I came back not too long ago from a time of fellowship with my accountability group. We were in Ang Mo Kio for a time of catching up. It has been a month since we last met - though we have been absent from each other's lives for so long, I still thank God that we made an effort to meet up.
The time spent was refreshing (as always) but one issue a brother-in-Christ shared burdened my heart. I am not at liberty to share it in detail here but that particular topic has caused me to ponder on how relevant God is to even Christians of today. I wrote something about this in one of my previous blogs.
It has sparked in me whether being more educated, in general, has caused one to rationalise too much about the reality of God's presence in his or her life to the point that everything must be explained with evidences in order for he or she to believe; that we are trying to use our finite minds to understand something infinite.
I also wonder whether the lures and pleasures of this world (which are temporal) have made us consider that heaven may be a lousier place to be in because all one does in heaven is just singing and singing.
It is so ironic that when one goes through a trial in life that he or she prefers to be taken away from this earth so that there is no more suffering but when one considers heaven as just about singing, he or she has second thoughts.
I am not being judgmental here for those having these thoughts. It just baffles me, that's all. The next question is - what do we really want then?
I think every day from now onwards I will pray for all (both believers and pre-believers) that our eyes, ears and hearts are opened to the presence of God in their lives. I do not know how God will answer this prayer of mine but it is a burden I have for all.
Well, I hope the Lord will continue to speak to me on the above-mentioned.
I am tired. Time to sleep.
Good night, everyone! The weekend is near! Praise the Lord!
"After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Cuza, the manager of Herod's household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means. While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: "A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown." When he said this, he called out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." His disciples asked him what this parable meant. He said, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, " 'though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.' "This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop. "No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light. For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him." Luke 8:1-18
The time spent was refreshing (as always) but one issue a brother-in-Christ shared burdened my heart. I am not at liberty to share it in detail here but that particular topic has caused me to ponder on how relevant God is to even Christians of today. I wrote something about this in one of my previous blogs.
It has sparked in me whether being more educated, in general, has caused one to rationalise too much about the reality of God's presence in his or her life to the point that everything must be explained with evidences in order for he or she to believe; that we are trying to use our finite minds to understand something infinite.
I also wonder whether the lures and pleasures of this world (which are temporal) have made us consider that heaven may be a lousier place to be in because all one does in heaven is just singing and singing.
It is so ironic that when one goes through a trial in life that he or she prefers to be taken away from this earth so that there is no more suffering but when one considers heaven as just about singing, he or she has second thoughts.
I am not being judgmental here for those having these thoughts. It just baffles me, that's all. The next question is - what do we really want then?
I think every day from now onwards I will pray for all (both believers and pre-believers) that our eyes, ears and hearts are opened to the presence of God in their lives. I do not know how God will answer this prayer of mine but it is a burden I have for all.
Well, I hope the Lord will continue to speak to me on the above-mentioned.
I am tired. Time to sleep.
Good night, everyone! The weekend is near! Praise the Lord!
"After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Cuza, the manager of Herod's household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means. While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: "A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown." When he said this, he called out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." His disciples asked him what this parable meant. He said, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, " 'though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.' "This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop. "No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light. For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him." Luke 8:1-18
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