Unexpected
God works in many ways. This is what you always hear. But God works in unexpected ways too. There are times no matter how hard i try to expect them, i cannot expect it.
The way i change to become a true christian, is from my friend, Edmund. He was and is one of my best friends. At that time, he aint a christian, but i am, i am the christian who had strayed from the paths of my Lord. But i didn't really care. That is the type of christian i am. I still believed that Jesus died and all these. But i am not behavin like one. On that day, God seperated me and him in the crowd. I don't know how, but i SOMEHOW got lost. So i decided to sit alone and listen to the service (my school, being a christian school, provides regualar weekly service, but that week is religious emphasis week-- or rather "religious"). Then i listened very well, because of that, i repented, and walked with the Lord, and become a true chistian. Not sayin that i walk in all his ways, but i have changed greatly. My friends thought i had converted!
And today, God is using me as one to spread the influence to later change my friend, Edmund, to finally turn to christ. I don't know what God will do through Edmund. But i know it will be something great, something awesome.
And the way i got to the worship ministry my church is also unexpected. On that day, after missing the morning adult service because of housework and a lecture, i am deciding whether or not to go to my church youth service, which follows right after that. I had decided not to go if there is no youth service. And to go, if there is. I messaged my friend. She didn't answer. So, i went anyway. When i reached there, i found there aint any service. By that time, i was in the auditorium where my church holds its youth services. my church youth band is jamming. My friend told me to sing. so i did. I don't know why she told me to do it. Coz usually i will juz sit at one corner, listening to the music, feeling the drums, or singing with them. Lets not be legalistic, but i think she did it for fun (: So this is how i got in.
There are many other ways that God worked in my life. but they SOMEHOW fall so well in place. I don't remember many. Though i think i should remember :) Next time if there is one. I should blog about it.
My God is an awesome God.
The best holidays
I will have a 2 month holiday ahead of me after the exams. I want this holiday to be different.
I want to feel fufilled. I want to miss this holiday horribly. I want to make this holiday a difference. I don't want those "one-time" holiday, where you literally "waste time". I had been through that holidays before, so i know the boredom and uselessness.
But what want to do now is different. For most of the holidays, i regard them as "resting time", where i could stay at home, sleep longer hours, chat longer on msn, etc. But this time i don't want that type of holiday. That, to me, is chasing after the wind. I mean, i wasted a lot of my holidays not doing much. I realise how boring it is, and of course, i always look forward to sundays, not only because of church, but also , i got to do something. I could praise the Lord, a lot. In holidays, i surely had strengthened my friendships with my friends, knew more friends, and made more money.
But how good it is to make every day a sunday! As my friend tianyong told me, that he would want to pass the holidays doing evangalism, talking about God, doing further research, going for missions, and just do great things for God. As simple as the ideas are, these left not the faintest aims for my holiday plans. What he said is true. Very true. He would not regret nor take back another day, because he is going to spend his holidays doing things that are eternal. Things that could cause a huge impact in lives. Things that can make history. Not much in the book "history of the world", nor "history of singapore (revised edition)", but more for "history of God's work through men."
How much better is it to do one eternal task, than to do 10 temporary tasks? Of course, God never said that we should not do temporary tasks, and i didnt say that too. What it takes is to do something eternal, not to not do things that are temporary. God loves to see us enjoy. Like, playing LAN is something temporary. God never said that you cannot play games. You are enjoying, God loves it. It is great! What a difference it will make, if you just spend 15 days, each day doing something for God? The difference is tremedous.
So start and get going. Let your vacations be fufilling. Do it for God. How sweet is it to do something that is eternal! God's always behind you. Who says that he doesn't care? He cares for your vacations and holidays too! For you.
Whenever
Hey. God can inspire you. Really. He is an inspirer.
I am studying for my end of years, and i really want to do well this time, because i want to not only score well, but also to glorify God. I really want a jump in my marks. I did badly in the midyears.
God knows that education is a very very important in major part in our lives. And of course he does not neglect secondary school students. In one of my prayer meetings, we prayed for our exams. After that prayer, i was inspired. I went home and pray, telling God that i want to do it for him. Glorify him.
There is once i ran dry on fuel. I cannot study and had no will to do it. Then i asked God to somehow inspire me and get me going. It actually came about in THE LOO, and God flashed that inspiration on my head. I wasn't thinking about anything about that then, thats all i could remember.
