I was doing my QT this morning and I read Titus 3:8. "This is a faithful saying, and these things I want to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men."

Apparently the phrase, "this is a faithful saying" was commonly used by Paul to label his teachings as seen in (1 Tim 1:15; 3:1; 4:9; 2 Tim 2:11-13). I guess you learn something new every morning. But what struck me was that in this teaching of Paul, we're warned to be careful not to forget to do good works at Christians. How many good works have you done? Yes, you argue that how can't you judge a christian by his works? Ephesians 2:10 "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." God made us to do good works. How many good works have you done? That's my challenge to you. To sit down and list, in your entire life thus far, how many good works have you done?

If you still think that works are not important, or not as important as faith, and that so much weight should not be put on works, then let me introduce you to James 2:20 "But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?" I do not disagree with you that faith is not important, just as James does not either, but to say you have faith is not enough. What do you have to show for your faith? "Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works." (James 2:18).

Sometimes I wonder. I speak to you, but do you know? I try to show you the flaws of your life, not by comparison with mine, but with the Word of God. Do you know? Do you know that your works speak your faith, just as your faith speaks your works. Do you think your life is something God will be proud of?

"To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; bu even their mind and conscience are defiled. The profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work." Titus 1:15-16

The people whom Paul is referring to here are false teachers. But I could not help but suddenly see several similarities between the false teachers of the future, and Christians today who claim to be Christians, but act otherwise. You say you're christian, but with the very tongue you use to praise God, you hurl curses at man (James 3:9). You know it's wrong, and you're doing something to change it, that's good. Then you throw the argument that you're not a false teacher, because you're not teaching anyone, well are you a good christian then? If a boy from ACSI, flaunts his wealth down along orchard road, everyone will think ACSI boys are rich, and arrogant, but is that true? Don't you think the other school boys will want to excommunicate him because of the bad name he brought to the school? How have you been reflecting Christ?

You profess to know God (I hope you do), but your acts deny Him. Do you think no one knows that you're a christian? I won't tell you what are the acts you commit, because you have to first acknowledge that it doesn't edify God. For if you do not come to that realisation, no amount of Bible verses will convict you.

There is a famous saying that goes, "Know God, Know Peace, No God, No Peace". Do you feel at peace in your life? Do you know God?

On the shelf I see them streaming in,

Drinking beer and downing Jin.

The band plays in the corner,

With drunken men and women jumping around them with breaths all sour.

He walks up the stairs past a sign that says "Private Party",

And you can tell from his eyes, that he knows this place isn't jolly.

The big bulky bouncer chains up the stairs,

As he gives his clients, and guests hard cold stares.

It's now past ten, and the atmosphere has changed,

A couple kisses passionately, with bodies intertwined, and tongues interlocked.

He comes down the stairs, to listen to the band play "Take me OUT",

And goes up again almost immediately after looking at the hollow sight about.

He comes down again with a bag this time, looking prepared to exit the bar,

Outside a group of people are arguing over whose most blah.

He walks quickly away, head downcast,

Only to see another couple fighting over who was creating the most fuss.

He wonders to himself, why do people still go to such places,

Do they actually find comfort and solace in such unfriendly faces?

A story was told of a baby hawk who would spend his time sitting in the nest his parents built, waiting for their return with food. From his nest, he could see other hawks flying, he could see his parents catching their prey. He could not wait to get out of the nest to fly. He would ask his parents to teach him to fly, he would try to flap his wings, but his parents told him to be patient, and wait for the time to come. One day, he could not stand the waiting anymore. He had been flapping his wings for weeks now, and he felt himself lift off the ground of the nest a bit the other day. He decided he would give it try. So he stood at the edge of the nest, and when no one was looking he took a dive, flapping his wings as frantically as he could.

Did the young hawk live? Did he manage to learn in time before he hit the ground?

I made a mistake, or did I?

My internet is terrible. Anyway, you know when you plan your schedule, you plan everything so that you don't miss anything out. But there'll always be one day where you will slip. Like wake up late, or forget to do something. Of course, we all hope that day will never come, but it will inevitably. So my day came yesterday. First, I thought class started at 10, when it started at 9, so I woke up at 8, read the Bible, surfed the net, and then realised that I had 15 minutes before my class started, so I rushed all the way to lecture. Then at the end of the lecture, we were supposed to do a short survey on the lecturer. I just read the thing, and personally I hated the lecture. But since that survey determines the lecturers future performance blah blah, I decided to give her a good review, so I circled the 1's and 2's, only to realise that those were the options for strongly disagree, and disagree!!

And today was a scorching 34 degrees.

