The Annals of Ian

Sigh....

2011-08-01T18:55:00.000-07:00

Everyone who is from my generation are already working and those who are about one generation ahead of me are already married. I am still stuck in 3rd year of university. Sigh...I am so slow. Why wasn't I serious about my future plans when I was younger, so I could avoid all the delays?

Oh well...I guess I have to live with the consequences.

A long Hiatus

2011-07-29T09:30:00.000-07:00

Yes, it has been ages since I last updated my blog. Its not dead though, just outdated. (It is 'up' and 'out' :p)

Final exams are coming for me and that will mark the end of another term. From the last post until now, many things have taken place in my life, too much to fit into one blog post. But I'll probably mention them as time goes along it's merry way.

So, until then, i'll probably just drop random one-liner thoughts in here while I think what I want to write. Haha.

PS: I think my c-box has become a victim of spam. anyone know how to remove it? hehe.

Ian

It has been awhile....

2010-12-24T18:10:00.000-08:00

Yeah. It has been a looongg while since I touched my blog. A combination of factors contributed to this negligence, including studies, laziness and clueless on what to blog about. But since it is Christmas, I should definitely write something.

This Christmas marks my second Christmas away from Malaysia and one year four months away from home. Even as I write this, my heart is heavy. Many things happened, some just this week and some over the course of the past couple of months. To bluntly state my feelings now, I feel confused and sad. Though I am not at liberty to go into detail on this public domain, it is quite a depressing time for me. I hope I can recover before the term re-opens. Feeling lost, confused and losing the will to continue is not something I should bring to the new year.

Anyway, I am surprised at how fast time has past. It is one year and four months already. I have only 2 years and 8 months to go before I return to Malaysia. I hope time continues to fly this fast.

While in Canada, I continue to learn many things, about myself and about life. I am challenged at all levels, physical and spiritual. As time passes, these challenges become stronger and harder. As a result, I run to God more often to depend on Him. I heard the pastor at my church said once that God wants us to depend on Him. I can therefore infer that God wants me to depend on him more and purposefully put all these challenges in my path to teach me this truth.

My thoughts about Christmas. Hmm. Everyone is busy as usual. From Facebook, I see carolling, parties, and the like. I used to take part in those. Playing guitar for carolling (not good at it but wayyy better than my singing. I can't sing to save my life), going for dinner with family and friends, helping out in Christmas cantata with the sound system, etc. But since I came to Canada, I do not take part in all this. I just usually have dinner with my friends, attend a Christmas Eve service at my church and thats it. It is a change from all the hustle and bustle. A part of me misses those things.

But enough of this relatively depressing post. Don't want to ruin the Christmas cheer. lol.

Before this post gets too long with my griping, I wish everyone a Blessed Christmas!

Random Thought

2010-11-07T19:06:00.000-08:00

Everyone wants the latest gadgets (iphone 4, blackberry's, etc) probably because they want to feel special. "Ooo. Look! I got an iphone 4!" or on Facebook statuses "I got an itouch!" or whatever..you get the point.

You say, "wait, I don't them to feel special. I get them because they are useful". Are you so sure? Or is it an excuse? What is a phone for? Basic function is to call and send sms. Why on earth do you need a RM1k plus phone to perform the same function a RM100 phone can do? Simple reason: you want to be 'in'. I dare anyone to deny this.

But you say, "oh. i can surf internet, play my farmville, stalk facebook with my iphone". ok. i grant this to you. it is a handy function. i can write paragraphs on the pros and cons of this but i won't here as it will be too long. the key points are: it is distracting, expensive, and uncomfortable. but my main point is this: what is a laptop/desktop for? enough said.

But I love the irony. You get those stuff to feel special. But wait...everyone else is getting the same stuff as you. Not very special now, aren't you?

people wonder why the CEO's of Apple, RIM, etc are so rich. I offer my theory. It is because people want to feel special. So, they market a new gadget and advertise it such that 'if you get this, you are special'. then, everyone buys it. then, when everyone has the gadget and does not feel special anymore, they come to the rescue with a new product to make you feel special. Thus, the vicious cycle repeats.

some random thought. :P

Questions on my mind

2010-09-07T15:18:00.000-07:00

There are 2 questions which I have been thinking and reading for quite some time now and still can't find a satisfactory answer. I need to look more into these 'interesting' questions. Here they are:

1) How do people use the Bible to justify homosexuality (and other abnormal sexual relationships)?

2) How do people use the Bible to justify divorce?

Feel free to leave comments. :p

A Covenant Prayer in the Wesleyan Tradition

2010-08-07T08:22:00.000-07:00

To remind myself of the covenant made between God and I.

"I am no longer my own, but thine.
Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed by thee or laid aside for thee,
exalted for thee or brought low for thee.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things
to thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
thou art mine, and I am thine. So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
let it be ratified in heaven. Amen."

from: The United Methodist Hymnal, 1989 The United Methodist Publishing House

"If you believe in Jesus Christ,...."

2010-08-06T19:12:00.000-07:00

"...put this on your wall. Don't ignore this because the Bible says: if you deny him, he will deny you in front of his father in the Gates of Heaven. This is the simplest test, If you love God and you are not ashamed of it, copy this and put it on your wall"

I have been seeing stuff like this circulating on a couple of friend's Facebook wall. What I am going to say in response to this also applies to similar messages receive through email.

Ok. How would I start...hmm...

Messages like these always quote the famous verse from Matthew 10:32-33. Well...let us look at the preceding verses. I quote from Matthew 10: 26-31.

"So do not be afraid of them. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. "

Notice that from verse 26 onwards, it talks of 'what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the rooftops.' Quite obviously, Jesus is speaking of the Gospel. He then goes on to encourage and reassure his disciples to not be afraid of men but to find assurance in God. After that, comes the misquoted verse.

Why do I say misquoted? Well...look at the words of the message again (and even those in emails). Can you tell me where is the Gospel? Where is the sinfulness of Man iterated? Where is the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus as propitiation for our sins? Where is the call of the Gospel,i.e. "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins" (Acts 2:38) ? I dare/challenge anyone to show me because I can't seem to find it. I may need spectacles.

All the message says is , "If you believe in Jesus Christ..". Well...lets see what James 2:19 says:

"You believe there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that-and shudder"

Boy, I love this verse. The sarcastic undertones amuses me. Oh...and how about the other verse in Matthew that says:

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 7:21)

Well, from the verses I quoted, seems there is more than just copy-pasting some random message on your Facebook wall or forwarding some random email. If you are truly unashamed as you say you are, go and paste the actual Gospel on your wall for a change and stop hiding behind empty words. Yeah, you are shouting from the rooftops but you are shouting nonsense.

No, seriously. The messages/emails are empty and meaningless. Even Muslims believe in Jesus Christ. But they believe he is just a great prophet. They believe that he is NOT the Son of God. So, what do you mean, "If you believe in Jesus Christ.." ? Which Jesus are you referring to?

And any sensible thinking person will know that this sort of thing is just intending to spam. And whoever blindly follows and forwards/paste this sort of messages is just spreading spam for free.

"I am in church now"

2010-08-01T13:15:00.000-07:00

I noticed quite a disturbing trend, which I feel if left unattended, will grow out off hand. What I am talking about? Going online to update Facebook, Twitter and whatever while one is in church!

Due to my current location in the world, I am 12 hours behind Malaysian time. So, Sunday morning in Malaysia is Saturday night for me. And when I log into my Facebook, I see updates like the one in the title of this post. And Facebook says it was updated through a mobile phone.

Come on. Have you married yourself to Facebook (Twitter, MSN, etc) that you can't be parted from your 'sweetheart' to go to church for 1-2 hours? Some even have the audacity to update it while the service is ongoing! Where is your respect, your veneration for the sanctuary of God? Should not your thoughts, your mind, your faculties be focused on worshiping the Holy One? Or have you forgotten that God is Holy, High and Mighty, Lord and Master of the Universe, Omnipotent One?

Some may argue, "Oh! I updated it after service". Yeah, OK. I grant that to you. But why fellowship impersonally through the cyberworld when you have brother and sisters in Christ physically present around you? I don't see the logic at all. It eludes me.

Why I say this trend is dangerous and must be stopped? I see that the youth and young people (those around my age included) are losing their respect and awe for the Holy One. You claim you love God. You sing praises to Him and serve in ministries. But your actions reveal the true condition of your heart.

Please, stop this nonsense.

Prosperity Gospel - another observation

2010-07-25T13:25:00.000-07:00

I went and 'googled' prosperity gospel and one of the results was an atheist website. I was a bit curious on what atheist had to say about this 'gospel' (I don't think this teaching even deserves the word 'gospel' in it). And one of the comments caught my attention:

The prosperity gospel is the most obvious way for Christians to totally abandon any sympathy for the poor or oppressed. This is the religion of Republican capitalism. The poor deserve to be poor. The rich deserve to be rich. The rich are more righteous than anyone else. It's all part of God's plan.

Any philosophy that is as self serving as this one sickens me, and this is one of the worst.

This is just sad. Very sad. What are we Christians portraying ourselves as? And we wonder why it is so hard to evangelize. For those who preach/teach this prosperity nonsense, woe unto you. Deepest judgement and wrath of God is reserved for you. You have led people astray, teaching false doctrines to enrich your selfish, carnal desires. The Scriptures say that such people will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Materialism has seeped into the churches. Churches want bigger buildings, the latest technology, etc. Some churches preach against materialism but do the aforementioned. On a more smaller scale, some Christians shake their head at prosperity teaching but their lives tell a different story.

The hypocrisy is clear. "Woe unto you Pharisees and scribes, you hypocrites!"

PS: I used strong language in this post. I am just very pissed off by these people (prosperity people) and how they are giving the true Gospel a bad name.

An 'Interesting' Video + My Comments

2010-07-18T18:24:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer: The video link below contains elements that might cause some to doubt their Christian faith. It is by leading proponent of atheism, Richard Dawkins. If you think you might waver, please please please DO NOT watch it. You can read what I write below to get an idea on what the video is about.

Second Disclaimer: I am not an expert debater nor do I have super high knowledge of everything pertaining science and religion. If you think I have made an error in my reasoning, I would be glad if you pointed my error and show it WITH PROOF.

The link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLeztJkhi4U&NR=1

Quotes (all made by Richard Dawkins in the video):

Faith should be immune to criticism simply because it is faith. Without this convention in society, faith can’t withstand criticism as it does not have the resources at which it does the withstanding.

Where science is filled with doubt, skepticism, willingness to learn, openness to correction, faith is exactly the opposite.

This is science at its best: Knowing when you are wrong and being pleased at being disproved.

*****

In short:

We should criticize faith

Faith is arrogant and believing things to the contrary of evidence

Interesting Quote from anime.

2010-07-01T20:44:00.000-07:00

‎"All men ... are NOT created equal! Some are born swifter afoot, some with greater beauty, some are born into poverty and others born sick and feeble. Both in birth and upbringing, in sheer scope of ability every human is inherently different; Yes that is why people discriminate against one another, which is why there is struggle, competition and the unfaltering march of progress.." (Charles vi Britannia, Code Geass)

Doubt vs Me

2010-06-22T13:00:00.000-07:00

"In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one."

Ephesians 6:16

Doubt: How will you know God did such and such?

Me: It is written in the Scriptures such and such.

Doubt: How will you know God still does such and such?

Me: It is written in the Scriptures that it is so.

Doubt: How will you know God will continue to do such and such?

Me: I don’t know.

Doubt: Hah! There! How then can you rely on God?

Me: The Scripture says God is never-changing and faithful. The fact I claim ignorance does not mean he will not continue to do such and such. I claim ignorance because I don’t know what will happen in the future.

Doubt: Are you then not doubting the future?

Me: Doubt what will take place in the future, yes. But doubt God? No.

Doubt: Very well then. God did such in your life before, yes?

Me: Yes.

Doubt: How will you know God will continue to do that thing again in your life?

Me: I don’t know the future. I trust in God’s faithfulness that He will continue to do so.

Doubt: That is so arbitrary! God may or may not do it.

Me: But that would contradict what it means to be faithful. Even if he does not, He will do something else.

Doubt: Hah! There! You are doubting God will repeat what has been done in your life!

Me: Yes, God may or may not repeat what he has done in my life, for He is not restricted to only one way. Or else, he would not be God because he would be restricted by some higher law that demands repetition. But the key is that He has a plan when He does or does not do something. He is God, let His will be done. Also, the Scriptures testify that God will work things for the good of those who love Him.

Doubt: ...

Israel - Gaza

2010-06-11T12:38:00.000-07:00

One of the most heated topics today is the recent Israeli attack on a humanitarian aid ship bound for Gaza. I did not look deeply into this but just looked up generally what was going on. I don't know what is true or false but here is what I gather:

1) 'Aid' ship wants to bring supplies to Palestinians

2) 'Aid' ship ignored blockade set by Israel

3) Israel see this breach of protocol as a threat

4) Israel board the ships

5) Crew on ship somehow could retaliate, injuring Israeli soldiers

6) Crew on ship hailed as heroes and martyrs while Israel is demonized further

My thoughts:

We all agree that some crew on the aid ship got injured/killed. We also agree that some Israeli soldiers got injured (killed I not sure) as well. Crew get injured, we understand since they were fighting with soldiers. But how on earth can the crew, a supposedly 'innocent' bunch, injure Israeli troops badly? They claim they are unarmed. Unless they know some kung fu like Ip-Man , they would get pwned instantly. This alone proves that they were indeed armed.

Why ram through a blockade? If you have nothing to hide, why not just declare your stuff properly to Israeli authorities? I am sure if all is well, Israel will let everything pass. But you rammed through the blockade. Do you have something to hide?

The crew on the ship should be glad that some actually survived and glad that Israel sent warnings prior to being attacked. Ramming through a blockade like what they did would give Israel a very legitimate reason to bomb the ships on sight.

Also, why focus so much of the sufferings of the Palestinians? How about the Israelis? Everyone acts as though Palestine has no part in this. To my knowledge, Palestine started this whole war debacle and Israel is just retaliating. If I am a ruler of a country, and if another country attacked me, would not I respond in kind? You will not expect me to sit back and drink tea while my country is being bombed. Israelis also suffered from bombs from Hamas. Why no coverage on that? In war, it takes two hands to clap.

It seems the world will only be happy if Israel is destroyed. From all this biasness, if the roles were reversed (i.e. Palestine denies aid ship to Israel), the world would do nothing. In fact, the world may hail the Palestinians as heroes for denying aid.

This is all in accordance to Scripture. The prophecies of Scripture are being fulfilled. The world seeks to destroy Israel but God's covenant to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob still stands. God will have the last say in the end. This is the sign of the last days. Our Lord's return is very near.

PS: I may have made some error in terms of details to this whole debacle. Post your comments, correcting me where I have made a mistake. But please post a reliable source to back your claims.

PSS: Feel free to post your thoughts on this as well.

A Question...anyone can answer ;)

2010-05-24T15:36:00.000-07:00

i fell here all alone and watched the years go by,
i wonder how on earth can someone make me smile?,
but then you came in to my life and made me whole,
you held my hand and i could never ask for more,
im calling you
im calling out your name again
my call for you
at least i will never leave again
im calling you
im calling out your name again
my call for you
at least i will never leave again

******************

Question: Are the lyrics of this song from a Christian song or not? =)

Lectio Divina

2010-05-23T14:00:00.000-07:00

http://www.alittleleaven.com/monastic-mysticism/

Everyone who think Lectio Divina is the 'in' thing, go to the link above and read what is there.

above is like a radio talk show, where the commentator is debunking parts of a sermon advocating Lectio Divina. Quite funny. Its about 1 hour 20 mins long but I enjoyed it.

On a more serious note, we should be very careful about this Lectio thingy. Why are church leaders even advocating this kind of stuff?? My views resonate with the commentators in the audio above.

Sola Scriptura!

Ian

Listening to God

2010-05-01T17:30:00.000-07:00

²⁵Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me, ²⁶but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. ²⁷My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

The verses above are from John 10: 25-27. These verses have perplexed me for some time. Ever since I professed my faith in Jesus Christ, I was troubled by this verse. Why, you may ask? Because I do not audibly hear the voice of God. Based on the v.27 above, I thought that if I do not hear audibly the voice of God, I was not truly saved.

As a result, I asked around and talked to many Christians. The summary I got was this: very rarely do people hear audibly the voice of God but God uses the Holy Spirit to impress/prompt us. As I continued on in the faith, people told me to be still and listen to the ‘still small voice’.

I was not satisfied with those answers, especially the still small voice answer (sounds fishy to me..and I have not heard that small voice). I was ok with the prompting of the Holy Spirit part, as I have experienced it before and I knew it was from the Holy Spirit because of the unusual sense of calm that came with it.

But I was not satisfied because I still do not hear the voice of God per se. So, I just stuck with the prompting of the Holy Spirit thing. Until recently, as I watching a video on youtube and the guy read out this verse. After reading, he moved on to some other topic. Then it hit me. Suddenly. After all these years, I finally understand what it means to listen to the voice of God. And I don’t mean listening to someone on youtube read bible verses to me.

I have listened to the voice of God all these years without realizing it. Since they day I received Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior until today, God has been speaking to me. How? Through the Holy Scriptures a.k.a the Bible! The Bible; God’s own words written down in paper and ink. In the past, God spoke through the prophets and the apostles and inspired their words through the Holy Spirit and they recorded it down. Now, every sensible Christian knows the Bible is complete, nothing is added or taken away from it. The canon is closed. Everything that we need to know from God is recorded down, hence the concept of the sufficiency of Scripture.

