Summer Training Programme has been good to me. It seems like everytime I appear, I somehow find something to take away, even if I'm in no mood to listen or receive.
Today's speaker was encouraging us, amongst other things, to make the Bible applicable to our daily lives. To consider issues that we are facing, ask ourselves, "What does the Bible say about that?", and then to go and look it up paryerfully. Then the Bible verses become relevant to your situation, and easier to remember too. It seems to make much more sense to me than trying to follow the arbitrary arrangement of the books in the Bible. Perhaps I will try this tomorrow.
Jul 22, 2009
Jul 15, 2009
two.
A couple of weeks ago, a friend of mine one year my senior had a big crash while riding his bike on Ubin. Two days after the crash, his wrist and lower arm had swelled up pretty badly, so he went to the hospital to get it checked out. It was x-rayed for suspected fracture, and put in a cast as a precautionary measure.
Two days after that, they discovered that flesh-eating bacteria had gotten into his bloodstream. Initial reports from the hospital put the mortality rate at 50%.
After much prayer, and some 3 or 4 operations later, he's out of danger. Every op, they slice open his arm from fingertip to elbow to clean out the wound, before shutting the wound with staples. He's got about 50 staples in his hand at the moment, and will probably be scarred for life, but he's alive. He's got another op scheduled for friday.
I was visiting him today, when another friend of ours popped by to visit. She had just gone for a dental appointment in the hospital that morning, and while taking an X-ray to check for cavities, discovered a large tumour in her jaw. I think she's 21 this year. As of this moment, she's at NDC undergoing further X-rays, and she's got an op scheduled for friday afternoon.
I was sitting outside his ward with his girlfriend, ruminating over these events. It was shocking enough to be reminded of our own mortality hardly two weeks ago. Did we need another reminder so soon? Will our prayers be answered once again?
As we were sitting outside the ward thinking about these things, I saw a juvenile woodpecker investigating the tree outside the window, and a strange lizard making displays with a flap of skin below its jaw. It was nice.
Two days after that, they discovered that flesh-eating bacteria had gotten into his bloodstream. Initial reports from the hospital put the mortality rate at 50%.
After much prayer, and some 3 or 4 operations later, he's out of danger. Every op, they slice open his arm from fingertip to elbow to clean out the wound, before shutting the wound with staples. He's got about 50 staples in his hand at the moment, and will probably be scarred for life, but he's alive. He's got another op scheduled for friday.
I was visiting him today, when another friend of ours popped by to visit. She had just gone for a dental appointment in the hospital that morning, and while taking an X-ray to check for cavities, discovered a large tumour in her jaw. I think she's 21 this year. As of this moment, she's at NDC undergoing further X-rays, and she's got an op scheduled for friday afternoon.
I was sitting outside his ward with his girlfriend, ruminating over these events. It was shocking enough to be reminded of our own mortality hardly two weeks ago. Did we need another reminder so soon? Will our prayers be answered once again?
As we were sitting outside the ward thinking about these things, I saw a juvenile woodpecker investigating the tree outside the window, and a strange lizard making displays with a flap of skin below its jaw. It was nice.
Jul 14, 2009
"Make it your goal..."
"Make it your goal to read through the entire Bible..."
Something I heard someone share yesterday which got me thinking.
Somehow, taking this kind of a focused attitude towards bible-reading has never crossed my mind before. I've had some good experiences with goal-setting this break, so I'm thinking about using that on my christian education too...
Something I heard someone share yesterday which got me thinking.
Somehow, taking this kind of a focused attitude towards bible-reading has never crossed my mind before. I've had some good experiences with goal-setting this break, so I'm thinking about using that on my christian education too...
Jun 27, 2009
Been watching Michael Jackson videos on Youtube. Amazing singer, amazing dancer. I'm quite tempted to pick up one of his albums now, actually. I kinda regret that I never got to see him live in concert.
you've always told me that you support me unconditionally. i'm learning to interpret that as love.
you've always told me that you support me unconditionally. i'm learning to interpret that as love.
Jun 23, 2009
Dead and alive.
Jerry Bridges writes about how Christ's death on the cross achieves for us two distinct purposes - firstly, payment of the penalty for our sin, and secondly, freedom from the dominion of sin. The wages of sin is death, after all, but it is only through death that we can be released from the kingdom of sin in which we once lived, freeing us once and for all from the rules and attitudes of that kingdom, allowing us to live a new life in the kingdom of God.
He tells the story of a Russian air force pilot who, during the height of the Cold War, flew his aircraft to an American airbase in Japan and sought asylum. He was flown to the US, given American citizenship, and allowed to begin a new life in the United States. To quote liberally from the book,
"This former Russian pilot, however, was still the same person. He had the same personality, the same habits, and the same cultural patterns as he did before he flew out of Russia. But he did have a new identity and a new status."
"As a result of his new identity and status as a citizen in a free country, he now had the opportunity to grow as a free person, to discard the mind-set of someone living under bondage, and to put off the habit patterns of a person living under the heel of a despotic regime."
And so it is with us. We live in a new country now. We have died to sin - it is a fact, a done deal so to speak - and we are no longer driven by the old urges and temptations. We are also alive to God, fully responsive to His voice and eagerly yearning to walk in His will, for Christ dwells in us and we in him. We still have to get round the old habits of the old regime, but that doesn't change the fact that we ARE in a new kingdom.
When we die, we go to heaven where we will fellowship with God forever. But in one sense, we have already died, and are already enjoying fellowship with God in the midst of this garden that He created for us.
Amen.
Rom 6:11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
He tells the story of a Russian air force pilot who, during the height of the Cold War, flew his aircraft to an American airbase in Japan and sought asylum. He was flown to the US, given American citizenship, and allowed to begin a new life in the United States. To quote liberally from the book,
"This former Russian pilot, however, was still the same person. He had the same personality, the same habits, and the same cultural patterns as he did before he flew out of Russia. But he did have a new identity and a new status."
"As a result of his new identity and status as a citizen in a free country, he now had the opportunity to grow as a free person, to discard the mind-set of someone living under bondage, and to put off the habit patterns of a person living under the heel of a despotic regime."
And so it is with us. We live in a new country now. We have died to sin - it is a fact, a done deal so to speak - and we are no longer driven by the old urges and temptations. We are also alive to God, fully responsive to His voice and eagerly yearning to walk in His will, for Christ dwells in us and we in him. We still have to get round the old habits of the old regime, but that doesn't change the fact that we ARE in a new kingdom.
When we die, we go to heaven where we will fellowship with God forever. But in one sense, we have already died, and are already enjoying fellowship with God in the midst of this garden that He created for us.
Amen.
Rom 6:11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Jun 21, 2009
a friend of mine recently called me an approval-whore. :)
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Reading: The Discipline of Grace, by Jerry Bridges.
There's a chapter called "Preach the Gospel to yourself". It talks about how many believers have only a rudimentary understanding of the good news of Jesus Christ - sufficient to get them into the church, whereupon they begin an endless series of discipleship courses and stuff like that. He says that there is a general fallacy within the church that the gospel is meant to be preached to unbelievers, not believers. After all, the believers have heard it all already, right?
It's kinda similar to a previous complaint I had about how we preach good news to unbelievers, but fail to make known to them the depth of commitment and change that comes with a life in Christ. Here the situation is reversed, somewhat, whereby we emphasise discipleship and the disciplines of faith to the body of believers, but fail to remind them of the gospel by which they came to know God.
But the author encourages us to remind ourselves daily of the good news of Christ - that though we are by very nature incorrigibly sinful, Christ has fully paid the price of our sins, so that we are not merely pardoned, but justified before God. This is the full gospel of Jesus, which will keep us from regarding our "godliness" with pride, yet also keeps us from despairing of our sinfulness.
To quote, "we must measure ourselves against God's perfect standard and daily confess that we have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God."
