Labels: deep thots

We complain about the cross we bear but don't realize
it is preparing us for the dip in the road that God can see and we can't.

Whatever your cross, whatever your pain,
there will always be sunshine, after the rain....

Perhaps you may stumble, perhaps even fall;
But God's always ready, to answer your call....

He knows every heartache, sees every tear,
a word from His lips, can calm every fear...

Your sorrows may linger, throughout the night,
But suddenly vanish, dawn's early light...

The Savior is waiting, somewhere above,
to give you His grace, and send you His love...

God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage.

Labels: deep thots

Labels: deep thots

(Matt 24: 3-8; Mark 13:3-13; Luke 21:7-19)

Matt 24: 3
While Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us, when will these things take place, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

4Jesus answered them, “See to it that no one deceives you, 5because many will come in my name and say, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and they will deceive many people. 6You are going to hear of wars and rumors of wars. See to it that you are not alarmed. These things must take place, but the end hasn't come yet, 7because nation will rise up in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8But all these things are only the beginning of the birth pains.”

=================================

Recent major world-happening revolves around natural disasters; tsunamis, earthquakes, cyclones that hits all parts of the world.

Somehow, i'm not surprised.
It's as if the bible was saying, "Told you so~"

Natural disasters that sadly devastated many lives.
No longer do i ask "why God, why does this happen?", but i'm more of observing what the world is doing about it.

It's so true that only during times of trouble,
that is when the world is jerked awake,
that is when you can see the true nature of ppl,
that is when you see more ppl turn BACK to their own religion.

You see the rally of people to gather and raise funds for those in dire need,
den you see some who criticise others of donating too little.

You see some governments who hurries to aid the parts in the disaster-stuck areas,
den there's some who decides that their political stand is more impt then their people desperately in need.

A ger who slams the victims involved in disaster-stuck areas, not raising a finger to help.
The irony of it when she's talking to her own countrymen.

The unauthentic "charity groups" who claims to raise funds for the needy,
when they are merely abusing the compassion of humans.

Human nature, that's a scary thing when they are on the wrong track.
That's how messed-up the human mind is.
The world is sick.

I just can't wait for the end of the world,
when i have no more cares in this sick world,
when i'm happily housed in heaven,
when i'm praising God every moment of my life.

That's truely heaven. :)

Well, Do you know JESUS yet?

Labels: deep thots

It's not literally looking like God. Physically.

Image is a representation, a reflection, an illustration, a likeness...

We are to "represent" Him to one another. To be a reflection of Him.

What are God's attributes?
Light.. Warmth.. Acceptance.. Truth.. Laughter.. Grace.. Fun.. Excitement.. Unique.. Trust.. Forgiver.. Giver.. Love... ... many many more tat you can think of~

So... we are the reflection of our Maker...

Labels: deep thots

Why do bad things happen?

You can never have an "up" without a "down",
a front without a back..
light without dark..
-- and you can't have good without bad.

Where is God in all of the "bad things"?
Earthquakes, tsunamis...

If He is a loving God, why would He let that happen?

It's a wrong question to ask...

His desire is for as many of us as possible to get to know HIM and love HIM and serve HIM. To put GOD above all else... One of the ways is by serving others...

When buildings fall and tsumais hit and flood waters take away life,
His desire is that.. those who know HIM, serve.

- When the world is sending millions of dollars for relief, Christians should be sending billions.
- When organisations of the world are sending relief, His people should be there in convoys.. holding, helping, giving, building, loving, feeding.

The God of the universe works through...
HIS people
and it is
His Hands that are holding on to those who have lost loved ones.
It is
His arms that are embracing those who need Him.
It is
His love that has brought them food and money and water.

It's interesting that when someone comes alongside ppl going thru' trauma and walks witht hem thru' the turmoil, they experience love and grace and help.
Ten yrs down the road when they look back, the grief is still there, but it is softer.
What is still very strong and very vivid is the love and strength and support that was given by others, and the r/s developed and then continued. The God stuff..

His desire is to use the hard things that coem your way to strengthen and solidify your character, faith and r/s with Me.

Everyone will die.
Everyone will suffer at times.
His desire is to hold on to you and love you during all of your hard times.

Where's God in the midst of all the chaos?
"I am right there in the middle. Working through my people, help, loving, guiding, giving all that is needed."

