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Encouragement

This is my thoughts section.
This is a place where I can write down thoughts for myself,
but also sharing them at the same time.
Enjoy =).

12.12.05

Grace comes at just the right time, and comes in just the right amount.

It is not random or reckless, but is rather steady yet powerfully flowing,

carefully and flawlessly driven and directed by purpose,

for it is not arbitrary,

nor is it spontaneous.

It is full of meaning, and is intelligently designed,

and is thus somehow perfectly sufficient for each and every unique individual.

8.30.05

Even now I can look back over these last few years, and see how God has changed in me what the laws that govern this world deem unchangeable. I am still here, and God is still great. The amazing truth that keeps me lies in the faithfulness of God, and all I see myself doing, looking back, is simply believing it. All I remember myself doing is trusting this truth. There is no straining of the will, or flexing of the spirit, but rather, believing means letting go. In the submission of our own selves we discover an awesome and infinite power by which we are transformed, and amazingly, all we are called to do is to believe. If it were not for this truth we call good news, nothing would have remained, and my seeking after God would have diminished.

When I look back from the day I was saved until now, and, as the fog of misconception settles, I see not my own faithfulness, but rather God's faithfulness. Naturally, I have no interest in God or His Christianity. Naturally, I have no inclination to Christ or what he did on earth. But supernaturally, in letting go, and thus simply believing, I can care, and not only so, supernaturally a new nature is created, and somehow these supernatural inclinations become natural. The argument that my present life sprouts from a mere interest or predilection cannot stand, for I have witnessed, and thus know firsthand my nature before meeting Christ, and after meeting Christ. There was a time I did not know God, but now I know Him, through Jesus Christ. There was a time I was enemies with Him, but now I am part of His family. There was a time when I did not care, but now I somehow care. And all these things, surprisingly, sprout from the faithfulness of Christ. I am still here, and still growing, at that, not because I held on to Christ, but rather, Christ holds on to me. And I cannot lose it, because I did not buy Christ, but he bought me. By no means am I a special person, or possess any special traits, for of that I am convinced. These mysteries, which I cannot fully grasp now are what lead me, and constantly, I taste and see that they are good.

"Stop doubting, and believe"
These words, to me, are one of the most encouraging and loving words from Jesus.
Complications cannot stand in the presence of truth, especially when Christ himself shares good news that a time has now come when it is possible to believe, and freely.

7.06.05

It is amazing how greatness comes not in the form of expectation, but inconceivable wonder and awe. That is why we refer to something as great, because we never get tired of it. I am deeply thankful that I worship a God who is great, and who will remain forever great. The grace of God, shown through Christ is great; it never grows old. His love and mercy are constantly fresh and new. The more I experience this grace, the more I am blown away, because I am so amazed at how new it is to me, how foreign it remains to me, constantly. It never fails to convict me in a way I never could have expected or imagined.

God's love cannot be contained be mere human comprehension, because it is so infinitely wide, and infinitely deep. Paul wasn't kidding when he described God's love as surpassing all understanding. When we get used to something, and can begin to contain it within the limits of human comprehension, and then expectation, the quality of greatness diminishes. But thank God for never growing old, for never diminishing in worth, or value, and for showing us constant, inconceivable wonder and awe. The grace of Christ, to me remains yet a mystery.

In loving, and joyful memory of my grandmother, of whom a Saviour we share =)

4.14.05

It has been such a long time since I last wrote; I guess God's led me to do a lot of listening. This is one of the bigger lessons God has taught me recently, but as a precursor to what I am about to write (in a non-coherent manner), I just have to say that it is incredibly liberating when I find that God is the one calling and leading me to seek after Jesus Christ, and not me. Can I really call it working? When I consider myself as the initiator in leading my heart to pursue Christ, and to follow his commands, I grow unnecessarily weary, but when I consider that everything I am doing is a response, and that to grace, I may still grow weary, but that weariness is not my own.

I've realized that even living your life in faith can make one spiritually demanding, and it can cause spiritual fatigue and exhaustion. There is no Christian in the world who has never been tired, or experienced spiritual exhaustion. God can work through our weakness, however, to show His incredible strength. That said, there are two ways of living in faith I have experienced in my life that I will share: Faith by grace, and faith by will. The second way of living, as I have learned, is not pleasant. I encourage all followers of Christ, including myself, not to live the second way.

We live in an incredibly demanding world; we want results, and we want them fast. If we depend on something, we expect results favorable to our expectations. The world we live is not a content world; it is not satisfied, but demanding. Even Christians are not immune to having this demanding desire, and what I mean is that grace is slowly getting out of a Christian's life picture, perhaps not mentally, but spiritually, and this is the incredibly crafty and sneaky work of Satan, with the world as his tool.

Paul scolded the Galatians in Galatia as turning away from grace, and asked if they had suffered so much for nothing. This is an incredibly striking question: Is it possible that Christians can suffer for nothing? I testify that Paul was not in the wrong for asking such a question, as I have now grown to understand a little more of what he meant.

When you sing, you sing with your stomach. If you've ever tried to sing with your throat, you'll find yourself getting tired pretty fast. When you sing in such a way, your throat is straining. It's working hard to get a sound out, but you may have noticed that the quality is not pleasant, because it's not natural. Voice instructors will agree, and so will my vocal cords. The air must be brought from the stomach, and the sound comes out through the throat because of an abundance of an overflow of air, and it's natural. There is no pain, and it is not tiring, and best of all, the quality of the sound you hear is many, many times clearer. Projecting from your stomach is probably the most fundamental and important concept you must adhere to when singing.

Spiritually, I wonder how often we Christians are keeping the faith by grace, or by will or human strength, and I think one of the reasons is because, as I mentioned, that we live in an increasingly demanding world, which in turn leads us to become very manipulative people. We focus so much on results, and external appearances, but not on the source! We forget that we are a people called to live a life of overflow, and grace slowly diminishes. Acts that we consider of by faith turn bland, boring, and meaningless, yet we continue in these empty faithless acts, and soon enough, we find ourselves enslaved to things that were originally designed, paradoxically, to liberate and free us, and this makes us weary.

As I said, there are two ways to live in faith. There are also, as a result, two ways of being spiritually weary and tired, at least as I have seen from my life thus far. We Christians can be weary in grace, or weary in the strain of will, and the faith by will I am speaking of is the same as one who sings with his throat, or at least it seems to me. We over-concern ourselves with "acts of faith"! There is nothing wrong with acts of faith, of course, as we are called to act according to faith, but the initiator of living by faith is grace; it does not start with doing, but with receiving.

