May God Give You...

May God give you...
For every storm, a rainbow,
For every tear, a smile,
For every care, a promise,
And a blessing in each trial.
For every problem life sends,
A faithful friend to share,
For every sigh, a sweet song,
And an answer for each prayer.

God's creation - humans

Our today is God's yesterday.

Often, we claim we do not see God's power in our lives today. If we just stop and look at each other closely, then we will begin to see God's awesome power. We, human beings, are quite special. Amazing even. Just looking at the face itself -- the surface area of our face is quite small yet all of us - past, present, and future - are all different. Really different. It really shows how marvelous God is. It's quite something.

Look at us and marvel at God.

Loneliness

Sometimes when I'm laying down at nights, I can't help think about how lonely all of us really are. I know a lot of people are like me - hold in a lot of emotions/secrets to themselves. Even if we really want to share everything to someone, it's impossible for us to even think of where to begin. That's why there's God. Only He knows all our motives and actions and what we want to share but cannot put it into words. He fills the emptiness that is left by this world...but we need to first turn to Him. I believe having this feeling of loneliness motivates us to draw closer to Him, knowing that He can fill the void that has been missing all along...

...as with many things in this world, I guess it's just another blessing in disguise.

When you want to cry but have no one to turn to -- bow your knees.

Rethinking our concepts

I can't speak for others, but often time, I have the mentality of "the end of man is the beginning of God" concept in my head. Why not? It makes sense. When we are pushed to the edge of the cliff with no where else to go, that is when we finally kneel down sincerely, wholeheartedly and fully rely on God. End of man is the beginning of God.

Boy, was I way off. I think a lot of us need to check our perspectives again and reverse our thinking.

Since the beginning of our journey, God has always been there. God and His grace. No matter what happens, God's grace will not and cannot be depleted. Otherwise, it wouldn't be God's grace.

So although it is true that the end of man is the beginning of God but even more so in saying that before our journey even begun, God's grace is already there...waiting for us.

It snowed today -- happy first day of spring!

(:

haha! Found this while stalking other people's blogs (::

Dear x:

I don’t really know how to tell you this, but I dislike you. I think I realized it When I tripped on sesame seeds outside of Chicago and I saw you ignored my avocado plant. I’m sure you’re ashamed enough to understand that I did a sex-change. I’m returning your ring to you, but I’ll keep David’s tricot outfits as a memory. You should also know that I will tell the authorities about hating the Boston Celtics.

Good luck on your short-term leave from jail
-w


I found this rather amusing.

RULES:
Do the “Letter MEME”. Tag no less than 5 other people, and leave them a comment, informing them that they have been tagged. Then copy the “How-to” Letter Meme, and finish your Journal entry.

-> How you do the Letter Meme:

Dear (the last person who left a comment on your journal):

I don’t really know how to tell you this, but ___1___. I think I realized it ___2___ ___3___ and I saw you ___4___ ___5___. I’m sure you’re ___6___ enough to understand ___7___. I’m returning ___8___ to you, but I’ll keep ___9___ as a memory. You should also know that I ___10___ ___11___ .

___12___,
-Your name-

1. What’s the color of your shirt?
Blue - Our romance is over
Red - Our affair is over
White - I’ll join the monastery
Black - I dislike you
Green - Our horoscope doesn’t match
Grey - You’re a pervert
Yellow - I’m selling myself
Pink - Your nostrils are insulting
Brown - The mafia wants you
No shirt - You’re a loser
Other - I’m in love with your sister

2. Which is your birth month?
January - That night
February - Last year
March - When your dwarf bit me
April - When I tripped on sesame seeds
May - First of May
June - When you put cuffs on me
July - When I threw up
August - When I saw the shrunken head
September - When we skinny dipped
October - When I quoted Santa
November - When your dog ran amok
December - When I changed tennis shoes

3. Which food do you prefer?
Tacos - In your apartment
Pizza - In your camping car
Pasta - Outside of Chicago
Hamburgers - Under the bus
Salad - As you ate enchilada
Chicken - In your closet
Kabob - With Paris Hilton
Fish - In women’s clothing
Sandwiches - At the Hare Krishna graduation
Lasagna - At the mental hospital
Hot dog - Under a state of trance
None of the above - With George Bush and his wife

