about this investing now! definitely have some good intentions, but can't deny that the temptation to value $$ is there, and the competition and pride thing probably is as well... soooo... yeah... will pray about it more!
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Biblical Dating: Just Friends - http://www.boundless.org/2005/articles/a0001475.cfm
Biblical Dating: Are You Ready to Date? - http://www.boundless.org/2005/articles/a0001449.cfm
Brother, You're Like a Six - http://www.boundless.org/2005/articles/a0001371.cfm
BA: Stuck in the "Just Friends" Zone - http://www.boundless.org/2005/answers/a0001464.cfm
Sermon - Cultivating Healthy Marriage - http://sermons2.redeemer.com/sermons/cultivating-healthy-marriage
articles that a christian brother in SMU shared to me... it has been very helpful for me, and I hope it will be for you too...
God is good... all the time...
Biblical Dating: Are You Ready to Date? - http://www.boundless.org/2005/articles/a0001449.cfm
Brother, You're Like a Six - http://www.boundless.org/2005/articles/a0001371.cfm
BA: Stuck in the "Just Friends" Zone - http://www.boundless.org/2005/answers/a0001464.cfm
Sermon - Cultivating Healthy Marriage - http://sermons2.redeemer.com/sermons/cultivating-healthy-marriage
articles that a christian brother in SMU shared to me... it has been very helpful for me, and I hope it will be for you too...
God is good... all the time...
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
I am in class now, just marking class participation, so I'm rather free to surf the net...
I was looking at my past posts, and I realize that I haven't been posting many of new spiritual insights that I have... guess I'm getting a bit too busy...
Yes, I finally see that I'm living in the expectations of others... not God... Am I living my life as though God is watching, or as though man around me are watching...
I realize that our life is and always will be subjected to scrutiny or observation from others. Our friends, our superiors, our mentors, our brothers, our sisters...
I believe our testimony is very important, and many around me think so too, that is why this "being a salt & light for God" thing is commonly heard in our church. I believe if we try our best to fix our eyes on God, and allow Him to mould our lives slowly, crawl out from our residual comfort zones, we will 'survive the scrutiny'.
" Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. 6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly."
Romans 5: 1-6
I was looking at my past posts, and I realize that I haven't been posting many of new spiritual insights that I have... guess I'm getting a bit too busy...
Yes, I finally see that I'm living in the expectations of others... not God... Am I living my life as though God is watching, or as though man around me are watching...
I realize that our life is and always will be subjected to scrutiny or observation from others. Our friends, our superiors, our mentors, our brothers, our sisters...
I believe our testimony is very important, and many around me think so too, that is why this "being a salt & light for God" thing is commonly heard in our church. I believe if we try our best to fix our eyes on God, and allow Him to mould our lives slowly, crawl out from our residual comfort zones, we will 'survive the scrutiny'.
" Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. 6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly."
Romans 5: 1-6
Friday, January 8, 2010
My friend asked me yesterday, "What do you mean when you say that everything happens for a reason?"
Another asked, "If God has a plan for your life, doesn't it mean that we are just robots, executing his plan?"
I believe 2 rules of thumb can help address these queries:
1. God is 100% sovereign
2. Man are 100% free and responsible
As counter-intuitive as it sounds, both occur at the same time. Much like how Light has both wave-like properties as well as particle properties, some things are difficult to comprehend, but if you want to assume light ONLY has wave-like properties, then your theory cannot explain its particle-like properties.
I believe Man are still 100% responsible of each choice they make, but God, in His infinite wisdom and power, is sovereign over all that occurs.
Everything happens and happened for a reason... and sometimes we just need time to appreciate God's guidance through the things that have happened...
Not interpreting things just from our limited view, but seeing things from God's perspective.
Another asked, "If God has a plan for your life, doesn't it mean that we are just robots, executing his plan?"
I believe 2 rules of thumb can help address these queries:
1. God is 100% sovereign
2. Man are 100% free and responsible
As counter-intuitive as it sounds, both occur at the same time. Much like how Light has both wave-like properties as well as particle properties, some things are difficult to comprehend, but if you want to assume light ONLY has wave-like properties, then your theory cannot explain its particle-like properties.
I believe Man are still 100% responsible of each choice they make, but God, in His infinite wisdom and power, is sovereign over all that occurs.
Everything happens and happened for a reason... and sometimes we just need time to appreciate God's guidance through the things that have happened...
Not interpreting things just from our limited view, but seeing things from God's perspective.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
God's grace is over-whelming...