This seems very hard to me. We love to think of ourselves as "doing alright", but alright isn't good enough. It seems that this author is calling us daily to tear down whatever self-esteem we may have, pulling it into rubble, and remembering that our worth, value, and righteousness is found in Jesus. Then we may relate rightly with God and each other...
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Reading: The Discipline of Grace, by Jerry Bridges.
There's a chapter called "Preach the Gospel to yourself". It talks about how many believers have only a rudimentary understanding of the good news of Jesus Christ - sufficient to get them into the church, whereupon they begin an endless series of discipleship courses and stuff like that. He says that there is a general fallacy within the church that the gospel is meant to be preached to unbelievers, not believers. After all, the believers have heard it all already, right?
It's kinda similar to a previous complaint I had about how we preach good news to unbelievers, but fail to make known to them the depth of commitment and change that comes with a life in Christ. Here the situation is reversed, somewhat, whereby we emphasise discipleship and the disciplines of faith to the body of believers, but fail to remind them of the gospel by which they came to know God.
But the author encourages us to remind ourselves daily of the good news of Christ - that though we are by very nature incorrigibly sinful, Christ has fully paid the price of our sins, so that we are not merely pardoned, but justified before God. This is the full gospel of Jesus, which will keep us from regarding our "godliness" with pride, yet also keeps us from despairing of our sinfulness.
To quote, "we must measure ourselves against God's perfect standard and daily confess that we have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God."
This seems very hard to me. We love to think of ourselves as "doing alright", but alright isn't good enough. It seems that this author is calling us daily to tear down whatever self-esteem we may have, pulling it into rubble, and remembering that our worth, value, and righteousness is found in Jesus. Then we may relate rightly with God and each other...
Jun 16, 2009
I think I'm learning more and more that people have rounded characters. That although they cause me offence on one hand, and do things which seem to me to completely undermine any moral authority they might have, this does not detract from their other strengths, and the other ways in which they continue to bless me. I think I can live with that.
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A friend of mine was lamenting how often it seems that Christians (the nominal ones, usually) seem to behave even worse than non-Christians. It occurred to me, mainly because this reflects my own experience, that it is very easy for Christians to apply our faith as a bandage - superficially covering our woundedness, while hoping that our own body can heal itself. While it is true that sometimes we must 'claim it by faith', and 'speak the truth into being', sometimes there are core issues that we simply have to deal with. Like what Jesus said, "This kind can only come out by prayer." One cannot simply believe that being a baptised Christian and doing all the Christian-like things will lead to life change, as I used to.
Even for those who are familiar with the weapons of faith, we cannot exercise faith over our problems if we have not truly identified out problems, we cannot speak deliverance over our issues if we cannot specifically identify the issue at hand. God will not deliver us when we have not accurately identified our problem, because then we will not have a full appreciation of our fallenness, nor can we give God the glory due Him for His deliverance.
This then is the problem that many face. We attempt to cure the problem without first diagnosing it, or perhaps without going in deep to see the full extent of it. This takes much reflection, time spent in the quiet, and prayer. I am reminded of how the Word of God is likened unto a mirror, in which we can see ourselves more clearly.
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A friend of mine was lamenting how often it seems that Christians (the nominal ones, usually) seem to behave even worse than non-Christians. It occurred to me, mainly because this reflects my own experience, that it is very easy for Christians to apply our faith as a bandage - superficially covering our woundedness, while hoping that our own body can heal itself. While it is true that sometimes we must 'claim it by faith', and 'speak the truth into being', sometimes there are core issues that we simply have to deal with. Like what Jesus said, "This kind can only come out by prayer." One cannot simply believe that being a baptised Christian and doing all the Christian-like things will lead to life change, as I used to.
Even for those who are familiar with the weapons of faith, we cannot exercise faith over our problems if we have not truly identified out problems, we cannot speak deliverance over our issues if we cannot specifically identify the issue at hand. God will not deliver us when we have not accurately identified our problem, because then we will not have a full appreciation of our fallenness, nor can we give God the glory due Him for His deliverance.
This then is the problem that many face. We attempt to cure the problem without first diagnosing it, or perhaps without going in deep to see the full extent of it. This takes much reflection, time spent in the quiet, and prayer. I am reminded of how the Word of God is likened unto a mirror, in which we can see ourselves more clearly.
Jun 7, 2009
Asleep in the light
Do you see, do you see
All the people sinking down
Don't you care, don't you care
Are you gonna let them drown
How can you be so numb
Not to care if they come
You close your eyes
And pretend the job's done
"Oh bless me Lord, bless me Lord"
You know it's all I ever hear
No one aches, no one hurts
No one even sheds one tear
But He cries, He weeps, He bleeds
And He cares for your needs
And you just lay back
And keep soaking it in,
Oh, can't you see it's such a sin?
Cause He brings people to you door,
And you turn them away
As you smile and say,
"God bless you, be at peace"
And all heaven just weeps
Cause Jesus came to your door
You've left him out on the streets
Open up open up
And give yourself away
You see the need, you hear the cries
So how can you delay
God's calling and you're the one
But like Jonah you run
He's told you to speak
But you keep holding it in,
Oh can't you see it's such a sin?
The world is sleeping in the dark
That the church just can't fight
Cause it's asleep in the light
How can you be so dead
When you've been so well fed
Jesus rose from the grave
And you, you can't even get out of bed
Oh, Jesus rose from the dead
Come on, get out of your bed
How can you be so numb
Not to care if they come
You close your eyes
And pretend the job's done
You close your eyes
And pretend the job's done
Don't close your eyes
Don't pretend the jobs done
Come away, come away, come away with Me my love,
Come away, from this mess, come away with Me, my love.
As referenced today by Cadet Kevin during the sermon.
I wish he had talked abit more about the mechanics of disciple-making. About the how, and the technique, about picking disciples and picking disciplers, about building relationships, picking topics.
I am reminded of something I read in the book I'm reading at the moment ("Marriage takes more than love", Jack and Carole Mayhall), talking about 5 different levels of conversation. Conversational cliches. Factual Observations. Ideas and Opinions. Feelings. Connection. They were talking about marriage, but it applies just as well in any other relationship - the relationship doesn't really begin until at least level 3, and preferably level 4.
And then I'm reminded of the Johari Window, which I've heard about from two different sources, whereby one's self-knowledge can only be increased through self-revelation, as well as receiving input from others. Both are necessary to fully understand yourself even, and such conversations should probably be functioning at level 4 and up.
Without these, there is no real growth, and there can be no real freedom.
Jun 5, 2009
Just came back from a funeral service. Wept considerably more than I expected to. Not for the dearly departed, whom I did not know well, but rather for those left behind, and for the huge hole now left in their lives.
By all accounts, she was a godly woman, who loved unconditionally. That makes the hole bigger.
By all accounts, she was a godly woman, who loved unconditionally. That makes the hole bigger.
Jun 2, 2009
What then does it mean to walk by faith? It means to choose to see everything from the perspective which God has presented to us in the Bible. Even if it involves blatant rationalisation. Even if it seems self-contradictory.
Religion accepts and celebrates the fact that we blatantly rationalise all things to fit our world-view. But if scientists do that, they have no excuse.
This was presented in the context of having died to the law - being thus crucified with Christ, and therefore set free of the law. So in all things we remember, believe, and act in the knowledge that the law no longer has power over us, but love must motivate us.
Religion accepts and celebrates the fact that we blatantly rationalise all things to fit our world-view. But if scientists do that, they have no excuse.
This was presented in the context of having died to the law - being thus crucified with Christ, and therefore set free of the law. So in all things we remember, believe, and act in the knowledge that the law no longer has power over us, but love must motivate us.
May 29, 2009
May 26, 2009
Salvo Audio
Someone has been putting Army songs online!!!
http://www.salvoaudio.com/
Band songs, Songsters, recordings from the congregation, sermons even. Super! I like.
http://www.salvoaudio.com/
Band songs, Songsters, recordings from the congregation, sermons even. Super! I like.
