What I learnt This Year

Before this year ends, I wanted to share online what God has patiently taught me, not because I wanted the world to know some stuff about my life but because somewhere out there, some people or even just one person might stumble across this blog and find exaxtly what he/she needed. I don't believe in co-incidence anymore, so if you're reading this, believe me, God has led you here. 

This blogsite talks about my walk with God. No it's not a religious site, this is a slice of life kind of blog like how we do it in other social media platforms, sharing parts of our daily activity. That is exactly what I share here, only I give further deep details. 

I always believe in the saying that everything happens for a reason. If it rains, oh there must be a reason (there's a season); when my phone got stolen, oh there must be a reason (and there's a lesson); when my name was not listed on the Nursing Course and instead was on BMC (Bachelor in Mass Communication), there is a reason (could it be destiny/fate). Every big situation that has happened in my life has a reason. But a random co-applicant in a company is just random; a girl who just stole a taxi ride is random; a long line on the counter is just random. And the list goes on. Yep, for me everything happens for a reason but minor things which have less impact in my life just randomly happens, or so I thought. The saying "everything happens for a reason" taught me that "everything" literally is "everything". Probably, God was laughing on how I claimed to believe in that saying but not entirely applying it. So He showed me. Proving everyday that He has a plan in my life, even before I was born.

This thing also happens in our walk with God. Claiming we believe in His miracle but look for explainable reason when a miracle happened. Miracles can sometimes be explainable, but the explainable reason behind it is still an orchestration of God.

So, I made a list on what this generation's faith has become (You are free to appeal/correct me if you find me wrong):

1. We, Christians, believe that Jesus heals, we have read Bible scenarios where Jesus healed, but in doubt that a person with terminal illness will be healed even after praying for the healing. We say in our prayers "if it's Your will" because we really seek God's will. Do we? Or behind that phrase lies the unsureness that God can heal that person? Do we utter "if it's Your will" in our prayers so that when that person didn't receive healing we have a scape goat like "oh it's not God's will." Can we go back to the Bible scenarios where Jesus heals and count how many of each scenario has "if it's Your will" in it. When someone asks for a healing from God, I'm sorry, but i don't think it isn't God's will to heal that person. As long as that person wants to be healed, IT IS GOD'S WILL TO HEAL AND GIVE LIFE! We just need to have faith.

2. We say that God is the same God yesterday, today and forever. But doubting that a super typhoon could be stopped where in fact God has divided a sea in the old testament and Jesus commanded the roaring sea and wind to be at ease in the new testament. How did that happen? Moses obeyed; Jesus made the nature obey but he also said to his disciples "you of little faith". Obedience and faith come together. You cannot say you have faith yet not making a step when God says take a step. I don't think that Moses just obeyed, he obeyed because God says so, and that is faith (not even sure if he's aware of it because many times he just keeps on doing the instruction of God but I see that as faith). Again, we just need to have faith.

3. We are so afraid to offend people because God is compassionate (that is true) and we must emphasize on His love rather than the truth that He too burnt Soddom and Gommorrah; that Jesus called many people hypocrite and got angry, shouting, throwing things/merchandises here and there at the court of God (read the Bible for more of this instances). We are emphasizing big time on His love forgetting that He too is Holy and Just. I am not saying that it is wrong to preach about His love, many people need to hear about it, but we are not to tolerate one's sinful living and call it love. You rebuke whom you love. They too must know that God's love is so big that He keeps on reminding a way out of that sinful living through Jesus (John 3:16) because He knows that if you don't destruction awaits you. The good news is, God is forgiving and there is salvation in Jesus when you repent your sin and accept Him in your heart as personal God and Savior of your life. We can always come to Him in repentance. And when you realize that there is so much love in Him it will make you want to love Him too. And that's the beginning of change. Because you cannot say you love someone and doesn't want to be a better version of yourself, in fact He will be the One to give you that strenght. And then that's when genuine relationship and faith in God begins.

I am not being blunt here because I'm perfect and I don't sin and I have a humongous faith in God. I still fail as a Christian, many times. And taking a leap of faith is not easy as it seems. You'll need strength and courage from God. Jesus told his disciples "you of little faith" maybe for 2 reasons: 1) He asks for us to take a hold of our faith. 2) It is not easy. But, remember Matthew 14:25-31, where Peter was walking on water too and he got bothered by the waves he started sinking, he called on the Lord, and Jesus came to his aide telling him "you of little faith, wherefore did thou doubt?" That indicates that you will never be alone in your walk in faith with Him.

God bless us! 

In Sharing the Gospel

Acts 16:6-7: "And coming through the Phrygian and the Galatian region; and by the Holy Spirit being forbidden to speak the Word in Asia; having come to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia. But the Spirit did not allow them."

We have read many verses about sharing the Gospel and how the Apostles preached about Jesus. Surely, it encourages us to do the same as Christians. It is part of being a Christian.

But the verses above also indicate that there will be times that the Holy Spirit won't allow you to. Maybe because this is not the right time or whatever the reason is, it is for the best. Just let the Spirit of God guide you. It's not always a "go" or maybe it's a "go" but not now. Shalom.

Faith in this Generation

Today, God reminded me that miracles happen not only in the old testament, not only in the time of Jesus. And they were not mere words nor stories written in the Bible, if you happen to be one of the cynics out there.

Miracles in the old testament and in the time of Jesus can happen in our generation and in the generations to come only if we have faith. There were many incidents in the Bible where Jesus showed miracles. He healed those in sickness; He made the blind see; He had made Lazarus alive again and in John 21:25 it says, “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.” But somewhere in the new testament (Matthew 13:58) it also says, that Jesus did not make mighty miracles in his own town because of their unbelief on Him.

You might say, o yeah, miracles surely happen back then because it was done by Jesus, the Son of God. Hold on, you might be forgetting the lives of the apostles after Jesus left them and went above. Here are the verses:

This is one of the miracles they have done. Read the Bible if you want to go on ponder for more.

So, maybe miracles like that don't happen abundantly now because we are a generation that lacks faith. We are a generation that happens to be 2000 years away from the miracles that happen in the Bible and day by day we grew farther making it hard to believe that it actually happen because not everyone will believe what they didn't see. It takes faith and "faith is the evidence of things unseen". Even in the times of Jesus, or in the old testament, there were lots of unbelievers; there were lots who didn't believe or questioned Jesus; there were lots who disbelieved God. So it is not questionable why we are a generation growing farther from God and lacking faith. It is not questionable, but it is not okay.

Some of you might say, so God needs faith from us before hearing our prayers, He can't when we don't have faith? You know what, faith comes from Him also. You can't have faith without Him. :) Have a great day!

Note: Before reading the Bible to ponder more, may I just ask if you already have a relationship with God, with Jesus? Reading the Bible without a relationship with God might lead to misunderstanding, or understanding it with your mind but not with your heart. Pray to God, seek Him.