His desire is that a whole lot more of us realise what we are on the planet for, and we allow our hands and feet and dollars and hugs and hopes to be God's in someone else's life.

Where is God when disaster hits?
"I'm asking you the same question." - God.

From God's Blogs by Lanny Donoho.
====================================

I often struggle with this question... till today i still am...

Labels: deep thots

Time is an incredible gift.

Everyday mandune conversations goes like that..
"Sometime i need to..."
"Anytime you want.."
"What time is it?"
"How many times do i have to tell you".

And also...
"I sure wish i had more free time."

There's NO SUCH THING AS "FREE TIME"!

"Time" is a gift God made for us so that we can give it back to Him. Every second and minute and hour you used, you have to give something up.

You are trading time for something else.

Most of you wouldn't trade a thousand $$ for a dollar. Yet we trade time with our family for overtime in the office. WE are sacrificing things that last forever for things that disappear quickly.

Forever is a long time.
How you use your time now will determine, however, what forever is like.

Every second counts.
Every day matters.

Every action and reaction and transaction are of utmost importance because..

ALL TRANSACTIONS ARE FINAL.
YOU CAN'T GO BACK IN TIME.

Make sure you fill ur life with the right stuff before you run out of time.

Labels: deep thots

A speaker (Dr. Wan) has once shared his experience:
While his family and he were in Europe, there was once that they need to drive 3 days continuously, day and night, to get to Germany. So, they all got into the car -- he, his wife, and his 3 years old daughter. His little daughter has never traveled at night before. She was scared the first night in the car, with deep darkness outside.

"Where are we going, Daddy?" "To your uncle's house, in Germany."
"Have you been to his house before?" "No."
"Then, do you know the way?" "Maybe, we can read the map."
Short pause.
"Do you know how to read the map?" "Yes, we will get there safely."
Another pause.
"Where are we going to eat if we get hungry before arriving?"
"We can stop by restaurants if we are hungry."
"Do you know if there are restaurants on the way?" "Yes, there are."
"Do you know where?" "No, but we will be able to find some."

The same dialogue repeated a few times within the first night, and also the second night. But on the third night, his daughter was quiet. The speaker thought that she might have fallen asleep, but when he looked into the mirror, he saw that she was awake and was just looking around calmly.

He couldn't help wondering why she was not asking the questions anymore --

"Dear, do you know where we are going?" "Germany, Uncle's house."
"Do you know how we are getting there?" "No."
"Then why aren't you asking anymore?"

"Because Daddy is driving."

Because Daddy is driving. This answer from a 3 years' old girl has then become the strength and help for this speaker for the many years follow whenever he has questions and fears on his journey with the Lord. Yes, our Father is driving.

We may know the destination (and sometimes we may just know it like the little girl -- "Germany", without understanding where or what it really is). We do not know the way, we do not know how to read the map, we do not know if we can find restaurants along the way. But the little girl knew the most important thing -- Daddy is driving -- and so she is safe and secure. She knows that her Daddy will provide all that she needs.

Do you know your Daddy, the Great Shepherd, is driving today? What are your behavior and response as a passenger, His child?

You may have asked many questions before, but can you like the little girl, starts to realize the most important focus should be "Daddy is driving?"

Author Unknown

Labels: deep thots

Feeling of betrayal eeks me. Great disappointment was all i felt. How could someone just take a friendship... throw it to the floor and step wadever remains of it. That's how bad it felt for me.

Rejection has always been my greatest fear. It comes from an extremely insecure girl. I'm someone who needs constant reassurance, constant attention, as much as i'm very independent.

Respect, that's the most fundamental element is any friendship. That's the minimum i expect fr anyone. That you couldn't give. Seriously, i'm extremely pissed off. Now that i found out the actual reason behind it, Woo~ i cannot believe how ridiculous it's all about. If that's the way the value of our friendship, the friendship that i offer to you with my both hands. FINE. Many thanks for rejecting this friendship.

Cruel ways of the world. Even such a small matter hurts me deeply. As much as i give, that's what i hope to receive as well. Well, life often dun add up, do they?

But.... my all-loving Father always steps in.. in the right time.. when i look for Him... :)
Just listening to Corrinne May's song.. Shelter on the bus.. and there i started tearing... It's almost like God was talking to me.. Straight to my face...