May 25, 2009
If I could give one piece of advice to young brides, and only one, it would be this: study your man. Study him as if he were some rare and strange and fascinating animal, which he is. Study his likes and dislikes, his strengths and weaknesses, his moods and mannerisms. Just loving a man is fine, but it's not enough. To live with one successfully you have to know him, and to know him, you have to study him.
Look around you and decide how many of the best marriages you know are ones where a wife in a deep sense actually knows her husband better than he knows himself. Knows what pleases him. Knows what upsets him. Knows what makes him laugh or makes him angry. Knows when he needs encouragement. Knows when he's too charged up about something and needs to be held back. Knows, in other words, exactly what makes him tick.
Look around you and decide how many of the best marriages you know are ones where a wife in a deep sense actually knows her husband better than he knows himself. Knows what pleases him. Knows what upsets him. Knows what makes him laugh or makes him angry. Knows when he needs encouragement. Knows when he's too charged up about something and needs to be held back. Knows, in other words, exactly what makes him tick.
- Mrs. Norman Vincent Peale, The Adventure of Being a Wife
(Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, Inc., 1971) pg 29.
(Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, Inc., 1971) pg 29.
Think it probably applies both ways. But I like the use of language here.
dad time
spending time at home means hanging out with dad more, which is nice.
went to get the car inspected today prior to renewing insurance and road tax. got the car washed along the way. spent time talking about the economics of selling free-car-wash coupons in stacks of 100 only. inspection centre was darned cool lah. all kinds of automated machines designed to test the functionality of the car, and lighted sign-boards indicating pass-fail. so government.
and a few days back we had an excursion to kranji to pick up a manual juicer. dad's been grinding wheatgrass juice for home consumption... tastes pretty good actually. :) although i'm fairly cynical about the purported health benefits....
went to get the car inspected today prior to renewing insurance and road tax. got the car washed along the way. spent time talking about the economics of selling free-car-wash coupons in stacks of 100 only. inspection centre was darned cool lah. all kinds of automated machines designed to test the functionality of the car, and lighted sign-boards indicating pass-fail. so government.
and a few days back we had an excursion to kranji to pick up a manual juicer. dad's been grinding wheatgrass juice for home consumption... tastes pretty good actually. :) although i'm fairly cynical about the purported health benefits....
May 18, 2009
Perfection
Our duty is to be more ourselves, not less - Thomas Merton
This phrase accurately sums up something that I've had to learn in order to accept myself better.
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200303/rauch
I am an introvert. This used to bother me, and it still does sometimes. It seemed to me that extroverts got so much more out of life - more friends, more experiences, more highs, more lows. I longed for some of those things too, but found that I simply did not have the emotional energy to keep up with that lifestyle. Hang out with me for two hours, and you will find that my conversation eventually fades away, and I begin to zone out.
Through articles such as the one listed above, through much affirmation from Jill and other friends, through the Bible, I have begun to understand and accept that I am as deeply valued as all the people whom I used to envy. The envy of others stems from the fallacy that there is somehow a perfection that we can each strive to - that there is a state which is superior to all others, which we must achieve to obtain happiness.
There is some element of truth in this, but not in the way that we expect. The Bible, talking about the body of Christ, speaks plainly about the variety that God has imparted into His people, and make it clear that this is part of the plan. As the body of Christ, we are called to move towards perfection as a body, not as individuals, leaving room for the infinite variety of ways in which God has created us. I begin to realise that God is an artist, and that one design cannot adequately express perfection, because each design is different and beautiful in its own way.
Would the perfect body be characterised by having no disagreements whatsoever? I am not sure. Perhaps the perfect body is simply characterised by the ability to settle disagreements in an amicable way.
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I don't take teasing well. I don't agree with casual flirting, and I hate bargaining and haggling over prices, even when it's considered part of the culture. But I'm learning.
I'm learning that these things should not be taken seriously, which is tough because I take everything seriously. I've begun to realise that all these things are games of a sort, games that people play with each other in full recognition that the words being bandied about are not being said in earnest. The trick now is to transfer this mental understanding into my instinctive reactions.
This phrase accurately sums up something that I've had to learn in order to accept myself better.
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200303/rauch
I am an introvert. This used to bother me, and it still does sometimes. It seemed to me that extroverts got so much more out of life - more friends, more experiences, more highs, more lows. I longed for some of those things too, but found that I simply did not have the emotional energy to keep up with that lifestyle. Hang out with me for two hours, and you will find that my conversation eventually fades away, and I begin to zone out.
Through articles such as the one listed above, through much affirmation from Jill and other friends, through the Bible, I have begun to understand and accept that I am as deeply valued as all the people whom I used to envy. The envy of others stems from the fallacy that there is somehow a perfection that we can each strive to - that there is a state which is superior to all others, which we must achieve to obtain happiness.
There is some element of truth in this, but not in the way that we expect. The Bible, talking about the body of Christ, speaks plainly about the variety that God has imparted into His people, and make it clear that this is part of the plan. As the body of Christ, we are called to move towards perfection as a body, not as individuals, leaving room for the infinite variety of ways in which God has created us. I begin to realise that God is an artist, and that one design cannot adequately express perfection, because each design is different and beautiful in its own way.
Would the perfect body be characterised by having no disagreements whatsoever? I am not sure. Perhaps the perfect body is simply characterised by the ability to settle disagreements in an amicable way.
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I don't take teasing well. I don't agree with casual flirting, and I hate bargaining and haggling over prices, even when it's considered part of the culture. But I'm learning.
I'm learning that these things should not be taken seriously, which is tough because I take everything seriously. I've begun to realise that all these things are games of a sort, games that people play with each other in full recognition that the words being bandied about are not being said in earnest. The trick now is to transfer this mental understanding into my instinctive reactions.
May 12, 2009
Reflections
It was a good retreat. My term is just about over, my involvement will scale down to nearly nothing. It was a strange and difficult year. The new team made decisions that were exactly opposite to mine, yet I feel that both decisions were correct. Perhaps it was one of those situations that God gives us sometimes whereby either choice will do. It was for me a time of fixing relationships, of closing the ledger of accounts on an old year, with hopefully no outstanding debts to carry over into the new.
During one of the devotions, I came across an old highlighted verse in my Bible. Isaiah 55:5 says, "Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations that do not know you will hasten to you, because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor." I am amazed at how God has done this for me. I had initially wanted to turn down the exco role to concentrate on this very thing, yet God himself has done it for me, so that I may not boast.
Now I step down into my personal rest. My personal disciplines had melted to nothing this past year, and I must find them again. I am glad that you have shared with me deeply, and accepted what advice I could impart, but all the relationship in the world will have no value if God does not do His redeeming work through that love, and for this, I must pray. I pray that God will give you a new heart, and put a new spirit in you; that He will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh; that you will love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul as well as strength.
During one of the devotions, I came across an old highlighted verse in my Bible. Isaiah 55:5 says, "Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations that do not know you will hasten to you, because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor." I am amazed at how God has done this for me. I had initially wanted to turn down the exco role to concentrate on this very thing, yet God himself has done it for me, so that I may not boast.
Now I step down into my personal rest. My personal disciplines had melted to nothing this past year, and I must find them again. I am glad that you have shared with me deeply, and accepted what advice I could impart, but all the relationship in the world will have no value if God does not do His redeeming work through that love, and for this, I must pray. I pray that God will give you a new heart, and put a new spirit in you; that He will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh; that you will love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul as well as strength.
May 7, 2009
Two stones...
A man should keep two stones with him at all times. On one should be inscribed, "I am but dust and ashes." On the other, "For me, the world was created." He should use each as appropriate.
Knowing. Understanding. Grasping. Comprehending. Not the point. Not relevant.
Transformation. Purification. Sanctification. Abasement. Worship. Mystery.
Knowing. Understanding. Grasping. Comprehending. Not the point. Not relevant.