4. What’s the color of your socks?
Yellow - Hit on
Red - Insult
Black - Ignore
Blue - Knock out
Purple - Pour syrup on
White - Carve your initials into
Grey - Pull the clothes off
Brown - Put leeches on
Orange - Castrate
Pink - Pull the toupee off
Barefoot - Sit on
Other - Drive out

5. What’s the color of your underwear?
Black - My best friend
White - My father
Grey - Bill Clinton
Brown - My fart balloon
Purple - My mustard soufflé
Red - Donald Duck
Blue - My avocado plant
Yellow - My penpal in Ghana
Orange - My Kid Rock-collection
Pink - Manchester United’s goalkeeper
None - My John F. Kennedy-statue
Other - The crazy monk

6. What do you prefer to watch on TV?
Scrubs - Man
O.C. - Emotional
One Tree Hill - Open
Heroes - Frostbitten
Lost - High
House - Scarred
Simpsons - Cowardly
The news - Mongolic
Idol - Masochistic
Family Guy - Senile
Top Model - Middle-class
None of the above - Ashamed

7. Your mood right now?
Happy - How awful I’ve felt
Sad - How boring you are
Bored - That Santa doesn’t exist
Angry - That your pimples are at the last stage
Depressed - That we’re cousins
Excited - That there is no solution to this.
Nervous - The middle-east
Worried - That your Honda sucks
Apathetic - That I did a sex-change
Ashamed - That I’m allergic to your hamster
Cuddly - That I get turned on by garbage men
Overjoyous - That I’m open
Other - That Extreme Home Makeover sucks

8. What’s the color of your walls in your bedroom?
White - Your ring
Yellow - Your love letters
Red - Your Darth Vader-poster
Black - Your tame stone
Blue - The couch cushions
Green - The pictures from LA
Orange - Your false teeth
Brown - Your contact book
Grey - Our matching snoopy-bibs
Purple - Your old lottery coupons
Pink - The cut toenails
Other - Your memories from the military service

9. The first letter of your first name?
A/B - Your photo
C/D - The oil stocks
E/F - Your neighbour Martin
G/H - My virginity
I/J - The results of your blood-sample
K/L - Your left ear
M/N - Your suicide note
O/P - My common sense
Q/R - Your mom
S/T - Your collection of butterflies
U/V - Your criminal record
W/X - David’s tricot outfits
Y/Z - Your grades from college

10. The last letter in your last name?
A/B - Always will remember
C/D - Never will forget
E/F - Always wanted to break
G/H - Never openly mocked
I/J - Always have felt dirty before
K/L - Will tell the authorities about
M/N - Told in my confession today about
O/P - Was interviewed by the Times about
Q/R - Told my psychiatrist about
S/T - Get sick when I think of
U/V - Always will try to forget
W/X - Am better off without
Y/Z - Never liked

11. What do you prefer to drink?
Water- Our friendship
Beer - Senility
Soft drink - A new life as a clone
Soda - The incarnation as an eskimo
Milk - The apartment building
Wine - Cocaine abuse
Cider - A passionate interest for mice
Juice - Oprah Winfrey imitations
Mineral water - Embarrassing rash
Hot chocolate - Eggplant-fetishism
Whisky - To ruin the second world war
Other - To hate the Boston Celtics

12. To which country would you prefer to go on a vacation?
Thailand - Warm regards
USA - Best regards
England - Good luck on your short-term leave from jail
Spain - Go and drown yourself
China - Disgusting regards
Germany - With ease
Japan - Go burn
Greece - Your everlasting enemy
Australia - Greetings to your frog Leonard
Egypt - Fuck off now
France - In pain
Other - Greetings to your freaky family

Birthday!

Happy birthday mother! You are well appreciated...even when we do not always show it. I'm sorry, it is not in my nature to express my emotions in such a way, but the love is still there. Definitely.