Weakness, fatigue, and tribulation are inevitable, but when tribulation comes, go through it in grace. When weakness comes, go through it in grace. When fatigue strikes, live through it in grace. By becoming weary from self-dependence, and self-reliance, we are not suffering as we should! Let go of the burden your spirit pains to carry, and give God room in your heart to work. This is never simple and easy with anyone, but this is not conditional! There are no circumstance-dependent buts! Our generation must stop focusing on external results, and go back to the source, that is, grace given by God through Christ Jesus. If you skip steps and attempt to go straight to the result or appearance, you will fall, and fall hard, for your "acts of faith" have no grace to sustain them.
May grace and mercy grow to be so precious to all of us, in whatever way God wills, and no matter what it takes.
He must become greater; we must become less.

7.31.04

A broken spirit, and a contrite heart, God will not despise. May God grant all of us these things, that they may be pleasing to him.

It is common knowledge that Christians go through struggles, such common knowledge that it is misconceived. Many of us, especially myself, have the perception of struggles as one of the inevitable difficulties we must face in our lives. Is it not written in the Bible? Did God himself not tell us that our lives would not be perfect, and that we would encounter trouble?

Anguish, both mental and spiritual, anxiety, confusion, heartache. Where is God in times of our struggle? In the depths of our suffering, we cry out, and why does it feel like he doesn't answer? Are not his promises true? Is he really at work in this world? If he his, where is the evidence?

The most important question we can ask at this time is in asking what our options are. What are we allowed or not allowed to do? What can we do? What choices do we have in our times of trial and testing?

We all have this common knowledge of inevitable trouble that so many times we find ourselves coming to the conclusion that we must simply endure and wait for this troubled time to pass, for is it not for the future "peaceful times" that we long, hope and pray, and persevere for? Have we no freedom? Are we thus bound to our suffering because of this "law" of inevitability?

The Word of God says no! God says no! We are not bound, but free! Where does this freedom come from? Romans 8 starts off by saying that therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. The blood of Jesus Christ, shed on the blood, has given us this massive and secure freedom. In being a bit blunt, I know that so many of your spirits, and mine, are wondering and hoping, during these troubled times, whether or not our souls can be satisfied, whether or not our hearts can be at peace, content, and not anxious of anything. More so, we may also be wondering if we can even be joyful, at that! But can we?? Does this not conflict with our inevitability of trouble in our lives? Do we really have the freedom and privilege to be joyful, and at peace?

We do!!!! God knows we do!! Does the blood of Christ not testify that we do? For those who are in Christ Jesus, we now have a spirit of freedom, a freedom so secure and firm, built on the foundation of Jesus Christ. There is an awesome power in finding peace and joy in times of trouble. The glory of God can be glimpsed more clearly in the depths of your trouble than in times of peace.

This freedom has been bought for us! Take it and enjoy it! Who shall condemn you, Christian? Who shall condemn those in Christ Jesus? If Jesus Christ is even at the right hand of God, interceding on our behalf, who can condemn God's children? There is NONE, and there can be NONE.

Wait on God in times of trouble. This doesn't mean we can breeze through hardship, but it does still mean that we have the same freedom we've always had since the acceptance of Jesus Christ. God is still with us, and though our troubled situations may not always change the way we would want them to, God honors those who continue to believe that God never forsakes those in Christ Jesus, those whom He loves. And God will change us, the way we see the world, our hearts, and minds. Through us, His glory will be revealed, and we will witness for ourselves that it is a glory far outweighing our own troubles, for Paul tells us that our sufferings cannot be compared to the glory of God. We partake in this!

Praise God for his infinite kindness, for his everlasting love and grace, and for His wonderful mercy and compassion, for even when our vision is blurred, our God, Emmanuel, is with us.

6.15.04

     Many times we fail to understand the nature of God because we try to understand biblical concepts and biblical ideas with worldly minds. Truth, in our modern era seems to be layered by more and more misconceptions every day, even among churches and Christians. I am also guilty of falling in this category, and I have also realized and am still realizing how important the Bible is every day.

     Christians! Brothers and sisters! I urge you, as well as myself to gain knowledge and understanding through God's Word. Get biblical! I have discovered myself that the impressions I have of God and my faith are not all based on the Bible. There are too many hindrances in our society today that can cause us to develop misconceptions of God, and faith. We must restore truth and meaning to our society, and let people know that we worship not a god defined by Hollywood, nor have a vague faith based on emotivism, but that we worship the living God Almighty found in Scripture. Once you began reading, you find that the phrases like the God of Abraham and of Isaac and Jacob contain a whole new meaning!

     The Bible in its entirety for us serves as a context to transform our perspective. It coats the outer boundaries of our minds, so that we can gain a more accurate image of God and His nature. I challenge others, as well as myself to have a biblical context when understanding biblical principles and truths. Attempting to understand biblical knowledge with a worldly mindset will only ultimately end in confusion, as I have learned. This is not easy, because it means putting aside factors that may have biased all of our lives, even factors that make us who we are today. But by reading God's Word, not only the facts, but by gradually discerning the overall context or �spiritual feel' of the Bible through the Holy Spirit, we can see the nature of God more clearly and know Him more. Never underestimate the Scripture, as Proverb states that "it is not good to have zeal without knowledge." As the saying goes, "If you're going to read the Bible, read all of it!" =)

5.10.04

     It has been a very interesting last couple of months. I believe this is the biggest gap I have had in-between entries ever since I began writing. There have been numerous instances where I felt I had to write, but in the end, perhaps nothing came to mind. The reason I write now is that I find that I am not alone! I find people that are still active in the faith, still striving to live in accordance with the will of God, still struggling to see God in their troubles and hardships. Praise God, for He alone is good, and besides Him, there is no other! I am not alone, and there are many who are struggling alongside me, waiting to see the glory that is promised to be revealed in us.

     The school year is now over, and I have learned many things I will have to put into practice. As of now, I wish to reminisce and remind myself that Christianity, knowing God, is about freedom. Knowing God is not about restrictions, rules, and regulations. The rules and regulations and "traditions" that people do practice are not what make Christians Christians, for salvation is by grace and through faith alone (Ephesians 2:8-9). How often I must remind myself that genuine transformation works inside-out. People do not meet God through rules or any kind of customary ritual. How easily do I forget this basic knowledge, this fundamental yet so profound essentiality.