Labels: deep thots

Author Unknown

When I look at a patch of dandelions, I see a bunch of weeds that are going to take over my yard.
My kids see flowers for Mom and blowing white fluff you can wish on.




When I look at an old drunk and he smiles at me, I see a smelly, dirty person who probably wants money and I look away.
My kids see someone smiling at them and they smile back.




When I hear music I love, I know I can't carry a tune and don't have much rhythm so I sit self-consciously and listen.
My kids feel the beat and move to it. They sing out the words. If they don't know them, they make up their own.




When I feel wind on my face, I brace myself against it. I feel it messing up my hair and pulling me back when I walk.
My kids close their eyes, spread their arms and fly with it, until they fall to the ground laughing.




When I pray, I say thee and thou and grant me this, give me that.
My kids say, "Hi God! Thanks for my toys and my friends. Please keep the bad dreams away tonight. Sorry, I don't want to go to Heaven yet. I would miss my Mommy and Daddy."




When I see a mud puddle I step around it. I see muddy shoes and dirty carpets.
My kids sit in it. They see dams to build, rivers to cross, and worms to play with.



I wonder if we are given kids to teach or to learn from? No wonder God loves the little children!
Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.

I wish you Big Mud Puddles and Sunny Yellow Dandelions!!!

Labels: deep thots

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"Well, Don't get your hopes up..."

-----------

How many times have you heard that and it just seemed to suck all the air out of the room? I think that’s what it’s designed to do: act like a vacuum, deflate your enthusiasm, crush your spirit, destroy your faith.

There’s really nothing positive in that saying at all. Just like many clichés and worldly sayings, it is not Biblical, it is not obedient to God’s word, it is not good. Keeping your hopes up is God’s way! Let’s do get our hopes up! Let’s take a chance on being hopeful! Let’s dare to hope!

Hope is good. God tells us to hope. He doesn’t say, “Well, don’t get your hopes up, so that you won’t be disappointed.” That doesn’t sound like Him at all, does it? Let’s look at hope from God’s point of view instead of just the world’s (Satan’s) view:

(all are from the HCSB translation)

Quote:

Psalm 42:5 – Why am I so depressed? Why this turmoil within me? Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him, my Savior and my God. Romans 5:5 – This hope does not disappoint, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 12:12 – Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer. 1 Cor. 13:7 – Love… bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1 Cor. 13:13 – Now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love. Eph. 1:18 – I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the glorious riches of His inheritance among the saints… Col. 1:27 – God wanted to make known to those among the Gentiles the glorious wealth of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 1 Thes. 4:13 – We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers concerning those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who have no hope. 1 Thes. 5:8 - … and put on a helmet of the hope of salvation. 1 Pet. 3:15 - …always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. 1 John 3:3 – And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself just as He is pure.

We can easily see that hope is good from those scriptures, from those men who knew the hope of Christ. We can see that it is a good thing, to get our hopes up! But here’s the best reason of, to hope:

Quote:

Hebrews 11:1 (HCSB) Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen.

We need faith, don’t we? Doesn’t God say that without it we will not stand? Doesn’t He say that the righteous shall live by faith? (Hab. 2:4) Doesn’t the Bible say that anything not of faith is sin? (Rom. 14:23) Doesn’t It say that “Without faith it is impossible to please God?” (Heb. 11:6) Doesn’t It say we receive the promises “by faith and patience”? (Heb. 6:12) Doesn’t it say that our faith saves us? (Luke 7:50)

Well, then what would happen if we didn’t have faith? We would fall, we’d be in sin, we wouldn’t please God, and we’d not inherit His promises. We need faith to stand, to be righteous by Christ, to please God, to walk in victory.

Faith is important, then, right?

Faith = The substance of what we hope for.

If we aren’t hoping for anything, then how can we faithfully believe for it? If we aren’t hoping for the return of Jesus, how can we believe He’ll return? If we aren’t hoping for healing, we won’t have faith to receive it. If we don’t get our hopes up to walk in victory and love, then we won’t. We’ll lose and be selfish and miserable the rest of our lives.

