As Weak and Vulnerable

In my life journey with God, I encountered great amass of events and been through ups and downs. Many points in life I was so frustrated with myself when I found myself entangled by sins. Though I know that I am now a new creation in Christ and that Jesus has set me free and the power of Holy Spirit dwells in me, I can still fall into temptation and commit sin. It is due to the sinful nature that every being carries, and that no one is perfect except God. As I reflect and ponder, I come to the realization that no one is sinless except God. If one is forever purified and remains sinless after accepting Jesus into his or her life, then does the person still need God? The person will never need to go through repetitive repentance before God nor do grace and mercy mean much to him or her. Therefore, repentance is not an once-off process. We need to drink from God's grace and mercy and seek His forgiveness constantly. Subsequently, we find ourselves longing more of Him every single day and knowing that we are Nothing without Him. If not, why do we address God as the Precious One? Precious means highly esteemed, of great value and very costly. Think about this, if we can attain something easily without much pursue, how much will we treasure the thing?

It is in my weakness that His power and strength are made perfect in me. It is in my ugliness that I see His perfect being and beauty. Of that, I can't boast how mature and perfect I am, but to boast only in the name of Jesus.

On the other hand, there are times where I perceive that I am better than others, or that I am purer or more righteous than another person. This often happens when I tend to compare myself with one another and deem that another person has committed a Bigger sin than I. Recently, it caused a big woo-wow as a leader in the church committed sexual sin and was pregnant as a consequence. Upon knowing, I was not there to justify or condemn but it reminded me of how fallible and feeble every person can be, regardless whether one is a pastor, a deacon or a leader. Everyone is living by grace alone. Everyone needs the same portion. As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one. Romans 3:10. It is often when a church is undergoing trials and persecutions that people get united and stronger.

I borrowed one of the resolutions of Jonathan Edwards and made it mine as I relate myself to his position.

‎"Resolved, to act, in all respects, both speaking and doing, as if nobody had been so vile as I, and as if I had committed the same sins, or had the same infirmities or failings as others; and that I will let the knowledge of their failings promote nothing but shame in myself, and prove only an occasion of my confessing my own sins and misery to God."

I consider myself as worse as any other being, that nobody else can be so bad as I am. When I see the weakness and sins in another person, I am convinced as if I had committed the same sins and same failings. It brings shame to myself seeing another believer falling and that causes me to seek His face and confess my sins before Him constantly.

None is greater, none is more righteous, none is perfect, none doesn't need God. We are all on the same boat, needing Jesus to calm the storm.

Farewell

Being a student, I look forward to the long deserved semester break at the end of every semester. I love to do countdown and get excited over it, longing to sleep in as if day and night doesn't really matter anymore and to have my own time and space to do whatever I want at the speed which is convenient and comfortable. It is the greater allowance of freedom I am seeking after.

Holiday supposes to be joyful and breaking free. Despite that, ending a semester can mean graduation for other students. Though graduation should be a joyous moment as we celebrate those who have successfully fought the good fight over the lengthy 3 - 4 years of university life, it can be sad as another chapter of life - career is soon to be embraced, whether one likes it or not. Farewell has become one of the other option one often has especially for the international students. There are two options: To stay or return home.

It is never easy to leave all the experience, emotions and memories behind and just simply turn your back and leave a place for good. It is even harder if you have a great bunch of friends that you truly love and whom you have been journeying along for years, those who walked through ups and downs with you. Most people will at least have the inner urge to truly treasure their last few months, weeks or days prior to their departure. They will arrange appointments, meet-ups, and do all the things they have yet accomplished or tried so that they will not be leaving in regret. Quality time and waking up early will now be a thing to ensure their days are well spent. Some might even wish for the time to pause for awhile.

On the other hand, the people surrounding those soon-to-fly-birds will now have a fairly packed schedule to meet. Farewell parties, catch-ups, hang-outs... just to make sure good time is invested with those who are leaving, intensified by the fact of not knowing the next time of seeing each other. Both parties are affected. Both parties are reluctant.

However, it might not mean so much if the chapter here is a nightmare and if one couldn't wait to break free from the pit.

There is always a place we long for, or someone we long to see. Farewell is not the end of something but the beginning of something new. For now, I have just farewelled my dear housemate and soon, there will be a few more to cry for.

So, are we boosted and motivated to leave a legacy and memorable footprints as we reach and leave a station in life?

All in all, trust in the Lord always. Knowing that He has a plan not to harm but to prosper us. We have a big God. Don't run our own agenda, but let God be the driver.

Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails. Proverbs 19:21

Be Right Back

Just as Jesus is returning soon, I will be back soon to blogging due to my super intense period of studying.

Thought of the Day:

What can separate us from the love of God?

Our love can fail, but God's love will never ever fail. He made all things for the good of you and me. Take that.

Contract

Recently my mind has been stuffed up with all the information regarding Contract Administration. Moreover, I will be battling for exams for the coming weeks.

Relating to contract, little do I realize that almost everyone has gotten into a contract in some ways or the other. It can be the contract that we sign when purchasing house, land and car or contract that we sign for renting purposes, or just generally an agreement that we have agreed to with another party. Most contracts are legally enforceable which means both parties must abide to the law. Breaching the conditions stated in the contract can triggers legal action. Apart from that, it takes certain requirement for a contract to exist. It must need party to offer, party to accept, consideration, genuine consent of both parties and legality of objects.

However, the greatest contract that I have ever signed is not my contract with my scholarship provider, but my King Jesus.

God offered His one and only begotten Son, Jesus.

I, the wrecked and sinful person accepted the offer, knowing how unworthy I am.

