Truth is heavy, so few men carry it.
Jewish Proverb
isn't that true?
sometimes the most boring people are the ones that are carrying the deep truths and not the cool people.
even those whom we think have nothing or is just shallow in the areas that are not to our personal likings are not carrying truths and wisdom, when they actually are.
Friday, February 24, 2006
Monday, February 20, 2006
Michelangeloid face?
its from the 'Case for Faith' by Lee Strobel, in the Conclusion: The power of Faith between the lines are explained parts from the book.
flowing from discussing about how people respond to God, Willard, the expert, said that the issue is about what we want. Its the person that wants to know God that God reveals Himself to. and if a person doesn't want to know God, well - God had created a world and the human mind in such a way that he doesn't have to.
------------
the expert dug through a stack of papers on his desk, withdrawing a single sheet. "this is the handout i gave to the students in my class," he said.
'Next Tuesday morning, just after breakfast, all of us in this one world will be knocked to our knees by a percussive and ear-shattering thunderclap. Snow swirls, leaves drom from trees, the earthe heaves and buckles, buildings topple and towers tumble.
The sky is ablaze with an eerie silvery light, and just then, as all the people of this world look up, the heavens open, and the clouds pull apart, revealing an unbelievably radiant and immense Zeus-like figure towering over us like a hundred Everests.
He frowns darkly as lighting plays over the features of his Michelangelod face, and then he points down, at me, and explains for every man, woman and child to hear, "I've had quite enough of your too-clever logic chopping and word-watching in matters of theology. Be assured, Hanson, that i most certainly do exist!" '
------------
i marvel at the language. love the drama-drama stuff. but that's not the point.
anyway, so how do you think Hanson will respond?
fall on his knees and believe? or will he explain it away that it was hallucinations or some special movie effects? or just that he didn't see it and not enough proof? or will he find some other excuse or questions that there is still suffering in the world so God does not exist?
think about it...
even though God shows Himself, might it be that pride got in the way of believing? that the person was too smart? Let the little old ladies be fooled that there is a God, but not you.
so, it is the person's choice to believe or not. why blame God for not revealing Himself when He does show signs?
flowing from discussing about how people respond to God, Willard, the expert, said that the issue is about what we want. Its the person that wants to know God that God reveals Himself to. and if a person doesn't want to know God, well - God had created a world and the human mind in such a way that he doesn't have to.
------------
the expert dug through a stack of papers on his desk, withdrawing a single sheet. "this is the handout i gave to the students in my class," he said.
'Next Tuesday morning, just after breakfast, all of us in this one world will be knocked to our knees by a percussive and ear-shattering thunderclap. Snow swirls, leaves drom from trees, the earthe heaves and buckles, buildings topple and towers tumble.
The sky is ablaze with an eerie silvery light, and just then, as all the people of this world look up, the heavens open, and the clouds pull apart, revealing an unbelievably radiant and immense Zeus-like figure towering over us like a hundred Everests.
He frowns darkly as lighting plays over the features of his Michelangelod face, and then he points down, at me, and explains for every man, woman and child to hear, "I've had quite enough of your too-clever logic chopping and word-watching in matters of theology. Be assured, Hanson, that i most certainly do exist!" '
------------
i marvel at the language. love the drama-drama stuff. but that's not the point.
anyway, so how do you think Hanson will respond?
fall on his knees and believe? or will he explain it away that it was hallucinations or some special movie effects? or just that he didn't see it and not enough proof? or will he find some other excuse or questions that there is still suffering in the world so God does not exist?
think about it...
even though God shows Himself, might it be that pride got in the way of believing? that the person was too smart? Let the little old ladies be fooled that there is a God, but not you.
so, it is the person's choice to believe or not. why blame God for not revealing Himself when He does show signs?
Sunday, February 19, 2006
a coin?
my summer final exam went well. thank you to... eh? i already posted about this. but yes, i'm still very grateful for the help and how it has gone. it is God's blessings and providence.
anyway, i'd like to share with you all an illustration that has helped me so much about faith. its from the 'Case for Faith' by Lee Strobel, in Part 8: I can't doubt because i'm a Christian. between the lines are explained parts from the book. and it did bring thoughts and understanding into my mind.
why God doesn't reveal himself fully to us?
--------------
the expert reached into his pocket and withdrew something. holding it in his grasp, he asked, 'do you know what it is?'
Lee guessed, 'a coin'.