I have a burden for my church youth. I have a burden for your cell group. And recently, I have a burden for evangelism. I know God gave me these burdens for a reason. To spark change. To ignite a chain reaction. To spur others on. A whole list of other explanations can follow, but one that will definitely not be on that list, is to sit back and watch it fade away. What we can all agree on too, is that the burdens were probably placed there for not just one reason, but a range of reasons. Thing is, how do we know when it's a burden? I believe it's when we want to see change happen. Christians were never meant to rest on their laurels. But neither were they meant to lead hectic, over-demanding lives. We were meant to be different. Different so that others will know who we are.

Yet the one question we always ask is, how do I be different? The answer is actually very simple. In this world, where everyone wants to be the same, everyone wants to have everything, it is not very hard to be different. Problem is, do we dare? Change starts from within. You have to want to change. In life, it's not how you start that matters, it's how you finish. You see, many people usually go with the flow, and by the time they realize that the flow isn't going where they want to go, they try to get out, only to realize that the current is too strong for them. They need a life line. And truth is, the life line is already in the water!! But you for some reason don't want to grab it!! Either it's to far, and you're too lazy to swim that few metres, or it seems doubtful, because you don't know if you can trust whoever is going to pull you out.

I hope you who read this understood my analogy, because you cannot stay in the water too long looking at that life line. Either it will be pulled out one day, or you will eventually drown. But till that day comes, but till that day comes, the line is there for you to tug.

Thoughts for the weekend

The Holy Communion is supposed to serve as a reminder of the ugliness of sin. But do we remember? You can tell me, you remember, His death, you remember His sacrifices, but do you really remember? I remember when I was in sec 3, my principal gave me a letter telling me that if I did not improve my grades, I will kicked out of the school. To this very day, I can remember what I felt, the anger, the injustice I felt done against me. Can you remember?

1 Peter 2:2-3 "Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,now that you have tasted that the Lord is good."

What is always emphasized in these two verses is that we as Christians need the daily intake of the Word into our lives so that we can grow in Christ. But that is not what I want to highlight here, because you already know that. When babies cry, it's usually for 3 reasons, (1) they need their diapers changed, (2) they are sick, or (3) they are hungry. Let me focus on the third reason because that is most appropriate here. "Like newborn babies" we are to "crave pure spiritual milk", but do we crave it? Do we cry for it? What does it mean to cry? Do we feel that sense of yearning for it? Where we cannot live without it?

You tell me yes now, but here are some questions for you to ponder over before you answer.

The list can go on, but here's the crunch part. Jesus died to set us free, and as Christians we should feel that sense of gratitude. So how do you express your gratitude?

My internet here has been terrible. Over the weekend, I had to restart my computer every few minutes just to log onto the internet. So today I went down to the office to lodge a complaint, and they were up here, in my apartment within the hour (that's fast by Australian standards), and giving me tips on how to fix my net. The guy asked me where I was from, and when I said Singapore, he said, the internet there is so much more advanced that in Australia, that I should not expect too much from the service providers here. I already knew that...but I was thinking, in his mind, I could only come from two places, Singapore, or Malaysia...what if I had said Malaysia? Would his response be different? In any case, Australia can't be very far behind can they? Maybe I'll give them slow in uploading speed and all, but we're talking about just staying connected here. Surely they cannot be so backward...can they?

Work has been piling up. Within this month, I've got 2 assignments due, and an online test. On top of that, I've got tute homework every week, and I've got to do a mega lot of reading, just to keep on track. And that is just my study life. My social life...I tried to incorporate Futsal, but I think that's gone down the drain, so now my social life is really just OCF. Which is good I guess. My parents will be here this weekend...

The study table.

"To God's elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia...Grace and peace be yours in abundance." 1 Peter 1:1-2

During OCF today, the passage covered was 1 Peter 1:1-12. But quite a bulk of the time was spent on these first few verses. Understanding the history, and the background of the authors, and to whom it was written to. We always read the bible, as if it was written for someone else, and we're reading it because our cell leader says so, or because our parents say so, if that is the case then you have become "dull of hearing" (Hebrews 5:11). There is so much to teach and to learn about Jesus, but you will never understand until you realise you are not really listening.

Anyway, Peter was writing to the Christians who were scattered all over, and I found it interesting that he called the Christians God's elect, I don't think I need to explain, and also, strangers in the world. How do strangers feel? Alone? Outcast? We are told right from the start, that as Christians, we will be strangers, but the world we live in today, emphases so much on being accepted, being part of the group. Do we succumb?

How will God's elect behave in this situation? I think you know. But you say, it's too hard, my friends will laugh at me, if I behave that way, I'll be so anti. But aren't we strangers in this world? Why should you expect any different?

Is it really so hard? Or are you just not willing to give it up to follow God? We have the most important gift anyone can have: salvation! But to you it is just a word. What does it mean? If your answer is along the lines of, "Salvation means I accept that Jesus died for me, and I believe Him as my personal Lord and Savior, and now I'm saved, so I can go to heaven." Then all you have given me is just the definition of salvation!! I know what salvation means, but what does it really mean?