     Concerning discipline and prudence, as some may perceive, they are not meant to be restricting or supressing; rather, they are intended to be uplifting. Discipline comes as a result of love, to prepare and train the "habits of your heart," and prudence is meant to open your eyes, so that you might gain insight in your life and take refuge when you foresee trouble. The greatest difficulty is the ability to see such meaning during this period of perseverance and building of character. If we could only see the purpose of God's plan in these circumstances in our lives!

     For those of you who have the Spirit of God in your lives, I urge you to continue to share it! How alive your spirits can reach out to us in love and sincerity! Enjoy God, and never stop showing the satisfaction of God's grace, especially during your times of perseverance and hardship, and how knowing God is all about freedom! Friends for friends, and friends for enemies, never cease to pray for one another, as God sees each sincere prayer, as well as person, as unique and special. May the Spirit of God be real to all of us, that we would live our lives with life.

2.24.04

     Have you ever tried to watch tv while studying, or eat with your back facing the television when it was on? Unless we're extremely gifted in the area of discipline, many of us know how hard it is to concentrate on two things at once.      The Bible tells us in Hebrews to fix our eyes on Jesus, who is the author and perfecter of our faith. I don't think this necessarily means mentally thinking about Jesus all day long, but it does mean that our hearts should be focused on him. Our hearts can only be focused on one thing at any given point of time. But just as it is difficult to direct your mental attention to two tasks at once, there are also many things to keep the eyes of our hearts on Jesus.

     Satan does everything he can to get our eyes off Jesus; he tries to hinder your relationship with God with excuses. Every time we try to turn to God, Satan tries to give us excuses to prevent it. Every time we face discouragement and seek hope, Satan is always there, giving us legitimate reasons as to why we should not feel hopeful, but guilty. These reasons are very sensible indeed. If there's one thing I've learned, it is to not argue back against Satan, for this only makes the pit you are in deeper. Satan is the master of logic, and he's been arguing against people for thousands of years. No, do not argue the devil with logic, but refute him with the Word of God, and with faith.

     Life is war!! We cannot be blind to the schemes of the devil. There are many things that hinder us from fixing our eyes on Jesus. All of us have desires of our human nature, but is this an excuse from setting our eyes on God? Even Jesus Christ, God's own Son was tempted, and yet remained perfect, without sin. It's not only about temptations, but moreso our reactions to them. We need to desperately hold on to God during these times of tests and trials. Overcoming temptations does not simply mean doing the right thing, for in that case, in a sense we are helpless, but rather, there is also a bigger, more important picture we must consider. Spiritual attacks, our sinful desires, our biases, or evil suggestions bombard us every day. Great! But how do we respond? Even if we fail, even if we consider and meditate upon our imperfectness and weaknesses, do we still cling to God?

     Satan attacks us by making a list of legitimate reasons as to why we should continue sulking, continue feeling hopeless, continue to be without joy. Every time we try to turn to God, he always begins his argument with, 'But.' 'But what about this? But what about that?' As a result, our passion is left stripped, and our spirits left dry. We thirst for water but we cannot seem to find any. In reality, what Satan says is true. We are sinful beyond our imagination, and are not worthy to come before God.

     The Bible also tells us in Psalms that the Lord protects the simplehearted. In order to fix our eyes on Jesus, we have to be willing to first take our eyes off of whatever we are looking at. We cannot focus on paying attention to what Satan says and also to God; we must choose one or the other. For all the people whos' curiosities drive you to listen to what Satan has to say, take your eyes off of him and his super-long list of legitimate reasons he is holding up. With faith, your shield, and also the key to a simple heart, refute the devil. Why? God will always have the greater and greatest reason to fix your eyes on Jesus.

     Having faith means taking a leap; no matter what complications and complexities Satan throws at you, and no matter how much it makes so much sense, let go of trying to win your argument against him, for what the devil is really doing is deceptively offering you a fake satisfaction. If we argue Satan logically, we will never win. Why? Because the concept of grace is illogical. We are only fighting a losing battle by attempting to obtain a fake satisfaction by proving to the devil why we are worthy. Nothing we have done or can do will ever make us worthy!! Even if we were all "better people", we would never be worthy.

     God wants to see His children simplehearted; He wants us to overcome any logical complications Satan throws at us, and come to Him with faith. If the concept of grace was logical, what room, then would there be for faith?
     May we all learn to seek first the kingdom of Heaven, for all these other things will be added unto us, as Jesus himself promised. May we truly learn and practice to fix our eyes on Jesus, especially amidst our tests and trials.
Your passion, hope, and joy were bought at such a great price; don't give it away because of something that cannot compare to the grace of God, but together may we continue to encourage and build up one another.

1.23.04

     Ah, the feeling of a broken spirit. Up until now all my entries have been fairly formal. My main focus was to somehow convey some kind of hope to readers, as well as myself. For those of you who do not believe in God, do not mistake my past messages. The truth is, taking this Christian journey will shake you inside-out. Doing the things that you are called to do by God is crazy. Living the lifestyle you are called to live is absurd. I always grew up with people calling me crazy and weird, with good reason of course, but now there is no one who thinks I am more crazy than myself.

     I'm not entirely sure what kind of impression I can give with these comments I've written down. I have received a variety of responses, all of which are very encouraging. I thank all of you from the bottom of my heart, as I can see more and more how tightly connected we really are by the grace God has given us.

     Reading over these thoughts in the past, I have seen how easily I can portray a "religious" or pious impression, as can anyone who wishes to share the message of the gospel these days, it seems. The truth is, for those who may not know me in person, I have many faults. I did not inherit, if you will, the name klutz without legitimate reason.

The dictionary defines a klutz as: 1) A clumsy person, and 2) A stupid person; a dolt.
Both of these definitions are very accurate in defining my character and personality, or who I am. As I said, I am one with many faults. Growing up, I would never have logically been interpreted as one who would become a Christian. But you see, this is where the logic breaks. Many people who have known me long ago may be taken by surprise, but as I also mentioned, no one is more surprised than I am of how God is changing me, and on the inside, at that.

     The whole purpose of all these undertakings I have engaged in: The music, the thoughts and everything else is to try to show how a perfect, righteous and holy God can work through an imperfect, sinful and dirty soul as myself. I did not realize this at first, but these things are becoming progressively clearer to me as time passes.

