Your life transformation and the bridge diagram may be simply an equipment to the devil, but in your hands, it’s an offensive weapon. Thus far, your life transformation story because of the bridge is this far the most effective weapon to destroy the enemy kingdom by trillion folds.
Use this weapon well.
hoe
Retrospectively speaking, though there are few seasons that occurs constantly throughout a year calender but there are two seasons that i certainly looked forward towards. They are none other than Christmas and Chinese New Year.
No doubt, one evident reason would be the gifts and red packets received respectively for each season. But more than that what i truly love about both season is simply the relationship with people that you might have lost connection with.
Though both seasons direct me towards relationships, but they take on different form. For Christmas, i love the relationship where we appreciate each other with words. This is certainly a point of time, where we painstakingly take up hours to write cards to our beloved friends. Though, i wouldn’t expect gifts for Christmas, but i would look forward to the card. I once heard a saying before, in our lives sometimes we may only write 2 cards to a person yearly. They are none other than Birthday and Christmas. Hence, i appreciate the season of appreciation. Whatever routine this maybe, it is definitely one that is worth keeping.
Yet for Chines New Year, there are not much words of affirmation. More often then not, there will be comparison. At least, that’s for what i think. However, what i truly love about CNY is that i can see people who are far from God coming closer to God. This is the best time where i can actually reach out to those who i seldom have a chance to see. It really encourages me greatly to share with my relatives or my family about the joy that i have found coming to know God in a wise manner.
At hindsight, both of this seasons will significantly boil down to relationship. But the purpose of such relationship take on different forms. I love such holidays, but more than that, i love the value behind it. The value of relationships.
Rather than viewing this whole season as a total waste of time because of the many relatives who looked like strangers to you, why not let them truly be who God has actually placed them to be in your life. God didn’t place out relatives or family to be strangers but people who we are supposed to have ties that bind.
Fostering relationships takes a decision and commitment.
Hoe
I vividly remember one quintessential defintion that my GP teacher drilled into our heads during my college years was the meaning of socialisation. Honestly, i never comprehend the purpose of doing so. However, i must credit her for being effective in drilling that definition into my soul.
Socialization is the process where one actually assimilate to the culture of the society. The main building block of socialization compromises of the family unit, school and mass media.
As i was taking my strides towards home, then the Spirit prompted me about this entire definition. No doubt, there is a need to be socialized into our culture today, if not we will be against the ‘norm’ in a bad sense. Then i asked, what’s the culture of my society then? Well, i would give credit to the effective GP lesson because the first word that came across my mind was Gobalzation. Significantly, the G word has brought about a culture of competition in my society today.
I can’t help but to agree, that to some extent i have been assimilated to this culture of competion either actively or passively. Yet, the question still remains, what’s the purpose of this competition? Compete for the sake of competing or is it through this competition Christ can be illuminated through our humble lives. I’m not against competition, rather i fear that we are all competiting for the wrong reasons. For self gain instead of Christ gain.
Evidently, this can seen through our academics. When we observe that someone does better than us, how do we feel? Do we rejoice because we have done our best and God delights in it, or are we bitter against God and people around us. I believe that the real motive of a person, can be truly revealed at the pit of his life rather than the climax.
Failing to embrace this culture, would make one look alienated. Hence, we can learn to embrace the culture, but that doesn’t necessary mean we are conformed by the culture. Yet this this era, we need to learn to embrace a Christ centered culture. Jesus embraced the culture he was in, but certainly he didn’t conform to those that will make us question his purity.
hoe
Filed under: convictions
”What all this means is that change requires a clean and visible break with the past, not incremental efforts”
Raymond Fisman
Filed under: convictions, friends, illuminate, my endeavor, random thoughts
Often times, God drops a vision in our hearts. At the initial stages, everyone will be hyped up to go all out to achieve that very vision that was engraved in our hearts. Give them few months, the excitement may have ceased. Why?
Too often, with much zeal we go about to begin this assignment but we never finish because we lose interest, or the labor and suffering becomes too intense. That’s why we decided to either actively or passively give up.
Without questioning much, i admit i am one of such person that’s described.
However, this new phase of life God has showed me a greater insight to this issue. This entire motion can only continue if we assume that God is faithful. However, i choose not to assume but i believed it from the depth of my heart. The trick is this, if God is faithful that means he will keep to his word. Thus, shouldn’t it mean that God will actually ensure that the vision that he has sparked off in our hearts burn alive and not be ceased because of nano problems?
What took me aback was this, this vision is one that God embedded into each and every individual. To everyone, he gives a different vision which will actually narrow back to the great commission. This then mean, this vision is something that God actually believes that you can do it. Hence, wouldn’t i be a fool to trade such vision for little hardships? Just because things may not be happening as what it is expected to be, it doesn’t mean that God is not faithful. This is what i call faith. To persist even when it doesn’t seem to have happened. Since, God is faithful.
Let me bring this slightly further, why doesn’t God actually bring to accomplishment at times? The vision was engraved by God with his painstakingly fingers, and once we grab hold of this vision. Suddenly it seemed like we are the one who drew this vision, and we go all means and ways to accomplish it. The harder you try, the more things just don’t work out. Yes, we are so totally obedient going all miles with our bare hands and brains to make something happen. No doubt, we can be credited the most hardworking person. Hold on, may i just simply post a question. Where was God in the picture?
Gal3:3
3Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?
Yes, he engraved the vision in our hearts. Shouldn’t he be the one who leads us to complete the vision? If so, then where is it? You see friends, growing up in Asia background, i would dare to say that obedience is not a tough issue. Since young, we were taught the consequences of not doing so. However, if you clearly look at his word. More than obedience, God desires submission. I guess all of us know Hebrews 13:17 well, but have we missed out on the part SUBMIT?