It is humbling to see how God is so willing to bless and give to us, and especially meaningful when we try our best to walk in the will of God and live out His love and principles...
I've tried hard to Seek first His Kingdom... and God has given me many things in which I am certain He has great plans for in the future. This has been the best birthday gift for me, and I really appreciate and thank God for His unfailing love and incomprehensible blessings...
2009 has been a tough year, especially the past 6 months... but I've really grown a lot in many facets, and pray that I'll continue to be able to do so...
Thank God for the Myanmar trip! It was very fruitful, and albeit the many challenges faced, overall it was a fun and meaningful trip. Many things left to resolve, and I just pray that God will give me strength to do so in the right time (:
It is humbling to see how God is so willing to bless and give to us, and especially meaningful when we try our best to walk in the will of God and live out His love and principles...
I've tried hard to Seek first His Kingdom... and God has given me many things in which I am certain He has great plans for in the future. This has been the best birthday gift for me, and I really appreciate and thank God for His unfailing love and incomprehensible blessings...
2009 has been a tough year, especially the past 6 months... but I've really grown a lot in many facets, and pray that I'll continue to be able to do so...
Thank God for the Myanmar trip! It was very fruitful, and albeit the many challenges faced, overall it was a fun and meaningful trip. Many things left to resolve, and I just pray that God will give me strength to do so in the right time (:
Saturday, November 28, 2009
"Taming the Tongue
1Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.
3When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
7All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, 8but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
9With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. 10Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. 11Can both fresh water and salt[a] water flow from the same spring? 12My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
Two Kinds of Wisdom
13Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
17But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness." ~ James 3
What a nice passage! Rid me of my selfish ambitions Lord! And teach me to control my tongue...
1Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.
3When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
7All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, 8but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
9With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. 10Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. 11Can both fresh water and salt[a] water flow from the same spring? 12My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
Two Kinds of Wisdom
13Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
17But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness." ~ James 3
What a nice passage! Rid me of my selfish ambitions Lord! And teach me to control my tongue...
I remember what you wore on the first day
You came into my life and I thought
"Hey, you know, this could be something"
'Cause everything you do and words you say
You know that it all takes my breath away
And now I'm left with nothing
'Cause maybe it's true
That I can't live without you
Maybe two is better than one
There's so much time
To figure out the rest of my life
And you thought that it got me coming undone
And I'm thinking two is better than one
I remember every look upon your face
The way you roll your eyes
The way you taste
You make it hard for breathing
'Cause when I close my eyes and drift away
I think of you and everything's okay
I'm finally now believing
That maybe it's true
That I can't live without you
Maybe two is better than one
[ Boys Like Girls Lyrics are found on www.songlyrics.com ]
There's so much time
To figure out the rest of my life
And you thought that it got me coming undone
And I'm thinking two is better than one
Yeah, yeah
I remember what you wore on the first day
You came into my life and I thought, "Hey,"
Maybe it's true
That I can't live without you
Maybe two is better than one
There's so much time
To figure out the rest of my life
And you thought that it got me coming undone
And I'm thinking
I can't live without you
'Cause, baby, two is better than one
There's so much time
To figure out the rest of my life
But I'll figure it out
When it's all said and done
Two is better than one
Two is better than one
You came into my life and I thought
"Hey, you know, this could be something"
'Cause everything you do and words you say
You know that it all takes my breath away
And now I'm left with nothing
'Cause maybe it's true
That I can't live without you
Maybe two is better than one
There's so much time
To figure out the rest of my life
And you thought that it got me coming undone
And I'm thinking two is better than one
I remember every look upon your face
The way you roll your eyes
The way you taste
You make it hard for breathing
'Cause when I close my eyes and drift away
I think of you and everything's okay
I'm finally now believing
That maybe it's true
That I can't live without you
Maybe two is better than one
[ Boys Like Girls Lyrics are found on www.songlyrics.com ]
There's so much time
To figure out the rest of my life
And you thought that it got me coming undone
And I'm thinking two is better than one
Yeah, yeah
I remember what you wore on the first day
You came into my life and I thought, "Hey,"
Maybe it's true
That I can't live without you
Maybe two is better than one
There's so much time
To figure out the rest of my life
And you thought that it got me coming undone
And I'm thinking
I can't live without you
'Cause, baby, two is better than one
There's so much time
To figure out the rest of my life
But I'll figure it out
When it's all said and done
Two is better than one
Two is better than one
Monday, November 23, 2009
Beholding is a way of becoming
2 Corinthians 3:18 " We all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another."
"The worth and excellency of a soul is to be measured by the object of his love" ~ Henry Scougal
"Beholding as a way of becoming" ~John Piper
The more we focus, behold the glory of God and his pleasures and love, the more we can be transformed to his likeness.