After that, i just studied and studied, so hard. All for the Lord. Sometimes, when i lost the will to study, i will be reminded by "hey, want to glorify God?" then i IMMEDIATELY changed my mind, plucked out some papers and books, to study longer. There are times, when this phrase just flashed again and again on my head, and it seems that i cannot stop doing my work! i Don't feel any stress at all! i was having so much joy in doing school work! Then i forced myself to stop, not because i had enough of glorifying him, but more that i have to do or want to do, something on the net like blogging, msn, and games.
It is just so cool! for all those who have exams, and had read this post, trust me, tell the Lord. He will give you inspiration. Real inspiration that LASTS. And you will realise yourself doing so much that last time, you will wonder "how could I ever study so long?"
My philosophies essay - God wrote it.
Ok man... this is my philosophies essay.. the answer itself is 1592 words, without the questions and footnotes.... juz try finish it... sorry for the length!!
Question: “Philosophy is to be studied, not for the sake of any definite answers to its questions, since no definite answers can, as a rule, known to be true, but rather for the sake of the questions themselves.”
Bertrand Russell, Problem of philosophy pp 93-94
I support Bertrand, on this statement of philosophy. The basis of philosophy is criticism and critical thinking. For if there is a set of answers, there would not be philosophy. Philosophy is surely not to be studied for the sake of finding answers. However, I cannot agree to studying philosophy as a subject in schools too far.
The essence of philosophy is best expressed in the ethical issues affecting a country. Abortion, as mentioned below from a source, is one of the most raging ethical issues today. There will come to no point, neither time nor agreement, where these could be settled. There is always 2 parties convincing each other.
“You'd think the fight was over. Instead, there are mass rallies, bombings and intimidation, murders of workers at abortion clinics, arrests, intense lobbying, legislative drama, Congressional hearings, Supreme Court decisions, major political parties almost defining themselves on the issue, and clerics threatening politicians with perdition.”1
Abortion is one of the examples that is happening throughout the world. Though they may have been done with, but it isn’t. Although there is no death sentence for abortion, it had remained a sensitive issue all these while. They think the fight is over, but where did it show? It is still happening today! Even laws are established to condense the situation.
“In Britain, abortions are unlawful after the 24th week of gestation except in a few exceptional circumstances defined in law” 2
Philosophy should be able to bring it to some point of unity and agreement, when they could agree to a certain statement. Because philosophy focuses on the questions and not the answers, so it is more like criticizing to get better solutions. Therefore, solutions will always be dynamic. But since questioning can change the solution, I feel that, questioning by different groups of people could make the solution more suitable for them, more suitable for more people.
It is said that “you cannot please everyone”. True enough, you think it is over, it isn’t. There will always be more to argue. There will always be the “refined” or “better” state.
FOOTNOTES: From
http://www.2think.org/abortion.shtml, first paragraph, part one.
From
http://www.prochoiceforum.org.uk/aad4.asp second paragraph.
What sets philosophy different from science is criticism. The more a country’s government suppresses critics and suggestions, the more the country will not proceed. It will always remain static at the state it is in. There will be no improvements to the law, to the technology. The only ways, I think, to truly improve is to question quickly, and criticize. For example, if Edison were to invent the bulb, but no one were to criticize it, or question for the ways to improve his invention, would there be tungsten bulbs now?
Not the way it may work, it is sometimes, not possible to study philosophy as a subject in schools. The sake of philosophy is to gain new knowledge. To establish a point of unity, to reach a point of critical and deep thinking, to eliminate the most possible amount of doubts, and disagreement, and to try shake the basis of a person’s foundation, so to make him stronger. The nature of questioning to fix his doubts would be, no way weaker than any other sort of confirmation.
For example, Socrates’ “what is justice” question, though appearing so basic, but it could set a person thinking for hours. As I had mentioned, ‘questioning to fix his doubts, would be, no way weaker than any other sort of confirmation’.
From that statement, I must elaborate, the distance of my establishments of doubts. It had caused me to doubt, to tumble, and to finally see the light, to find the answer, to confirm my doubts.