Let’s dare to hope then! Let’s get our hopes up and take a chance on God coming through for us! Let’s hope to see His promises come true in our lives and let’s let that hope be the basis, the substance, that our faith needs to operate.

Get your hopes up – God will come through.

…so that you will not grieve like the rest, who have no hope. – 1 Thes. 4:13

=========================================

Amen to that... When times are difficult, i always try not to get my hopes to high up. As the world believes, the higher ur hopes are... the more it hurts when all come crashing down. That's what i do most of the time, i dun not hope for the highest.. so that i wont be disappointed... i dun keep my hopes up, for i fear that God might not live up to his promises and my hopes.

It's just difficult to juggle between believing in God, yet not getting wad you expect.

He works in different ways... Yes i do believe that.. But when the pain and hurt gets too much to bear, i get angry at God instead, i get angry with the World. Why is this happening to me? Dat i do not know, all i do know is that i want God to take it away. Completely away from me, the haunting that's with me for the past 8 yrs... This is it... i've had enuff of it.

I'm trying so hard to keep my hopes up. Believe me. I am.

Pls take it away from me.

Labels: deep thots, ranting

It was finally here - Anna's wedding day, the day she had dreamed about and planned for months. The small, picturesque church was crowded with friends and family.

Sunlight poured through the stained-glass windows, and the gentle music of a string quartet filled the air. Anna walked down the aisle toward David. Joy surged within her. This was the moment for which she had waited so long. He gently took her hand, and they turned toward the altar.

But as the minister began to lead Anna and David through their vows, the unthinkable happened. A girl stood up in the middle of the congregation, walked quietly to the altar, and took David's other hand. Another girl approached and stood next to the first, followed by another. Soon, a chain of six girls stood by him as he repeated his vows to Anna.

Anna felt her lip begin to quiver as tears welled up in her eyes. "Is this some kind of joke?" she whispered to David.

"I'm ... I'm sorry, Anna," he said, staring at the floor.

"Who are these girls, David? What is going on?" she gasped.

"They're girls from my past," he answered sadly. "Anna, they don't mean anything to me now ... but I've given part of my heart to each of them."

"I thought your heart was mine," she said.

"It is, it is," he pleaded. "Everything that's left is yours."

A tear rolled down Anna's cheek. Then she woke up.

Betrayed

Anna told me about her dream in a letter. "When I awoke I felt so betrayed," she wrote. "But then I was struck with these sickening thoughts: How many men could line up next to me on my wedding day? How many times have I given my heart away in short-term relationships? Will I have anything left to give my husband?"

(Passage Adapted from I Kissed Dating Goodbye by Joshua Harris)

=====================================

I read this book once... and this passage stayed in my mind deeply.

With the amount of bgr i see all around me.. kids in primary (?!?) or secondary school having a bf/gf. I wonder if they actually know wad love is all about. Not that i doubt their ability to love. But shouldn't it be a carefree life during schooling just being around guys and gers and not just exclusive to THAT "special" one? I guess i'm a late-bloomer cos only now i'm leading a carefree life and nt an introvert as i was in sch... i was a darn nerd... a stupid nerd somemore... haiz.... hee~

It's a blessing in disguise that i remained single all my life... Used to envy those attached when i was in school. Always wondering when my prince in shining armour who arrive to sweep me off my feet... The passage brought a whole new perpective into my life... It's not that i cannt get attached, but i choose to be single until i can find that special one... The one who i'm going to spend my entire life with.

I do not want to give him a heart with pieces given to other guys.. He deserves my entire complete heart..

So... people.. *YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE* stop teasing that i can't find someone.... i'm still actively looking and waiting for prince in shining armour to sweep me off my feet... and NO i'm not a lesbian... wahahhaa~~

Peace out!~

Labels: deep thots

Too much teevee gave me a bad dream last night...

I dreamt that i couldnt find my mom... she was machiam kidnapped or something.. it was a reallie bad feeling to have... So... when i woke up, the initial thot was to give her a hug.. The last time i gave my mom a hug was ages ago....

i remember that i used to kiss my mom on her cheek everyday before i left for sch.. but something silly happened in between, so that routine was stopped.

Just this morning, i had this sudden urge to hug my mom... so i waited till the right timing... right before i left for work...

i said," Mommy, can i give you a hug?"

