However, there's something which I thought was really interesting, and touching. On the first day, me, *beep*, *beep* and *beep*, were having problems getting people to donate for the longest time, for like 1 hour. We were pretty much depressed and sian, cause no one wanted to buy anything. And *beep* went - "Ok ok, lets go pray first." And that reminded me of how God can change the tides. I prayed this prayer: "God, I pray now that you will come and help us get more sales to help Your needy people. I know that You have the power to change this, you have shown this many times. I know that we are currently selling these items just for the sake of doing it, not for your cause, but for our own prosperity, our own names. God, I want you to take charge of this operation and get money for your own cause. Unless God builds the house, its laborers labour in vain. Please build your house today, Amen!" No sooner had I turned my back, we saw this old couple, and *beep* had went up to approach him. Deep inside my heart I nursed a couple of doubts, but while *beep* was talking, I silently prayed that He would cure my unbelief and my faithlessness, and that he would deliver this. And guess what?
They bought one of each item. And in fact, they had ZERO hesistation in doing so. At the start, they even gave us FIFTY $, and asked us if we had CHANGE. Is that just completely unbelievable and impossible, that the FIRST couple that we approached after prayer, after an HOUR of being unable of garnering sales, would buy ONE OF EACH item, not just one item, ONE OF EACH, and give us FIFTY DOLLARS, and ASK FOR CHANGE.
Immediately me and *beep* started praising God. "Prayer works!". Deep inside, I said another silent prayer, thanking him for his deliverance. Now I know that some people will still be skeptical, but... In the next hour, we got 8 more sales, and not just 8 more sales, BUT at least 5 of them were IN A ROW. And if that wasn't enough, the instant I got home, I saw my old Chinese Exam question paper from the mid year exams which said "But those who hope in the LORD, will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they shall run and not grow weary, they shall walk and not be faint." And I wrote this, on a lone impulse, during the duration of the exam, because I saw it on the wall, and at that time, I just had the feeling that - who knows? This may be useful one day.
And when I read the devotional daily prayer book which I had got free about a month ago, what did I see on that day's date? I'll just quote the first three lines in there: "I was to leave the convent and help the poor while living among them. It was an order. To fail would have been to break the faith." So I'm going to try to attend as many of these PoC's as I can. I hope that this testimony of God's love and God's power and omniscience will touch the hearts of the readers. Thus, I leave this post as a public one.
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Pray without ceasing - three questions
a) If there was a God, why are people suffering?
b) Isn't it quite an escapist attitude to blame every failure in your life as "God meant it that way, it's all in God's plan"?
c) How do you know there's a God if you've never seen him?
I still can't figure out the meaning of the poem back there up on your blog. I'll assume that the picture is of use, and that it represents your school days. Will come up with some sort of answer, probably incorrect.
For your other questions. There is a good reason why people are suffering. From the time of Genesis, after Adam and Eve were kicked out of the Garden of Eden, God pronounced them both to live outside of this garden of paradise and in the world. In addition, he gave to them a whole truckload of suffering, seen in Chapter 3 of Genesis. It is a punishment for sin. God is like a father, and we are like his children. We, his children, despite the father giving up everything that he has, succumbed to the most vile and disgusting thing ever, sin. Sin is a complete opposite from God, and because of this, we are ostracised from him, unable to reach him; He is holy, we are not. But because God so loved the world, he gave his only son to die and remove our sin right? So now, why are people still suffering, even the Christians? I'll quote the Bible for this - "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perserverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything" (Interesting to note, after this, it says to ask God if you need help with perseverance.) The quote above tells us that the reason why we face suffering now, is for God to develop our maturity, maturity of Christ. As a commonly used metaphor, once you convert, you are now dead to sin, and reborn. At first, you are unsure of where and what happens, like a rebirth. This is when the "testing of your faith" happens. You will be temped by the Devil, but if you exercise faith in God, you will strengthen your perseverence, in Christ. You will "grow in Christ" until you mature.
On the second question, we recieve failures and setbacks, not because God planned this way, or at least, not entirely. God will reward those that do good deeds and good works. Job is the prime example, look how rich he was, and all because he was righteous. Therefore, if we do bad deeds and we are without faith, how can God intervene in our lives? God is real, yes, but if we do not believe it, if we "lean onto our own understanding", God can't "make our paths straight." (logically if we lean onto our own understanding, we're not trusting God, we're somewhat faithless right?) Another possibility is that what you're doing, in the term of the word "failure", is not a "failure" by God's standards. We should live according to his standards.