As an “adventurous” Christian, who is doing Christian projects, who is singing and listening to Christian songs, and who is reading Christian books, who is thinking “Christianly”, who is trying to be Christ-like, who wants to evangelize, who wants to wants to make a Christian difference, who loves to do Christian research regarding Satanism and Occult, who regards Christ the largest part of his life, in this school, it is like the ultimate testing ground. Not only do I suffer bombardments from internet and books regarding Satanism, New age thinking, the Occult, this school, is another place for bombardment. There are many who think deeply. It is philosophy that sharpened their ideas. There are many who have their own strong belief, not of other religions, but of their own ideas. And they could reason it so well! These bombardments question and shake my foundations as a Christian.
When I started as a Christian at August 2004, I am still new. I have not undergone any form of questioning; it is not until 2005, when I start to take bombardments. I was living a rather “peaceful” Christian life in the whole of 2005. Then in March, I decide to do something as a Christian. I started research. Then, bombardments. I started to learn about the Socratic way of questioning. From the first bombardments I receive from internet, the results are tremendous. It questioned my faith in Christ. “Is God real or not? What am I praying to?” asked the questions in my mind.
These critics moved my foundations. I asked myself how the questions can be branched out, I questioned myself other questions like “How had God been real? Why am I still praying although I am doubting him now? Why do I doubt him?” I questioned my conscience, my belief, and the doubt again. Soon later, I got everything confirmed. I emerged from this, stronger, as a Christian, having my foundations gone stronger.
Then around July, I started heavy research on the new age. There came the theories on dinosaurs, and evolution, and supernatural powers. These had prompted me, and shaken the foundations, it had questioned my beliefs, which had appeared to be ever so sure to me. They are like questioning me “Did God really exist? Did he really create the earth in seven days? Did he really create man in his image?” Theory of evolution disproves the third question, the theory of dinosaurs disproves the second, and the theory of supernatural powers disproves the first. These three questions once again, questioned my faith. Although my faith is questioned, but I still held on, that is what I believed. As again, I emerged from the situation, after so much questionings, I emerged from the situation stronger than before, my bond with Christ was greatly strengthened. I had found answer after answer, overcame the barriers that surely will come, after I journeyed with Christ. As said “it is never easy to be a Christian”. This is true. So many questions came to bombard me. I answered them by questioning the basic of the questions.
The way I fix problems, is to face them. As said ‘The nature of questioning to fix his doubts would be, no way weaker than any other sort of confirmation’. There is no specific method to solve the questions and doubts I had in mind, through my experience. But philosophy had helped me so (and hit me also). It had strengthened my bonds with Christ. It had strengthened my very foundations of my Christianity.
However, as I have mentioned that it’s difficult to study it in schools as a subject. I feel it can lead to destructive consequences. If I had not the faith in my God. I don’t think I can hold on to my belief. As what my POD teacher says that “what I believe is the truth can withstand all criticisms”. Indeed I found that right. What it the truth is the truth. God is my truth. I believe it. Because my faith and belief is strong. But what will happen, if a child were to learn philosophy in schools, and only to question of his existence? Sometimes, it sets them to depression more than thinking. They feel lost. I know of many who feel lost. This subject could well cause suicide! Although it could mean good, but it would inevitably cause damage, because, philosophy can make one question of his reality. He feels lost, and loses his aim in life. He could take his own life.
Of course it is good to be sure of one’s topic. Sometimes, philosophy could be helpful and build a person. Sometimes it well destroys him. He starts to question his loved ones, and start to find little purpose. For everything is science, everything, he is unsure of. So what is he sure of? He cannot even be sure of himself!
Questioning is indeed the strongest way to confirm, and to doubt. That is good, and comes with a huge cost sometimes. Philosophy had damaged me before. And by questioning one’s reality, is bad enough to cause the breaking of relationships, ending of lives.
This is why philosophy should not be studied as a subject, or to too much an extent in schools. It can be a destructive factor, instead of a constructive one.
As what every Christian will do, I thank God for writing this essay with me. I believe it. Philosophically, there would be questions. I had thought of a lot of criticisms that would come after I credited God. I believe that God wrote this essay with me, and that a lot of my words in this passage are from him. There will be critics “Is it lady luck, or really God?” But I had thought through that. I tell you, if I had not studied philosophy, I could not have answered that question above, because of the lack of criticism and questioning ability.
BIBLIOGRAPHY AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTShttp://ethics.acusd.edu/http://www.prochoiceforum.org.uk/aad4.asphttp://www.2think.org/abortion.shtmlGod, co-writer of this essay, who gave me one big idea when I am running out of ideas. That idea completed 900 words of this essay.
