Created in His image and He said it was good.

Sunday, March 15, 2015

Mistake of Doing Nothing

What do we think about living the Christian life?
Sometimes we run through life as if we're perfectly fine of this plateau-ing life that we just "follow" His calling, "follow" Sundays, and "follow" church people thinking we are doing what we are called to do. We're so afraid of trying new things... going on missions, preaching the gospel to someone, leadership, community outings, fellowship opportunities, outreach and etc.
Francis Chan makes a really good point here. In the message, he talks about Apostle Peter and how he writes to all of us, saying that we are equals in faith as Christ Jesus has sacrificed His life for us. We are all equals because of Jesus.
He also talks about how scripture recites this same message over and over again.
"Be fruitful and multiply." (Genesis 1:28), "fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19)
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age
Matthew 28:19-20
tumblr_mq43sshb7r1qltv4io1_1280Well, if this is the case..., why are we so hesitant to just try things? If we walk with Jesus, and believe that we are equipped by the Holy Spirit, then what's the harm in trying? The worst that can happen is just failing, learning something new about yourself and making a new direction. As children of this perfect God, we wouldn't be able to get everything right, but the mistakes we make will only help us grow in Him.
Jesus said to 'Love God and love your neighbours', so we should do everything possible to share the love of Christ.
God is the one who will open the right door and close the wrong doors to let you know anyways. Pray, and ask God, and just try as long as it is in line with His words. He will show you if that is the right path or not just like he did for Paul, Jonah, David and so many others. God gave you all the equipment, and now it's up to you to just do it.
Don't make the mistake of not doing anything. It is the most simple mistake not to make.

Love is Sacrifice

Love is Sacrifice.
Sacrifice is hurtful. Maybe not always, but it surely was for the most important sacrifice of all.
Sacrifice means letting go, suffering, and even losing everything to reset your life.
The biggest part that I struggle with the notion of sacrifice is the goodness that comes from it.
In life, we don't see the goodness of things until much later, and we have to think of what I really would have happened if things were done differently. As a follower of Christ, and a believer in God's plan, I really struggle with this, although I shouldn't. Most of the times, I cannot wait until I find out the best, and I end up leak all the fun and joy out of it even before I get the sense it.
I mean, I get it, sometimes I do ruin it for myself, but it's just so hard to see what's good about all the pain I am going through....
This got me thinking.
Sometimes, I wonder if Jesus felt that it is good when he was closing in on his last breath. Right after when He said: ...“Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46), I wonder if He knew 'this is good, My Father is in motion and everything is golden'? It boggles my mind, on how when someone is suffering through so much pain, one can say :
This would be my comfort;
I would even exult in pain unsparing,
for I have not denied the words of the Holy One.Job 6:10
I sure have a hard time on giving up, letting go and laying it down for myself. but I think Jesus puts it in a perspective that strikes us to be awaken in this.
This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.John 15:12-17
Jesus laid Himself down for His friends... and well, in fact, called us friends, for sinning against Him and even chose us to bear fruit. This sense of adoption is the only way we will find the light at the end of the tunnel. I want to leave you with this last verse that to remind us that we can endure through all the pain and suffering.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Phil 4:13