To be a Christian or Disciple of Christ??

"As a new Christian, an individual doesn't take a "second step" toward becoming a disciple. Instead he embarks on a seamless journey of growth that passes through spiritual childhood, adolescence, and adulthood to maturity. Of course, all disciples experience good seasons and bad ones. All enjoy victories and suffer defeats. All experience stagnant times, and even times when they seem to travel in the wrong direction. But a disciple's heart consistently yearns for and desires to please God."

"Discipleship flourish when we present the gospel as a seamless journey of transformation that begins with new life given by God and moves right along with the joy of following Christ everyday...... But because we've preached a different gospel, a vast throng of people think they are Christian/saved/born again when they really aren't! We've made the test for salvation doctrinal rather than behavioral, ritualizing it with walking the aisle, praying to receive Christ, or signing a doctrinal statement. Perhaps we've made it so easy to get into "the life" that we've made it nearly impossible for people to live the life. The life that Jesus calls us to - a life of following Him - a life of humility, sacrifice, submission, and obedience."

Bill Hull

You know what I mean??

"Give me a man in love; he knows what i mean. Give me one who yearns; give me one who is hungry; give me one far away in this desert, who is thirsty and sighs for the spring of the Eternal Country. Give me that sort of man; he knows what i mean. But if i speak to a cold man, he just doesn't know what i am talking about... You are surprised that the world is losing its grip? That the world is grown old? Don't hold onto the old man, the world; don't refuse to regain your youth in Christ, who says to you: "The world is passing away; the world is losing its grip, the world is short of breath." Don't fear, for thy youth shall be renewed as an eagle."
Augustine

The bible

This is God's story, the story of his unfathomable love n grace, mercy n forgiveness- and that is how it also becomes our story. The story tells us that we deserve nothing but get everything; that we deserve hell but get heaven; that we deserve to be wiped out, obliterated, but we get his tender embrace; that we deserve rejection n judgment but get to become his children, to bear his likeness, to call him Father. This is the story of the bible, God's story, which at the same time is also our own.


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Do it with gentleness and respect

¹³Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? ¹⁴But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear what they fear^a]">[a]; do not be frightened."^b]">[b] ¹⁵But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, ¹⁶keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 1Peter 3:13-16

¹³ 你 们 若 是 热 心 行 善 ， 有 谁 害 你 们 呢 ？ ¹⁴ 你 们 就 是 为 义 受 苦 ， 也 是 有 福 的 。 不 要 怕 人 的 威 吓 （ 的 威 吓 ： 或 译 所 怕 的 ） ， 也 不 要 惊 慌 ； ¹⁵ 只 要 心 里 尊 主 基 督 为 圣 。 有 人 问 你 们 心 中 盼 望 的 缘 由 ， 就 要 常 作 准 备 ， 以 温 柔 、 敬 畏 的 心 回 答 各 人 ； ¹⁶ 存 着 无 亏 的 良 心 ， 叫 你 们 在 何 事 上 被 毁 谤 ， 就 在 何 事 上 可 以 叫 那 诬 赖 你 们 在 基 督 里 有 好 品 行 的 人 自 觉 羞 愧 。彼 得 前 書 3:13-16

Something really caught my eye in the above verses, ".... But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander." The "do this" is to give an answer to everyone who asks us to give the reason for the hope that we (Christians) have, in short witness Christ or sharing the gospel of Christ.

Most of us knows that we need to do this but just how many understand that we need to do it with gentleness and respect. Are there times, where we spend more time explaining to seekers why some Christians say disrespectful words than explaining to them the words of Christ?

There's a saying that action speaks louder then our words. Are our actions that of what we preach or our faith as a Christian? The last part of the verse that i quote is that, "..., so that those who speaks maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander." The important words is "your good behavior". Are we putting our action in our words?

This verse reminds me the behavior and attitude I should have as a Christian, a disciple of Christ, hope it does to you too.