Dr. Phillip Tieh, who gave me his help, and a personal comments and views, to help me on this.
Edmund Cheong, made me feel the same way as him.
Steven Neoh, for indirectly giving my some advice.
For God's sake don't forget this!!!
Our job is to glorify God. I think you all know that rite?
But remember, the devil, has a good bait in front of your eyes.
I am not tryin to be crazily sensitive... but listen. He had the bait of fame, self glory, money, and the opposite sex.
When you sing, drum, strum in a band. Make sure that God is glorified. Do not glorify yourself. God had seen what you done and will surely reward you. His reward of fame is far better then what the world, and satan has to offer.
When you worship in a band. remember not to glorify yourself. God must be glorified. The center of attention must be on him. Remember, he is the cause of the band. That does not mean that you cannot have your own band's style, that does not mean that you cannot sing too well, that does not mean that your actions cannot be too elaborate. Who ever said so?
What it means is that, do not take the glory of God to yourself. Do not publicize your band, and forget God. Do not praise God with the music. But from your heart. And dont get me wrong, i never said using music to praise God is bad. It is that, praise God, focus on him. Dont be too distracted. Do something for God! By playin in a band you are already doin something.
But remember this. Whatever crazy stuff you do, in any degree, in a band. Remember to glorify him, and let the glory be with him. We are only to tell the world about him man. What the Lord has to offer is better than what the world has to offer.
That doesnt mean that you cannot jump off the stage into the crowd after your performance. That does not mean that you cannot play drums with hands flying around your body.
But, let the glory and focus be on God, so that seeds are planted. I mean when you are playin worship songs to praise the Lord. Do it from your heart, not for yourself. For God. To worship him. Focus is on him.
O God
I will go on with you forever.
O God, i love the people you had given me. Thank you for giving me all these i do not deserve. What did i do to deserve all these?
Yet you forgave me again and again after sinning and sinning. Why are you so loving? O God, you always plan the extreme unexpectence. O God, why did you give me so many talents? I have nothing to do with what you did for me. What i asked is "Father, take all of me, and do what you want with it". O father, i asked you that a year ago. And this is what you made me. I am so undeserving. I had sinned so much. It is you who did all the work!
God, i have nothing else to say. Thank you for a sister who praises you and glorify you in her darkest times. O Lord. Take her. Thank you for a brother who matured so fast in you. Thank you father, for a principal who cares for us.
O God, above all, thank you, just felt that love. I will rest in you. Be my strong tower in my darkest times O God. Lord, stick with us always. You put us all together, for one purpose. You planned it all. O Lord and your plan, will never fall short. Thank you for lovin us so much God.
I will live to love you. I will live to bring you praise. I love you.
On my Philosophies Essay
There is one subject in my school, called philosophy of disciplines. Not actually a class, but more of a lesson, a tutorial.
The basis of this lesson is criticism, reasoning, questioning, and truth. As a christian, it could be dangerous to him. Philosophy's questioning shakes the very foundations of your thinking, your knowledge, and what you find is true.
Deep in my heart, i know the Lord is the way, the truth and the life.
This lesson is questioning my faith and belief. And this lesson is good and bad. It made us think a lot better, but it made those unsaved men think a lot harder, which is bad. This philosophy of disciplines is putting a spiritual blindfold for them. They could not see the light! It will be very hard to let them see the light.
And now, i am doing a philosophy essay, which is 1500 words long. I only wrote 650, and then ran out of ideas. And I HAVE TO HAND UP TOMORROW! Furthermore, there is a person who wrote one superb essay, talking about how he, from a christian, became a non-christian. I want to do something to "counter" the effect. Then i prayed "O father, let me write what you want to tell me. Let your words flow through me."
Instantaneous.
The Lord juz placed the words in my mind and made me type them. I typed a sentence. The sentence goes:
"Not the way it may work, it is sometimes, not possible to study philosophy as a subject in schools".
this sentence seems out of point. As you know what you think the Lord wants to do, to counter the effect, this seems really out of point. Then i decide to wait on the Lord. Then a few seconds later, he gave me another.
"The sake of philosophy is to gain new knowledge."
I was like.. err ok...
After that, i felt that the Lord wanted me to elaborate. So i did. This is what i typed:
"To establish a point of unity, to reach a point of critical and deep thinking,"
Then,
"the most possible amount of doubts"
Man now i understand!! So i continued to elaborate:
"and disagreement, and to try shake the basis of a person’s foundation, so to make him stronger. The nature of questioning to fix his doubts, would be, no way weaker than any other sort of confirmation."