She (with arms open wide, grinnin fr ear to ear):
"i've been waiting for so long already..."

hehe... tat's my darling mommy for you...
=============================

I posted this title up in my msn.....

Some replied: just yesterday (good for you!!^^v)

Some replied: 4 yrs ago.... y?.... cause their mom aint around for them to hug anyway...
(sounds very poignant... but i'm sure they have wonderful memories of their loved ones...)

Some replied: When i was 10 yrs old....
(come on.. you can do better!)

Having an asian culture dun help us with our shyness, especially if we are nt apt in expressing our love in actions... But.. just give it a shot.. try it.. give ur daddy or mommy a hug...

They say "siao har you?!?" or give some crappy comments.... BUT i bet they will be grinning from ear to ear... just like mine.. :)

All parents need a physical touch fr their child fr time to time... that's love expressed in a heart-warming way...

Labels: deep thots

Labels: deep thots

This passage brought tears to my eyes...

*A simple man tells how his booking an air ticket for his father, his first flight, brought emotions and made him realize that how much we all take for granted when it comes to our parents.*

My parents left for our native place on Thursday and we went to the airport to see them off. In fact, my father had never traveled by air before, so I just took this opportunity to make him experience the same. In spite of being asked to book tickets by train, I got them tickets on lufthansa.

The moment I handed over the tickets to him, he was surprised to see thatI had booked them by air. The excitement was very apparent on his face,waiting for the time of travel. Just like a school boy, he was preparing himself on that day and we all went to the airport, right from using the trolley for his luggage, the baggage check-in and asking for window seat and waiting restlessly for the security check-in to happen.

He was thoroughly enjoying himself and I, too, was overcome with joy watching him experience all these things. As they were about to go in for the security check-in, he walked up to me with tears in his eyes and thanked me.

He became very emotional and it was not as if I had done something great but the fact that this meant a great deal to him.When he said thanks, I told him there was no need to thank me.

But later, thinking about the entire incident, I looked back at my life. As a child how many dreams our parents have made come true. Without understanding the financial situation, we ask for football, dresses, toys, outings, etc. Irrespective of their affordability, they have satisfied toall our needs. Did we ever think about the sacrifices they had to make to accommodate many of our wishes? Did we ever say thanks for all that they have done for us?

Same way, today when it comes to our children, we always think that we should put them in a good school. Regardless of the amount of donation, we will ensure that we will have to give the child the best, theme parks, toys, etc. But we tend to forget that our parents have sacrificed a lot for our sake to see us happy, so it is our responsibility to ensure that their dreams are realized and what they failed to see when they were young, it is our responsibility to ensure that they experience all those and their life is complete. Many times, when my parents had asked me some questions, I have actually answered back without patience. When my daughter asks me something, I have been very polite in answering. Now I realize how they would have felt at those moments.

**Let us realize that old age is a second childhood and just as we take care of our children,the same attention and same care need to be given to our parents and elders. Rather than my dad saying thank you to me, I would want to say sorry for making him wait so long for this small dream. I do realize how much he has sacrificed for my sake and I will do my best to give the best possible attention to all their wishes. Just because they are old does not mean that they will have to give up everything and keep sacrificing for their grandchildren also. They have wishes, too.

Take care of your parents. =)

Labels: deep thots

Free Hugs - Click here for more amazing videos

Cool video... A lovely side of humility..

Love this song..

All the same -- Sick puppies

I don't mind where you come from
As long as you come to me
I don't like illusions I can't see
Them clearly

I don't care no I wouldn't dare
To fix the twist in you
You've shown me eventually
What you'll do

I don't mind...
I don't care...
As long as you're here

Go ahead tell me you'll leave again
You'll just come back running
Holding your scarred heart in hand
It's all the same
And I'll take you for who you are
If you take me for everything
Do it all over again
It's all the same

Hours slide and days go by
Till you decide to come
And in between it always seems too long
All of a sudden

And I have the skill, yeah I have the will
To breathe you in while I can
However long you stay
Is all that I am

I don't mind...
I don't care...
As long as you're here

Go ahead tell me you'll leave again
You'll just come back running
Holding your scarred heart in hand
It's all the same
And I'll take you for who you are
If you take me for everything
Do it all over again
It's always the same

Wrong or right
Black or white
If I close my eyes
It's all the same

In my life
The compromise
I close my eyes
It's all the same

Go ahead say it you're leaving
You'll just come back running
Holding your scarred heart in hand
It's all the same
And I'll take you for who you are
If you take me for everything
Do it all over again
It's all the same

Labels: deep thots

new skin... again...

love this new skin..