     Again, the Bible tells us that God's power is made perfect in weakness. There is no purpose for God to work through one who is already perfect, for if God works perfectly through one already made perfect, how then can we see God truly working, apart from the perfect one? As Jesus valiantly saved the world from their sins through "foolishness," even death on a cross, we are made to share by living the same message; this is the message of the gospel. It is the power of change that is greater than the moving of mountains, or the parting of seas.

     This is what I hope and pray to share with others; that knowing God through Jesus is not just for people who grow up in a church, or have a certain kind of lifestyle, or are brought up in a "religious" home, no, no, no; Christianity is for all. I see how easy it is for my head to be too high in the clouds to see what's going on down on the ground. Reading through my past comments, there certainly seem to be many positive connotations of my character, but not many faults or foibles. Besides God, let me be the most persuasive to declare that I am not without sin. May I never confuse my own self with what God made me to be by His grace through Jesus Christ. So, "religious" or pious? No, I am nothing of the sort. The reason I do not wish to convey a religious appearance is because it seems to produce some kind of a bias to those who have not yet accepted Christ. This bias distorts the truth that I am the same as anyone else. Rather, I am but one of many sinners who has accepted the grace given freely to me.

     I am weak. Many times I feel helpless, my spirit aimlessly wandering and clumsily banging into this and that. If an outsider were to observe me, he might think to himself, "What on earth is he doing? What a clumsy, inept person." However, what I hope to show is my weakness, yet evidence of God's perfection.
     As brothers and sisters in Christ, we are called to carry each other's burdens. I am profusely thankful for each and every person God has sent my way to encourage, motivate and inspire me. If there were no people for God to speak through to me, I don't know where I would be. Never stop encouraging and edifying one another, especially during times of weakness and hardship, for then you see how valuable God's people really are. Sharing God's understanding that you are not alone is indeed surprisingly powerful.

     All those who know God through Christ were at one point separated from Him. But!! But!!! Earlier, I said that the Christian journey shakes you inside-out. It's true; sometimes struggles and hardships seem to overwhelm you at an amazing pace from all directions. Why, then do we keep at it? All because there exists a but, and because this but is greater than any trouble, able to overcome all sins, regardless of the situation. The keyword in the gospel is the BUT. It's all about the but. What exactly is this but??? This but is our hope, an anchor for our soul, as the Bible says, and everyone is enabled access to this hope through Jesus Christ. Christians go through hardships and conflicts aware of their situations, but at the same time repeating but, but, but in their hearts. The gospel tells us we were once separated, but that now we have been brought near through the blood of Christ Jesus. If God can work through someone as weak and imperfect as me, He can work through anybody.

12.06.03

     I think that linking belief with behavior is something very challenging. My mind claims one thing, but my heart says another. There are a lot of things I thought I was prepared for, a lot of things I thought I could handle, but apparently my mind did not seem to agree with the condition of my heart. Learning things with the mind is indeed an easier and faster process than learning things with the heart. I see how true it is that many of us may have too much information than we can handle. Of course, there is nothing wrong with having knowledge, but is not knowledge useless if not used in accordance with the right application?

     As I said before, I may know and believe certain things, but then again my behavior doesn't always seem to reflect my beliefs or even my strongest convictions. I confess there are many times when my heart seems to desire the many ways of the world, and that, in a sense makes me angry. It does not, however make me angry because I do not or cannot have them; rather, the reason I am angry is the fact I even have those desires in the first place. What do I really care about? If I really care about something, are not my actions going to show it?

     The Bible tells us to put to death the deeds of the body by the Spirit. This surely shows that alone, we have no chance to escape the ways of the flesh, the weaknesses of human nature. But the Bible also tells us that God's power is made perfect in weakness. It's one thing to see God's power perfect in perfection, but a totally different thing to see His power made perfect in weakness and imperfection; God's glory is shown all the more. This must be why the apostle Paul said that the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and that the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength. God could have saved us triumphantly; Jesus could have triumphed over evil with a spectacular display of the manifestation of his power. But no, this is how God's power is so great. The cross may be foolish in the eyes of man, but to us it is the power that gave us salvation.

     Often times I wonder why God isn't working faster; at other times I wonder if God is even working at all. Has He put me on hold? What's with the delay? It is very tempting to worry what will happen to yourself in the future if you seem to be so presently imperfect. But even in all these things, God has a purpose. It seems as though God is telling me to be patient and never stop giving it my all. For those of you who also feel this way, take heart, for God is working in you in such a way so that later on you will not easily fall. Praise God for His faithfulness, for He will not ever leave us, nor forsake us =).

11.27.03

   I cannot pass up writing on Thanksgiving; I must write. This is good, for I haven't written in a long time. This should also be the beginning of more frequent entries, for I cannot keep these things in me; I am compelled to share. The grace of God cannot be ignored.

   May thanksgiving, the giving of thanks, daily be in all our hearts all year long, every year. Sometimes it is impossible as you all may know, to give thanks, especially during unfavorable times of our lives. But let me tell you something: All things have a purpose, for which God is working for our good. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, there is that hope we can put all our weight upon, that is Jesus Christ. That alone is worth thanksgiving for the rest of my life. The only regret I have is that I did not meet him sooner.
   There are so many things I take for granted: My family, my friends, my health, even my salvation. I can only pray that God will open my eyes to see how blessed I really am, for even now, I underestimate His eternal worth, and take for granted His blessings, and fall short of his standards. But an eternal thanks be to God for Jesus Christ, who died to take my place.

It is one thing to resent your circumstances, another to accept them,
and still another to accept them with thanksgiving.

10.19.03

   It's been a while since I've last updated my thought s. It's been an interesting month or so for me; I feel as if a lot more has happened than this period of time would normally allow.
   Change is inevitable, and it can hurt. Any kind of change takes time getting used to. No matter how open-minded you are, change is always somewhat scary. I think this is natural, because as humans, we tend to fear the unknown. When, in our lives, we're faced with an unfamiliar place or situation, our hearts cry out for something familiar. Anything, it doesn't matter what. When it turns out you cannot find anything, you begin to lose hope. Even God seems distant at such a critical time. But this is a time where you can draw nearer to God just as much as you can drift away.
   Our relationship with God should not be taken for granted. When you feel His presence, treasure it. When you don't feel his presence, act as if you do with the help of faith, for he is never far away. God's presence does not depend upon whether we can feel it or not. It's easy for our faith to acknowledge and worship God when we can feel His presence so close, but it's challenging and even tortur ous at times in striving to seek God.
As a father enjoys watching his baby walk, God is also pleased when we walk, and even if we happen to stumble. But a father is disappointed when his child loses the will to walk at all.
   God is our hope, and he is our strength in times of trouble. We desperately need to hear what God says during these times. The Bible is all about hearing a promise and believing it. John Piper was right when he said that every time you do this, it feels like being saved all over again =).