Because I belong to God, I take to heart what is written in the Scriptures and obey it. By doing that, I am already listening to what God is saying to me. Unbelievers will scoff at the words written in the Bible; they are mere words to them, meaningless. “Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.”

For me, ever since I was justified in Christ, I take to heart what was written in the Scriptures and I try to obey them in my life. I don’t mean to sound as if I am some holy dude. I am just stating what I am doing. Now, I am comforted and relieved because 1) I know I am part of God’s flock and 2) I hear the voice of God. I no longer have to search for some ‘still small voice’. God is screaming at me from the pages of Scripture itself.

Soli Deo Gloria! Sola Scriptura!

Ian

Prosperity Gospel - an observation

2010-04-30T15:12:00.000-07:00

Just out of curiosity, I decided to search wikipedia about prosperity gospel and above is a screen shot of a part of the article. Please click the picture to get a zoomed version.

Those of you who are supporters of those names I circled above (even the none circled ones) better watch out what spiritual food are you eating. Just because they attach the word 'Jesus' and 'Bible' and other Christian terms does NOT mean they are authentic Christian teachers.

The apostle Paul warned the Ephesians that savage wolves will emerge from among the flock and seek to destroy it. We best heed his warnings.

SDG (sorry Mike, borrow the acronym from you :p )

Ian

Formulas....

2010-04-21T07:20:00.000-07:00

Was just thinking the other day: what should I post next? Then I thought why not I post the more long and complicated formulas I have seen so far? XD

The first two is from physics...the third one is from statistics.

1) Planck's Law for the spectral radiance. Used in calculating blackbody radiation, radiation emitted by objects at certain temperature.

2) Schrodinger Equation in one dimension. Used in Quantum Mechanics.

3) The probability density function for a Normal (Gaussian) Distribution.

lolx. XD probably see more complicated ones next study term. >.<

...and Good Days

2010-04-20T18:31:00.001-07:00

In my previous post, I only mentioned about bad days, and not mentioning good days. Well…so here is the second half: what about days where everything seems to go so smoothly?

Again, there are two parts to this: the explainable and unexplainable. Like the post on bad days, the explainable parts can be explained as a consequence of your actions. For example:

“Woohoo! I aced this exam! Today is a good day!” (He/She probably did a lot of preparation)

“I had an enjoyable day hanging out with my friends today. What a great day.” (You chose to join your friends and made sure you enjoy every moment of it)

“Oh? I realized today I had more money in the back than expected!” (“Well…you did not keep close tabs on your cash so you misremembered)

There are probably infinitely many scenarios but you get the jist: something good happens as a result of your actions.

Of course, we have the unexplainable part. This part is probably more common when people exclaim: “Oh, what a lucky day!” and “That just made my day!” Something good has happened that was not a direct result of anything they did. I am pretty sure everyone has experienced this before.

One can attribute those situations to ‘luck’ and ‘chance’ but I still think God is very much in control of the good stuff as he is on the bad stuff. Not that God is the source of bad stuff but he allows it for reasons mentioned in the bad days post.

But I digress. I recall a verse in the bible that says that God causes the rain to fall on the righteous and the unrighteous. (Matthew 5:43-48) Yeah. The passage talks about loving your enemies but it is applicable here. It shows that God gives general blessings to everyone, believer or unbeliever. So, to us it may seem by chance that good stuff happens to us but with God, it is not by chance.

Why does God allow good things to happen? Possibly because he is the source of all goodness.

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17)

And he does it also because hopefully, men might turn to Him.

“Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy." (Acts 14:17)

According to the verse, it says he did it as a testimony to men. Testimony to what? Probably as a testimony to His goodness and providence, and maybe, men will seek after God. Notice that no matter what men can do, they can’t control the weather or the seasons. All is under God’s control.

So, when something good happens during your day, praise the Lord for allowing something good to happen.

As always, feel free to comment and share ideas. =)

Bad Days....

2010-04-06T17:54:00.000-07:00

Yes, it has been awhile since I blogged. Things have been busy and finals is just around the corner. I just want to take a break from studying awhile and update this blog. XD

*******

I have been thinking quite a bit about the title. Why are there days when everything seems to go smoothly and some days where everything just crashes? I have experienced quite a bit of this and it caused me to step back and ask is there an explanation for this?

I concluded there are two parts: the explainable and unexplainable. (In statistics terms, the systematic part and random part). The explainable part can be attributed to the consequences of one's actions in the present or in the past. Here are some examples to illustrate:

- It has been a bad day...so stress...have to rush for assignments/projects. (Well...if one started the assignments/projects earlier and kept at it, this would not happen)

- yay! i did well in the test. Hard work paid off i guess. (self explanatory...hard/smart work resulted in results)

-sigh..today so bad la...found out not enough money..pokai liao. (If you had controlled your expenditure, this would not happen)

However, there are some situations which can't be explained, where even the simplest things go wrong or every simple thing happens correctly. If I were to list down the possible situations, it would take quite a bit of space. But I know as well as I do what I mean. These situations, no matter how far you trace back, are not related to anything you did or did not do.

I have days where everything goes well and some days where everything just crashes around me. I asked a couple of people for a biblical stand or explanation about this issue. The summary is that as Christians, we ought to see these things as troubles/trials. If you go through a trouble and it is related to your actions, it is a consequence of those actions and probably God is disciplining you. If it is unexplained, it is a trouble that God allows to build us up in terms of character.

Jesus said in John that in this world we will have many trouble but we are to take heart because Jesus has overcome the world. James also elaborated in the first chapter about how to view trials and temptations, i.e., to view it with joy.

So....yeah...just something i think about. Feel free to comment, as always. Still thinking about this issue. hehe

Ian

Quote of the Day...

2010-03-04T22:19:00.000-08:00

Albert Einstein: Quantum Mechanics can't be true...it is inconceivable that God plays dice.

Neils Bohr: Stop telling God on what he should do.

******

Lol. Those are not the exact words (I am recalling off my head). I heard these quotes at a physics seminar I attended just last week. hehe.

Just a thought....

2010-02-28T12:43:00.000-08:00

I was just thinking: when some people curse and swear, they will say "Jesus Christ!". But why "Jesus Christ" or "Jesus" or "Christ"? Why not "Buddha!" or "Mohammed!" or "Shiva!" ?

Is it syllables? Well..."Buddha" has two, "Mohammed" has three and "Shiva" has two. "Jesus Christ" has four. If I wanted something easier to say, I would go for "Buddha" or "Shiva".

Just something I thought about and maybe something for you guys to think about...

As always, feel free to comment.

Ian

Great is Thy Faithfulness

2010-02-20T22:13:00.000-08:00

Verse 1
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Refrain

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Verse 2

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Verse 3

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

*************************************************

Above are the words to the very famous old time song/hymn, Great is Thy Faithfulness. The main Scripture verse referenced in this hymn comes from Lamentations 3: 22-23:

22 Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,

for his compassions never fail.

23 They are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

What is the history behind this hymn? I searched online a bit and it is quite interesting. Thomas O. Chisholm accepted Christ as personal Savior aged 27, during a revival meeting conducted in his hometown by Dr. H. C. Morrison. He later trained and was ordained as a Methodist minister but had to pull out after one year due to failing health. He spend his remaining part of his life as a life insurance agent. But what was interesting is what he wrote in a letter in 1941 (he was 75 at this time):

“My income has not been large at any time due to impaired health in the earlier years which has followed me on until now. Although I must not fail to record here the unfailing faithfulness of a covenant-keeping God and that He has given me many wonderful displays of His providing care, for which I am filled with astonishing gratefulness.”

It is easy to say to God nowadays “Great is Your faithfulness” when everything is going all right with you. But when hardship or trouble comes, can you say with the same confidence and gusto as before, “Great is Your faithfulness”? I can tell you it is hard; very hard. Things are not working out right, things that are still around are falling around you, or maybe just simply fearful of the future. Can we lift up our hands and confidently proclaim God’s faithfulness?

Note the reference from where the Scripture is taken. It is from Lamentations, not Psalms or Songs of Solomon. The whole book is what its name is; a book of laments. The Israelites fell to their enemies and Israel was conquered. The people are suffering and dying. The glorious temple is no more, razed to the ground by the conquering Babylonians/Chaldeans. The Israelites are being taken away from their homeland. In the midst of the laments, Jeremiah can still proclaim God’s faithfulness. This is backed up by the history behind the song stated above.

So, take heart when hardships come your way. For here is what is said in a few verses down (Lamentations 3: 31-33) :

31 For men are not cast off

by the Lord forever.

32 Though he brings grief, he will show compassion,

so great is his unfailing love.

33 For he does not willingly bring affliction

or grief to the children of men.

On the other side of the coin, how would we know God’s faithfulness unless we ourselves go through the fires of testing? It is easy to say God is faithful when everything is smooth going. But to what extent does one believe that? To experience the full extent of God’s faithfulness is to be tested in this area.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Ian

Physics Prof Quote

2010-02-11T14:18:00.000-08:00

Recently, my physics prof said something quite funny if one understands it:

"Theoretical physicist are physicists who don't know how to do experiments. Mathematical physicist are physicists who don't know how to do physics."

Note 1: Theoretical physicist are, as the name says, are only concerned with the theory part of physics. They don't carry out experiments to validate their theories but just prove them mathematically.

Note 2: Mathematical physicists are those who just crunch away at numbers using data and set formulas, so much so that they miss out the beauty of physics or miss out what the formulas tell them about the physical world. This is what I gather, at least. I myself am a Mathematical Physics major. XD

Prof Quotes

2010-02-06T07:14:00.000-08:00

I have a Math prof this term which likes to crack some funny jokes. Seriously, they are funny. Here are some below:

1) The proof to the following equation is long, tedious, and requires a brain size of a monkey. We won't do it here. We will leave it to the Engineers. We don't want to take away their jobs.

2)*beer bottle dropping sound* Was that a beer bottle? At least bring some for the prof, dammit.

3) When we say we hit a matrix with another matrix, it just means we multiply the two matrices. Now, this only works in Mathematics. You won't want to say, "I multiplied my brother".

4) This is very complicated. They don't do this in Engineering. Make sure you follow this.

5) Why don't we want fractions? Go on, you can say it, 'because sir, we suck at fractions.' [on trying to avoid using fractions until the last step of calculation]

6) Leave this linear algebra course to Science students and we would have lost half of them.

lolz. enjoy!

Note 1: Above are Engineering-Math jokes. Just a bit of background to help you appreciate the jokes a bit more. Mathematicians apparently see Engineers as only knowing how to crunch in numbers and leave it at that. On the flip side, the Engineers see the Mathematicians as being too theoretical.

Note 2: Number 6 is a joke about Science students. I think the jokes follows along the lines that Science students are only able to handle simple equations. But I could be wrong.

Relationships

2010-01-26T17:04:00.001-08:00

Yeah. It has been awhile since I last blogged something. Workload (or in my case, studyload) is catching up on me. But never fear, for my blog is not dead and this post is here to prove it.

Let me clarify definitions first before I move on. Relationships can be any human-human relationships. I do not mean exclusively boy-girl relationships. I clarify this because I made a comment on Facebook about relationships and one my friends asked me who was the girl I am referring to. So, yes. Relationships=human-human relationships (e.g. parent-child, boy-girl, friend-friend, best friend-best friend, cousin-cousin, etc)

As I look around and consider various situations, I try to find similarities between them. For example, what do Korean/Cantonese/Mandarin dramas, clubs and societies, and ‘yam cha’ sessions have in common? I see one thing in common between all: relationships.

In dramas, outwardly, most of it seems like power/money struggle between people. But why does drama has its appeal? Why do people want to follow the current drama series religiously? Besides the suspenseful plot, I would say that it is about relationships. In the drama, you see how people relate to each other and how they interact with one another. That itself makes a huge chunk of the drama’s plot. Of course, the situations in dramas are sometimes highly exaggerated and most only happen will happen in real life only under ideal conditions (which, according to physics jargon, means will never happen).

Same goes for clubs, societies, ‘yam cha’ sessions, mamak sessions, and so on. One can see that a lot of people love going for clubs and society meetings , eating sessions and so forth because of the interaction they can get by hanging around other people. To be sure, there are other reasons for going for clubs, societies, eating sessions, etc but one of the main reasons is for, to quote an often used equivalent in the Christian circle, fellowship.

As one can see around, relationships make up the core of human society. How we act towards one another, how we communicate with each other, etc all work in shaping the society around us. An example would be the situation in Malaysia now. There is a gap of trust between the politicians and the Malaysian society at large, and this in turn shapes the political situation in Malaysia. On a finer scale, there are some seeds of distrust between citizens of different race and religion. This in turn will start to affect how people treat one another and this generates an environment of insecurity at large (some people, in their articles and comments mention of another May 13 happening).

In conclusion, let me iterate what I posted in my Facebook a week back:

“No matter the technological advancement human beings have achieved from the past until the present day, relationships will still deteriorate…maybe at a slower rate compared to pre-internet days”.

So, yeah. All relationships are important. It makes up the core of who we are.

Ian

PS: To all my friends and family (in Malaysia, USA, UK, Australia, New Zealand and any other country) I miss you all!!!! :) XD

Expansion of Torched Churches

2010-01-08T14:28:00.000-08:00

Here is portion of Scripture from 2 Peter 3:10-18

¹⁰But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.^a]"

¹¹Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives ¹²as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.^b]"That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. ¹³But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.

¹⁴So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. ¹⁵Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. ¹⁶He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.

¹⁷Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. ¹⁸But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.

Peter saw ahead that everything will be destroyed. And what did he say in response to what is to come? Lead holy lives; spotless and blameless. Preach the Gospel, spread the Good News! But what do we do? Many churches focus on building 'stuff' that will be burned down in the end. What has happened, ironically, is like a wake up call. We have let down our guard and fallen asleep. Now it is time to wake up.

As I said countless times, the 'stuff' is not bad. It is good that the people of God can gather reasonably together. But the 'stuff' shouldn't be the focus of our energies. What is the focus then? It is as it is written in the above passage.

Another one of my thoughts. Feel free to comment.

Ian

PS: Even though I am in Canada, I am not 'Canadianized'. My heart is for Malaysia, and will forever be. Born a Malaysian, die a Malaysian. I am greatly saddened and worried by the turn of events. Be assured, my prayers are with all my fellow brothers and sisters in Malaysia.

Torched Churches

2010-01-07T19:35:00.000-08:00

I have been living under a coconut shell (katak bawah tempurung) for awhile until a few minutes ago. A friend MSN'ed that a church in KL was torched. I have mixed thoughts about this.

Firstly, it grieves me badly that things have deteriorated to this extent. What is happening to my country??

However, I am actually a bit happy that this has happened. Before you dismiss me as the anti-Christ, allow me to elaborate. Long enough have Christians been obsessed with buildings. Millions of ringgit overall have been poured into church buildings. Now, watch as the work of your hands is tested in fire. Does it stand? Remember also that the temple of Jerusalem is no longer around and it got burned at least twice if I remember (both times totally razing it to the ground).

Some may say "This is the work of Satan! blah blah blah". Indeed, Satan has opposed God since a pretty long while back. And it is possible that he incited those people to do what they did. However, the fact that it actually happened meant that God had allowed it. Remember that although Satan is the prince of the air, he is still under control by God (read Job). So, if God had allowed it to happen, surely there is a reason behind it. I won't claim to know the mind of God (who can?) but one possible reason is to shake Malaysian Christians awake. His previous shakings were not heeded much. So, will Malaysian Christians heed it now?

This is my first barrage of thoughts. Will edit if anything comes to mind. Please..feel free to comment.

Ian

Christmas/New Years Update

2010-01-04T13:56:00.000-08:00

Yeah…I know. New Years and Christmas have long past. I did not update my blog because of two reasons. Firstly, I was lazy and procrastinated. Secondly, I went for a trip to Ottawa and Montreal. I was away from my computer for 6 days because of the trip. So now, let me present to you the long overdue update. Haha.

It has been an interesting year for me. The main event for the year 2009 was my departure to Canada for further studies. And yes, I am still in Canada. :p What can I say about this major change? Indeed, many events seemed to push me into this direction. For some, they say that this is a sign from God for me to go into this direction. I tend to believe that since it was no mere coincidence that the application to Canada and to the University of Waterloo was smoothly done whereas applications to universities in Malaysia and USA ran aground. But sometimes I ask: was my decision to rash? Did I make a mistake in taking this risk? After talking with people and thinking about it, I realized that there was no turning back. The chess pieces have been moved. So, I just have to do my best and face the challenges as they come but at the same time to enjoy the opportunity of actually being able to study overseas. Even if I do encounter tight spots on the chess board, I have to make the best decision I know of for that situation.

You may be wondering why such thoughts come to mind. The style of studying and testing is so much different from what I am used to in Malaysia. The final exams were shockingly different and difficult. And indeed, I have a pressure set on me by myself: the pressure to succeed. As I mentioned before, the endeavor of going to Canada to study has a lot of risk. Failure seems out of the question. It is in this atmosphere and environment where I understand what it means to depend on God and to trust in Him. The choice to go to Canada was mine to make and I chose this path. But regardless of the path I chose, the LORD is ultimately still in control. What lies ahead of me? I do not know. How would he use me in this place? I have not a clue. I am away from all things familiar to me: family, friends, church, food, weather, etc. The one thing that has not changed the slightest is that God has never left my side. Whether I am in Malaysia or in Canada, the LORD is always with me, never-changing, never-failing.