Transformation. Purification. Sanctification. Abasement. Worship. Mystery.
May 4, 2009
iRead
Reading Programme: Book 1
Reaching for the Invisible God - Philip Yancey
I've been wanting to read this book for a long time, to see how others have coped with the doubts I struggle with.
I'm a guy who likes things black and white, and when I was young, I liked that about my faith. This is true, that is false, this is how the world works. I liked that about Physics too, which is why I'm studying Physics at NUS now. But as I grow older, the old certainty has been replaced by disconcerting thoughts about the way things are being done in some churches, and I have been struggling for the longest time to find out what exactly being a Christian means for me and the way I live my life. Physics has similarly betrayed me, as I have discovered that it's all very fuzzy at it's core. It's kinda funny, I guess, how my path in these two areas mirror each other.
As a science student, there was something I didn't like about the theology which I was learning, which was that it simply wasn't contradictable. If something good happens, you thank God. If something bad happens, you say that God is refining you. If you pray for something and it comes true, you thank God for answered prayer. If you pray for something and it doesn't happen, you say that perhaps it was not God's will. Under no circumstances can anything ever disprove God, because everything can be interpreted away accordingly. My logical mind was unhappy with that, because it sounded like a desperate delusion. Is God a testable hypothesis?
I am pleased that Yancey has included similar thoughts in his book. He tells the story of a man who steps off a curb and narrowly misses getting run down by a car. People praise God, saying that God was looking after him. The same man steps off the same curb a week later and gets run over, suffering serious injury. He spends months in hospital recovering, while people thank God for allowing him to live. A week after getting out of hospital, he steps off the same curb, gets run over, and dies. At his funeral, the pastor speaks on how God saw fit to call this man home.
Reaching for the Invisible God - Philip Yancey
I've been wanting to read this book for a long time, to see how others have coped with the doubts I struggle with.
I'm a guy who likes things black and white, and when I was young, I liked that about my faith. This is true, that is false, this is how the world works. I liked that about Physics too, which is why I'm studying Physics at NUS now. But as I grow older, the old certainty has been replaced by disconcerting thoughts about the way things are being done in some churches, and I have been struggling for the longest time to find out what exactly being a Christian means for me and the way I live my life. Physics has similarly betrayed me, as I have discovered that it's all very fuzzy at it's core. It's kinda funny, I guess, how my path in these two areas mirror each other.
As a science student, there was something I didn't like about the theology which I was learning, which was that it simply wasn't contradictable. If something good happens, you thank God. If something bad happens, you say that God is refining you. If you pray for something and it comes true, you thank God for answered prayer. If you pray for something and it doesn't happen, you say that perhaps it was not God's will. Under no circumstances can anything ever disprove God, because everything can be interpreted away accordingly. My logical mind was unhappy with that, because it sounded like a desperate delusion. Is God a testable hypothesis?
I am pleased that Yancey has included similar thoughts in his book. He tells the story of a man who steps off a curb and narrowly misses getting run down by a car. People praise God, saying that God was looking after him. The same man steps off the same curb a week later and gets run over, suffering serious injury. He spends months in hospital recovering, while people thank God for allowing him to live. A week after getting out of hospital, he steps off the same curb, gets run over, and dies. At his funeral, the pastor speaks on how God saw fit to call this man home.
May 3, 2009
The first day of the next three months...
Sermon today about families. I think it was relevant. My take-home was the last bit about grace and forgiveness.
My papers are over. I am thankful. They went somewhat well. I think I put in less effort this sem than I normally do. Was remarkably unmotivated. But I picked modules I had aptitude for, so that compensated.
Priorities for the next 3 months:
1) Develop support network.
2) Commence reading programme.
3) Exercise.
4) Learn to cook?
5) Resolve forgiveness issue.
I know I shouldn't dwell on the offence. I am definitely not supposed to keep a record of it. Yet when people talk about forgiveness, they always mention the need to be specific about the offence, which requires defining it. I guess I should get round to writing it out, and then throwing it away when I'm done with it. But I generally prefer typing.
My papers are over. I am thankful. They went somewhat well. I think I put in less effort this sem than I normally do. Was remarkably unmotivated. But I picked modules I had aptitude for, so that compensated.
Priorities for the next 3 months:
1) Develop support network.
2) Commence reading programme.
3) Exercise.
4) Learn to cook?
5) Resolve forgiveness issue.
I know I shouldn't dwell on the offence. I am definitely not supposed to keep a record of it. Yet when people talk about forgiveness, they always mention the need to be specific about the offence, which requires defining it. I guess I should get round to writing it out, and then throwing it away when I'm done with it. But I generally prefer typing.
Apr 24, 2009
board games
stumbled onto a board games blog. gonna list a few here that sound interesting.
Wings of War.
Ave Caesar.
Nexus Ops.
I'm a big fan of games which portray their various settings well. Good gameplay is one thing, but I'd like an immersive experience to boot. That's why I'm hooked on Twilight Imperium 3 - galactic colonization, empires battling it out, and cool plastic miniatures that look plenty menacing by themselves. The different races add so much colour to the game. I just wish it didn't take 5 people 8 hours to play.
Did I mention I played it earlier this week. 8 hours at a table, and not once did anyone get up to use the toilet, get a snack, or even get water. That's 8 straight hours around someone's dining table, and I was super-adrenaline-rush at the end of it.
My holidays are coming, but the guy who borrows the game for us is off to UK again. dangsit!!
Wings of War.
Ave Caesar.
Nexus Ops.
I'm a big fan of games which portray their various settings well. Good gameplay is one thing, but I'd like an immersive experience to boot. That's why I'm hooked on Twilight Imperium 3 - galactic colonization, empires battling it out, and cool plastic miniatures that look plenty menacing by themselves. The different races add so much colour to the game. I just wish it didn't take 5 people 8 hours to play.
Did I mention I played it earlier this week. 8 hours at a table, and not once did anyone get up to use the toilet, get a snack, or even get water. That's 8 straight hours around someone's dining table, and I was super-adrenaline-rush at the end of it.
My holidays are coming, but the guy who borrows the game for us is off to UK again. dangsit!!
Apr 21, 2009
again.
i am continually disappointed by my groupmates in every group project i do.
it was nice of you to offer to compile, but i noticed about 50 words misspelled. "dimer" is obviously not "dimmer", and considering that it's practically the main keyword of the entire project, and that we spent several lectures talking about it in class, i'd really expect you to be able to spell it. you're canadian, you're supposed to be smarter than the americans! and i noticed you didn't correct a single word written by the French guy, whose grammar and vocabulary is understandably poor. i mean, seriously, what?
i know that the Thai guy just isn't very good with his english, so i don't expect too much out of him, but i expected far better from you. really. and to think you offered to work 48 hours straight if need be. guess words don't mean much to you, huh?
as usual, i end up writing about half the report, and editing the other half too. and it's a 4-member team. whatever. i deliberately decided not to be selective about groupmates, 'cos i think that's just mean, so i guess this is what i get landed with. for what it's worth, i enjoyed the project, 'cos i think it'll be really good practice for thesis writing, but...
i wanted to write quite abit about Sunday's sermon, 'cos i thought it was the most interesting i've heard in awhile, but not really in the mood now.
on another note, i played a massive 5-player, 8-hour game of TI yesterday. woohoo! again!
it was nice of you to offer to compile, but i noticed about 50 words misspelled. "dimer" is obviously not "dimmer", and considering that it's practically the main keyword of the entire project, and that we spent several lectures talking about it in class, i'd really expect you to be able to spell it. you're canadian, you're supposed to be smarter than the americans! and i noticed you didn't correct a single word written by the French guy, whose grammar and vocabulary is understandably poor. i mean, seriously, what?
i know that the Thai guy just isn't very good with his english, so i don't expect too much out of him, but i expected far better from you. really. and to think you offered to work 48 hours straight if need be. guess words don't mean much to you, huh?
as usual, i end up writing about half the report, and editing the other half too. and it's a 4-member team. whatever. i deliberately decided not to be selective about groupmates, 'cos i think that's just mean, so i guess this is what i get landed with. for what it's worth, i enjoyed the project, 'cos i think it'll be really good practice for thesis writing, but...
i wanted to write quite abit about Sunday's sermon, 'cos i thought it was the most interesting i've heard in awhile, but not really in the mood now.
on another note, i played a massive 5-player, 8-hour game of TI yesterday. woohoo! again!