9.01.03

   Tying in with my previous thought, there's also something else essential I've learned in worshiping God. I've pondered on, meditated and experienced this for a while, as I've written of this numerous times in past entries, but these circumstances and experiences these days from which I've been continually gaining information seems a bit anomalous, so as a result I will now try this more clear and explicit.
    Worship is not f or us, it is for God. Hmm..seems obvious enough. As I've noted before, it's appalling how even non-Christians, or people that are not saved, can worship God while actually enjoying it at the same time. In cases such as these, this would be the result of people worshiping God because of how it makes them feel. Rat her than magnifying God, they are, in essence magnifying themselves without noticing it. This is, however something not only non-Christians tend to do. It's surprising how many Christians, including myself, have worshiped in such a fashion as to seek benefit for themselves due to emotions.
    Reiterating, emotions are merely a byproduct of worship; we don't have to experience them. We don't have to experience emotions when we worship; they are privileges. But so many times, we, especially me, find ourselves subconsciously seeking an experience due to worshiping God. As humans, I've learned that we do not the right to say something like, 'I got a lot out of worship today.' Worship is not made for us, it is made solely for God.
    Don't perceive me falsely; worshiping God is truly an awesome experience, indescribable in its magnificence, but so many people worship God nowadays seeking an experience, rather than seeking God, as Rick Warren states; their purpose is to experience that happiness and satisfaction. There's nothing wrong with wanting to enjoy God of course, but don't let your desire for your joy in God be your purpose in worshiping Him. I'm still trying to break out of that habit every time I wo rship from the stopping of focus on my emotions, what I get, and turning that focus to what God deserves. Our utmost priority in worship is not joy, it is giving God what He deserves. Why? Because of what Jesus Christ did on the cross 2000 years ago. That alone is reason enough to worship him, emotions or no emotions; we only need to be wholehearted. This concept may seem so much like a minute, insignificant difference, but in reality it's not; it's something we should practice all the time.

    The great philosophers of some era (forgot when heh) said, "To the degree that you seek your benefit in any moral act, you diminish its virtue." Yeah, when I heard that one, I was like whoooaaa...hehe..
Whether or not you feel God, you must worship Him. We can't worship God only when we have the motivation and the passion to do it. By worship I don't only mean singing songs, I mean life itself; everything you do to glorify God: Studying in school, serving your church, even hanging out with your friends and having fun; doing it for the glory of God. Rick Warren said the trusting in God when it feels like He's abandoned you is the deepest sense of worship. In the same way, when you worship God by doing the things that please Him, whether or not you have motivation to do it, then you are worshiping Him even more deeply. It's easy to do things for God if we're pumped to do it, but doing them when we don't feel like it is different.
    As the quote up there says, we can not and should not seek our benefit in any moral act. Why? Because then it is no longer a moral act, but something you do to gain for yourself. How hard!! We all get burned out by the seemingly myriad of tasks we complete for God. But ask God to give you a vision and direction when you do his work, not because you gain anything or get anything out of it, but purely because you know you are pleasing God. And when you do this anyway, even when you feel like God isn't even there or without motivation, know that you are worshiping Him in the deepest sense, for this is proof to God that you trust Him. Persevere, for all will be revealed and made known to you in time. The point we should all remember is that we're not doing them for ourselves in any sense, but solely for God, for this is pleasing to the Lord.

8.30.03

   It's very interesting how the enlightenment and realization of truth, whether sudden or gradual, seems to give birth to a new beginning, a new cycle, and a fresh start. All these years since childhood it has seemed like I was worshiping God, but the truth is, I have only begun to truly worship God. In doing this, it feels like I?ve kind of started over from scratch, like I'm a beginner.

    The Bible tells us that we must worship God both in spirit and in truth. I?ve learned that it doesn?t matter what hand motions you do or what songs you sing; God wants worship to come from the heart; He desires spiritual worship, not physical. Worshiping in truth means that you worship the God who is in the Scripture, not who you make God to be. God is not someone created by our minds due to our natural preferences and opinions. If you really want to know who He is and how to worship Him, look in the Bible, for that is the word of God; truth. This means that we must worship God not only with our hearts, but with our heads as well. A lot of times our hearts may be in the right place, but our brains missing in action. Our intentions are good, but our direction is misleading. Of course it?s the heart God cares for, but know that even sincere people can worship the wrong way; we must make sure our paths are straight.

    The only way all this is possible is through Jesus Christ. This means having a humble heart, and surrendering all of yourself to Christ: Your heart, body, mind and soul, for only through the Spirit can a humble heart truly declare that Jesus Christ is Lord. Only through him do we have open access to God the Father. =)

8.21.03

    I am only beginning to realize the importance of depending on other people. A lot of times, or many times I think I can live life by myself. I learn to distance myself from others and live in my own circle, just me and God. Although having that kind of one-on-one relationship with God is very important, so is living in unison and togetherness with others. The Christian life is not meant to be lived alone. God made us in a way that we would live together in relationships unified and bonded by Christ. The Bible calls him a fool who does not have a friend to help him up when he is down.
    Prayer...prayer is so important. The apostle Paul urges us to pray without ceasing, and to keep ourselves in the love of God. This is an ability that God has enabled us to do! We do it! This is the most important thing you can do for your friend, family or lov ed one. Pray for them. The Bible also calls us to pray by the Spirit. I have only recently learned, and am still learning to constantly pray by the Spirit. This is praying in such a way that the God's Spirit is moving you to pray, so in essence it's not really you praying but the Holy Sp irit working through you. This isn't just a one time thing, but an all-the-time thing. When you pray for your food, while you tie your shoes or while you drive, pray by the Spirit, for this makes your prayer meaningful.
    Never stop praying for all those around you. Pray as well for your enemies. See the potential they have in Christ, how God could use them, and then hold on to that vision! Don't let go! Pray without ceasing, and with hope and faith that God will work in that person. This doesn't necessarily mean the person will undergo a sudden magical transformation. Seeing the potential someone has doesn't always mean they will change the way you hope. But will you let that stop you? Who knows but God what will happen? There is no such thing as a futile prayer, if prayed from the heart. Even if things might not have gone the way you expected them to, re member that prayer builds character.
    Love one another. Share with one another. Pray for one another. Aid for one another, carrying each other's burdens. A common way to be discouraged is thinking that you're in this alone. Rem ember that you're never alone. Know that there are always other people out there in the world, struggling to keep the faith, striving to finish the race. No, we are not alone, but rather we are all held together as one, with Christ as the head. Lastly, in doing these things, encourage one another. One thing the world needs today is hope, and not a false hope. They need a hope they can count on, a hope infallible. Be there for those people. What a joy and great honor it is to have loved ones praying for you, and sharing with you their concerns and encouragements!