Today (4^th Jan 2010) marks the start of the new Winter 2010 semester, my second semester in the University of Waterloo. I plan to study not only harder but smarter than the previous semester. Knowing better how they do things around here, I can adapt my study habits to match their style. By the way, the Malaysian style of studying is not effective here.

I’ll stop here for now. I try not to bore all of you with endless walls of text. Haha. I will post any more thoughts in Part 2. Hehe.

Soli Deo Gloria.

Ian

Shadow Art

2009-12-22T20:30:00.000-08:00

I find the following video quite cool. The characters are from the Touhou game series I sometimes play...it is the one where you control a character and dodge tons of bullets sprayed on the screen by enemies. I posted some screenshots in the archives before.
Anyway, enjoy! :P music is quite nice too.
Here is the wikipedia entry on Touhou also for your reading pleasure. :p
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Touhou

Kyrie Eleison

2009-12-20T11:55:00.000-08:00

Exams have just ended for me (hence the lack of updates until now). It was a tough exam...took me by surprise. It was kind of depressing when you either don't know how to answer the question or there is not enough time. And the finals were hard...i left the exam hall disappointed, sad, worried, scared, etc.

I am not a poet. So what do I do if I want to express myself in words? Well...i'll use the Bible then. The words below quite closely represent the feelings i have/had.

1 Then Job replied:
2 "If only my anguish could be weighed
and all my misery be placed on the scales!

3 It would surely outweigh the sand of the seas—
no wonder my words have been impetuous.

4 The arrows of the Almighty are in me,
my spirit drinks in their poison;
God's terrors are marshaled against me.

5 Does a wild donkey bray when it has grass,
or an ox bellow when it has fodder?

6 Is tasteless food eaten without salt,
or is there flavor in the white of an egg?

7 I refuse to touch it;
such food makes me ill.

8 "Oh, that I might have my request,
that God would grant what I hope for,

9 that God would be willing to crush me,
to let loose his hand and cut me off!

10 Then I would still have this consolation—
my joy in unrelenting pain—
that I had not denied the words of the Holy One.

11 "What strength do I have, that I should still hope?
What prospects, that I should be patient?

12 Do I have the strength of stone?
Is my flesh bronze?

13 Do I have any power to help myself,
now that success has been driven from me?

Job 6:1-13

I know it is kind of an exaggeration (Job went thru a lot) but the feelings i had were just that. I studied my best, did what i thought best, all the time depending on God and look the outcome? I know the results are not out yet but i probably dread that day.

But, like Job, in all things, Laus Deo.

Ian

2012

2009-11-28T21:15:00.000-08:00

Yeap. I watched the movie just today (28th Nov 2009). Overall, the movie was good as many people have testified. I was one of those chair-gripping, action packed movies. But I think the characters were not very well developed. It could be understandable since they are trying to give more screen time to the end-of-the-world theme. Just my two cents though. I seldom watch movies so I can’t criticize much. Haha.

The movie portrayed the so-called ‘end of the world’ but Man was still alive by the end of the movie. True, all the known world was destroyed and the Earth’s geography changed dramatically but Man was still alive to face another 600,000 odd years before the next period where the planets align, cause another mega-solar flare and repeat the whole process again.

I want to say a few things. Firstly, no one on Earth knows when the end of the world will come. This is echoed throughout the pages in the Bible. No Mayan or Mormon will be able to tell when the world will come to an end. Only God the Father knows when the world will come to an end and the time of the final judgement. But you may say, “That is not fair. How do you know the Mayans were not wrong and the world will come to an end at 2012?” All I can say is that we will wait and see. Countless ‘prophecies’ and ‘predictions’ were made on when the world will end and all the dates have come and gone with life going on as usual. So, we will just wait and see what will happen. Honestly, even if I knew the world was going to end in December of 2012, I would just go on living life as normal. Why? I can’t do anything to stop it, can I? So why worry? Just continue living as God would have us live.

Secondly, I would say that the events of the movie could occur at the exact date but the end is yet to come. Why? Because Jesus warned about it before in Matthew 24: 3-8:

3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. "Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?"
4 Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. 5For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,[a]' and will deceive many. 6You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8All these are the beginning of birth pains.

And in Luke 21: 10-11:
10Then he said to them: "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.

“Famines and earthquakes” , “great earthquakes”, “fearful events” and “great signs from heaven.” But the Bible says that these are “beginning of birth pains”. All these are just the beginning! Even if the Mayan’s were right, they were only right in the sense the predicted “great earthquakes”. But they would be wrong in the prediction of the end of the world, for the end was yet to come.

Lastly, it was interesting to watch in the movie where buildings burned, high structures collapse to the ground like a stack of cards, great monuments destroyed and communications (radio, tv) rendered useless. No, I am not becoming sadistic. But think about it for a moment. All that humans live for and built for thousands of years are all wiped out in a couple of days. Wiped out by what? Wars? Nope. By nature. We as humans have become proud. We think we have made it all by our intelligence, strength and power. “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?” said King Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4:30. We forget the One who actually does hold the power to give life and to take it away. Because of this pride, we have turned from the decrees of God and gone our own way. We do as we like, committing heinous sins against God and one another.

But God was patient with his dealings with Man. He even send His own Son, Jesus to die for the sins of the whole world, to redeem Man from their prideful rebellion against Him. Even though Jesus resurrected and ascended into heaven, he is coming again; not as Savior but as Judge. Even after God has revealed so much, Man intensifies His rebellion against Him. It is good to notice that Christianity would probably be the most heavily criticized and attacked of all the world religions. Many cults arise out of Christianity, perverting the message of the Gospel and presenting mythical interpretations of who God is. After all God has done and Man still rebel, only wrathful judgement of God is reserved for those who do not believe.

I better stop here. Getting too wordy already. Haha. If I have anymore thoughts, I will post it in a different post. Haha.

Soli Deo Gloria

Ian

Oh The Deep Deep Love of Jesus

2009-11-24T18:25:00.001-08:00

Lyrics:
Oh the deep, deep love of Jesus,
Vast unmeasured, boundless, free!
Rolling as a mighty ocean in its fullness over me!
Underneath me, all around me, is the current
Of Thy love
Leading onward, leading homeward to
Thy glorious rest above!

Oh the deep, deep love of Jesus,
Spread His praise from shore to shore!
How He loveth, ever loveth, changeth
never, nevermore!
How He watches o'er His loved ones,
died to call them all His own
how for them He intercedeth, watcheth
o'er them from the throne!

O the deep, deep love of Jesus,
love of ev'ry love the best!
'Tis an ocean vast of blessing,
'tis a haven sweet of rest!
O the deep, deep love of Jesus,
'tis a heav'n of heav'ns to me.
And it lifts me up to glory,
for it lifts me up to Thee!

********************************************************

An adaption from a hymn. I knew of this song from the church I am currently attending. For the good old methodists, the same tune is used in the hymn "God Hath Spoken by the Prophets".
I find this song quite meaningful. The video above is only one of many on Youtube. Just search it by the title for more videos and remixes.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Ian

Ignorance vs. Stupidity

2009-11-08T22:16:00.000-08:00

There is a difference in being ignorant and being stupid. You are ignorant and that is why you come to university. You are not stupid because you actually got into university
This is the key difference between ignorance and stupidity: Ignorance is saying "I don't know". Stupidity is saying "I don't care".

Dr. Robert Mann
Physics Lecturer

(words not exact)

author's note: this encouraged me quite a bit.

A Bit of Math

2009-11-04T21:36:00.000-08:00

CLAIM: If "a divides b" (a|b) and "b divides c" (b|c), then "a divides c" (a|c)

Example:
2 divides 4 (4/2) and 4 divides 8 (8/4) . So, 2 divides 8 (8/2).

You might go "duh" but can you prove it to me that it is true ALWAYS? XD

PROOF
If a|b, there exists an integer q such that b=qa. [Eq 1](from the Division Algorithm)

If b|c, there exists an integer r such that c=br [Eq 2](from the Division Algorithm)
Substituting b from Eq 1 into Eq 2, we obtain

c=rqa

We notice that 'rq' are integers and can be represented as Q (a result of multiplying two integers together is an integer)

Therefore, c=Qa

From the Division Algorithm, a|c. [Proven]

Note: Division Algorithm states that if 'a' and 'b' are integers and 'a' divides 'b', there exists an integer 'q' such that b=qa.

I am a Friend of God? Part 2

2009-11-02T19:26:00.000-08:00

Yeah..it is called part 2 because I wrote something about this quite some time back. I have been thinking about the phrase “I am a friend of God” for awhile now. As I recall the Scriptures I read, I can recall very few verses that relate to that theme that applies to us.

Wait, Ian. Isn’t there that verse in John where Jesus tells his disciples
“14You are my friends if you do what I command. 15I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:14-15)?

Yes. I don’t deny that the verse does exist. However, look it in context. The disciples were with Jesus for 3 years into his ministry. They ate and drank together. Wherever Jesus went, they went. They witnessed his power. They had the privilege of Jesus explaining meaning of parables to them. Sometimes they vexed Jesus. They rejoiced together. After going through all that, surely they would form a bond beyond servant/disciple and master. They knew Jesus intimately. Therefore, it was appropriate for Jesus to call them his friends.

Though verse 14 could be used as an extrapolation, but simply plucking a verse out like this is not appropriate. In verse 14, Jesus was referring to his disciples, that if they do his commands, which are stated in the previous verses, they are really his friends.

Furthermore, instances in the Bible where individuals were labelled as friends of God, the pronouncement was made by God Himself. Take Moses for example. God himself said that Moses is his friend and with Moses God speaks face to face. Moses did not confer that title on himself. Coupled with the pronouncement of Jesus to his disciples as highlighted above, we can see that only God bestows the privilege of being called a friend of God.

In addition, by calling myself a friend of God, it would seem that I am placing myself on a nearer level to God than I ought. There is that tinge of pride, proud of wanting to be on a nearer level to God. It could be the same pride that Lucifer had when he met his downfall. For Lucifer said
13 You said in your heart,
"I will ascend to heaven;
I will raise my throne
above the stars of God;
I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly,
on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain.
14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High." (Isaiah 14:13-14)

However, it is good to note that we can call ourselves friends of God but by a different definition of ‘friend’. Jesus died on the cross for our sins and rose again as proof of his finished work. Those who believe in him are no longer condemned but made peace with God. In this sense, we are no longer God’s enemies. Thus, we become his friend in the sense that we are no longer his enemies.

You all might be think “Blasphemy!” However, let me say that God has conferred a title on us that implies a relationship that far surpasses any level of friendship. He urged us to call Him “Abba, Father”. By believing in Jesus, it is written that we are given the right to become children of God. We are God’s child! How cool is that?? Isn’t that a more intimate, more reassuring relationship? Yet, it still puts us in our place, we are the children and God is the Father. Children are called to obey their parents. Children are helpless but they depend on their parents to fend for them. Isn’t that wonderful?

Remember John 15:14? There is a verse that is very similar to it but implies something else to all believers. This is what Luke 8:19-21 says:
19Now Jesus' mother and brothers came to see him, but they were not able to get near him because of the crowd. 20Someone told him, "Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you."
21He replied, "My mother and brothers are those who hear God's word and put it into practice."

Similar, right? Both issue a command to obey. But the latter is a better context for believers at large than the former.

After all I said above, for me, I would be careful of calling myself a 'buddy' friend of God. Look at Moses and his relationship with God. He spent so much time with God. Like i wrote in the previous post before, to call oneself a friend of God is a bold statement since Jesus said that we are friends, IF we do what he commands. Do we do his commands always? compared with the characters in the Bible, at least for me, i don't think i match up. though i will say that i am no longer an enemy of God because of what Christ has done.

Just my two cents of thoughts. Feel free to comment. :P Haven't done this in awhile. :P

Soli Deo Gloria!
Ian

Quantum to Cosmos Physica Phatastica Exhibition

2009-10-24T22:11:00.000-07:00

In Waterloo, the town in Canada I am currently in had an about a week long physics week. There were many talks, presentations, movies and an exhibition. And it is totally free. I went for a couple of events myself. One of those events was a physics exhibition dubbed the "Physica Phantastica Exhibition"

I went for this exhibition twice. On the first round, my camera had no battery so couldn't take pictures. On the second round, I was prepared. :P One of the highlights of the exhibition was a life-sized model of a rover that is going to be sent to Mars in 2011. Below are some pictures I took of it:

Another exhibit was on superconductivity. Basically, a piece of porcelien is cooled to a temperature less than 92 Kelvin which is about -182 degress celcius using liquid nitrogen. The 'supercooled' porceilien is then placed on a track made up of magnets. Due to the supercooling effect which I won't go in detail, it causes the normally non-magnetic porceilien to levitate (literally) over the magnetic field. I managed to get some pics of it. Not that clear but should be ok. :p Notice the gap.

The pic just above this is particularly interesting. By holding a magnet over the porcelien while it is being cooled in the liquid nitrogen causes the porcelien to bond magentically to the magnet and you get that effect. Cool, eh? :P

The following exhibit i was not sure what it was because i didn't really ask. >.< but by observation, the spinning thing looks something like a gyroscope but i could be wrong. Maybe it is used to give people an experience of apparent weightlessness? I not sure...will try and clarify. >.<

Other exhibits include: a booth explaining on polarization of light (same thing we learn in secondary school), a presentation on effects of liquid nitrogen and a stunt using Newton's First Law, an explanation about gravity, space and time, an origami booth, a short 3D movie on the Universe, a booth explaining and demonstrating the Doppler Effect, and a booth which featured a set-up used to detect cosmic rays, that is, radiation.

The explanation about gravity, space and time was particularly interesting. I won't bore with details but the basic thing i got out of it was that the space of the universe is curved and time can be bent. Furthermore, the earth we are standing on is actually accelerating outwards but due to the curve of space, it counters the outward expansion. Therefore, we are still intact. Neat, eh?:p at least to me, that is. >.<

Origami also was a real eye-opener. Apparently origami is used in creating models, especially models where there were parts folding and unfolding (example, the solar panels of satellites). They were used to simulate the actual folding-unfolding so that researchers could observe and make necessary modification.

Overall, it was a great exhibition. Really opened my eyes more in understanding the wonderful Universe that the LORD has created. Indeed, we mere human beings can't fully explain many things. Indeed, all throughout the exhibition, there were confessions saying that there was no complete understanding of it all. But the things we do know are so elegant and beautiful. This really inspires me more down the path I am taking. Praise God!

Soli Deo Gloria.

Ian

How to Relax After a Maths Midterm

2009-10-22T09:16:00.000-07:00

"If you don't understand any of this (stuff relating to prime numbers), and if you want to relax after your midterm today, take it (stuff on prime numbers) to your room of meditation tonight and contemplate the wonders of prime numbers."

MATH 135 Lecture by Prof. Steven Furino

Of the Greatest Common Divisor and the Universe

2009-10-08T09:15:00.001-07:00

"If this (proving a question relating to the Greatest Common Divisor of two numbers) gets over your head and you don't understand it, which many of you will, do not worry. Take it home to your room of meditation tonight and ponder upon the wonders of the definition of the Greatest Common Divisor.
And in the morning, when you wake up and after you have pondered upon the wonders of the Universe, ponder upon the wonders of the definition of the Greatest Common Divisor."

MATH 135 Lecture by Steven Furino.

Daniel 3:16-18

2009-10-05T19:55:00.000-07:00

16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."

Daniel 3:16-18

****

Never denying the LORD till the very end. Fully entrusting themselves into the hands of Him who judges justly. If we are saved, we are saved. If we die, we die. They will serve no other God than the LORD. They will bow to no idol, be it made of gold or themselves, for they did not value their lives above the LORD.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Tsubasa wo Kudasai

2009-09-26T07:24:00.000-07:00

I found this song on an anime called K-ON! . To me, the tune is very nice and words quite meaningful. Below, I linked some videos from Youtube, everyone's favourite tube. hehe.

This is the modern version of the song for the anime. I don't think it was played like this in the anime but I not sure. The characters played a slowed down version in the first episode. But still, nice. :P Btw, English lyrics at the right hand side in youtube...click 'more info' to see it. :P

Now this is where it gets interesting. Apparantly, it is not a new song. It was actually a Japanese folk song. This video is not the original of original but it is the slowed version..which i believe is close to the original.

Now, it gets more interesting. Below is a video on the exact same song but sung by an italian choral group! cool, eh?

The last bit of nice stuff. Hayley Westenra also sang this song...in English! the words are not exact translations of the original but they carry almost the same meaning.

Cool, eh? hehe. very nice song. :P

Musing

2009-09-22T21:26:00.000-07:00

You have heard it said, "Give a man a fish and he is full for a day but give him a fishing rod and teach him to fish and he will never go hungry." But I tell you, "Do not merely stop there. Teach him how to make a fishing rod."

-UNOwen-

Canada Pics...

