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Rich in His Love
Thursday, March 18, 2010

Ha, alrites. It can be seen from my streams of 1000~ words post recently that I've been bombarded by tons of thoughts and stuff but yup, I'm journaling them down for as memories because life lessons are too precious to forget after dawn, so if it's too wordy, skip it.

And so it's been a really great holiday this time round, taking a retreat from all the hustle of busy Singapore live and just dwelling in His presence. I learn new things each day, lessons of the heart, mind and spirit and in these few days, I have grown so much closer to Him.

I'm gonna be off for camp and I hope all these things won't just be head knowledge but things I will apply into daily life. Alrights, shall leave with two small thoughts. I'll be less explanatory, cos I aint good at expressing my thoughts into words hence the not-so-good writing style and as well as for ya to ponder about them.


Humility.

In the recent times, I've kinda got praises that really made my day and letting me know I'm back on track where I ought to be. Aside from giving the glory to God, I tend to dwell in it, and just think back on the words spoken as I smile.

And with the latest comment complimenting me really really made me glad and as I thought about it, I started to focus on myself, "I'm getting better". Nothing really that wrong there, but when I start to personalize the praise, I lose sight of God's work. That it is not by my strength that I am well, but the light in me that shines from Him. And yea, and right after the compliment was a note from another friend saying otherwise.

So right after I'm all high and happy here comes someone that brings me down immediately. Just crushed my happiness totally. Knowing from her personality, it's fairly meant in slight humour but despite that, it definitely held truth to it. And it was like God telling me "Alright, yeap, you've got your praise, but don't let it get to your head", which it kinda was. And yups, I'm still far from perfect, with countless flaws, both internal and external.

Philippians 2:3

3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.



Anyways, I hope my life will shine with a new light, that people will be drawn to me, not for my attention but to see His light in me, that I can live a life as an exemplary Christian. I'm sure I will and have made many mistakes, I ask of your forgiveness, for all those that I've hurt, disappointed, stressed up, and failed to live a life right the way I ought to. I'm sorry ._.

Matthew 5:16

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.



Prosperity.

I've heard people saying "God wants us Christians to be prosperous because He loves us." True, but have you asked yourself, do you see "prosperity" the way God sees it? To be rich, live in mansions and landed property, to own big cars, to wear the latest fashion coupled with branded goods? Or would that be what you want?

Materialistic desires more often then not, often replace our affections for God, displacing our time, effort and focus on His work while we seek after our own desires. Such was the case with the young rich man when he met Jesus,
Matthew 19:16-26
16Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"

17"Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."

18"Which ones?" the man inquired.

Jesus replied, " 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, 19honor your father and mother, and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'"

20"All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"

21Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

22When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

23Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

25When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?"

26Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."


And it's not like God doesn't want us to be rich. I'm sure there are good Christians out there that are rich, with their hearts still set towards God, but the tendency to slip into materialism is just so high. Cos ultimately in everything we do, it's the state of the heart that counts.
Matthew 6:19-24
19"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

22"The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. 23But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

24"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.

And yea, seek a life after God, and He will provide all that is needed for your ministry. A thing to note, the word used here is "need", not "want". We don't need to worry about the what we lack, for He's watching over us and taking care of our lives.
Matthew 6: 25-34
25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Unlike the world standards, we as Christians do not need to hold a 5-figure paycheck, nor properties, automobiles and material wealth to be prosperous. We are indeed prosperous as we already are, whether or not we are in the lower, middle or upper class of the socioeconomic ladder. It is unto us to find a state of contentment. A contented heart finds great in little, and an uncontented one, little in great. Prosperous not only having our needs fulfilled but in heart, where we ought to be rich in His love; that is, God's economy.

Yups, so I'll end with my definition of prosperity, where true prosperity is having no wants in life, not because I have acquired them all, but because God has supplied all that I have truly needed, and so I lack of nothing necessary to live a life that is honourable to Him and His purpose.

See ya dear brothers and sisters~ ^^

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