7.08.03

    Man's purpose in life is to glorify God and to enjoy His good grace forever. But is it possible to glorify God without enjoying Him? John Piper says no. If you are truly glorifying God, then you are enjoying Him.
Here is my interpretation of a sermon he gave, as I had the privilege of hearing him speak. I'll try my best to recollect, while at the same time adding in my own opinions.
    When we worship God, it is an act of humble reverence. We have to always remember that we are lifting up God, not ourselves. Some people worship God without even realizing that the reason they do it is because they feel God's love, but in turn that love they receive makes them feel so good that they make much of themselves, instead of making much of God. It's appalling to see that even non-Christians, or people that aren't even saved can praise God and at the same time enjoy it, not because they feel the privilege of making much of God, but because God's love and grace makes them feel bigger. The concept of worship is then turned around.
    This is one of the biggest misconceptions we Christians can have when worshiping God. We don't worship God for emotions! We worship God to lift Him up, while making ourselves lower; the emotions come as a byproduct of our true, wholehearted worship to God. Don't be mistaken; God works in you from the inside out, not from outside in. We don't experience emotions and the n worship God as a result of us feeling good emotionally; we worship God because He is God Almighty, worthy of praise and power, honor and glory, and then as a result of that we experience the goodness of His grace, mercy and love that comes through Christ Jesus.
       The only way we can truly enjoy God is to grab a hold of His grace He constantly offers onto us. This is another misconception. If you were blessed by God yesterday, you cannot experience God's grace by yesterday's blessing. You must grab a hold of God's grace again that moment, in t he present; and believe me, God is never closed when it comes to sharing His grace.
A good way to see it is like this (might be a bit complicating; blame John Piper hehe): Pretend you're facing one way, where there is a stream flowing toward you. Let's say this stream that's flowing at you holds all the future promises and blessings of God, promises of when God said, 'I will never leave you, nor forsake you,' 'I will always love you,' 'You are mine,' 'I will protect you,' 'I will bless you,'...etc..the list goes on. And let's say that when the stream gets to you, it goes down into a waterfall, where it then collects into a reservoir behind you. This reservoir holds all of the blessings that God has bestowed unto you in the past. At any moment you can turn around to look at the past, or face forward to look upon the future promises God offers, and it's good to do both. The point of this is, you can't receive God's grac e by turning around and looking into the reservoir, into the past. That's already in the past. You can only draw God's grace from facing forwa rd into the flow of grace coming at you in the present. But the past also plays an important part. The past turns to something called faith and says, 'Faith, I leave it up to you! It's your job now,' and it is with this faith that you can actively receive God's grace that He offers unto us every single moment, for obviously you cannot receive what God offers if you don't even believe you can take it.
    All things said, the point of glorifying God is to make much of Him. Some people live their lives knowing that Jesus died for us, and in turn living in a way as to repay him. John Piper calls this the debtor's ethics. As if we can ever repay God! Often times we may not even be aware that we are having this mindset. Another thing to watch out for is something known as gratitude's ethics, which is in turn the same thing as the debtor's ethics. We see all that God has given unto us and blessed us with, and in response to our gratitude we worship Him! No!! That's like saying, "God, you did this for me, so here's your part of the bargain." As if God can ever benefit from what we do!
Here's why this concept contradicts itself: We already seem to be in debt because of what God has done for us, right? Now, if we want to, in a sense, repay God, then we must do good things and strive to please God. In order for us to truly please God, He has to give us His grace to carry out His will, for without God's grace, we can do nothing. The more we please God, the more grace that is given unto us, and in turn, we are only falling deeper and deeper into this debt.
    The truth is, God doesn't need us; He'll never need us. But we need Him. And He wants us, He yearns for us, so much that He gave up his one and only begotten Son to die for our sake.
So then how should a Christian live? Piper states that the definition of a Christian is one who loves and enjoys being in debt to God, and who only strives to be deeper and deeper indebted to Him.

6.03.03

    Christ...who is that man? What makes anyone in the world so intent on living for him? Why in the world would anyone follow this Christ so passionately, with such fervor to serve him? If you know Christ, you won't have to ask that question. If you know Christ, you'll ask yourself, 'Why?' 'Why did I not strive to meet him sooner?' Knowing Christ is knowing God.
    The greatest influen ces of my life are those who constantly talked about their relationship with God on a practical level. This was their interest. They didn't talk about God only at church, or at church related meetings. Talking about what God was doing in their life was their leisure! Knowing God was their hobby! This was a true sign and evidence that God was actively working through them. How great it is to know someone who is interested when you tell them about what the living God is doing in your life! What a joy it is to share your comments and concerns, your aches and pains, and your troubles and hardships to someone who wishes to hear them, simply because they know Christ. We should all strive to know Christ intimately, and on a practical level.

                                           7 great suggestions I heard and learned in knowing God:
                                                            If I want to know Christ:
1) I must study his scripture. The Bible reveals to us the character of God; the heart of God. It's not just a literary collection of stories; each one has significant meaning, and a purpose that can relate to your life. Scripture reveals to us a piece of the mind of God.
2) I must be willing to spend time alone with him in meditation and prayer. Note that it says alone. It's never harmful to spend time with other brothers and sisters in Christ, but I should always have my own private, one on one relationship with God. Each individual relationship with God is unique. It's a relationship just the two of you can share. God longs for prayer. Prayer builds character.
3) I must trust him. If I'm going to know Christ, I must trust him in every circumstance.
4) I must obey him. If I want to trust in God, I must obey him, and vice versa, even if it goes against my rules and my regulations or even my very nature.
5) I must observe & record what God does in the lives of others. What a great one! This one is very important. The Christian life isn't always self-centered. I must observe what I see God doing in the lives of others. Why did God do this in his life? Why did God do that? Why did God let this happen to him or her? If God did it for him, can He do it for me? Observe what knowledge you can gain from others, as well as things you can learn to help you avoid trouble and not make similar mistakes. And lastly, re cord. Make a note of it and don't forget it, whether it's in your mind or on paper.
6) I must look for the evidence of Christ in every circumstance. I love this one! If I want to know Christ, I must look for the evidenc e of him working in my life in every, single circumstance I can see. Sometimes it's difficult; it's ambiguous in interpreting what's going on. But try to keep your eyes open and really strive to see the work of Christ, and most of the time, most all of the time, it'll become clearer to you later on.
7) If I want to know Christ, I must be willing to lay aside every single thing in my life that competes with my love and devotion for God. Even your family, even your best friend, even your spouse or your girl/boyfriend. Anything that your heart may hold on to more than God, I must be willing to give up. This is definitely not easy, believe me, but I've learned that the more you let go in life, the more you gain.