I understand, that now you've got this pervading feeling of distress because you think that you're not living it completely for good, often you lean onto your own understanding, often you use your own judgement, thinking that you have the best decision. There's a very VERY simple method to cure this ailment - just pray! Be unceasing in prayer, when you think you're slipping, pray again as a reminder and for God's help. Personalise your relationship to God to the point where he is almost your friend; his spirit exists inside of your heart. Again from James, "Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise... " If you read on, you'll see the part about Elijah and his rain. It's true, for 3 and a half years he prayed for rain, and then finally it came. Why did it NOT come earlier? God had his plans, at that time Ahab, the ruler of Israel, was sinful, and he commited many sins such as praying to Baal. Thus, even though Elijah didn't get rain, God kept him safe. God always has a plan for you, do not be disheartened. I hope I have answered your questions : ). I may be able to solve your problems now, but I'm just a sinful man, unwise in comparison to God. So always seek out God if you have problems, pray unceasingly and read his word. Realise that a lot of the stuff I put up here is validated with my knowledge of the Bible. If you are able to read the bible and pray unceasingly, you will be on the right track.
Why do you not consider yourself a Christian? If you're a Christian, you believe in three things, firstly, you believe in the ressurection of Christ, and the existence of the Holy Trinity, God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit (The Holy Spirit is responsible for the feeling you have inside your heart when God touches you, when you feel peace from God, yup, thats the Holy Spirit right there.) Secondly, you recognise you have sinned and repent of your sins. And thirdly, you love God. Loving God is the most important thing. If you love God, you'll want to do the things that make him happy, which helps you not to slip back into sin. There's no membership card for Christianity at all, no special priveledge, if you feel you're not Christian, why are you still reading this for! Pray!
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Trusting God with faith
These are questions from a friend of mine who had doubts about Christianity. The replies are mine.
Am very, very disappointed in myself. Questions and disturbing thoughts keeping me awake at night, and distracting me at daytime. Don't think I can talk to anyone, because I don't think they'd understand.
Why is it I only turn to God when I'm in trouble? Why do I just give him a fixed time of Sunday, and for the rest of the week, forget about him? I think I can handle everything myself, and I've got it all under control. But truth is, I'm just so powerless, yet I hardly pray or turn to him. Forgetfulness and pride, just go away!!
I thought I was given a second chance, but why am I slipping back again? It's so hard because if you're closer to this world, you're further from God, wish I could be back at _______. ____ was right about this hollow feeling I feel when I think about it, how strong is my faith actually?
I'm just leaving my future in his hands, and praying for the best. Won't think so far ahead, because he has everything planned. I think I'm being very incoherent. I'm ashamed that I'm so scared of death.
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I won't go far, to say that I'm the one who recognise and solve your problems, rather I hope that whatever I'm telling you is a reflection of God's word, just like pastors do not speak their own words, but rather the words of God.
I think, the best way to solve your big problems, is to turn to God, and pray. I know it sounds really cliche, that whenever you have problems you should just pray right? But doesn't two famous Bible verses go - "Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain; Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain." And another, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."
As a simple explanation, what this means is that you have to trust God. Have faith. You can build faith by just "leaving my future in his hands, and praying for the best". Its a good thing, however the evil one will come and cause you fear. Fear and temptation are both instruments of the devil. At the time before Jesus' death, he sweat blood. He knew that He was going to be crucified. Right then, the devil tempted Him, striking fear inside his hearts, and tempted him to run away from his crucifixion. However, Jesus went to God in prayer. He prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will." A few verses later, He told His diciples "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." You are right, in a sense. The deeper you are into worldliness and despair, the closer you must be to God. When you feel fear, this is when you should pray for God to shut out the evil one, asking to keep you safe. Thus you do not "lean on your own understanding", but you "trust that God will keep your paths straight".
There is, however, another verse that strikes as being important for you. One is the text about the Greatest Commandment. Jesus answered a teacher of the law that you should "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these." When you work, in whatever you do, when you trust in the Lord, as well as love him, doing every action for the betterment of His will, of his work, leaning not onto your own understanding, but trusting him in whatever you do. This is the highest command, and the greatest one. The second, to love your neighbor as yourself, is actually almost exactly similar to the first. Thinking about this, if God gave up his life for everyone who lives on earth, to do his work and his will, is to treat your neighbor as yourself. Thus if you cannot understand anything I write, please remember that there are just three major principles, to love God, to trust God, and to fear God.
As you finish this entry, I think what would be good is to pray now, and ask for him to be your guide, to lift you when you grow weak, to strengthen you when you falter, for wisdom to discern for your will, and most of all, for him to reveal his ways to you, and to strengthen your love for him.
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Nehemiah 9:17 (New King James Version)
New King James Version (NKJV)
17 They refused to obey,
And they were not mindful of Your wonders
That You did among them.
But they hardened their necks,
And in their rebellion[a]
They appointed a leader
To return to their bondage.
But You are God,
Ready to pardon,
Gracious and merciful,
Slow to anger,
Abundant in kindness,
And did not forsake them.
Trust in the Lord.
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P.S. Fal has a new blog. Not that hes gonna abandon this one RIGHTTTTT?
Haha anyway heres the blog: http://autumngale.blogspot.com/
Its a pretty inspiring blog too.