The beauty of an invisible heart is not assessed by what it thinks, as thought is beautiful in light of its affections, and not by what it wills, as there is half-hearted or whole hearted willing.
"You don't judge a soul by what it wills to do with lukewarm interest, or with mere teeth-gritting determination"
"the soul is measure by its flights,
some low and others high,
The heart is know by its delights,
And pleasures never lie"
I guess my love hasn't been well placed. Oh Lord, help me place my love and pleasures in you! Matthew 22:37 "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart"
"The worth and excellency of a soul is to be measured by the object of his love" ~ Henry Scougal
"Beholding as a way of becoming" ~John Piper
The more we focus, behold the glory of God and his pleasures and love, the more we can be transformed to his likeness.
The beauty of an invisible heart is not assessed by what it thinks, as thought is beautiful in light of its affections, and not by what it wills, as there is half-hearted or whole hearted willing.
"You don't judge a soul by what it wills to do with lukewarm interest, or with mere teeth-gritting determination"
"the soul is measure by its flights,
some low and others high,
The heart is know by its delights,
And pleasures never lie"
I guess my love hasn't been well placed. Oh Lord, help me place my love and pleasures in you! Matthew 22:37 "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart"
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Marriage
Okay... it's time to blog about... Marriage...
Nope... it's not that I am getting married soon, but I just went for a sermon regarding Marriage, and it broke some misconceptions I had of it. I am writing this to share some of my thoughts...
The pastor approached in from a myth busting angle... much like the Mythbusters show you see on discovery. He went through 3 myths, and debunked each one of them. I shall try to elaborate on all three...
Myth1: Marriage(Or relationships) is because of lust
God's Mythbuster: Sex is for Marriage
1 Cor 7:1-2 "1Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good for a man not to marry.[a] 2But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband."
Song of Songs 8:4-7
" Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you:
Do not arouse or awaken love
until it so desires.
Friends
5 Who is this coming up from the desert
leaning on her lover?
Beloved
Under the apple tree I roused you;
there your mother conceived you,
there she who was in labor gave you birth.
6 Place me like a seal over your heart,
like a seal on your arm;
for love is as strong as death,
its jealousy [a] unyielding as the grave. [b]
It burns like blazing fire,
like a mighty flame. [c]
7 Many waters cannot quench love;
rivers cannot wash it away.
If one were to give
all the wealth of his house for love,
it [d] would be utterly scorned."
Love if very powerful... and we should not awaken love before the time... God's creation of sex and everything is beautiful... (Note: Sex includes the whole package... kissing, caressing, and everything else associated) but if we do it out of the context of marriage, then we are distorting His plans. He gave two quotes:
"Casual dating, where sexual exploration thrives, is God-angering"
"Serious courtship that strives for purity is God-glorifying"
Some may ask..."Is God a kill joy?" "Why postpone sex to marriage?" I guess the fact is that sex is meant to be enjoyed within a relationship of complete commitment to each other. For the power of the union of sex contradicts the notion of casualness and shortage of commitment in pre-marital sex. It's difficult to explain the fundamental notion of why was it created this way... but I guess this is something unique and special that God wants set aside for the gift of marriage...
Conclusion: Lust will not be satisfied if you pursue it outside of marriage, and marriage is not a cure for it. It should be dealt with even before marriage... seeking the help from God to overcome temptations and being strong in it...
Myth 2: Because of Loneliness
God's Mythbuster 2: Marriage is for God's Kingdom
A very HUGE erroneous thinking is the interpretation that Marriage is to cure loneliness because Genesis says so... the famous quote:
"The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." Genesis 2:18
Many interpret this as Man and Woman marrying because God thinks it's not good for man to be lonely. However, the context is in Genesis 1: 26-28 "26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, [a] and over all the creatures that move along the ground."
27 So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."
The context for the creation of a helper is this: So that Man can rule over all the earth, and the method to do this is being fruitful and increasing in number....
Note in Malachi 2:15 " Has not the LORD made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because he was seeking godly offspring. [a] So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth."