A Meaningless Life

Don't settle for second best

I ask my friend, "Why do you have to work?"
He replied, "To earn money."
"Why do you have to earn money?" I asked him.
"To buy food to eat," He replied.
"Why do you need to eat?" I asked him again.
"So that I have energy," was his reply.
"Why do you need energy?" I wanted to know.
He replied, "I need energy to work."

Life sometimes feel like a circle that just goes round and round, doesn't it? Do you sometimes wonder what Life is all about? What is the purpose of Life? Is there an ultimate meaning of Life? These are really important questions. The answers can lead us to live a really meaning life instead of wasting it away....
By Huang Sabin

1在耶路撒冷作王，大卫的儿子，传道者的言语。2传道者说："虚空的虚空，虚空的虚空，凡事都是虚空。"3人一切的劳碌，就是他在日光之下的劳碌，有什么益处呢？4一代过去，一代又来，地却永远长存。5日头出来，日头落下，急归所出之地。6风往南刮，又向北转，不住地旋转，而且返回转行原道。7江河都往海里流，海却不满；江河从何处流，仍归还何处。8万事令人厌烦（注：或作"万物满有困乏"），人不能说尽。眼看，看不饱；耳听，听不足。9已有的事，后必再有；已行的事，后必再行。日光之下，并无新事。10岂有一件事人能指着说："这是新的"？哪知，在我们以前的世代早已有了。11已过的世代，无人记念；将来的世代，后来的人也不记念。传道书1：1-11

1 The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem: 2 "Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the Teacher. "Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless." 3 What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun? 4 Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever. 5 The sun rises and the sun sets, and hurries back to where it rises. 6 The wind blows to the south and turns to the north; round and round it goes, ever returning on its course. 7 All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full. To the place the streams come from, there they return again. 8 All things are wearisome, more than one can say. The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing. 9 What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. 10 Is there anything of which one can say, "Look! This is something new"? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time. 11 There is no remembrance of men of old, and even those who are yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow. Ecclesiastes 1:1-11

Look and ponder no further as someone who is the Life and the provider of Life had an answer for us. Would you believe in him?

6耶稣说："我就是道路、真理、生命；若不借着我，没有人能到父那里去。约翰福音14：6

6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:5

I have seen the Lord

Read this sermon by Pastor John Piper given on Easter Sunday.
It does matter that Jesus had risen from the dead and it does matter that you had seen the Lord,
May you experience God and can say that you had seen him.

I have seen the Lord - By John Piper

Submission to Authorities Romans13:1-7

1在上有权柄的，人人当顺服他，因为没有权柄不是出于神的，凡掌权的都是神所命的。2所以抗拒掌权的，就是抗拒神的命；抗拒的必自取刑罚。3作官的原不是叫行善的惧怕，乃是叫作恶的惧怕。你愿意不惧怕掌权的吗？你只要行善，就可得他的称赞，4因为他是神的用人，是与你有益的。你若作恶，却当惧怕，因为他不是空空地佩剑。他是神的用人，是伸冤的，刑罚那作恶的。5所以你们必须顺服，不但是因为刑罚，也是因为良心。6你们纳粮也为这个缘故，因他们是神的差役，常常特管这事。 罗马书13:1-7

1 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.2 Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you.4 For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience.6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. Romans 13:1-7

Vs1 -2 For us to submit to the authorities.
Vs3 - 5 For the authorities on how they should treat others.

Psalm 119:49-56

求你記念向你僕人所應許的話,叫我有盼望。這話將我救活了。我在患難中，因此得安慰。驕傲的人甚侮慢我，我卻未曾偏離你的律法。耶和華啊，我記念你從古以來的典章，就得了安慰。我見惡人離棄你的律法，就怒氣發作，猶如火燒。我在世寄居，素來以你的律例為詩歌。耶和華啊，我夜間記念你的名，遵守你的律法。我 所 以 如 此,是因我守你的訓詞。 詩119:49-56

Remember your word to your servant, for you have given me hope. My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life. The arrogant mock me without restraint, but I do not turn from your law. I remember your ancient laws, O LORD, and I find comfort in them. Indignation grips me because of the wicked, who have forsaken your law. Your decrees are the theme of my song wherever I lodge. In the night I remember your name, O LORD, and I will keep your law. This has been my practice: I obey your precepts. Psalm 119:49-56

There's two verses in this passage that really encourages me.