"I am worth more than a sparrow"... i just love this verse.. ^^

Just gone through with my appraisal... *HORRORS*... honestly speaking.. i was a tad disappointed at what my reporting officer said to me.. well.. all i know is that God knows all i have done.. my hard work and all.. All that matters is God knows..

I dun have to prove my worth to her...

i dun have to prove my worth to anyone..

Aint gonna seek praises from men...

Life's been confusing and stress for me the past week... upsetting...

And i am acting and feelin like a baby... i dun wanna go school.. i hate school... ='( I'm a big baby...

Labels: deep thots

Love's Most Amazing Story
(My delayed Easter Sunday post... hee.. do read it... pretty interestin...)

Karl Barth, famous though controversial, contemporary Swiss theologian, was a great thinker, a prolific writer, and a professor at several European universities.

On one occasion he was confronted by a reporter who wanted a brief summary of his twelve thick volumes on church dogmatics. Barth could have given an impressive intellectual reply, but didn't. Quoting from the popular child's hymn, he simply said, "Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so."

And there is no greater proof of this love than when Jesus Christ, the Son of God, gave his life for us.

It was Jesus who said, "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends." His own love, however, went much further than this. He laid down his life for his enemies as well as his friends.

Imagine the torturous agony Christ must have endured when nailed to the cross. This was the price he paid to die for our sins. Added to his physical suffering was his sense of utter rejection by being forsaken not only by his few remaining friends, but also by God. "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Jesus cried out in utter despair from the cross.

God's love for us is never based on what we do – good or bad.

But so great was his love even for those who caused his excruciating pain—those who nailed him to the cross, thrust a spear into his side, mocked him, spat in his face—that in the midst of this inhuman torture he prayed, "Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing."
Referring to this prayer, Thomas Carlyle said, "The sublimed words that ever fell from human lips."

Human love is often conditional. If we are what others want us to be and do what they want us to do we are loved. If not, we are often rejected. Fortunately, God's love is never conditional. It is never based on who we are or what we do—good or bad. He loves us simply because we are his creation.

If God loves us unconditionally, why is he so vehemently opposed to our sin? Because sin is so completely destructive of human personality. It totally destroys what God loves—us. Nevertheless, God still loves the sinner. That's why he gave his Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us. And now, through Christ's death God can save us from our self-destructive sin.

Sometimes we view God as a hard taskmaster running around with a "big stick" waiting to rap us on the knuckles if we break his commandments. In fact, one person I knew felt that if he committed certain sins, God would actually kill him.

This false view of God is usually formed in childhood. If, for example, we had a very punitive earthy father or mother, we tend to feel that God, the Heavenly Father, is exactly the same. But God isn't like that at all. In fact, we can totally ignore or reject him, and he will still keep loving us.

Sometimes we falsely see sin only as specific acts that God happens to oppose. But sin is much more than this. We tend to see only the external acts, but God sees the heart, too. He is just as concerned with sins of the spirit—pride, jealously, lust, greed, envy, hatred, false motives, emotional dishonesty, resentment and other super-charged negative emotions (including the ones we have repressed and consequently denied)—as he is with such things as murder, rape, and stealing. In fact, many of our external sins are the symptoms of our inner, hidden sins which are equally or even more destructive than the ones we can see.

In his excellent book, The Art of Understanding Yourself, Dr. Cecil Osborne writes, "It is extremely naive to think of sin simply as an isolated act—a lie, a theft, immorality, dishonesty, etcetera—for sin is all that is less than perfection. It is rejecting God—‘falling short' of the perfection which God envisioned for us. Sin is being impaired, not simply performing a wicked act. It is having impaired relationships and attitudes. It is being less than whole. It is having mixed motives. Sin is the clever rationalization by which we seek to escape from facing ourselves. It can consist in responding to a set of rigid moralistic 'oughts' rather than obeying the spirit of God which dwells within us," and then feeling very self-righteous about our pious attitude and behavior.

