Sunday, May 11, 2008
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the world around me...my spiritual life
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before that, i need to ask a question: does God condone WHITE LIES? I was discussing this with my friends, and i came up with these 2 examples in Exodus 1:19-21; "The midwives answered Pharaoh, "Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive." So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous. And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own." (In context exodus 1) and the verse in Joshua 2:4; "But the woman (Rahab) had taken the two men and hidden them. She said, "Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they had come from."" (In context joshua 2) and I was asking my friend from these 2 examples, does God condone white lies? what do you think? if so how are white lies defined?
ok now about my spiritual life. during the exams my spiritual life has been a wreck. i only believe that the existence of the spiritual life is only by the existence of a relationship with God with only happens through intimate time with Him and which is only through QUIET TIME. make sense right? if not, even if u are doing things which are right, you are only merely a good boy thats it. i must find a way to balance and regularly have my quiet time and put my spiritual life back on track. only then will i be able to continually increase my faith and trust in Him as the Bible says "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ." in romans 10:17. We need Christ's guidance, protection, providence every single day of our lives.
you might say that I am trying to be a role model for those around me in school, a Christian one. But during exams and before the exams I find myself leading 2 separate lives. In school, I'll act holy and boasted on my minute knowledge of the Bible but at home, I just study and neglect God all the way. Then one night I was doing quiet time and it spoke to me cos it was talking about God waiting for the whole day just wanting to speak to us and how many times we have let him down(Daily bread - May 1). There was another day which spoke to me too which was on 1 peter 3:8-12 which is a passage i'll try to read every night before my quiet time as a warm-up. I was feeling very moody that time and it was about how we should be a positive impact to everyone we meet and a heart touched by grace brings happiness to the face. So now Im trying to lead a proper-decent Christian lifestyle or aka an intensive makeover for my spiritual life. Just that there's no end to this intensive makeover.
We are as Christians should work in-work out our Christian faith as the word says "Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose." in Philippians 2:12-13.
There is also another question in the Bible that is erm...conflicting? In Matthew 5:16 it says "In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." and Matthew 6:1 it says: "Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven." Despite the difference in these 2 verses, I gathered that whenever we do good deeds in front of men, and we have received our full reward in trying to have a positive influence on them. So it's like sacrifice. Yup.
Thats all.
aaron chua thanked jesus at3:58 PM
