Q&A

The world paints pictures and tells us words of such:

"Happy are you who are rich.

Happy are you who laugh.

Happy are you who are proud and confident.

Happy are you who do not hunger or thirst!"

But the words of Jesus are of the exact opposite, taken from the Sermon of the Mount:

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled..."

We need to ask some serious questions here.. What can it mean?

What does it mean?

Tell me the answer!

(Be prepared for a long one, too)

//In Greek, the term blessed is much like today's happiness.//

When I survey the wondrous cross

Love so amazing, so divine
Demands my soul, my life, my all

Elevate10 Camp

Photo taken from facebook.com/xyzyouth#!/xyzyouth.
Photo edited with Picnik.

Coming back from Elevate10 Camp, it's SO GOOD to know that many of the youths are reawakening to the state of relationship they are in with God. I really thank God for this year's camp cos it's just... different. There were many understandings that were redefined.

Camp was not about hype anymore. Ahh! So thankful to God that this year's message was authentic, real and brutally honest. Life in Christ is more than good music, fun, good friends - though those are not entirely excluded. But they are definitely not the main focus of life in Christ.

But here is what life in Christ is: Apostle Paul puts it plainly in Phillipians, for him "to live is Christ and to die is gain". I cannot say that I fully understand these deep words yet, but I'm getting there (hopefully by His grace!), because I do not want to miss out on the life of the eternity.

James 4:14
Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

Life is like vapor. No... life is equivalent to vapor! I think this session spoke most to me. How short life really is. What am I doing with this life? And what is life really about?

Am I striving to please men and seek their approval in order to get my way to the top, and be somehow, successful in the world's eyes? Or am I willing to be living according to the upside down rules of God and not of the world to please Him, and be significant in the eyes of my Father?

The Bible says in Matthew 5; blessed are the poor in spirit, blessed are those who mourn, blessed are the meek, blessed are the pure in heart, blessed are the peacemakers. But as long as we live in this world (which belongs to the ruler of the air), the poor in spirit will be scorned, those who mourn will be ridiculed, those who are meek will be crushed, the pure in heart will be taken advantage of, and the peacemakers will be casualties.

Am I willing to really lay everything aside to walk on the narrow path? Am I willing to die to myself to follow Christ?

I have so much to think about now, Lord. Everyone has to come to point of decision..

I stand in awe of Your grace that You have revealed Your kindness to me when I do not deserve it in the least.

Matthew 7:13-27

Googled image, edited with Picnik.

Matthew 7:13-27

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow is the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophecy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never know you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."

When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

*****

I thought I understood this passage years ago. How wrong and blind can I possibly be??!!

I have just come to understand each and every word that Jesus had meant here; I'm just like those crowd of people, honestly amazed at His teaching. Jesus had been brutally honest about what He said from the start. And everything connects... Everything (above) connects.

I'm in awe of God's truth.

Tis' my 120th post

Someone said,

"Life is much like driving a car. While you look forward to drive, you must also look at your rearview mirror once in a while. As much as you're moving forward, don't forget to look backward and reflect."

Wise, hor? It didn't come from me lah. It's from Kau Sern, from church. (Doubt he's reading this though)

For me, I'm learning that the journey is more important than the destination; and transformation is more important than transportation.

Instead of saying, Jesus take me higher, take me further; Jesus, take me back to the basics and roots that I may be firmly rooted in You. That my understanding of You will not be of what I make You up to be, but of who You truly are.

Picture taken from Inmagine.
Picture edited with Picnik.

Its a snail's life

Paper Dreams

tired of lugging his shell, every fibre in schnell’s shapeless form craved adventure. adventure, by his definition, was to fly gracefully through the air.

“blasted cockroaches”, he grumbled.“foulest creatures ever, yet they get to fly!”, he continued—slithering over a piece of paper.

then it hit him.

“a piece of paper!”, he exclaimed.

“…if folded right, will fly!”, he exclaimed again.

3 days later, the craft was complete.

“tough work, this”, he moaned; looking over his paper cut-riddled body.

“perhaps rubbing some salt will ease the pain.”

and that was the last we heard from schnell the snail.

The above story was contributed by @ TheFreshFreak.

100 word stories written by readers are now printed on receipts! This is an effort by Book Xcess (a bookshop hosting the annual Big Bad Wolf Books Sale!) which believes reading more should be for less. The book prices are CHEEEAAP. It's located at Amcorp Mall. Hmm I might go there.

Read more receipt stories here. And you can find out how to write in your own receipt stories too.

Things changed because God remained faithful

How can it be,
That You were the one on the cross, lifted for all our shame?
How can it be,
The scars on Your hands are for me?

Hillsong United, More Than Life.

BUT God,
who is rich in mercy,
because of His great love with which He loved us,
even when we were dead in trespasses,
made us alive together with Christ,
and raised us up together,
and made us sit together in the heavenly places
in Christ Jesus,
that in the ages to come
He might show
the exceeding riches of His grace
in His kindness towards us in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 2:4-7 (NKJV).