Sin is our damaged inner condition and results in our wrong or sinful acts. Our sinful nature contaminates everything we do. It not only shows itself in external acts, but also twists our motives and damages our emotions. It is behind every broken home, every empty life, every sorrow and grief. The disease of sin weakens nations, produces sick societies, and causes physical, mental and spiritual suffering. It causes men and nations to fight, kill and destroy. And as the Bible says, its end result is death.

God is against whatever is destructive to us.

We need to understand that God is not opposed to nor outraged by our breaking his commandment for his sake, but primarily for our sake. As Osborne also says, "Adultery (or any other sin) is not wrong because it is forbidden in the Ten Commandments; it is forbidden in the Ten Commandments because it is destructive of human personality. God is against whatever is destructive to us. His love for us is so great that he cannot see us destroying ourselves without suffering himself. It is the suffering of God symbolized by the cross, which is involved in sin. We suffer in our sins. Christ suffered because of them. His suffering becomes redemption for us [when we confess our sinfulnesss to God]... with true contrition."

Because Christ himself was sinless, only he could die to pay the penalty for and thereby save us from our sins. We simply cannot save ourselves. No matter how good (or bad) we are, we are all afflicted with the terminal disease of sin for which Jesus Christ is the only cure.

I read about a drowning boy who was struggling frantically to save himself. On the bank his distraught mother pleaded with a man to save her son, but the man made no move. When the boy weakened and gave up the struggle to save himself, the man then jumped into the stream and rescued him.

"Why didn't you save my boy sooner?" the mother asked.

"I couldn't as long as he struggled," the man replied. "He would have dragged us both to death. When he gave up the struggle to save himself, it was easy to rescue him."

We, too, need to give up the struggle to save ourselves from our sin. Only Jesus Christ, the Son of God, can do that. As we admit and confess to God that we are sinners, believe in our heart that Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for all our sins, and invite Jesus to come into our heart and life as our personal Savior asking God to forgive us for all our sins, God gives us his free pardon and the gift of eternal life. This he promised he would do.

Why not pray to ask Jesus Christ to do this for you today? The following prayer will help you do this:

"Dear God, I confess that I am a sinner and am sorry for all the wrongs that I have done. I believe that your Son, Jesus Christ, died on the cross for my sins. Please forgive me. I invite you, Jesus, to come into my heart and life as Lord and Savior. I commit and trust my life to you. Please give me the desire to be what you want me to be and to do what you want me to do. Thank you for dying for my sins, for your free pardon, for your gift of eternal life, and for hearing and answering my prayer. Amen."

Hope you enjoyed this article as much as i did... Adapted from Love's most amazing story..

God bless peeps~ ^^

Labels: deep thots

He just made my day~

Having this deep sense of joy right now... cos of wad this guy (research guy) just said to you... He bumped into me and said...

"Seeing you just makes me happy.. It's like you are contagious.."

Wow... wad an effect his words have on me at this point of time... I've always taken pride in my daily attitude in life... Trying to just keep a positive outlook.. Always trying to cheer ppl up.. Be smiley and spread the happiness to others... Kinda like my mission in life i guess.. I sometimes just do it subconsiously...

It's just nice when ppl makes comments like this... Reallie enables me to know what others feel abt me.. of who i am to others...

Reallie have to say that it's God who enables me to be who i am.. having a cheerful attitude despite all that i'm going thru.. Truely.. i just wanna praise Him... Love ya lots Daddy...

Also thanks dude.. you reallie, reallie made my day...

Labels: deep thots

Enjoy your coffee this morning!

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life.

Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups - porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to the coffee.

When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said: "If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were takenup, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups... And then you began eyeing each other's cups.

Now consider this:
Life is the coffee; the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. The cups are just tools to hold and contain Life, and the type of cup we have does not define, nor change the quality of Life we live. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee God has provided us."

God brews the coffee, not the cups......... Enjoy your coffee!

"The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything."

Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly and bloom where you are planted!

Leave the rest to God.

Author unknown.

Labels: deep thots

♥ Name's Michy
♥ Living in la-la land
♥ Forever Lost…n Blur…
♥ Loves the whole world
♥ Loves DRIVING
♥ Loves lomography
♥ Crazy over cameras...