Wise words from wise men... Tried my best to recover whatever I have forgotten about Liang Wei's lesson and of course some extra guidance from the "tuition teacher" never hurts.
5 Base lines to work with for life:
1.God desires intimacy with us
Self explanatory and yet so easy to forget when we're dealing with someone so big.
2.God loves you enough
To bless you with the opportunity to serve him when he does not need to
3.FAITH BEFORE OBEDIENCE!
'nuff said
4.You don't need to know everything!!
'nuff said x2
5.GOD WILL PROVIDE
'nuff said x3
"'nuff said"s aside, I promised myself a proper reflection upon this wise words and here it is. The lesson is interestingly one of those that "disturbs the comforted" and "comforts the disturbed", though no where as harsh as Paul Washer's message, I was reminded how each and every piece of the wisdom shared that day had been granted to me earlier during my service in FireAC, with the exception of the first, which is the greatest revelation for me that day.
In light of the big choices that I will need to make, it is a good time to remember these base lines when making the decisions. They help to limit choices but it is the options that is left after filtering with the Word that becomes hard to choose.
Another Wise man told me to consider these when making the big decisions:
firstly, what your gifts are
secondly, what resources god has given you
thirdly, what mission has he granted to you
fourthly, if you are certain about the faith and endurance he will grant you to live that life
More filtering, and yet it is always questions like "what mission has he granted to you" that is hard to answer. Gift of discernment of spirits is rare in this age of blindness.
All the more things to pray about I guess
Showing posts with label God. Show all posts
Showing posts with label God. Show all posts
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Prospects
God just never seems stop giving you more work. But hey, the rewards is the joy of service isn't it?
My parents are back for their short visit. The one massive revelation that I have gotten to day is how difficult it is to share Christ with them. Especially when logic dominates their thinking, faith is nothing but an excuse not to think, an irrational illogical and childish commotion that will pass with age.
I am at a loss of how could I share Christ with them with this massive barrier that will blot out all of my attempt to testify. To them, my surrender is foolishness. Sadly, I had been forewarned in the bible, where they are blinded to the wisdom of God, where it seems like foolishness to them. I am at a loss of what to say to them.
On to the subject of choice of study, I have not shared with them about the true reason behind my choice, about how God have placed onto my shoulders 2 ministries to hold up and how I will not be able to go to LSE despite my desires.
I have been advised about shrewdness about the very thing that bible preaches against. Wisdom of the world, foolishness in God's eyes, about not trusting people against my sincere nature, about choosing schools in consideration of social circle and the influence I might gain. In face of these things, how can I, the foolish child even show them a glimpse of God's great plan, his great love and how pointless their worries are in light of the awesomeness of God?
I am at a loss of what to do once again. A state ready for God to take over and show the world his greatness through my weakness. I am once again broken before God.
My parents are back for their short visit. The one massive revelation that I have gotten to day is how difficult it is to share Christ with them. Especially when logic dominates their thinking, faith is nothing but an excuse not to think, an irrational illogical and childish commotion that will pass with age.
I am at a loss of how could I share Christ with them with this massive barrier that will blot out all of my attempt to testify. To them, my surrender is foolishness. Sadly, I had been forewarned in the bible, where they are blinded to the wisdom of God, where it seems like foolishness to them. I am at a loss of what to say to them.
On to the subject of choice of study, I have not shared with them about the true reason behind my choice, about how God have placed onto my shoulders 2 ministries to hold up and how I will not be able to go to LSE despite my desires.
I have been advised about shrewdness about the very thing that bible preaches against. Wisdom of the world, foolishness in God's eyes, about not trusting people against my sincere nature, about choosing schools in consideration of social circle and the influence I might gain. In face of these things, how can I, the foolish child even show them a glimpse of God's great plan, his great love and how pointless their worries are in light of the awesomeness of God?
I am at a loss of what to do once again. A state ready for God to take over and show the world his greatness through my weakness. I am once again broken before God.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Thoughts & Reflection, perhaps a conversation with God
I'll try to post something with brains this time, though physical state might not be really apt for this kind of mental exercise right now.
It is funny how sometimes you end up buying some arguments even though you know that more than 50% of it is bullshit. That sort of happened to me for Michael Moore's "Capitalism: A Love Story". Perhaps it is his way of presenting his view, or perhaps it is that hint of pain and heartache behind all the sarcasm in the "documentary". Cocky as I may sound, I sided with the argument before I have seen the show, now I just have a problem with his "telling only one side of the story" type of delivery... Not to say that that is a bad way of arguing convincingly, I just have a problem with its claim as a documentary, that it presents the truth, just not the whole truth.
I guess that is enough digression about Moore's filming, the focus of today's long winded crapping is about how messed up the world is, and how to fix it. Capitalism is an ingenious system, a system powered by the greed of humans. The basic assumption that "all firms are profit maximizing" that is taught as a plain fact across all economic students is a painful statement about how pathetic the human race have fallen. But I guess, for those practical ones, Capitalism is the obvious way out since not everyone on the face of this earth can remain 100% honest so communism which is based on such values are doomed to failure due to the inherent greed that all human have. I guess the conformists are either too ignorant or cynical to recognize that what this option of capitalism means to say is that "Since we can't assume that no one is greedy and there won't be corruption, let's build a system that assumes everyone is greedy". A system that turns everyone greedy, a system where personal benefit overrules morals, where the profit motive takes predominance over social welfare, a system where everything is degraded to a price tag.