Sorry, I meant to post this on the 16th of March but I guess time slipped by without me noticing.

I've been slacking and become one of those people who rarely posts in their blog anymore. I will try to change that.


We judge if God is with us by how well we are doing - that is why there are ups and downs in our journey of faith. We change with the seasons. Instead of changing, let us look at the nature (Romans 1:19-20). God's already there. He will always be there. Then our faith will not change.

First Name Analysis

Came across this site and found it intriguing --

The 6-8-5 Name Combination

Unless there is imbalance in the rest of their makeup these people are intelligent and as clever as the best of them. They are quick-minded and able to perceive the flaws in others' concepts. Their minds scrutinize everything. It is the truth that is their motivating force.

They are free spirits who find themselves going contrary to almost everything and everyone else. If they are repressed in any way they can become rebellious or self-indulgent, and create chaos in their environments. These types can accomplish ten times more than anyone else because of their drive and fearlessness. They dare to be great and dare anyone who tries to stop them. If this force is not disciplined and directed, the frustrations can lead to self-destruction because of the inherent mental intensity.

This influence contains a profound mental capacity for analysis and deduction, always stimulated by their response to untruth. They are here to right the wrongs of humanity. Restlessness and change are integral parts of their lives. If there is no challenge in their work, change is impending. They work for and demand their independence. Their minds never stop cogitating about things. They are serious and worrisome and spend many sleepless nights playing the same mental tunes.

Their accomplishments, unfortunately, do not include the ability to find peace of mind. Only when their lives are motivated by a noble purpose or cause can they begin to feel a deep satisfaction in their work and in their life, otherwise they search endlessly for the elusive answer to life and their miseries. They will travel the world either literally or through books and learning in order to satisfy their insatiable desire for answers to their questions. They must understand that force that drives them or they will be driven to distraction.

Their creative impulse does not conceive any limitations when awakened. They draw from an energy that seems unlimited but definitely has its limitations when they push themselves too hard. Their deep sense of responsibility and commitment will drive them to a point of exhaustion. Sometimes it is only through pure physical exertion and exhaustion that they can induce a kind of relaxation that serves as a temporary relief from their worries.

This is a very mental or intellectual force that has a tremendous insight into things as long as it flows out of the strength of their independence. If they are thwarted in their efforts, their minds can become quite critical and their skepticism can blind them to the truth. Injustice can make them mad, and they are formidable fighters. They must learn the great truth: that answers come in the midst of the battle only when the fight becomes impersonal. It is truth that must be the focus and not getting even. If this influence is misdirected, the repression experienced will self-destruct in some form of indulgence.

Worry is their nemesis. They would do well to laugh more often. Their criticism of others can become quite intense and holding grudges could be a problem. Holding on to their problems mentally invariably leads to ulcers or other stomach problems.

------

Not sure if it's completely true but some points hit the spot (:

Remember me as...

Where do tears come from?

There are numerous characters in the Bible who have exemplified themselves as faithful Christians that we can learn from --

Abraham, the father of many nations, believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness and he was also considered a friend of God (Jms 2:23)

Moses, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter and chose to suffer affliction with the people of God rather than enjoy the pleasure of sin, was also called by God as the humblest man at that time - more humble than all the men who were on the face of the earth (Num 12:3)

Uriah the priest and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah were considered faithful witnesses to God (Isa 8:2)

David, who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness and obtained promises, was said to be a man after God's own heart in the Bible (1S a 13:13-14; Acts 13:22)

Tychicus, a worker long side with Paul, was remembered as a faithful minister by God (Col 4:7)

....and the list goes on.

Makes you wonder -- what would God think of me when my time comes?

I would imagine He would say something along the lines of...

You have done well in life. You have gone through many sufferings and tribulations and have tried your best to get by on your own; You need to rely on Me. You've tried hard to please everyone and worry about their thoughts but you forgot the most important person to please - Me. You try to hold too much inside and continually forget to let Me carry your burdens and therefore lack rest; for My yoke is easy and My burden is light (Mt 11:29-30)...

Maybe I would be remembered as the son that always falls short of His expectation.