2009-09-19T10:12:00.000-07:00

...are not here. :P Find them at my facebook picture albums. hehe. enjoy. :P

Ian

Prelude: Canada Part 2

2009-09-12T18:00:00.000-07:00

However, I have come to realize one thing. All the 21 years of my life, I have been in a protected Christian environment. All the while, my parents made sure I can attend church. I have been surrounded my Christian friends in the various Christian fellowships and in church. MCKL was a Christian establishment. Nilai University College had many Christians around. Now in the University of Waterloo, it is a different story. I have entered the secular, the ‘worldly’. Here, everything goes. Homosexuality is approved. They even have their own official group. Free sex is condoned openly. They even have a section in the university newspaper on how to use sex toys for better enjoyment. And they don’t tell you, “You should not have premarital sex”. But they tell you steps on how to handle the responsibilities and how to handle the emotional and mental side of it. Partying is rampant. I have a friend who stays on campus residence in one of the houses. She said that her housemates partied long into the wee hours of morning. Some were drunk until they puked in the front lawn.

I have yet to discover the whole of UW (University of Waterloo) to say anything much but this is my preliminary assessment. So how does this affect my Christian life? I am out of the comfort zone. I am now in a real war. A war, not just to protect myself from being influenced but to spread the true gospel of Christ. Does this mean I was not in a war all this while? On the contrary, I was. But this war is different. I am in a different land with different cultures and different practices. I was comfortable in Malaysia. Here, I can’t afford to be.
What disturbs me the most is the lack of Christian influence the past week I was in UW. I don’t see Christian groups doing anything anywhere. Maybe I missed them, maybe I did not. As I said, I have yet to get in touch with the Christian groups so I have yet to see what they are up to. I will update more on this matter as I observe more.

As some of you know, I almost went to Liberty University, a Christian university where a couple of my dear friends are there now. If I did go there, I would benefit from a Christian environment and I would still grow. But God has his own sense of humour and put me in UW. Is this a test? Is this a training session to make me grow stronger by putting me to more trial? I don’t know. I can’t say. Who knows what God has in store? But I can say that he has provided me all the way. Even the fact I can enter UW was something I didn’t expect as it is the top university in Canada. Even when I am here, he gave me friends, those who travelled with me as well as Malaysian senior students to help me out. Without them, I’ll probably be quite lost at the airport and in Canada. Even my landlord and his wife are a good and kind couple. Non-Christians. I guess God knew what was most essential at this point in time. Because of his providence, I can say that he has something in store. But what, I do not know.

So...yeah..that is all from me for now. I will update more as time goes by. On a brighter note, the scenery here is great. Will upload some pictures soon. The people here are friendly and helpful.

Soli Deo Gloria.
Ad majorem Dei gloriem.
*********
"We take the path less travelled." Eldar Ranger, Dawn of War

Prelude: Canada Part 1

2009-09-12T17:56:00.000-07:00

This is going to be a long post so i am splitting it in two. hehe.

Hi all! Greetings from the Red Maple leaf land: Canada. :P I have been in Canada in for about a week now and I can say it is an exciting yet nervous adventure.
All the while, people say to me, “Wow. You are going to Canada? Very cold leh...”. And I found out they were not kidding. It really is cold here. And guess what...it is still autumn! I don’t know how to survive winter. Would be an interesting adventure, eh? I have my warm clothes all ready. Now just have to gain some fats for insulation.

I am attending University of Waterloo and the campus is huge. Huge I mean HUGE!! Heck, me and my friends need a map just to find our way around. They have a thing for abbreviations. Names of buildings such as William Tatham Center become TC and so on. Kind of cool but you have others such as DC, MC, SLC, etc. So...yeah...it can get a bit confusing.

The university offers many services to students and one of them that appeals to me the most is the student ID or known here as WatCard. You may be saying, “Haah..? Student ID only what...can do what o?” Hoho. It is much more than just an ID for university. First, with the WatCard, I get to travel on the local bus routes for absolutely free. And the bus routes are long, spanning whole of Waterloo town and nearby Kitchener town. And the buses arrive on time.

Secondly, it is a debit card. I can load some money inside and it is credited to my card. I can then use the card to pay for food at food shops in the university grounds. All they do is swipe the card and the cost of the food is deducted from my preloaded value. Neat, huh? Thirdly, it is used in borrowing books as well. They just scan the card and I am done. They don’t chop or write anything...just scan and go. Coolness.

How about my spiritual journey here? Well...I haven’t met up with the Christian fellowships yet. I will be going for the universities club and societies day to find out more. But I have met up with a group of Christians working to help international students adjust to Canadian life. One of them is taking me to church this Sunday. So, I have yet to see how the churches are here in Canada.

Irony

2009-09-04T01:16:00.000-07:00

Well...what do you know. I am going to leave the airport in about 30 mins time and i have internet access from home. I have waited close to a month and only now i get it. This is gotta be a joke. :P Thank the Lord for humor. :P

O well. I'll be going for now. hehe. like i said, i'll post updates here whenever i can.

ad majorem Dei gloriem.

Ian

The Time is Nigh

2009-09-01T20:45:00.000-07:00

Durr...I am still accessing net from the cybercafe, as I am doing now. Sigh...

Anyhow, I am leaving for Canada in about 2 days time...for a holiday! I wish. :P Nah...to continue studying. I'll be there for 4 years...maybe not going back to Malaysia during those 4 years. Sigh...i'll miss everyone. I'll miss the usual way of life. Sigh....

But i'll be back. 4 years is a short time, eh? I'll update my 'adventure' here, in the annals. I'll try to update as often as possible. :P

Post in the comments or in the chatbox, yeah. :P

ad majorem Dei gloriem. [there is a reason i put this...:P]

Ian

No Internet T.T

2009-08-04T21:01:00.000-07:00

As I have written in my blog post on my birthday, so has it come true. I shifted house again...exactly after one year. SIGH....

And to keep my number and streamyx in the current residence, a telephone line extension has to be done. And...yeah...you know how TM Net (TM Nut) does its work, it will be some time before I have internet access at my house again.

I am updating this at my church office computer. :P

O well..at least now got more time to think what to update next. :P

Intermediary Post

2009-07-20T23:59:00.000-07:00

lol. yeah...quite a while since i updated...still thinking what to update. :P
while i continue thinking, here is a post to fill in the blank spaces of time. hehe. one of the computer games i am playing now is "Dawn of War" and it's expansion, "Dawn of War: Dark Crusade", thanks to TheRancor and Nick..:P It is a strategy game...the ones where you build a base and an army then go and take out your opponents.

One of the races/factions in the game are the Eldar. Their builder unit is known as a Bonesinger. Like the Red Alert 3 post on a Dreadnought earlier, this one is about some quotes the Bonesinger says that to me, seems quite cool. :P
They have a flute-like instrument with them that, when they play it, use some sort energy to shape a stone-like thingy called a Wraithbone that will form the Eldar structures.

A picture of a Bonesinger. :P

Some things he says:

"I sing to the Craftsworld and it responds in kind"
"Where shall I call forth the Wraithbone"
"My music shall shape the Wraithbone"
"Command me to build"
"Show me the place that is ready to receive the gift of the Eldar"
"I shall call it forth from the warp"
"Look! It changes as I play!"
"My music is the pillar on which whole worlds have been built"
"Nothing remains unchanged by the music of creation"
"Shall I play the music here then?"
"Show me the place that I may call forth the Wraithbone"

PS: Lol. really...I dunno what to update. >.< hehe.

Poem

2009-07-01T05:56:00.000-07:00

Inspired by Nicholas, I decided to try my hand at poetry again. I managed to cook up a few lines that rhyme and actually mean something. :P

Oh, my heart is burdened,
My soul, why despairest thou?
Hope, be not silenced,
Light, dimmest not thou.

My heart despair doth assail,
Let my plea forever prevail,
Defend me, O King of Might,
Savior, Lord, King of Light.

Labor for the Church

2009-06-30T00:14:00.000-07:00

Nowadays, how is serving the church measured? It seems to be measured in the amount of hours clocked in any ministry. It is how much you give to the church. I would like to present another dimension of service which is often very much overlooked and sidelined.

In Colossians 1:24-2:1-5, Paul talks about his service or labor to the church. Let’s look at Colossians 1:25-26.

25I have become its (church) servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— 26the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints.

Paul became a servant to the church not to serve in various so called ministries or to give money to the church but his focus was in presenting the word of God in its fullness. In my opinion, things today have been oversimplified. I like simple stuff, as long its essence and force is not lost. However, for example, matters pertaining salvation and Christ work on the cross have been downplayed. We try to present a ‘maggie mee’ gospel, a gospel that can be understood and digested within 30minutes. They do not take the time to present the gospel fully, as Paul does. I am currently reading John Stott’s “Cross of Christ” where he examines what Jesus did on the cross. He puts it in simple language which is relatively easy to understand but the book is thick. Imagine a book almost as thick as a Harry Potter book talking purely on the meaning of the cross to Christians. Do pastors and leaders nowadays talk about things like ‘propitiation’, ‘justification’, problem of forgiveness, God’s holy love, sin, etc? I guess not often.

28We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. 29To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.Colossians 1:28-29

Notice that he starts with the word ‘we’ means he was not alone in the endeavor. He probably was with other fellow Christian brothers in this task. So, things like teaching and admonishing are not only to be done by the pastor but by everyone.

However, those who want to teach have to get his or her doctrine straight before claiming to teach. If you teach false doctrine or wrong teaching, you will be accountable for it before God. Those receiving the teaching also have the task of counter-checking the teachings presented with the Word of God.

2My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, 3in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.Colossians 2:2-3

What does the church define riches? Big buildings, good PA system, nice air-conditioning, growing ‘ministries’, etc. But what does it say here? To know the mystery of God and what Christ has done is like searching for valuable treasure. When we have complete understanding, it says here that we have full riches. If that is the case, should we not strive to that end? If that is so, why all the self-help, feel good sermons every Sunday?

Am I saying ministries and all that stuff are bad in itself? No. In fact, things like helping the community are good and should be continued. However, priorities have to be set properly or we may end up making idols of those things, and we know that God does not put up with this kind of attitude.

23 This is what the LORD says:
"Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom
or the strong man boast of his strength
or the rich man boast of his riches,
24 but let him who boasts boast about this:
that he understands and knows me,
that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness,
justice and righteousness on earth,
for in these I delight,"
declares the LORD.
Jeremiah 9:23-24

Musings

2009-06-10T07:22:00.000-07:00

Today, the whole world is being hit by recession. Stock prices are fluctuating, economic growth is stunted, and the global economy is going haywire. The future seems so uncertain. Everyone is worried, even most Christians. I find this quite amusing as I will explain in awhile.

Nevertheless, despite of the terrible downturn, some churches are still going ahead with their building projects. They say we have to go forth in faith that God will provide and the building will be a success. Nevermind we don’t have the money, God will provide. However, the amount spent is not small at all. It runs into the millions.

What I am going to infer next is meant sarcastically but I can’t help but see a glimpse of truth in this. God might use these churches building projects to help elevate the economy situation of at least, Malaysia. How so? Well...because of the job loss and cut in pay, people have less spending power. So, they tend to save and not spend their money. By not spending their money, companies and businesses can’t sell their products, which cause them to cut jobs and salary. This will become a death cycle, plunging the economy deeper as money circulating in the economy decreases. But, instead of saving, the church is spending, and lavishly at that! Millions is not exactly a small amount. It will pump a lot of money into the economy to be circulated and help the ailing economy. Ingenious! So, I say, go ahead! Build all you want. It is doing society at large a great favor. (Remember, sarcasm. It may not be true. Just something that just came to me. :P ) How the money is acquired, I don’t know. I suspect it will mean more fund raising stuff to siphon the money. Yeap. All in the name of religion.

I will now explain my amusement stated in the first paragraph. If an unbeliever is worried of the future, I understand. But if a Christian is overly worried, something is wrong. I suspect many Christians are worried because there are even sermons on how to live a joy full life in midst of economic recession. So, before the economic recession God is on the sidelines? Only during economic recession we look to him for joy? This means before this your joy came not from God but from the world? Your worldly treasures have become your source of joy and it is under threat of being removed.

Why should we be worried? Has not God promised to provide for us? Or maybe you are worried for losing your wealth instead. All this while, you rested on your wealth saying, “I have a comfortable life. I have everything I want” and this is about to be taken away. Is this why you are worried, that your comfortable life is threatened? How true when the Bible says to cast a glance at riches and they are gone (Proverbs 23:5). But no, we focus on them. We want expensive structures. We horde and accumulate wealth for our lifestyles. Now, during this time, we are reaping what we have sown. You valued wealth, just like the world? Now, suffer along with the world.

Some even go to say that the economic troubles are caused by Satan and his demons. I beg to differ. Who created the current economic capitalist system? Man. Who are the selfish and greedy ones that was the source of the recession? Man. We humans have dug this hole ourselves. Satan probably only had to prod us in the direction he wanted us to go. We chose the path ourselves. It is now our own undoing.

We shouldn’t be worried in the first place. Has not God promised to provide for us? Look at the birds of the air. Look at the trees. Are they not doing well? Certainly God values us more than plants or birds! If God provides for them, how much more will he provide for us? That is enough reason for us to be joyful already (or joy full). (Matthew 6:25-34)

But some may doubt that God will provide, like me sometimes. I have thought about it and I take the stand Daniel’s three friends took while threatened with death for not bowing to King Nebuchadnezzar’s idol.

17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." (Daniel 3:17-18)

Even if God does not save us, for reasons known only to Him, we will not renounce God’s name or turn away from him. To utter these words and believe them in your heart requires immense faith and trust in God, that even if God doesn’t save us, we trust that he knows what he is doing. This is the stand I take and I find release and peace in this. Indeed, all praises to Him for he will not forsake his people whom he redeemed with his own blood. Praise the Holy Almighty God who is full of grace and mercy. All honor, glory, power and praise be to him alone. Amen.

Eighty and six years have I served Him, and he never did me any injury; how then can I blaspheme my King and my Savior. -Polycarp, disciple of the Apostle John, and Bishop of Smyrna

Be Thou My Vision

2009-05-28T02:45:00.000-07:00

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

i think i posted this song before...way way way back. thought i post it up again. very nice hymn. :P

21

2009-05-23T06:59:00.000-07:00

Lolz. I have arrived at THE age…21. (well...in about 2 hours time) :P The age where I am supposed to be a full-fledged adult and no more a teenager. Okla…young adult la. :P Though this is a time to celebrate, I also decided to think a bit-think about the past 21 years.

As I look back, that God indeed has sustained me for 21 years. Many events have taken place throughout my life and God indeed has seen me through. So..yeah…here I am. :P I have been shifting house since God alone knows when…and I am still shifting around. Man…like a nomad. :P I sometimes just pray and hope for the day where I can finally settle down in one fix spot of a house and not move anymore. But of course, if God so wills I move for the sake for His message…well…master says servant does. I am sure he will provide.

As I look back also, I also consider my relationship with people. Because of moving around, my friendships tend not to last long-it grows cold after awhile. So, I really appreciate those friendships that I have. Yeah. Sometimes it seems like my actions or words don’t ring of appreciation. That I have myself to blame. I don’t know how or when emo-ness got to me and weird, dark thoughts come to me. During these times, I have not behaved well or even said things or did things that hurt those around me. So, for those whom have been on the receiving end, I apologize. Just to let you know that I indeed value all of you who I call my friend and you who call me your friend.

What else…yeah…still single. :P Got turned down twice and turned away one. Maybe it was for the better. You know who you are. ;) But still friends, of course. :P Haih…

Another thing I realize is that I have not mastered any tools of any trade. Really…I don’t have skill in any practical stuff, be it in music or in other areas. I guess it is my bad again. I have not taken effort to master anything. Well…they say you are never too late to learn, right? Well…now thinking of being able to do something well. Something practical for life or can use in the world. What do I like? Hmm…computer games? :P Well…it is practical probably to impress people and to relieve stress. However, I do play computer games but I admit I am not good at that either. Even though I play and ‘practice’, I can never seem to master any game nicely. I come to accept this and just play for the fun of the game. It is less stressful this way. :P Hmm…I do have some interest in photography. I do take snapshots with my digital camera. Not exactly sharp and clear but I guess just to store some memorable scenes. The more pro cameras are too expensive, even the cheapest and most budget of the lot. May get one next time when working but until then, no no. :P Well…any other suggestions? :P

Hmm…my spiritual walk with God. Hmm…I have indeed have my up and down times. Sometimes I feel close to Him, sometimes like he is not around. Sometimes I am willing to trust him all the way, sometimes I doubt his character. I won’t say it was smooth sailing, even all those 21 years. Born into a Christian family, I went to Sunday school and knew all about Moses, Noah, Jesus, etc. But God was not really center of my life. I did not read the Bible for myself. I did what I wanted to do. The turning point in my life you can call it cliché. It was at a youth camp where I committed my life to Christ. After that day, I had a great desire to read the Bible. I dug out my bible from the store room (yes, it was not even on the bookshelf) and started reading. Reading and reading. Chapter after chapter, book after book. Re-reading it over and over again. Read Revelation about 5 times through. It is a fascinating book even though the symbols remain a mystery to me till today. :P Somehow, verses tend to stick it my mind even though I do not make much of a conscious effort to memorize. But no doubt I still made effort to memorize verses. Oh…and I started to like sermons also. Can learn so much about God’s word through those speakers up there. And God became the center of my life. In a sense that I became more conscious of His presence with me and trying to do the things that I know pleases Him (from the Bible). So…yeah…and continue until now I guess. You can say this is my personal testimony.

