Bitterness Against God

Trust in His righteousness.

Can I say that the above statement is one of the hardest thing a person can do? Someone who has indeed trusted in the worst of situations, that person has greater faith, and his or her place higher than mine, because I trust at a time when everything was alright.

Sometimes I ask myself, do I really understand the unimaginable burdens in their hearts? I wish I can. How do you live with something of that monstrous importance? Life and death, an eternity of bliss and an eternity of hell. The odds are too great for the human mind to imagine the only reasonable solution is to repent, and believe.

To trust in God's righteousness even in things that we would like to refuse to accept: that demands great, strong faith. Mine is that of a mustard seed.

Sometimes I imagine what I would do if God placed me in a different situation. I imagine that as Lewis was the most reluctant convert, so will I be the most bitter person against Him.

May His unfailing love, a love that surpasses all understanding, give you peace and joy even in your burdens.

Of The Contemplation Of Why Puritans Write Such Long But Nevertheless Fascinating Titles For Their Treatises, And The Immeasurable Extent Of The Scope And Depth Of Their Usefulness And Help For All Of God's Beloved.

:)

Oasis Gems

There are some acoustic versions on youtube sung by Noel Gallagher (who sings better than Liam IMO) which I have never discovered until today. I wish there was an acoustic Oasis album, I would be glad to grab it.

Wonderwall Acoustic


I don't believe that anybody feels the way I do about you now
And all the roads that lead to you are winding
All the lights that light my way are blinding

There are many things that I would like to say to you but I don't know how..

Everyone Wants Riches

I just realized that among my friends, most of them, say 90% are pretty well-to-do. Most of them have parents who run businesses, even if some of them hold to what they call "really really small business". I shall take that as extreme modesty, since what their parents earn in one month is more than what my Dad can earn in a year.

And we were somehow talking about our family tree. And I realized, if one is a rich kid, it's because at some point in the family tree, someone worked really hard (or was really talented/capable). It could be your grandfather, it could be your dad, it could be your great-great-great grandfather whom you don't even know. They have passed down their riches to you. And these friends of mine have the luxury to choose their jobs which if they fail, they can always return to their family business.

I guess if anyone in my family is going to be rich, it is my generation that has to work really hard. And then maybe our kids, and their kids, can wake up in a private house, and have the luxury to sit in a car to school, and the finances to tour the world.

But is that really what I want?

I guess sometimes I envy these people secretly but at the end of the day, we must realize riches cannot stay with us forever. Our culture is such that people strive for money. Take even my current temporary job for example. For goodness sake, we are not yet actually 'working' but many of my friends are already looking for jobs that pay very highly. It is no surprise that normally the first question they ask is "How much is your salary?"

At the end of the day, can you take what rots, and what can be destroyed to heaven? Or do we put our trust in the Eternal, the Unchanging, the Immutable, the Ancient of Days, the Rock, who is the same, yesterday, today and forever, who does not change like shifting shadows?

Consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus.

On The Inclination Towards Hypocrisy

I guess sometimes in criticizing people, we ourselves are the ones who need criticizing. One good test is to find out how much time we spend in criticizing others, and how much we actually spend in examining our own hearts. Lest we think that we are wise ourselves, we ought to be humbled by our own hypocrisy. Pluck out the speck in your own eyes, before you do that on your brothers'. Why is this teaching necessary? Because we are one huge bunch of blind, ignorant people. Many times I have failed.

Ignorance. Isn't that what characterizes us? The failure to see exactly what you condemn? If you hate something, chances are you ought to hate yourself! You know it, but you have chosen to see it selectively in the faults of others only. And if the Spirit of truth had not illuminated your mind, you would have continued acting in such ignorance of your own faults.

O wretched man that I am.

What You Say or Ask...

Reveals a certain kind of wisdom, or lack thereof. They reveal where your heart is, what you really care about. They reveal whether you ask out of sincerity, or out of nonchalance. They reveal how shallow or how wise you are. Even the most learned, who walk and talk with a certain kind of respectable disposition, once they open their mouths, reveal how foolish they are.

I must say I am disappointed.

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On the Other Hand

Ryken and Schoof are great. To me, they represent and exemplify two important aspects of Christianity. Ryken, the rational, and Steve, the experential.

Devil Loves the Two Extremes

The Golden Compass is coming out soon, and of course everyone knows there is this controversy with it being atheistic. Just like Da Vinci Code, which NCCS opposed. Of course I would support both movies' release. What is the point of withholding something from the people? Use it, and teach the kids, and you got to let them think for themselves, should they accept that message, or a Christian one as with Chronicles of Narnia. Withholding information from people (and kids) only makes them more curious. This is not to mention that one day when they grow up they have to face this issue anyway.

From the reviews I have read, I will definitely watch The Golden Compass for what it is worth. It is silly to ban it because there are so many shows out there that are also atheistic. TGC, however, is said to have universal values which I will definitely look out for, and I believe these universal values to be contrary to atheism. Whether a film explores love, justice, friendship, truth or things like that, they should be watched and appreciated for these values despite their flaws. Harry Potter is one example. I just cannot understand why so many parents would want to ban this show. Have they noticed the selflessness of Harry Potter? The concept of selfless love, as far as I know, has more to do with Christianity and God than with Satanism and the devil.

So this camp is what people may call the "Legalists". They would prevent their kids from watching certain shows which has a certain undesirable message. Maybe they want to ban rock music altogether, or ban all shows above a certain rating. While this is definitely unthinking, we should examine the other extreme: people who say all things can be watched or enjoyed in all freedom. I think this is another falsehood. It assumes that the Christian has strong enough faith, and good enough theology to withstand all sorts of undesirable elements in film, or music, when the cruel fact may very well be, that he or she is unable to differentiate the good and the bad. In such cases, freedom is misused. Maybe I can call it 'Lawlessness': since everything should not be disallowed, everything is to be allowed. The correct view, therefore I believe is the one in the middle. Review, and appreciate good themes/elements in film and music, while keeping away from things which are obviously harmful or which you know you would be unable to judge accurately. Such a position requires great wisdom.