Consideration: Freedom from the bondage and sin and most importantly, Salvation - Eternity.

The Contractual Fee: I paid Nil, Jesus was crucified on the Cross, He paid His life. Freely He gave, freely I received.

The nature of the contract is that I can fail, but God will never fail. To allow the contract to effect, it requires my obedience, faith, love, perseverance and so much more, more than just commitment. God on the other hand, pouring out His abundant Grace, Mercy, Love and Blessings. God is the party that will never withdraw nor will He possibly breach the contract. The contract is up to me to accept, keep or nullify.

I am the party who benefit from the contract. Does God, the other party gain? God He doesn't need me, but He wants me. He actually cares about me and that truly overwhelms me as I know how finite I am, wondering if God ever noticed me. I am the party that benefits greatly for as I entered the contract, I was given a new life. The old has gone and the new has come. Not only that, things and habits started changing. I have gone through and still going through process of transformation and renewal. Every single day, I drink from the living water and live by grace alone. I am empowered by the Spirit that lives in me after I signed the contract, and the Spirit convicts me of my sins and weaknesses. The Spirit bears great fruits in me, such as Joy, Peace, Love, Patience, Self-Control.... Nine of them. I desire all and I should have all and is free!

It is just weird, where on earth in any contract, that the other party actually wants the Best for you? My God does.

Argghhhh... Days and nights are not enough for me to pen down all the goodness and blessings since I entered into this contract. The greater things are still yet to come, so much more! I pray that the day the contract being terminated on earth, is when I depart from the world, leaving for my abode in heaven. I resolved to love Him and serve Him till my last moment.

On this day, would you want to sign this contract? A great journey ahead is awaiting you. Don't worry, you got nothing to lose!

A Cause for Everything

There is a cause for everything. Everything that happens. Everything that takes place. There is a motive for every action. There is a cause.

We go to school/uni for the cause of learning and bottling up knowledge.

We drive for the cause of convenience.

We consume medicine for the cause of recovery.

We battle for the cause of winning or to defeat the enemy.

We laugh for the cause of humour.

We save up for the cause of contingency or emergency.

We invest for the cause of gaining or returns.

There is a cause for every natural event too.

Christ died for the cause to save the world. That is the greatest cause.

Therefore, we should live for the cause of Christ. We should love for the cause of knowing Christ's unconditional, unfailing and unreserved love.

If you think you are not part of the plan, let me tell you that you are born for a cause. You are born for a reason. You just need to find the cause which can only be found in Christ. God knows your cause even when you are still in your mother's womb.

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." Psalm 139:13-14

We ought to live our life knowing that there is a cause for everything.

God knows us before we were born but after birth, many do not know Him or reject Him.

Do you have the cause?

Fool or Be Fooled

One can make himself/herself a fool for actually not knowing something that he or she thinks he or she knows.

We know that the Bible preaches the Truth. We know how precious the Word of God is. We know that only God is righteous and holy. But even some highly admirable preachers or people-pastors in the world often misquote the scripture or preach out of the context. It is sad but the saddest thing is when the people who hear actually believe the unsound preaching.

We must be wise in choosing whom we listen to and the books that we read in supplement to our belief of the Word and our walk with God. How can we be wise? The only way is to be soundly rooted in the knowledge and application of the Word of God.

Some preach the prosperity gospel. Ask them to preach the same message in the Forth World Countries that everyone should be rich and healthy. It is wicked. Some proclaim that Jesus is not the only way. Some preach salvation is through our works and we can work our way to gain. Some say mother Mary was a virgin her whole life.

Who gains out of our foolishness towards God's word? The devil.

It is not so much about labeling ourselves against Calvinism or Arminianism. It is about believing in what the Bible says! There is only one standard - God's standard, God breathed.

We can fool ourselves through our ignorance and shallow knowledge towards the Scripture. At the same time, we can fool the devil by equipping and armoured ourselves with deep knowledge and understanding towards the Scripture.

Do not Amen to every sentence that a preacher preaches. Amen only when you have welly digested and agree with the teaching.

Fool ourselves or fool the devil.

Fear God and read the Scripture in reverence and we shall gain wisdom.

How much do we know?

The Greatest Comfort

The greatest comfort is not how much someone else can cheer us up when we are down in spirit, or how much someone can speak words of healing into our broken heart when we are hurt, or how thankful we are towards those angels who give us a hand us in times of our greatest predicament or when someone else willingly shares our worries and burdens. The greatest comfort is knowing that God Is With Us.

In many parts of the Book of Isaiah, the prophecy about Jesus is made known. In Chapter 7:14b, "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." Yes! Our King Jesus Christ is Immanuel. The name Immanuel as we know means "God is with us". It is to convince us that God is able to rescue us from the downfall of this world and from our enemies. I believe there is a significant purpose for God to name Jesus "Immanuel". Most of the names of the characters in the Bible come with their specific meaning and if we examine the story of each character, his or her name is closely related to the life and who he or she is going to be.

We can't rely on human strength because we are imperfect and fallible. But our God will never fail. He is everlasting from eternity to eternity and even when the whole world collapses, He is still who He is. Regardless of the situation we are going through right now, there is Hope in Jesus. Big or small, He can handle all.

Psalm 23 - A Psalm of David

¹ The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
² He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
³ he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.
⁴ Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,^[a]
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

⁵ You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
⁶ Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.

The promise of God is that He is faithful and He will never leave those who love Him. In darkness or trial, His sovereignty rules.

Isaiah 59:1, "Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear."

Cry and look to the mountain, where our help comes from, knowing that our God is Immanuel.

To know the comfort, we need to know Him first.