O well. Quite a long post. Guess I’ll end here. Can say this is probably my first real personal post in this blog. So…yeah. :P

Soli Deo Gloria! (All glory to God alone)

Ad majorem Dei gloriem. (For the greater glory of God)

Dominus Illuminatio Mea. (The Lord is my light)

Soviet Dreadnought from Red Alert 3

2009-05-20T09:17:00.000-07:00

lol. this is a unit from the Soviet faction of a game i am playing now, Red Alert 3. yeah...i know it has been out awhile but...who cares. :P

some of the lines this unit says quite nice...:P

"Dreadnought and her crew are ready"
"Enemies of the Union shall burn"
"The seas will run red"
"These waters belong to Russia"
"We will fight to the last man and rocket"
"A majestic sight we must be" (my favourite...:P)
"If Lenin (?) could see us now"
"The waters tremble beneath us"

lolz. :p

I am a Friend of God...?

2009-05-17T06:43:00.000-07:00

14You are my friends if you do what I command. 15I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.

In many contemporary Christian songs today, one phrase we keep on saying is that we are God’s friend. It’s my guess that they pulled it out from the verse above which can be found in John 15:14-15. However, I noticed that they tend to quote, or sing, only half of it but neglect the other half. Take for example this song entitled, “I am a friend of God”.

VERSE:
Who am I that you are mindful of me
That you hear me, when I call
Is it true that you are thinking of me
How you love me, it's amazing (Who am I Lord)

CHORUS:
I am a friend of God
I am a friend of God
I am a friend of God
He calls me friend

Verse

BRIDGE:
God Almighty
Lord of Glory
You have called me friend

All sounds good, right? However, look at John 15:14 again closely:

14You are my friends if you do what I command.

Yeah. We are only Jesus/God’s friends only if we do what He commands. As for me, I don’t see that implied anywhere in the song above. So, we think we can simply call ourselves friends of God just like that? For me, I do not think so. We have to remain in Him always, obeying His commands and depending on Him. That was what was written in the previous verses in John 15 prior to verse 14. We have to abide in Christ, that is, to be totally attached and committed to Jesus.

I listen to a sermon recently and the speaker said illustrated abiding in Christ with marriage. When two people enter into marriage, they are united and the two become one. Likewise, we must abide in Christ so closely as that (although we do not become one with Christ but the intimacy is just as in marriage).

This is what is implied in verse 15 as well. Jesus has made known what he learned from the Father to us and this is recorded for us in the Bible. If we are really God’s friend, we would take effort to know what Jesus has made known to us. How to do that? Read the Bible, of course. Study it. Think about it throughout the day and how it applies to your daily life. Live it out. The Holy Spirit will teach you everything and reveal things in the word.

Therefore, do not think you can call yourselves God’s friend for nothing. We are not God’s friend for getting emotional high at electrifying worship sessions and see who can jump the highest. It is not how many church activities you go to. The question is: are you abiding in Christ and obeying His commands?

Soli Deo Gloria!

Games I Play...with a NDS Emulator!! XD

2009-05-11T09:48:00.000-07:00

lol...while i think about a personal post, let me post a bit about some games I play. This time, the platform is the Nintendo DS. As I do not have a NDS, I am using an emulator to play it on my com. Below are some of the titles i play.

MEGAMAN STARFORCE DRAGON

ah...this game involves one to think quick and to be efficient with the keyboard. :P below is a screenshot from my game. basically i have to use those cards at the bottom half to defeat the enemies in front. I can only move left and right to dodge attacks or block (but some attacks can't be blocked). the cards will refresh after a set interval. quite nice game:P

FINAL FANTASY TACTICS ADVANCE 2

lol. the box cover not that nice:P anyway, the screenshot below explains a lot. basically, i control a clan with members (duh..:P) which are added as the game progresses. each character can master moves from weapons held and are used to defeat enemies in battles. its like a turn-based game where each character moves one at a time. in the screenshot below, i am selecting units for a confrontation. highlighted is a Hunter. refering to the top half of the screen, to his left is a Trickster and to his right is a Flintlock.

lolz. thats all for now. i got other games also...will post later. :P

Thoughts....

2009-05-11T05:48:00.000-07:00

Comfortable, "Feel Good" Christianity is Satan's counterfeit, resulting in:

-Much praise singing but no worship of God
-Much praying but no connection with God
-Much serving but not for Christ
-Much church-going but have no evidence of being Christlike in character and behaviors

Taken from Rev. Dr. Chew Tow Yow's sermon entitled "Discipleship--Being Totally Attached to Jesus"

Something Different

2009-05-10T07:31:00.000-07:00

well...quite awhile since I posted a proper update. Hope that you all like the songs I posted up in the interval. I talked to one of my friends that day and he said my blog is like a sermon blog...all religious stuff and long walls of text. So I thought to add a personal post...this post. :P

actually...i don't know what to write.:P i am holiday now. spend most of my time at home on the computer. hehe. catching up on games.:P and i recently just got a DVD drive with write capability. finally i can buy dvd games and watch dvd movies. wakakakaka. yeah...very sad right? dvd drives were out like ages ago but my com just got it a few days back. haih...better late than never. :P

well...i end this entry here. :P so the main point: i finally got a dvd drive! wakaka.

Pater Noster (The Lord's Prayer)

2009-05-03T01:32:00.000-07:00

LATIN
Pater noster, qui es in caelis:
sanctificetur Nomen Tuum;
adveniat Regnum Tuum;
fiat voluntas Tua,
sicut in caelo, et in terra.
Panem nostrum cotidianum da nobis hodie;
et dimitte nobis debita nostra,
Sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris;
et ne nos inducas in tentationem;
sed libera nos a Malo.

ENGLISH
Our Father, who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.

We Believe in One True God

2009-04-26T00:16:00.001-07:00

1. We believe in one true God,
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
ever present help in need,
praised by all the heavenly host;
by whose mighty power alone
all is made and wrought and done.

2. We believe in Jesus Christ,
Son of God and Mary's Son,
who descended from his throne
and for us salvation won;
by whose cross and death are we
rescued from sin's misery.

3. We confess the Holy Ghost,
who from both fore'er proceeds;
who upholds and comforts us
in all trials, fears, and needs.
Blest and Holy Trinity,
praise forever be to thee!

Text: Tobias Clausnitzer, 1619-1684; Trans. by Catherine Winkworth, 1827-1878
Music: J.G. Werner's Choralbuch; MH arr. by W.H. Monk, 1823-1889; UMH arr. by William
Tune: RATISBON, Meter: 77.77.77

Christ the Lord Is Risen Today

2009-04-12T07:25:00.000-07:00

1. Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!
Earth and heaven in chorus say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heavens, and earth reply, Alleluia!

2. Love's redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids him rise, Alleluia!
Christ has opened paradise, Alleluia!

3. Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Once he died our souls to save, Alleluia!
Where's thy victory, boasting grave? Alleluia!

4. Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia!
Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like him, like him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!

5. Hail the Lord of earth and heaven, Alleluia!
Praise to thee by both be given, Alleluia!
Thee we greet triumphant now, Alleluia!
Hail the Resurrection, thou, Alleluia!

6. King of glory, soul of bliss, Alleluia!
Everlasting life is this, Alleluia!
Thee to know, thy power to prove, Alleluia!
Thus to sing, and thus to love, Alleluia!

Text: Charles Wesley, 1707-1788
Music: Lyra Davidica, 1708

Peace

2009-04-04T02:02:00.000-07:00

It has been a loooonnnngggg while since I last updated. Was very busy and stressed during my absent time period. I also didn’t know what to update as well. Lolz. Anyway, I have been thinking about peace and joy. What is true peace? As stated earlier, it has been a very hectic period for me. Truly God sustained me throughout my physical, mental and emotional drain. It was during that time I also contemplated on what is peace from God.

Philippians 4:6-7
6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (NIV)

It says here that the peace of God transcends (or surpasses) all understanding. I understand it to mean that this feeling of peace cannot be understood. This peace will still be there even though everything is darkness and chaos around me. I can’t understand why it is there but it is like a sphere of light in a room of darkness. It gives me assurance and calm as well as to keep me sane. By logic, it shouldn’t be there because chaos should have overwhelmed any sign of hope.

Now peace can come through many different means. For example, if I know that I have money in my bank account, I feel a sense of peace. But I know where this peace is coming from, that is, from the certainty of having enough money in the bank. I would not have to worry about material stuff. But the peace that comes purely from God cannot be traced back to anything. When everything around me seems to be going wrong, I have a sense of hope and assurance that keeps me going on.

One may say that I got my assurance from Scripture. Well…that still comes from God since it is written that all Scripture is God-breathed. Indeed, it is through the Scriptures we learn who God is and His character. Our hope and peace comes from knowing God and we know about God through the written word.

On another note, true peace cannot be experienced without chaos and uncertainty. How can we know peace if we do not know what trouble and uncertainty is? Indeed, it is when you are facing problems and difficulties that an opportunity to experience true peace from God arises. Why is this so? If everything was going well with you, you are contented and have peace that comes from that contentment. If God gives you such contentment, praise Him for it is by His grace you experience that. But you might take that peace for granted and thus will not experience peace to its fullest extent. It is only when you experience peace in the midst of chaos that you will truly appreciate that peace and you will know that that peace comes from God, for in the midst of chaos, there would minimal assurance from other sources.

Oftentimes, we pray that God will help us experience His peace. Instead of feeling peace, most of the time more trouble comes our way and we ask God why. For me, I would think that it is the answer to your prayer. In midst of trouble, God can let you experience the peace that surpasses all understanding and in it you will know true peace.

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33 (NIV)

Soli Deo Gloria!

Interesting Exerpt (Concerning the Church)

2009-02-27T20:15:00.000-08:00

"It is their baptism into the Body of Christ which assures all Christians of their full share in the life of Christ and the Church...To allow a baptized brother to take part in the worship of the Church, but to refuse to have anything to do with him in everyday life, is to subject him to abuse and contempt. If we do that, we are guilty of the very Body of Christ. And if we grant the baptized brother the rights to the gifts of salvation but refuse him the gifts necessary to earthly life or knowingly leave him in material need and distress, we are holding up the gifts of salvation to ridicule and behaving as liars...When a man is baptized into the Body of Christ not only his personal status as regards salvation changed, but also his relationship of daily life"-Dietrich Bonhoeffer

The Cost of Discipleship. Touchstone, 1995.

Games I Play...:D

2009-02-20T22:45:00.000-08:00

lolz. sorry for the soooo looonnggg silence..:P was very very busy...>.< i was juz wondering...this blog always has walls and walls of text but very very few pics. :P so i thought if making a picture intermission post while i churn something up. :P
this post has some screenshots of some of the games i play. :P enjoy!

Command and Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars (non-expansion version..T.T)
lol..this is me using the Scrin faction. There are three factions: GDI (Global Defense Initiative), Brotherhood of Nod and Scrin. In this pic, i am going for the kill with my Planetary Assault Carriers (Scrin high level technology unit). bwahahahaha!!!

Command and Conquer: Generals (also non-expansion version...T.T)

Also a strategy game like the Tiberium Wars. Has three factions: China, USA and GLA (Global Liberation Army...a fictional terrorist group). In this pic, I am using China and ready to launch my nuclear missile to wipe my opponents of the map! wahahaha!

Touhou 10: Mountain of Faith

this is a free game my friend introduced to me. its what they call a 'curtain fire shooting game'. basically the screen scrolls on and u control a character which fires bullets to kill enemies. but this touhou series (yes, its a series...has version 1 till 11 if i not mistaken) takes it to the extreme as u can see in the screenshot above. the screen fills up with bullets and i hv to dodge every single one of them. if i get hit by ANY of those bullets, i lose a life..and I have to kill the boss also...and this is EASY mode!! can't imagine what is it at the last mode, LUNATIC...>.<

that is all for now. :P watch out for more "Games I Play" kinda posts. :P

Ian

Good News

2008-12-31T01:06:00.000-08:00

Well... year 2008 is coming to an end in a few hours time. As 2008 ends and 2009 starts, I thought of doing something different. Instead of the usual kind of posts, I would like to present the gospel. I try to model it from Paul's speech in the Areopagus at Athens in the book of Acts. So...yeah...read on...everyone.
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In the past, humans have always been interested in the supernatural as well as in awe of the nature around them. Since in the past humans relied heavily on nature for their survival, they see themselves at the mercy of nature. Therefore, they created a set of belief systems to try to control or rather to appease the forces controlling nature and these forces were known to them as spirits and gods.

This was the beginnings of religion. Over time, religion is the worship of something or someone. Everyone today holds a form of religion. Most people in cities today hold a materialistic religion. They worship material wealth because in their eyes, wealth is so important that they must strive to acquire more and more of it; since they require it to ‘survive’ like the ancestors in the past.

Therefore, they spend all their energies to acquire and indulge in material wealth. They try to acquire more and more without end in sight. This arises because it does not satisfy. They think they feel unsatisfied because they have not acquired enough. So, they will not feel content at all. But by right, at some point, they should feel satisfied.

Take an example of food. Hunger is a desire for food. When we are hungry, we feel the urge to eat. After we eat a hearty meal, we feel full and satisfied. Our hunger is satisfied. Our stomach is loaded until we can not take in any more.

Likewise, material possessions are important for survival. Just like food, we need some amount to survive. When we have all we need, we should feel content. But most people do not feel that way. They want more and more. No matter how much they get, they may feel satisfied for awhile but not full. Even if we are greedy for food, at one point we have to stop eating as we find it torturous to eat more. But there seems to be no end for material pursuit. Therefore, it goes to follow that we are trying to use material wealth to fill something it is not supposed to fill. It is like eating food when you are thirsty.

As a result, we will feel empty in the end. We feel as though we have not achieved anything in the end. Life seems to have no meaning and without a goal. There seems to be a chasm that we are trying to fill with material wealth but it does not seem to fill. I will tell you what this chasm is.

God created the heavens and the earth and he also created man. Into man, he imparted a part of himself so that man should try to seek after him. But man chose not to follow after God and this created a chasm in man who had departed from God. Man has sought in vain to fill this chasm with everything imaginable but has failed. Today, they run after material pleasures and addictions to try and fill this chasm. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.

This man is Jesus Christ and God has revealed him to all mankind. Man has no longer any excuse. No longer can man say, “I do not know”. He now calls men everywhere to repent and turn to him. Therefore, as an ambassador of Christ, I urge all of you who have not yet repented to repent and turn to God through Jesus Christ. He is the way to eternal life and eternal life is this: that people may know the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom he has sent. To know God in an intimate and personal way is what life is all about.

Christmas

2008-12-24T05:54:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone. :P Yup..it has been awhile since I last updated. Honestly, I felt kinda lazy…>.< Oh well. Anyway, I am writing this on Christmas Eve. Even though I have other things to write on, I guess I’ll give my take on Christmas first.

What is Christmas? Many Christians do not go beyond the fact that it is a day to celebrate Jesus’ birthday. It is true that Christmas is about Jesus’ birth but Christmas is so much more than that. Besides, December 25th is not really Jesus’ actual birthday. I read somewhere that historians place Jesus’ birth to be around April. Jesus’ birthday was placed on December 25th to replace a winter solstice festival during the time of Constantine. (Note: I have to check up the details again)

The true meaning of Christmas, in my opinion, runs deep and carries many implications. One must realize how much God gave up to come down in human form. We see commercials, children art, etc depicting Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus all comfortable and smiling. Fine. Since they portray it as such, here is something to think about. One must realize where was Jesus before he came down to be in human form as a baby. He was with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit in heaven; in all his glory, splendour and power. Imagine. He left all that to come to earth. Even if he did come to a comfy manger as it is portrayed, it is still a massive ‘downgrade’ from the usual. Imagine the Yang Dipertuan Agong leaving his palace, his regalia, his servants and his comfort to stay in one of the citizen’s house. Whether he stayed in an extremely poor house (squatters, etc) or in a middle to above average house, it would still be a massive ‘downgrade’, would you not think so?

But here is the thing. God was not forced to send Jesus down to earth as a baby and later to die for our sins. He could have just wiped all of us out for our sins. He is perfectly justified in doing so as Yahweh is a holy and just God who cannot tolerate evil. The punishment for our sin and rebellion is death and God could have executed his judgment in a single stroke. But God chose to provide a way out; the only way out. He sent Jesus down as a baby, live a sinless life and then to die a horrible and shameful death on the cross. He resurrected Jesus and now Jesus sits glorified in heaven and intercedes for us on our behalf together with the Holy Spirit. Did God have to go through the trouble to do it? I do not think so. But yet he chose to do so.

Also, one must note that Jesus was born as helpless baby to a not so well to do couple. He was not born in a palace or some rich person’s house. He was born as a baby and grew into a man. He didn’t suddenly appear as a full grown man. As a baby, he was helpless. He had to be looked after by human parents as he could not defend himself. Here is the only begotten Son of God, second co-equal in the Trinity, existed even before time began, now as a defenseless human baby. It was bad enough to be confined to a human shell but a human baby shell??

In light of this, here is a passage of Scripture which sounds all to familiar to most. A special focus on verse 7.