'But you do not know what it is.' the expert said. 'that's your opinion. our faith is not our opinion. so now, i tell you that i have a quarter in my hand. do you believe that?'
'sure,' Lee said.
'i'm telling you its true, but you haven't seen it. that's faith. (imagine the bible telling all about God. creation showing that God exists. healing, miracles). now watch me as i destroy your faith.'
the expert then opened his hand and revealed a quarter.
'now its no longer faith. it is knowledge.'
--------------
if it is knowledge, then you have no choice but to believe it. like 1+1=2. you HAVE to accept it whether you like it or not.
if God showed Himself to us, it will become knowledge and that destroys freewill. it destroys the gift of choice that God gave us.
it will be like, 'oh, there is a God that exists. that's how it is. we have got to follow whatever He says. let's lead the robotic lives.' it will be a world of robots.
so God shows Himself enough, that we can see He is true and exists. and God doesn't show Himself enough so that He doesn't become 'knowledge' and still gives people a chance to choose. that freewill isn't destroyed.
anyway, i'd like to share with you all an illustration that has helped me so much about faith. its from the 'Case for Faith' by Lee Strobel, in Part 8: I can't doubt because i'm a Christian. between the lines are explained parts from the book. and it did bring thoughts and understanding into my mind.
why God doesn't reveal himself fully to us?
--------------
the expert reached into his pocket and withdrew something. holding it in his grasp, he asked, 'do you know what it is?'
Lee guessed, 'a coin'.
'But you do not know what it is.' the expert said. 'that's your opinion. our faith is not our opinion. so now, i tell you that i have a quarter in my hand. do you believe that?'
'sure,' Lee said.
'i'm telling you its true, but you haven't seen it. that's faith. (imagine the bible telling all about God. creation showing that God exists. healing, miracles). now watch me as i destroy your faith.'
the expert then opened his hand and revealed a quarter.
'now its no longer faith. it is knowledge.'
--------------
if it is knowledge, then you have no choice but to believe it. like 1+1=2. you HAVE to accept it whether you like it or not.
if God showed Himself to us, it will become knowledge and that destroys freewill. it destroys the gift of choice that God gave us.
it will be like, 'oh, there is a God that exists. that's how it is. we have got to follow whatever He says. let's lead the robotic lives.' it will be a world of robots.
so God shows Himself enough, that we can see He is true and exists. and God doesn't show Himself enough so that He doesn't become 'knowledge' and still gives people a chance to choose. that freewill isn't destroyed.
Friday, February 17, 2006
ponderings...
it is very interesting to see that i had this thought during my final exam this morning.
i was sitting down writing (or was it reading time?) that i was asking God to aid me and then thought about did God help me?
and i realised, God did help me.
my father helped me so much in the final exam. he's an accountant and been having the business talk for years and years. and i had to get use to the business language and also the business acumen when reading the case study. my father's experience answers + my info answers from textbook made it great.
God did answer my prayers. He did it through my parents. and then i realised, how God had shown Himself through my father. and how much my father really loved me.
and to the friends who had prayed for me. i don't doubt them but i was pretty amazed at the amount of people who remembered when my SUMMER exam day was.
i was also helped by someone in the course whom i don't know. and she don't know me as well. i saw that she was pretty active in the online discussion board and i took the chance to email her. i was pretty skeptic in receiving a reply. just took the chance. and she replied! gave her house number to call. and then emailed me a day later with an example of her answers for the past years questions. i was really touched okkkk... emailed her a big thank you.
thank you for all the prayers. i know it worked. i know.
i was sitting down writing (or was it reading time?) that i was asking God to aid me and then thought about did God help me?
and i realised, God did help me.
my father helped me so much in the final exam. he's an accountant and been having the business talk for years and years. and i had to get use to the business language and also the business acumen when reading the case study. my father's experience answers + my info answers from textbook made it great.
God did answer my prayers. He did it through my parents. and then i realised, how God had shown Himself through my father. and how much my father really loved me.
and to the friends who had prayed for me. i don't doubt them but i was pretty amazed at the amount of people who remembered when my SUMMER exam day was.
i was also helped by someone in the course whom i don't know. and she don't know me as well. i saw that she was pretty active in the online discussion board and i took the chance to email her. i was pretty skeptic in receiving a reply. just took the chance. and she replied! gave her house number to call. and then emailed me a day later with an example of her answers for the past years questions. i was really touched okkkk... emailed her a big thank you.
thank you for all the prayers. i know it worked. i know.