But I still wonder...

Where do tears come from?

Love

While I was driving, I heard on the radio this new concept of love --

Every person in this world loves themselves. Sometimes, they love themselves so much that they feel they don't deserve what's happening to them but rather, they deserve something better. They love themselves so much that when they don't get what they think they deserve, they feel as if the world is not cooperating with them and hence, they harbor discontentment, hatred, and to the extreme, commit suicide.

Everyone loves themselves. Whatever the outcome - hatred, narcissism, committing suicide, caring for others - it is still an expression of love.

Anyway, we need to love others as we love ourselves (Mt. 19:19, 22:39; Gal 5:14, etc) and we all know we love ourselves a lot. Selfless love. The ultimate example displayed to us by Jesus Christ. Being able to cast his own personal feelings aside and have the courage and strength to do what is necessary for the good of everyone else. To love even when no one notices. To love when no one else is reciprocating. To love for the sake of love.

Simply amazing.

I'm still learning.

Righteous Will Live by Faith

After praying one night, I decided to sit down on the floor and skim through my old NYTS notes when I found this - NYTS '04 Romans homework.

"For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: 'The righteous will live by faith'" (Romans 1:17). This verse is the main concept that Paul is trying to elaborate throughout the entire book of Romans.

In order for anyone to receive salvation, that person must meet the two basic requirements of water baptism and receiving the power of the Holy Spirit from above and also be justified by their faith. Aside from those requirements, one also needs to have faith, as it stated in the latter portion of Romans, "The righteous will live by faith." A person can only be righteous if that person is in the state of being 'in the right' in relation to God. What does it mean to be 'in the right?' Romans 2:13 explains, "For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous." Having faith is wonderful but having faith in itself cannot label a person as being righteous nor can it make anyone righteous. "In the same way, faith by itself, if not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, 'You have faith; I have deeds.' Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do" (James 2"17-18). Also in verse 26 of the same chapter, it tells us that, "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead."

Faith and deeds cannot exist independently of each other just as how Jesus has to be the son of God and from the seed of David in order to save us. Being the son of God and from the seed of David worked dependently with each other in order to fulfill the prophesy. If Jesus was the son of God but not a seed of David, then He cannot die for our sins and if He was from the seed of David but was not a son of God, then He would have been a sinner and still cannot save us from all our sins. Having know that and reading "a righteousness that is by faith from first to last," we know that deeds has to fit into that verse with faith somehow since they are dependent of each other.

If anyone does any good deeds for anyone, then they are classified as a good person. That is correct, but Paul went further in depth with that concept. He said that if you have good deeds, then you should have a good heart. Having a good heart means that one has a good root in his faith. Furthermore, if a righteous man is justified by faith, then faith should decide what kind of deeds you will perform. Deeds are the only natural consequence of your faith so if you have good faith, then you are a good person and eventually you will perform an act of good deed.

We cannot be justified by our deeds but rather we are judged by what our deeds are. "For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law" (Romans 3:28). The only way we are justified is through the blood of Jesus by water baptism, not circumcision. Circumcision is the practice of law by shedding your own blood, rather than accepting the blood of Jesus by baptism. Through baptism, the blood of Jesus washes away all our sins.

All of us needs to be justified because by default, we "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). We are all sinners in sight of God for through one man sin entered in. When we were born, all of us started with original sin and after baptism, our personal sins start to accumulate as our desires grow. Faith is only half of the role in justification. Justification by faith needs to involve the blood of Jesus, which is water baptism.

Only the righteous that lives by faith from the first to the last can be saved when the time comes. One cannot have faith and merely act out one good deed and expect that they will enter into the kingdom of Heave. Rather, set your mind to keep on doing what is right and to keep building on your faith.

When we build up on our faith, not only will we be justified but we can also be sanctified and glorified. With faith, we have the chance to receive the spirit of God and water baptism and through water baptism and receiving the Holy Spirit, we are sanctified.

We are glorified through the same way. If we have already received the Holy Spirit and the water baptism, then we are glorified with righteous deeds since water baptism and Holy Spirit is from above.