Man Praise the LORD! I know how to counter the anti christ essay in my class.
As you know the world is now influenced by new age thinking, coming out with the theory of evolution, and the thing about dinosaurs, the thing about 'is it God or is it just luck?'. Had been plagueing me, for a few months. Then one by one, with the Lord, we fought and won. I found answers after answers. I am the type of person who does not want the slightest doubt. the way i face these barriers is to destroy them, not avoid them. This is the type of person i am. The good is that, you will NEVER have that same barrier EVER EVER EVER again, but the bad is that, you will always be questioned of your faith, and in the end, doubt God. I had doubted God for some times, jus a few, for the past months.
Do you see the way the LORD is working right now? He is like telling me "son, now tell them what i had done WITH you, i told you how to start, and now, tell them, son".
This work, i dedicated to the Lord. Although i may not get very high marks, but i had achieved another thing for the Lord. and anything you had done for him, is never forsaken, in heaven, nor on earth, because God is going to make the smallest thing you do for him, an impact to the people around you.
Why please man, if you are going against God?
What worth is it?
Why should you go with the likes and pleasing the world, when God is against you? What is that worth doing, the God of all the Earth is against you?
What is so worth it? What is so good to do? even though you please men, but you angered God? Whats the point, if you bully, take advantage of people, pleasing your friends, but angering the Lord of all the earth? You may even be a christian, but you just hate and blacklist, and verbally bully someone you do not like in class. You are pleasing your circle of friends, but you are NOT pleasing God. You have sinned for that. God doesn't punish you less, just because you are his child now. And you know what i mean.
Only the word of God is worth. If you do something God opposes to, don't do it. Don't rely on your own wisdom. Rely on the source of all wisdom, so you may understand his plans, so you may know, you may understand. It is really not worth to walk the opposite of God, to go in the ways of man. It ain't wise. To be the friend of the ways of the world, is to be the enemy of God.
Remember that. God knows.
Mephisto's last dance performance in my school
Man yesterday's performance is crazily good..
Too bad for the PA system.. the MR did not handle it properly! causing it to overheat!
We danced halfway with the music, then it STOPPED. but we did not pause. We still went on..
Whats surprising is that, WE DANCED BETTER WITHOUT THE MUSIC!
We did things more coordinated, although without the music gives the "repitition" feeling, it looks as if we are all doing the same stuff over and over again...
Man it is real cool, and we did quite a lot of stuff that we cannot do in the rehearsals, like holding freezes, and going excessive number of rounds.
I don't know how that actually happened. We did not screw up, it was good, and nice.
And i remembered that i did a jump to split, and i hit my head against the floor! now it is still pain. I don't know if the audience actually heard that. but many are like "owwww"
All these are minor. But i remembered praying like crazy before the concert. Just an hour before my performance, my crew and i prayed three times.
I guess, and i trust, that really helped. Of course we did practice. But, there are some stuff that we never did for our practices, that, showed up on stage. I believe it's God. I cannot explain some stuff.
I dance for the Lord's glory. And of coz for my interest too... thats my talent and my interest. But i use it to glorify God.
Whats the point?
Whats the point, if you are a christian, of you going to church, but going closer to christ?
Whats the point, if you raise your hands during worships, lead the worship, still go to church, but yet, you still judge and cannot exercise patience?
Whats the point, if you listen to the word of God, yet you still swear, you still slash your own wrists?
Whats the point, if you read the bible and pray, do devotion, attend church, but showed little love to those who you don't really like?
Whats the point, if you could pray great prayers in a prayer meeting, or in church, but yet, you are still so arrogant, and always interrupting others' speeches, and still shut those who you don't really like?
Whats the point, if you keep 3 bibles at home, read hundreds of christian books, and yet had'nt learnt anything?
Whats the point, if you say "I humble myself before you, O Lord", but yet you are still so arrogant, so proud, and not wanting to listen to advice, submit to authority?
Whats the point, if you cry during worship, evangalize the words of God, yet you are scornful, extremely sacarstic, and not practising a single bit of what you have preached?
Whats the point, if you talk about love, and yet did not treat your new churchmates with love, leaving them in one corner, like a sitting duck, while you and your friends are enjoying?
Thats not the point man.