Sunday, February 12, 2006
draining....
bleh... i don't know whether to say i've wasted my past few days or whether i have actually done good work. feeling pretty drained after lots of reading. how i will perform is another thing. but i am feeling better and refreshed when i'm not going out so much.
as usual the crunch time. focusing and determination. plus feeling drained. i hope i can remember whatever i have memorized. got to make the effort. ok, pumping myself up again.
the mode of the mind would be to concentrate on being a soldier, an athelete and a farmer. having the soldier's strength and perseverance, the endurance and mental strength of an athlete and the long hard work of a farmer patiently working on his farm step by step, process by process.
having the bible next to me always serves as encouragement. finished the book of proverbs but would have to read it again to digest deeper. would most probably read corinthians or peter or james later.
summer course exam is on the 17th Feb. so i will take some leave of the blog. do pray for me.
more reflections to come.
thank you to friends who have helped me in the past. clearly moulding takes time. and i'm a tough nut to crack.
as usual the crunch time. focusing and determination. plus feeling drained. i hope i can remember whatever i have memorized. got to make the effort. ok, pumping myself up again.
the mode of the mind would be to concentrate on being a soldier, an athelete and a farmer. having the soldier's strength and perseverance, the endurance and mental strength of an athlete and the long hard work of a farmer patiently working on his farm step by step, process by process.
having the bible next to me always serves as encouragement. finished the book of proverbs but would have to read it again to digest deeper. would most probably read corinthians or peter or james later.
summer course exam is on the 17th Feb. so i will take some leave of the blog. do pray for me.
more reflections to come.
thank you to friends who have helped me in the past. clearly moulding takes time. and i'm a tough nut to crack.
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
study days...
been pretty productive going through the materials for my summer course. but the questions were pretty general in the final exam which gives me many blocks and uncertainty in how the lecturer wants it to be answered.
it gives a case study where there is a problem and you got to tell what went wrong, what could have prevented it and what should you do.
not a business man yet or built up any business acumen isn't going to help answering such questions that requires experience. answering using common sense? i don't think that's what the lecturers want.
anyway, been reading the bible more frequently now. just lost some times of reading the bible. put it aside and just live on what i know or remember or can live day to day. so thoughts just didn't come. lesser reliance on God.
started on with proverbs and random bits. reminded of God's grace and the power of prayer, the power of the Holy Spirit, confession and repentance, forgiveness and grace, passion and desire for God's goodness.
it gives a case study where there is a problem and you got to tell what went wrong, what could have prevented it and what should you do.
not a business man yet or built up any business acumen isn't going to help answering such questions that requires experience. answering using common sense? i don't think that's what the lecturers want.
anyway, been reading the bible more frequently now. just lost some times of reading the bible. put it aside and just live on what i know or remember or can live day to day. so thoughts just didn't come. lesser reliance on God.
started on with proverbs and random bits. reminded of God's grace and the power of prayer, the power of the Holy Spirit, confession and repentance, forgiveness and grace, passion and desire for God's goodness.
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
some lectures...
the lectures at Uni SA seems good. 4 days of lectures 9-5pm can really drain you. try to even pay attention for 8 hours. its does bring a difference and i challenged myself to stay focus all the way. was pretty successful but at the end of the day my mind was flat out.
wanted to post but as usual procrastinate again. nowadays, having more ability to focus and taking breaks whenever possible really helps. setting small goals in the day the load lighter.
was looking at my comp and found a list of songs that i haven't listened to since i went back to malaysia for a while. listening to it again refreshes my heart and just brings joy in term of worship.
summer here is good. having a smaller group of people, it is easier to get to know others better and also to fellowship and minister to each other. its times like these that are precious. when everyone comes back, its going to be difficult again. that is the gift of small groups.
siew wai shared her heart and goals for the year 2006 to the OCFers. what will happen for the year? we won't know. that is for us to find out and know God's guidance.
wanted to post but as usual procrastinate again. nowadays, having more ability to focus and taking breaks whenever possible really helps. setting small goals in the day the load lighter.
was looking at my comp and found a list of songs that i haven't listened to since i went back to malaysia for a while. listening to it again refreshes my heart and just brings joy in term of worship.
summer here is good. having a smaller group of people, it is easier to get to know others better and also to fellowship and minister to each other. its times like these that are precious. when everyone comes back, its going to be difficult again. that is the gift of small groups.
siew wai shared her heart and goals for the year 2006 to the OCFers. what will happen for the year? we won't know. that is for us to find out and know God's guidance.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)