I don't remember writing that AT all. I need to cultivate more so I can reflect like that.

Unity Among Churches

During the weekend, I went to Elizabeth church for Spiritual Cultivation. It was my first time back since over a year or so. While I was back there, one of the r.e. students came up to me and asked me what I was doing there and labeled me as Hillsborian. Haha. Thought about that for a bit, then disregarded and went on throughout the rest of the day.

Later on today, I was talking online with that same r.e. student and she called me that again. To which I responded by saying there should be no distinction between churches. We're all one body -- tjc-er. Then jokingly, the student, responded saying that (their current church)-ian, is different and cooler.

Different and cooler, huh? 1 Cor. 1:12-13 came to mind.

Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

If this is the way the kids are thinking these days, then I think we have failed as r.e. teachers. As their brothers and sisters in Christ. As examples for the younger generation. Often, in the classroom, we would emphasize on love, unity, patience, obedience, etc among men, but more emphasizes on God. But if even in this minute situation, they're making distinction among their own brothers and sisters in Christ because of worship location. Then I fear they already have the wrong mentality.

I remember when the church first branched out, there were disharmony among the councils of both church over something as insignificant as A/V and now, if the younger generation are also having this mentality (hopefully not), then we have not improved and our relationship, as the entire body, have not strive to become closer to God.

It just seems like a lot of people are forgetting we are one body. Our Father died for ALL of us. Location should not matter, but that doesn't seem the case.



It is I, Lord. I'm the one that sent you to the cross

Art of Giving

Today, we try to find consistency in this world by finding good friends that we can trust and rely on. We may find some that will be there for us most of the time, but never always. Friends, no matter how close and reliable, are like the seasons. You can always go to them in times of spring and summer. Possibly autumn. But when they are in their winter, you will need to step up and be there for them.

What happens when both of you are in your winters? Then you can only rely on God. He is our rock and fortress (Ps. 18:2, 62:2) and because He is our rock and fortress in which we take refuge, we will not be shaken. For only in Him, is our constant in our life. While all things may change around us, we can count on Him to stay the same.

Today's chinese new years. Happy Chinese new year! As tradition goes, I got my red envelopes from my family. Funny thing about giving. The amount that I received from my family members were the same amount that I gave to each of them. No monetary gains in the end, but it's the thought of giving that counts. Family <3

On another thought, YAF kickoff fellowship was fun this weekend. Thank God for the blessed brothers and sisters' in Christ

Complaints

I would definitely say I'm a complainer. Why? Aside from all the obvious reasons as to one would complain, I would also complain for the sake of complaining. If I were to stop, it would mean that my life is perfect. Completely smooth. Everything that is happening is satisfactory. That can't be right. Nothing is ever that perfect. That's why I complain.

I guess you can say I'm ungrateful. Perhaps you can call me selfish. I want what other's have. Only if it's better than what I possess at the moment. Gosh, I'm a jerk.

I don't even know why this thought has been in my mind recently. Maybe to figure out when it is okay to complain. There must be times when it is okay. Think about it.

This is where I should learn how to be complacent. Funny - I always warned myself of complacency (in regards to spiritual life, chores, life!).

I went skiing and snowboarding this weekend. This person thought I was under eighteen there. 18! I must be boyishly handsome. jk! My entire body is really sore. But it was fun. Bonding + fellowship = awesome.

Lesson learned: I'm a weak sauce.

Beauty of the Snow

It was really gloomy when I woke up. The sky was gray, sun wasn't out, and it wasn't even 7 yet, but snowing. Boo to waking up to early. When I left the house this morning for work, I kept looking around, mesmerized by the snow around me. I love it when it snows. I love it even more when it's dry snow. Especially when the wind blows it and scatters it all over the place.

God's creation is really beautiful. It is all around us but we are so used to it that we're taking everything for granted...as did the Israelites when they were in the desert for 40 years. They were accustomed to the manna that was provided for them. The pillar of fire by night and pillar of cloud by day.