How you handle circumstances in your life show just how much you know God. You can know God by these essential ideas, which are in fact self explanatory and even a bit obvious if you think about it.
You never know what kind of an eternal impact you can make when yo u strive to know Christ.

5.05.03

    Bruce Lee had an interesting concept on punching targets. Rather than aiming at what you see, aim past the target. This is a much easier and more effective way in hitting an object.

     If you have a specific task or assignment to do, don't only think of finishing that one assignment. Look forward to be doing more, whether it's leisure or more work. Have you ever thought about that? If you only have one thing that needs to be done, it's sometimes hard to start or finish. But what if you were to have multiple assignments? I've found that I'm more motivated to work when I know I have a lot to do. I'm too busy to slow down and listen to those deceiving thoughts of procrastinating.

    Don't think only of completing that one task. This is one way to be more time efficient. Don't put off work and be deceived in thinking there's plenty of time to do it; counter that misconception by thinking there's much more you can do. Learn to see the potential time offers. As someone once told me, aim high! Don't always go for the minimum requirements. There's nothing wrong with the minimum, if that's your best, because true minimum is determined by potential. It may not seem like the most entertaining to do at the moment, but again, don't be deceived. Once you start, it's not as bad as it seemed.

4.20.03

   Ah, yes; today is Easter Sunday. I wonder where the name Easter came from? It's probably a Greek or Hebrew translation of some sort; the y always are :D. Anyways, I'm sure I'll find out later. Hmm..I may know where the name originated, but I do know the meaning of it, and that's what's important right? And where in the world did the bunny come from?? *Shrugs*. Easter symbolizes the day when Jesus rose from the dead, three days after he died (Good Friday). Sunday was the day he rose again, the day in which we worship.

    Easter is so significant. It may not seem like it, but it's so very important; more important than Christmas, which seems to get all the attention =). This day serves to co mmemorate the time when the world was saved; when each and every person in the world had their sins atoned for. This memory is the reason Christians live and serve Christ. It is a day of salvation. It doesn't end there. Easter is not temporary. It is something we should commemorate not even just every Sunday, but daily; moment after moment. This is what powers us to preach the word to the nations, or maybe just our neighbors or friends at school. This signified day is what it all comes down to. It is a day of rejoicing. So rejoice! That's actually God's command =). Let this joy and love empower you in your life, and give you strength in the days to come.

            Easter: It's all about a man, a cross, and his unfailing, never-ending, unconditional love.

4.14.03

    Not everything I do is right. I realize that. Sometimes life is so hard. I know. There are even times when everything seems to be falling apart, and no matter what you do, it only gets worse. Life seems to be hitting rock bottom, especially when you look ahead into the future. But to me, what happens doesn't matter. Don't get me wrong; I certainly care about my life, but no matter what happens, I won't let these things affect my character; the way I live; my faith. I take them only as gain. Again, don't get me wrong. I fall; everyone falls. Not everyone succeeds all the time. It's a fact. K now this fact, but don't let it deceive you; never fail because you expect failure. Never give up because you know at some point in life you are going to. That's exactly wha t Satan wants you to think.

    Rather, li ve according to God's will, not your own. Sometimes it seems that that's not the way to go at the moment, that things are going to get worse. Well, some of the time or even most of the time it may very well seem like it. God never said life would always be easy, but only that we would not have to go through it alone. But you know what? Listen carefully: If you truly surrender all you have and are willing to make your life in sync with God's will, your life can be better than times where you don't have hardship. Ask God to give you His peace, which only comes through Jesus Christ. Even in the midst of trouble or crisis or other extremities, your spirit will be at ease if you trust completely in the Father, but before you can do this, you must first let go and empty your hands in order to grab a hold of God. Know that there is a bigger picture.

    A brief moment I now recall. I was once in the car with my mom, and as we were on the road, she was a little disappointed, as she had left her sunglasses at home. "When I'm at home, I forget about getting them, but when I'm out, I remember," she said. I agreed. Why is that? It's because when my mom was home, she didn't think she needed the glasses. Out on the road, the bright sun reminded her. That made me think. It seems to be that way for a lot of people for a lot of things. But then I also realized that that's how people sometimes view God. When things get tough, we ask for God's help. When things are peaceful, it feels like we don't need God, and so we try to push him out of the picture. Friends, we are always in need of God, especially in times of peace. My mom needed to remember to get the sunglasses at home, where it seemed like she didn't need it at the time. In the same way, remember God in times of peace, as it will affect your path later on during tougher circumstances.

    If there's one thing I've realized in life, it's that I would rather live in times of hardship with God rather than in times of peace withou t Him. This is the reason Christ came to earth: 'That we may have life, and have it more abundant ly,' even in the midst of struggle; especially in the midst of struggle. Although we may not always have this mindset, we should continuously strive to remember it.

                                                A few characteristics I see in the nature of God:
    God is there for me every single moment. He picks me up when I fall. He makes up for my imperfections.
I may not know what I need, but that's when I'm thankful His Spirit intercedes for me; it interprets my aches and pains for me 'with groans that words cannot express,' as the Bible states. God knows my troubles. He understands my hurts. He's been there, done that. Only those who have chosen to give up their life and accept Christ as their Lord and Savior can have this peace and joy with assurance, for they know deep in their soul that all is well. Christians: They belong to Jesus, and Jesus to them.

This was written and dedicated as a letter of encouragement to all those who may be suffering or going through hard times. To all those reading: May God restore unto us and continually remind us of the joy of His salvation, in every circumstance and situation.