Apr 17, 2009
Cats
just watched Cats. Tickets cost a small fortune, we were about 5 rows from the front on an aisle.
It was incredible. Amazing. Superb. A few highlights:
The actors really got into their roles. Part of the intro sequence involved some cats jumping up onto a wall (it was a high wall!) separating the stalls from the 1st circle, and reclining there in the spotlight. When the actors returned after the intermission, they did so through the audience, playfully tugging at loose bag straps along the way, and sticking their noses in between the seats. Two of them somehow got hold of someone's shoe, and sat in the middle of the aisle swatting the shoe at each other.
The final reprise of memory sent shivers down my spine all the way to my knees. Never felt that before. Teared abit too. Very powerful performance.
The show had more energy than a barrel full of duracell bunnies.
It was incredible. Amazing. Superb. A few highlights:
The actors really got into their roles. Part of the intro sequence involved some cats jumping up onto a wall (it was a high wall!) separating the stalls from the 1st circle, and reclining there in the spotlight. When the actors returned after the intermission, they did so through the audience, playfully tugging at loose bag straps along the way, and sticking their noses in between the seats. Two of them somehow got hold of someone's shoe, and sat in the middle of the aisle swatting the shoe at each other.
The final reprise of memory sent shivers down my spine all the way to my knees. Never felt that before. Teared abit too. Very powerful performance.
The show had more energy than a barrel full of duracell bunnies.
Apr 5, 2009
ieatishootievangelise
i'm very impressed with the guy at ieatishootipost.sg. after making his reputation as a local food expert, he's talking Christianity to his audience. he's had a Bible-Verse-of-the-Day at the bottom of his blog since forever, but this Good Friday he's issued an open invite to an evangelistic event.
respect.
on a separate note, my friend showed me an advertisement for a temp job that pays $250 a day. i so want that as a holiday job!! but it's only open to grads - teaching assistant at Republic Poly. i hear they don't even do much teaching there... mostly facilitating-style stuff, which i prefer anyway.
respect.
on a separate note, my friend showed me an advertisement for a temp job that pays $250 a day. i so want that as a holiday job!! but it's only open to grads - teaching assistant at Republic Poly. i hear they don't even do much teaching there... mostly facilitating-style stuff, which i prefer anyway.
Mar 30, 2009
Mar 24, 2009
Prince of Egypt
Listening to the songs again on YouTube. Really amazing stuff... The songs add so much to the story, and I really love the way the choir was used for effect, especially in the opening sequence, and in "The Plagues".
My dream job would be to sing in the choir for all these movies.
It's amazing how they use the reprise of the song, change the style dramatically, and use that to highlight how the relationship has changed completely.
"All I Ever Wanted (with Queen's Reprise)"
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
Produced by Hans Zimmer and Harry Gregson-Williams
Performed by Amick Byram and Linda Shayne (as Linda Dee Shayne)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N385lrzY9gk&feature=related
Lyrics: http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/princeofegypt/allieverwanted.htm
"The Plagues"
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
Produced by Gavin Greenaway
Performed by Ralph Fiennes and Amick Byram
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZTjECQG7bA&feature=related#
Lyrics: http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/princeofegypt/theplagues.htm
My dream job would be to sing in the choir for all these movies.
It's amazing how they use the reprise of the song, change the style dramatically, and use that to highlight how the relationship has changed completely.
"All I Ever Wanted (with Queen's Reprise)"
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
Produced by Hans Zimmer and Harry Gregson-Williams
Performed by Amick Byram and Linda Shayne (as Linda Dee Shayne)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N385lrzY9gk&feature=related
Lyrics: http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/princeofegypt/allieverwanted.htm
"The Plagues"
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
Produced by Gavin Greenaway
Performed by Ralph Fiennes and Amick Byram
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZTjECQG7bA&feature=related#
Lyrics: http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/princeofegypt/theplagues.htm
Mar 22, 2009
rest
the sermon today was on the christian disciplines. in summary: word, prayer, worship, service, fellowship, evangelism. i figure i've got most of that going in one form or other, except the last one. fellowship isn't particularly strong, but i'm working on that this year.
an old dilemma reared it's head again during the sermon though. the pastor was talking about the importance of discipline, carrying our cross, beating our bodies etc etc. it's easy to be captured by inspiring speakers, and push ourselves to higher standards, only to fall away shortly thereafter. it's all very well for paul to talk about working day and night so as not to burden others, but i'm not really motivated enough to do that.
i've been doing abit of a bible study on work issues, and it seems that many of the NT commandments telling us to work hard are given in the context of lazy people who depend on the church for handouts. does that mean that as long as i have enough money for myself, i'm working hard enough? what about doing all things as for the Lord? the gung-ho implications of that particular verse seems to leave no room for rest, no room for leisure, no room for hobbies. yet that is a formula for burnout. plus you might become extremely boring to hang out with.
i was convinced that my main goal this year was to learn how to rest properly. to truly rest, and not merely while away my time on frivolous pursuits, and through resting properly to give myself fully to things which i commit myself to, instead of merely turning up and serving in a perfunctory manner. i've actually been getting into the word abit more, and praying abit more, and enjoying them both more than i have in awhile. but simultaneously, my motivation and desire to study has plummeted. school deadlines mean little to me now, and tests hold little anxiety for me. there's very little which i'm actually putting effort into at the moment, which doesn't seem quite right to me... is this right?
on an unrelated note, i noticed that Jesus gave us the Spirit of Truth. Yet just because something is true doesn't mean that it is Truth. the way that some other people phrase this difference is by distinguishing physical and spiritual realities. when i was younger, and to a certain extent even now, i quested for what was true believing that it would set me free. what i didn't understand was that the Truth is not something perceived by the eyes or understood by the mind...
work!
an old dilemma reared it's head again during the sermon though. the pastor was talking about the importance of discipline, carrying our cross, beating our bodies etc etc. it's easy to be captured by inspiring speakers, and push ourselves to higher standards, only to fall away shortly thereafter. it's all very well for paul to talk about working day and night so as not to burden others, but i'm not really motivated enough to do that.
i've been doing abit of a bible study on work issues, and it seems that many of the NT commandments telling us to work hard are given in the context of lazy people who depend on the church for handouts. does that mean that as long as i have enough money for myself, i'm working hard enough? what about doing all things as for the Lord? the gung-ho implications of that particular verse seems to leave no room for rest, no room for leisure, no room for hobbies. yet that is a formula for burnout. plus you might become extremely boring to hang out with.
i was convinced that my main goal this year was to learn how to rest properly. to truly rest, and not merely while away my time on frivolous pursuits, and through resting properly to give myself fully to things which i commit myself to, instead of merely turning up and serving in a perfunctory manner. i've actually been getting into the word abit more, and praying abit more, and enjoying them both more than i have in awhile. but simultaneously, my motivation and desire to study has plummeted. school deadlines mean little to me now, and tests hold little anxiety for me. there's very little which i'm actually putting effort into at the moment, which doesn't seem quite right to me... is this right?
on an unrelated note, i noticed that Jesus gave us the Spirit of Truth. Yet just because something is true doesn't mean that it is Truth. the way that some other people phrase this difference is by distinguishing physical and spiritual realities. when i was younger, and to a certain extent even now, i quested for what was true believing that it would set me free. what i didn't understand was that the Truth is not something perceived by the eyes or understood by the mind...
work!