He was seeking godly offspring... not PHYSICAL CHILDREN... but SPIRITUAL children... as such... for singles or married couples... the mission and the focus is the same... to grow the kingdom of God... This is John Piper's stand as well... in his book on Marriage...
Conclusion: Marriage is for Man and woman working together for the kingdom of God... to make disciples of all nations... to come together for that purpose... for the need of His kingdom's purposes... and not for our own loneliness...
He mentioned something that struck me deep and hard... LONELINESS is not solved through marriage... it is solved through a personal relationship with God... and relationship with Christian Community...
If you enter marriage with the hope of alleviating your loneliness... the relationship will be very INWARD LOOKING... because you only rely on each other for support... it leads to idolizing even... It is important to remember that the relationship is meant to be outward looking... not just how you can satisfy each other's needs alone....
Of cos, this doesn't mean that if your relationship cures some aspect of your loneliness then you've sinned. But this motivation should not be the fundamental of a marriage.
Lastly...
Myth 3: Because of LOVE
God's Mythbuster: Marriage is for Gospel Proclamation
As most of us are familiar... Marriage is the representation of the relationship between Christ and the Church...
Ephesians 5:31-32 "31"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh."[a] 32This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.
Marriage is but a pointer of things to come... Of the relationship between Christ and the Church. For we know that in Heaven... there is no longer marriage... Matthew 22:29-30 "Jesus replied, "You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. 30At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven"
It is important to understand the relationship between Christ and the Church... because that is exactly what your marriage should reflect... Marriage is an opportunity for the gospel to be preached...
When people see the sacrificial love of the husband for his wife, they see and understand the sacrificial love that Christ had for the church. When people see the complete submission of the wife to the husband, they see the complete submission of the church to Christ...
Hope that this sharing on marriage has helped you in one way or another...
In today's culture, it is too easy to want to pursue marriage recklessly, carelessly, and fully based on emotions. Emotions change, and marriage has its unique purpose in God's kingdom. If we don't understand all this, then we shouldn't be entering into a relationship... that could tarnish both parties if not handled wisely...
Let's pursue courtship (dating with an intent of marriage) with godly discernment and godly love...
Nope... it's not that I am getting married soon, but I just went for a sermon regarding Marriage, and it broke some misconceptions I had of it. I am writing this to share some of my thoughts...
The pastor approached in from a myth busting angle... much like the Mythbusters show you see on discovery. He went through 3 myths, and debunked each one of them. I shall try to elaborate on all three...
Myth1: Marriage(Or relationships) is because of lust
God's Mythbuster: Sex is for Marriage
1 Cor 7:1-2 "1Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good for a man not to marry.[a] 2But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband."
Song of Songs 8:4-7
" Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you:
Do not arouse or awaken love
until it so desires.
Friends
5 Who is this coming up from the desert
leaning on her lover?
Beloved
Under the apple tree I roused you;
there your mother conceived you,
there she who was in labor gave you birth.
6 Place me like a seal over your heart,
like a seal on your arm;
for love is as strong as death,
its jealousy [a] unyielding as the grave. [b]
It burns like blazing fire,
like a mighty flame. [c]
7 Many waters cannot quench love;
rivers cannot wash it away.
If one were to give
all the wealth of his house for love,
it [d] would be utterly scorned."
Love if very powerful... and we should not awaken love before the time... God's creation of sex and everything is beautiful... (Note: Sex includes the whole package... kissing, caressing, and everything else associated) but if we do it out of the context of marriage, then we are distorting His plans. He gave two quotes:
"Casual dating, where sexual exploration thrives, is God-angering"
"Serious courtship that strives for purity is God-glorifying"
Some may ask..."Is God a kill joy?" "Why postpone sex to marriage?" I guess the fact is that sex is meant to be enjoyed within a relationship of complete commitment to each other. For the power of the union of sex contradicts the notion of casualness and shortage of commitment in pre-marital sex. It's difficult to explain the fundamental notion of why was it created this way... but I guess this is something unique and special that God wants set aside for the gift of marriage...
Conclusion: Lust will not be satisfied if you pursue it outside of marriage, and marriage is not a cure for it. It should be dealt with even before marriage... seeking the help from God to overcome temptations and being strong in it...
Myth 2: Because of Loneliness
God's Mythbuster 2: Marriage is for God's Kingdom
A very HUGE erroneous thinking is the interpretation that Marriage is to cure loneliness because Genesis says so... the famous quote:
"The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." Genesis 2:18
Many interpret this as Man and Woman marrying because God thinks it's not good for man to be lonely. However, the context is in Genesis 1: 26-28 "26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, [a] and over all the creatures that move along the ground."