Look around us. We're becoming like the Israelites more and more. We need to appreciate the wonderful creation around us. Everything is good. Of course it's good. Everything is created by God - our Father. This is MY Father's world. He only provides the best for us. My Father's world...

Then reality hit and I realized I needed to shovel the snow off the car and warm up the car so I wouldn't be late for work.

Friendship

As I was sitting in my room making a friendship bracelet, I started remembering all the friends and acquaintances that I've made in the past. How we said we would always be good friends and would always be there for each other no matter what happened. Halfway through making the bracelet (for those of you that knows me, I'm REALLY bad at mixing and matching colors), I couldn't help but notice how ugly the bracelet was. It really was ugly. I digress.

I have to admit, I'm not really good at keeping in touch (so the friends that I have at the present time; I cherish you). So it's partly my fault for losing contact with old friends. I'm also not that humble, so I'll have to say it's partly their fault for not keeping in touch with me as well (: But I digress again. Honestly, it takes a lot of effort to keep in touch. You need to go out of your way and exert energy and effort to stay in touch. I guess that's how it is with our spiritual life also. We know we need to stay close to God, no matter where we are, but we do not want to go out of our comfort zone and exert energy and effort. We would rather watch television, go online, play games, chat with friends, etc. rather than to kneel down for merely 20 minutes to pray to God, spend a few minutes to read the Bible, and to stay cultivated.

No matter how hard we try to please our friends, it will only be temporary. Things will never last, no matter how good of a friend you are to each other. But when you try to please God, He will remember for ages to come. He will remember and reciprocate. He is the only constant thing in life. We all know that. So pursue what matters.

I need to learn how to mix and match colors better. Definitely.

Darkness of the Night

Last night, as I laid down on my bed before going to sleep, I couldn't help but notice how dark my room was. There were no night lights, curtains were closed, nor were there any light seeping in from under the doorway. Soon after I laid down, my eyes adjusted and I was accustomed to the darkness that surrounded me. Abruptly, the moon light beamed through the cracks from the curtains onto my eyes. I couldn't help but squint and shift away from the light, as would anyone else in that situation when trying to rest.

From that experience, it dawned to me how quickly we adjust to the darkness around us. When we walk into a room that is completely dark, it will take us no more than a minute or two for us to adjust. Once we've adjusted, we can move around freely as if we were in the dark. But when the lights suddenly turn on, we will be blinded by its brightness and freeze in order to readjust our eyes.

Similarly, in our spiritual life, we will also get used to the darkness that is in this world. No matter the situation, we will always be surrounded by the darkness. Even after returning from spiritual convocations, seminars, or any church cultivations, we will have to face the darkness in this world. Once in darkness, if we do not keep a pure and holy life (praying daily, reading the bible, keeping God's commandments), we will become used to the darkness around us and think of it as a norm. We must not forget, we "are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God" and he has called us "out of darkness into this wonderful light" (1 Pet 2:9). Therefore, we must keep a close watch of ourselves and not be consumed by the darkness. Once we're consumed, we will not know what we are doing, spiritually speaking, since the darkness will have blinded us by then (cc. 1 Jn 2:11).

If you find yourself living in the dark, it is not too late to back out. Just turn away and draw yourself back to God. It will not be easy, but it is not impossible. When we turn back to God, we may feel ashamed and it may feel uncomfortable, since we are used to our old life style. But know that that is the right path. And while things may feel peculiar when we've turned back, it is only because we have been in the darkness for far too long and when we approach God, there is no darkness in Him (1 Jn 1:5).

Stop waiting! Don't become complacent in the cold of the dark and draw into the warmth of the light!

Happy Birthday grandma minus 7 days

Went with the family to New York today to celebrate my grandma's birthday. She turned 80. Wow. It never really hit me how old she's become. Actually, how old all of us are becoming. The last time I recalled life passing by so quickly was high school graduation. I was probably a little dramatic then, thinking things will never be the same afterwards. We're all leaving to different states for different colleges, how could things stay the same? But it wasn't so bad. I guess things aren't that much different from before but life is still changing too quickly. I wish things were as they were back in childhood. Not completely the same, since over the past few years, friendships have been strengthened, new friends were made, memories were created.