3.30.03

We all have bad days. Some days may be better than most, while others are just the worst. You take a look at someone around you, possibly a friend. You find that he/she's happy and having a good day. You find there's nothing surprising about that; things just probably went the way he wanted that day. Everything that happened was to his favor. As relevant as all that might seem, did you know that it is possible to be just as happy as that friend, or better yet, happier?

    As humans, we are naturally made happy if things go according to our wants, or even our needs, which we might sometimes take for granted. Also, as humans, we may naturally be disappointed if our wants or needs are not met. Doesn't occur to you all the time, you say? You may well be right. We shouldn't have to depend on wants or needs as happiness. So let me rephrase that statement: As humans, we may natura lly be disappointed if our expectations are not met. Whether our disappointment may be big or a mere scratch on the surface, we are all somewhat disappointed if things don't go how we expect them to, not ho w we want them to; there's a difference. One can want something but not expect it.

    When I say expectation, don't get this confused with a conjecture or guess. Let's say your friend is flipping a quarter, and you call heads. That's a conjecture. However, the same situation can also become an expectation. Let's say the two of you are gambling and betting on something of value, and you call heads. I think it's safe to say that you wouldn't have agreed to bet if you expected to lose. Even if you somewhat expected you would lose, the reason you agreed is because you expected victory more than defeat.

    What seems to happen most of the time is, we get so caught up in imagining and fantasizing about the prize that our minds trick ourselves in thinking that it's no longer a 50/50 chance (in this case); now it's suddenly an 80/20 chance. And when we lose, what are we left with? Disappointment.

    The reason I say this is that one of the biggest reasons people are disappointed and discouraged is because they expect too much. There's certainly nothing wrong with maintaining high expectations, but once you get to that point where you depend on it too much for your well being, attitude, personality, or happiness, you're bound to be disappointed in the future. Be willing to sacrifice whatever you have or want to have; don't give away your heart to it, and suddenly everything will seem so much like a blessing. This is how it is possible to have a good day, even if nothing seems to go your way. Even if you were to win that bet but had expectations of winning, your happiness is bound to falter, for nothing in this world can last. For the world will pass away, and if you place your heart into it, so will you. Nothing can give your heart the eternal satisfaction it longs for other than Christ himself.

3.22.03

    A friend is certainly good to have. However, not all friendships last forever. Even friends who have been friends for many years can slowly begin to lose touch with one another. (Note that I did not mean this about all friends; I was merely saying it was possible). "What ever happened to him/her?" you ask. "We used to be so close." Although you're still technically friends, it's different from before.

    I've realized that a friend in Christ is a friend you cannot lose. Even if it may be a brief encounter, and you don't see that person again for a long time, you still feel this strong bond the next time you see him/her, all because of the common goal the two of you share. This bond o f a brief encounter can be an even tighter bond than that of a friendship which has lasted for years. Why? All because you share this common goal and passion. This is different from any other goal or interest, because it is a lifelong goal which surpasses life it self. As Christians, friendships should be special and unique, because we are set apart. We have a specific mission and task in building the kingdom of heaven, that others may be drawn toward.

    Whatever happens, you will always have this multiplied bond that you cannot lose. It takes normal relationships to the next level. There's just something different about friendships shared with Christ. Anyone else agree with me? =)

3.09.03

    There are many twists and turns life has to offer. Many times will you have to face hardships and the various complexities life has to offer. This is inevitable; everyone has these experiences one way or the other. The difference is how you respond to the changes. There are two ways you can respond: Your way, or God's way. It's that simple, but easier said than done. Times of hardship have so much potential for growth. But like I said, it depends on how you respond to things that come your way. It may be instinctive to go your own way, it feels so natural and so right; it's that tempting. Trusting in God seems so much like a risk or a gamble. But why should it? You don't have anything to lose, right? That's true, but just the fact that you're completely depending on something other than yourself, even if there's no physical action involved, seems so risky.
    Let me tell you, first of all, that trusting in God is no risk or gamble. If God sees you totally trusting in Him, willing to accept whatever might come your way, He certainly won't ignore it. Be willing to take whatever comes your way. Stay strong. Like Paul, a servant of Christ, learn to be content whatever the circumstances.
    God gives you these hard times no t so that you can stray further from Him, but to bring you closer. He wants to teach you something so valuable and essential that you may not learn any other way. One way or the other, you will have an outburst of emotions, whether it may be anger, frustration, depression. Use the fuel from this effusion to trust in God. When things get tough, trust in God all the more. Seems not worth it, does it? You'll be amazed. Actually take advantage of these times, for it is in times of peace where one may seemingly subconsciously stray from God. Why? Because it feels like there's no need to trust Him. Stay strong and endure, for God is right there with you, and He hears you all the time, even when it seems that you're met only by silence when coming to Him. Cry out to Him, even if it is not with words, and depend upon Him completely, for the Holy Spirit will intercede for you. Also remember, in times of hardship, there are always times of blessings that follow, but you must decide whether to use those times for extreme gain or extreme loss. Also, never forget the things that God has taught you. Always remember His good grace He has shown. Open your eyes so that you may see God actively working in your life, and in the end, you'll see just how worth it trusting in God was. Faith: Not a risk nor a gamble, but an assurance of victory with no room for doubt.

2.17.03

    There are two kinds of people in this world. People who live in the world, and people who observe it. Anyone can fit in the category of both, at different times, but not simultaneously, even if it feels like you are constantly switching from one to the other at only second-intervals. Neither is right or wrong; it's just a matter of when. Different people have different times. There's a time to live in it, and a time to observe it. Too much of any side is not good. These things I believe are planned by God, because He wants you to see things that are for your own good.
    It never hurts to take time to just stop and take a look around. The longer we blindly live in this world without any observation, the more surprised we'll be when we are finally forced to analyze our lives. We have to see what's going on; we can't be deceived. This is also God given.
    I have said it is good to be grateful. It is also good to be gracious. But how much more gracious is God for giving up His Son, when we certainly didn't deserve it? The concept of grace in Christianity is something people cannot accept, because they think it is absurd. I agree, as I think I can spend my whole lifetime trying to figure out why. Well, people can only accept it so much it overflows in their heart and instills in them the passion to live for Christ, or they can reject it and ignore it and classify it as craziness. What frustrates me is, even though this grace is the thing I am most grateful for in my life, I do not remember it all the time. In fact, I am surprised at how often I forget. This is why it is important to always remember, and to renew one's mind in Christ.

Never give up the opportunity to help someone, nor give up the opportunity to receive help either.
Always be on the lookout for both, for you'd be surprised at what you can learn if you are willing.