Thursday, July 3, 2008
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a little sharing
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just wanted to share with you what i received in my email today. maybe after reading the story just a little time to reflect upon it k?
[a little sharing to all... :D
a young boy made a beautiful toy sailboat and took it to a lake to sail, but a gust of wind blew the boat out into the lake. the boat was lost. several weeks later, the boy saw his sailboat in the window of a toy store. when he asked for his boat, the store owner said, 'i own the sailboat now. if you want it you will have to buy it back.' the boy sold all he had to buy back his boat. after paying the store owner, the boy took his boat to his heart and said, 'little boat, you are twice mine, i made you, and now i bought you.'
Isaiah 40:28-31
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.]
aaron chua thanked jesus at9:32 PM
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
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our actions n words
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i just wanted to talk about how our actions may reflect how we behave and how we think. our words, thoughts, deeds. Everything.
Eg1: In one of my tuition class, my friend (whom i thot was a strong christian) was just telling me some joke and then ended off with the middle finger, which was part of the joke. I was kinda shocked then he told me he was joking only la he didnt meant it.
Eg2: In my school, someone i know was telling some adult a whole tall tale about how he was converted, became christian and stuff like that. Then after talking to him, he suddenly turned to me and said (quote)," I f****** fooled him!" At the moment i didnt know whether to be shocked or to laugh.
Eg3: A close group of mine, outside school, has recently been doing a sign that some may translate as "wt-fish". I have been trying to stop it cos it is kinda not right. But in that close group like everyone is doing it so ya.
I just want to end off with this.
"Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell." James 3:5-6
#1: Shows that a small spark alone is easily disregarded. But a small spark in a suitable environment (the world) can cause much damage.
#2: Shows that when a great forest is on fire, it is uncontrollable and is difficult to extinguish the fire. Similarly, a tongue has spoken words inappropriate, it is uncontrollable, difficult to get rid off and soon it will consume over you (v6).
#3: Shows that speaking in bad words will affect your future. (v6) It will affect how others perceive you, it will affect how you perceive yourself. It will make God unhappy.
#4: Shows that the more you speak of such evil, the less trustworthy your words become. Shows that indirectly we are cursing God. "With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness." James 3:9
These verses have certainly shown how powerful the tongue is. It is definitely the responibility of everyone, not only christians, but especially christians, to tame their tongue. Or else how can we praise God fully with all our heart when we have a dirty mouth?
Similarly I believe this applies to our actions as well. Everyone is watching you, even when you think nobody's watching, God's watching. Even the walls have ears. Haha.
James 3
Taming the Tongue
Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.
When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt[a] water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
Two Kinds of Wisdom
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.
aaron chua thanked jesus at5:31 PM
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me back into dance
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this is actually kinda simple but amazing at the same time story
during the june holidays, i was thinking of whether to go back to dance. thinking very hard. thinking of how others might react. somehow seems like i was reading a lot of stuff that was talking about faith in God. seems like it.
on 21/6 during cell group i think jit was leading worship. then we sang this song "for there is no higher calling, no greater honor than to bow and kneel before your throne. im amazed at your glory, embraced by your mercy oh Lord i live to worship you."
so then i was thinking, if the Lord of the whole entire universe, zooms down on me, tells me to go do something, and if i dont do it, wouldn't it be what a waste? in fact i should be honored to do something for such a big Guy. plus Os is an earthly thing, heaven is definitely not. so i told God, "God, if this is your will, then tell me what to do."
so ya everything was as per normal and then on 24/6 (tue), after i came back from tuition, super tired so went to sleep. When I woke up, I checked my handphone and then I saw a missed call by Aunty Agnes (whom btw is head of the children's ministry). So I called her and then she told me that there's a dance item that we are asked to do on the overnight prayer. And only 5-6 practices. I was ok ok ok. Cos my mum and dad was overseas so I asked my aunt. She kinda gave me a reality check, which was totally necessary. So I waited for my dad to come home, the next night, then he was like no no no but he was smiling. When my mum came home last sun, I told her and she said its up to me.
So yup I am going back to this dance ministry till the performance. From there, may I have the courage to do God's will. Haha.
aaron chua thanked jesus at5:20 PM