We're always afraid of changes, but they don't turn out to be so bad after all.

God of Oxymoron - Peace

Many times, the Bible seems to be contradicting itself - or at least, from our finite perspective. For now, peace.

"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." (Jn 16:33)

How is it possible for us to have peace in tribulation?

Often, we confuse ourselves thinking that peace is associated with smooth and happiness. When tribulations or difficult situations arises, we are discouraged and disheartened. We think that as Christians, as children of God, He would make things better. He would grant us peace so we can sail through the storm in ease. We tend to forget that having peace does not mean that things will always go smoothly (unless if it's peace on earth).

Peace as the Bible would tell us is:

1) Peace with God (Rm 5:1, Eph 2:14-17)
Work of Christ into which the individual enters by faith

2) Peace from God (Rm 1:7, 1 Cor 1:3)
Emphasize the source of all true peace

3) Peace of God (Phil 4:7)
Inward peace, state of the soul of the Christian who, having entered into peace with God, has committed all his anxieties to God through prayer and thanksgiving.

4) Peace of/on earth
Universal peace on the earth

A lot of times, we do not have peace in tribulation because we long for the peace of this earth. We forget that the source of true peace is from God and only from Him. No matter the circumstances, as long as we keep a pure relationship with our Lord, our Father, then no matter the ditch that we're in, we will be calm. In our anger, we can keep our composure and still be christian-like. From our actions, others can see that we are different and we have the peace of God, from God, with God.

Start of Something New

For a while, I've been contemplating on whether I should start blogging or not. With this post, the answer's been decided.

It has been a while since I've typed or written down any of my thoughts hence I haven't the faintest clue as to where to begin. Seeing a new year has just begun, I've been reflecting more about the past year - especially the change I've noticed in myself. It's not the first time I've changed, but this year, I realized why I've changed.

In our walks of life, we tend to meet different people who plays a role in your life. Whether great or small, they'll leave a mark. Once in a while, we tend to meet someone who will inspire us in different ways that will encourage us to change ourselves. To change to become better. I have met a handful last year that have had that affect on me. They have that affect not because they are perfect or flawless in their attitude, deeds, personality, and so forth. But rather, they stimulate me to become a better person by their own actions and mindset. They are already a good human beings but they push themselves to become better. They go above and beyond expectations set by men so they can please God. From that, they have inspired me to become better as well. I'm not sure if that makes sense or not...

Anyway, last week, we had a Spiritual Convocation for college/working youths. During the seminar, I've experienced two prayers where I was moved to tears. One: when my friend (who was and still is a truthseeker) received the Holy Spirit by the grace of God. I did not find out the good news until one prayer, when he was next to me, that I heard him praying in tongue. During that prayer, I started to cry. Cried to God because of His unfailing love. His love which compelled my friend to come to church. To attend the convocation. To be able to sit and listen to class after class from this book he knew nothing about. To be able to pray countless minutes all the while interceding for others whom he did not know at the same time not even knowing the meaning of interceding. To experience the joy of Holy Spirit, of prayer, and fellowship among brothers and sisters in Christ.

This was a feeling new to me. In my sixteen years of Christian faith, I did not know such a feeling existed. What a joy it was to know that a wandering soul has been brought back to God. That a sheep outside the fold is back in the pen and the chance of salvation is within reach!

Two: during a prayer during dessert, I started praying for the youths of the church. I can't help notice how they are wandering farther and farther away from God. I cried because I knew they were jeopardizing their faith to fit in with the world. As it was stated from another reflection, "In this world, equality is synonymous with justice, fairness, and the 'rights' of individuals. We expect that as a member of society, each of us is entitled to the same opportunities and the same privileges as any other. When we are deprived of equality, we often feel cheated out of something that is rightfully ours." I feel as if the youths of the younger generation feel the same way. They know they have to be different, but pressure from their peers is skewing their mindset and tempting them to change. They want to fit in...but just with the wrong group. All one can do is pray and be there for them when needed.

...I just want to become a better person than the day before, with God's help.