Mar 20, 2009
incompetent people piss me off SO badly...
how can you leave random commas in the middle of sentences? capitalise random letters in the middle of your sentence? did you even read through what you wrote after you wrote it? sare you not aware that abbreviations are inappropriate for a formal report? why is it that even though the lecturer has uploaded brilliant examples of formal reports, you are unable to follow the slightest bit, or even to look at them? why is it that when i hand you a printed copy of the report with errors circled in pencil, you still fail to amend them in the later draft? why is it that when i do up the formatting of the report nicely for you, you feel compelled to revert to an earlier copy of the draft to make your own amendments, happily leaving out everything i included? why do you then later complain that you have no time to format the report nicely? why is it that you use one title for the report on the cover sheet, and another title in the letter of transmittal?
i want to take my name off the report, that's how bad it is. i also don't want to ever see them again. unfortunately, neither of the above is an option.
how can you leave random commas in the middle of sentences? capitalise random letters in the middle of your sentence? did you even read through what you wrote after you wrote it? sare you not aware that abbreviations are inappropriate for a formal report? why is it that even though the lecturer has uploaded brilliant examples of formal reports, you are unable to follow the slightest bit, or even to look at them? why is it that when i hand you a printed copy of the report with errors circled in pencil, you still fail to amend them in the later draft? why is it that when i do up the formatting of the report nicely for you, you feel compelled to revert to an earlier copy of the draft to make your own amendments, happily leaving out everything i included? why do you then later complain that you have no time to format the report nicely? why is it that you use one title for the report on the cover sheet, and another title in the letter of transmittal?
i want to take my name off the report, that's how bad it is. i also don't want to ever see them again. unfortunately, neither of the above is an option.
Mar 16, 2009
this blog is not frequently updated. many times i thought of things i might include here, but other things seemed to take priority. it seems pointless at times. what is my motivation for writing?
recently, i have been coming to the conclusion that many of the commandments given in the Bible are not imperatives per se, but more like warnings against acting to the contrary. when we were instructed to do everything as for the Lord, i strongly doubt that it literally meant everything, but more as a warning against treating our responsibilities lightly. after all, some things of necessity take precedence over others.
similarly, i have become very wary of attempting to draw biblical principles from single verses. the limitations of human communication are such that it is rare for a principle to be completely described in a single sitting. the example mentioned above will adequately illustrate this point as well. it seems to me that the safest thing we can draw from the Bible are general principles, each supported by a plethora of examples. This holds true, unless specifically inspired by the Holy Spirit otherwise.
if you have yet to notice, i have finished reading a story about two English majors (from England, no less!), whose relationship was defined by obscure words and quotations. it has affected my writing style. :D
recently, i have been coming to the conclusion that many of the commandments given in the Bible are not imperatives per se, but more like warnings against acting to the contrary. when we were instructed to do everything as for the Lord, i strongly doubt that it literally meant everything, but more as a warning against treating our responsibilities lightly. after all, some things of necessity take precedence over others.
similarly, i have become very wary of attempting to draw biblical principles from single verses. the limitations of human communication are such that it is rare for a principle to be completely described in a single sitting. the example mentioned above will adequately illustrate this point as well. it seems to me that the safest thing we can draw from the Bible are general principles, each supported by a plethora of examples. This holds true, unless specifically inspired by the Holy Spirit otherwise.
if you have yet to notice, i have finished reading a story about two English majors (from England, no less!), whose relationship was defined by obscure words and quotations. it has affected my writing style. :D
Mar 6, 2009
Habits...
There's a quote that I'm looking for, which I'm certain came from C.S. Lewis, but I cannot find it online.
It goes something like, "If only children realise that their entire adult life will consist of nothing but the habits they have learned, they would be more careful of what they do." That's the gist of it anyway, although I'm sure the original was phrased better.
The closest thing I've found online so far is this:
The second half of a man's life is made up of nothing but the habits he has acquired during the first half. ~Feodor Dostoevski
It goes something like, "If only children realise that their entire adult life will consist of nothing but the habits they have learned, they would be more careful of what they do." That's the gist of it anyway, although I'm sure the original was phrased better.
The closest thing I've found online so far is this:
The second half of a man's life is made up of nothing but the habits he has acquired during the first half. ~Feodor Dostoevski
Feb 19, 2009
Lord,
please help me to remember that regardless of how anointed and appointed a man may be, it is still You alone who brings deliverance and healing.
I believe You're my Healer
Heb 7:25 "Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them."
I believe You are all I need
Amen.
please help me to remember that regardless of how anointed and appointed a man may be, it is still You alone who brings deliverance and healing.
I believe You're my Healer
Heb 7:25 "Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them."
I believe You are all I need
Amen.
Feb 17, 2009
A thin line...
I was watching this interesting video about procrastination...
and it got me thinking. the poor guy delays doing his work because there are so many other useful things he could be doing. cleaning his desk, buying his groceries, eating meals etc. on the other hand, a lazy guy, instead of doing work, lies back on his bed and watches the clouds go by. :)
when you put it that way, procrastination doesn't really seem like such a bad thing yeah?
and it got me thinking. the poor guy delays doing his work because there are so many other useful things he could be doing. cleaning his desk, buying his groceries, eating meals etc. on the other hand, a lazy guy, instead of doing work, lies back on his bed and watches the clouds go by. :)
when you put it that way, procrastination doesn't really seem like such a bad thing yeah?
Feb 15, 2009
i have possibly been blessed with the easiest tuition job ever.
two hours a week. two kids, $20 per hour each, for a total of $80 per two-hour session. the kids are in sec3, which means no major exam to work towards this year. they're both in express stream, and are probably smart enough to do well on their own. in fact, they're in the top express class in their school, and the only reason they want tuition is because they feel that they're lagging behind in class abit.
it feels weird and somehow wrong that i can get that kind of money for so little effort. but i guess i should be thankful.
oh, and Pasta de Waraku serves some pretty good pasta.
two hours a week. two kids, $20 per hour each, for a total of $80 per two-hour session. the kids are in sec3, which means no major exam to work towards this year. they're both in express stream, and are probably smart enough to do well on their own. in fact, they're in the top express class in their school, and the only reason they want tuition is because they feel that they're lagging behind in class abit.
it feels weird and somehow wrong that i can get that kind of money for so little effort. but i guess i should be thankful.
oh, and Pasta de Waraku serves some pretty good pasta.
Feb 5, 2009
imeeeem.
i6uuaq has discovered imeem. woohoo! yet another way to waste time... i mean relax and destress. does anyone remember who All-Star United were?
Feb 4, 2009
stupid bureaucrats...
i have been trying for over a week to borrow something from a school department, which would cost several hundred dollars to rent externally.
although the guy i spoke to initially was really nice and helpful, after he spoke with his superior, he came back and told me, "I don't think we'll be able to lend you the boards, because we may not have enough for our own use."
I asked him when he would know for certain, and he told me that his colleague would get back to me the next morning. I spent an anxious morning waiting, eventually calling the department in the late afternoon, only to find that not only was my contact on leave the entire week, but no one present knew anything about my request. wonderful.
so the next day, i personally went down to the department, intending to make abit of a commotion, and discover from a friendly admin person that my contact was due back in the office after lunch. okay... someone gave me wrong information.
so i go back again in the afternoon, and i find my contact back from lunch, and looking quite unhappy to see me. he is surprised that his colleague hasn't gotten back to me, ad tells me that he has no idea when his colleague will be around, and that he thinks she's on leave.
but the friendly admin person corrects him, and informs me that the colleague in question will return shortly. he asks me if i would like to call them back later, but i cannot wait, and so i request to wait in the department.
his colleague arrived shortly, and i spoke to her. this is what she said, in an apprehensive manner. "I don't think we can lend you the stuff, because our students might need to use it. Sometimes they last-minute need to use..."
sigh. reading between the lines and from her body language, she doesn't dare to lend me the stuff, for fear that she might get into trouble for it. but a friend of mine from the department assure me that there's usually alot of spares sitting around. and that if i had asked anyone else the department i probably would have gotten it.
so we're out about $400. it's too late to go back and request again, because i need it by the weekend.
it is so typically Singaporean! kia-see, basically. sigh... and that poor guy is just learning all these bad habits from that colleague. i feel like sending him an email to appeal to him not to be like that next time...
although the guy i spoke to initially was really nice and helpful, after he spoke with his superior, he came back and told me, "I don't think we'll be able to lend you the boards, because we may not have enough for our own use."