It scares me to think that this is the kind system that I have to dive myself into the heart of to change the world. I had been thinking about this for a long while now, my idealistic/ over-ambitious attempt to fix the situation by massing enough cash to manipulate the economies itself, to address the income inequality issue, the root of most social issues itself. I do realize, after a period of reflection that this solution is only skin deep, where I am attempting to fix things with cash. Well intended as it may be, this solution fails to address the greed issue and the systematic issue (I suppose these two go hand in hand).
I suppose I have been granted some divine guidance, hints to help me figure things out during the Church Camp (there will be reflections about other important, right now I only have time for one i guess), noting things down for personal reference for now.
1. Solution to humanity's failing is the Christian viral system. Small groups/ discipleship is necessary to provide the platform to get involved with another's life enough to change/ impact them. Start small and watch the exponential multiplier work itself out.
2. Be communal. My greatest takeaway from the DUMC visit is not the sermon which I have sadly fallen asleep in (I'm still pissed off at myself about that), but the concept of the design of the church, of how community based it is. In a environment where such facilities are not provided by the government, the concept is imo, a great way to be both light and salt of the world.
3. This is sort of a reassurance I guess. That my attempt to fix the world with money, though very imperfect, is endorsed by God. Though a lot of things that stems from that plan will require sacrifice and discipline.
So where does all these leave me? Nothing definitive I guess, but then again, God's way is never the easiest way and this is going to take a lot of thinking. Looking a the whole post from a non-Christian point of view may make it look like some ranting from yet another idealistic moron who goes around doing things the hard way and going to ended up with nothing done. I guess that is what it is going to be until I come up with something. Someone once suggested a Christian communism, the way of which the original apostles operated. A tempting idea, but closing oneself off from the world on the other hand is definitely not the way to go.
Once again, there's much to do, and very little time.
I'm beginning to doubt the "life after IB is slack" statement
Off for dental~
To do list:
Packing
Shop for BS material & a chinese bible
Do a reflection on liang wei's lesson.
Edit these pictures:
It is funny how sometimes you end up buying some arguments even though you know that more than 50% of it is bullshit. That sort of happened to me for Michael Moore's "Capitalism: A Love Story". Perhaps it is his way of presenting his view, or perhaps it is that hint of pain and heartache behind all the sarcasm in the "documentary". Cocky as I may sound, I sided with the argument before I have seen the show, now I just have a problem with his "telling only one side of the story" type of delivery... Not to say that that is a bad way of arguing convincingly, I just have a problem with its claim as a documentary, that it presents the truth, just not the whole truth.
I guess that is enough digression about Moore's filming, the focus of today's long winded crapping is about how messed up the world is, and how to fix it. Capitalism is an ingenious system, a system powered by the greed of humans. The basic assumption that "all firms are profit maximizing" that is taught as a plain fact across all economic students is a painful statement about how pathetic the human race have fallen. But I guess, for those practical ones, Capitalism is the obvious way out since not everyone on the face of this earth can remain 100% honest so communism which is based on such values are doomed to failure due to the inherent greed that all human have. I guess the conformists are either too ignorant or cynical to recognize that what this option of capitalism means to say is that "Since we can't assume that no one is greedy and there won't be corruption, let's build a system that assumes everyone is greedy". A system that turns everyone greedy, a system where personal benefit overrules morals, where the profit motive takes predominance over social welfare, a system where everything is degraded to a price tag.
It scares me to think that this is the kind system that I have to dive myself into the heart of to change the world. I had been thinking about this for a long while now, my idealistic/ over-ambitious attempt to fix the situation by massing enough cash to manipulate the economies itself, to address the income inequality issue, the root of most social issues itself. I do realize, after a period of reflection that this solution is only skin deep, where I am attempting to fix things with cash. Well intended as it may be, this solution fails to address the greed issue and the systematic issue (I suppose these two go hand in hand).
I suppose I have been granted some divine guidance, hints to help me figure things out during the Church Camp (there will be reflections about other important, right now I only have time for one i guess), noting things down for personal reference for now.
1. Solution to humanity's failing is the Christian viral system. Small groups/ discipleship is necessary to provide the platform to get involved with another's life enough to change/ impact them. Start small and watch the exponential multiplier work itself out.
2. Be communal. My greatest takeaway from the DUMC visit is not the sermon which I have sadly fallen asleep in (I'm still pissed off at myself about that), but the concept of the design of the church, of how community based it is. In a environment where such facilities are not provided by the government, the concept is imo, a great way to be both light and salt of the world.
3. This is sort of a reassurance I guess. That my attempt to fix the world with money, though very imperfect, is endorsed by God. Though a lot of things that stems from that plan will require sacrifice and discipline.
So where does all these leave me? Nothing definitive I guess, but then again, God's way is never the easiest way and this is going to take a lot of thinking. Looking a the whole post from a non-Christian point of view may make it look like some ranting from yet another idealistic moron who goes around doing things the hard way and going to ended up with nothing done. I guess that is what it is going to be until I come up with something. Someone once suggested a Christian communism, the way of which the original apostles operated. A tempting idea, but closing oneself off from the world on the other hand is definitely not the way to go.
Once again, there's much to do, and very little time.
I'm beginning to doubt the "life after IB is slack" statement
Off for dental~
To do list:
Packing
Shop for BS material & a chinese bible
Do a reflection on liang wei's lesson.
Edit these pictures:
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