5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:5-11

It is written that he made himself nothing, becoming a servant in human likeness. He humbled himself, gave up the joys of heaven to come down to be like us. Indeed, this is true love. Therefore, we must be forever thankful and grateful to God for what he has done. This is the reason why we give praise and thanks to God for. Indeed, this is the reason we live.

14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

18No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only,who is at the Father's side, has made him known.

John 1:14,18

Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies

2008-11-15T20:58:00.000-08:00

Christ, whose glory fills the skies,
Christ, the true, the only Light,
Sun of Righteousness, arise,
Triumph o’er the shades of night;
Dayspring from on high, be near;
Day-star, in my heart appear.

Dark and cheerless is the morn
Unaccompanied by Thee;
Joyless is the day’s return
Till Thy mercy’s beams I see;
Till they inward light impart,
Glad my eyes, and warm my heart.

Visit then this soul of mine,
Pierce the gloom of sin and grief;
Fill me, Radiancy divine,
Scatter all my unbelief;
More and more Thyself display,
Shining to the perfect day.

Text: Charles Wesley, 1707-1788
Music: J.G. Werner's Choralbuch; harm. by William H. Havergal
Tune: RATISBON, Meter: 77.77.77

Songs

2008-11-08T20:47:00.000-08:00

1st Movement

People exalt songs of voices
Which does soothe the soul
And also to praise the Eternal,
Who indeed is worthy of all praise.

Alas! Such song require skill
Or was it natural talent?
What of those who have neither?
Will no songs come from them?

But the Eternal doth create all with voices,
To sing also songs with no physical melody.

Ah! The song of the gospel!
Sweet indeed is its melody!
Christ started its symphony,
The apostles sang it thru eternity

Oh, how I wish to be bold as them!
To sing this song in every land,
To pay the price of this melody,
To suffer even till death.

Such a song of great worth!
Never will your symphony cease!
Sing on, soldiers of God!
Sing on, till death!

2nd Movement

Behold to the song of scripture!
Sweet indeed is its words,
Full of nourishment,
For soul and body.

But sharp indeed is its pitch
Piercing all hearts who hear
The Spirit’s sword doth sing
In tune with this song.

Its tune is melodious,
Rising over the cacophony
Of heresy and falsehood
Mouthed my perverse men.

Ah! Everlasting song!
Your notes will be kept,
Writ by the Eternal,
For all eternity.

Coda

Ah! Such are the songs
Which men set aside,
Men who call on Him,
Lord, Lord, Lord.

They do exalt physical melody.
Deifying those who are masters.
Second class servants
Are those who are unable.

But I will remember the songs.
I will cherish them in my heart.
I will learn these songs.
I will sing it till eternity!

by: uNkNowN
*****

hmm...a self composition...meaning behind it should be quite obvious. i am still experimenting with poem writing...:P

Interesting Quote

2008-10-31T22:48:00.000-07:00

"Perhaps even more insidious and widespread is the emergence in many churches of a spiritually dead, secular faith, which strips out all of the numinous aspects of traditional belief, presenting a version of spiritual life that is all about social events and/or tradition, and nothing about the search for God" (Collins 41)

Collins, Francis. The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief. Great Britain: Pocket Books, 2007.

Numb3rs

2008-10-09T02:36:00.000-07:00

Nope. It is not the popular TV series on Astro. I just liked the style they used so…:P I was in church the past Sunday and the speaker made this comment, “We need to think about quantity also. A lot of churches say focus on quality not quantity. If we do not have quantity, how can there be quality?” He was speaking on church attendance and membership. And he used the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost to back his claim. He said that if quantity was not important, how come 3000 were added that day? The Christian group should just focus on quality with the small number they already had. Therefore, we should do all we can to bring more people to church.

This is, in my opinion, a very bad misinterpretation of Scripture. I would like to say that because they focused on quality, God gave them the quantity. The apostles didn’t do anything spectacular to attract the crowd.

“1When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
5Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language.”
Acts 2:1-6
Yet, they were focusing on ‘quality’. Why is that? Before ascending, Jesus gave them the command to wait in Jerusalem until they were filled with power from on high (Luke 24:49). They were being obedient to that command. Furthermore, they were not waiting idly. They were worshiping! “And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.” Luke 24:53. It is clear that they were focusing on the quality of their spiritual being.

Since they were obedient, and according to what Jesus had spoken, God sent the promise Holy Spirit. The Scripture says that when people heard the loud wind, they came to where the apostles were. Then Peter went up and gave his sermon that saved 3000 people. Now, did the apostles do anything spectacular to attract the crowd? No! The Holy Spirit did it. The Holy Spirit used Peter as a mouthpiece to convey the message. The Holy Spirit then convicted the people of sin and told them to repent and be baptized. This is because it is the Holy Spirit’s job to convict. “When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment…” John 16:8.

Yes, we are to bring more people into church. But what kind of people? When Jesus gave the Great Commission, he said go and make disciples. He did not say go and make converts. Were the people only to believe? Nope. Jesus continues to say, “to teach them to obey everything I have commanded you.”

“19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Matthew 28:19-20
The speaker’s logic is true to the extent that if you do not have quantity, you don’t have anything to focus quality on. But if God gives you a small amount, it is still a quantity. So, focus on that. If God gives you a large quantity, so be it. Be faithful with that. This is reiterated in the “Parable of the Talents” Matthew 25:14-30. Be faithful with whatever you have. God will settle the quantity.

A (deer…:P) friend of mine in the USA said in her blog, “It is really hard to get involved in a church that huge, and I do not want to just attend church every Sunday and then leave right after service. Part of my act of worshipping is serving Him, and at the same time, I also believe that it is easier for me to grow in a smaller church.” See the problem of a big church? Nope. We just need the numbers too show how big our church is. We will just make the church seeker friendly. Away with the hard stuff. Welcome the funny anecdotes. We can wait for quality later. We need the quantity now.

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comment yah..:P Soli Deo Gloria!

Prayer

2008-09-29T22:27:00.000-07:00

It kind of disturbs me when people treat prayer as some sort of formula. What do I mean? There are some people that say if you pray in a certain way and use certain words you will ‘touch’ the heart of God. Furthermore, some say that if you are in a certain condition then you pray a certain prayer and continue to pray it. They sound as if by repeating that prayer that God is going to have to do it for them. As I ponder on this and read the Bible, I don’t see the Bible teaching anything like that at all.

Does the Bible ever teach that when you pray in a certain way and use certain words you will touch the heart of God? What does the Bible say? James 5:16, “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” Did it say you must use certain words to pray? It just says ‘the prayer of a righteous man’. The condition for powerful prayer is not a formula but your standing with God. If we are right with God, we can be assured our prayer will be heard. Does God always answer a ‘yes’? No. A lot of people assume that when God answers it will always be a ‘yes’ because they followed a formula. If God was constrained that way, He would not be Sovereign. Even ‘no’ or ‘wait’ is an answer.

In consequence, what does being right with God mean? Firstly, it is accepting and believing sincerely that Jesus has died for our sins and receiving him as Lord and Savior. Secondly, it is an ongoing process whereby we continuously repent of our sins that we commit and strive to live a life that is pleasing to God. Please note that I am not advocating good works as a means for salvation. Good works is the embodiment of genuine faith in Christ. The Bible also says that without faith it is impossible to please God. Therefore, our faith must be genuine faith.

When Jesus taught the all time famous Lord’s Prayer, he was giving us a modal to follow. In the prayer, he says we can and should ask God to: give us daily need, strengthen us against temptation, help us to forgive others. It also says we should glorify and praise God when we pray and pray his will be done on earth as it is in heaven. It basically sums up what is the meaning of prayer.

Another thing I find a bit out of place is the practice of invoking the different names of God. You can correct me if I am wrong on this one. I guess this practice was drawn from the Old Testament when Abraham and others build altars to remember God’s character. For example, in Exodus 17:15, “Moses built an altar and called it The LORD is my Banner.” It was just a symbol to remember God and what he had done. In this case, he had just won a war with the Amalekites. But people seem to build on this and say we should pray invoking the name of God as if by invoking his various ‘names’ he will do as we ask. Some names are Jehovah Jireh, Jehovah Tsidkenu, Jehovah Rophe and Jehovah Shalom. True, they are all after the God’s nature but never in the Bible was it taught to invoke these names as if to demand God for something. Example would be Jehovah Rophe which means the Lord who heals. Some may tend to pray, “Because you are Jehovah Rophe, you must heal me.” But there is a difference when you pray, “I know you are Jehovah Rophe and you are capable of healing as you have shown in the past. But you are Sovereign. In your mercy, if it is your will, heal me.” See the difference?
Sermons and discussions on prayer are legion. But why make something so complicated which God meant to be so simple? When you pray, just pray as if you were talking to a person. Is it hard at first? Yes. But the more you try, the Spirit will draw you into a deeper communion with Him. Don’t know where to start? Look at the Lord’s prayer as a modal. When I first began to take my walk with God seriously (about Form 2 I think), I prayed prayers which were short and mostly asking for stuff. But inside, I felt a yearning for a closer relationship with Him. Overtime, I began to pour my heart out to God; telling him about my deepest struggles I face in my body, mind and spirit. As I kept on reading God’s word, I began to realize that I can come before God with my requests and concerns. I confess my sins, though I feel ashamed before him. All I can ask is for forgiveness and strength and grace to not fall into the same sin again. Since nothing is hidden from him, and I know he won’t misunderstand me, I can just pour my heart freely to him. Not to boast or anything, someone said once my prayer was very good. I was like “what…?” Got good and bad prayer meh…? Someone also ask me how I pray. I was like…err…just pray….? :P ( not boasting or anything…just want to draw from experience)

So I just one to encourage you all to keep prayer simple. It was not and was never meant to be a complicated issue. Set your heart in seeking God and he will call you to Himself.

Hebrews 4:16
Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Deuteronomy 4:29
But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.

Soli Deo Gloria!

PS: Comments are welcomed:P If you think I misunderstand a certain part,feel free to voice it out.

American Declaration of Independance

2008-09-16T03:00:00.000-07:00

I found this part in the American Declaration of Independance to be quite inspiring, especially with the situation in Malaysia.

We hold these truths to be self-evident: That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that, to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed; that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute a new government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness.

Excerpted from The American Nation-A History of the United States to 1877 (12th ed) by Mark C. Carnes and John A. Garraty

A brief explanation of the above. What it is declaring is that all men are created equal by God and given certain rights that cannot be taken away which are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. To secure these rights is the duty of governments and the powers of the government are given by the citizens. If at any time a form of government threatens the life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, the citizens have the right to alter or abolish the governement and to set up a new government that will uphold its duties.

Make Me A Captive, Lord

2008-09-07T02:10:00.000-07:00

Make me a captive, Lord, and then I shall be free.
Force me to render up my sword, and I shall conqueror be.
I sink in life’s alarms when by myself I stand;
Imprison me within Thine arms, and strong shall be my hand.

My heart is weak and poor until it master find;
It has no spring of action sure, it varies with the wind.
It cannot freely move till Thou has wrought its chain;
Enslave it with Thy matchless love, and deathless it shall reign.

My power is faint and low till I have learned to serve;
It lacks the needed fire to glow, it lacks the breeze to nerve.
It cannot drive the world until itself be driven;
Its flag can only be unfurled when Thou shalt breathe from heaven.

My will is not my own till Thou hast made it Thine;
If it would reach a monarch’s throne, it must its crown resign.
It only stands unbent amid the clashing strife,
When on Thy bosom it has leant, and found in Thee its life.

Words: George Matheson, Sacred Songs, 1890.

Music: Diademata, George J. Elvey, Hymns Ancient and Modern, 1868

Cloudy Soul

2008-09-06T08:54:00.000-07:00

how darkness lingers
like a grey cloud
laden with tears
that never seem to fall

depart from me, cursed darkness!
let the rain fall
let the floodgates open
to let the grey cloud vanish

i know the rain clouds will be back
for without rain, where is growth?
does the clouds come on my command?
can I wrest open the floodgates of heaven?

where is spring without winter?
through winter, spring is beautiful
both come and go in season
without human command

why should we reject sorrow
and accept only happiness?
it is through the bad
that the good can be clearly seen.

so take heart, my soul
the darkness will soon pass
though it will be back,
i will bask in the light now.

uNkNowN

Church Buildings....extended version (Part 3)

2008-08-30T07:55:00.000-07:00

Another argument is that the church needs space. It actually is a valid reason but a simple upgrade or a simple extension will not run into the hundred thousands or the millions. They just take that reason and turn it into an excuse to build a larger and grander building. In my opinion, this lack of space issue has been overused. Sometimes, all it needs is to hold more services if services seem to be getting crowded. They will then say it’s not convenient. May I ask since when worshipping God was ever a convenience? If it were, honestly, I would rather sleep in on a Sunday morning and relax on a Sunday evening (evening service). We sing about surrendering everything to God when we can’t even sacrifice about 2 hours maximum of a Sunday to worship God? How hypocritical! Some might say, “But that time I have to go hang out with friends” or “I have to spend time with my family”. So, are you saying friends and family are more important than God? Didn’t Jesus say that anyone who doesn’t hate his family is not worthy of Him? Am I saying we should literally hate our family? Of course not! Jesus is saying that our love for God should be so great that our love for family and friends seem pale in comparison; so pale that it seems like hate.

I have quoted quite a lot of verses from Hebrews 10 and 11. As I was reading, I realized one thing odd. When the writer compares copy and the reality, he compares it with the tabernacle NOT the temple! I find this odd because the temple was already built and it was grander; a sort of and upgrade of the tabernacle. The tabernacle was just a large tent sewn together and could be repacked. Then I realized a possible reason. As stated earlier, the temple was not God’s idea but King David’s. But, the tabernacle was God’s idea! He was the one who gave such detailed instructions to the Israelites on how to build it and what materials to use (Exodus 25 focus on verse 8). When God revealed to David through Nathan, God did not give any instructions or talk much about the temple (2 Samuel 7).

There is a hymn in the United Methodist Hymnal titled “Rise Up, O Men of God”. The first verse goes like this:

Rise up, O men of God,
Have done with lesser things.
Give heart and mind and soul and strength,
To serve the King of Kings.

Let us have done with lesser things. Let us give our all to serve and love God. Let us strive to conform to the image of Christ which is God’s will for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Let us not focus on relatively trivial things like a bigger and grander church building. It is not Scriptural nor is it necessary.

END
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Since this appears as the top post, refer first to "Church Buildings....extended version (Part 1)"
Have any comments or if I made a mistake anywhere, please post yah...I know its kinda long. Sorry...>.< I used word count and got about 1800 words. :P

Church Buildings....extended version (Part 2)

2008-08-30T07:53:00.001-07:00

Then the speakers will say, “That’s the point! A grander and bigger church will reflect our dedication to God!” Wrong. It will rather reflect your obsession with the physical rather than the spiritual. In the New Testament, the Israelites, especially the Pharisees and Sadducees were obsessed about the rituals, the laws and the temple but in their hearts, they were corrupt and vile to the core. Jesus then foretold the destruction of the temple (Mark 13:1-2) because the temple and all the rituals and additional laws had so blinded them that they couldn’t see he was the foretold Messiah (Matthew 23:37-39). They were looking for a ‘physical’ Messiah; a conqueror to liberate them from the Romans, not a ‘spiritual’ Messiah to liberate them from their sins. Until today, the temple is nowhere to be found.

On the other hand, what does Scripture in the New Testament say about the temple? It says that the Old Testament temple was a shadow of what is to come (Hebrews 9:24). Furthermore, it also says that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. “19Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?” (1 Corinthians 6:19). In the past, the Presence of God dwelt in the Holy of Holies, that is, the innermost part of the temple where the High Priest could only go in once a year. Today, the Holy Spirit, God’s very Presence, dwells within us! (1 Corinthians 6:19) Do you see the connection? In the past, men had limited communication with God and they had to go through the priest and high priest. Today, Jesus is our High Priest (Hebrews 3:1) and he brings us into such a personal communion with God that we can call Him ‘Abba, Father’(Romans 8:15). The Holy Spirit also intercedes for us, like a priest, testifying together with our own spirit that we belong to God (Romans 8:16). Wow! Truly the temple was only a shadow. When we look at a shadow, we only see an outline. But when we see the actual thing, it is so totally different! But one might say, “It says it’s a copy of the original therefore we can say exactly the same”. Wrong. Which is more valuable and nicer: a photocopied book or the original of the same book? Case closed.

From the Old Testament right up to the New Testament, the focus of God has always been the same: the condition of our hearts and our attitude towards him. He now commands men everywhere to repent of their sins and bear fruits that befit repentance (Acts 2:38, Matthew 3:8). What are those fruits? The fruit of the Spirit is one of them. Also, a continuous repenting and turning away from sin which you now hate. God’s focus was never on the physical as the speakers claim. If it were, Israel would be the size of Russia and have the economic strength of China and USA combined. The Temple would be the size of a small island and overlaid with so much gold that the ground beneath it would sink from the weight. But Israel has been, and still is, small. And the temple is still gone. Can God accomplish what I described above? Of course! But that is not His intention nor is it His focus.

continue....

Church Buildings....extended version (Part 1)

2008-08-30T07:48:00.000-07:00

BEWARE: Very very long post. Bear the wordiness.
Note: There are many verses referenced here. Please look it up yourselves. :P Exercise a bit. :P

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I have had the privilege to listen to sermon or heard of sermons teaching that building a big and grand church building is scriptural. As I search and think about the Scriptures, I realize that there is no such biblical support. You may be saying, “But there is so many…” I beg to differ on that.