I asked him when he would know for certain, and he told me that his colleague would get back to me the next morning. I spent an anxious morning waiting, eventually calling the department in the late afternoon, only to find that not only was my contact on leave the entire week, but no one present knew anything about my request. wonderful.
so the next day, i personally went down to the department, intending to make abit of a commotion, and discover from a friendly admin person that my contact was due back in the office after lunch. okay... someone gave me wrong information.
so i go back again in the afternoon, and i find my contact back from lunch, and looking quite unhappy to see me. he is surprised that his colleague hasn't gotten back to me, ad tells me that he has no idea when his colleague will be around, and that he thinks she's on leave.
but the friendly admin person corrects him, and informs me that the colleague in question will return shortly. he asks me if i would like to call them back later, but i cannot wait, and so i request to wait in the department.
his colleague arrived shortly, and i spoke to her. this is what she said, in an apprehensive manner. "I don't think we can lend you the stuff, because our students might need to use it. Sometimes they last-minute need to use..."
sigh. reading between the lines and from her body language, she doesn't dare to lend me the stuff, for fear that she might get into trouble for it. but a friend of mine from the department assure me that there's usually alot of spares sitting around. and that if i had asked anyone else the department i probably would have gotten it.
so we're out about $400. it's too late to go back and request again, because i need it by the weekend.
it is so typically Singaporean! kia-see, basically. sigh... and that poor guy is just learning all these bad habits from that colleague. i feel like sending him an email to appeal to him not to be like that next time...
Jan 31, 2009
his disgrace...
Matt was speaking yesterday. I was a little bored, so I was just reading random bits of the Bible near to the passage he was referring to. While doing so, I came across this interesting bit of Scripture...
"Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering." 1 Cor 11:14-15
haha. most of my friends have been telling me to cut my hair, but i far prefer this shaggy mop to the secondary-school-standard-style i had been sporting before. truth is, i have no idea what to do with my hair. i want it longish to hide the fact that my chin is more pointy than the Eiffel tower, but i don't know how to pull it off in a way that doesn't look girly. having no muscles doesn't help me here. people tell me i look like a girl, but i just laugh it off. :)
Jill asked me if God was saying something to me through that particular scripture. I don't really think so, but i'm usually quite blur in these matters, so i will wait for further corroboration. :) but it kinda relates to something i've been thinking hard about these past few weeks about the interpretation of scripture...
abit too lazy to go into details now, but what i've been telling people is this: The Bible is not a book of rules. It's a bunch of stories about people who were all trying their darnedest to follow God. So even when there are rules written in there, it doesn't necessarily apply today. But do look at why those rules were written in the first place. This is the logos word of God.
Occasionally, individual bits of Scripture may jump out at you, and may need to be taken literally. This is the rhema word of God, as described in Hebrews 4, where it says that the word of God is living and active. That's what Jill was referring to when she asked me about the hair...
One thing which helped me understand Scripture interpretation was the realisation that Jesus himself often contradicted OT scriptures. I think it's most apparent in Matthew 5, where Jesus repeatedly quotes OT scripture ("You have heard it has been said..."), and then makes his own statement about the topic ("But I tell you the truth..."). I wonder if I might have realised this earlier if I knew how to read Greek...
"Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering." 1 Cor 11:14-15
haha. most of my friends have been telling me to cut my hair, but i far prefer this shaggy mop to the secondary-school-standard-style i had been sporting before. truth is, i have no idea what to do with my hair. i want it longish to hide the fact that my chin is more pointy than the Eiffel tower, but i don't know how to pull it off in a way that doesn't look girly. having no muscles doesn't help me here. people tell me i look like a girl, but i just laugh it off. :)
Jill asked me if God was saying something to me through that particular scripture. I don't really think so, but i'm usually quite blur in these matters, so i will wait for further corroboration. :) but it kinda relates to something i've been thinking hard about these past few weeks about the interpretation of scripture...
abit too lazy to go into details now, but what i've been telling people is this: The Bible is not a book of rules. It's a bunch of stories about people who were all trying their darnedest to follow God. So even when there are rules written in there, it doesn't necessarily apply today. But do look at why those rules were written in the first place. This is the logos word of God.
Occasionally, individual bits of Scripture may jump out at you, and may need to be taken literally. This is the rhema word of God, as described in Hebrews 4, where it says that the word of God is living and active. That's what Jill was referring to when she asked me about the hair...
One thing which helped me understand Scripture interpretation was the realisation that Jesus himself often contradicted OT scriptures. I think it's most apparent in Matthew 5, where Jesus repeatedly quotes OT scripture ("You have heard it has been said..."), and then makes his own statement about the topic ("But I tell you the truth..."). I wonder if I might have realised this earlier if I knew how to read Greek...
Jan 27, 2009
joking aside...
i made this observation a week ago at a meeting.
"It's always the people who are the most ON FIRE that end up getting BURNT OUT."
and i received the groans that were due me. i, on the other hand, was trying hard to suppress hysterical laughter. sigh... but making lame jokes makes me happier for awhile.
as my cousin put it at dinner on the eve of CNY, "Lame jokes run in our family, except that they're lame, so they can't run." lalalalala.
i had a remarkably deep conversation with my cousin's fiance about ministry matters, even though it's only the second time i've ever met him. he's been working hard with church youth, and we talked about our frustrations and our hopes. it was refreshing to talk with someone who's gone through the same problems, and is further along the path that i'm walking on. i spoke to him again today at lunch, and his passion for the kingdom was clear to see. and next to him i was reminded of the many things i have yet to become. sin confounds me. fear dominates me. i grimace more than i smile nowadays.
i am tired, and have been unable to find rest. i've been sleeping day and night, yet i can hardly bring myself to do anything that resembles work. i have dropped many responsibilities, but there are still many on my plate. i eagerly anticipate the day when i will finally be free of them all.
one of the modules i am taking this semester is ES2007S, Professional Communication. Amongst other things, it is also teaching about emotional intelligence, defined as the identification and understanding of one's emotions, and the control and utilisation of said emotions in aid of one's goals. i don't think i will do very well here...
"It's always the people who are the most ON FIRE that end up getting BURNT OUT."
and i received the groans that were due me. i, on the other hand, was trying hard to suppress hysterical laughter. sigh... but making lame jokes makes me happier for awhile.
as my cousin put it at dinner on the eve of CNY, "Lame jokes run in our family, except that they're lame, so they can't run." lalalalala.
i had a remarkably deep conversation with my cousin's fiance about ministry matters, even though it's only the second time i've ever met him. he's been working hard with church youth, and we talked about our frustrations and our hopes. it was refreshing to talk with someone who's gone through the same problems, and is further along the path that i'm walking on. i spoke to him again today at lunch, and his passion for the kingdom was clear to see. and next to him i was reminded of the many things i have yet to become. sin confounds me. fear dominates me. i grimace more than i smile nowadays.
i am tired, and have been unable to find rest. i've been sleeping day and night, yet i can hardly bring myself to do anything that resembles work. i have dropped many responsibilities, but there are still many on my plate. i eagerly anticipate the day when i will finally be free of them all.
one of the modules i am taking this semester is ES2007S, Professional Communication. Amongst other things, it is also teaching about emotional intelligence, defined as the identification and understanding of one's emotions, and the control and utilisation of said emotions in aid of one's goals. i don't think i will do very well here...