If all actions are the same, ceteris paribus. Then what will dy/dx such outcome, would be the attitude. One thing that the marker drilled my soul real hard during this new phase of life, was the issue of am i living my life total submission to him? Do i truly appreciate the authority that he has placed in my life, regardless if they were the nicest or evil person i could have met in this life.
More than obedience, God desires us to live in submission to him.
With this in mind, it just once again dawned upon me. Growing God’s ministry is not difficult at all. It’s simple. There are not complicated formulas to try to lead his people, but it’s simple. Walk in step of obedience and submission to his will, and he will guide you on how to lead his flock. 
The greater level of our submission, the greater level of our faith.
hoe
When i was younger, i always thought that this life that i am living is in a complete state of utopia. Everything seemed in tact, and laughter reverberates through my neighborhood. To further exacerbate this thought for good, every classmate faces that i see are simply smiles. The sight of holding hands while we walked towards to canteen and from point to point just simply paint me this picture that life is bliss.
As one aged, he realized that such image that was built up since young was destroyed bit by bit. Slashed and scratched by moments of people treated with a sense of unjust. Then i began to wonder, if life was ever fair?
After giving my life to God since the age of 12, i began to comprehend that life was never fair. To simply put it, God’s not fair too. He’s only Just.
This entire new phase of life gave me a significant insight to fully comprehend the notion that life isn’t fair at all.
Was it fair that Jesus took our punishment and died on the cross when He did nothing wrong?
At times, we remonstrate and complain about how unfairly we are treated for things that we may not have done. But honestly, what right do we have such a strong stance of defense? When my Savior wasn’t treated fairly at all.
Don’t complain.
Luke 9:23
Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
so what, if life isn’t fair? But i know God is just.
hoe
Filed under: convictions
Psalm51:16-17
16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 The sacrifices of God are [a] a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart,
O God, you will not despise.
Brokenness may seemed to bring about a negative connotation. The image that may reverberate within our naked mind might be the picture or a broken vase or heart. More often than not, it’s only when things are broken then it can be mended back into something better than before. Only in the skillful hands of the Potter, then will we be able to be fixed back with better furnishing.
Hence, once in awhile we ought to let the Potter break us and allow him to mend us back into a much better product.
Have you been broken?
hoe
unwanted. In short, if you were given this gift, you will choose to reject it.
My third week in my new phase of life has been spectacular. Never once have i had daily corrections or rebuking by the chief Shepherd. Chief Shepherd taught me great insights with regards to how i have lived my life this week.
But the one lesson that he drilled deeply into my heart, was the decision to love the unwanted.
To cut the whole long story short:
There was a guy who i knew through my new phase of life because of a physical disability which was being made known to many. Deep within my heart, i hoped i would never know this person personally. More often than not, the chief shepherd did not let me go but dealt with this issue of mine. To my own amazement, by certain connections we actually knew each other. To further exacerbate the situation, we happened to have the same mode of transport back and forth of camp. When that dawned upon my mind, the simplest question that God placed in my heart was this:
‘Do i choose who do i love? Or do i love who he loves?’
Gosh, when that sliced through my heart i came to him in repentance. David, far from it that you should see yourself any better than others. Everyone deserved to be loved by God through your own life.
Other than the lesson of love, God has also taught many other powerful lessons that took me aback like no one business. If time permits, i shall pen down more thoughts.
I can’t help but to say, i love doing life with God daily.
hoe
I will be back to the place where part of my life will resonate.
Though it was a short span of 2 days, i must say that i have throughly enjoyed the time spent with family, friends and God. Honestly, life has never been so exciting when you have to dash from a place to another which so much things to do. The best deal is, God’s with me and guiding me through on serving his people!
Hence, before i take a shower and get ready to leave to the place where i anticipate for God’s presence even deeper and wider. I shall pen down some learning’s that i had from my current phase of life.
True faith operates out of obedience rather than a sense of right and wrong.
The highest form of worship is obedience.
Faith and obedience is inseparable because obedience is the evidence of true faith.
Sin is mastered through obedience.
If you are in deep shit, enjoy the moment. I believe it’s a matter of perspective. Shit from an angle may stink, but from another can be an aroma. If we only learn to see the shit from a different light, then maybe we will be able to comprehend all shit God place in out lives. He allows us to go through shit, to make us stronger. This is true because of Jer 29:11.
The elephant theory. I’m too lazy to explain this theory. In the nutshell, one can choose to grip by fear or allow God give us the courage through obedience to break those chians.
If the devil can’t stop us, he simply induce fear into our hearts which is certainly effective to paralyzing us. Honestly, do we allow fear to grip us? The fear to make mistakes? The fear to dream big?
Either we let experiences take control of us, or we allow the parntership of God with us to take control over it.
There is no authority placed above us which God has never intended too. No matter what plight it may seem to be, God certainly makes no mistake. God is faithful, he will never test you beyond what we can bear.
Well, from the largest portion of my learnings. One ordinary person can infer God taught me a great deal with regards to obedience.
We also need to rise up a generation of righteous youths. If not, those who will suffer the damaging consequences will be the next generation of youths. It may not be the current, but the next. Honestly, the young today have to walk in God’s righteousness.
Who then will help them to do so?
Righteous shepherds.
Alright, time is running out! Hence i shall stop here for now.
hoe
I’m currently enjoying my next phase of life.
This phase of life has brought me closer and deeper in my realtionship with God! I love the way God speaks to me through the happenings. In short, i have a faithful God that is always there for me! Nevertheless, correction is inevitable by the holy spirit when i needed it!
In the nutshell, it’s about perspective.
hoe
