03.24.08
The most important event ever happened in the world.
It’s been a while since my last update, as we just passed easter yesterday. I’d rather call it passover rather than easter(which is next month according to the Jewish Calendar). Jesus died on the cross on passover and He was risen on the third day. And He is still alive until today.
It was His obedience that allow any person to start a new life again. Being born again of the spirit. Nicodemus asked how this could happened (“how can one be born again? Certainly not by going back to the mother’s womb!”). Jesus responded by pointing to born in the Spirit (John 3)
Being born again means able to live in a righteous manner. No more condemnation. There may be things that one have to go through due to past mistakes, but the future is not hold by the past anymore.
Born not by flesh, but by the power of holy spirit in flesh. That’s Jesus. Sickness and diseases are still around in the world. But by His stripes, we are healed. The sin that was placed on a pure and without-a-sin man, Jesus, allowed redemption of those with sin.
To be born again, one simply need to ask God for His forgiveness. and Jesus has shown the way. In fact, He is the only way. It would only take a prayer and confessions. If you have that, then His grace will be over you.
That’s what have happened. and it is still the most important event ever happened in this world. Ever.
02.14.08
Greatest Love
Today, it’s a Valentine day. The day when love is celebrated all over the world. It’s one day when one could express his/her love to another, while another might hope to receive those.
But then, what is the greatest love one could ever receive? I hope that it’s more than a mere expressions (whether the flowers, messages and chocolate) or the commercialization that it has become.
Jesus said that there is no greater love other than one give his live so the other could live (john 15:13). In the meantime, there is a hypothetical question that I have for you, the readers. If you were the only one in the world that sinned (out of the 6 billion that alive), do you think that He would still come and die for you?
No doubt, He would. The parables that Jesus has told (such as the lost sheep, the missing coin) describe that he would come and look for the lost. God’s love is the greatest love that one could receive.
02.06.08
Greatest Commandments
There were two equally importance commandments that Jesus replied when he was asked which one is the most important commandments. His replied was not on His own saying, but straight from the scripture.
29“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.31The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:29-31. Refer to: Deut 6:4,5 and Lev. 19:18
Few things that we can learn from more from this passage.
1. Love God.
-The essence of loving God is so essential, such that Deut 6 show that we ought to teach our children to love God, and constantly remind oneself to love Him. Had it been given these days, it probably is written to set reminder on your alarm clock, calendars or PDAs.
2. Love Your Neighbor.
-Jesus didn’t say to love every one in the world. Instead, love the one in your vicinity. He has died for the world, and it is our job to love our neighbors. The parable of Good Samaritan was introduced after Jesus was asked “Who is my neighbors?”.
3. Love Yourself.
-So, who doesn’t love one self? While it may be fittingly means to be egoistic, one must be able to forgive oneself. Knowing that Father in heaven loves you will definitely help. In fact, being loved would be the starter to be able to love oneself. That’s why it’s important for a parents to shower their children with love.
01.15.08
The two sides of love
God is love and God loves you. The previous sentence is a short summary of 1 John 4:7-21. Yet, it’s interesting to see that the word ‘love’ operate as both a verb and a noun.
As a verb, it takes two parties to experience love. One side is the giver and the other one is the recipient. As a human being, we want to be loved simply because we want to receive. It’s simply growing out of our selfishness (by receiving) and to be come a giver of love.
When someone falls in love, he/she would do anything for the object of his love. “Love blinds” sumarizes it. But is that a true love? That’s where God comes in. He is love. In fact, the greatest love a person could ever receive is when someone give his life for his object of love.
As someone who receive, it’s a good feeling. I always enjoy to receive gifts from someone. But it may hurt when we have to give away.
When I had a discussion on the book of Ephesians with other church members, I mentioned that a husband ought to love his wife. Just like Christ love for His people by dying for them. This is the question that I have pondered ever since: how to love my wife that I’d give my life away for her? It’s interesting to think that I had that feeling when I dated her. That I’d do anything for her. Take out emotion out of the equation, and see if you’d still do that. Not saying that I won’t do that anymore, but rather, how to be able to do it and continually loving her. While God is lovely, it’s because He is Love and not just a lovely object.
Again, God is love and He loves you. He has died for you. Would you live for Him?