A lot of speakers usually quote from the Old Testament about the building of the temple. The quotations usually come from books like 1 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, etc. They are unable to quote any sustainable verses from the New Testament because there simply isn’t anything to support big church buildings there! By doing this, they are taking Scripture out of context and interpreting it to think it is God’s will.

I realized something quite interesting on how the temple came about. It is good to note that God never commanded the building of the temple. It was King David’s idea ( 2 Samuel 7). He wanted to honor God by building a more permanent place of worship for the Isrealites. Before the temple, they worship in the tent-like tabernacle. It was this same tabernacle that God commanded the Isrealites to build while in the wilderness. God, in His grace, honored David’s request but told David that Solomon would do the building instead.

But the temple would prove to be Israel’s downfall. They trusted in the temple rituals, the obeying of the letter of the law but not the spirit of the law, the gold furnishings and the grandeur of the temple rather than the Person whose Presence rested in the temple. Not long after Solomon died, the nation split and 10 of the 12 tribes (the southern kingdom) turned to persistent idolatry. The northern kingdom of Judah was wavering between God and Baal even though they had the temple in their area. Read what Jeroboam, king of the southern kingdom did which lead the people into persistent idolatry, “27 If these people go up to offer sacrifices at the temple of the LORD in Jerusalem, they will again give their allegiance to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah. They will kill me and return to King Rehoboam." 28 After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves. He said to the people, "It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt." 29 One he set up in Bethel, and the other in Dan.” ( 1 Kings 12:27-29)
What caused the southern kingdom to build the two calves? The temple.

The speakers also quote books like Haggai that speak about the rebuilding of the temple and how God rebuked the Israelites for neglecting the rebuilding but they themselves were staying in paneled houses (Haggai 1 focus on verse 2-4). Therefore, we should build expensive and big church buildings. This is pulling Scripture out of context. The temple was an outward sign of their attitude towards God. Notice in the old days, when the people fell into idolatry, the temple was neglected but when they returned to God, they restored the temple. So, God rebuked them for focusing on their own houses first instead of the temple because this revealed what was in their heart. They were falling into materialism and lukewarm-ness in their worship with God. Therefore, God had to warn them sharply through his prophets. It was not because God wanted a nicer temple. Heck, the whole universe is his. Why would he want a nicer temple on earth when he has the whole heaven? He was dealing with the heart of the matter; their heart condition. Also note that the temple was built at minimal cost and it didn’t look as grand as the former temple. How do we know that? We read in the bible that some mourned instead of rejoicing when the temple was dedicated because they had seen the former temple and the current one was nowhere near in comparison (Ezra 3:12-13). The temple was also necessary because the Jews have lost their one and only place of worship. Note that the tabernacle was also long gone. The temple was also a national identity for them; the symbol of the nation. (Interestingly, even today, the Jews want to rebuild the temple. Why? It’s their national identity). Without the temple, they have no identity as the chosen people of the LORD.

continue.....

Together We Stand

2008-08-07T22:27:00.000-07:00

I like playing this strategy game called “Battle for Middle Earth”. Its based on JRR Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy. “Battle for Middle Earth 2” has been out quite some time ago so the one I am playing would seem to some kind of old but its still fun to play.

This is not a game post. So, if you are reading this second paragraph, thank you! Lolz. Bear with me a bit. Below is a picture of a unit in the game from the Gondor faction called Tower Guards. These are the elite infantry of Gondor. (Note: This unit appears in the actual movies though you have to look carefully to spot them. Can’t miss those winged helmets. :P)

The second picture below depicts them in a defensive formation. This formation adds their defense considerably ( 80%..for those who want to know) but greatly reduces their movement speed (70%..again for those who want to know). In this formation, they are considerably difficult to take down. I usually use these guys to hold ground I have taken from the opponent (coupled with other buffs, these guys are near invincible).

So, after all that, what am I driving at? As I was thinking, I realize that our Christian life is something like those Tower Guards. We need to support one another in each other’s walk with God. Isn’t that what the Christian family is all about? If we walk alone, we will be an easier target for temptations which lead to sin. If we pray for one another, helping each other in times of need or just being there, wouldn’t we be stronger in times of trial? Together, with God, we can stand strong against the evil one and our sinful desires. The Teacher in Ecclesiastes 4:12 wrote, “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”

The apostle Paul wrote, “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel” (Phillipians 1:27). The word “contend” sounds like a fighting term. We are to fight for the sake of the Gospel, that is, to spread it far and wide and to defend it. He even wrote to the church in Ephesus to pray for him; “Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.” (Ephesians 6:19-20).

Often than not, we hear about advancing God’s kingdom here on earth, thinking it is God’s will for us. But hasn’t anyone considered that perhaps our job is just to stand and defend turf that is already taken? True, everyone has a purpose. Like in the game, some units are good if used on the offense and some are good on defense. The Tower Guards can be used as both but I usually use it for defensive purposes. Some are called to go into new areas to preach the Gospel. When an area accepts the Gospel, some are called to that area to teach the people. The missionary can then move on to other territories. The Bible also says, “It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up” (Ephesians 4:11-12). If there is no solid teaching in the Word of God, the people in that area can easily fall away and can’t grow in spiritual maturity. The turf is slowly being retaken by the enemy because of lack of defenders.

Something that is more of the real world but same concept as the Tower Guards is the Roman Legions of ancient Rome. They have this unique formation called the ‘Tortoise’ or “Box Formation”. It looks something like the picture below.

This formation makes the Roman Legions much more resilient to arrows from the enemy. As you can see, they protect each other with their shields. The only way for an enemy archer to take them down is to shoot through those tiny holes which would be near impossible at long distance. Using this method, they can advance nearly unscathed to an enemy wall and scale it even though arrows are falling like rain on them. This formation won’t work if the soldiers don’t coordinate and work together. Interestingly, Paul writes in Ephesians 6:16, “In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” Maybe he had this in mind because those arrows are not going to burn on iron shields.

So, we who call ourselves brothers and sisters in Christ have to uphold and help one another. We are called to fight together for the Gospel. As the Tower Guards say, “We guard the White Tower”.

Inspiring sermon

2008-07-27T00:48:00.000-07:00

These past few post I am talking about speakers in church (at least in my church:P ). I am writing this on Sunday afternoon after attending the morning service. This time, the sermon was quite ok except for one part. The speaker said, "The committee asked me to speak an inspiring sermon this morning (it was a Sunday to sort of promote Christian discipleship through Bible study)". And he said nothing more. Not long after that , in the opening prayer, he said, "Lord, may you speak your Word to us". [the words are not exact].

So, I am wondering, is the words of the sermon the speaker's own inspiration or is it truly from God? In my view, the speaker's own mouth has spoken that its because of his skill that makes his sermon inspiring. This leads to a question: is a sermon good because of the speaker's public speaking skills or is it good because God is truly speaking through the speaker?

I acknowledge that a certain degree of skill in speaking in front a lot of people is good but one must acknowledge that in the end, God is the one who speaks to the hearts of the people. One can be the best public speaker with fiery speeches but if God is not in there, it will not make a lasting impact on people. The speaker will only be remembered as a good and powerful speaker but whatever he said may not be remembered.

3I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. 4My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, 5so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power.

1 Corinthians 2:3-5

The verse above is self-explanatory. Think about it.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Imagine--A Poem

2008-07-23T04:04:00.000-07:00

I have seen a world
Where no mortal feet have trod
Nor material eyes have gazed
Nor hands of flesh have touched

Yet it is still a place
Where my wishes are realized
What is not shall be
What is shall not be

Behold the brave warrior
Strong in physique, brave at heart
Unmatchless zeal for my king
Whose commands are my will

Look! A fleet-footed archer!
Matchless in skill
By hand or by foot
Piercing foes with frightening fear

Look upon the proud general
In full regalia and valor
Walking tall and straight
Commanding battalions under him

Or consider the wise sage
Scholar of the ages,
Full of wisdom and knowledge
Guiding all those who seek it

I can be an honorable lord
Among all the house of lords
Respected by all, looked up by many
Who seek justice against injustice

Or consider the humble merchant
Uncorrupt in all his dealings
Friendly and trustworthy
And still possessing everything

Look upon the lover,
Calling out to his beloved,
“Fairest beloved, Lily of the Valley,
Wilt you accept mine hand?”

Honor to the high prince’s guardian
Highest among highest, greatest among greatest
Closest confidante, trustworthy friend
Bodyguard yet also a brother

This is a world
The concoction of my dreams
Soon I must return to Reality
For there is where I truly am

Do dreams leak into Reality?
Where is the seam which doth separate both?
Will the endless laboring of strongest hands
Work to tear that seam?

uNkNowN

The Church is a Hospital....really?

2008-07-09T03:58:00.000-07:00

“The church should be a spiritual hospital. It should not only be a fellowship of saints but also includes sinners.” How often we hear these words being spoken as an analogy of the church? I recently heard it again last Sunday. After some thought, I begin to see that the phrase has little biblical support, especially the second part of the phrase. (the phrase is not in its exact words but sounds something like that)

“The church should be a spiritual hospital”. I don’t argue that there is some truth in this phrase because it’s the church is supposed to spread the gospel to bring salvation to the unsaved and thus bring life and healing to their spirit. But is it only a hospital? I can’t imagine staying in a hospital the rest of my life. I’ll always be under treatment, can’t move freely and as a result, feel weak and sluggish. Imagining my spiritual life in this state makes me shiver.

Am I denying the sinful condition of myself? Of course not! We need checkups every now and then to asses our condition. If we sin, we should turn to God in repentance. He is the true Physician of the spirit. His Holy Spirit works in our spirit to cut away the tumors in our life.

Often than not, Christians in the bible are called to be soldiers and athletes, not patients. Read Paul’s epistles. We are called to fight the good fight (1Timothy 6:12) and run the race (Hebrews 12:1). We are called to pick up the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:13). We are called to stand firm and resist the evil one (James 4:7). We are called to flee from temptation. I highly doubt a person who spends his whole spiritual life in a hospital can do any of these.

I am particularly against the second part of the phrase stated at the beginning: It should not only be a fellowship of saints but should also include sinners. I was quite alarmed when I heard the speaker speak these words. I don’t know if other speakers pronounce these words but the speaker in my church certainly did last Sunday. If this is the sort of teaching that is being spread, I don’t know what is happening.

The support the speaker gave was that Jesus frequently ate and drank with “sinners” of his day. The “sinners” were the outcast of society, namely tax-collectors. Therefore, the church should not be exclusive for the fellowship of saints but also for sinners. But one thing is being omitted. It should also be noted that Jesus often had session with his disciples ONLY (Mark 6:31). In addition, he also had intimate fellowship with three of them: Peter, James and John. In light of this, the speaker is giving an incomplete picture of the situation.

Some terms need to be defined here to establish the ground. To my understanding, saints are those who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and repent of his or her sins. Sinners are those who do not or have not accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Note earlier I said that Christians do sin but the difference is that we repent of it. In that sense, yes, Christians are “sinners” but we have become saints through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

The church IS a fellowship of saints. Throughout Paul’s epistles, he opens with the words “to the saints”. In addition, Christians are often called ‘a royal priesthood’, ‘saints’ and ‘holy nation’ (1 Peter 2:9). When we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, the old (sinfulness) has gone and the new (pure, holy) has come (2 Corinthians 5:17). In God’s sight, we are made holy through the blood of Christ.

In the church, the saints are to encourage one another, learn from the teachers of the Word and prepare themselves for works of service (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Its something like a barracks or a gym where soldiers and athletes are trained respectively. Would unbelievers understand the deeper stuff we Christians learn in church (if there is any deeper stuff)?

Recently, I hear of some churches going ‘seeker friendly’ whereby the sermons and worship are to attract unbelievers. The sermons should consist of humorous anecdotes and must not deal directly with ‘taboo’ issues like sin. By eliminating true exposition of the Word and replacing it with ‘seeker friendly’ stuff, they are starving the people of true spiritual food. The people are being fed milk everyday and not moving on to eating meat causing them to be weak. When challenges come, they fall almost instantly because they are not grounded on the true Word of God, both in knowledge and practice (Matthew 7:24-27)

But I digress. At this point, I would also like to clarify the meaning of fellowship. Fellowship is more than just casual chit chat or ‘makan-makan’. Fellowship in the Bible is so much more. I heard a pastor explain the Greek/Latin word for that is translated into fellowship in the Bible. It is a deep sharing of one’s life. It implies a close and intimate relationship with one another. So, pray tell me, how can an unbeliever have fellowship with the saints? How can light have fellowship with darkness? The church is the body of Christ, says the Word of God. How can unbelievers fellowship with the church when God, who is holy, can’t stand sin (1 John 1:5)? Therefore, the phrase itself is in contradiction with itself and with the Word of God.

“I believe in the church, those who are united in the living Lord for the purpose of worship and service.” This is a part of the Affirmation of faith for the Korean Methodist Church which is used in the United Methodist Hymnal. It further reinforces my point stated above: if the church is united in the living Lord, how can darkness have fellowship with light? Impossible.

Does that mean we cannot be friends with unbelievers? Obviously not! This verse in 1 Corinthians 5:9-11 is self explanatory:

9I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.

If the person is an unbeliever and yet is included in the fellowship of the church and according to my definition of ‘fellowship’ above, he would be called a ‘brother’ as well, wouldn’t he?. But this verse says otherwise.

In conclusion, the phrase stated at the beginning is wrong. It contradicts itself and most importantly, contradicts the Word of God. All it is good for is to make the church sound less offensive.

Soli Deo Gloria

PS: Due to the length of this post, the Scripture verses used are posted in the post just below this particluar one.
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Oh my goodness! What the c*ap! So f*eaking long!!! Well...i told you guys that one long one is coming. :P There is another one. I'll put it up soon. Felt that this should be up first. Any comments, please post. Tell me if I made a mistake any where (misquotes, etc). Post counter-arguments also, if you have any. :P I would like to hear your point of view.

The Church is a Hospital....really? (the bible verses)

2008-07-09T03:47:00.000-07:00

Bible verses

Hebrews 12:1
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

1 Timothy 6:12
Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

Ephesians 6:13
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

James 4:7
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

2 Timothy 3:16-17
16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

Matthew 7:24-27
24"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."

1 John 1:5
This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.

Mark 6:31
Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest."

Sola Scriptura!!

About Maple...

2008-06-30T02:40:00.000-07:00

Lolz. If you bothered to read pass the title, I thank you. No, its not a maple update post again. A lot of people asking questions like, "Wah liao...first all religious post then suddenly in between got some maple bowmaster thing" Well...*innocent look*....i just wanted to give this blog a slightly personal flavor..what better way to crap a bit about the game(s) i am playing. :P

Well...this is just to explain the oddity(is that how you spell it?) in my blog. If i find something more interesting, i'll put it up also. :P

Marksman a.k.a Crossbowmaster

2008-06-20T11:32:00.001-07:00

squee!!!! another favourite picture i acquired. Its a picture of a Marksman (or Markswoman). Cool eh? Just as cool as the Bowmaster picture i posted earlier. This is the 4th job advancement for the archers who chose to specialize in using crossbows. The name was initially called crossbowmaster but they changed it to marksman maybe because it sounds cooler...? Lolz. But anyway....Archer rulezz!!! Lol.

Maple Update

2008-06-20T10:09:00.001-07:00

w00t!!! level 50 hunter at last!!! haha. quarter way to reach level 200. :P don't i look cool??:P i seriously need to change my earings...its not suitable for a guy character...:P going slower now...because of time factor and also i am getting less experience per kill....need to move on to stronger monsters but then they are not economical....i use more money buying potions to kill the monsters than the money the monsters drop. hunting is my main way of making money hence my job title...:pArcher rulez!!! We are the pwnage!! :P ( Lolz!!!)

Sermons in Church

2008-06-01T23:08:00.000-07:00

Sorry guys for the late update. Gosh….its a month already…:S Anyway, here is a short one first. Long one coming later. :P

‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' Mark 12:30 (NIV)

I was in church last Sunday morning listening to the sermon. The speaker (names are not important in this case) subtly diverted from his sermon to begin talking passionately about implementing a ‘Youth Academy’ thingy to have a formal structure to coordinate the teaching of biblical stuff among the youths in my church. This was to complement the adult version dubbed as the ‘Lay Training Institute’. He was telling the congregation about the importance of starting this academy thing. In my opinion, it’s a kind of a good concept and all but the qualm I have is the time he chose to speak his memorandum: during the main morning service!!

Worship is to focus on God; it’s a time where all our focus should be on God and not on ourselves or our stuff- and this includes the sermon. For me, the sermon should teach about God and his attributes as well as to teach about the bible and its doctrines. It is not and should not used as a platform for making proposal plans for our earthly plans. If I could use a metaphor: its like a politician presenting his memorandum to the public to gain their favor. Seems harsh but that was what went through my mind back then.

Another thing I noticed is how subtle he did this. He tied it to one of his sermon points and started from there. So, it will cause people to think, “ Wow. This idea sounds great and from what he said seems to be very biblical as well. We must support this!!!”. To me, this a very shrewd and cunning way to gain people’s support. This will set the people’s mindset and they will continue on that path of reason thinking it is definitely the correct path even though they themselves have not thought about it.