Vs 50 My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.
In our suffering our comfort from God is His promise to us that he'll love and bless us.

Vs 51 The arrogant mock me without restraint, but I do not turn from your law.
As Servant of God me would come to a point where we would be mock and unfairly treated by others, at that point what should we do? The author said that even at that situation he do not turn away from God's law...

Confession

I got a confession to make...

Ok, here goes. The promise to make this blog to a weekly blog has failed. I'm tweeting more (ok not as much as others) compared to blogging.

There I said it....

Colossians 1:28-29

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

Heard this sharing from someone today, and it set me thinking and was (can I say) greatly motivated by it. The few pointers that I pick up during the sharing was;

1) We were called to proclaim Jesus, not ourselves not anything but Him.
2) Paul told us that he labor and struggle for this not with his own strength, but energy that came from God.

It reminds me what I am really called to do and that behind all this is God and He will gives me energy.

last day at work

Wednesday was my last day at work, some said that I had move on to a greener pasture. I couldn't have agreed with them more, as pslam 23 said that the Lord is my shepherd and I shall not be in wants. He laid me down in green pasture.
Before I leave I sent out an e-mail to all my colleagues including the HODs, inside the mail is a something that I hope those who are not in the green pasture to have.

Hi all,
Today will be my last day working in APP. I would like to thank the company and all for my stay here.
From May, I'll be embarking on a new stage in my life. When I was 17, I believed that I am a sinner and without God I can do nothing, besides leading a purposeless, hopeless and joyless life. God had showed me his everlasting love and a way to break away from my old meaningless life. After many years of prayers, I have decided to commit myself to serving God full time. I'll be working as a full time staff in the church that I am attending, and will be taking my Master in Divinity from Bible College next year.
I had found my Savior and Lord; he has shown me peace, joy and hope that I had longed for. Hope you can experience it too.
For my brothers and sisters in Christ, please pray for my family and me. That we would continue to have faith and follow in God's guidance and providence in our journey ahead.
You could drop me a mail to xxxxx@gmail.com or keep in contact thru fb.





- Posted from iPhone

Traffic Light Song

Leah was taught a new song in song in school (don't know when) and she was singing it to us on the cab yesterday night.

She was like murmuring throughout the journey, really couldn't make out what she was singing. At first I thought she was singing twinkle twinkle little stars cos the tune sound like it. But Fiana caught it and said that she is singing something new.

For me I only learnt it when we got home during her bath time (was bathing her and ask her to teach me.) She is teacher Leah.

Traffic Light
Twinkle twinkle traffic light,
Round the corner shinning bright.
Red means stop, Green means go
Yellow means very very slow.

Prayers

"My prayers of faith are not instructions to a well-trained God, sending him coded signals to dictate his behaviour. I am not insisting that God must, at my command perform the miracles I need. He is not a circus tiger, listening for my whistle. I am, rather, coming to a good and loving parent, who always wants the best for me and has told me I must never ne afraid, no matter how shamed, angry, confused or distressed I may be, to bring my needs to him."

Gerard Kelly, Stretch (Milton Keynes: Spring Harvest Publication Division/Authentic Media,2005)


- Posted from iPhone

Iphone Dock

A cheap n environment friendly dock for Iphone. (ok not very eye candy, but hey I'm a practical guy)

Check up this website to find the template.

My very own DIY Dock for Iphone made from cardboard.

The mrbrown show: zodiac killer

Check this podcast out, fastfood restaurant is starting another cute cute soft toys craze but missing some animal.

Laughing till my belly ache.

School song

Leah had been attending her childcare for 2months now, recently she thought us how to sing her school song. It goes like this;
Eager beaver school song
(music - same as Father Abraham has seven children)
Eager beaver school has many children,
Many children have eager beaver school.
I am one of them, and so are you.
So let's us shout horray! HORRAY!

But some how Leah keep saying and shouting "PURRAY!"