27 So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."
The context for the creation of a helper is this: So that Man can rule over all the earth, and the method to do this is being fruitful and increasing in number....
Note in Malachi 2:15 " Has not the LORD made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because he was seeking godly offspring. [a] So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth."
He was seeking godly offspring... not PHYSICAL CHILDREN... but SPIRITUAL children... as such... for singles or married couples... the mission and the focus is the same... to grow the kingdom of God... This is John Piper's stand as well... in his book on Marriage...
Conclusion: Marriage is for Man and woman working together for the kingdom of God... to make disciples of all nations... to come together for that purpose... for the need of His kingdom's purposes... and not for our own loneliness...
He mentioned something that struck me deep and hard... LONELINESS is not solved through marriage... it is solved through a personal relationship with God... and relationship with Christian Community...
If you enter marriage with the hope of alleviating your loneliness... the relationship will be very INWARD LOOKING... because you only rely on each other for support... it leads to idolizing even... It is important to remember that the relationship is meant to be outward looking... not just how you can satisfy each other's needs alone....
Of cos, this doesn't mean that if your relationship cures some aspect of your loneliness then you've sinned. But this motivation should not be the fundamental of a marriage.
Lastly...
Myth 3: Because of LOVE
God's Mythbuster: Marriage is for Gospel Proclamation
As most of us are familiar... Marriage is the representation of the relationship between Christ and the Church...
Ephesians 5:31-32 "31"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh."[a] 32This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.
Marriage is but a pointer of things to come... Of the relationship between Christ and the Church. For we know that in Heaven... there is no longer marriage... Matthew 22:29-30 "Jesus replied, "You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. 30At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven"
It is important to understand the relationship between Christ and the Church... because that is exactly what your marriage should reflect... Marriage is an opportunity for the gospel to be preached...
When people see the sacrificial love of the husband for his wife, they see and understand the sacrificial love that Christ had for the church. When people see the complete submission of the wife to the husband, they see the complete submission of the church to Christ...
Hope that this sharing on marriage has helped you in one way or another...
In today's culture, it is too easy to want to pursue marriage recklessly, carelessly, and fully based on emotions. Emotions change, and marriage has its unique purpose in God's kingdom. If we don't understand all this, then we shouldn't be entering into a relationship... that could tarnish both parties if not handled wisely...
Let's pursue courtship (dating with an intent of marriage) with godly discernment and godly love...
Monday, November 2, 2009
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful." Colossians 3:15
It seems that as Christians we often have a hard time living in the peace of Christ. Like the rest of the world we love to worry. We worry that we’ll lose our jobs, that we’ll lose someone we love, or we worry that there won’t be enough money to pay the mortgage this month. If we want to, we can find things to worry about each and every day of the week.
Instead of living with the angst and worry of day to day life, we need to be thankful for what we’ve been given, and allow Christ to influence our thoughts and behaviors, and live for Him. Today I want to live for Christ, and let His peace rule in my heart.
Adapted from biblemoneymatters.com
It seems that as Christians we often have a hard time living in the peace of Christ. Like the rest of the world we love to worry. We worry that we’ll lose our jobs, that we’ll lose someone we love, or we worry that there won’t be enough money to pay the mortgage this month. If we want to, we can find things to worry about each and every day of the week.
Instead of living with the angst and worry of day to day life, we need to be thankful for what we’ve been given, and allow Christ to influence our thoughts and behaviors, and live for Him. Today I want to live for Christ, and let His peace rule in my heart.
Adapted from biblemoneymatters.com
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
The Beauty of Creation
As much sin there is in the world, there is much beauty created by God...
The beauty of the deep blue ocean...
the beauty of the bright blue skies...
the beauty of the towering trees, scented flowers, green pastures...
the beauty of art...
the beauty of music...
the beauty of dance...
the beauty of photography...
the beauty of sports...
the beauty of emotions...
the beauty of logic...
the beauty of man...
All these were created for the glory of God... Praise God for what He has done... There is so much more...
The beauty of the deep blue ocean...
the beauty of the bright blue skies...
the beauty of the towering trees, scented flowers, green pastures...
the beauty of art...
the beauty of music...
the beauty of dance...
the beauty of photography...
the beauty of sports...
the beauty of emotions...
the beauty of logic...
the beauty of man...
All these were created for the glory of God... Praise God for what He has done... There is so much more...
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
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