Like I said earlier, the concept is good and worth considering but when would be the best time to present the memo? After the service, of course! If the people are really and truly interested, they would stay back and hear what one has to say. As a expounder of the Word of God, stick to the task that has been entrusted: expound the Word of God!!! This is not the only instance that a speaker deviates away from the Word of God. There were many times where speakers tend to deviate away from expounding the Word of God to speaking about plans and the sort. Its kinda sad to see this happening. Remember people: pray for your pastors that they will keep on track and get their priorities right.

This write-up is about the timing at which the plan was proposed. I shall not go into what are my thoughts on this ‘Youth Academy’ thing. It will deviate from the topic at hand and will make this post too wordy. I’ll think more about it before posting. :P

Blood

2008-04-05T07:53:00.000-07:00

Blood. Its the substance that flows within our human bodies. As far as my memory of biology serves me, it consists mainly of water, hemoglobin (red blood cells) and plasma. It serves as a transporting agent in the body; bringing supplied to the body’s cells i.e. water, oxygen and taking waste products from them i.e. carbon dioxide. It brings life, in a sense, to the whole body.

In the Bible, blood plays a very significant role and is treated as a sacred thing. In the Old Testament, blood is used to purify the people and the altar area. The significance of this is brought to its height in the New Testament when Jesus died and shed His blood on the cross for the purification of our sins. In the laws that God gave to the Israelites, one of them is that they must not eat anything with blood still in it (Leviticus 17) whereas in the book of Acts, one of the decrees the Council of Jerusalem to the Gentile believers was that they are not supposed to eat anything with blood still in it (Acts 15:20). I think is to respect the significance of blood because consuming blood outright shows that one destroys life and has power over life.

Nowadays, we see how blood is treated with ‘disrespect’ so to say. This is portrayed so clearly in the media. Shows or movies depicting violence seems to be everywhere. Blood is shed freely and life is treated cheaply. In horror movies, showing blood is a must. If not, its not horror. I personally haven’t watched a horror movie but from the advertisements alone I can gauge what is the content. Blood is poured freely and spilled everywhere. Now, some may say, “But those are just movie effects and it is not real blood.” True but the subtle message it passes is not just movie effects. It passes the ‘cheapness’ of the value of blood and its significance. It may not be a conscious effect but it may effect a person subconsciously; especially those that can’t differentiate truth from error.

Even in ‘cartoons’ are not spared. By ‘cartoons’ I mean more of the japanese anime kind of ‘cartoons’. There are so many animes that show people being slaughtered and blood being spilled so graphically in the process. What would the younger generation think? That killing is everything? Blood gushing like a fountain from a wound is a cool thing?

Good Friday and Easter has just passed. On Good Friday, Jesus shed His blood on the cross to cleanse from sin all those who believe in Him. He gave His life so that the world may have life. Like in the Old Testament, His blood cleanses us from all sin. Those who watch the movie “The Passion of Christ” would get a rough idea the torture that Jesus went through and the blood he shed for you and I. The worldview today has marred the significance of blood so that people would look at Christ’s sacrifice and say “So what? That’s normal to me.” How it cheapens and degrades the sacrifice Jesus Christ made on the cross! Let us remember the blood’s true significance and thank the Lord of the Universe for the sacrifice that He made.

There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel’s veins;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.
Lose all their guilty stains, lose all their guilty stains;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.

The dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.
Washed all my sins away, washed all my sins away;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.

Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood shall never lose its power
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.
Be saved, to sin no more, be saved, to sin no more;
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.

E’er since, by faith, I saw the stream Thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.
And shall be till I die, and shall be till I die;
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.

Title: There is A Fountain Filled With Blood

Words: William Cowper, in Conyer’s Collection of Psalms and Hymns, 1772.

Music: Cleansing Fountain, 19th Century American camp meeting tune

For those who are lazy.....

Acts 15:20

20Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood.

For those who are scared of Leviticus....

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=leviticus%2017&version=31

go here and read Leviticus 17....too long to post here...:P nah....juz joking..its not that bad...its short enough but still a bit too long to post here...

Depth Of Mercy

2008-03-20T07:56:00.000-07:00

Depth of mercy! Can there be
Mercy still reserved for me?
Can my God His wrath forbear,
Me, the chief of sinners, spare?

I have long withstood His grace,
Long provoked Him to His face,
Would not hearken to His calls,
Grieved Him by a thousand falls.

I have spilt His precious blood,
Trampled on the Son of God,
Filled with pangs unspeakable,
I, who yet am not in hell!

I my Master have denied,
I afresh have crucified,
And profaned His hallowed Name,
Put Him to an open shame.

Whence to me this waste of love?
Ask my Advocate above!
See the cause in Jesus’ face,
Now before the throne of grace.

Jesus, answer from above,
Is not all Thy nature love?
Wilt Thou not the wrong forget,
Permit me to kiss Thy feet?

If I rightly read Thy heart,
If Thou all compassion art,
Bow Thine ear, in mercy bow,
Pardon and accept me now.

Jesus speaks, and pleads His blood!
He disarms the wrath of God;
Now my Father’s mercies move,
Justice lingers into love.

Kindled His relentings are,
Me He now delights to spare,
Cries, “How shall I give thee up?”
Lets the lifted thunder drop.

Lo! I still walk on the ground:
Lo! an Advocate is found:
“Hasten not to cut Him down,
Let this barren soul alone.”

There for me the Savior stands,
Shows His wounds and spreads His hands.
God is love! I know, I feel;
Jesus weeps and loves me still.

Pity from Thine eye let fall,
By a look my soul recall;
Now the stone to flesh convert,
Cast a look, and break my heart.

Now incline me to repent,
Let me now my sins lament,
Now my foul revolt deplore,
Weep, believe, and sin no more.

Words: Charles Wesley, Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1740
Music: Canterbury, Orlando Gibbons, in Hymns and Songs of the Church, by George Wither, 1623

The Bowmaster 2

2008-03-04T08:09:00.000-08:00

Lolz. This is the video about the bowmaster in action.:P damn cool..:P but this can be quite monotonous...after awhile, you can forward to the 6 minute mark. This character is not mine neither is the night lord (4th job for the thief class).

Some skills i see she is using:
1) Storm of Arrows: Launches arrows at a tremendous speed, as chaotic as a nasty rainstorm.
2) Puppet: Summons a puppet (your other self) for a certain amount of time. While the puppet is around, the monsters will attack the puppet, not you.
3)Bow Booster: Uses HP and MP to temporarily boost up the attacking speed of the bow. It only works with a bow in hand.
4) Phoenix: Temporarily summons Phoenix, who is fire based. Attacks up to 4 monsters.
5) Silver Hawk: Summons a silver hawk. The hawk will be hovering around you, attacking monsters nearby.

These are some of the skills i can see she is using. Cool, eh? :P The descriptions are taken from hidden-street.net.

Enjoy! Archer rulez!

The Bowmaster

2008-03-02T23:52:00.001-08:00

*squeeeeee* !! this is by far my favourite maple story picture. :P sigh..i want the full body version..this one i took a screen shot and edited it. This is a picture of a Bowmaster. Its the 4th Job for archers using the bow and the advancement can only be made at level 120. If I ever reach level 120, i will become a Bowmaster. :P But that won't be for a looooonnnngggggg time.
I may post a video clip of a bowmaster in action......i found one cool one on youtube. will post the link soon. :P
Archers rule!! :P

Maple Update

2008-03-02T23:24:00.000-08:00

Lolz! Now..this is cool. :P Now at level 47...going very slow now. Not much change except my hat colour and my ear rings. The earrings don't really suit a guy character but i have no choice if i want to increase my stats....hope can change earrings at level 50.
The hat is damn cool but it took me a lot to acquire it. I had to hunt and gather a total of 2300 of an item to get it in the end. Yup...its not a typo...its 2300. Had to hunt like crazy...seeing the same monster over and over again...but it was worth it coz from this point on, my equipment can no longer be bought at the in-game stores....i have to hunt monsters and hoping that they drop the equipment or buy it from other players who have already acquired the item. Another way is to complete certain quests and receive the equipment as a reward like what i did to acquire my hat.
But its hard to acquire the exact equipment you want from monster drops as 1) seldom drop it or 2) drop other equipment which you can't use. I read in the forum that trying to hunt for an exact equipment usually fails 95% of the time...:S no need lo like dat....:P
Buying from players is another option but the prices can be crazy. I have seen items run to the millions of in-game money! For example, I bought my level 50 clothes for 500k, my level 50 bow for 750k and my level 60 bow for 425k. Sigh..there goes my savings...:X
Oooo..another crazy thing about this game...there are items called scrolls which can be used on an item to improve the equipment strength but there are differing success rates. There are 100%, 60%, 30% and 10%. 100% goes quite cheap. The others....depending on what equipment it is used for, price range around 500k. The lower percentage scrolls add more stats but have higher rate of failure. Imagine you buy a 10% scroll for 500k and with a click of a button and a notice shows it failed. The reason why scrolls are expensive is because they can mostly only be acquired from quests. only 100% scrolls can be bought from in-game stores.

Oh my goodness....i wrote a thesis on Maple Story..."hey prof! where's my doctorate?" :P
well...here is my character again. will update when i get new clothes. ooooo...damn cool!!

RM 4.00

2008-02-25T17:19:00.000-08:00

Hey all! Just wanna share something that happened recently. May seem a bit insignificant but very significant for me as God continue to confirm to me his faitfulness.

This happened on a Sunday after church. As my mum attend different churches, I dropped her off before driving to my church (will take quite awhile to explain it here but can ask me personally if you want to know why its like this :P ). As my mum had some event going on in her church, she asked me to go and get my own lunch. When I went for my lunch, I had only RM 4 in my wallet. Earlier in the morning, I thought of taking some extra money with me but I didn’t.

So I thought I’ll drop by the bank on the way but the traffic was heavy at that time (after church mah…) so couldn’t go to the bank. I headed to the usual coffee shop for my lunch. I planned to eat a large bowl of noodles which will cost me exactly RM4. For those who know me, that’s not really enough actually. I sometimes buy some ‘yong tau foo’ or some side dishes to complement but this time I don’t have the money. So, I decided to forego it this time.

I placed my order and sat down at a table and waited for my food. Then, some aunties from my church happened to go there as well (not really aunties la…late middle age I think .:P if they know I call them auntie here they will strangle me :P). They were surprised to see me there and asked me to join them at their table. To cut the story short, they paid for my large bowl of noodles. On top of that, they ordered ‘yong tau foo’ and ‘rojak’ and asked me to eat also. So, I ate a bit. :P

I entered the coffee shop with RM 4, ate a satisfying lunch, and left with RM 4. Not logical? It happened anyway. Earlier while I was driving to the shop, I had a thought along this line, “Oh well. Not enough money for extras. Guess have to make do with minimum this time. Sigh…feel like eating ‘yong tau foo’..oh well..maybe next time” Then some small sub-thought came to me, “The Lord will provide”. I was like, “Yeah…maybe later will have a heavier dinner or something to make up”. What happened after that, to me, was not coincidence. Not only I got some extra food but I got exactly the extras I was craving that time: ‘yong tau foo’.

I have money at home and I have some loose coins in a pouch in my bag. Could I afford it? Definitely, if I had brought more money with me. Maybe God was trying to affirm to me his faithfulness and providence. I sometimes doubt God’s providence in my life and sometimes question, “God, will you really provide for me? I know you rained manna down from heaven and caused water to flow from a rock. How will you do it this time? I don’t know how but You are God. Your thoughts and Your ways are not mine. I just trust in your Word and have faith You will provide.” What happened that Sunday was, to me, a confirmation sign. If God noticed my small and unimportant request like what happened above, surely He will provide for something larger and important. I just have to wait for His timing and how he will provide. (Can ask me personally on this also…too much to write for now…:P)

Soli Deo Gloria!
Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, Kyrie eleison

PS: God knows I like to eat because most of the time he speaks to me through food related incidents. :P

God Hath Spoken by the Prophets

2008-02-24T17:38:00.000-08:00

God hath spoken by the prophets, spoken the unchanging Word,
each from age to age proclaiming, God the One, the righteous Lord!
'Mid the world's despair and turmoil, one firm anchor holdeth fast:
God eternal reigns forever, God the first, and God the last.

God hath spoken by Christ Jesus, Christ, the everlasting Son;
brightness of the Father's glory, with the Father ever one;
spoken by the Word incarnate, God of God, ere time was born;
Light of Light, to earth descending, Christ, as God in human form.

God yet speaketh by the Spirit, speaketh to our hearts again;
in the age-long Word expounding God's own message, now as then.
Thru the rise and fall of nations, one sure faith yet standing fast,
God abides, the Word unchanging, God the first, and God the last.

WORDS: George W. Briggs, 1952
MUSIC: Thomas J. Williams, 1890
(taken from the United Methodist Hymnal)

Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee

2008-02-19T17:02:00.000-08:00

Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love;
Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee, opening to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; drive the dark of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day!

All Thy works with joy surround Thee, earth and heaven reflect Thy rays,
Stars and angels sing around Thee, center of unbroken praise.
Field and forest, vale and mountain, flowery meadow, flashing sea,
Singing bird and flowing fountain call us to rejoice in Thee.

Thou art giving and forgiving, ever blessing, ever blessed,
Wellspring of the joy of living, ocean depth of happy rest!
Thou our Father, Christ our Brother, all who live in love are Thine;
Teach us how to love each other, lift us to the joy divine.

Mortals, join the happy chorus, which the morning stars began;
Father love is reigning o’er us, brother love binds man to man.
Ever singing, march we onward, victors in the midst of strife,
Joyful music leads us Sunward in the triumph song of life.

Words: Henry J. van Dyke, 1907.

Music: Hymn to Joy, from the 9th Symphony of Ludwig van Beethoven; adapted by Edward Hodges, 1824

From the Archives....

2008-02-13T21:18:00.000-08:00

O would like to pull out an entry in the month of April 2007 from the archives of the annals. Its entitled "Fasting". Check it out and leave comments yah.

Soli Deo Gloria!
Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, Kyrie eleison

Happy Chinese New Year!!

2008-02-13T05:12:00.001-08:00

Lolz. Kinda late but Happy Chinese New Year 2008 to everyone who happen to come here!!!! :P

Concerning The Scriptures

2008-02-13T04:58:00.000-08:00

Blessed Lord, you have caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning. Grant us to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God, forever and ever. Amen

After the Book of Common Prayer
Taken from: United Methodist Hymnal (UMH # 602)

Soli Deo Gloria!
Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, Kyrie eleison

What A Friend We Have In Jesus

2008-02-04T21:36:00.000-08:00

What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge, take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do your friends despise, forsake you? Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield you; you will find a solace there.

Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised Thou wilt all our burdens bear
May we ever, Lord, be bringing all to Thee in earnest prayer.
Soon in glory bright unclouded there will be no need for prayer
Rapture, praise and endless worship will be our sweet portion there.

Words: Joseph M. Scriven
Music: Charles C. Converse

Musings on Prayer

2008-02-03T18:49:00.000-08:00

I am sure there are times when people teach you methods or 'guidelines' for you to pray like first you praise God, then you pray for others, etc etc. To me, that is all unnecessary. Just pray what is in your heart and in your mind. God wants to hear that. God wants you to have a relationship with him. I am speaking about your personal prayer time and not so much on corporate prayer. Consider this prayer from Jeremiah 20. Like i said, we were sometime taught to open with praise to God, right? See what our friend Jerry (lol!) says...

7 O LORD, you deceived me, and I was deceived ;
you overpowered me and prevailed.
I am ridiculed all day long;
everyone mocks me.

(Jeremiah 20:7)

This is his opening. Not really praising, is he?

God our Heavenly Father wants us to tell him our deepest feeling, thoughts, fears, etc no matter how 'dark' or crazy they are. Look at this part towards the end of Jeremiah's prayer.

14 Cursed be the day I was born!
May the day my mother bore me not be blessed!

15 Cursed be the man who brought my father the news,
who made him very glad, saying,
"A child is born to you—a son!"

16 May that man be like the towns
the LORD overthrew without pity.
May he hear wailing in the morning,
a battle cry at noon.

17 For he did not kill me in the womb,
with my mother as my grave,
her womb enlarged forever.

18 Why did I ever come out of the womb
to see trouble and sorrow
and to end my days in shame?

(Jeremiah 20:14-18)

Wah liao...look at what he says! One would probably think, "Surely God is going to rebuke him for this." Read on in Jeremiah and there is no mention of anything like that. God understood what was going on in Jeremiah and knew it was natural for him to say something like that.

Jeremiah was sent to prophesy against the Isrealites in Judah. Because of his not-so-sweet message, the people were against him and many people, if not everyone, hated him. He must have felt lonely and depressed. He must probably felt like all this is unfair. "I am only speaking God's Word! Why do I deserve all this? " Since he had no friends to turn to, he turned to the only One who knew and cared: Yahweh Yireh, who would provide even for his spiritual and emotional needs.

So, when we pray, you don't have to form eloquent or bombastic words with all the theological terms. Just say what is in your heart or in your mind. Don't worry of thinking God won't get the message. He does and always will get the message. Heck...he knows what is bothering you even before you say it! He just wants you to commune with him.

Soli Deo Gloria!
Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, Kyrie eleison

PS: I love the Bible coz the stuff written somehow fits my feelings perfectly. Truly living and active Word, eh? :P