Jan 24, 2009
Jan 22, 2009
zaftig
i learned a new word today, from NGM.
zaftig
- Main Entry:
- zaf·tig
- Pronunciation:
- \ˈzäf-tig, ˈzȯf-\
- Variant(s):
- also zof·tig \ˈzȯf-\
- Function:
- adjective
- Etymology:
- Yiddish zaftik juicy, succulent, from zaft juice, sap, from Middle High German saf, saft, from Old High German saf — more at sap
- Date:
- circa 1936
of a woman : having a full rounded figure : pleasingly plump
I think this may be a useful word to know. :) Scrabble, anyone?
I think this may be a useful word to know. :) Scrabble, anyone?
In what is probably a new record, school has been on for less than two weeks, and I have already found myself tired and grouchy enough to skip a lecture (today, Solid State Physics II). I was outside the lecture venue, and then I walked back to my room to chill.
I've read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows more than twice over the last few days, and most of the climactic bits more than that. Since the climactic bits stretch out to well over a quarter of the book, that takes awhile. But it relaxes me.
As does this: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/archives
It seems that Nat Geo magazine has put up all their issues from the past few years on their website, free to view. I spent an hour there last night, as well as two hours at http://comics.dp.cx/archive.html, which has years worth of archives of around a zillion comic strips.
The task before me at the moment appears impossible. But I suppose that's why people pray.
I've read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows more than twice over the last few days, and most of the climactic bits more than that. Since the climactic bits stretch out to well over a quarter of the book, that takes awhile. But it relaxes me.
As does this: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/archives
It seems that Nat Geo magazine has put up all their issues from the past few years on their website, free to view. I spent an hour there last night, as well as two hours at http://comics.dp.cx/archive.html, which has years worth of archives of around a zillion comic strips.
The task before me at the moment appears impossible. But I suppose that's why people pray.
Jan 21, 2009
Long sideburns are biblical...
I just received an email from a church elder exhorting us to read what Lev 19:28 has to say about tattoos, and encouraging us to forward it to our friends so that the Word of God may be relevant in our lives. Lev 19:28 - "Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD."
Of course, Lev 19:27 says this - "Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard." I've seen an interesting book in some bookshops entitled "One year of living Biblically" - the guy ended up with a remarkably hirsute face.
I trust this reflects my opinions about tattoos.
This is one of my pet peeves.
Of course, Lev 19:27 says this - "Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard." I've seen an interesting book in some bookshops entitled "One year of living Biblically" - the guy ended up with a remarkably hirsute face.
I trust this reflects my opinions about tattoos.
This is one of my pet peeves.
not my people
"I will call them 'my people' who are not my people; and I will call her 'my loved one' who is not my loved one," - Rom 9:25
I find it so amazing that God calls us what we are not, knowing that we will become what He has called us.
I find it so amazing that God calls us what we are not, knowing that we will become what He has called us.
Jan 16, 2009
by faith, not by sight
things are not progressing as quickly as i hoped they would.
solutions are not forthcoming.
but the God who fed the five thousand is strong.
solutions are not forthcoming.
but the God who fed the five thousand is strong.
Jan 9, 2009
something worse may happen
John 5:14 surprised me today. "Your sins have been forgiven. Now go and sin no more, or something worse may happen to you" is the general idea of the verse, according to the few versions of the Bible I checked.
I guess it startled me, because the words sounded like abit of a threat. It reminds me of that picture of the bearded old man, standing on the clouds, wielding lightning bolts to toss down at people who displease him. The words seem imbued with the ideas of condemnation and judgment, which didn't seem right to me at first.
But a little further reflection reminded me that this was the pattern God showed the Israelites throughout much of their history, and that this is the basic pattern of the world - sin leads to destruction, be it in this life or the next. I guess that the same phrase could be spoken with much love and tenderness, and that it's only my preconceived cultural references which interprets it as threatening. That something worse may eventually happen to him is not the work of a vindictive deity, but a consequence of God standing by his own words and the system that he set up to redeem a pure people for himself.
I guess I got caught up in the worldly mindset of instinctively rejecting everything to do with the ideas of condemnation and judgment as ungodly. Just because we don't practice it doesn't mean we can't speak about it.
I guess it startled me, because the words sounded like abit of a threat. It reminds me of that picture of the bearded old man, standing on the clouds, wielding lightning bolts to toss down at people who displease him. The words seem imbued with the ideas of condemnation and judgment, which didn't seem right to me at first.
But a little further reflection reminded me that this was the pattern God showed the Israelites throughout much of their history, and that this is the basic pattern of the world - sin leads to destruction, be it in this life or the next. I guess that the same phrase could be spoken with much love and tenderness, and that it's only my preconceived cultural references which interprets it as threatening. That something worse may eventually happen to him is not the work of a vindictive deity, but a consequence of God standing by his own words and the system that he set up to redeem a pure people for himself.
I guess I got caught up in the worldly mindset of instinctively rejecting everything to do with the ideas of condemnation and judgment as ungodly. Just because we don't practice it doesn't mean we can't speak about it.
Jan 8, 2009
and here's to a happy new year...
it's been a tough year, esp. this last couple of months. realising alot of things about myself, and the basic attitudes i take towards life which don't seem to be cutting it anymore. not really satisfied with any aspect of my life except my grades, which have never been my primary concern. i guess that i'm experiencing more of life and trying to come to grips with what is involved in living it, but it's not a particularly happy experience.
my primary attitude towards serving in church and ministry is heavily influenced by the idea of spiritual gifts. i'm drawn to this idea that if everyone simply does what they can with the gifts that they are given, the church would be a functioning place. some to be teachers, some to be evangelists etc. and somewhere along the line i got this idea that if i simply put my head down and did all the things i felt God had called me to do, then life would kinda fall into place for me, and i would find myself in the places that God had intended me to go into.
so i put my gifts to work in every area that i can, but somehow it doesn't seem to be working anymore.
it seemed great for awhile, as somehow doors opened before me, and i found myself in places i had never dreamed of going into, yet i'm entirely dissatisfied with them, to the point that i'm quite determined to pull out of everything this year. somehow i've been disappointed everywhere i go, and the cliched answers don't satisfy me. i liked the idea that certain actions led inexorably to certain results, even in this walk of faith, and that logic, sequence, and cause and effect still apply. be a man, do the right thing etc etc.
but maybe not. i'm reminded that i have been crucified with christ, and the life i now live in this body of mine i live by faith in the one who loves me. that it is faith that leads to salvation, not works. it seems like i took the 'obey' bit of 'trust and obey' and magnified it out of proportion to the 'trust' bit. but if real trust manifests itself in actions, then how does trusting and obedience differ in any way?
more to follow.
my primary attitude towards serving in church and ministry is heavily influenced by the idea of spiritual gifts. i'm drawn to this idea that if everyone simply does what they can with the gifts that they are given, the church would be a functioning place. some to be teachers, some to be evangelists etc. and somewhere along the line i got this idea that if i simply put my head down and did all the things i felt God had called me to do, then life would kinda fall into place for me, and i would find myself in the places that God had intended me to go into.
so i put my gifts to work in every area that i can, but somehow it doesn't seem to be working anymore.
it seemed great for awhile, as somehow doors opened before me, and i found myself in places i had never dreamed of going into, yet i'm entirely dissatisfied with them, to the point that i'm quite determined to pull out of everything this year. somehow i've been disappointed everywhere i go, and the cliched answers don't satisfy me. i liked the idea that certain actions led inexorably to certain results, even in this walk of faith, and that logic, sequence, and cause and effect still apply. be a man, do the right thing etc etc.
but maybe not. i'm reminded that i have been crucified with christ, and the life i now live in this body of mine i live by faith in the one who loves me. that it is faith that leads to salvation, not works. it seems like i took the 'obey' bit of 'trust and obey' and magnified it out of proportion to the 'trust' bit. but if real trust manifests itself in actions, then how does trusting and obedience differ in any way?
more to follow.
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